the Netherlands
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Nieuwlande is a village in the Netherlands, located in the province of Drenthe, known for its unique history during World War II. During the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, Nieuwlande became a safe haven for Jews and others. The villagers, predominantly farmers, worked together to hide Jewish families and individuals, saving them from persecution and…
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Just two names of people who should have never been murdered. Micheal van West was a florist. There is no records of his wife, Saartje van West-Goldsmit’s profession, but I will presume she was a stay at home mother. They were no threat to anyone–just two people trying to get by. Michael van West was…
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The ‘Three Hundred and Thirty-Five Years’ War lasted from 30 March 1651 to 17 April 1986. The “war” between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly is one of those curious historical footnotes that often draw a few chuckles. This conflict, if it can even be called that, occurred in 1651 during the First Anglo-Dutch…
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In March 2023, I interviewed Caroline van der Plas shortly after the Dutch Provincial elections. She is the leader of the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB), (The Farmer–Citizen Movement). The BBB was founded in October 2019 by agricultural journalist Caroline van der Plas, Wim Groot Koerkamp, and Henk Vermeer from agricultural marketing firm ReMarkAble, in response to the widespread farmers’…
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At the beginning of April 1945, the Allies rapidly approached the province of Groningen in the Netherlands. The province’s liberation was in three regions: the border region between Musselkanaal and the Dollard, the city of Groningen, and the “bridgehead Delfzijl.” Local resistance members succeeded in preserving “The Iron Blow.” This was the only bridge over…
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One might be forgiven for thinking the photo above is from a very impoverished country, but it is not. In fact, it is a photo of a family living in one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Even during World War II, the Netherlands was a country of wealth—albeit not all the wealth was…
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Fritz Beer, was born in Berlin, on 28 May 1927. He was murdered at Auschwitz on 31 March 1944, He was 16 years old. Emanuel Louis Kats was born in Apeldoorn, on 5 April 1915. He was murdered at Auschwitz on 31 March 1944, His occupation was a tailor. He was 28 at the time…
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In the summer of 1942, several Jewish families from Winterswijk, the Netherlands, decided to hide in the Korenburgerveen nature reserve. With the help of farmers, barracks were built in the peat, and local residents provided water and food. A total of 23 people found refuge in the bog, including five children. On November 27, 1942,…
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To many Koenraad (or Koen), Rozzendaal is a forgotten Hero, but for at least one friend of mine, he isn’t. Koen (Koenraad) Rozendaal was born in Oud-Beijerland, the Netherlands . On April 19, 1911. He was a Dutch resistance fighter during the Second World War and a member of the KP-Waterland.KP stands for Knok Ploeg…
History of Sorts 