.
.
.
.
M.J. Vorst
20 April 1998                    [free translation]

redaktie "Aanspraak"
Pensioen- en Uitkeringsraad
Postbus 9575
2300 RB Leiden
Nederland

ref.:  "Vraag en Antwoord"

2nd year #1 of march 1998.

			              "Proverbs 14:34"

May I cite you? "The laws concerning people, who were war-casualties, are a
result of the debt of honor and the exceptional solidarity, which the people
of the Netherlands feel for them. The payments, pensions, restitutions and
others are being paid from the Netherlands taxfunds. The cost amounted
last year to over 775 million guilders."

Oh, yeah. (If I could blaspheme, you'd have heard it right in Leiden). Allow
me to refresh your memory and to dare you, to publish my letter.

In 1945 the Netherlands government has signed a cease-fire-agreement with Germany,
wherein was stipulated, that it would not claim any damages, until the final
peace-agreement would be signed. This period has lasted for about twenty years.

Meanwhile my father, who returned with 100% disability from Bergen-Belsen
addressed himself to the German government, concerning the medical cost,
necessary to save his life. He was referred to The Hague. There he was informed,
that he was not acceptable as war-veteran. Also the "Prince Bernard Fund" rejected
him, as also the Stichting 1940-1945.

The ministry of Welfare was inclined to give him Fl.64.20 (approx. $17.10) per month.
This for a family with six children. But then he had to surrender all future financial
revenues (e.g. inheritances). My father refused to do this (he was the sole heir of his
whole family, as my mother to hers) and was left without any income. At that time we
were living in Eindhoven and the Catholic priest sold, in our behalf all valuables to
his parishioners, in order to help us feed ourselves. (My father was highly estimated
by all and the neighbors paid for a mass to be read, when he passed away, though
he was a Jew).

He died end 1957 at the age of 47, due to the German and Dutch persecution,
without having ever received a single penny of restitution or other indemnity.

The Dutch-German peace-treaty was signed in the sixties. Therein Germany
undertook to pay the Dutch government a sum of millions of Deutschmark.
(I don't remember exactly, something like 1.250.000.000 DM, I think. Yes, 1ĵ billion!).
Part of this was stipulated to be an indemnity for persecuted. The Dutch government
has appropriated this money. After some time, they have decided, that in some
extreme cases some Jews would be eligible to receive some kind of restitution,
as they could not wait, until all survivors would decease, like my father.

These amounts were ridiculous and after a while it became apparent, that these
well-invested finances were obviously waiting for an application. Therefor they
had to adopt other criteria and all persecuted received a contribution. Again a
few hundred guilders, that were gone, before they arrived at their destination.
Thereafter a law was passed, which became the base for the W.U.V. (i.e. law for
pensions to persecuted). Again discriminating, so that none of my family were
included. All of us were already living since 1962 outside the Netherlands.
When my brother and sisters, at last, did get, I did not receive, because, in my
ignorance, I had lost my Dutch citizenship. I had become Israeli. It took still
several years, till I was accorded a restitution, not a pension.

When, in 1945, we finally were allocated an apartment, (that belonged to and had
been rented to traitors), which had been appropriated by the government, we had
to pay for every nail, also the defective radio and vacuum-cleaner, etc. This at
high postwar prices. But when, shortly afterwards, these traitors were released,
we received an official request, to relinquish those articles, which we could
spare, to the same traitors.

Imagine, what would have been said, of the injustice, perpetrated by these Jews,
to their Dutch compatriots, if we would have rejected this appeal! These poor
persecuted Dutch Nazi's!

Indeed, the Dutch government has a debt of honor to the persecuted, after having
appropriated their finances. Also after having let them perish for twenty years.
Also out of exceptional solidarity with their Jewish populace, who were betreached
to the German enemy by 45% of their Dutch compatriots, to be gassed to death and
cremated. And whom it was resented, when in 1945 they did return alive. And whose
rightful property, already over a quarter century, enriches the Dutch treasury.

Allow me still, to assure you, that some of my best friends, including all my parents'
siblings, with their families, whereof none returned, were Jews!

I thank you all for the debt of honor and the exceptional solidarity,
towards me and my family!

Respectfully?,