From Dutch Student to Ruthless Killer of the Nazis: Hannie Schaft

Hannie Schaft, remembered as “the girl with the red hair,” became one of the most feared and relentless members of the Dutch resistance during World War II. Born in Haarlem in 1920, she grew up in a politically engaged family that instilled in her a deep sense of justice and a fierce opposition to fascism. When Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940, Hannie watched her Jewish classmates lose their rights, their freedom, and eventually their lives. This injustice pushed her from student activism into the heart of the underground movement. Hannie joined the Council of Resistance and soon met Truus and Freddie Oversteegen, forming one of the most iconic female resistance units of WWII. Together, they carried out sabotage missions, rescued Jewish children, stole identification papers, and assassinated Nazi officers and Dutch collaborators. Hannie, fluent in German, used her intelligence and composure to get close to her targets. She once told her comrades, “I’ll die clean and beautiful,” before heading out on missions. Her actions infuriated the German occupation authorities, and Adolf Hitler personally ordered her capture. After years of eluding the Gestapo, Hannie was arrested in March 1945 with a pistol and resistance newspapers in her possession. When guards forced her to wash her dyed hair, they realized they had finally caught the woman they had hunted for more than two years. Despite an agreement to halt executions near the end of the war, Nazis murdered Hannie Schaft on 17 April 1945—just three weeks before the liberation of the Netherlands. Today, Hannie Schaft remains a national symbol of courage, defiance, and sacrifice. Her story stands as a reminder that resistance to tyranny often begins with a single individual who refuses to look away. Join World History channel and get access to benefits:    / @worldhistoryvideos   Disclaimer: All opinions and comments below are from members of the public and do not reflect the views of World History channel. We do not accept promoting violence or hatred against individuals or groups based on attributes such as: race, nationality, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation. World History has right to review the comments and delete them if they are deemed inappropriate. ► CLICK the SUBSCRIBE button for more interesting clips:    / @worldhistoryvideos   #HannieSchaft #worldwar2videos #ww2documentary #wwii #europe #netherlandshistory #amsterdam #rotterdam #utrecht #haarlem #holocaustdocumentary #nazivictim #historydocumentary #netherlands #dutch #holocaust #holocaustdocumentary #holocausteducation #luftwaffe #mauthausen #auschwitzbirkenau #sobibor #resistance #holland #concentrationcamps #secondworldwar #ww2story Hannie Schaft biography, Hannie Schaft and Truus Oversteegen, Hannie Schaft and Freddie Oversteegen, Hannie Schaft and Oversteegen sisters, Girl with red hair, Hannie Schaft and Jan Bonekamp, Women in Dutch resistance, Women resistance, Dutch resistance women, Female Dutch resistance fighters, Female resistance fighters, Westerbork camp, Vought camp, Dutch resistance, German bombing of Rotterdam, Dutch resistance WW2, Battle of Netherlands, Dutch resistance movie, Dutch underground, Dutch resistance members, Dutch resistance to Nazism, Dutch resistance to Hitler, Arthur Seyss-Inquart in Netherlands, Dutch Jews Auschwitz, Dutch Jews Sobibor, Westerbork transit camp, Westerbork concentration camp, Netherlands World War 2, Netherlands WW2, Holland WW2, Dutch WW2, Amsterdam WW2, Amsterdam World War 2, When did Germany invade Netherlands, When did Germany invade Holland, German occupation of the Netherlands, German occupation of Holland, Amsterdam during WWII, Amsterdam during WW2, Amsterdam during World War 2, World War 2 in the Netherlands,