Original World War Two Dutch NSB “Jodenkliek” Flyer.
“Yankee - Englishman - Bolshevik - dances to the tune of the Jewish clique.”
Measures 19.5 x 13 cm.
Founded in 1931, the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands (Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging in Nederland) grew from a Dutch fascist group to a political party. During the 1930s, the NSB had some success as a parliamentary party in legislative elections. Under German occupation, it was the only legal political party in the Netherlands for most of World War II. The party's program was heavily influenced by Italian fascism and German Nazism, though it did not exhibit antisemitism until 1936 and even had Jewish members at one point.
During the Second World War, the Dutch NSB members were aligned with the Germans and advocated for strict neutrality in the Netherlands. However, after the German invasion in May 1940, the Dutch government took action by detaining 800 members and sympathizers of the NSB. Similar detainment occurred in the Dutch East Indies, where supporters of the party were interned and some were later deported to Surinam and placed in the Jodensavanne internment camp. By June 1940, the imprisoned NSB members were released by German troops, and Mussert's speech in Lunteren urged the Netherlands to align with Germany and reject the Dutch Monarchy, which had fled to London.
In 1940, the German occupation government banned all socialist and communist parties. A year later, the only party allowed to operate was the NSB. This party openly worked with the occupation forces and had about 100,000 members. The NSB played a significant role in lower government and civil service, with every new mayor appointed by the German occupation government being a member. Despite NSB leader Mussert's hopes for an independent Dutch state allied with Germany, the Austrian Nazi Arthur Seyss-Inquart held power as part of the occupation government. Recognizing the lack of popular support and qualified individuals in the NSB, Seyss-Inquart chose to collaborate with the existing establishment instead.
Mussert held a total of five meetings with Adolf Hitler, during which he advocated for an independent Netherlands. Despite Seyss-Inquart's recommendation for Mussert to become Prime Minister, he was only designated as the 'Leader of the Dutch People' and given a minor State Secretariat with little actual authority. As time passed, his influence within the party diminished in favor of more pro-German members like Rost van Tonningen. Unlike Mussert, van Tonningen supported the incorporation of the Netherlands into a Greater Germanic Reich. As of the summer of 1943, the NSB organized many male members into the Landwacht, aiding the government in maintaining control over the population.
On September 4th, 1944, the Allied forces conquered Antwerp, leading the NSB to anticipate the fall of the Netherlands. The following day, many of the party's leaders and members fled to Germany, causing the organization to crumble during what became known as "Mad Tuesday." During the months leading up to the end of the war, Mussert resided at the Bellinckhof estate near Almelo. As the war progressed and the NSB continued to fall apart, Mussert took action against leaders who he deemed to have acted dishonorably during the events of September 1944. Despite his efforts, by early 1945, Mussert's authority had been greatly weakened by the war and the disintegration of the NSB.
After the end of World War II on May 6, 1945, the NSB was declared illegal and its leader, Mussert, was arrested the next day. While many members were apprehended, only a select few were ultimately convicted. The organization did not attempt to continue illegally, and former members were often ostracized and even incarcerated. The stigmatization of these individuals and their families in society persisted for years. The top leadership was detained and faced criminal charges, resulting in Mussert's execution on May 7, 1946, and imprisonment for Van Geelkerken. Rost van Tonningen, on the other hand, took his own life while awaiting trial.
