29 January 2024 · Reading time 2 min
What did the Jewish Council do and what difficult decisions did they have to make? How did they work under the strict rules of the Nazis? And what did that mean for the Jewish people in the Netherlands? This article provides answers to these questions and tells about the Jewish Council in a difficult time.
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In February 1941, in the midst of World War II and the German occupation of the Netherlands, the Jewish Council was established in Amsterdam. This organization served as a link between the Jewish community in the city and the Nazi authorities. Their main task was to transmit and implement the orders of the German occupiers, particularly focused on organizing measures against the Jewish population.
Leadership in the Jewish Council
Important figures in the Jewish Council were the chairmen Abraham Asscher and David Cohen. These leaders faced difficult choices as they were pressured by the Nazis. The Council existed from February 1941 to September 1943.
Difficult decisions under pressure
Under constant pressure from the Nazis, the leaders of the Jewish Council had to make very difficult decisions. They had to choose between cooperation to protect the Jewish community and risking harsher measures and reprisals if they rebelled.
Assignments during the war
During the war years, the Jewish Council received various assignments from the German occupiers. This included making lists of Jewish residents, organizing deportations to labor camps, and implementing other measures against the Jewish population. These tasks remain a subject of debate, and the role of the Jewish Council is seen as a tragic symbol of the extreme circumstances faced by the Jewish community during the Holocaust.