1975 Dutch train hijacking

Dutch train hostage crisis June 2018 the 1977 hijacking 1977 Dutch train hijacking March 2026 1975 Dutch train hostage crisis Treinkaping bij Beilen (derde dag) twee kapers gooien iets weg, buiten de trein, Bestanddeelnr 928-3080.jpg nl Wijster y, Netherlands 52 49 N 6 31 E region:NL_type:landmark inline,title Train 2–14 December 1975 Murder, hostage-taking 3 unknown Moluccan youth Guns / handguns A free South Moluccan Republic (id Republik Maluku Selatan) On 2 December 1975, seven South Moluccans seized a train with about 50 passengers on board in open countryside near the village of nl Wijster y, halfway between nl Hoogeveen y and nl Beilen y in the northern part of the Netherlands. The hijacking lasted for 12 days and three hostages were killed.Evert Brouwer 10 February 2026 'Plaatje nu pas compleet' https://www.defensiedichtbij.nl/magazines/alle-hens/2026/editie-1/08-herdenking-bbe Alle Hens Defensie Dichtbij Dutch At the same time, seven other South-Moluccans took hostages in the Indonesian Consulate in Amsterdam. The attackers came from nl Bovensmilde y, a village where a few years later another group of South Moluccans seized a primary school. The attackers hid their weapons disguised as presents for the nl Sinterklaas holiday on 5 December. Context Republik Maluku Selatan The South-Moluccans came to the Netherlands for a temporary stay, promised by the Dutch government that they would get their own independent state, id Republik Maluku Selatan (RMS). For about 25 years they lived in temporary camps, often in poor conditions. After these years the younger generation felt betrayed by the Dutch government for not giving them their independent state and they started radical actions to draw attention to their case. Developments thumb|right|Military roadblock at nl Wijster no Around 07:10, the emergency cord was pulled on a nl Nederlandse Spoorwegen regional train travelling from nl Groningen (city) Groningen y to nl Zwolle y. The train driver, nl Hans Braam no, was immediately murdered. When, on the third day, the Dutch government had not given the hijackers what they wanted, 22-year-old national serviceman nl Leo Bulter no was murdered and both bodies were thrown out of the train on the rails. That night, 14 hostages managed to escape from the train. The next day, young economist nl Bert Bierling no was brought to the doors and shot dead in full view of the police and the military as well as the press. The dead bodies thrown from the train were only allowed to be taken away a couple of days later. On 14 December, the hijackers surrendered. Among reasons for surrender were reports about retaliation on the Moluccan Islands and the sub-zero temperatures in and around the train.February 2026 Aftermath The hijackers were convicted to sentences of 14 years. 15 April 1985 Treinkaper weer op vrije voeten https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ABCDDD:010820256:mpeg21:a0078 Trouw Dutch 15 April 1985 Eerste treinkaper op vrije voeten https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:011206889:mpeg21:a0142 De Telegraaf Dutch One member of the hijackers committed suicide in prison in 1978. 12 June 1978 Molukker hangt zich op in cel https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBNRC01:000026621:mpeg21:a0005 NRC Handelsblad Dutch Costs The hijacking had cost the nl Nederlandse Spoorwegen 1.85 million NLG yes. 30 January 1976 Treinkaping kostte NS ƒ 1,8 miljoen https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=KBNRC01:000025444:mpeg21:a0142 NRC Handelsblad Dutch Meanwhile, the cost of the phone calls that were made during the hijacking were estimated at 43.5 thousand NLG. 3 February 1976 Telefoonnota Wijster: 43 mille https://resolver.kb.nl/resolve?urn=ddd:010959200:mpeg21:a0153 Het Vrije Volk Dutch In popular culture In 2008, Wijster (film) nl nl Wijster no, a Dutch-language television film was made about this hostage crisis, directed by nl Paula van der Oest y.https://www.filmfestival.nl/film/wijster https://web.archive.org/web/20251221210216/https://www.filmfestival.nl/film/wijster 21 December 2025 live NFF 2008 / Wijster Netherlands Film Festival 2008 28 March 2026 Citations See also Attempt at kidnapping Juliana of the Netherlands 1977 Dutch train hijacking 1978 Dutch province hall hostage crisis External links Article in 1975 Time Magazine; not found 14 May 2021. Category:1975 crimes in the Netherlands 1975 Dutch train hostage crisis Category:Hostage taking in the Netherlands 1975 Dutch train hostage crisis Category:Moluccan Dutch Category:Hijackings in Europe Category:Terrorist incidents in Europe in 1975 Category:Terrorist incidents on railway systems in Europe Category:1975 murders in Europe Category:Terrorist incidents in the Netherlands in the 1970s Category:Hijackings in the 1970s Category:Train hijacking