Annet Schoot Uiterkamp will defend her PhD dissertation “Kolen en kampen. Tewerkstelling van politieke delinquenten in Nederlandse steenkolenmijnen, 1945 -1958”. [Coal and Camps: the employment of political delinquents in Dutch coal mines, 1945 – 1958] on Wednesday 12 October at 13.00 in the Aula at Minderbroedersberg 4-6.
You are cordially invited to attend the defence in person or online. The defence will be in Dutch.
Annet’s supervisors are Prof. Dr. A. Knotter and Dr. W. Rutten. Her paranymphs are her cousins Berna Sijbolts and Nienke Wouters.
The defence is followed by a reception at the Refter. If you plan to attend the reception please send and email to jos.perry@ziggo.nl.
Abstract
Once South Limburg was freed, two problems arose needing urgent resolution. Requisitioned buildings such as schools and castles were housing large numbers of Dutchmen suspected of NSB membership, or of other collaboration. These had not yet been convicted, and were awaiting trial by Tribunals and special Courts. At the same time there was a serious shortage of miners. Coal was essential to rebuild the economy.
Assigning detainees to work was a logical solution, and formalised in agreements between the mines and the Justice Department. Prisoners accepted assigned work underground, and were paid the same wages as free miners. In 1945 only one mine employed such workers, later all mines did. In 1947 special State Work Institutes were set up in Eygelshoven, Terwinselen and Treebeek to house such convicts. These institutions led to modernisations of the prison system. Prisoners were prepared for their return into society. Between 1945 and 1958 over 13,000 political prisoners were employed in Limburg mines.
