On September 14, 2023, Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte is posthumously awarding Jan Zwartendijk, a former Dutch honorary consul in Kaunas, with the Medal for Acts of Humanity in Gold for his role in saving thousands of Jews from persecution and death in 1940, the Netherlands Embassy in Vilnius said in a press release.
Zwartendijk was the Netherlands honorary consul in Kaunas, the capital of Lithuania during the interwar period, from May 29 to August 17, 1940. He worked in Kaunas as the director of the Lithuanian branch of Philips, one of the world’s largest radio and light bulb manufacturers. Zwartendijk was known in Kaunas as Ponas Radija, the main product for sale in the shop on, now, Laivės Alėja.
Between July 11 and the closure of his consulate on August 3, 1940, Zwartendijk in his role as (acting) honorary consul issued more than two thousand so-called ‘Curaçao visas’ to Jewish refugees. These documents stated that no visa was required for entry into the Dutch colonies in the Caribbean. Based on this document, the holder could then apply for a transit visa. These were freely issued by his Japanese counterpart, Chiune Sugihara. An improvised escape route was set up via Lithuania and the Soviet Union to Japan, allowing thousands of (Polish and Lithuanian) Jews to escape Europe and the Holocaust.
It is not known exactly how many people Zwartendijk and Sugihara saved (Zwartendijk destroyed the consulate archives upon his departure). From visas later recovered it is known that he issued at least 2,345 ‘Curaçao visas’. More people, quite often whole families travelled on one visa. A later study revealed that approximately 95 percent of the people who received a ‘Curaçao visa’ survived the war.
Albeit cooperating by issuing the visas, Zwartendijk and Sugihara never actually met in person. According to some sources they spoke on the phone only once. Sugihara called Zwartendijk asking him to slow down the issuing of visas, since Sugihara needed to write all the visas by hand.
Recognition
During his lifetime, Zwartendijk never received any definitive answers as to whether the people he provided with visas in 1940 also escaped the war and persecution. Only after his death did this merit come to light. With that also came recognition.
In 1997, Yad Vashem recognised him as one of the “Righteous Among the Nations”. Monuments were erected in the city of Rotterdam (1997), Eindhoven (2018), and Kaunas (2018). Dutch author Jan Brokken wrote Zwartendijk’s biography, which was translated into English under the title The Just. The same book will also be translated in Lithuanian and will be published by Kitos Knygos in spring 2025.
Early in 2023, the Zwartendijk room was opened in the Sugihara House in Kaunas in a ceremony where current Dutch Ambassador Jack Twiss Quarles van Ufford spoke.
Medal
The Medal will be presented by Prime Minister Mark Rutte to Zwartendijk’s two still living children: Edith (96 years old) and Rob (85 years old). The eldest son, Jan Jr., passed away. September 14, 2023, is also the 47th anniversary of Jan Zwartendijk’s passing.
The Medal for Acts of Humanity is the oldest and most important Dutch decoration awarded for acts of bravery not performed in battle. It is awarded to individuals who have performed a humane act conspicuous for courage, leadership and self-sacrifice. This Medal was founded in 1822 by King Willem I.
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