3.4 The occupation of the Netherlands

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Chapter 3

3.4 The occupation of the Netherlands

Welcome!

At the end of this lesson...

• You can describe what the German occupation of the Netherlands was like and what consequences that had for politics, culture, economics and daily life.
  
• You can explain that Dutch people responded to the German occupation in various ways.

Today

• What do you know already? (+- 10 min) 
• Explanation (+- 20 min)
• Video + questions (+- 15 min)
  

German occupation
of the Netherlands

Germany attacks

10th of May 1940

• On Friday morning, at 3.55, the German army attacks the poorly armed Netherlands.
• there is still considerable resistance in some places, but nothing can match the force with which the germans attacked

Government in exile

13th of May 1940

• A large part of the Dutch government flees to Great Brittain to stay out of German hands. 
• From London, Queen Wilhelmina will motivate the Dutch not to give up and to fight against the occupiers.

Was the previous picture pro or anti queen Wilhelmina?

1. Pro
2. Anti

The Netherlands surrenders

15th of May 1940

• The Netherlands has no choice but to surrender. 
• In total, about 2200 people died in May 1940.

Part of Germany

29th of May 1940

• The Netherlands becomes a part of Germany: Reichskommissariat Niederlande
• The Austrian Arthur Seyss-Inquart becomes Reichskommisar. 

• The Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging (NSB), collaborated with the Germans. It is the only political organisation that is allowed to exist.

• The leader of the NSB, Anton Mussert, may call himself 'Leader of the Dutch people'. But the Germans are the ones actually in charge. 
  

Consequences

Politico-administrative: German government.

Economic: Dutch men were put to work in Germany and Dutch products were also sent to Germany. This caused many shortages. 

Cultural: the Germans put an end to freedom of speech and introduced censorship. 

Daily life:  life in wartime was tough because of the restrictions, shortages and acts of violence.

Video!

You're going to watch a Dutch video about the German occupation of the Netherlands. Answer the questions during the video. 

Discuss!

Glossary

Make a glossary about the video you just watched. Use the paper with the questions. You glossary needs at least 10 words. Make sure to write the meaning of the words down as well, not just the translation. 

CLIL

Chapter 3

3.4 The occupation of the Netherlands

Welcome!

At the end of this lesson...

• You can describe what the German occupation of the Netherlands was like and what consequences that had for politics, culture, economics and daily life.
  
• You can explain that Dutch people responded to the German occupation in various ways.

Today

• What do you remember? (+- 10 min)
• Glossary (+- 10 min) 
• Explanation (+- 20 min)

Put the following events in the right order:

1

2

3

4

5

6

Click on the ''eye'' icons to read the events.

The Netherlands becomes a part of Germany

The Netherlands mobilises

The government goes into exile.

The Netherlands surrenders.

Germany attacks the Netherlands.

Rotterdam gets bombed by the Germans.

There are three ways one could behave during the war

Accommodation

• To adjust.
• Most people adjusted themselves during the war. They went on with their lives the best they could. 

Resistance

Two kinds:

• Passive: reading illegal newspapers, listening to radio oranje, etc.
• Active: helping jewish people hide, writing illegal newspapers, etc.

Collaboration

• Working with the German occupiers. 
• Example: joining the German army voluntarily, being part of the NSB, etc. 

During WW2 the NS used their trains to deport Jews.

This is collaboration

This is accommodation

This is resistance

During WW2 people would sign an Aryan Declaration to prove they belonged to the Aryan race. Most people did this to keep their job.

This accommodation

This is collaboration

This is resistance.

Battle of Arnhem

September 1944

• The Allies want to push through to the northern part of the Netherlands, to invade Germany from there, but they are mistaken in the strength of the Germans.
• Operation Market Garden fails at Arnhem ('A bridge too far').

Railway Strike

September 1944 - May 1945

• To help the Allied advance, Radio Oranje calls on the railway staff to go on strike. The Germans can no longer use the railway for their war.

• It also leads to food and fuel shortages...

Hongerwinter

November 1944 - April 1945

• The Hongerwinter had a couple of causes:

1. It was no longer possible to supply coal from Limburg, because this part of the Netherlands had already been liberated.
2. In addition, the railway strike ensured that nothing was transported anymore...
3. ...Plus the Germans retaliated by blocking the main routes to the western Netherlands. 

The system of distributing coupons/stamps , which had already been introduced in 1939, no longer works in the last phase of the war: there was simply nothing left

The liberation

May 1945

• Nowadays, the liberation of the Netherlands is celebrated on the 5th of May. But the entirety of Netherlands wasn't liberated at the same time. Sometimes it was earlier, sometimes it was later like on Texel.
• This island was liberated on the 20th of May 1945..

Exit ticket: Write down something you learned this lesson

Exit ticket: Write something down you don't understandn yet