During World War II, Dutch students join the resistance movement against the German occupation of the Netherlands.
EN
“Verhoeven’s interest in making Soldier of Orange was not just academic. Born in Amsterdam, and only a child during the War, Verhoeven was nevertheless deeply affected by what he experienced at first hand – from destruction to rebuilding, and collaboration to bravery against impossible odds. Conversely, Verhoeven’s personal knowledge of the film’s subject matter lends depth to the story, the characters and the underlying themes – while his youth during the War may have blurred some of the facts in his memory, there can be little doubt that the issues he encountered at this early age have affected him ever since. In various interviews, Verhoeven has described the awareness of the realities of death while still a child – it is something, he believes, that one never forgets.”
Johan Swinnen1
“The particular strength of Soldaat van Oranje is to suggest that each path could have been Erik’s, a suggestion that gains in emphasis when he watches the photograph once more at the end of the war in the company of Jacques, the only other person in the photo to survive the war. If Erik had been as reckless as Guus, he would have been dead; if Erik had had German ancestors, he might have sympathized with the Nazis like Alex who is blown to pieces as a soldier on the Eastern Front; if Erik had not given Jan the chance to escape to England, he would have died prematurely; if Erik had preferred to pursue his studies, like Jacques, he would have remained anonymous. And one can add to this: if Erik had started an affair with Robbie’s fiancée who frequented his apartment, he might have become the traitor.”
Peter Verstraten2
