Today is our national day of Remembrance, where we remember those who have passed, during or after World War II. At 8pm, we will have two minutes of silence.

Tomorrow we celebrate our liberation from German occupation, for which we are forever thankful. During the year the Dutch Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide studies has compiled a set of 100 photographs that best picture that period of time. I'd like to share some of those in the following posts, along with their stories. I'll scrub those with dead people in them because the mods will get triggered.

Lest we never forget.



On the 24th of August 1939, some days before Poland was invaded, the Dutch government starts mobilizing the army. Around 280,000 soldiers will be preparing themselves for the possiblity of a German invasion. Despite these preparations most expect to stay neutral during the war, just like in the first World War. In first instance most of the effort is directed towards strengthening the defensive lines. After that the focus is on training, with mostly outdated weaponry. As part of the mobilisation some parts of the country are flooded, like here near Leusden. On the 11th of January 1940 Dutch soldiers train with their guns on skates, near the Vijfde Kom at the Valleikanaal.



On friday the 10th of May German troops invade the Netherlands and the Dutch neutrality ends. The invasion of France and Belgium is happening concurrently. The heaviest defenses in the Netherlands were in the west, where paratroopers of the Luftwaffe were strategically controlling targets around The Hague. Whilst the German army used mordern weaponry and strategy in parts of the country, some areas, like here in Limburg, that modernised army was nowhere to be found. A German soldier photographes his comrads whilst they pass the border between Isenbruch and Susteren without any resistance. A Dutch farmer's wife watches with her hands by her side as the German troops pass on foot, by horse and by bike.



On the 15th of May the first German troops arrive in Haarlem. Mayor de Vos had ordered the public to stay calm. The arrival of the German army had a lot of people out in the streets. Around 14:00 the first Germans appear on the Grote Markt, with motorized troops and some armoured vehicles they are very impressive. The first Ortskommandant major Freude together with the Feldkommandant Michaelis occupy the halls of restaurant Brinkmann. Soon around 60 buildings in the city will be occupied by the Germans for their needs.

This post was edited by balrog66 on May 4 2020 10:03am

From the 11th of May 1940 the Dutch military received support from French troops, who traveled to Zeeland by sea and through Belgium. In the French army many Moroccans fought the Germans. Around 30,000 of them were encamped in the north of France. These men were ordered in service of the French army by the Moroccan sultan, who hoped to gain his independence this way. Moroccan soldiers were also part of the supppport in Zeeland. Most of them lightly armed, they tried to limit access to the harbour of Antwerp. Though the battle in Zeeland went on till the 17th of May, even the French army could not resist the Blitzkrieg. The French retreat was chaotic and a lot of their soldiers were made POW. They were sent to Germany, where they were imprisoned in labour or POW camps. This photo was made in Venlo, with French and Moroccan soldiers on their way to Germany.



The bombed Sint Laurens Church, in the heart of Rotterdam, pphotographed through a large window. After the German invasion on the 10th of May the Germans threatened to level all large cities. On the 14th of May Rotterdam was the first city to be entirely destroyed by heavy bombardment.

Despite the successfull landing of German paratroopers in the south of Rotterdam previously, the Dutch army managed to block the Germans from taking the bridge over the river Maas. Negotiations after this were messy. Even though Dutch command was willing to negotiate, bombers were already on their way. No radio contact was possible. Within 15 minutes the city was leveled. Around 800 were killed and 80,000 lost their home.



Members of the Surinam Militia are standing at attention with their American Johnson rifles. This militia is supposed to help defend against possible invasion from French Guyana, that by then was ruled by Vichy France and from Brazil, where many Germans lived. Whilst the Netherlands is occupied and the Dutch Indies is invaded by the Japanese, Suriname and the Dutch Antilles remain the only free Dutch soil.

As the south of the Netherlands is liberated, plans are hatched for the continuation of Allied operations in Europe. This picture witnesses an important conference on Dutch soil during the war, at Headquarter Oklahoma in Maastricht. From left to right: American General Omar N. Bradley, British RAF Commander Arthur Tedder, American General and Commander in Chief of Allied forces Dwight Eisenhower, British Field Marshal Montgomery and the host, Commander of the American 9th Army, Lieutenant-General William H. Simpson. Together they planned the offense for the Western front.



A German soldier together with a Dutch police officer controls traffic in Amsterdam. The Germans have to get used to the, in their eyes chaotic, bicycle traffic in the Netherlands. Dutch police at first is just placed under German command but is still able to operate as they used to. This changes after the February strike in 1941. This strike was the first widescale and public protest in the Netherlands against German occupation, and was unique in Europe. After the strike the German forces tightened their control and reorganized the Dutch police. To complete the nazification of the Dutch police a special police academy was started to field new SS-members.



In Oudewater women are being shorn by the local hairdresser in public. After liberation the women how had relationships with German soldiers were shamed in public. They were called 'moffenhoeren', German whores (mof being a slur for German). Often they were dragged from their homes, put on a cart through the streets, spat at, called slurs, tagged with swastikas and shorn. Some women were mistakenly treated this way, and were compensated with 200 guilders.

European occupation and liberation history has always been a big interest of mine. One country I have never delved too deeply into is the Netherlands. Strange given that I have 1st generation American ancestors who were Dutch. This thread has inspired me to read into the topic much more, thanks for posting.

Thanks for the feedback. I'm happy if at least someone will appreciate this.



On the 15th of April 1945, the Internal Militia Smallingerland, part of Dutch resistance, took Pier Nobach prisoner, known as 'the devil of the Westerkwartier'. The day after this infamous Landwachter was tied to a car and paraded through Augustinusga. The 62-year old Nobach had a true reign of terror in the border area in Groningen. Those in hiding in the area and their helpers were in grave danger. On the 30th of October 1943 he was attacked by Dutch resistance forces. By mistake not him but his son was killed. As revenge three notables from the area were executed and thirteen more were deported to Camp Vught. For his crimes he was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1949. After he severely mentally deteriorated in prison, he was released from prison.



Seven arrested notable NSB (Dutch Nazi party) members in the Scheveningen prison. From left to right: Karel Enklaar (Herrbanführer of the Weermachtafdeling (WA) of the NSB and adjutant of NSB leader Mussert), Max Blokzijl (NSB propagandist), Robert van Genechten (Attorney-General of the Court in The Hague), Anton Mussert (NSB leader), Carel Huygen (Secretary General of the NSB), Harmen Westra (professor and NSB mayor of The Hague) and Henri van Maasdijk (NSB mayor of The Hague from March 1945 onwards). Blokzijl was the first traitor who was sentenced to death. Mussert was executed on the 7th of May 1946. The death penalty was demanded for Van Genechten, but he committed suicide in prison before he could be executed. Huygen got 18 years in prison. Westra got six years. Henri van Maasdijk got 20 years, and Enklaar got 10.



17 to 25 September 1944 Operation Market Garden was ongoing, and the city of Arnhem was under heavy fire, with many citizens fleeing the city. On the 25th of September Generalfeldmarschall Walter Model ordered that by 20:00 the entire civilian population of the city needed to be evacuated for military reasons. Only a few were allowed to stay. What happened then is what most already feared for: The Germans ordered all houses to be plundered. Household goods, food and clothing were all transported to Germany. In these months the Dutch resistance managed to get photographer Pieter de Booys a false ID with the function of controller of the water pipes, complete with a white swastika-marked band around his arm. De Booys got the request to document the plundering of the city.

Next to the Jewish school behind the synagogue in the Golstraat in Deventer 22 Jewish children, aged 4 to 17, pose for the photographer. The yellow stars, that have to be worn by the age of six, are clearly visible. The picture is discovered by accident when a painting has its frame replaced. An unknown photographer took this picture near the celebration of the Jewish New Year. Within a few weeks of taking this picture some of these children have already been deported to Auschwitz and murdered after arrival. In the end all the children are deported and executed. Except Felice Polak, the girl in the striking white dress. She is the sole survivor of this group. She went into hiding with her parents and brother.



A man with a clearly visible Jewish star on his coat walks over the Vismarkt in Groningen. This man is Elimelech Lazarus Cohen, living on the Oostersingel. The 69-year old cattle trader and his wife Sette Cohen-Roseboom are deported to transport camp Westerbork shortly after this picture is taken. From there the train will take them to Sobibor. Directly after arriving at the extermination camp, three days later, Elimelech and Sette Cohen are gassed. The couple had four children. They too were deported and murdered throughout the occupation.



During 1941 the life of Jews in the Netherlands was further and further restricted. Jews could no longer visit beaches, swimming pools, parks, zoos, cafe's, restaurants, theatres, sports centres, museums and other public works. It did not deter these three Jewish lads from having a picture taken with this sign saying Joden Ongewenscht, or Jews not wanted. TPictured are the two brothers from Tiel Levie and Jozef Bartels with Eric Sanders in the middle. Eric is a Jewish friend from Amsterdam, who during the mobilisation of the Dutch army was placed with the family Bartels. When Jozef had to report to be placed in a Jewish work camp, he decided to flee to Switzerland. At the French-Swiss border he was arrested and deported. He died in an unknown place in the middle of Europe. His brother managed to stay out of Nazi hands by going in hiding.

This still image of a video is the only recording of the persecution of Roma and Sinti. The girl is the ten year old Settela Steinbach, from the village of Buchten, near Sittard. In the summer of 1943, after the German order to deport 'gypsy communities' to Auschwitz, the traveling with caravans was forbidden and 'gathering camps' were created. The Roma family Steinbach was put in a camp near Eindhoven. On the 16th of May 1944 a nationwide razzia followed, in which 565 Sinti and Roma were arrested and deported to camp Westerbork. Among them were Settela, her mother and eight brothers and sisters. On the 19th of May Settela left for Auschwitz with 244 other Sinti and Roma. The Jewish pprisoner Rudolf Breslauer, who was ordered by Camp Commander Gemmeker to film the prison life in Westerbork, then recorded seven seconds of footage of Settela. Settela was murdered in Auschwitz.



Truus Overstegen (left) and Hannie Schaft (right) after an armed act of resistance. Truus is dressed as a man so that they can pose as a couple when things get hairy. In her bag is a gun. Hannie is wearing glasses as a disguise. Together with Truus' sister Freddie both women are active in the communist resistance from 1943 on. They help people go in hiding, transport weapons and sabotage railroads. They are also not afraid to execute collaborators and traitors. On the 21st of March 1945 Hannie is arrested during a traffic stop by the Germans. They search her bicycle bags and find a large stack of resistance papers and a gun. Even though she dyed her hair black, she is recognized as the notorious 'girl with the red hair'. Shortly before the end of the war she's executed in the dunes near Overveen.



During the abolition meeting of the student association VERA - Veri Et Recti Ami -, the Wilhelmus is sung. After the German order to forbid Jews from membership of any organization, all student associations cancel themselves out of protest. VERA continued illegally as 'catechisation club'. In the spring of 1943 the students were forced to sign a loyalty agreement with German forces. In Groningen ninety percent of students refused, with as consequence that they had to go in hiding or endure forced labour in Germany. In 1944 the catechisation club stopped existing; most members had already gone into hiding to evade the Arbeitseinsatz after they refused to sign.

I'm told the Dutch never got their bikes back.

Thank god Hitler was stupid enough to declare war on Russia and fight on two fronts.

There's a picture of that too:



Even in 1945 bicycles are seized and loaded on a cart. Onlookers are standing at distance, whilst a German patrol on horseback passes by. Already in July 1942 the German Wehrmacht is ordering the citizens of Hoorn to surrender their men's bikes. The hunt for bicycles intensifies as the war goes on, as the German army has a large shortage of vehicles. This hit the population heavily, as pretty much all other forms of transport were extremely scarce.

Pretty much all Dutch people I know still joke to Germans if and/or when we can have our bikes back. When I was a kid that wasn't a joke.

Needed dat Lebensraum tho ...



An awesome thread btw, really appreciate the effort. It's really chilling to see an illustration of the impact that nazi rule had even in a country like the Netherlands; and to then think that they ravaged the conquered people in the East even worse than they did the Dutch/French.

Germany was lucky as fuck that the U.S. needed them as a buffer in the Cold War, since this is the main reason why they got off the hook so extremely cheap (compared to the scale of their crimes).