Table Of Content

CA C a ri b b ea n R IB N K B H I E T A N T H IN O K K O B B O O K F O R 4 A ND 5 for 4 and 5 May M A Y @nationaalcomite4en5mei WAR AND FREEDOM KINGDOM THE OF THE NETHERLANDS D U R I N G T H E S E C O N D W O R L D W A R THE NETHERLANDS NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES The Netherlands Here tens of is occupied by thousands of Nazi Germany. Dutch are imprisoned in Japanese camps. NETHERLANDS NETHERLANDS SINT MAARSTAEBNASINT EUSTATIUS ANTILLES CUARRAUÇBAAO BONAIRE German subma- SURINAME rines attack the islands. They NETHERLANDS EAST INDIES want to get the oil. SURINAME The boat trip from the Suriname has Netherlands to the Caribbean mines that supply takes three weeks. raw materials for In 1940, the Kingdom of the the airplanes of Netherlands consisted of the the Allied forces. Netherlands and the colo- nies of the Netherlands East Think Study the Indies (now Indonesia), Suri- timeline on name, and the Netherlands pages 8 through Watch Watch the Antilles (Aruba, Bonaire, 13. Which parts video about of the kingdom are the war in Curaçao, Sint Maarten, occupied during the the Caribbean Saba, and Sint Eustatius). Second World War? on tiny.cc/caribisch. WAR AND FREEDOM Reflecting on freedom W hat does freedom mean to World War. The islands in the Caribbean played a you? The more you think very important role as well. People raised money and about it, the more aspects of collected clothes to help the Netherlands. Curaçao freedom you will discover. and Aruba supplied fuel for the airplanes and tanks You are free when you are necessary for the battle field. And courageous young allowed to think and believe whatever you want. people, such as George Maduro from Curaçao, and When you are allowed to be yourself, learn new Boy Ecury from Aruba, joined the resistance in the things, and get the opportunity to do what you Netherlands and gave their lives for freedom. think is important. When you do not have to be afraid that others who are stronger can hurt you. That freedom belongs to you and all your When you do not go hungry and have a place where classmates. Freedom belongs to the teachers, your you can feel at home. parents, and also to me. We share our freedom and that also means: respecting the freedom of others. Freedom is not something you can see or touch. This way, we will remain free together! Still, freedom is the most beautiful thing we have. King Willem-Alexander We have fought hard for this during the Second Do This indicates you Content can do something (write, color, draw). A critical thinking Think question. If you like, you can also write the answer down. 6 My Think Book Watch Type the link into your internet browser. 8 The Second World War A timeline When a word is marked war in red you can look up the meaning in the 14 Life changes Glossary on page 71. 19 Commemorate How do you do that? 222222 Who do we commemorate? 222444 Where do we commemorate? 222666 What are your thoughts on commemorating? 222888 Stand up for others The courageous acts of Boy Ecury 32 Jews in the Caribbean 54 We are free 34 Excluded, persecuted, 56 Knitting sweaters murdered for the Netherlands 38 Unbelievable 60 10 tips… to help someone else 39 Pass it on 62 What do you know! 40 Locked up on Bonaire 64 Freedom according to... Hensley Meulens 44 Flee 66 What are your thoughts 47 10 things... in my suitcase on freedom? 48 What can you do against 68 Questions about freedom injustice? Anton de Kom took action 71 War glossary 50 Small city for a big hero The story of George Maduro 72 Colophon WAR AND FREEDOM 6 •CARIBBEAN THINK BOOK MY THINK BOOK m ethin g herethatbelo so ng s This think book belongs to: w t a o Dr yo u. .......................................................................................................................................................... I n 1940, the Second World War started in the Netherlands and in the Caribbean part of the Kingdom. Hyeoawr omf abniryt yhe aanrds a19re4 0th?ere between your Forexamplesomething yo u reallylove. .............................................................................................................................................................. What does freedom mean to you? I know or have heard of someone Draw, write or paste it below: who experienced a war, namely ... .............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................. I feel most free when I ... .............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................................. CARIBBEAN THINK BOOK• 7 WAR AND FREEDOM Remember Do you ever read or hear something To commemorate means to remember about the Second World War? something. For example, to remember Yes, I mainly hear stories someone who has died. Or to remem- from my family. ber a sad event. Do you ever remem- Yes, I know the war mainly from ber something or someone? the internet, television, and books. Very often Yes, I know about the war from Sometimes video games. Almost never No, I never hear anything about the war. Never How do you do that? DDDrrraaawww ooorrr wwwrrriiittteee iiittt bbbeeelllooowww... How I commemorate: THE SECOND WORLD WAR 8 •CARIBBEAN THINK BOOK THE SECOND WORLD WAR In 1933, Adolf Hitler’s political party wins the elections in Germany. The members of that political party are called Nazis. Hitler wants to turn Ger- many into a big and powerful country. Germany is doing badly. Hitler (false- ly) blames the Jews for everything. 10 MayTTThhheee GGGeeerrrmmmaaannn aaarrrmmmyyy iiinnnvvvaaadddeeesss ttthhheee NNNeeettthhheeerrrlllaaannndddsss... TTThhheee DDDuuutttccchhh aaarrrmmmyyy iiisss aaabbbllleee tttooo ssstttoooppp ttthhheee eeennneeemmmyyy fffooorrr fififi vvveee People who contradict him and the dddaaayyysss... QQQuuueeeeeennn WWWiiilllhhheeelllmmmiiinnnaaa flflfl eeeeeesss tttooo LLLooonnndddooonnn,,, ttthhheee cccaaapppiiitttaaalll Nazis end up in jail or murdered. From of England. The Netherlands Antilles support the 1933, Nazi Germany attacks countries Dutch government and are offi cially at war. in Europe, the Netherlands is also occupied. The Netherlands Antilles 14 May Nazi Germany bombs Rotterdam. The Nether- are not occupied, the conflict mainly lands surrenders the following day. The Netherlands takes place at sea. is now occupied. There is no further contact between the Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles. 1939 1940 1 SeptemberNazi Germany invades Poland. England and France declare war on Germany. 10 May Some 127 Curaçao residents with a German or Austrian passport and 75 German Arubans are imprisoned in a camp on Bonaire. Members of the NSB are also arrested and German freighters are confi scated. CARIBBEAN THINK BOOK• 9 THE SECOND WORLD WAR May to JulyHundreds of English soldiers arrive on Aruba and Curaçao 7 December Japan to protect the oil industry. Oil is attacks the American iiiiiiimmmmmmmpppppppooooooorrrrrrrtttttttaaaaaaannnnnnnttttttt aaaaaaasssssss fffffffuuuuuuueeeeeeelllllll fffffffooooooorrrrrrr ttttttthhhhhhheeeeeee aaaaaaaiiiiiiirrrrrrrppppppplllllllaaaaaaannnnnnneeeeeeesssssss ooooooofffffff,,,,,,, fl eet at Pearl Harbor aaaaammmmmooooonnnnnggggg ooooottttthhhhheeeeerrrrrsssss,,,,, ttttthhhhheeeee RRRRRoooooyyyyyaaaaalllll AAAAAiiiiirrrrr FFFFFooooorrrrrccccceeeee (Hawaii). Now, America (((RRRAAAFFF))) ooofff EEEnnnggglllaaannnddd... also joins the war. 1111111999999944444440000000 111999444111 22 June Hitler invades Russia. TTThhheee GGGeeerrrmmmaaannn aaarrrmmmyyy qqquuuiiiccckkklllyyy cccooonnnqqquuueeerrrsss GGGeeerrrmmmaaannnyyy,,, IIItttaaalllyyy,,, aaannnddd much territory. But JJJaaapppaaannn aaagggrrreeeeee tttooo fififi ggghhhttt tttooogggeeettthhheeerrr... TTThhheeeyyy aaarrreee winter is coming ttthhheee AAAxxxiiisss pppooowwweeerrrsss... and it is getting very cold. Due to the cold and the July Hitler wants England to fi ghting with the surrender. The Germans bomb Russian soldiers, London. The English fi ght back the German army is hard. ‘We shall never surrender’, halted at Moscow. says Prime Minister Churchill.