And finally, the two institutes where, without doubt, our researchers spent most of their time, the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies in Amsterdam and the National Archives in The Hague. Of the first we would like to mention its director, Frank van Vree, who immediately sympathized with our project, and of the latter we would especially like to thank its former director, Collections and Public, Irene Gerrits, and service manager, Fenna Flietstra. We are grateful also to the many archive employees of both institutions who patiently continued to provide us with all requested files.
Ultimately, the investigation is key, but as with most things in life, it required adequate funding. From the start it was clear that this would be an expensive endeavor, and it took us quite some time to raise the necessary funds. From the moment we went public with our idea, it became clear that we were touching on a very sensitive topic. Afraid of the outcome, many potential sponsors did not want to take the risk of being involved. We were adamant that the investigation would be absolutely objective, and there were some parties who showed interest in a sponsorship, but we ultimately declined their support because we suspected that they might have interests that conflicted with the independence and objectivity we required. We reached out to the public and received many small private donations, for which we are extremely grateful. Jaap Rosen Jacobson and Oshri Even-Zohar came to our rescue in our darkest hour of need.
We also received a generous grant from the City of Amsterdam, thanks particularly to city councilors Simone Kukenheim and Touria Meliani, who fully understood that during the war the city of Amsterdam lost 10 percent of its citizens, an atrocity that should never be forgotten and that left a permanent scar on the city. We are also deeply indebted to Ger Baron, Tijs Roelofs, and Tamas Erkelens of the City of Amsterdam for their advice and support. And, of course, we received publisher advances for this book.
Then there are, of course, the people who made this publication possible. First, author Rosemary Sullivan, who, notwithstanding the great distance between Canada and the Netherlands as well as the severe covid-19 restrictions, managed to capture the essence of this project in a poignant way and produce this wonderful book. With so many actors scattered over multiple countries and continents, over so much time, and with so much information to sift through, we can only appreciate, admire, and respect her work.
We are deeply grateful to our HarperCollins editor, Sara Nelson, who, with her never-ending enthusiasm and confidence, made this an unforgettable journey for us all. We are also very grateful to our publisher, Jonathan Burnham, who along with Sara believed in this project from the beginning and on whose advice and support we could always count. Our gratitude also extends to our Dutch publishers, managing director Tanja Hendriks and publisher Laurens Ubbink of Ambo|Anthos, who gave us valuable input during the writing process. Our gratitude also extends to our literary agents, Marianne Sch?nbach and Diana Gvozden from the Marianne Sch?nbach Literary Agency in Amsterdam.
International projects of this size also need legal counsel. For legal advice we initially turned to Job Hengeveld of Hengeveld Advocaten and Philip van Wijnen. Eventually we were supported by the international law firm Bird & Bird and would especially like to thank Jeroen van der Lee, Jochem Apon, and Olaf Trojan. All of them did excellent work for us. We would also like to thank independent adviser Martin Senftleben of the University of Amsterdam for his excellent advice.
We owe great gratitude to several external advisers who guided us on our long and arduous journey: Edward Asscher, Boris Dittrich, Harry Dolman, Nelleke Geel, Dries van Ingen, Willem van der Knaap, Margreet Nanning, Kate Pankoke, Bert Wiggers, and many others. And then there are the esteemed members of our advisory board, who guided us through some of the more sensitive matters we encountered; we would like to express our gratitude to Roger van Boxtel, Job Cohen (chairman), and Michiel Westermann. Their advice was invaluable, but they should bear no responsibility with regard to our conclusions.
Finally, a project of this magnitude is not possible without people who tirelessly take care of business and logistics. Two people in particular helped make this project happen: our project manager, Jean Hellwig, and our executive assistant, Wieke van der Kley. We also owe much gratitude to our production manager, Mardou Jacobs, and our financial controller, Ali Banyahia; our two wonderful interns, Jason Akkerman and Daniel Osterwald; and Stan Schram, who found our office.
Amsterdam, December 4, 2020
Thijs Bayens
Pieter van Twisk
Luc Gerrits
It’s been a privilege to work on this project, and for that I thank Thijs Bayens, Pieter van Twisk, and Vince Pankoke. Thijs provided inspiration, Pieter provided precision, and Vince provided knowledge and moral support. They made my initial stay in Amsterdam immensely fruitful and, after COVID 19 attacked the world, patiently answered my Zoom calls and my thousands of emails. I would like to thank Brendan Rook for his professionalism, which helped sharpen my own angle of vision, and Monique Koemans for her warmth and expertise as she invited me to join her research sessions. Jean Hellwig, the project manager, was most generous with his time in solving all the logistical problems that came up. I would also like to thank the young researchers I worked with, including Circe de Bruin, Christine Hoste, Anna Foulidis, Linda Leestemaker, and Wieke van der Kley, all of whom facilitated my various visits to the archives, including the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the Amsterdam City Archives; to museums such as the National Holocaust Museum and the Resistance Museum; and especially road trips to the Memorial Center Camp Westerbork and The Hague. I would like to thank the Amsterdam Writers’ Residency of the Nederlands Letterenfonds for providing me with a wonderful apartment in the heart of Amsterdam in which to pursue my work.
I would like to acknowledge my sister Colleen Sullivan, who read my manuscript in its early drafts and offered vital encouragement; Karen Mulhallen, whose support and advice through the long process of writing were invaluable; Plum Johnson, who listened to my deliberations; and Mary Germaine, who was always there in a computer emergency.
I would like to thank my Canadian editor, Iris Tupholme, with whom I first worked in 1987 and who has shepherded my books through the difficult process of writing. As always, here, too, she has been wonderfully supportive, wise, and a joy to work with. She has always known how to encourage me to move beyond my own expectations. I owe her a lifetime debt.
It’s been a privilege to work with Sara Nelson. She is a great editor, always and immediately there; exacting and brilliant in her editorial comments; a perfectionist who encourages and demands the highest standards. Her patience is legion. All writers should be so lucky to have such an editor. I would especially like to thank Jonathan Burnham, president and publisher of the Harper division, who initially suggested me as the writer for this project, launching me on a deeply moving journey. He generously read the manuscript and offered crucial suggestions. And finally, I would like to thank my agent, Jackie Kaiser, who, like Iris, has always been there for me, providing support and advice whenever I need them. She is wise and impassioned and cares deeply about writers and writing. I am fortunate that she is my agent.
I dedicate this book to my sisters, Patricia, Sharon, and Colleen; to my brother, Terry; and to my husband and lifetime companion, Juan Opitz. With love and gratitude.
Toronto, April 1, 2021
Rosemary Sullivan
Archives and Institutes