An NSB-er was a member of the Nationaal Socialistische Beweging [Nationalist Socialist Movement] in the Netherlands before and during World War II. The NSB was the party that welcomed the German occupation and collaborated with the nazis. During World War II, NSB membership was a requirement for many public offices, including being appointed as mayor. After the war, NSB members were arrested and investigated for collaboration. See the article Finding Collaborators in World War II for more … [Read more...]

The word slachtoffer means "victim" or "casualty." On 4 May, the Dutch commemorate the casualties since World War II. The 4 May date was chosen because 5 May is Liberation Day, the anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands on 5 May 1945. We commemorate before we celebrate. Two years ago, I was at the National Genealogical Society conference in Grand Rapids on 4 May. You can read the speech I gave at the banquet to jointly commemorate the victims. … [Read more...]

Fout means "wrong" or "error." Dutch records are pretty reliable in general but we should always look for multiple independently created original records to prevent one error from leading us astray. In World War II, the word fout got a special meaning. It was used to indicate people who collaborated with the Germans. Many of them were prosecuted for collaboration after World War II. Their court records can be found in the Central Archives for Special Jurisdiction at the National Archives in … [Read more...]

Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten or Domestic Armed Forces was a resistance organization in World War II. During World War II, there were many resistance local organizations working all over the country. When the liberation of the Netherlands started in September 1944, these organizations merged to form the Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten. Head of the organization was Prince Bernhard, the husband of crown princess Juliana. My grandfather Jan Marijnissen joined the Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten in … [Read more...]

A dwangarbeider is a forced laborer. During World War II, many able men from the Netherlands were forced to work in Germany. The German factories and other places of employment needed laborers since so many of their own men were fighting in the army. Local labor offices in the Netherlands coordinated the placement. Both my grandfathers were required to go to Germany as forced laborers. My paternal grandfather Henk Hoitink went into hiding on my grandmother's farm (his fiancée at the time) … [Read more...]