Het verhaal van Nederland

It is the 1930s. A global crisis is spreading, and growing discontent gives rise to new radical movements such as fascism. This ideology is gaining ground not only in Germany but also in the Netherlands, and society becomes divided as a result. Boxing friends Ben Bril and Sam Olij find themselves diametrically opposed during these years.

The German Reich under the leadership of Adolf Hitler is growing at a terrifying rate. One by one, countries are falling prey to his ruthless expansion. It is May 10, 1940, when the Netherlands is attacked and Dutch soldiers must face a superior German force. Meanwhile, Commander-in-Chief Winkelman must try to keep a cool head.

The Netherlands is occupied by Nazi Germany. The Nazis regard the Dutch as a brother nation and emphasize that they will treat them with respect. At least... if the Dutch comply. German soldiers are billeted in families' homes, leading to tensions in Dutch living rooms.

The Nazis label Jews as so-called Untermenschen. Through systematic exclusion, registration, and isolation, everything is taken from them: work, possessions, and freedom of movement. In a cunning manner, the occupier attempts to drive Dutch society apart. All this with one goal: the complete extermination of the Jewish community.

While most Dutch people obey the occupier, there are also those who offer resistance. At universities, through illegal newspapers, and by helping those in hiding. Resistance groups emerge throughout the Netherlands. The occupier responds to every form of opposition with harsh reprisals. Time and again, the question arises as to what extent resistance fighters are willing to continue.

With the advance of the Allies, the liberation of the Netherlands seems close, but it does not come without a price. Hundreds of Dutch people die in Allied bombardments, and in large parts of the country, a bitterly cold winter sets in with a harrowing shortage of food and fuel. The grueling final act of the occupation. When liberation finally arrives, not only joy prevails; it is also the beginning of the reckoning.

With the fall of Nazi Germany, the war is over. At least, that is the hope of the Europeans. But soon, it is precisely the Netherlands that is put to the test and will itself act as an aggressor. In August 1945, Indonesia, a Dutch colony, declares its independence. What follows is a bloody colonial war.

We are witnessing the origins of the city in the 12th century, born from a storm surge. Built on and around the water, it seems an impossible place to live, but the first inhabitants are convinced of its unlimited possibilities. From a small settlement on the Amstel, Amsterdam grows into an important medieval trading city.

Amsterdam's image is largely due to the seventeenth century. The canals, the art, the prosperity—made possible in part by the arrival of thousands of migrants from Europe and far beyond. Amsterdam offers many opportunities for newcomers, but far from everyone shares in this success story. The differences between rich and poor remain enormous.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, great poverty prevailed in Amsterdam, and the splendor of the seventeenth century had long since vanished. While the city government seemed determined to maintain the status quo, it was wealthy and proud Amsterdammers who took matters into their own hands to pull the city out of its slump. In addition to improving healthcare, housing, and hygiene, these Amsterdam benefactors also laid the foundation for important landmarks such as the Vondelpark, the Concertgebouw, and the Rijksmuseum.

The Second World War left a deep scar on Amsterdam. A large part of the Jewish population, 60,000 people, was deported and murdered. The city went in search of a new identity. On the one hand, Amsterdam wanted to become a modern city with highways and new construction. But on the other hand, it wanted to retain the human scale and preserve the individuality of its residents. Thanks to the counterculture that emerged in the 1960s, Amsterdam acquired a new face.

After the Ice Age, the Netherlands gradually takes on its current form. Due to climate changes, the first inhabitants have to adapt to their new living conditions.

The story of the Netherlands follows the trail of the Romans in the Netherlands. It is Julius Caesar who describes our country and its inhabitants for the first time. But the arrival is not without a struggle.

In the early Middle Ages, the Frisians inhabited the coastal region of the Netherlands. They believed in nature gods and even in human sacrifice.

In the thirteenth century, our first king, Willem II, fell in battle against the West Frisians. At this time, the Netherlands was a patchwork of counties and duchies.

In the fourteenth century, Europe was ravaged by a terrible disease that claimed millions of victims: the plague. The church viewed this Black Death as a punishment from God.

In the sixteenth century, the Eighty Years' War broke out. A struggle forever linked to the name of Willem of Orange.

The Netherlands became a world power in the 17th century, thanks to a spirit of trade, but primarily through plunder and war. A small elite became fabulously wealthy through the exploitation and oppression of others.

At the end of the 18th century, our country is torn apart by a civil war. Will our country become a monarchy or a democratic republic?

In the 19th century, the Netherlands experienced the Industrial Revolution. It was a time of new inventions and technological progress.

During the Second World War, war crimes were committed before our eyes. Not only by Germans, but also by ourselves.