Sale of Wassenaar Nazi bunker delayed after confidentiality breach probe
The planned sale of the former Nazi bunker Commandopost Clingendael in Wassenaar has been delayed twice over the past two months amid an integrity investigation into a possible confidentiality breach by a bidder and a separate complaint over alleged bias within the selection committee. The site lies on the border of Wassenaar and The Hague.
The Rijksvastgoedbedrijf, which manages state property, had aimed to award the bunker to a winning bidder by Feb. 14 this year, but no decision has been made more than two months later, Trouw reports. The delay stems from an ongoing investigation by an external agency into “possible irregularities” involving one of the shortlisted parties. The agency has not yet concluded its review.
A spokesperson for the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf said, “We have received signals about possible irregularities regarding the sale of former Command Post Clingendael.” The agency declined to comment on the specifics of the alleged irregularities.
At the center of the investigation is Boei, an organization specializing in heritage redevelopment. After passing an initial selection phase, Boei presented plans last fall for the bunker in collaboration with the Clingendael think tank, proposing to convert it into an events venue. The information was presented to the locals.
However, the sales process includes strict confidentiality rules. According to the bidding dossier, participants are “not permitted to disclose information from their application, related documents, any submitted plans, or the final bid to third parties in any manner whatsoever.”
The issue was raised by Silvia Hendriks, who submitted her own proposal for the bunker but was not selected. She later filed a formal complaint, arguing that confidentiality rules may have been violated. Her complaint also questioned procedural fairness.
Guust Baartmans of the architectural collective SOS Den Haag, who supported Hendriks in the complaint process, said: “It seems to me a fairly straightforward case. It is not allowed under the procurement protocol. The Rijksvastgoedbedrijf must attach consequences to that.” The bidding rules state that failure to comply can lead to exclusion “from further participation in this procedure.”
Attorney Frederik van Nouhuys, who specializes in procurement law, criticized the ambiguity of the confidentiality clause. “The provision is rather vague,” he told Trouw. He questioned when confidentiality begins and for what purpose it applies, adding: “Does competition get distorted if a bidding party presents its plan to local residents? I doubt it. Here, you are not going to be mulling over this for months?”
Boei did not respond to Trouw's requests for comment. Hendriks also challenged the composition of the seven-member selection committee, which evaluates bids.
She noted that one member had previously worked extensively with Boei and questioned whether the member could be impartial. The complaint committee of the Rijksvastgoedbedrijf rejected her claim, stating that the heritage sector is small and professional overlaps are “unavoidable.” It also noted that the prior working relationship was disclosed in advance and that the Rijksbouwmeester, who oversees the committee, saw no objection.
The bunker itself adds to the controversy. Built by the Nazis to resemble an ordinary farmhouse, the complex has stood vacant since 2012. The state has long sought to sell it, but the process has been politically and socially sensitive.
