Vrij Nederland (Free Netherlands) is a Dutch magazine which was established during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II as an underground newspaper but has since grown into a magazine. The weekly magazine is generally considered to be intellectually left-wing. It is conventionally considered to be one of the four most influential written media in its sector, along with HP/De Tijd, De Groene Amsterdammer and Elsevier.
The first issue was published on 31 August 1940. The chief editors have included:
1940-1942: Frans Hofker1941-1950: Henk van Randwijk1950-1955: Johan Winkler1955-1969: Mathieu Smedts1969-1991: Rinus Ferdinandusse1991-1997: Joop van Tijn1998-2000: Oscar Garschagen2001-2004: Xandra Schutte2004-2005: Gerard van Westerloo (interim)2005-2008: Emile Fallaux2008–present: Frits van ExterThe circulations have decreased from 1945 on, but had an increase in the 1970s:
1945: 109.0001947: 32.0001951: 35.0001955: 19.0001960: 23.0001965: 36.9501970: 81.3781975: 109.3811978: 117.1651980: 111.8571985: 97.1321990: 76.9472000: 55.9472001: 53.669 (-4,1%)2002: 53.413 (-0,5%)2003: 52.868 (-1,0%)2004: 50.124 (-5,2%)2005: 49.244 (-1,8%)2006: 47.082 (-4,4%)2007: 46.671 (-0,9%)2008: 44.115 (-5,5%)2009: 44.860 (+1,7%)2010: 48.353 (+7,8%)2011: 45.534 (-5,8%)2012: 40.872 (-10,2%)2013: 35.649 (-12,8%)