News of: Wednesday, July 19 2006,
In the Resistance Museum (Verzetsmuseum) there is an exhibition about Rembrandt as he was used by the Nazis during World War II.
The Nazis tried to incorporate Rembrandt into the fascist ideology during their occupation of the Netherlands 1940-1945.
The artist appeared on Dutch stamps issued during the occupation, a 'Rembrandt prize' was awarded for artistic contribution to National Socialist culture and a Rembrandt opera and film were written.
The Nazis even tried to institute a national holiday on Rembrandt's birthday, July 15, to replace the traditional Queen's Day parties on the date of the Dutch Queen's birthday (at that time Queen Wilhelmina's birthday, August 31). The Dutch population remained unenthusiastic, though.
The Amsterdam exhibition includes the stamps, a 1941 film about Rembrandt and old posters advertising Rembrandt Day.
The exhibition can still be seen until October 1.
