More than 75 years since the end of World War II, the city of Utrecht has offered to donate €300,000 to the local Jewish community as an expression of sorrow for the way officials treated survivors after the war ended.

While researchers have not been able to establish if Utrecht, like Amsterdam, charged death camp survivors property taxes for the period they were away and sold off their houses, it is clear the city adopted a ‘business-like and inhospitable’ approach to them when they came back, the city says.

‘The city did nothing to speed up procedures or make things easier. It is fitting that we apologise and make a financial gesture to the Jewish community in Utrecht,’ the council said.

Lonie Querido, the former chairwoman of the Liberal Jewish Community in Utrecht, told broadcaster NOS that the recognition of the wrong done to Jews is more important than the money.

The daughter of survivior Jo de Leeuw told NOS her parents lost everything during the war – their kosher bakery and lunchroom, their personal possessions and savings – which went to pay off apparent tax debts built up while they were in hiding.

‘They got nothing back,’ Lenie de Leeuw said. ‘First prove you used to have a bakery, my father was told.’

The city council still has to vote in support of the plan.

Amsterdam

Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague have already paid out compensation of up to €14.6m to individuals and Jewish organisations and Eindhoven is also investigating what happened within its council area.

In October, broadcaster KRO reported another 20 local councils have said they will look into their archives for evidence of ‘callous treatment’ of Jewish homeowners after World War II.