The Royal Netherlands Embassy - Washington DC

The Benefit Act for Victims of Persecution 1940-1945: de Wet Uitkeringen Vervolgingsslachtoffers 1940-1945 (WUV)
This act awards benefits to (the next of kin of) persons who were persecuted during the German or Japanese occupation because of their race, religious beliefs, worldviews, sexual orientation or withdrawal from forced employment. During the Japanese occupation of the former Dutch East Indies persecution was mainly based on European descent, orientation or inclination.

We speak of persecution when a person was:

incarcerated in a permanently guarded camp or prison;
in hiding or sterilised in order to avoid incarceration.

Going into hiding to avoid forced employment is not regarded as persecution.

For more information about this Act, please refer to the topic WUV.

The Benefit Act for Civilian War Victims 1940-1945: de Wet Uitkeringen Burger-oorlogsslachtoffers 1940-1945 (WUBO)
This act awards benefits to (the next of kin of) civilians, who sustained permanent injuries during the German or Japanese occupations due to bombardments, shootings, evacuations, incarceration in prisons, penal camps or camps for internees, forced employment, going into hiding, maltreatment, etc.

The WUBO also covers the disturbances and irregularities during the so-called Bersiap period dating from 15 August 1945 until 27 December 1949 in the former Dutch East Indies.

Furthermore, the Act also applies to civilians who sustained permanent invalidity during or after the Second World War, due to the explosion of ammunition or other means of war, as long as this was not caused by their own carelessness.

For more information about this Act, please refer to the topic WUBO.

The Extraordinary Pension Act 1940-1945: de Wet Buitengewoon Pensioen 1940-1945 (WBP)
This act is applicable to everyone, including non-Dutch nationals, who participated by deed or attitude in the Dutch resistance against the German occupier. A pension can be granted when the participation of the resistance led to permanent mental or physical damage of health (minimal disability of ten percent).

An extraordinary pension is also possible for persons with a Dutch nationality:

who participated in the resistance elsewhere in Europe;
who were imprisoned as a hostage in Europe;
who became victims of the resistance of others;
who became victims due to their anti-Nazi activities in or from the Netherlands, prior to May the 10th 1940;
who, as escapee to England, delivered (or had the intend to deliver) a personal contribution to the warfare.

Finally, there are possibilities for pensions for the next of kin of participants of the resistance.

The Extraordinary Pension Act for Sailors who are War Victims 1940-1945: de Wet Buitengewoon Pensioen Zeelieden-Oorlogsslachtoffers 1940-1945 (WBP)

This Act awards pensions to (the next of kin of) Dutch sailors, who formed part of a crew of a Dutch seafaring merchant vessel during the period dating from 1 September 1939 until 3 March 1946, or who were crewmembers of a Dutch fishing vessel during the period dating from 1 September 1939 until 16 December 1945, and who became incapacitated for work due to the war or to the injunction to continue sailing.

The Extraordinary Pension Act for Resistance in the Dutch East Indies: de Wet Buitengewoon Pensioen Indisch Verzet (WIV)
This act is applicable to (the next of kin of) persons who participated by deed or attitude in the resistance against the Japanese occupier in the former Dutch East Indies and/or the former Dutch New Guinea. A pension can be granted when the participation of the resistance led to permanent mental or physical damage of health (minimal disability of ten percent) and when the applicant has the Dutch nationality at the time of application.

A WIV-pension is also possible for (the next of kin of) individuals who:

continued to fight in groups after the capitulation of the Royal Netherlands Indies Army (Koninklijk Nederlands Indisch Leger, or KNIL for short);
committed acts of sabotage as civilians during the period dating from 8 December 1941 until 8 March 1942 and were maltreated or killed by the hostile occupational power because of this.

The Temporary Refund Regulation for Post-war Generation Psychotherapy: de Tijdelijke Vergoedingsregeling Psychotherapie na-oorlogse generatie (TVP)
This regulation can be applied to persons living in the Netherlands who were born after the Second World War and who experience psychological problems due to the wartime experiences of their (foster) parent(s). In accordance with the regulation, the Pension and Benefit Board can award refunds of up to ninety sessions of psychotherapy per application, in so far as the costs are not covered by health insurance.

More information
You may obtain more information about the Acts for victims of World War-II on the following web sites: