Allen Tegen Allen

An in-depth and revealing documentary about the origins of pre-war fascism in the Netherlands, based on unique archival material, Luuk Bouwman’s film is a frightening overview of how nationalism can go off the tracks through the use of overblown rhetoric—a rhetoric that also resonates in our current era.

All Against All (the translated English title) paints a hitherto unknown picture of how fascism gradually gained ground in the Netherlands. It shows how a multitude of nationalist organizations emerged and gained popularity as far back as the 1920s. Leading figures of the Dutch fascist movement were inspired by the ideas of Mussolini and Hitler, ideas such as the people being seen as mere voting cattle who must be protected from outsiders by strong leaders.

Years of research have produced a lot of never-before-seen audio and film material for director Bouwman. Collectors show rare Dutch historical objects such as uniforms and fascist magazines full of hateful rhetoric and anti-Semitic caricatures. Thus, the film shows how the Netherlands’ soil was seeded for the German occupation of the 1940s…