Former Photo Museum Director receives €400,000 After Wrongful Dismissal
Birgit Donker, the former director of the Fotomuseum Rotterdam, was wrongfully dismissed. The court ruled that allegations of social insecurity and a culture of fear were unproven. Consequently, the Fotomuseum must pay Donker €400,000, equivalent to two years' salary.
In July 2025, Donker, who had served as Director of the Rotterdam museum since November 2018, was dismissed following an internal investigation into her performance. A month earlier, she had been suspended by the Supervisory Board.
The Supervisory Board, which commissioned the investigation, cited a lack of psychological safety and a "culture of fear" within the museum as the primary reasons for her dismissal, allegedly stemming from the director's leadership style. Additionally, Donker was accused of failing to adequately inform the Supervisory Board.
However, the judge ruled that the allegations made by the Supervisory Board were unfounded: "It has not been demonstrated that there was a lack of psychological safety or a culture of fear caused by the director. Nor has it been established that the director failed to keep the Supervisory Board sufficiently informed."
According to the court, the Supervisory Board had been consistently complimentary throughout Donker's tenure at the museum, and the managing director had never previously been reprimanded for her performance. The court ruled that the Supervisory Board should have pursued alternative measures instead of opting for the drastic step of dismissal.
Two weeks before the dismissal, De Volkskrant published an article alleging a "toxic work environment" and a "culture of fear" at the museum. The Dutch Press Council later ruled in December 2025 that the statements made by anonymous sources about Donker in the newspaper were "unverifiable and tendentious."
The judge did not rule out the possibility that the "damning article" in de Volkskrant played a significant role in Donker's dismissal and prompted the Supervisory Board to "throw her under the bus."
Donker was awarded €400,000 in compensation. In addition, the Photo Museum must publish a formal correction.
In a response, the museum stated that it had taken note of the decision, describing it as "disappointing." "In the interest of the museum's future and closing a case that has weighed heavily on the organization and everyone involved, the museum accepts this judgment."
Main Image: Birgit Donker