Have you heard of two teenagers risking their lives to fight against one of the most feared forces in history? That’s exactly what two Dutch sisters, Freddie and Truus Oversteegen, did during World War II.
As young members of the Dutch Resistance, they took on brave and dangerous missions to fight against the Nazi occupation in the Netherlands.
Their story shows how ordinary people, even young girls, can make a powerful difference in the face of injustice.
Joining the Fight against the Nazis
Growing up in the Netherlands during World War II, knowing that your country was under Nazi control was the reality for Freddie and Truus Oversteegen.
They were two teenage sisters raised by a single mother who strongly believed in justice. From a young age, they were taught to stand up for what was right.
Their mother not only encouraged them to help others but also got involved herself, even before the girls officially joined the Resistance. Together, the family distributed anti-German pamphlets and newspapers to spread the word against the Nazi occupation.
Working Secretly for the Dutch Resistance
When Germany invaded the Netherlands in 1940, things quickly grew worse, and the Oversteegen sisters saw the suffering around them. With their mother’s permission, they joined the Haarlem Resistance Group in 1941.
Their bravery and willingness to risk their lives caught the attention of Frans van der Wiel, a leader in the Resistance. He visited their home to ask for their mother’s approval for the girls to take on these risky missions—and she agreed.
With her support, Freddie and Truus quickly learned how to work undercover.
Taking on Dangerous Missions
As Freddie and Truus Oversteegen spent more time with the Dutch Resistance, they moved from support tasks to direct action missions. These were intense and risky assignments, which included assassinating Nazi officers and Dutch collaborators who helped the Nazis.
For example, one tactic Freddie and Truus used was to lure German soldiers and collaborators into isolated areas. Freddie, who was only 14 when she joined, would sometimes approach targets at bars or other public places.
Once the target was in a more secluded area, the sisters or other Resistance members would carry out the assassination. Freddie was known as the first to shoot a “Nazi traitor”. (ref)
Teamwork with Hannie Schaft
The sisters didn’t have formal training, so they had to learn on the job. They worked closely with Hannie Schaft, another young woman in the Resistance, who became one of their closest friends and collaborators.
Together, the three of them formed a small but effective group, carrying out some of the most daring missions.
The years 1943 to 1945 were especially active for them, as Nazi control in the Netherlands tightened and the Resistance grew more desperate to disrupt the occupation. Freddie and Truus took on several of these missions during this period, targeting high-ranking Nazis and other enemies of the Resistance.
On top of these assassination missions, Freddie and Truus continued helping Jewish families, transporting people to safe houses, and gathering intelligence on the Nazis’ activities.
They often had to bike for miles to complete these missions, always aware that they could be arrested or shot on sight if they were caught.
Life after the War
After the war ended in 1945, Freddie and Truus Oversteegen faced lasting emotional challenges from their years in the Resistance. The trauma of their missions and the loss of friends, particularly Hannie Schaft, left a deep impact on both sisters.
Hannie was arrested by the Nazis in March 1945 and was executed on April 17, 1945, only a few weeks before the Netherlands was liberated.
After the war, Freddie chose a quiet life, marrying and raising a family. She didn’t often talk publicly about her time in the Resistance, perhaps because of the painful memories.
Truus, on the other hand, turned to art using painting and sculpting to express her memories and emotions. In 1967, the sisters helped establish the Hannie Schaft Memorial Foundation to commemorate their friend and the courage of the Dutch Resistance.
Honored for Their Bravery
In recognition of their bravery during World War II, Freddie and Truus Oversteegen were awarded the War Mobilization Cross by the Dutch government.
This honor was given to people who made significant contributions to the Dutch Resistance, and the sisters certainly earned it through their dangerous missions and relentless courage.
The War Mobilization Cross was only one of several awards they received over their lifetimes. In 2014, just a few years before Freddie passed away in 2018, both sisters were further honored with the Mobilization War Cross by the Dutch prime minister.
Freddie and Truus’s dedication to sharing their stories, especially Truus’s public talks and artwork, helped ensure that the courage and sacrifices of the Resistance fighters would not be forgotten.
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Nancy Maffia
Nancy received a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.
