Willem Wilbrink biography withdrawn from major retailers

Major retailers, including Bol.com, Amazon, and Bruna, have removed the biography of 99-year-old Willem Wilbrink from their platforms. The decision follows a request from the publisher, White Elephant Media, after investigations suggested the book contained significant inaccuracies regarding Wilbrink’s wartime experiences.

Wilbrink, a figure often present at World War II commemorations, claimed he was sent to the Dachau concentration camp at age 15, where he allegedly saved dozens of lives. However, research published by Historisch Nieuwsblad found his accounts to be highly improbable. Key discrepancies include the lack of a camp number—which was strictly recorded at Dachau—and the fact that other survivors had no recollection of his stories. Additionally, the origins of some decorations he claimed to possess remain unclear.

The Dutch Dachau Committee had been aware of these inconsistencies since 2024 but had not communicated them publicly, citing sensitivity toward potential war trauma. The biography in question is titled ‘Getekend voor het leven in Dachau en Indië’.