Jacques Presser
Encyclopedia
Jacques Presser (Amsterdam
, 24 February 1899 - Amsterdam
, 30 April 1970) was a Dutch historian, writer and poet best known for his book Ashes in the wind (The destruction of the Dutch Jews) on the history of the persecution of the Jews in the Netherlands during World War II. Yet he also made a significant contribution to Dutch historical scholarship, as well as to European historical scholarship.
.
He attended the University of Amsterdam after finishing a vocational college and working for a few years. At the University, he studied history, art history, and Dutch. He graduated cum laude in 1926. Then he taught history at the newly founded Vossius Gymnasium
in Amsterdam.
In 1930, he came into contact with the renowned historian Jan Romein
who helped him to get a job as an instructor at the Instituut voor Historische Leergangen, which launched his academic career.
in Nazi Germany
, and he wrote critically about it. When Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940, this was a very great shock for him; he even attempted suicide, unsuccessfully. Because of the Nazi anti-Jewish policies, he lost his job at Vossius Gymnasium; nevertheless, he managed to find work as teacher at the Jewish Lyceum
.
In early 1943, his wife Deborah Apple was arrested and deported to the Sobibor
death camp, where she died. The loss of his first wife marked Presser for life. Yet he managed to escape from the Nazis by hiding, including in a small town named Lunteren
.
In 1947, partly at his instigation, the politico-social faculty of law was established at the University, and he began to teach there. From 1948, he was also professor at the Faculty of Arts. His Marxist political leanings prevented him from receiving full promotions at the University. Over the years, he spoke out on sensitive political issues such as the Dutch police actions in Indonesia, and the activities of U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy
against suspected Communists. He also contributed to the leftist magazines like Vrij Nederland, and De Waarheid. So it was not until 1952 that he was appointed as full professor.
In 1954, Presser married Bertha Hartog, his second wife.
In 1959, he succeeded Jan Romein in his Dutch history chair at the Faculty of Arts. Presser retired from his job in 1969. He died suddenly on 30 April 1970.
In 1950, Presser received a commission from the Dutch government to produce a study about the fate of the Dutch Jews during the war. This would later become his historical masterpiece Ondergang [The destruction of the Dutch Jews]. He worked on this project for fifteen years, making full use of the vast archive of the Dutch Institute for War Documentation. The resulting work was a big best-seller in the Netherlands when it was published in 1965.
Presser made a very significant contribution to Dutch historical studies. Along with other great historians, such as Groen van Prinsterer, Robert Fruin
, Huizinga
, Pieter Geyl
, L.J. Rogier, Jan Romein
, and Annie Romein-Verschoor
, he can be counted as one of the greatest historians of Holland.
Besides historical work, Presser also wrote works of literature. His book The Night of the Girondins, based on his war time experiences, received literary prizes, and became an international best-seller. Set in the Dutch transit camp of Westerbork, the leading character of this book is an assimilated Jewish teacher collaborating with the Nazis. His job was to select Jews for transportation to Auschwitz; later he realises that, as a Jew, he was also bound to share the fate of those he had sent away.
Presser also wrote poetry, and even ventured into the area of crime fiction.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, 24 February 1899 - Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, 30 April 1970) was a Dutch historian, writer and poet best known for his book Ashes in the wind (The destruction of the Dutch Jews) on the history of the persecution of the Jews in the Netherlands during World War II. Yet he also made a significant contribution to Dutch historical scholarship, as well as to European historical scholarship.
Early years
Presser was born in the former Jewish quarter of Amsterdam. His family was rather poor (his father was a diamond cutter), and his parents had Socialist leanings. They were secular Jews. Presser, himself, in later life, also gravitated towards the Left. For a while, when he was young, his family also lived in Antwerp, BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
He attended the University of Amsterdam after finishing a vocational college and working for a few years. At the University, he studied history, art history, and Dutch. He graduated cum laude in 1926. Then he taught history at the newly founded Vossius Gymnasium
Vossius Gymnasium
Vossius Gymnasium is one of the five categorial gymnasia in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, the other being Barlaeus Gymnasium, Ignatius Gymnasium, Cygnus Gymnasium and Het 4e Gymnasium. It is named after Gerardus Joannes Ernie Vossius, and was established in 1926....
in Amsterdam.
In 1930, he came into contact with the renowned historian Jan Romein
Jan Romein
Jan Marius Romein was a Dutch journalist and historian.Born in Rotterdam, Romein married the writer and historian Annie Romein-Verschoor on August 14, 1920.Romein began writing while a student in 1916...
who helped him to get a job as an instructor at the Instituut voor Historische Leergangen, which launched his academic career.
War-time experiences
Presser was affected by the then rising anti-SemitismAnti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
in Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, and he wrote critically about it. When Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940, this was a very great shock for him; he even attempted suicide, unsuccessfully. Because of the Nazi anti-Jewish policies, he lost his job at Vossius Gymnasium; nevertheless, he managed to find work as teacher at the Jewish Lyceum
Lyceum
The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies between countries; usually it is a type of secondary school.-History:...
.
In early 1943, his wife Deborah Apple was arrested and deported to the Sobibor
Sobibór
Sobibór is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Włodawa, within Włodawa County, Lublin Voivodeship, in eastern Poland. It lies close to the Bug River, which forms the border with Belarus and Ukraine. Sobibór is approximately south-east of Włodawa and east of the regional capital...
death camp, where she died. The loss of his first wife marked Presser for life. Yet he managed to escape from the Nazis by hiding, including in a small town named Lunteren
Lunteren
Lunteren is a place in Gelderland Province, Netherlands. It has a railway station and the train travels between Amersfoort and Ede.It is known also because of three Conference Centres in the vicinity, like Het Bosgoed, which hosting especially academic conferences and De Werelt Congress Hotel.It...
.
Post war years
After the war's end, Presser got back his teaching job at the Vossius Gymnasium, and he was also a lecturer in political history, didactics, and the methodology of history at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Amsterdam.In 1947, partly at his instigation, the politico-social faculty of law was established at the University, and he began to teach there. From 1948, he was also professor at the Faculty of Arts. His Marxist political leanings prevented him from receiving full promotions at the University. Over the years, he spoke out on sensitive political issues such as the Dutch police actions in Indonesia, and the activities of U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
against suspected Communists. He also contributed to the leftist magazines like Vrij Nederland, and De Waarheid. So it was not until 1952 that he was appointed as full professor.
In 1954, Presser married Bertha Hartog, his second wife.
In 1959, he succeeded Jan Romein in his Dutch history chair at the Faculty of Arts. Presser retired from his job in 1969. He died suddenly on 30 April 1970.
Historical contributions
One of Presser's most significant works was his extensive biography of Napoleon Bonaparte, published in 1946. In contrast to the common hagiographies of the French emperor, Presser is quite critical of the history, personality, and the political activity of Napoleon. Already in the introduction to the book, Presser makes quite clear that one of his main intentions was to try and remove various euphemisms and legends about Napoleon. (This work is only available currently in Dutch, and in German.)In 1950, Presser received a commission from the Dutch government to produce a study about the fate of the Dutch Jews during the war. This would later become his historical masterpiece Ondergang [The destruction of the Dutch Jews]. He worked on this project for fifteen years, making full use of the vast archive of the Dutch Institute for War Documentation. The resulting work was a big best-seller in the Netherlands when it was published in 1965.
Presser made a very significant contribution to Dutch historical studies. Along with other great historians, such as Groen van Prinsterer, Robert Fruin
Robert Fruin
Robert Jacobus Fruin was a Dutch historian, who as a follower of Leopold von Ranke introduced the scientific study of history in The Netherlands, when he was professor of Dutch national history at Leiden University.-Biography:Fruin, a lifelong bachelor, studied classical philology at Leiden...
, Huizinga
Johan Huizinga
Johan Huizinga , was a Dutch historian and one of the founders of modern cultural history.-Life:Born in Groningen as the son of Dirk Huizinga, a professor of physiology, and Jacoba Tonkens, who died two years after his birth, he started out as a student of Indo-Germanic languages, earning his...
, Pieter Geyl
Pieter Geyl
Pieter Catharinus Arie Geyl was a Dutch historian, well-known for his studies in early modern Dutch history and in historiography.-Background:...
, L.J. Rogier, Jan Romein
Jan Romein
Jan Marius Romein was a Dutch journalist and historian.Born in Rotterdam, Romein married the writer and historian Annie Romein-Verschoor on August 14, 1920.Romein began writing while a student in 1916...
, and Annie Romein-Verschoor
Annie Romein-Verschoor
Anna Helena Margaretha Romein-Verschoor was a Dutch writer and historian...
, he can be counted as one of the greatest historians of Holland.
Besides historical work, Presser also wrote works of literature. His book The Night of the Girondins, based on his war time experiences, received literary prizes, and became an international best-seller. Set in the Dutch transit camp of Westerbork, the leading character of this book is an assimilated Jewish teacher collaborating with the Nazis. His job was to select Jews for transportation to Auschwitz; later he realises that, as a Jew, he was also bound to share the fate of those he had sent away.
Presser also wrote poetry, and even ventured into the area of crime fiction.
Historical works
- De Tachtigjarige Oorlog [The Eighty Years War] (1941-1948)
- Napoleon: Historie en legende [Napoleon: History and Legend] (1946)
- (German translation) Napoleon: das Leben und die Legende. Deutsche Verlags-Anstalt, Stuttgart, 1977.
- Amerika: Van kolonie tot wereldmacht [America: From Colony to World Power] (1949)
- Ondergang [Downfall]. De vervolging en verdelging van het Nederlandse Jodendom 1940 - 1945 [Ashes in the wind (The destruction of the Dutch Jews)]
- English translations:
- Ashes in the wind. London: Souvenir Press, 1968.
- The destruction of the Dutch Jews. New York: Dutton, 1969.
- Ashes in the wind. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1988.
- Ashes in the wind. London: Souvenir Press, 2010
Literary works
- De Nacht der Girondijnen [The Night of the Girondins] (1957)
- English translations:
- Breaking Point, 1958
- Night of the Girondists, 1992.
Awards
- Lucy B. and CW van der Hoogt Prize in 1957 for his book The Night of the Girondins
- Knighthood, and membership of the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences (KNAW).
- The Remembrance Award in 1969 from the World Federation of Bergen-BelsenBergen-BelsenBergen-Belsen may refer to:* Stalag XI-C Bergen-Belsen , a German World War II prisoner-of-war camp* Bergen-Belsen concentration camp , on the site of the prisoner-of-war camp...
Associations