Marieke van der Winden

When you are descended from a family of WWII collaborators what does it do to your sense of self, and your impression of the world around you?

My mother was a distant woman to me. At her funeral, 30 years ago, an uncle told me about how my grandparents collaborated with the Germans during World War II. I was astonished, but we all kept silent. For decades I felt it poisoning my existence. When I started to search for the truth, I was not only confronted with my grandparents' criminal records but I found over 40 relatives. I discovered a legacy that has left deep traces in my mother's life and the lives of subsequent generations. May I reveal this family secret?