Wim van Meurs, professor in Political History (RICH), won the Uteneng Prize for applied history 2025 with his project Jewish Citizens in the Netherlands: Expropriation and Legal Redress. He received the award during the KNHG award day on 22 January 2026.
He uses this project to investigate, together with, among others, Lieke Speerstra and Laura Brinkhorst (both PhD students in Political History) how Jewish Citizens lost their possessions during the Second World War and what role municipalities played in the expropriation and post-war legal redress. The focus is on policy, execution and the consequences for owners and their relatives.
Applied history rarely reveals entirely new historical facts or insights; I would even venture to say that for policy reconstructions of the most recent or slightly more distant past 90% the challenge lies outside of the archive collections. – Wim van Meurs
About the Uteneng Prize for applied history
The Uteneng Prize for applied history, awarded annually by the Royal Dutch Historical Fellowship (KNHG), rewards historical research with direct societal relevance. The winner receives a certificate and €10,000. The award was presented for the first time this year.
We warmly congratulate Wim on winning this award.