Boek

Aanslag, De

Aanslag, De

Auteur Harry Mulisch
Eerste Uitgave1982
Uitgave2001
UitgeverijDe Bezige Bij
Vormroman
TaalNederlands
Bladzijden237 bladzijden
Gelezen2002-09-29
Score10/10

Inhoud

Fake Ploeg, een collaborerende inspecteur van de politie, berucht om zijn wreedheid, fietst tijdens spertijd door de buitenwijken van Haarlem naar home. Door de winterse avond klinken plotseling zes scherpe knallen en ligt Ploeg dood op de stoep voor een rijtje van vier huizen, waarvan er een door de familie Steenwijk wordt bewoond. De verschrikkelijke gevolhgen van deze gebeurtenis zullen de dan twaalfjarige Anton Steenwijk zijn hele leven lang blijven achtervolgen.

Bespreking

A classic in any aspect

1945. The Second World War is running to its end. A cold winters evening in the Dutch city of Haarlem. The Steenwijk family is sitting around a small fire. Suddenly six gunshots disturb the silence outside. Then a singular cry of pain. Never will Anton Steenwijk forget the images of that dreadful day when he, at the age of twelve, losses almost everything. Now, years later, he has to suffer those horrors again, when the truth finally starts to unfold.

Although the setting is clearly World War II, this story is not relating the heroics of soldiers or people active in the resistance. It describes the personal search for truth of a man who doesn't realise how much impact things he thought to have banished from memory have on his life. During his search he stumbles onto information that will change him completely.

The way Harry Mulisch has depicted the person of Anton Steenwijk is undoubtedly the most powerful asset of this book. Anton does not want to find the truth, but still the truth wants to be found. And what he unwillingly uncovers does not only startle him, but also leaves the reader with topics to think about. Isn't everybody guilty and not guilty at the same time?

This book reads like a train and engulfs the reader to the extend that he will never be able to forget the history of Anton Steenwijk.