royaltyThe Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund will continue under a new name from Tuesday: the Cultural Fund. The decision follows the news that Dutch Prince Bernhard was a member of the NSDAP, Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party. “This name fits who we are today and the focus on our content,” director Cathelijne Broers told the Dutch news site ‘AD’.
According to Broers, the Cultural Fund is “the only fund in the Netherlands to which you can donate and apply for money across the full spectrum of culture and nature”. “It is therefore important that everyone can recognize themselves in our name,” says Broers.
What is going on?
At the beginning of October it was confirmed that Prince Bernhard had been a member of the Nazi party. Historian Flip Maarschalkerweerd revealed that he had found the original NSDAP membership card in the prince’s private archives. The Dutch Government Information Service (RVD) subsequently confirmed the existence of the pass. A copy of the map was previously found.
Bernhard denied his membership in the Nazi Party until his death in 2004. “I can declare with my hand on the Bible: I was never a Nazi. I never paid for party membership, I never had a membership card,” he said in an interview with the ‘Volkskrant’, which was published after his death.
‘Unpleasantly surprised’
The Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund, founded by the prince in 1940, reacted ‘unpleasantly surprised’ at the beginning of October to the news that the Nazi pass had been found. The fund did not want to make any announcements about a name change at the time. “We have seen the media reports about the indisputable evidence regarding Prince Bernhard’s membership. We are surprised by this announcement and the existence of this document.”
Everything indicated that the fund was slowly but surely saying goodbye to the controversial prince. This spring, the website, logo and corporate identity of the organization were reworked, with a clearly smaller role for the founder of the well-known fund. The prince’s name is no longer even used on social media.
Street names in Utrecht
In Utrecht, consideration is also being given to changing the names of some street names. Mayor Sharon Dijksma of Utrecht says she needed ‘reflection time’ to determine what to do with the new information about Prince Bernhard’s past. “Of course, today’s knowledge may lead to a different view of the naming of a street name,” she said. She also emphasized that she is curious to see how other municipalities deal with the issue. “I want to be able to look at this in peace before we as a council come to a decision.”
Bribes, secret operations and illegitimate children: Prince Bernhard’s 5 biggest scandals (+)
Dutch Prince Bernhard gives the king red cheeks: “Hard proof that he was a member of the Nazi party” (+)
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and never miss anything from the stars.
Yes, I want free unlimited access
Tags: Prince Bernhard Cultural Fund fuss Nazi membership Dutch Prince Bernhard Royalty
