High Ranking Fascist Collaborators: Politicians
Dutch Fascist Leader and Hitler’s Loyal Collaborator: Anton Mussert
16m
After Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands in May 1940, Anton Mussert became the most prominent Dutch collaborator of the occupation. As leader of the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands (NSB), Mussert supported Adolf Hitler, cooperated with the German authorities, and backed the Nazi vision for the country under German control.
This story examines Mussert’s rise from civil engineer to fascist political leader, the growth of the NSB, and his role during the German occupation of the Netherlands. It explores the persecution and deportation of Dutch Jews, the suppression of resistance movements, forced labor deportations, Dutch SS volunteers on the Eastern Front, and the suffering of the Dutch population during the occupation and the Hongerwinter of 1944–45.
Although Mussert hoped to rule the Netherlands under Nazi protection, he ultimately remained a weak figurehead with little real authority. After the collapse of Nazi Germany, justice finally caught up with him. In 1946, Anton Mussert was executed for collaboration and treason.
Up Next in Season 1
-
Hungarian Prime Minister Behind the D...
In March 1944, after Nazi Germany occupied Hungary, Döme Sztójay became Prime Minister and aligned the country closely with the Third Reich. Under his government, Hungarian Jews were forced to wear yellow stars, confined to ghettos, and deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Between May and July 1944, ...
-
Britain's Fascist Leader and Hitler S...
Born into the British aristocracy and once regarded as one of the most promising politicians of his generation, Oswald Mosley seemed destined for high office. A decorated veteran of the First World War, a member of Parliament, and a rising figure in both the Conservative and Labour parties, he bu...
