Theodoor van Gogh
Although Theodoor van Gogh was not an artist himself, he was the great-nephew of one of the most renowned painters in history—Vincent van Gogh.
Theodoor, known as Theo, was born in Amsterdam and was the uncle of filmmaker, columnist, and public intellectual Theo van Gogh, who was murdered in 2004.
In 1941, Theodoor began studying economics at the University of Amsterdam, where he joined a student resistance organization.
Along with many members of his Corps fraternity, he became active in the resistance movement on multiple fronts. In 1943, they protested against the mandatory “declaration of loyalty” to the German occupiers, a pledge required to continue their studies. Those who refused to sign were ordered to report for forced labor (Arbeitseinsatz) in Germany. Theo refused and instead committed himself fully to the resistance.
He played a crucial role in helping Jews escape persecution, organizing hiding places, and distributing false identity papers, ration cards, and food in cooperation with the Student Resistance. He supported the Dutch Domestic Armed Forces and served as a central figure in a courier network. Theo also provided aid to prisoners and successfully negotiated the release of several detainees.
By late 1944, he had begun printing the resistance newspaper Het Parool from his father’s office and was also involved with another underground paper, Ons Volk. Though many of his actions remain undocumented, he was known to have carried out numerous additional resistance efforts. Theo was arrested twice—once during a raid in 1943 and again during a train inspection in 1944. His father’s influence both secured his release from the camps at Vught and Amersfoort.
He led a network of students and others committed to the resistance. On 1 March 1945, Theo was arrested again—along with many others—during a raid in connection with an attack on SS commander Hanns Rauter.
As a reprisal for the attack, the Nazis executed 263 political prisoners on 8 March 1945. Among them was Theodoor van Gogh, who was just 24 years old. The site of the execution in southeast Amsterdam became known as the Fusilladeplaats—Execution Place.
Sources
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/42539191/theodoor-van_gogh
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