Hannie Schaft
Encyclopedia
Jannetje Johanna Schaft (16 September 1920 – 17 April 1945), was a Dutch
communist resistance fighter during World War II
. She became known as the girl with the red hair (in Dutch Het meisje met het rode haar, also the title of a book and film about her). Her secret name in the resistance movement was Hannie.
. Her mother was a Mennonite
and her father was attached to the Social Democratic Workers' Party
. During her law studies at the Universiteit van Amsterdam
she became friends with the Jewish students Philine Polak and Sonja Frenk. This made her feel strongly about actions against Jews. With the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II
university students were required to sign a declaration of allegiance to the occupation authorities. When Hannie refused to sign the petition in support of the occupation forces, she could not continue her studies and moved in with her parents again. She became more and more active in the resistance movement and helped people who were hiding from the Germans with stolen IDs and food-coupons.
. Her motivation to join the communists was that they were at least resisting actively. With her friend Truus she carried out various attacks on Germans, collaborators and traitors. She learned to speak German fluently and got involved with German soldiers. Some resistance members considered her a traitor for that.
After a sub-department of the Raad van Verzet in Velsen
killed a farmer, without authorization from the groups' leaders, Hannie brought a list of names of the ones who did that to her leaders. Afterwards the named people on this list were given to the Sicherheitsdienst
, which meant a certain death. Most likely Hannie did not know the result her action would have. After the war this episode was investigated by a special commission.
Hannie Schaft was hated by the German occupiers, because just before the end of the war she carried out various attacks that were pointless in the eyes of the Germans. She was arrested in Haarlem while distributing the illegal communist newspaper de Waarheid
. Although at the end of the war there was an agreement between the occupier and the Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten to stop executions, she was shot dead three weeks before the end of the war in the dunes of Bloemendaal
. Two men took her there and one shot close range, only wounding her. She supposedly said to her executioners: "I shoot better than you", after which the other man delivered the final shot.
After the war, in these dunes the remains of 422 resistance people were found, 421 men and one woman, Hannie Schaft. She was reburied at the honorary cemetery at the dunes in Overveen
in the presence of princess Juliana
and her husband prince Bernard. Later, as queen, Juliana unveiled a bronze commemorative statue in the Kenau Park in nearby Haarlem, her birth place. Hannie Schaft also received the 'Wilhelmina resistance cross' and a US decoration.
Shortly after the war, the communist movement enjoyed popularity, partly because of the effort of the USSR in defeating the Nazis. However, with that country's increasing influence in Eastern Europe, the popularity decreased. Because the Dutch communist party
celebrated her as an icon, her popularity decreased too, to the point that the commemoration at Hannie's grave was forbidden in 1951. The commemorators (who were estimated to number over 10,000) were stopped by several hundred police and military with the aid of 4 tanks. A group of seven managed to circumvent the blockade and reached the burial ground, but were arrested when they tolled the bell. From the next year on, the communists decided to prevent another such scene by holding their commemoration in Haarlem instead.
A number of schools and streets were named after her. For her, and other resistance-heroines, a foundation has been created; the Stichting Nationale Hannie Schaft-herdenking. A number of books and movies have been made about her. She features in De Aanslag by Harry Mulisch
, also released as a movie directed by Fons Rademakers. Ineke Verdoner wrote a song about her. Author Theun de Vries
wrote a biography of her life, which has inspired the movie Het Meisje met het Rode Haar by Ben Verbong
featuring Renee Soutendijk
as Hannie Schaft. She is remembered each year in November during a national event held in Haarlem.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
communist resistance fighter during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. She became known as the girl with the red hair (in Dutch Het meisje met het rode haar, also the title of a book and film about her). Her secret name in the resistance movement was Hannie.
Early life and education
Hannie Schaft was born in HaarlemHaarlem
Haarlem is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland, the northern half of Holland, which at one time was the most powerful of the seven provinces of the Dutch Republic...
. Her mother was a Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
and her father was attached to the Social Democratic Workers' Party
Social Democratic Workers' Party (Netherlands)
The Social Democratic Workers' Party was a Dutch socialist political party and a predecessor of the social-democratic PvdA.-1893-1904:...
. During her law studies at the Universiteit van Amsterdam
Universiteit van Amsterdam
The University of Amsterdam or the UvA is a public research university located in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Founded in 1632 as the Athenaeum Illustre by the scholars Gerardus Vossius and Caspar Barlaeus, it is the third-oldest university in the Netherlands...
she became friends with the Jewish students Philine Polak and Sonja Frenk. This made her feel strongly about actions against Jews. With the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II
The Netherlands in World War II
The history of the Netherlands from 1939 to 1945 covers the events in the Netherlands that took place under the German occupation that started on May 10, 1940 with the Battle of the Netherlands. The Netherlands hoped to stay neutral when World War II broke out in 1939 but this failed to happen when...
university students were required to sign a declaration of allegiance to the occupation authorities. When Hannie refused to sign the petition in support of the occupation forces, she could not continue her studies and moved in with her parents again. She became more and more active in the resistance movement and helped people who were hiding from the Germans with stolen IDs and food-coupons.
Resistance work
She joined the Raad van Verzet, a resistance movement that had close ties to the Communist Party of the NetherlandsCommunist Party of the Netherlands
The Communist Party of the Netherlands was a Dutch communist political party. The CPN is one of the predecessors of the GreenLeft.- Foundation :...
. Her motivation to join the communists was that they were at least resisting actively. With her friend Truus she carried out various attacks on Germans, collaborators and traitors. She learned to speak German fluently and got involved with German soldiers. Some resistance members considered her a traitor for that.
After a sub-department of the Raad van Verzet in Velsen
Velsen
Velsen is a municipality in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. It is located on both sides of the North Sea Canal.On the north side of the North Sea Canal, in IJmuiden, there is a major steel plant, Corus Strip Products IJmuiden, formerly known as Koninklijke Hoogovens...
killed a farmer, without authorization from the groups' leaders, Hannie brought a list of names of the ones who did that to her leaders. Afterwards the named people on this list were given to the Sicherheitsdienst
Sicherheitsdienst
Sicherheitsdienst , full title Sicherheitsdienst des Reichsführers-SS, or SD, was the intelligence agency of the SS and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. The organization was the first Nazi Party intelligence organization to be established and was often considered a "sister organization" with the...
, which meant a certain death. Most likely Hannie did not know the result her action would have. After the war this episode was investigated by a special commission.
Hannie Schaft was hated by the German occupiers, because just before the end of the war she carried out various attacks that were pointless in the eyes of the Germans. She was arrested in Haarlem while distributing the illegal communist newspaper de Waarheid
De Waarheid
De Waarheid was the Dutch Communist Party newspaper. It originated in 1940 under the German occupation as a resistance paper, the day after general H.G. Winkelman had forbidden publication of the earlier Communist Volksdagblad. The party decided on May 15, 1940, to continue the Volksdagblad...
. Although at the end of the war there was an agreement between the occupier and the Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten to stop executions, she was shot dead three weeks before the end of the war in the dunes of Bloemendaal
Bloemendaal
Bloemendaal is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. According to the Dutch Central Statistical Bureau, Bloemendaal is the wealthiest place in the Netherlands.-Population centres :...
. Two men took her there and one shot close range, only wounding her. She supposedly said to her executioners: "I shoot better than you", after which the other man delivered the final shot.
After the war, in these dunes the remains of 422 resistance people were found, 421 men and one woman, Hannie Schaft. She was reburied at the honorary cemetery at the dunes in Overveen
Overveen
Overveen is an affluent town in North Holland in the Netherlands, in the municipality of Bloemendaal.Overveen lies on the eastern fringe of the North Sea dunes...
in the presence of princess Juliana
Juliana
Juliana, Julianna, Giuliana, Iuliana, Yuliana, Uljana, Xuliana, Xhuliana or Ylyiana is a female name. It is a feminized version of Julianus, in turn derived from Julius, as in Julius Caesar. It can also refer to:- Medieval women :*Juliana of Paul and Juliana , d...
and her husband prince Bernard. Later, as queen, Juliana unveiled a bronze commemorative statue in the Kenau Park in nearby Haarlem, her birth place. Hannie Schaft also received the 'Wilhelmina resistance cross' and a US decoration.
Shortly after the war, the communist movement enjoyed popularity, partly because of the effort of the USSR in defeating the Nazis. However, with that country's increasing influence in Eastern Europe, the popularity decreased. Because the Dutch communist party
CPN
CPN may stand for:*Called party number*Calpine Corporation, New York Stock Exchange symbol CPN*Canadian Perinatal Network*Carnivorous Plant Newsletter*Carpinteria , California, Amtrak station code CPN...
celebrated her as an icon, her popularity decreased too, to the point that the commemoration at Hannie's grave was forbidden in 1951. The commemorators (who were estimated to number over 10,000) were stopped by several hundred police and military with the aid of 4 tanks. A group of seven managed to circumvent the blockade and reached the burial ground, but were arrested when they tolled the bell. From the next year on, the communists decided to prevent another such scene by holding their commemoration in Haarlem instead.
A number of schools and streets were named after her. For her, and other resistance-heroines, a foundation has been created; the Stichting Nationale Hannie Schaft-herdenking. A number of books and movies have been made about her. She features in De Aanslag by Harry Mulisch
Harry Mulisch
Harry Kurt Victor Mulisch was a Dutch author. He wrote more than 80 novels, plays, essays, poems and philosophical reflections. These have been translated into more than 20 languages....
, also released as a movie directed by Fons Rademakers. Ineke Verdoner wrote a song about her. Author Theun de Vries
Theun de Vries
Theunis Uilke de Vries , was a Dutch writer and poet.- Life :De Vries was born in the Frisian town of Veenwouden. His parents moved to Apeldoorn in 1920. In 1936 he joined the Communist Party of the Netherlands and a year later he moved to Amsterdam to pursue a career in journalism...
wrote a biography of her life, which has inspired the movie Het Meisje met het Rode Haar by Ben Verbong
Ben Verbong
Ben Verbong is a Dutch film director and screenwriter. He has directed 18 films since 1981. His debut film The Girl with the Red Hair was entered into the 32nd Berlin International Film Festival.-Selected filmography:...
featuring Renee Soutendijk
Renée Soutendijk
Renette Pauline Soutendijk, known as Renée Soutendijk, is a Dutch actress. She was a favorite star of director Paul Verhoeven's films and is perhaps best known for her work in his 1980 release Spetters. Her good looks and striking blond hair secured her status as a Dutch sex symbol in the 1980s...
as Hannie Schaft. She is remembered each year in November during a national event held in Haarlem.