The attitude of the Roman Catholic clergy in hiding and refusing to surrender two Jewish girls whose parents were killed by the Nazis, was severely criticized today in the Netherlands Senate.
Baron Devos Van Steenwyk, Liberal Senator, demanded that the Minister of Justice prosecute all persons responsible for future “kidnappings” and hiding of such Jewish children. Dr. J. Whitteman, a Catholic Party Senator, defended the religious authorities’ actions, asserting that the future of these children was a matter of decision only for their foster parents.
The Minister of Justice, Dr. L. Donker, refused to comment when asked whether those who hid the two girls would be prosecuted and again when asked to speak on the attitude of the Catholic authorities in these cases. In the latter Instance, he said he could not speak on religious matters.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
