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By late 1944 the Netherlands East Indies Government-in-Exile had become firmly established in Brisbane. Government departments were functioning, the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration (NICA) was preparing to restore civil government, and Dutch military units were increasingly integrated into Allied operations across the South West Pacific. Yet one fundamental reality remained Read more

By 1943, the tide of the Pacific War had begun to turn. Allied victories in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands gave increasing confidence that Japan would eventually be defeated. For the Dutch Government, however, military success created an entirely new challenge. Defeating Japan was only the first step. The Read more

When Germany invaded the Netherlands in May 1940, Queen Wilhelmina and the Dutch Government escaped to London, where they continued as the internationally recognised government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Constitutionally, the situation appeared straightforward: the Queen remained Head of State, Prime Minister Pieter Sjoerds Gerbrandy led the government, Read more

Why Australia’s Partnership with the Netherlands Government-in-Exile and the Netherlands East Indies Still Matters By Paul Budde “What does it actually take to establish a government-in-exile?” It is a deceptively simple question. Over the past several years I have had the privilege of working with historians, archaeologists, archivists and volunteers Read more