Dutch Railway to pay compensation

Discussion in 'The Holocaust' started by Marco, Jun 3, 2021.

  1. Marco

    Marco Senior Member

    The National Dutch Railway Company (NS) will pay a compensation of 43 milion Euro total to 804 survivors and 4.694 relatives for their part in the deportation of jews, sinti and roma.
     
  2. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    I’m not sure they had much choice .
     
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  3. Marco

    Marco Senior Member

    True, but they made a profit on it.
     
  4. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    I don't see how you can say that the Dutch Railways could have made a profit as their rolling stock and infrastructure had been requisitioned by the Germans. Some interesting figures in the attached which is taken from a publication entitled "The German exploitation of the Netherlands", published in 1945
     

    Attached Files:

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  5. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    The Dutch railways did go on strike later in the war which was an act of immense solidarity and courage
     
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  6. horsapassenger

    horsapassenger Senior Member

    John - Yes they went on strike in 17th September 1944 to coincide with Operation Market Garden. Most employees had to become onderduikers (go into hiding) and they, and their families, had to be supported by the resistance organisations.
     
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  7. Marco

    Marco Senior Member

    The Germans RENTED the Dutch equipment, and paid for it. When they did not pay on time, the NS send a reminder. Do not try to re-write history on this subject.

    Nederlandse Spoorwegen tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog | IsGeschiedenis

    It might also not be widely known that the deportees from the Netherlands had to buy a ticket for their one way trip.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2021
  8. ltdan

    ltdan Nietenzähler

    The background is somewhat more complex:
    The payments refer explicitly to those deportees who were accommodated in Camp Westerbork, and only for the period 1939 to 1942, i.e. before the Nazis made regular transports from there to the extermination camps in the course of the infamous "Final Solution".

    In view of the prevailing political situation (I refer in this connection to the sad odyssey of the "St. Louis"), the Dutch government of the time had closed the borders to refugees on December 15, 1938, thus making them de jure undesirable aliens, who were housed centrally in Westerbork from the summer of 1939.

    Even after the German invasion, this camp remained formally under Dutch administration until mid-1942. The use of the camp since July 1940 certainly did not correspond to the original intentions. To what extent the Dutch national railway company had great alternatives under Nazi occupation, I cannot and will not judge. There will not have been too many:
    As cynical as it is, there were regulated transport tariffs for such transports with German thoroughness: 3rd class basic, four pfennigs per person and kilometer, from 400 persons per transport there was a quantity discount....
    At least the Dutch railroad company has accepted its historical responsibility:
    Deutsche Bahn is currently still referring to "the complex legal situation, according to which it cannot be directly prosecuted."
     
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  9. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    Dear Marco, I don't think anyone who has contributed here so far is trying to re-write history.

    Learning and understanding is what I hope we are all here for.

    Kind regards, always,

    Jim.
     
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  10. Marco

    Marco Senior Member

    Hi Jim, the information is readily available in both Dutch and English. I don't see how you can say that the Dutch Railways could have made a profit is quit a statement to put in writing, to say the least on such a sensitive topic.

    To then allow to drag the topic into OT about the stike which had nothing to do with the deportatations makes me highly suspicious.

    But of course you are right, if you don't ask, you die dumb.
     
    Last edited: Jun 4, 2021

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