Are you/ were you in the resistance? #amazement

Today is May 5th in the Netherlands: Liberation Day. The day on which the end of World War II in the Netherlands is commemorated. On May 5, 1945, the German troops in the Netherlands surrendered, marking the reality of liberation. Hooray!

A friend of ours recently read the book ‘Angels of the Resistance’, which was about the resistance in the Netherlands.

There was just a small problem with that image… Ready for the bitter truth?

Estimates suggest that about 2 to 3 percent of the Dutch population was actively involved in the resistance during World War II. This includes people who contributed in various ways, such as distributing illegal newspapers, helping those in hiding, committing acts of sabotage, or being involved in armed resistance. By the end of the war, this increased to around 5%.

During World War II in the Netherlands, it was estimated that approximately 10 to 15 percent of resistance members were captured by the German occupiers (around 3,000 to 5,000). A significant number of those arrested were imprisoned, executed, or sent to concentration camps.

It is estimated that around 10 to 15 percent supported the resistance passively, for example, by hiding resistance members or providing them with food, without actively participating in resistance activities.

Only 2 to 3 percent. Can it get worse? Yes:

On average, about 5% of the Dutch people were active for the Nazis during World War II. This percentage includes people who joined the Waffen-SS and other collaborating groups. Approximately 80 to 85 percent of the Dutch population adapted and lived according to the rules of the occupier, partly out of fear, opportunism, or the desire to survive without drawing attention. This often meant taking a neutral stance and not offering resistance, which indirectly helped maintain German dominance.

Only 2 to 3% of the Dutch were actively involved in the resistance?! And there were actually more Dutch people (5%) actively supporting the Nazis than there were in the resistance? Say what?! I didn’t learn that in school! (Don’t worry, we’ll put the sources at the bottom of the article so you can investigate it yourself.)

That’s something we don’t want to / can’t believe?! And if we say that today in the country where we currently live (Germany), they don’t understand it either. Because the image we have gotten from the ‘history’ books is often not accurate. Were we, the Dutch, really any better? Because, pay attention…

The percentage of Germans who were actively involved in the resistance during World War II is difficult to determine precisely, but estimates suggest that the number of people who were actually involved in resistance activities was relatively small. Historians estimate that only a small percentage of the German population engaged in active resistance, possibly between 1% and 5%.

Were ‘we’, the “Dutch” really any better? That’s an intriguing question. We often believe something that is completely untrue but feels good. Something that has been told to us, with good feelings, but with a bit of research… something different emerges than ‘Everyone was in the resistance’ The truth was and is different…

That’s why we always push people not to just blindly believe whatever they’re told. Look into it, dig deeper — and then the most important part: actually do something with what you found out.

Because let’s talk about today… with all the injustice in the world… what are you actively (!) doing about it right now? Whoa. That’s a pretty intense question. Are you part of that 1, 2, maybe 3%… or…?

May 5th… For me, it’s more than just amazement. Not just because of what happened during World War II, but even more because of what didn’t happen. And still isn’t happening. What have we really learned from it?

Something to really reflect on today and think about the 1, 2 or 3 percent who did something back then… or are doing something right now.

Resources:

• https://www.historischnieuwsblad.nl/vechten-voor-de-vijand-nederlanders-bij-de-waffen-ss/
• https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/item/er-waren-24-nederlandse-bewakers-in-auschwitz-onder-wie-de-vader-van-ernst-het-heeft-hem-zijn-hele-leven-achtervolgd/
• https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nederlands_verzet_in_de_Tweede_Wereldoorlog
• https://neerlandschverzetsmonument.nl/statistieken
• https://www.niod.nl/publicaties/het-koninkrijk-der-nederlanden-in-de-tweede-wereldoorlog