3.4 The German occupation of the Netherlands
3.4 The German occupation of the Netherlands
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This lesson contains 19 slides, with text slides and 1 video.
Lesson duration is: 50 minItems in this lesson
3.4 The German occupation of the Netherlands
Slide 1 - Slide
May 10th, 1940
On Friday morning, at 3.55 am, the German army attacks the poorly armed Netherlands. In some places, such as at the Afsluitdijk and the Grebbelinie, there is still considerable resistance, but nothing can match the German Blitzkrieg.
De Nederlandse verdedigingslinies
De Duitse aanval op Nederland (1940)
Slide 2 - Slide
May 13th, 1940
In order not to fall into the hands of the Germans, a large part of the government flees to England. Queen Wilhelmina will motivate the Dutch from London
Anti-koningshuis spotprent uit het NSDAP-blad 'Het Nieuwe Volk' over het koningshuis dat in mei 1940 gevlucht zou zijn met de Nederlandse goudvoorraad.
Slide 3 - Slide
May 14th, 1940
Though the city has already surrendered,
the Germans bomb Rotterdam anyway.
The bombardment lasts only fifteen minutes, but the city center has been destroyed and will not be rebuilt until after the war.
Centrum Rotterdam (15 mei 1940)
Slide 4 - Slide
May 15th, 1940
After the bombing of Rotterdam, and the German threat to bomb other cities as well, the Netherlands has no choice but to surrender. In the May days of 1940, approximately 2,200 soldiers and 2,500 civilians were killed.
Slide 5 - Slide
Part of Germany
The Netherlands becomes part of Germany: The Austrian Arthur Seyss-Inquart becomes Reichskommisar (Reich Commissioner).
Slide 6 - Slide
The National Socialist Movement (NSB), which collaborated with the Germans,
is the only political organization allowed to continue to exist.
The leader of the NSB, Anton Mussert, may call himself 'Leader of the Dutch People', but the Germans are ultimately the boss.
Slide 7 - Slide
Life under German occupation
- forced employment
- ration card distribution system
Slide 8 - Slide
Dutch reaction (1)
Some Dutchmen chose to cooperate with the Germans. (collaboration)
They joined the SS, the German army or the NSB.
Slide 9 - Slide
Dutch reaction (2)
Others chose to oppose the Germans (resistance)
They did this through producing illegal newspapers / fake identity cards / fake ration cards.
Sometimes an attack was committed, innocent civilians were killed in revenge.
How effective was the Dutch resistance during World War II?
Slide 10 - Slide
February strike
February, 1941
The only major resistance action against the German occupiers in the Netherlands. The reason was the raids in Amsterdam, in response to the murder of an NSB member.
The strike was the only massive and open protest against the persecution of the Jews in the occupied Netherlands.
Duitse propaganda om verzet (staken) tegen te gaan.
De oproep voor de Februaristaking (februari 1941)
De weggevoerde joodse Amsterdammers worden in de zomer van 1941 bijna allemaal vermoord in het concentratiekamp Mauthausen (Oostenrijk).
Slide 11 - Slide
Crazy Tuesday
September 5th, 1944
The advance of the Allies after D-Day is very fast.
The events are followed on illegal radios: "They are in the Netherlands!"
Dolle Dinsdag: Duitsers vertrekken na geruchten over de op handen zijnde komst van de geallieerden.
Duitse militairen rijden door de Kerkstraat in Oosterhout.
Slide 12 - Slide
Railway strike
September 1944 - may 1945
To help the Allied advance, Radio Oranje calls on the railway staff to go on strike. For example, the Germans can no longer use the railway for their war.
It also eventually leads to food and fuel shortages...
Slide 13 - Slide
Hunger winter
November 1944 - April 1945
Slide 14 - Slide
The Hunger Winter had a number of causes:
- it was no longer possible to supply coal from Limburg, because this part of the Netherlands had already been liberated.
- In addition, the Railway Strike ensured that nothing was transported anymore...
- ...and the Germans took revenge by blocking main routes to the western Netherlands.
Slide 15 - Slide
Slide 16 - Video
Germany surrenders
May 4th, 1945
Negotiations will take place in Hotel De Wereld in Wageningen on 5 May
about the unconditional surrender of the German troops in the Netherlands.
The German troops surrendered on 4 May to the Allies.
Slide 17 - Slide
The liberation
May 1945
The liberation is nowadays celebrated on May 5, but the Netherlands was not liberated everywhere on May 5: sometimes it was earlier, sometimes much later, such as on Texel. This island was not liberated until May 20, 1945.
Slide 18 - Slide
Bijltjesdag:
The Dutch react with horror to people who have collaborated with the Germans.
Women who went with Germans during the occupation are shaved bald.
Uit een pamflet uit augustus 1944:
'Juffrouw.
De mof waar je mee vrijt,
gaat spoedig aan de haal.
Als Neerland is bevrijd, draag jij je kopje kaal.'
('Mof' is scheldwoord voor Duitser).
