Posters about the liberation
Posters are an important means of communication and propaganda during and after the war. There are no radios and televisions to be able to convey information to citizens.
Following the liberation, various rhyming prints and posters are printed. The return of Queen Wilhelmina and the arrival of the Allies are frequently used themes. The posters show the cheerful scenes of peace with a lot of use of colour. But the battle that was fought for this is also shown, for which the posters are often printed in black and white.
The posters, which are jointly owned by the KB and the NIOD, form a compelling and authentic representation of the outward appearance of the war.
-
Over het water (Across the water) / Elisabeth van Maasdijk, 1945
-
Wij zijn vrij! (We are free!) / M. Nijhoff, 1945
-
Bevrijd (Liberated) / L. Braaksma, 1945
-
Airplane shadow with windmill, 1945
-
Kent gij het land, der zee ontrukt? (Do you know the land that was wrested from the sea?) / Eppo Doeve, 1945
-
Free Holland welcomes the soldiers of the Allies. Welkom in het vrije Nederland! (Welcome to free Holland!), 1945
Cutting the hair of 'kraut girls'
Poster from Doetinchem, 6 April 1945.
After the liberation, the Dutch population focuses its anger on 'moffenmeiden' ('kraut girls'); girls and women who had had contact with German soldiers in any way. They are publicly shaved and cut bald. Often a swastika is painted on their heads and they are driven around on an open cart. In this 'controlled' way, the Military Authority tries to prevent a day of reckoning, with all the unbridled revenge exercises on traitors that entails.
To the children of the Netherlands
Aan de kinderen van Nederland (To the children of the Netherlands), 1945
Hitler wanted to capture the Royal Family in 1940, hoping that the Netherlands would capitulate. When the Germans invaded the Netherlands, the Royal Family fled to London. Juliana and Princesses Beatrix and Irene soon traveled to Canada. Prince Bernhard traveled back and forth between Canada and London. On 19 January 1943, Princess Margriet was born in Ottawa. The princesses were happy when they were allowed to return to the Netherlands. On 2 August 1945, Juliana and the princesses arrived in the Netherlands by plane at Teuge airport.
The liberation in the Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies were not liberated until August 1945. This happened after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. On 15 August the Japanese emperor announced the capitulation.
To make the Japanese capitulation known everywhere, leaflets in Malay are scattered over Java. It is remarkable that the text refers to 'Indonesia', a term that was actually taboo.
-
Flyer Dutch East Indies, 1945
-
Indië moet vrij! Werkt en vecht ervoor! (India must be free! Work and fight for it!), 1945.
-
Nu Indië! Meldt u als vrijwilliger (Now the Indies! Volunteer), 1945.
Poster for the first commemoration of the dead on 31 August 1945
The first National Remembrance Day took place on 31 August 1945, Queen Wilhelmina's birthday. However, the liberation was also celebrated on this day. This resulted in the performance of the Drama der beroepszetting in the Olympic Stadium with texts by A. Den Doolaard and directed by Carel Briels. The government decided that from 1946 onwards, Remembrance Day would take place on 4 May, followed by Liberation Day on 5 May. This day was chosen because on this date in 1945 the capitulation of the Germans had come into effect.
