Promotional Feature: Let It Be Known

Let It Be Known

In his upcoming feature film, Executive Producer Stephen Gardner tells the heart-wrenching story of Dutch duo Willem Arondeus and Frieda Belinfante, brought together by their shared homosexuality and fierce desire to save as many lives as possible in Nazi-occupied Netherlands during World War II.

By Melissa-Marie Marks

It is a dark day on May 10, 1940 when Germany invades The Netherlands and takes complete control. World War II is already well underway, darkening skies across Europe and ending countless lives.

Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria, queen of The Netherlands, is forced to flee to London while her daughter, Princess Juliana and Juliana’s two daughters, escape to Canada. Queen Wilhelmina organizes a Dutch government-in-exile stationed in London where she oversees and funds the Dutch resistance movement in The Netherlands, along with the help of Dutch resistance banker Walraven “Wally” van Hall.

The goal of the government-in-exile, besides keeping the royal family safe until they can return to The Netherlands, is to make sure the Dutch resistance movement has the funds needed to continue to fight the Nazis until their eventual defeat.

This is the beginning of Stephen Gardner’s upcoming feature film, “Let It Be Known,” set to hopefully begin filming in two years.

The film follows the intertwined stories of openly gay artist and Dutch resistance member Willem Arondeus, along with prominent lesbian orchestral conductor and Jewish woman Frieda Belinfante as they organize resistance activities to help end Nazi-occupation in The Netherlands.

“This is a version of a Holocaust story that we simply haven’t heard before,” Gardner says when asked why this story needs to come out. “These people [members of the Dutch resistance] were just incredible. They lost everything just to be who they were. They were war heroes, and they saved thousands of Jews.”

FROM ARTIST TO WAR HERO

Willem Arodeus was born on August 22, 1894. Due to his sexual orientation, he was forced to leave his family home at just 17. He was an artist and achieved some success as a painter, but eventually stopped painting to pursue a career in writing poetry and articles for publications.

When Germany invaded The Netherlands, Willem joined the Dutch resistance, and in 1942, he published Brandarisbrief, an illegal periodical encouraging others to resist the Germans.

In 1943, the Brandarisbrief periodical merged with another resistance periodical called De Vrije Kunstenaar (The Free Artist). The editor of De Vrije Kunstenaar, Gerrit van der Veen, specialized in forging documents, and thus, Willem became involved in forging Christian documents for Jews.

“I first learned about Willem when a friend of mine shared something on Facebook, saying he [Arondeus] was openly gay and had been recognized as a war hero for saving Jews during the German occupation of The Netherlands,” Gardner recounts.

“I’m Jewish and I just came out two years ago. So, when I learned about Willem, it was my inspiration to come out and be proud of who I am. And that is kind of what the inspiration for [this film] was.”

AN UNEXPECTED YET HARMONIOUS PARTNERSHIP

Born on May 10, 1904 in Amsterdam, Jewish open lesbian Frieda Belinfante was 36 years old when the Nazis invaded The Netherlands.

Coming from a musically-talented family, Frieda began playing the cello at age 10 and made her professional debut at Kleine Zaal recital hall at age 17.

In 1937, Frieda founded Het Klein Orkest (The Chamber Orchestra) and held the positions of both artistic director and conductor. She was the first woman in Europe to ever hold such titles.

After witnessing the capture and removal of fellow Jews, Roma-Gypsies, homosexuals, and anti-Nazi activists, Frieda decided to join the underground Dutch resistance movement and began assisting Gerrit van der Veen with his document forging operation. It was at this time that Frieda Belinfante met Willem Arondeus.

“The relationship between the two main characters [Willem and Frieda] is a type of love story—he sacrificed his life to save hers,” says Gardner. “In the beginning, they kind of butt heads, but they eventually develop this beautiful working relationship. And they’re very successful in what they accomplish. They actually blew up Nazi buildings. When one of the buildings was on fire, the fire department in Amsterdam were already alerted and told to move very slowly to let the building burn in order to destroy the registration documents inside--everyone was in on it.”

A MESSAGE OF HOPE

The Gestapo eventually became aware of the Dutch resistance movement’s document forging operation, and they began checking the forged documents against existing registration lists at the Municipal Office for Population Registration in Amsterdam.

On March 27, 1943, the Dutch resistance, led by Willem and Frieda, carried out a planned explosives attack on the Municipal Off ice, successfully destroying about 800,000 identity cards and saving thousands of Jewish lives.

“Willem and Frieda and their cohorts are not expert commandos. They are not trained saboteurs. They are not even battle-hardened soldiers,” said Gardner. “They are a group of queer and allied anti-racist artists with a desire to fight for justice and restore humanity.”

Willem and 13 others from the resistance were captured about a week after the attack. To help spare his co-conspirators, Willem arranged for Frieda to go into hiding. She disguised herself as a man and lived with friends for three months before eventually escaping through Belgium and France, crossing the Swiss Alps on foot until finding her freedom in Switzerland.

On July 1, 1943, Willem Arondeus was executed by the Gestapo. His final words before his death were, “Let it be known that homosexuals are not cowards!”

A STORY RELEVANT TO OUR TIMES

Gardner stresses the importance of getting this story out into the world. The script was written, and filming was due to begin two years ago, but then Covid-19 put production on hold.

“Right now, we’re working in collaboration with the Human Rights Campaign and also the Free State Justice organization in Maryland; these are our working sponsors. We’re working on setting up some town halls in Washington DC, hopefully this fall, to meet major donors and create some strong buzz.”

Gardner states that production is contingent upon significant donors stepping up to the plate.

“Hatred and antisemitism and racism doesn’t end; it doesn’t just go away. History repeats itself,” says Gardner. “We see it repeating itself right now. That’s why this film is so important. We have to keep educating ourselves.”

DONATIONS WELCOMED

Donors can make a real impact in terms of helping us share this amazing story that hasn’t been told before and really speaks to the gay, Jewish, feminist, and human rights communities. freestate-justice.org/donate-2/let-it-be-known