Holocaust Resisters by ELENI DE LEON

Song

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Background Information

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Freddie and Truus Oversteegen grew up in the city of Haarlem, with their single, working-class mother. In 1940, the Nazis invaded the Netherlands, Truus and Freddie helped their mom distribute anti-Nazi newspapers and pamphlets for the resistance. Then in 1941, Freddie and Truus Oversteegen were asked to join the Haarlem Resistance Group.

Freddie and Truus Oversteegen

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Impact

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Freddie and Truus Oversteegen were members of the Haarlem Resistance Group during World War II. They aided Jewish children escape persecution by the Nazis by providing them with a safe haven in their homes, or by smuggling them out of the country. Their heroic efforts helped save many children from the horrors of the Holocaust.

The resistance group that Freddie and Truus were apart of

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Life after the war for the Oversteegen sisters

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After the war, Freddie and Truus dealt with the trauma of killing people during their time in the resistance group and from also losing their best friend, Hannie. After the war, Truus married Piet Menger and had four children. Freddie ended up getting married to Jan Dekker and had three children. Eventually, the sisters spoke and wrote about their time in the resistance. Both women ended up dying at the age of 92: Truus died in 2016, and Freddie in 2018.

Quote

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“We did not feel it suited us, it never suits anybody, unless they are real criminals." Truus speaking in regards to killing Nazis and Dutch Collaborators.

Informational Sources

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https://time.com/5661142/dutch-resistance-friendship/

Their roles in the Haarlem Resistance group

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Freddie and Truus Oversteegen had more of a unique role as women in their resistance group. Unlike many girls, Freddie and Truus learned to shoot Nazis and eventually went on assassination missions by themselves.Freddie and Truus Oversteegen demonstrated remarkable courage and determination in their involvement with the resistance group. As women, they played a crucial and unique role, mastering the skill of shooting Nazis and carrying out assassination missions on their own. Their contribution to the resistance effort is a testament to the power of individual action and the importance of standing up against oppression and injustice.

Death of a friend

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In 1943, Freddie and Truus met a woman named Hannie Schaft. Hannie ended up becoming best friends with the sisters, and they formed a sabotage and assassination cell. Sadly, two years later, in 1945, Hannie was captured and killed by Nazis just three weeks before the war ended. Which left the Oversteegen sister's devastated.

Hannie and the Oversteegen sisters

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