The Oversteegen Sisters by Christa Jones

Background Information

christajones2273_ — 2023-10-26 16:58:38 UTC

Freddie Oversteegen was 14 when she joined the Dutch Resistance. Her sister, Truus Oversteegen, was 16 at the time she joined the Dutch Resistance alongside her sister. After a while they became trained assassins, killing Nazis and Dutch collaborators.

To complete the trio, in 1943, a young woman, Hannie Schaft, a former university student, refused to sign a document pledging her loyalty to Germany. Dropping out of her university and joining the Dutch Resistance.

Together the trio lured, seduced, and killed many Nazis and other Dutch collaborators. A number that they never confirmed. They would lure the victims to their home to kill them or to ambush them while riding their bikes. However, that is not the only thing the trio did. They distributed anti-Nazi newspapers, learned how to shoot, and even sabotaged railway lines.

This all happened during World War II, between 1939 and 1945 in Haarlem, Netherlands.

christajones2273_ — 2023-10-27 15:14:36 UTC

christajones2273_ — 2023-10-27 15:36:44 UTC

The Act of Resistance was an act that included various groups. These groups disagreed with the Nazis and put a plan into action to push them back. These groups included many civilians, children included, who put their lives at risk to stand up for what they believe in. These groups set out papers, sabotaged railways, kill Nazis and their Dutch collaborators, and ambush their targets.

The Haarlem Resistance Group was the group the Oversteegen sisters participated in. This particular group would follow their targets to their home and ambush them, they blew up the railway between Ljmuiden and Haarlem, hid Jews and moved them if they thought they were danger, and they also helped work in the emergency hospital in Enschede.

Dates

christajones2273_ — 2023-10-27 16:16:10 UTC

World War II lasted six years, September 1, 1939 - September 2, 1945.
May 1940, the Nazis invaded the Netherlands.
Dutch Resisters formed their first group May 15, 1940.
In 1943 Hannie Schaft joined the Oversteegen sisters in the Haarlem Resistance Group.
October 7, 1944, sonderkommando (slave labor groups of the Jews living in extermination camps that removed the bodies of the ones who died in the gas chamber) was able to successfully destroy one of the four crematoria. All of the involved were found and killed.
In 1945 Hannie Schaft was captured and killed.

Impact

christajones2273_ — 2023-10-27 16:24:40 UTC

The impact that the Oversteegen sisters had is very grand. The sisters helped many Jewish people survive. They helped smuggle Jewish targets out of the country and helped other Jews escape concentration camps. These girls risked their lives to help others and stand up for what they believe in.

Facts

christajones2273_ — 2023-10-27 16:28:28 UTC

One reason the Oversteegen sisters were able to be undetected is because of how young they are.
Truus Oversteegen seduced a SS officer.
Freddie Oversteegen followed people and kept watch.

Quotes

christajones2273_ — 2023-10-27 16:35:24 UTC

"It was neccessary good evil, killing those who betrayed the good people." - www.washingtonpost.com

Freddie Oversteegen said during interview.

“Freddie Oversteegen was only 14 when she joined the Dutch resistance during World War II, and only a couple of years older when she became one of its armed assassins. Together with her sister—and later, a young woman named Hannie Schaft—the trio lured, ambushed and killed German Nazis and their Dutch collaborators.” - www.history.com

This quote shows how committed the sisters were.

“However, the fact that they were both young girls—and Freddie looked even younger when she wore braids—meant that officials were less likely to suspect them of working for the resistance.” - www.history.com

This quote supports the reason that the sisters were able to go undetected.

Podcast

christajones2273_ — 2023-10-27 16:36:16 UTC

Cited Sources

christajones2273_ — 2023-10-27 16:42:14 UTC

“Freddie Oversteegen, Dutch Resistance Fighter Who Killed Nazis through Seduction, Dies at 92.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 19 Sept. 2018, www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/freddie-oversteegen-dutch-resistance-fighter-who-killed-nazis-through-seduction-dies-at-92/2018/09/16/7876eade-b9b7-11e8-a8aa-860695e7f3fc_story.html.

Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "resistance". Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 Oct. 2021, https://www.britannica.com/event/resistance-European-history. Accessed 27 October 2023.

Little, Becky. “This Teenager Killed Nazis With Her Sister During WWII.” HISTORY, 20 June 2023, www.history.com/news/dutch-resistance-teenager-killed-nazis-freddie-oversteegen.