Yes, Canadians stole our hearts at the time by freeing us from the German occupation. I remember greeting the Canadian troops as a boy in Friesland in April 1945.

My Dutch grandma could speak German. So when the soldiers searched the house, she softened them up with conversation and sympathy for their homesickness. They never found my uncle, who was hiding to avoid forced labour, or realised my mum was working furiously for the Resistance.

i live in Rotterdam, and we will have old buildings you see in the video, and i still cant believe what horror it has been for the people seeing those building on fire. thanks for sharing this!

My Dutch great grandpa who served in ww2 passed today There a great generation that is slipping away. If you have one left spend as much time with him or her as you can once they are gone they are gone and you will regret not spending that time with them

It truly hurts to see that my people had to go through this. My Opa was in Amsterdam when this all went down. Only the dutch could have weathered this storm. Strong people, smart people, Dutch people. Long Live Nederland's.

Dutch Christians helped Jews just like me during those hard times for our people, I will always be thankful for this Country

Want to go to the netherlands really bad, because I'm Canadian and they love us over there

6:59 this guys ingenious.Using 2 chairs to walk through the flood water!

My grandpa was born just before the war started (in 1938), and survived the bombing of Rotterdam. He lived in Rotterdam until the end of the war. He told me a pretty cool story from the war. My great grandpa used to work as water police in the port of Rotterdam, which is where all the German brown sugar came in and was transported to Germany. Everytime a ship entered the harbor my great grandfather would take a crate of sugar, until one day he and his friends decided that it was a bit obvious, So they stole a whole ship! they distributed the sugar among people without food in the hunger winter. Good thing they never got caught. an uncle of my grandfather also once dressed up a Nazi soldier and stole a truck to claim food supplies in the north of Holland. Those were some strange times.

I am a disabled 42 year old Canadian who has returned to University. I would love the chance to visit on an educational visa so I can learn the history at a Netherlands university. Than I want to be able to share it with the Canadians on our Remembrance Day. We will always have an unbreakable bond based on humanity, bravery, mutual respect, and a best-friend relationship.

Indeed it was a verocious combat. The Germans did not want to acknowledge their defeat. We, Dutchmen, owe much to Canadians who had to pay with their lives to usher us to freedom!

Very moving - thanks for posting.

Thanks for posting this film.

Hi Michael, Thanks for sharing this. I'm working on a short film about a 92-year-old Dutch Holocaust survivor and would like to use a short clip from this video. Is this public domain footage? Or, would I need permission from you? Or someone else?

Thank you Canadians and other Allied forces...much respect.

Thanks for this! It's hard to find decent English sources about the Netherlands to show to my Dutch (bilingual) classes.

It wasn't much of a fight because the Germans used sneaky methods, not because the Dutch army didn't wanted to fight. Bombing a city and using prisoners as a human shield, isn't very humane.

Great grandfather was 14 when he joined the resistance and became wanted by the Gestapo so had to flee Holland. He ended up in Wolverhampton- England and joined the princess Irene brigade and fought through the remainder of the war with the British army, many others did the same. Big respect to them all.

The Dutch population certainly wasn't nazi-minded. When the Germans left most Dutchmen were jubilant after years of distress and prosecution.

thanks to all that had share their personal experience, i am studying for Kennis van netherlandse Maatschappij, i personally admire netherland people, very hard workers and intelligent, it is nice to hear from people whom had lived in those difficult times as well as very sad situations.

Bedankt nu heb ik weer wat geleerd. Ik wil meer

My uncle, Sergeant Ernest Dyer was there with Canadian 1st Division, fought in the Scheldt and liberated many towns... He said he saw many horrible things committed by retreating German troops against the Dutch people!

It's sad that I need to watch old footage like this to feel any sort of pride for my country and its people. Not much left of that Dutch pride and tradition these days..

Exactly 80 years ago when this happened. May god bless the men that had fought for my country 🙏🏼❤️

My Uncle was an operative in the Dutch Underground- Got caught by the Germans due to a Dutch Nazi (NSB'er) , escaped from the prison in A'dam- Crossed the English channel in a rowboat- Was interrogated by the English- Sent BACK to Holland as a spy for the English, was compromised and picked up by English patrol boat- Back to England for flight training- Became a Spitfire Pilot in the Dutch RAF Squadron (322nd) and was shot down over Arnhem 10 days before the end of the war.

My mother was Dutch born in Amsterdam Holland ,she was Engaged to young man who worked for the underground, “he was one of the boys who was put to death , my father was in WW2 ona three day leave he went to Amsterdam met my. mother,thank You for these beautiful videos clip

Thanks for sharing! We still dont understand today why the Queen and the goverment flew. The film doesnt mention the widespread collaboration with Nazis or the fate of the Jewish population (except at the end of the film!), and boasts about the Resistance.... There has been acts of resistance, yes, at the beginning, and many righteous people hiding persecuted people. Anyway, interesting propaganda film.. I am glad to be able to see it. Gives the tone of the postwar era.

ihave been in war 1942 now i am 98 years old

Wow! What conversations here! Human beings must figure out how to end war, stop genocide!

I am am French and Dutch. Our brave soldiers might have not been able to defend their country so easily however Canadian troops were on the way to save the Netherlands. We shall remember the brave Dutch and Canadian soldiers who have died on the grounds of the Netherlands.

Hallo. Spreek je nog Nederlands?

The Dutch hated the Germans what they did in WW2 to their own country, but forgot what the Dutch did in the hundred years in the past in the territory that Dutch called 'eastern indie' even in the next years later after WW2. The Dutch admire Canadian what they did to their own country but not learn as a role model, but the colonial attitude was in them even before the Germans did. Deep condolences to the women, children, and civilians who have become victims for the colonialism itself from wherever the country even in Germany though

Thanks for sharing.

Bedankt dat je ons onze vrijheid hebt gegeven Vanuit Nijmegen (Thank you for giving us our freedom From Nijmegen)

My Opa was young during WW2, so this story most likely took place around early 1945. He told me a story a few months ago, his mother and his brother having to run away to a farm due to the Germans marching into the Netherlands, and it was his dad's orders to get them to safety (his father did labour in a concentration camp). On the way there, there were a few German military soldiers around so they hid in the back of one of the trucks. The German soldier who drove the truck threatened to report them, but my Opa offered a pack of cigarettes in return for him not to report them. And so eventually, they got to the farm safely and after the war, managed to reunite with his father who did labour in one of the camps. So to sum it up, a pack of cigarettes saved my Grandpa's life during WW2.

a little reminder that Canadian troops freed my city (and most of the northern parts of The Netherlands) so a thank you to the Canadian troops, the American and British and ofcourse many other troops that gave their life for us

My Grandparents also both lived through this in Rotterdam. Both born in 1934, so they were just young kids. I remember my Grandma telling me how tough it was finding food and eating back then. They used to catch mice just to have something more to eat. My Grandpa just passed away 3 weeks ago on Jan 1st of this year. He would've turned 90 next month. My Grandma is still alive and she is turning 90 years old this May.

Say what ever you like. I'd like to say; the Netherlands fought tremendously during WW2. Wether in Europe, or Asia for that matter. We couldn't have done it without our allies ofcourse.. But I'm sure the Dutch effort was significant enough, unfortunatly to little mentioned. I also think, one particular country is simply getting way to much credit for the outcome. .. And it's not Canada

I grew up watching Corrie Ten Boom, "The Hiding Place" and the "Diary of Anne Frank." Thanks, this is very informative.

My great aunts and cousins were under occupation in Gelderland. A distant cousin was aboard the only sunken Dutch submarine that hasn't been found. When Princess Juliana visited Pella, Iowa during the war, my piano teacher prepared her lunch.

Guy in my class, his Opa was one of the men who helped organise the resistance, ended up on hitlers kill list.

Just Holland? The rest of the Netherlands didn't count?

Anyway...we had 5 years to learn German, wich became handy on our holydays, 50 years later...

The Netherlands had the largest non German SS division. Go to the Gouda resistance museum and ask to see the (hidden) SS insignia that they have there. The items (thousands) are in the back to the left as you go in.

Love to our Canadian brothers who fought and died for our country!!

Thanks German for capitulating Netherlands at that time. Cheers from Indonesia 🇮🇩🇮🇩.

An ex British soldier , who served in BAOR for 12 years in the 70 and 80s, and have a great affection for the Dutch , Nederlanders

Nee, ik heb er in de hongerwinter iets van opgestoken. Mijn moeder was Friezin.

How about Indonesia? Was Dutch did the same thing to Indonesia in 350 years?

It was only when i found a Canadian 9MM bullet while magnet fishing when i realised what the people had gone through.

Hello mr.Netherlands , I'm indonesian's from your Ex-teritory , what's going on over there ?

my grandfather was a ww2 vet who helped liberate Holland & Europe.

Ana cuenta esto en su diario pobrecita estaban todos asustados

Who are 'we' ? Most Dutchmen do understand.

OMG did any of you see soldaat van oranje?! My dad is choir master it's about Erik Hazelhoff so world war 2

Fix the subtitles!

Indonesia : You become something that you hate the most.

09:24 is that kapsalon? kidding

8:39 best part!

Sure, it's cute that the Dutch did their best to hold on to the Germans for as long as possible, but of course their contribution of defeating Germany was nothing compared to what other nations were doing. And given that a large part of the Dutch population rallied behind Germany during the occupation, it is a miracle that the Allies wanted to liberate their country.

I was there at that time ,thank you Canada!

I had a teacher Mr Rogge in Groningen.Bent U zijn zoon?

I know these things since I^ve studied history but you should see this in the context of what he has written about these groups. Well spotted and of course also true.

Do not ask this to a war bride who went with her husband to Canada you will be surprised to find out what they had to say,most of them came in more misery that what they had left behind.

They felt the discomfort of being colonized by Germany, but still continued to occupy Indonesia. They really didn't know themselves.

Remember the Canadians sacrificed in Dieppe 🇨🇦

Brave Dutch 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 From Great Britain.

Wow!

My grandpas were German and one of them fought in the invasion of holland and france

german para,s got their asses handed out to them in rotterdam near the maasbrug , and in den haag and the westland as well , but as history told us , it was a uphill-battle

No American city has had to face this type of modern war fare and goes along way to explaining American attitudes, to WW2.

The pacifists thought they could prevent war... but the Dutch people decided to resist the German invasion.

The funny thing is that after the Netherlands was free from the Nazi invasion in 1945, the following year they invaded Indonesia which they claimed was the Dutch East Indies :)

very interesting and when the germans left what did the dutch do???they did the same as the french ,they went to the DUTCH INDIES INDONESIA and the french went to INDOCHINA VIETNAM CAMBODIA LAOS SO MUCH FOR JUSTICE

"...few Dutch collaborators"?

Indonesians: *yes 😒*

they felt downright hatred for them!!

My grand father was a Dutch soldier he join in 1934

Can l get this movie on Netflix 😉

what a shame. Just victorie?? I didn't see the part of American bombers bombed the City of Nijmegen in February 44. Way before d-day more then 800 people got killed. There was no invasion going on, it was no mistake. It was just a target of opportunity . The ancient city completely destroyed .

Another people with great neighbors.

Wasn't that where Anne Frank was???

Netherlands in Indonesia : 💪 NETHERLANDS IN EUROPE :

And Friesland?

And our Royal family denied to invest in our army after WWI! We only had two renault tanks and everything else was a left over from WWI! They fled the country to England! And left the whole country fighting and starving to death! It took the Germans three weeks to take over The Netherlands while having so much better guns and tanks! Even the Germans said the Dutch where so brave and powerfull with almost nothing. Most Dutch had to surrender to the lack of ammunation!

the dutch were smart not moving against the german, they would have killed left n right

cri

the royal leech got scared and left.

So sad ;-(

they're too busy with the indonesians

God damn the germans; never forget, never forgive.

I,m netherlands

Micheal you must be more specific"Nazi-minded" is to graceful and you as a Dutchmen same as me know all to well how we felt

I have no idea what the creator of this vid is trying to say. that the Dutch were brave people or....

THE DUTCH FOUNDED THE USA, READ WERE WORDS LIKE YANKEE , DOLLAR AND SANTA COME FROM; In the 15 th century the dutch people , citizens of Holland called the Batavieren, ruled the waves. Back than, by example they discovered and named Australia , 100 years before the british empire did, founded New Sealand (Nieuw Zeeland) were the only one trading with Japan , and had a empire around the world. They ruled the big empire of indonesia , founded the city of Batavia (now Jakarta), South Africa , Suriname, several islands, founded amongs others , New York (back than 'New Amsterdam") as still vissible in the names ; Bowery Lane (Bouwerijlaan) Bridge street (Brugstraat) Broadway (Breede Weg) Brooklyn (Breukelen) Bushwick (Boswijk) Coney Island (Konijneneiland) Flushing (Vlissingen) Gravesend (Gravesende) Greenwich Village (Groenwijck) Harlem (Haarlem) Hempstead ( Heemstede ) Hoboken (Antwerpen) (belgium was also Dutch)( The unique spirit of Holland is still the in the spirit of New York people say. That is freedom tolerance , open minded and direct.) many parts of the United States, like Vancouver (van Coevorden) and the hole north east of the U.S. which was called 'Nieuw Nederland'. 246 typical north american words are from Holland, like YANKEE (jankees) dollar (daalder) SANTA CLAUS (Sinterklaas) sleigh (slee.) In the United Kingdom about 500 words are from Holland. They founded the United Kingdom in its todays setting by William of Orange , and made the U.S. possible by bank loans to get its independance from Great Britain. and this is just a part of that list. If they did not sold or lost almost everything the world should speak Dutch now. This amazing country with its red white and blue flag still amazes people around the world , they innitiated the European Union and United Nations, the world wildlife fund ,now The Netherlands is the worlds peace and justice country by its international court ,

AND MANY DUTCH HELPED THE GERMANS, MOSTLY ON THE CATHOLIC SIDE OF THE PEOPLE. SORRY FOLKS BUT THAT’S THE WAY THINGS WERE.

It's really sickening seeing your people being killed and cities in your country being bombed... :'''( Dit is meer dan alleen maar triest om te kijken....

Mensen vergeten snel

iedereen zat in het verzet.

Both actually.