Verklaring Possibly 1942 - 1947

This document, issued by the Burgemeester van Amsterdam on July 28, 1942, is a potent symbol of a dark chapter in history. At first glance, it appears as a simple permit, yet it speaks volumes about control, identity, and survival. Consider the signature at the bottom, an official mark that represents authority and bureaucracy. This seemingly benign act of signing, however, facilitated systematic oppression. It is a chilling echo of other historical documents, like decrees from ancient empires, that similarly wielded the power of the pen to control populations. The very act of documentation—recording names, addresses, and professions—became a tool of dehumanization. The need for Marinus Josephus Janse, a vendor of potatoes and produce, to carry this paper with his bicycle is particularly haunting. The bicycle, a symbol of freedom and movement, now becomes laden with fear, an emblem of restriction. This document, therefore, is not just paper; it is a fragment of collective trauma, reminding us of how easily symbols of order can be twisted into instruments of oppression.