The Frisians are an ethnic group that reside primarily in the coastal regions of the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark. During the Second World War, the Frisian population was caught in the crosshairs of the Nazi regime due to their unique cultural and linguistic identity.
The Frisians had been an oppressed minority in the Netherlands for centuries, and their language and culture were suppressed by the Dutch government. However, when the Nazis occupied the Netherlands in 1940, they saw the Frisians as a potential ally due to their perceived racial purity and resistance to Dutch assimilation.
The Nazis formed the Frisian Volunteer Legion, which was made up of Frisians who were recruited to fight for the German cause. The Legion saw action on the Eastern Front, where they fought against the Soviet Union. However, many of the Frisians who joined the Legion did so under duress, and some were even forcibly conscripted.
Despite the recruitment efforts of the Nazis, many Frisians also actively resisted the occupation. The Frisian resistance movement, known as the “Fryske Nasjonale Boun” (Frisian National League), was formed in 1943, and worked to undermine the German occupation through sabotage and intelligence gathering.
The Frisians were also instrumental in the liberation of the northern Netherlands, with Frisian resistance fighters working alongside the Canadian army to liberate the city of Leeuwarden in 1945.
After the war, the Frisians were given a degree of autonomy by the Dutch government, and their language and culture were officially recognized. Today, the Frisians are a proud and distinct ethnic group, and their language is one of the few surviving West Germanic languages.
In conclusion, while some Frisians may have collaborated with the Nazis during World War II, many others actively resisted the occupation and fought for the liberation of the Netherlands. The Frisians’ unique cultural and linguistic identity played a significant role in their experience during the war, and their resistance to both Dutch assimilation and Nazi occupation reflects their strong sense of identity and independence.