The Oversteegen Sisters by Lauren Cliburn

Background

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Freddie and Truus oversteegen lived in the Dutch city of Haarlem with their single mother, who was defiant from the beginning of German rule. She considered herself and communist and would hide Jews in her house as well as, encouraging Freddie and Truus in handing out anti Nazi pamphlets and signs in their town. This caught the attention of Haarlem Council of Resistance commander Frans van der Wiel. So at 14 and 16 years old, with their mothers approval, they joined the resistance group.

They go from 2 to 3

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Hannie schaft joined the duo when she was 21, after she refused to sign a German loyalty pledge and joined the movement. The became their own sabotage and assassination group.

What they did

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The sisters were very unique to the resistance because they were some of the only women that were sent on missions and shot. They worked to assassinate Nazi soldiers and Polish associates. They were unsuspecting because they were so young, and Freddie even used braids to appear younger. A technique they had was luring the men into the forest to execute them

After

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After the war, the sisters dealt with the trauma of killing people. They never said how many they did kill. Truus died in 2016 and Freddie in 2018

Impact

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Aside from the obvious impact of saving countless lives, the girls were a symbol for women that they could be apart of the war and empowered people to take action from the very beginning.

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“It was a necessary evil, killing those who betrayed the good people.” -freddie

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Book based on the Oversteegen sisters and hannie schaft

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The Oversteegen sisters Autobiography

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freddie

AI

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When asked how many people she had killed or helped kill, she objected “One should not ask a soldier any of that.”

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Lasting effects

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After the war Truus spoke out on the topics of war, anti-semitism, and tolerance. Truus and Freddie also established the Hannie Schaft Foundation, which is dedicated to raising awareness regarding the dangers of extremism and racism.

Back to 2

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Hannie was brought to a prison in Amsterdam and after interrogation, torture, and solitary confinement, Schaft was identified by the roots of her red hair by her former colleague Anna Wijnhoff. She was executed by Dutch Nazi officials on 17 April 1945.

Hannie Schaft was know as the girl with red hair and was one of many most wanted. Hannie was an assassin that planted weapons and killed many nazi officers. Hannie and the Oversteengen sisters Transported weapons in bicycle baskets and Executed nazi forces together.

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hannie

One of Hannie Schafts famous quotes is “ I shoot better!” Hannie shaft says this when she was shot at for resisting. the first shot was aimed at her head but it had only grazed her temple.

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The Oakland ballet made an abstract short performance demonstrating the women's roles in the war.

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The Oversteegen sisters being awarded the mobilization war cross by a prime minister.

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Truus Oversteegen in WWII

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