Dutch resistance
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It’s funny how your opinions can change as you grow older. The title of this blog, “Turnip and Chicory, Salsify and Leek,” is the English translation of a Dutch song: “Knolraap en Lof, Schorseneren en Prei.” I absolutely hated that song when I was younger. I still don’t like it all that much—but I have…
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Most of you will think I am talking about the USA when you read the title. However, you’d be wrong. The America in the title is a parish village in the Dutch province of Limburg, known historically for its peat extraction. The Germans must have laughed, when they saw the name in May 1940. In…
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German troops invaded the Netherlands in May 1940. The Nazi regime stayed in power in the Netherlands until May 1945. However, the Allies had already liberated the southern provinces in the autumn of 1944. Despite the occupation, life went ahead as usual for many, at least to some extent. The Nazi occupiers still allowed sporting…
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On February 11, 1941, the NSB member Hendrik Koot was injured fatally during a brawl at Waterlooplein. The official reports on the incident remained lost for decades. KootHendrik Koot was a member of the Weerafdeling (WA), the paramilitary wing of the NSB. Since late 1940, WA members had been intimidating and assaulting Jewish residents of…
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The name Hermine Santrouschitz may not be widely recognized, but the name Miep Gies is known around the world—forever linked to a teenage diarist named Anne Frank. Miep Gies, born Hermine Santrouschitz, would have celebrated her 116th birthday yesterday. Though she didn’t reach that milestone, she lived to be 100—a remarkable life devoted to courage…
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Annick (Germaine Mathilde) van Hardeveld Annick (Germaine Mathilde) van Hardeveld was born in 1923 in Amsterdam. She was the first child of her father, Jan van Hardeveld, and her French mother, Germaine Bertin. A few years later, a baby brother was born: Yann Emile. When the war broke out in May 1940, Annick was sixteen…
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Henriëtte Pimentel (1876–1943) was the director of the daycare center on Plantage Middenlaan. With a small group of allies, she smuggled approximately 600 Jewish children from the center to safe hiding places. On Tuesday, April 19,2022 the Henriëtte Pimentel Bridge was unveiled. The beautiful bridge over the Mauritskade leading to the Tropenmuseum will officially be…
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I’ve written about Corrie ten Boom before, but today marks the 80th anniversary of her release from Ravensbrück Concentration Camp—a perfect moment to reflect on this remarkable woman’s extraordinary courage and resilience. Corrie ten Boom is a name synonymous with resilience, faith, and forgiveness. As a Dutch Christian who harbored Jews during World War II,…
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St. Antonius Hospital, located in Sneek, the Netherlands, played a significant role during World War II. Established as a healthcare institution, it became a crucial facility for both military and civilian medical care amid the war’s challenges. Nestled in the picturesque town of Sneek, St. Antonius Hospital bore witness to one of the most tumultuous…
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In the face of Nazi occupation and oppression, heroes often come from unexpected places. One such hero was Segundo Jorge Adelberto “Boy” Ecury, a young man from Aruba who would become a key figure in the Dutch resistance. From a privileged upbringing on a Caribbean island to fighting for freedom in war-torn Europe, Ecury’s life…
History of Sorts 