The last episode of the successful history series that was shown on NPO 2 on April 13 was called Liberators and occupiers and was about how the Netherlands fared during and just after the German occupation in the 1940s. Presenter Daan Schuurmans stated in it, among other things, that ‘the resistance quickly extinguished’ and that ‘only a few dared to take action’.
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Paul van Tongeren, chairman of the board of the Jacoba van Tongeren foundation, calls that image ‘obviously incorrect’ and, moreover, ‘a slap in the face of all Dutch people who risked their lives for freedom in their fight against injustice and oppression’. He asks the broadcaster, also on behalf of dozens of descendants of well-known and lesser-known resistance fighters, to adjust the episode. “In this way, we want to ensure that viewers get a correct picture of the Dutch resistance during repeated broadcasts and especially when used in schools,” says Van Tongeren, descendant of Jacoba van Tongeren, leader of Group 2000, a resistance group.
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The NTR “of course takes the criticism of the foundation seriously,” a spokesperson told ANP. “We will look at it closely and come back to it later.”
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