The CIDI wants the government to investigate Prince Bernhard’s war history. Director Naomi Mestrum said this on Wednesday in response to the revelations that Prince Bernhard was a member of the NSDAP, Hitler’s party.
A historian found his way into the prince’s personal archive. The CIDI, an important voice of the Jewish community in the Netherlands, will submit this request to outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte.
“We thought for some time that Bernhard had been a member, now there is proof of this,” said Mestrum. “This is another revelation that adds a new black page to a painful part of recent Dutch history. Clearly we can’t take the prince at his word. It is now very important that we get everything on the table.”
According to Mestrum, a major investigation is of great importance for both the Oranges and the Netherlands itself. “When it comes to the Second World War, transparency and education are essential,” she says. “That is only possible if the facts are clear. This is about the credibility of both the Netherlands and the royal family.”
Terrible lie
The call is also supported by former CIDI director Ronny Naftaniel. “This is another terrible lie,” he says. “Bernhard played an important role in the Dutch armed forces, especially in the last years of the war. It is not the first lie he has been caught in, just think of the Lockheed affair. It is so important for the history books that the truth is properly recorded, even if it is complex and unpleasant.”
The RVD and outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte stated on Wednesday that they did not want to respond to the revelations of Bernhard and his membership of the NSDAP.