In Nederland gebleven

In 1951, approximately 12,900 Moluccans came to the Netherlands. They were mainly former soldiers of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) and their families. The expectation was that they would return home after a few months. Almost seventy-five years have now passed, and only a small group...

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Main Authors: Smeets, Henk, Steijlen, Fridus
Format: Online
Language:Dutch
Published: Amsterdam University Press 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/111371
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author Smeets, Henk
Steijlen, Fridus
author_browse Smeets, Henk
Steijlen, Fridus
author_facet Smeets, Henk
Steijlen, Fridus
author_sort Smeets, Henk
collection Directory of Open Access Books
description In 1951, approximately 12,900 Moluccans came to the Netherlands. They were mainly former soldiers of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) and their families. The expectation was that they would return home after a few months. Almost seventy-five years have now passed, and only a small group has returned. The war of decolonization in Indonesia led to Indonesia’s independence but also resulted in Moluccan soldiers who had fought in Dutch service ending up on the wrong side of history. This was exacerbated by their rejection of the unitary state in the new Indonesia, opting for a federal structure and ultimately for an independent Republic of South Moluccas. As a result, the demobilization of approximately 3,500 Moluccan soldiers stalled, and they and their families were brought to the Netherlands temporarily. Because both the government and the Moluccans assumed this stay would be temporary, they both long rejected integration. “In Nederland gebleven” (Those Who Remained in the Netherlands") explores the tension between a migrant group and the government, the violent confrontation between exiles with political ideals and Dutch society, and the collaboration between governments and Moluccans to overcome these problems. It demonstrates that integration is a long-term process, a process that—despite differences—can be found among other migrant groups.
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institution Directory of Open Access Books
language dut
publishDate 2026
publishDateRange 2026
publishDateSort 2026
publisher Amsterdam University Press
publisherStr Amsterdam University Press
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spelling doab-20.500.12854ir-1735292026-03-19T13:12:36Z In Nederland gebleven Smeets, Henk Steijlen, Fridus Migration Integration processes Moluccan history Dutch history Decolonization thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBF Social and ethical issues::JBFH Migration, immigration and emigration thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHT History: specific events and topics::NHTB Social and cultural history thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHT History: specific events and topics::NHTR National liberation and independence thema EDItEUR::1 Place qualifiers::1D Europe::1DD Western Europe::1DDN Netherlands In 1951, approximately 12,900 Moluccans came to the Netherlands. They were mainly former soldiers of the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) and their families. The expectation was that they would return home after a few months. Almost seventy-five years have now passed, and only a small group has returned. The war of decolonization in Indonesia led to Indonesia’s independence but also resulted in Moluccan soldiers who had fought in Dutch service ending up on the wrong side of history. This was exacerbated by their rejection of the unitary state in the new Indonesia, opting for a federal structure and ultimately for an independent Republic of South Moluccas. As a result, the demobilization of approximately 3,500 Moluccan soldiers stalled, and they and their families were brought to the Netherlands temporarily. Because both the government and the Moluccans assumed this stay would be temporary, they both long rejected integration. “In Nederland gebleven” (Those Who Remained in the Netherlands") explores the tension between a migrant group and the government, the violent confrontation between exiles with political ideals and Dutch society, and the collaboration between governments and Moluccans to overcome these problems. It demonstrates that integration is a long-term process, a process that—despite differences—can be found among other migrant groups. 2026-03-19T13:12:35Z 2026-03-19T13:12:35Z 2026-03-11T15:15:15Z 2025 book https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/111371 9789464564396 9789048574285 9789464564402 https://directory.doabooks.org/handle/20.500.12854/173529 dut open access Amsterdam University Press 10.5117/9789464564396 10.5117/9789464564396 de2ecbe7-1037-4e96-8c3a-5a842d921e04 9789464564396 9789048574285 9789464564402 640 Amsterdam open access
spellingShingle Migration
Integration processes
Moluccan history
Dutch history
Decolonization
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBF Social and ethical issues::JBFH Migration, immigration and emigration
thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHT History: specific events and topics::NHTB Social and cultural history
thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHT History: specific events and topics::NHTR National liberation and independence
thema EDItEUR::1 Place qualifiers::1D Europe::1DD Western Europe::1DDN Netherlands
Smeets, Henk
Steijlen, Fridus
In Nederland gebleven
title In Nederland gebleven
title_full In Nederland gebleven
title_fullStr In Nederland gebleven
title_full_unstemmed In Nederland gebleven
title_short In Nederland gebleven
title_sort in nederland gebleven
topic Migration
Integration processes
Moluccan history
Dutch history
Decolonization
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBF Social and ethical issues::JBFH Migration, immigration and emigration
thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHT History: specific events and topics::NHTB Social and cultural history
thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHT History: specific events and topics::NHTR National liberation and independence
thema EDItEUR::1 Place qualifiers::1D Europe::1DD Western Europe::1DDN Netherlands
topic_facet Migration
Integration processes
Moluccan history
Dutch history
Decolonization
thema EDItEUR::J Society and Social Sciences::JB Society and culture: general::JBF Social and ethical issues::JBFH Migration, immigration and emigration
thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHT History: specific events and topics::NHTB Social and cultural history
thema EDItEUR::N History and Archaeology::NH History::NHT History: specific events and topics::NHTR National liberation and independence
thema EDItEUR::1 Place qualifiers::1D Europe::1DD Western Europe::1DDN Netherlands
url https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/111371
work_keys_str_mv AT smeetshenk innederlandgebleven
AT steijlenfridus innederlandgebleven