Nederlandse medische hulp aan Servië: 1919–1921 de verslagen van dr. Van Hamel en dr. J.E. Lieneman

The end of World War I did not mean the end of Dutch humanitarian and medical aid to Serbia. Following the invitation of the Serbian government, a civic medical mission of volunteers arrived in the early summer of 1919 to the south of Serbia and the newly acquired provinces of Sandjak and Macedonia. Their task was to help establish civic medical care and relieve the many consequences of poverty, war and occupation. Thanks to the letters of Dr. Van Hamel and those that Dr. J.E. Lieneman wrote for the Dutch newspaper Algemeen Handelsblad and were published weekly from December 1919 till December 1920 we can get insight into the situation in a country devastated by many years of warfare. Lieneman's human interest, his professionalism and his almost literary style make his reports more than worthwhile reading. Not only do we get general impressions about Serbia and the newly established Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes but we can also find plenty of information about the medical, political, cultural and ethnical situation. Of special significance is his evaluation of foreign humanitarian aid. He shows us not only the positive effects but also the many absurdities of the business of helping. As a true humanitarian Lieneman believed that long term emancipation was of greater help for the inhabitants than short term provision of goods.