Dutch resistance
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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…
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In the heart of the Nazi-occupied Netherlands, a young woman named Geertruida van Lier, known as Truus, stood out as a symbol of courage and determination. With her fierce conviction and dedication to justice, she risked her life in the fight against the Nazi regime during World War II. Truus’s story is one of youthful…
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Vught Concentration Camp, also known as Kamp Vught or Herzogenbusch Concentration Camp, was a Nazi concentration camp located near the town of Vught in the Netherlands. It was the only SS concentration camp in occupied Northwest Europe. In total, the imprisonment of approximately 32,000 people in the camp for a short or more extended period…
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Loulou Oderkerk was a Dutch resistance fighter who worked for the illegal newspaper Trouw. Through Trouw founder Gesina van der Molen, Oderkerk became involved in smuggling Jewish children to hiding places. Oderkerk also started doing courier work for Trouw, transporting copies, essays, newspapers and weapons. In October 1944, she was arrested and held prisoner in…
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I am always in awe of the brave men and women who risked their lives to save the lives of strangers—the Unsung Heroes of World War II. Kees Zwaans was such a hero. Kees Zwaans was a notable figure in the Dutch resistance during World War II. The Dutch resistance was a diverse movement that…
