8. Jan Teunissen, the Self-Proclaimed ‘Film Czar’ of the German-Occupied Netherlands (1940–1945)

Gerardus Johannes Teunissen was born in The Hague on 15 April 1898 and died in the same city on 24 December 1975. Between these two dates lie high summits of fame, artistic recognition, prestigious offices, and deep valleys of political malpractice, artistic frustration, and oblivion. During World War II, in the German-occupied Netherlands, Teunissen would become the ‘Leader’ of the Film Guild. This made him the nominal head of the entire Dutch film sector. But how much power did he really have? This chapter reviews Teunissen’s wartime career and frames it in the larger context of his activities in the Dutch film industry, before and after the war. The chapter also pays attention to the post-war trial against Teunissen, who was detained from 1945 until 1948.