Author: Tim Brady
Year published: 2021
Category: Adult nonfiction
Pages: 304 pages
Rating: 4 out of 5
Location: (my 2025 Google Reading map): Netherlands
Summary: May 10, 1940. The Netherlands was swarming with Third Reich troops. In seven days it's entirely occupied by Nazi Germany. Joining a small resistance cell in the Dutch city of Haarlem were three teenage girls: Hannie Schaft, and sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen who would soon band together to form a singular female underground squad.
Smart, fiercely political, devoted solely to the cause, and "with nothing to lose but their own lives," Hannie, Truus, and Freddie took terrifying direct action against Nazi targets. That included sheltering fleeing Jews, political dissidents, and Dutch resisters. They sabotaged bridges and railways, and donned disguises to lead children from probable internment in concentration camps to safehouses. They covertly transported weapons and set military facilities ablaze. And they carried out the assassinations of German soldiers and traitors—on public streets and in private traps—with the courage of veteran guerilla fighters and the cunning of seasoned spies.
In telling this true story through the lens of a fearlessly unique trio of freedom fighters, Tim Brady offers a little-known perspective of the Dutch resistance during the war. Of lives under threat; of how these courageous young women became involved in the underground; and of how their dedication evolved into dangerous, life-threatening missions on behalf of Dutch patriots—regardless of the consequences.
Review: I am always up for a good WWII story, and when it's true, it's even better. My Zoom book club chose this one, and I was really looking forward to reading it. It's a good one.
The story of the three girls is an interesting one. It's amazing to me that three teenagers took such risks and committed the acts they did. It reminds me a bit of Sophie Scholl and her friends, whose story is told in the White Rose. In some ways, I think younger people don't really understand the risks they are taking and so are more willing to throw it all away (no partner, no children, etc), but how wonderful that young people also had the passion and drive to know what was right when so many adults stood by.
Since this is nonfiction, it does include lots of death (it is WWII after all), violence, and the main characters do not necessarily have happy endings. In real life, plans do not always go as planned. That said, the girls do become vigilantes who take out individual people as well as commit acts of sabotage. Their acts contributed to the demise of a number of Germans and their plans. Since the Netherlands wasn't great in terms of protecting their Jewish population (they have the worst record with 75% dying), it's good to hear there was an active resistance.
Reading this book now, as the US is plummeting into an authoritarian regime (yes, I've said that out loud), makes me think about what I can do. I can speak out, try to protect those who are being persecuted, and I can vote for candidates who can enact change. It's all very overwhelming.
Challenges for which this counts:
- 20 Books of Summer
- Cover Love--a historical photograph
- Nonfiction--no theme
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