The dream of World War II veteran André Hissink has come true: he is officially Dutch again. The 102-year-old – the last surviving flier of the 320 Dutch Squadron of the British Royal Air Force – received a certificate of his Dutch citizenship yesterday by the Dutch ambassador to Canada.
“It feels to me like something has finally been put right,” Hissink says on the phone. He lives in Perth, Canada. The veteran gave up his nationality in 1953 so that he could initially join the government in New Zealand. “I never wanted to give up,” the veteran explains, but according to him it was the only way to work in aviation.
Angry
He had gained plenty of experience in this during the Second World War. But because Hissink did not finish his studies, because of the outbreak of the war, and there were too few travelers, the veteran was told that it would be impossible to work in civil aviation in the Netherlands.
“I was so angry about it,” says Hissink. Although he lost his Dutch citizenship, his move abroad was a success. In Canada, for example, he worked at Canadian Pacific Airlines (CPA) and later at the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
‘Now really satisfied’
Yet it still felt unfair to the native Dutch that he was not a Dutchman on paper. And that while he has carried out all those bombings precisely for his native country, he explains. His relatives therefore started an action to give him back his Dutch citizenship.
“He really wants to be able to die as a Dutchman, it was his heart’s wish,” says Yvonne Poppink of Museum Englandvaarders. She was closely involved in the operation to make this possible. All in all, it took about a year to give Hissink back his Dutch nationality.
“It was an emotional moment for Mr. Hissink yesterday,” says Poppink. “But also for his family, they are very proud of him.” The veteran may collect his passport as soon as his passport photo has been processed. “I’m really satisfied now,” says Hissink with relief.
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