Throughout World War II, women played critical yet frequently overlooked roles within resistance movements across German-occupied Europe. They undertook some of the most hazardous assignments imaginable—smuggling messages and weapons, gathering intelligence, carrying out acts of sabotage, and at times engaging in combat—while facing the ever-present threat of arrest, torture, or death.
By accepting these risks, they became a vital force in undermining German control and, in the process, defied the rigid expectations placed on women in that era. Their service demonstrated that determination and bravery are not bound by gender, leaving a lasting legacy of resilience, resourcefulness, and unyielding opposition to oppression.
Freddie and Truus Oversteegen
Growing up in Haarlem in the Netherlands, Truus and Freddie Oversteegen were raised with a deep moral conviction to stand up for those under threat. Their mother, a devoted Communist with a strict sense of right and wrong, instilled in them the belief that doing nothing in the face of injustice was no different from complicity. Freddie’s youthful appearance—complete with braids and an almost childlike demeanor—would later prove to be an unlikely advantage during perilous resistance operations.
Even before the war formally began, their home had become a haven for the persecuted. By 1939, their mother was already hiding Lithuanian refugees and a Jewish couple fleeing Nazi oppression. Witnessing these realities at such a young age exposed the sisters to the harsh consequences of tyranny and helped shape their resolve. These early experiences laid the foundation for the courage and quiet resolve that would come to define their actions in the resistance.
Joining the Dutch Resistance
In May 1940, Germany invaded the Netherlands, beginning an occupation that lasted until the end of World War II. During this period, many Jewish people were deported, and non-Jewish citizens faced harsh conditions.
The invasion inspired Truus and Freddie to resist. With their mother’s support, they started distributing anti-German flyers and newspapers for the Resistance. Their efforts caught the attention of Frans van der Wiel, a leader in the Haarlem Resistance Group. He visited their home and asked their mother if the girls could officially join the Resistance. She agreed.
They did different jobs for the Resistance
Freddie and Truus were initially unaware of the full extent of their involvement with the Resistance. In the beginning, their assignments included sabotaging bridges and railways with dynamite, focusing specifically on the line between Ijmuiden and Haarlem. They also set fire to a German warehouse and helped smuggle Jewish children out of the country, even assisting some in escaping from concentration camps.
Their gender played a crucial role in their effectiveness, as most Resistance operations were associated with men. The Germans assumed that women were only involved in distributing newspapers and other materials. Being both female and young allowed them to operate with little suspicion.
Becoming assassins
Before long, the girls were tasked with carrying out assassinations of Germans and Dutch collaborators. Using their youthful appearance, they lured German officers into the woods – either while on patrol or in a local tavern – and shot them. According to Freddie, it was something they had to do. “It was a necessary evil, killing those who betrayed the good people,” she said.
In 1943, the sisters joined up with Hannie Schaft, a former university student who’d dropped out after refusing to sign a loyalty pledge to Germany. She’d started out with small acts, such as stealing identification cards for Jewish people. When she began assassinating Germans, she became known as “the girl with the red hair.”
Working with Hannie Schaft
The trio formed a highly effective assassination and sabotage cell, carrying out their operations with precision. In addition to targeting key figures, they concealed firearms in the baskets of their bicycles and once even raised a Communist flag at the headquarters of the National Socialist Movement. Their success in their covert activities led to a 50,000 guilder reward for their capture by the end of the war.
On March 21, 1945, Hannie was detained at a military checkpoint in Haarlem while in possession of the banned Communist newspaper, de Waarheid. After intense interrogation, she was executed by Dutch authorities on April 17, 1945. Following the war, Hannie was given a hero’s burial with honors, attended by Queen Wilhelmina and Prince Bernhard. Today, more than 15 cities in the Netherlands commemorate her legacy with streets bearing her name.
Post-war struggles
Truus and Freddie never revealed how many people they killed throughout the duration of their Resistance work. When asked, Freddie replied that they were soldiers and soldiers don’t reveal such details.
Following the war, Freddie and Truus struggled with the trauma of their friend’s death and the murders they’d committed. To cope, Truus became an artist and spoke at war memorial services. Freddie coped “by getting married and having babies,” yet nothing could help the insomnia she suffered.
The sisters were awarded the War Mobilization Cross
The sisters didn’t receive much recognition for their wartime efforts right away, largely because they were labeled as Communists. It wasn’t until 1967 that Truus was honored as Righteous Among the Nations by the State of Israel—a prestigious award given to non-Jews who risked their lives to save Jews during the Holocaust.
Years later, in April 2014, the Dutch government officially acknowledged their bravery by awarding them the War Mobilization Cross.
Both sisters have since passed away. Truus died on June 18, 2016, and Freddie followed on September 5, 2018.