There is no doubt that he was influenced by World War II and the German occupation of the Netherlands between 1940 and 1945, and his longer novels (De tranen der acacia's and De donkere kamer van Damokles) are set during the war.
Nema sumnje da je bio pod utjecajem Drugog svjetskog rata i njemačkom okupacijom Nizozemske između 1940. i 1945., a i njegovi romani (De tranen der acacia's i De donkere kamer van Damokles) smješteni su u vrijeme rata.