Jacques Presser

Those interviewed (some of them in Jerusalem) are relatives, former pupils, former students, colleagues and other relations of the historian and writer Jacques Presser, who became known for his book Ondergang: de ververvolging en verdelging van het Nederlandse Jodendom 1940-1945 (The Hague: Staatsuitgeverij, 1965). In 1950, the Dutch state commissioned Presser to conduct a study of the fate of the Jews during World War II. For this, Presser spent fifteen years in the NIOD archives. The published book subsequently became a bestseller. Presser is also the creator of the term ego document and is considered one of the great Dutch historians of the modern era.

The interviewees talk about Presser’s childhood, background and family ties; student days; teaching at the Vossius Gymnasium and the Jewish Lyceum in Amsterdam; his marriage to Dé Appel; the war years, including the suicide attempt in May 1940, Dé’s deportation and going into hiding; his Jewish identity; second marriage to Bep Hartog; political views; the appointment issue surrounding his appointment as professor of New History at the Political Social Faculty at the University of Amsterdam, founded in 1947; his publications, including his well-known, two-volume Ondergang. The Persecution and Extermination of Dutch Jewry, 1940-1945.

Interviewees:

Lie Alma, R. van Amerongen, Josje Appel, Jaap Arnon (alias Jaap van Amerongen), J.Z. Baruch, H. Baudet, Judith Belinfante, dr. Sig. Berreclouw, J.A.H. van Beusekom, E. Biegel-Roozendaal, P.B.M. Blaas, Salvador Bloemgarten, dr. H. Boaz, Els Bonger, prof. J.C. Boogman, Sal Breemer, Philo Bregstein, L. Brester-Flothuis, prof. dr. I.J. Brugmans, dr. W.J. Bruijn, A. Bueno de Mesquita, dr. Fenna van den Burg, dr. Frans Bijlsma, M.G. Bijlsma-Burgers, C.W. Damme[r]-Hamerpracht, Lea Dasberg, Lex van Delden, prof. dr. Sem Dresden, prof. dr. H.W. von der Dunk, Jel van Eck, H.J. van Eck, Marius Flothuis, Ruth Foppema-Wolf, dr. W.J. Formsma, Barend Frankfort, J.G. Frankfort, Chellie Frankfort-Presser, Tine Gewin-Bijlsma, J.J. Giele, Eva M. Gomperts-van Schaik, Annemarie Goudriaan-de Ru, E.G. Groeneveld, Maria de Groot, Jo de Haas, prof. dr. G.W. Harmsen, prof. dr. D. Harting, A.J. Hensbroek-Reiding, prof. dr. W.F. Heinemeyer, Salvador Hartog, mr. Abel J. Herzberg, A.E. Heuwekemeyer-de Lange, dr. F.A. Hoogendijk, H.J. Hucride, Ellie Jaffé-Freem, prof. dr. H.P.H. Jansen, Auke de Jong, Frits de Jong, Beb de Jong-Bijlsma, J.P. Klautz, K.P. Klimp, Wim Klinkenberg, A.P.E. Korver, prof. dr. E.H. Kossman, dr. J.A. Kossman-Putto, mw. A.L. Kropveld, prof. ir. D.G.H. Latzko, prof. dr. D.J. de Lévita, Géke Linker, prof. dr. Ies Lipschitz, C.E. (Connie) van der Maesen, Els Matthijsen-Plomp, prof. dr. A.F. Mellink, H.H. Mendel, Frans Meyers, S.J. Meyers-Appel, Hanny Michaelis, J. Michman [J. Melkman], prof. dr. C.W. Mönnich, Henk van Nieuwenhuyzen, Miriam Noordenbos, M.B. Nordheim-van Amerongen, dr. F.G.J. Offerijns, dr. C. Offringa, P.A.L. Oppenheimer, C.M. Plomp, Marianne Plomp, prof. dr. J.M. Pluvier, Jacob Polak, J.B.W. Polak, Annie van Raalte-Nunes Nabarro, prof. dr. Karel van het Reve, dr. R.F. Roegholt, J.B. Romein, J.E. Romein, Renate Rubinstein, dr. A.S. Rijxman, C. Rijxman-van der Horst, prof. dr. B.W. Schaper, mr. J. van Schaik, A.M. van Schaik-Ero, dr. P. Schneiders, prof. dr. I. Schöffer, P. Schraa, J. Schröder, G.J. van Setten, H.J. Smit, Pauline Sprengers, W. Sterzenberg, A. Sterzenberg-David, C.J.F. Stuhldreher, G.J. van Suchtelen, Jaap Talsma, Eva Tas, H.G. (Isa) Teske-Baswitz, I.H. (Iet) Verdoorn-Rabbie, prof. dr. A.A. Verrijn-Stuart, B.F. Vos, Theun de Vries, dr. H. Wansink, prof. dr. W.F. Wertheim, dr. E.J. Willems, J. van Witsen, F. Weinreb, W. van Zeytveld, M.N. Zijlstra-Buis.

Interviewer: Nanda van der Zee

For further information about Jacques Presser, see also: Het leven en werk van Jacques Presser met interviews met Jacques Presser zelf.