The ups and downs of an academic institute during wartime

This is the story of a small academic institute during the Second World War, called the NINO: the Netherlands Institute for the Near East, founded in 1939 in Leiden. The story is told by the current director of NINO: Willemijn Waal.

Using several objects in her office, Willemijn offers us a glimpse into how people at such a small, but internationally operating institute dealt with the challenges thrown at them by the war. On a practical level, such as how to maintain a steady supply of toilet paper, but also on an ethical level. For to what extent can you continue to practice science in a world that obviously undermines the ideals of that science?

Listen to the Dutch audio or read its English translation, look around Willemijn Waal's office, and learn all about the NINO during wartime.

Acknowledgements

NINO WW II 360° was made possible by the generous support of the Mondriaan Fund. The project results from a collaboration with De Kostgangers and Things That Talk. The NINO would like to thank Danielle Emans, Geert van de Wetering and Fresco Sam-Sin for their incredible work and pleasant cooperation. We are further grateful to Jet Vellinga and Sebastiaan Berntsen for their archival research and general support, Kiki Freriks for her editing work and Vera Oosterom for her translation and to Herman de Liagre Böhl and Willem Otterspeer for their willingness to participate in this project. Finally, thanks are due to Cees de Jonge for the photography and documentary makers Ange Wieberdink and Jetske Spanjer for allowing us to use audio fragments from the documentary Ontsnapt (Escaped) about Madelon Verstijnen.