Karel van Riet Paap biography presented in The Hague

A new biography titled ‘Ideaal’ has been presented at the Oranjehotel National Monument, detailing the life of Karel van Riet Paap, a film professional and resistance fighter from The Hague.

Van Riet Paap was the director of the Ideaal Film Laboratorium and worked with companies such as Haghefilm and Profilti. During the 1930s, he contributed to the development of early sound films, color films, and subtitling systems in The Hague. Unlike some industry leaders who complied with German occupation mandates during World War II, Van Riet Paap joined the resistance. He was arrested by German forces in 1941 and subsequently died at the Buchenwald concentration camp at the age of 51.

Written by film researcher Barend de Voogd and published by Walburg Pers, the 312-page book is the result of extensive research into film and wartime archives.