Bidspirit auction | The Journey of Colonel Blake

The Journey of Colonel Blake – a documentation of Colonel Blake’s time in Nazi-occupied Holland. London, 1945 – first edition - De reis van 'Colonel Blake' – “The Journey of ‘Colonel Blake’” by G. J. van Heuven Goedhart – a prominent Dutch jurist, journalist, and politician who was deeply involved in the resistance against the German occupation during World War II. He secretly relayed critical information to the British government after spending time in hiding throughout the Netherlands, while being pursued by the German Gestapo. Published by The Netherland Publishing Company Limited – a press established in London to produce anti-Nazi Dutch literature for exiled Dutch readers. London, 1945 – first edition. In Dutch. Van Heuven was sent with the mission of delivering detailed information to the London-based Dutch government about the situation in occupied Holland. His 55-day journey began in April 1944, during which he moved between numerous hiding places in Amsterdam and along the route from Amsterdam to London, all while evading the Gestapo. To avoid capture, he repeatedly changed his name, profession, and address, and used forged identity papers. He provides a detailed account of his dangerous journey through the mountains, which ultimately led him to London, where he delivered information regarding Gestapo persecution of Jews and resistance fighters in the Netherlands. Van Heuven became one of the leading spokesmen of the Dutch resistance in London. While in exile, he served as editor of Het Parool (a Dutch anti-Nazi underground newspaper), and in 1944, was appointed Minister of Justice in the Dutch government-in-exile. After the war, he returned to his post as editor-in-chief of Het Parool, and later became the first United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) — a position for which he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1954. The publishing house The Netherland Publishing Company Limited was founded in London by the Dutch government-in-exile to produce propaganda materials and educational publications for the Dutch community in London and for use in Radio Oranje broadcasts. 43 [1] pages. Good – very good condition.