Geertjan Lassche
Encyclopedia
Geertjan Lassche is a Dutch reporter and documentary film maker.
Lassche has been working for the Evangelische Omroep
since 2000 for several programs. He reconstructed among other things a plot of South Moluccan radicals to take Queen Juliana hostage and to occupy the Soestdijk palace. This plot, which was to be executed on April 1975, was prevented as the BVD
was tipped on the last moment. Etienne Urka, who was befriended with South Moluccans back then, confessed to Lasche that he informed the BVD
from the prison about the RMS plot.
Lassche became renowned with his report about the 'Forgotten Poles
during the Battle for Arnhem
', for which he took the last journalistic television-interview with prince Bernhard. As a consequence, on Wednesday, May 31, 2006, Queen Beatrix awarded the Military Order of William to the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade. The commander of the Brigade, the late Major General Stanisław Sosabowski, was awarded the "Bronze Lion
" posthumously.
The gratitude for this retribution was so great in Poland
that Lassche himself was also decorated. On January 30, 2007 he was awarded a military and a Golden Cross of Merit. During the ceremony, a grandson of Major General Sosabowski was present.
In 2005, Lassche made a serial of reports about the Netherlands's Foreign Law. It was discovered that civil servants of the Immigration & Naturalisation Services had informed the Congolese embassy and authorities that several of the people sent back to the Democratic Republic of Congo had claimed asylum in the Netherlands. This information is considered confidential and should not have been disclosed to the Congolese authorities. Rita Verdonk
, then Minister of Immigration, at first denied any wrongdoing on behalf of herself or her civil servants, but later admitted that in a several cases the Congolese embassy had been informed of the fact that several of the returnees had applied for asylum in the Netherlands. For these reports Lassche got the Gouden Tape, an incentive prize- for young journalism television talent.
His historical documentary t Was maar een mof ('It was just a jerry') revealed the story of the German Wehrmacht
soldier Karl Heinz Rosch during the occupation of the Netherlands in the Second World War, who rescued two Dutch toddlers but got killed himself. This story became well-known nationally and this resulted the dedication of a statue for this German soldier.
In 2007 Lassche revealed adoption scandals in Colombia, India and China. It created much commotion amongs adoptive children and - parents, adoption offices and the Ministry of Justice. Several independent government researches confirmed the wrongdoing and insisted on better supervision and a new policy.
In 2008, Geertjan Lassche was nominated for De Tegel, the annual Dutch award for journalistics.
Career
He started his career in journalism in 1996, at the Zwolse Courant, a local newspaper in Zwolle. At the same time he worked on a freelance base, among other things for the local stations RTV Oost, Omroep Gelderland, and Radio 1. He also wrote for several Dutch magazines: Nieuwe Revu, Kijk, and Voetbal International. Two years later a radio documentary by Lassche about the everyday life on a village of farmers was awarded with the Second prize at RVU-Radioprijs.Lassche has been working for the Evangelische Omroep
Evangelische Omroep
Evangelische Omroep is one of the twelve member-based broadcasting associations contributing to the Netherlands Public Broadcasting system. It has as its mission to bring people into contact with Jesus Christ and its statement of faith is a form of Evangelicalism...
since 2000 for several programs. He reconstructed among other things a plot of South Moluccan radicals to take Queen Juliana hostage and to occupy the Soestdijk palace. This plot, which was to be executed on April 1975, was prevented as the BVD
General Intelligence and Security Service
Algemene Inlichtingen- en Veiligheidsdienst , formerly known as the BVD is the General Intelligence and Security Service or The Secret service of the Netherlands. The office is in Zoetermeer...
was tipped on the last moment. Etienne Urka, who was befriended with South Moluccans back then, confessed to Lasche that he informed the BVD
General Intelligence and Security Service
Algemene Inlichtingen- en Veiligheidsdienst , formerly known as the BVD is the General Intelligence and Security Service or The Secret service of the Netherlands. The office is in Zoetermeer...
from the prison about the RMS plot.
Lassche became renowned with his report about the 'Forgotten Poles
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
during the Battle for Arnhem
Operation Market Garden
Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful Allied military operation, fought in the Netherlands and Germany in the Second World War. It was the largest airborne operation up to that time....
', for which he took the last journalistic television-interview with prince Bernhard. As a consequence, on Wednesday, May 31, 2006, Queen Beatrix awarded the Military Order of William to the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade. The commander of the Brigade, the late Major General Stanisław Sosabowski, was awarded the "Bronze Lion
Bronze Lion
The Bronze Lion is a high Royal Dutch award, intended for servicemen who have shown extreme bravery and leadership in battle favouring The Netherlands; in some special cases it can however be awarded to Dutch or foreign civilians. It was first created in 1944 and has since been issued 1210 times...
" posthumously.
The gratitude for this retribution was so great in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
that Lassche himself was also decorated. On January 30, 2007 he was awarded a military and a Golden Cross of Merit. During the ceremony, a grandson of Major General Sosabowski was present.
In 2005, Lassche made a serial of reports about the Netherlands's Foreign Law. It was discovered that civil servants of the Immigration & Naturalisation Services had informed the Congolese embassy and authorities that several of the people sent back to the Democratic Republic of Congo had claimed asylum in the Netherlands. This information is considered confidential and should not have been disclosed to the Congolese authorities. Rita Verdonk
Rita Verdonk
Maria Cornelia Frederika "Rita" Verdonk is a retired Dutch politician initially of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy until she was expelled in October 2007, she later formed her own party Proud of the Netherlands . She served as Minister for Integration and Immigration in Cabinets...
, then Minister of Immigration, at first denied any wrongdoing on behalf of herself or her civil servants, but later admitted that in a several cases the Congolese embassy had been informed of the fact that several of the returnees had applied for asylum in the Netherlands. For these reports Lassche got the Gouden Tape, an incentive prize- for young journalism television talent.
His historical documentary t Was maar een mof ('It was just a jerry') revealed the story of the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
soldier Karl Heinz Rosch during the occupation of the Netherlands in the Second World War, who rescued two Dutch toddlers but got killed himself. This story became well-known nationally and this resulted the dedication of a statue for this German soldier.
In 2007 Lassche revealed adoption scandals in Colombia, India and China. It created much commotion amongs adoptive children and - parents, adoption offices and the Ministry of Justice. Several independent government researches confirmed the wrongdoing and insisted on better supervision and a new policy.
In 2008, Geertjan Lassche was nominated for De Tegel, the annual Dutch award for journalistics.