Collaborate, Adapt, or Resist? The Resistance Museum in Amsterdam

The Resistance Museum in Amsterdam tells the story of life in the Netherlands under Nazi occupation during World War II. While it focuses on the resistance, it also tells the story of the ordinary people who were not part of the resistance movement. The theme of the museum, spelled out in the introductory video, was this: when the country was invaded the people had to choose how to react. Some people simply adapted to the changes, some collaborated with the Germans, and some resisted. My gut instinct was that I'd have been a resistance fighter, but the museum made me question that. With all the information we know today about the Holocaust, the only moral choice for me would be resistance. But for the people in the Netherlands at the time, the choice was more ambiguous. Some people did not know what was going on. Some did know and were too afraid to resist. Others may not have wanted to know, preferring to adapt and try to continue living as much of a normal life as possible. In some ways, straight-out war is morally easier. Your commander points at the enemy, and you shoot. But what is your moral obligation when you are living in occupied territory? Your instincts to do what is right are at war with your instincts for self-preservation.

Part of what made this museum so special was the stories about ordinary people who are not well-remembered by history. One that stood out for me was that of a red-headed girl who was a member of a resistance group. She carried out eliminations (executions or assassinations, depending on your viewpoint) of traitors to the resistance cause. Because the resistance movement was illegal, they had no jails or justice system so they simply shot traitors. The girl's friend would dress up as a boy and they would pretend to be making out on the street. When they'd see the traitor, the friend would say something to get their courage up, like "there he is, the dirty bastard." Then the red-headed girl would go up to the man and kill him with her gun. Eventually the Germans began looking for the red-headed girl, so she died her hair black. Even with this disguise, she was eventually caught and killed. Her friend told her story to the museum.

I also was struck by the nationalistic politics of the occupation. There was some feeling by the German command that the Netherlands should accept German rule and be part of a pan-Germanic culture. Instead, the Netherlands had great pride in their own country and hated the Germans. They called them Krauts!

The museum also touched on the post-war period when many women who had had relationships with German soldiers were forced to have their heads shaved as a mark of shame. I've read about this before, as this phenomenon was not unique to the Netherlands. Women in France who consorted with German soldiers met the same fate after the war. Whatever your views of the women, you have to have sympathy for the children born of those unions. When I read about World War II, it makes me embarrassed of my distant German heritage. Can you imagine knowing that your father was a German soldier and your mother was living in an occupied territory? It must have been hard.

The museum really made me think. I definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Amsterdam.