The drama series about Pim Fortuyn, which can be seen on TV from Friday, evokes mixed feelings in Hans Smolders. The Tilburg politician experienced the last turbulent months of Fortuyn very closely: he was his driver at that time. And Smolders was there when he was murdered: “He paid the highest price, with his life.”
Smolders has no involvement at all with the series. It does not surprise him that a TV series has been made about Pim Fortuyn: “Of course something has happened. And I welcome all the positive attention that Pim receives. If it all appears as it actually went, then I can live with it. But I’m holding my breath.”
The first images can be seen in a trailer. And interviews with protagonists Jeroen Spitzenberger (Fortuyn) and Ramsey Nasr (his political opponent Ad Melkert) give you an impression of how they portray their characters. And that doesn’t bode well for Smolders.
“When I hear that Melkert is portrayed as someone who was very good to his daughters, what does it interest me? It gives me a bad feeling, because it is about his role in politics at that time. So will it be a good representation of what happened? I am concerned about that.”
What should come out of the series, if it’s up to Smolders? “That Pim has been unfairly portrayed as a racist worldwide. Film crews from Tokyo, Taiwan: Fifty camera crews from all over the world came here to see what a terrible monster had risen. As a result, people got the wrong impression of him and a madman thought he had to save the world by shooting him. It’s a drama series, so show that drama.”
The intense time Smolders had with Fortuyn twenty years ago left deep marks. It was the motivation for Smolders to go into politics himself. And still he can only talk about his hero in euphoric words.
“I always compare him to Spa Blauw. As clear and pure as it can be. I can still see him sitting in the back seat, emotionally, because he was again smeared with racism by politics and in the media. That really killed him, he thought it was so bad.”
That Fortuyn aroused fierce resistance, became clear at a book presentation in Nieuwspoort. There he was pelted with a filthy cake: “Moments like that should not be missing in the series as far as I’m concerned. There was a lot of junk in that cake, then all the alarm bells should have gone off anyway.”
Smolders cherishes the beautiful memories. Just before his death, Fortuyn was a guest at Ruud de Wild on 3FM.
“An hour before the broadcast, we were still at a gas station with a bag of chips and an alcohol-free beer. We celebrated being the largest party in the polls. And just after the interview, Ruud de Wild called me live on the broadcast. He wanted Pim’s tie. ‘Don’t Hans’, Pim shouted in the background. Happy moments, that was laughter. It was a few minutes before his death.”
On May 6, 2002, left-wing environmental activist Volkert van der Graaf fired his fatal shots. Fortuyn was murdered in front of Hans Smolders. Then he ran after the perpetrator.
“It was a blur. If I had thought, I wouldn’t have done it. I had a wife and children at home. You don’t go after someone who just fired. But it was in my head: you stay away from Pim. That part will definitely be in the series.”
The series ‘The year of Fortuyn’ can be seen on NPO1 on Friday evening at 9.30 pm. Hans Smolders is sitting in front of the TV: “This drama series need not exaggerate, because it was already dramatic enough on its own. I am curious, I will watch with interest.”