The Dutch Resistance 1940-45 - World War II Resistance and Collaboration in the Netherlands

Describes and illustrates the full range of Dutch resistance groups and German and collaborationist counter-resistance groups during the Nazi occupation in 1940-45.

The Nazi occupation of the Netherlands was a complex, varied and bloody affair. Well- documented is the initial capture by the Gestapo of a secret Dutch Special Operations Executive radio-operator who thereafter lured several parachuted agents to their deaths, but, the actual scope and complexity of the occupation was much greater than this. Large-scale civil resistance against the occupation began as early as February 1941, and 1943 saw assassinations, reprisals, and the development of various resistance groups - the LKP National Assault Teams and some 'wild' armed groups: the left wing RzV and the conservative OD. In addition, several overlapping Dutch organizations amalgamated in September 1944 into the NBS: 'Netherlands Interior Forces'. In return, the Germans created the collaborationist Landwacht security force. From the start of September 1944, when Allied armies liberated the southern provinces of North Brabant and Limburg, NBS "shocktroop" units were uniformed and armed by both the British and US armies and assisted their further advance, while a bloody underground struggle continued in the still occupied North until final liberation in April 1945.

The Dutch authors of this title are long-time researchers of the subject, with family connections to Resistance veterans, a large library of hitherto untranslated local sources, and support from several museums and private photo collections to fully document the groups and fighting involved. Using detailed color illustrations of troops and fighters, this volume provides a comprehensive and in-depth account of one of the lesser-known occupations of WWII.

List of contents

FASCISM IN THE PRE-WAR NETHERLANDS
Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging (NSB, National Socialist Movement)
Nationale Jeugdstorm (NJS, National Youth Force)
Nationaal-Socialistische
Nederlandse Arbeiderspartij (NSNAP, National Socialist Netherlands Workers' Party)
Zwart Front (ZF, Black Front) and Nationaal Front (NF, National Front)
Grauwe Vendels (GV, Grey Banners)
THE MILITARY OCCUPATION, 1940-45
THE SECURITY APPARATUS
General Commission for Security
Local security forces: Nazification of the Dutch police
Wachtmannen (Watchmen)
Kontroll-Kommando (KK, Control Guard)
Nederlandse Landwacht (LW, Home Guard)
Landstorm Nederland (LSN, Territorial Defence Force)
GROWTH OF THE RESISTANCE, 1940-44
Continuing the fight from Great Britain
The 'England Game'
Emergence of the first resistance movements: Communistische Partij Nederland (CPN, Netherlands
Communist Party)
Geuzen ('Beggars')
Ordedienst (OD, Order Service)
CS-6
Raad van Verzet (RVV, Resistance Council)
Three women RVV fighters
Landelijke Organisatie voor Hulp aan Onderduikers (LO, National Organizationfor Help to People in Hiding)
The decisive general strike, April-May 1943
Landelijke Knokploegen (LKP, National Assault Teams)
Prison raids
OPEN WARFARE, FROM SEPTEMBER 1944
ALLIED LIBERATION OPERATIONS, 1944-45
GLOSSARY AND ABBREVIATIONS
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX

About the author

KLAAS CASTELEIN holds a BA degree in History and an MA in Conflict Studies and Human Rights. He researchers into local military history and is a collector of documents and other materials. His family have connections to the wartime Resistance movement in the Netherlands.MICHEL WENTING LLM is a researcher into local military history and a collector of documents and other materials. He has family connections to the wartime Resistance movement in the Netherlands.Mark Stacey was born in Manchester, UK, in 1964 and has been a freelance illustrator since 1987. He has a lifelong interest in all periods of history, particularly military history, and has specialized in this area throughout his career. He now lives and works in Cornwall.

Summary

Describes and illustrates the full range of Dutch resistance groups and German and collaborationist counter-resistance groups during the Nazi occupation in 1940-45.

The Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in World War II followed a complex course, whose scope is not widely understood. It was a great deal broader and more varied than the much-reported German counter-espionage success against Dutch agents parachuted in by the Special Operations Executive. From spring 1943 onwards, three Dutch Resistance organizations gained momentum: the Order Service (OD), the Resistance Council (RVV), and the National Assault Teams (LKP). In response, the Germans raised collaborationist forces to counter the Resistance, including the much-feared Landwacht. In September 1944 the OD, RVV and LKP amalgamated into the Netherlands Interior Forces (NBS), while Allied troops began to liberate the southern provinces. This allowed NBS forces in the south to form Stoottroepen, uniformed and armed by both the British and US armies. These assisted the Allied advance, while a bloody underground struggle continued in the occupied north until final liberation in April-May 1945. Illustrated with rare photos and new colour plates, this book gives a comprehensive account of one of the lesser-known struggles of World War II.

Foreword

Describes and illustrates the full range of Dutch resistance groups and German and collaborationist counter-resistance groups during the Nazi occupation in 1940-45.

Additional text

'An abundance of books has been written about resistance and collaboration in the Netherlands during the Second World War, but not too many of them in English. Klaas Castelein from Duiven and Michel Wenting from Doesburg did write about it in English.'

'We realized that most books about resistance and collaboration had been written in Dutch. As a result, foreigners cannot disclose any information about this, yet its history is incredibly fascinating.'

Wenting and Castelein sketch a balanced view: 'In some parts of the country the Resistance seriously contributed to the liberation, but in other parts they got passionately engaged in exacting vengeance on Germans and collaborators'.

Product details

• Authors: Klaas Castelein, Michel Wenting
• Assisted by: Mark Stacey (Illustration), Mr Mark Stacey (Illustration)
• Publisher: Osprey Publishers
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.12.2021
• EAN: 9781472848024
• ISBN: 978-1-4728-4802-4
• No. of pages: 64
• Dimensions: 180 mm x 244 mm x 6 mm
• Series: Elite
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > 20th century (up to 1945); Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; HISTORY / Holocaust, HISTORY / Europe / Western, Netherlands, Warfare & defence, Far-right political ideologies and movements, 1933–1945 (National Socialist period), Special & elite forces, Irregular or guerrilla forces and warfare, HISTORY / Modern / 20th Century / Holocaust