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.