In 1987 Dutch Australian author Lolo Houbein published her book Wrong Face in the Mirror. Among other topics, this book deals with the author’s emigration to Australia in the 1950s as a twenty-four-year-old. Houbein describes the challenges of adapting to life in Australia as a Dutch migrant, including the struggle Read more…
Even in Brisbane, the global importance of the city’s role during World War II is largely unknown. While many locals are aware of the large American presence, few know that the Dutch also operated from here during the Pacific War. Even fewer in the Netherlands would be aware of the Read more…
Sunbirds by Mirandi Riwoe (UQ Press, 2023) is a historical fiction novel set in the early 1940s in Java. The novel opens with protagonist Anna van Hoorn fleeing the Japanese Occupation of the Indies for the safety of Australia. Near the Australian coast, Anna’s plane is caught up in the Read more…
In 1944, the United States War Department published a small but detailed booklet titled Pocket Guide to the Netherlands East Indies. Produced as part of a broader series of cultural guides for American troops deployed overseas, this 80 pages booklet was designed to familiarise servicemen with the geography, people, customs, Read more…
The novel Fleur and Avril 2 Far by Maria van Loon is an addition to the broader narrative of Dutch migration to Australia and offers a deeply personal perspective on the challenges and triumphs of those who left the Netherlands in search of a new home. A story of identity Read more…
For many Dutch migrants who have lived abroad for extended periods, the idea of returning to the Netherlands may seem both exciting and daunting. The experience of remigration, or returning to one’s home country after years abroad, comes with its own unique set of challenges. Dutch author Norman D. Jansen Read more…
In Grantlee Kieza’s compelling book, Sister Viv, the harrowing experiences of Australian Army nurse Vivian Bullwinkel during World War II are vividly recounted. The narrative highlights the profound connections between Australian and Dutch wartime histories, particularly through the events on Bangka Island in the Netherlands East Indies (NEI), now Indonesia. Read more…
Wim Willems, Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies, The Netherlands In this chapter, in the book: Europe’s invisible migrants “No Sheltering Sky: Migrant Identities of Dutch Nationals from Indonesia” by Wim Willems, delves into the complex postwar migration and settlement experiences of Dutch nationals from Indonesia, focusing on their journeys Read more…
A family’s journey from persecution to peace In 1939, the Nazi regime upended the life of my grandfather, a tax accountant in Vienna, Austria. He owned a large apartment in the city, but being born in Czechoslovakia made him a target, despite my grandmother Caroline Kleiner’s Catholic faith and blonde Read more…