Dutch underground press

The Dutch underground press was part of the resistance to German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II.

After the occupation of the Netherlands in May 1940, the Germans quickly took control over the existing Dutch press and enforced censorship and publication of Nazi propaganda. Independent Dutch citizens organized themselves into publishing their own illegal papers. These papers were cherished by the population, and were better trusted than the official papers (even though one might argue that they were equally slanted). Issues were distributed and passed on, even though there were heavy penalties (including the death penalty) for those involved with illegal anti-Nazi publications.

Some of today's main paper and magazine titles originate from this period, including:

• Trouw,
• Het Parool
• Vrij Nederland

A collection is maintained in The British Library.

External links

• Dutch underground press collection at the British Library