The Dutch Resistance

My wife and I are tremendously proud of our grandparents. My grandparents grew up in the Netherlands during the Second World War. They know, much better than we, of the horror of war and what it means to live with little. They have much to teach my generation about conviction, courage, and hard work. 

I cannot imagine what it would have been like to live during a time where your country was occupied by Hitler's Nazi armies, nor do I wish to. Yet my grandparents need not imagine. They lived it. Every horrible moment of it. My grandfather has the bullet in his leg to prove it. 

Our grandparents were involved in the fight against Nazi Germany. They resisted evil. In doing so they risked their lives. Their convictions were not lightly held.  For this reason, my wife and I were incredibly proud (and moved) upon watching The Reckoning: Remembering the Dutch Resistance. The Reckoning is a documentary that tells stories of those involved in the Dutch Resistance. These stories are powerful because such courage and conviction are scarce these days.

After watching The Reckoning my wife and I sat in silence. After some time we wiped at our eyes and finally spoke. We spoke about how proud we were of our grandparents and the courageous few who fought, not for glory but because their conscience demanded it. 

Here is the description from the DVD's cover:

"September 1939. War erupts in Europe as Germany invades Poland. Eight months later, Hitler would publicly broadcast that he would not invade Holland due to their neutrality during World War I. Within hours, this promise would become a treacherous lie that would engulf the small country in World War II.

Prejudice and persecution would spread. The preservation of human life would become a life-and-death mission for a small minority of ordinary Dutch citizens.

'The Reckoning: Remember the Dutch Resistance' is the international award-winning documentary that captures the compelling story and eyewitness account of six survivors of war-torn Netherlands during World War II. With the revelation of Hitler's 'Final Solution' and the uncertainty of liberation, it reveals the intensely human aspect of the Dutch struggle against Nazi tyranny." 

One of the interesting aspects of The Reckoning is the link that it makes between the Dutch Resistance and their Christian faith. Though resisters struggled to reconcile the evil they witnessed with the goodness of God, they did not relinquish their faith. They drew strength from it. 

The Reckoning: Remembering the Dutch Resistance comes highly recommended. You can purchase The Reckoning here.