The Holocaust: Freddie and Truus Oversteegen by

addisonsenters — 2025-03-28 19:03:45 UTC

Truus Oversteegen (1941)

The Background

addisonsenters — 2025-04-26 20:05:25 UTC

Freddie and Truus were sisters who grew up in Haarlem. Their mother taught them to fight injustice early on in their lives. At the start of World War II, their mother began housing and hiding Jews in danger.

addisonsenters — 2025-04-26 20:10:58 UTC

Freddie (left) and Truus (right) accepting the Mobilization War Cross in 2014

The Resistance

addisonsenters — 2025-04-26 20:14:44 UTC

At 14 years old, Freddie and Truus Oversteegen joined the Dutch resistance during World War II, and later, Freddie joined the resistance's group of armed assassins. The girls wore unsuspecting and innocent clothing and hairstyles to avoid Nazi attention.

addisonsenters — 2025-04-26 20:17:55 UTC

Freddie Oversteegen (1941)

The Revenge

addisonsenters — 2025-04-26 20:33:19 UTC

Multiple times, Truus seduced SS officers into the woods so that Freddie could shoot them. As they learned how to shoot Nazis, they went on assassination missions together, later focusing on killing Dutch people who joined Nazi forces. Through these missions, Freddie was always the one who went after the targets, while Truus distracted them. The girls never disclosed the number of people they had killed, even when the war ended.

addisonsenters — 2025-04-26 20:34:41 UTC

The Partnership

addisonsenters — 2025-04-26 20:45:08 UTC

Along the way, Freddie and Truus befriended Hannie, a university student who dropped out, rebelling against the Nazi curriculum. However, this friendship was short-lived, as Hannie was shot by a Nazi in 1945.

addisonsenters — 2025-04-26 20:46:37 UTC

Hannie Schaft (1945)

The Modern Day

addisonsenters — 2025-04-26 21:26:18 UTC

Truus and Freddie dealt with PTSD, insomnia, and major trauma in the years following the war. Both girls grew up and had children who are still alive today. The women both died at age 92, Truus in 2016, and Freddie in 2018. Before they died, Freddie and Truus received the Mobilisatie-Oorlogskruis, or War Mobilization Cross, to honor their services and sacrifices in keeping people safe.

addisonsenters — 2025-04-26 21:31:57 UTC

Truus and Hannie in disguise (1944)

The Citations

addisonsenters — 2025-04-26 21:35:33 UTC

Little, Becky. “This Teenager Killed Nazis With Her Sister During WWII | HISTORY.” HISTORY, 15 Apr. 2025, www.history.com/articles/dutch-resistance-teenager-killed-nazis-freddie-oversteegen.

Reporter, Guardian Staff. “‘Her War Never Stopped’: The Dutch Teenager Who Resisted the Nazis.” The Guardian, 27 Sept. 2018, www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/23/freddie-oversteegen-dutch-teenager-who-resisted-nazis.

Poldermans, Sophie. “As Teenagers, These Sisters Resisted the Nazis. Here’s What They Taught Me About Doing the Right Thing.” TIME, 30 Aug. 2019, time.com/5661142/dutch-resistance-friendship.

The Quote

addisonsenters — 2025-04-29 16:53:22 UTC

“We did not feel it suited us—It never suits anybody, unless they are real criminals.”

The Other Quote

addisonsenters — 2025-04-30 18:52:44 UTC

"It was tragic and very difficult and we cried about it afterwards". Freddie stated, "We had to do it. It was a necessary evil."

addisonsenters — 2025-04-30 18:56:51 UTC

Freddie, Truss, and Hannie sketch

addisonsenters — 2025-04-30 19:00:13 UTC

Hannie Schaft (1945)