Five Brothers and a War

Amsterdam, May 7

Two days after the German capitulation became effective, some drunk Germans took umbrage at a victory celebration in the Dam, the central square in Amsterdam. As the crowds grew, members of the Kriegsmarine (“War Marines”) set up a machine gun on the balcony of the Grote Club (“Large/Grand Club”) and began firing into the crowd.

A member of the Dutch Resistance climbed into the tower of the adjacent royal palace and fired onto the club’s balcony and into the club itself. Another German, an officer, along with a commander of the Resistance, made their way into the club and got the people to surrender, but not before 33 people had been killed and another 120 were seriously injured. These people represented the last deaths directly related to the war in Holland.

nazi germany

Five Brothers and a War

Page 637