VOD: De Oorlogskoffer

In the documentary De Oorlogskoffer ('The War Suitcase'), we see how pupils of Amsterdam's Gerrit van der Veen College empathise with the period of the German occupation (1940-1945). They are also introduced to the life story of the combative Salo Muller. What do these high school students discover about their own family past? And, how do they deal with these personal stories? watch the documentary (Dutch only)

'Through such an assignment, you see that each person has their own life. That's kind of cool. Suppose you were to make a suitcase like that of all the victims of the war. That's a lot of suitcases.'

- Olivier, born 2007

'I think it's important to let people know what happened.'
- Lieve, born 2007

'People who lived through World War II cannot forget that war. Not even the second and third generation.'
- Salo Muller, born 1936

'Remembering becomes more important when there are no more people who can remember the war. Then we have to remember for them, because they are no longer there.'
- Olivier, born 2007

The theme of this commemorative year is 'Living with war'. In the documentary De Oorlogskoffer, Vanessa de Gaay Fortman and Pim van Bezooijen, the makers, show how young people (aged 14-15) empathise with the period of World War II. Sometimes by telling life stories from a family member or, on the contrary, by researching a 'well-known' person who experienced the war. Also, history teacher Bert Looman introduces pupils to the life story of Salo Muller (former Ajax physiotherapist in the days of Johan Cruijff). The viewer sees Salo Muller with his granddaughter on Dam Square (wreath laying 2021). What do these war stories do to young people? What do they learn from it and what do they commemorate? How close or far away is the occupation of the Netherlands for these students when it turns out that this high school has a notorious war history. During World War II, Willy Lages (one of four from Breda) headed the Sicherheitsdienst in North Holland and Utrecht in this building.