The Price of Heroism: Veterans of the Dutch Resistance to the Nazi Occupation and the Holocaust in World War II

Abstract

Participation in the Dutch civilian resistance against the Nazi occupation and the Holocaust during World War II may have a life-long impact on the survivors. Nowadays, many resistance veterans suffer from an impairing posttraumatic stress disorder, which often manifested itself only in later adulthood, after an apparently symptom-free period, sometimes lasting decades. This article describes resistance veterans' patterns of coping with traumatic war experiences, as well as the underlying causes for their often difficult postwar adjustment, in particular social ambivalence, and lack of respect for courageous behavior and endured suffering.