From the Hague to the Gong - the Beringers in Australia

Beringers: Arrival in Australia | Rien Beringer, Artist | 1. Leaving home In 1955 a family comprising three Dutch immigrants landed in Western Australia, seeking a new life after having survived the horrors of World War II. Holland - a supposed neutral country - suffered between 1939-45: the Germans took over the country when war broke out and acquired houses, property, businesses and industry, along the way forcing the women to take care of the soldiers whilst many Dutch men were on the run seeking to avoid service in the German army or forced labour in the infamous camps. Children looked on in horror as the invaders shot and killed seemingly at random, bombed towns and cities, and generally abused what was previously a relatively peaceful world. With the Germans securing the local food supplies and essential services, along with taking over the accommodation and acquiring whatever else they needed, the local people suffered severe deprivation during this period. As a r...