Less than a month after the German occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, measures were introduced to regulate pigeon keeping. By June, the so-called “Pigeon Brigade” was established as part of the Amsterdam police force.
The only surviving records of this regulation date back to 1943, detailing daily reports of free-flying pigeons being spotted. These pigeons were captured and killed. Even pigeon keepers who strictly adhered to the rules were not spared. They were required to kill their pigeons and hand in the legs along with the identifying rings.
A ban on releasing pigeons was implemented almost immediately, and anyone keeping pigeons was required to register them. More than 32,000 pigeons were counted, all of which had to be confined to their lofts under strict supervision. If pigeons could not be kept in a loft, they had to be surrendered. Confined pigeons were fitted with rings and registered. The Germans sought to prevent the transmission of secret messages to England.
A fierce outcry from pigeon owners followed—there were over 25,000 in the Netherlands—and it appeared to have some effect. The German occupiers revised their policy: instead of outright extermination, pigeons were banned from flying and had to be registered. To enforce this, a special police unit known as the Duivenbrigade (Dove Brigade) was formed, tasked with shooting down any pigeons found flying freely.
However, the regulation proved unsustainable. By August 1942, all pigeon owners were ultimately required to dispose of their cherished birds. To prove compliance, they had to present the severed feet of their pigeons to local authorities.
Ultimately, the Germans failed to rid the city of pigeons entirely, as evidenced by an entry in the logbook of the Pigeon Brigade. In August 1944, the following note was recorded: “Patrol in the Rivierenbuurt. Pigeons are still flying there. An attempt will be made to capture them by providing food.”
Sources
https://www.thedutchhistorian.nl/artikel/de-duitsers-tegen-de-amsterdamse-duiven
https://www.dedokwerker.nl/duivenbrigade.html
https://www.amsterdam.nl/stadsarchief/stukken/dieren/duivenbrigade/
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