In Episode 46 of Rosie the Reviewer, we take a deep dive into Sonny Boy, the 2011 Dutch WWII film that tells the remarkable true story of Rika van der Lans and Waldemar Nods. Their love story, set against the backdrop of WWII Netherlands, is not just extraordinary for the era — it is a deeply human tale of courage, sacrifice, and survival. Press play to hear our full review of Sonny Boy — including comparisons between the book and the movie, behind-the-scenes historical insights, and reflections on its modern-day resonance:
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The Real History Behind Sonny Boy
Rika, a white Dutch woman and mother of four, defied every social convention when she fell in love with Waldemar, a young Surinamese student seventeen years her junior. Their relationship was controversial not only because it was interracial, but also because of the societal expectations of the time, especially for a woman of her age and circumstances. Rika was still married, raising children in a conservative community, and constantly facing judgment from those around her, including her own family.
Waldemar, meanwhile, arrived in the Netherlands from Suriname with big dreams. What he found instead was a cold and often hostile environment that refused to recognise his education and limited his opportunities because of the colour of his skin. They fell in love and started a life amid relentless discrimination, economic hardship, and mounting political tension.
Rika and Waldemar became entangled with the Dutch resistance as WWII loomed. They ran several guesthouses, most famously Pension Walda in Scheveningen, that eventually became a hiding place for Jewish refugees. Their acts of defiance were born out of compassion and principle, not political strategy. And for that, they both paid the ultimate price. Betrayed to the Nazis by someone also in the resistance, Rika was sent to Ravensbrück concentration camp, where she died of dysentery. Waldemar was shot after surviving the Cap Arcona disaster, one of the deadliest maritime tragedies of WWII. Their son, Waldy, survived the war and grew up an orphan.
Sonny Boy: The Book That Reclaimed a Lost Family History
The film is based on Annejet van der Zijl‘s bestselling book, Sonny Boy (translated into English as The Boy Between Worlds). You can find the original Dutch version or the English translation, The Boy Between Worlds on Amazon.
The book is meticulously researched and reads almost like a novel while staying true to historical fact. It tells of the lives of Rika and Waldemar with depth, clarity, and warmth — capturing not just what happened, but also who they were.
Waldy praised the author, saying, “You gave me my parents back.” That line alone illustrates the book’s impact: it restored lost family history and gave voice to people who might otherwise have remained footnotes.
The book offers a much richer portrait than the film. It details Suriname’s colonial legacy, the complexities of Dutch society during wartime, and the layers of systemic racism and social conservatism that shaped Rika and Waldemar’s world. It also explores their love as a tender and enduring rebellion against all odds.
From Love to Resistance: Their Wartime Struggles
Rika and Waldemar’s boarding house was more than a business — it became a lifeline for those fleeing Nazi persecution. Facing poverty, isolation, and constant surveillance, they chose to hide Jewish people in their attic. The decision was not made lightly. They had a young son and very few allies. They knew the risk.
What’s remarkable is how ordinary their resistance was. There were no dramatic shootouts or coded messages—just quiet, determined hospitality. They fed, sheltered, and comforted those who had nowhere else to go. While the film only briefly touches on this, the book really sits with these courageous, small daily choices.
Their love, Waldy, and their acts of rebellion symbolise resilience in a time of darkness. Their guesthouse was a rare place of safety, made possible by a relationship that had already weathered much.
What the Sonny Boy Movie Got Right — and What It Changed
While Sonny Boy remains largely faithful to the spirit of Rika and Waldemar’s story, it takes some creative liberties. Characters like “Sam,” the kindly Jewish bar owner who shelters them, are fictional. The sequence of events is streamlined. Some moments — like how they began hiding people — are depicted in ways that slightly shift the power or motivation behind their decisions (the book gives it all to Rika and Waldemar, whereas the movie introduces another resistance hero who shares their limelight).
The film also downplays the racism Waldemar endured in the Netherlands and simplifies the tension between personal survival and moral obligation. Still, the emotional core is strong: a powerful, doomed love between two outsiders who tried to do what was right, even when it cost them everything. Their relationship provided a foundation for their acts of resistance. Even though hiding people in their homes must have created enormous stress and fear, the steady love and sense of security Rika and Waldemar fostered helped create an environment where those in hiding could feel safer. A loving, stable home made a far better hiding place than one full of fear and resentment, and it’s clear that this emotional steadiness aided them in persevering for as long as they did.
A Personal Note: My Family’s Connection to the Oranjehotel and Kamp Vught
As for me — Maartje, one half of Rosie — this story struck especially close to home. My grandfather was imprisoned first in Kamp Vught — like Waldemar — and was later arrested again and taken to the Oranjehotel, the same Nazi prison where Rika was interrogated after her arrest. Although I never had the chance to meet my grandfather, who tragically died in a car accident in 1963, tracing his story has become a personal mission.
Watching the film and reading about Rika and Waldemar gave me chills. It’s one thing to research history; it’s another to feel it echo in your own family.
These stories aren’t distant history. They live on in memory, in the photographs that get passed down, in the questions that never get fully answered. For me, Sonny Boy wasn’t just a film or a book — it encouraged me to dig deeper into my own family history.
Why Their Story Still Matters
Sonny Boy reminds us that generals and politicians aren’t the only ones who make history—it’s shaped by ordinary people who act with extraordinary courage. Rika and Waldemar’s story is a testament to love that defied every boundary and resistance in the face of overwhelming odds.
It is also a reminder of how many stories remain untold—the quiet ones, the personal ones, the lives lost remembered only by a single surviving child. Stories like these show us the power of remembrance, the value of choosing empathy, and the importance of honouring the complicated, human truths behind even the simplest gestures.
Listen to Our Full Discussion
You can also find our complete discussion of Sonny Boy on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts:
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