The Dutch Resistance and the Jews

Dick phelan

Hi long term lurker on the forum but first time poster, so i'm doing a Final Year Project on the Dutch Resistance during WW2, more specific the resistance in relation to the Jews, how they aided in the rescue of Jews while in other cases many Resistance movements where also against Jews. My question is can anyone suggest any good books on my topic or any good databases? I have already got several good secondary sources on the topic but for my project i need a lot of primary sources so if any has any suggestions on where to find some i'd really appreciate it. I already have got things off the Dutch Resistance Museum and Yad Vashem database.

tac foley

You can start with the 'Diary of Anne Frank'...

tac

ohnonotgmail

I have to second Tacs advice. Always a good starting point. Another relevant story here about someone who helped hide the jews as part of the resistance. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2096114/Grandmother-90-finally-reveals-astonishing-past-Dutch-resistance-fighter-hid-Jewish-families-Nazis.html

Dont forget to mention Audrey Hepburn to add a bit of hollywood glamour. She was a courier for the resistance.

Stojkovic

Mainly about football but you could read ;
"Ajax, the Dutch, the War by Simon Kuper.

As you may know Ajax have Jewish 'ties', allegedly.

Dick phelan

Thanks for the help will look into your suggestions.

HenryCrun

Check Google (I'm not allowed to post links) for the following sites (most of them have information in English):

Kamp Westerbork
Kamp Vught
Kamp Amersfoort
Fries Verzetsmusem
Verzetsmuseum Zuid-Holland
Nationaal Oorlogs- en Verzetsmuseum
Diplomatie van de Vervolging
Joods Historisch Museum
Hollandse Schouwburg

Dick phelan

HenryCrun wrote: »

Check Google (I'm not allowed to post links) for the following sites (most of them have information in English):

Kamp Westerbork
Kamp Vught
Kamp Amersfoort
Fries Verzetsmusem
Verzetsmuseum Zuid-Holland
Nationaal Oorlogs- en Verzetsmuseum
Diplomatie van de Vervolging
Joods Historisch Museum
Hollandse Schouwburg

Wow thanks a lot will check them out.

Snickers Man

Not strictly related to the Jews but the Dutch resistance was in many ways ineffectual during the war, which led to them being treated disdainfully by the Allies once the country was invaded/liberated by the Western Allies in late 1944.

The Germans had successfully infiltrated the Dutch resistance and turned several agents with the result that much information that was being sent to Britain before the invasion of Europe was rubbish. Once the British rumbled this, they decided to treat everything coming from the Dutch as suspect.

This had grave implications for Operation Market Garden, the attempt to capture a bridge over the Rhine in Holland by dropping paratroopers behind enemy lines to capture bridges and hold them until land forces, invading over the Belgian border, could relieve them.

It took a bit longer than they had planned because a) the Allies hadn't realised the German strength in the country was so high,
b) they refused Dutch tip offs about German troop movements during the oepration
c) they kept Dutch resistance and Free Dutch officers fighting in their own ranks out of the decision making progress regarding improvised routes to relieve the men trapped at Arnhem, and as a consequence took the very route the Dutch staff college had long known, and instructed its students as a matter of course, was not the best one.

All because they didn't trust the Dutch resistance

Dick phelan

Snickers Man wrote: »

Not strictly related to the Jews but the Dutch resistance was in many ways ineffectual during the war, which led to them being treated disdainfully by the Allies once the country was invaded/liberated by the Western Allies in late 1944.

The Germans had successfully infiltrated the Dutch resistance and turned several agents with the result that much information that was being sent to Britain before the invasion of Europe was rubbish. Once the British rumbled this, they decided to treat everything coming from the Dutch as suspect.

This had grave implications for Operation Market Garden, the attempt to capture a bridge over the Rhine in Holland by dropping paratroopers behind enemy lines to capture bridges and hold them until land forces, invading over the Belgian border, could relieve them.

It took a bit longer than they had planned because a) the Allies hadn't realised the German strength in the country was so high,
b) they refused Dutch tip offs about German troop movements during the oepration
c) they kept Dutch resistance and Free Dutch officers fighting in their own ranks out of the decision making progress regarding improvised routes to relieve the men trapped at Arnhem, and as a consequence took the very route the Dutch staff college had long known, and instructed its students as a matter of course, was not the best one.

All because they didn't trust the Dutch resistance

Very interesting, i know from reading some sources about the German infiltration of the Resistance. I must delve into more detail about the relationship with the Allied forces, as you say i know it wasn't the strongest or with much trust between them. Have to say i no little if anything about Operation Market Garden i must look into it. Thanks for your input.

Stojkovic

Dick phelan wrote: »

Have to say i no little if anything about Operation Market Garden i must look into it. Thanks for your input.

The film A Bridge Too Far.
I know its Hollywood but it may be of interest.

Dick phelan

Stojkovic wrote: »

The film A Bridge Too Far.
I know its Hollywood but it may be of interest.

thanks i'll check it out.

tac foley

That movie is just about the VERY best war film to have ever been produced - full of actual, often hard-to-watch and listen-to facts, like the imagery analyst who detected all the German armour and troop movements of aerial reconnaissance photography over the area of the drop being told to go away and have a few days rest so as not to confuse the planners and give them something else to worry about.

And the information from the Dutch resistance that far from being occupied by older, second-line troops of the Heimwehr, the Germans on the ground were some of the finest yet remaining combat ready.

Lots of tales have been told about how it was the Brits response to the poking by the Americans, who, in spite of giving them every support, were nevertheless convinced that it was a gigantic gamble that may or may not pay out.

It failed, and the graveyards in the areas are filled with the price of that failure.

tac

pedroeibar1

There is a film called 'Black Book' about Jews escaping the Netherlands - it's Hollywood but loosly based on fact.

Snickers Man

Stojkovic wrote: »

The film A Bridge Too Far.
I know its Hollywood but it may be of interest.

The film is based on a book which is more reliable historically. (As books tend to be)

It was written by an Irishman, who later became a naturalised American, Cornelius Ryan.

It's very long but he's quite good on the Dutch resistance. It's the source for my knowledge that I shared above. He is generally sympathetic to the Dutch throughout the narrative and by implication critical of the British who treated the Dutch with such disdain. But at least he has the candour to suggest why the British should have been suspicious of the underground.