The municipality of Edam-Volendam does not intend to remove the street name signs of Burgemeester Van Baarstraat because that mayor was wrong in the war. There will be QR codes with more explanation. Earlier today, the municipality wrote in response to questions from NH News that it is difficult to make an assessment of the past from the present and that different interpretations are possible. Researcher Erik Besseling (UvA) sees it differently: “This is not about different interpretations.”
The day before yesterday, the Centraal Joods Overleg joined the discussion by asking the municipality to remove the street signs. So that’s not going to happen. After a discussion with the various party chairmen, the municipality has decided to place a sign with a QR code under the street signs. This ‘to do justice to the many sides to this issue’.
However, for both researcher Erik Besseling (UvA) and professor of war heritage Rob van der Laarse (UvA/VU), it is clear that former mayor of Edam Clement van Baar was jointly responsible for the deportation of Jews in the municipalities . Besseling: “The mayor is trying to put up a kind of smokescreen by saying that there are many different opinions. There are not so many different opinions about the persecution of the Jews here. The shame must be acknowledged.”
First step
Van der Laarse is more contemplative in the discussion. “It seems to me that the most important thing is that a discussion starts. QR codes are then a first step. It is a bit of a crazy solution, it reminds me of a museum. You can also add a text.”
He continues: “I see it more as a process. A real change of street name is quite drastic and must also be supported by the residents. I think this is an understandable step, although I would like it to be a bit more. I actually also hear many positive messages from Volendammers for a name change.”
QR code
In May, researcher Lennert Savenije came up with a preliminary investigation to Clement van Baar and his deeds in the war. That report was not complete, as the author himself stated in his conclusion.
Nevertheless, if you scan the QR code later, you will end up with that report and not with Erik Besseling’s follow-up research, the municipality says to NH Nieuws today. Besseling’s research showed that Van Baar was active in the persecution of Jews in the municipality. “Under Van Baar’s responsibility, Jews in hiding (the details of two of them are known) were arrested in Edam and twenty-one Jewish residents of Edam were also deported and murdered in concentration camps,” the researcher wrote in the local newspaper. Level.
Rob van der Laarse does not think it is right that reference will be made to Savenije’s report: “Of course they should refer to both reports. It is about the facts. Savenijen’s report was not complete, he himself indicated that.”
Facts on the table
It is clear to Besseling himself that the signs must be removed. “That QR code certainly not enough. It’s time to face it. The facts are now on the table. This mayor participated in the implementation of the anti-Jewish measures in the municipality. Will you honor such a man?”