Between the devil and the deep blue sea - University of Canterbury

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certain problems. During the refugee crisis in October 1914, a substantial number of
Belgian troops - some historians estimate the number at around 7,000 _15 traversed the
Dutch border out of unifonn and unarmed, having exchanged their unifOlms for civilian
clothes to avoid internment. When the Dutch actively encouraged refugees to return to
Belgium soon after, a number of the men feared that the Gennan occupation forces would
capture them as prisoners of war. They asked to be interned in the Netherlands instead,
basing their eligibility on service in the Belgian Anny.
Snijders disagreed with his government on how they should treat the asylum
seekers. 16 Many cabinet ministers were of the opinion that all foreign soldiers should be
interned, regardless of how they made their way into the country. Snijders believed that
according to international law, a neutral should intern only those persons who entered
neutral ten-itory anned or in unifonn. 17 Dismissing the remainder as merely seeking charity,
he stressed "an internment camp is not a philanthropic institution".18 In the end, Snijders'
opinion prevailed. To avoid future difficulties, the Commander-in-Chief asked border
guards to consult with him if they were unsure about the status of any foreigners
encountered. 19
Snijders' flexible interpretation of the regulations, made it possible for foreign
soldiers to visit the Netherlands freely, as long as they were unarmed, in civilian dress, and
their visit did not have a belligerent purpose. In fact, several Gelman troops spent their
leave in the country between 1914 and 1918: they shopped in Dutch border towns, stayed
overnight, and travelled to holiday resorts. 20 Although Allied soldiers could legally have
done the same, access to the Netherlands was relatively easier out of Gennany than out of
the Allied side of the Western Front. However, the Dutch government did impose some
time limits on German visits, principally to avoid abuses of neutrality: they had to report to
15 Bossenbroek et. al. (eds.), VlllchteJ1 vaal' de Groote OOl'log pp. 30 - 31; I(ramers, "Intemering in Nederland" p. 23.
16 For discussion between Snijders and the government on the issue of soldiers in civilian dress, see: correspondence
in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Star' entry no. 2.l3.70, inventory no. 75.
17 Commander-in-Chiefto Minister ofInternal Affairs, 15 October 1914, in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Star'
entry no. 2.13.70, inventory no. 74.
18 "Een interneeringsdepot is geen filantropische inrichting" (Commander-in-Chiefto Territorial Commander in
Zeeland, 14 October 1914, in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Star' entry no. 2.l3.70, inventory no. 75).
19 Commander-in-Chiefto all military authorities, 7 October 1914, in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Star' entry
no. 2.l3.70, inventory no. l33; Commander-in-Chiefto Provincial Governor in South Holland, 22 October 1914, in
ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Star' entry no. 2.l3.70, inventory no. 75.
20 Commander ofField Army to Commander-in-Chief, 17 March 1915, in ARA, "Archieven van de Generale Star'
entry no. 2.l3.70, inventory no. 178; Vries, "Nederland als non-belligerente natie" p. 92.