From February, those interested in the digital war archive will no longer have to travel all the way to the National Archives in The Hague. It will be possible to view this war archive at 11 regional archives, including the Drenthe Archives in Assen.
Approximately 30 percent of the archive, containing files of more than 400,000 Dutch people who were investigated for collaboration after the Second World War, has so far been digitized. From July 1, these documents could be viewed in the reading room of the National Archives. “But given the advanced age of many interested parties, it is important to offer this option close to home,” says outgoing Minister of Education, Culture and Science Gouke Moes (BBB).
Moreover, the places to visit the digital war archive in The Hague have always been reserved since the start. “There is more interest than space,” says Moes.
From February onwards, it will be a lot easier for Drenthe to delve into family history. “There have been discussions about this since the beginning of the summer and preparations are already in full swing,” says spokesperson Hilde Boelema of the Drenthe Archives. “We will see what it will look like in concrete terms in the coming weeks.” According to Boelema, it seems that there are several computers available at the same time in Assen to delve into the war archives.
Boelema sees that curiosity about the Second World War remains alive and well in Drenthe. “War always remains a subject that is in great demand. We still have consultation hours every week about the Second World War. That is why it is very nice that people who are older, in particular, do not have to go all the way to the National Archives to view these files.”