Frisian war children

With the Frisian War Children project, the Resistance Museum Friesland has captured 15 stories on film of Frisians who experienced World War II as children. In addition to the authentic objects in the tangible collection, the Resistance Museum is using these stories to create a digital core “oral history” collection. This collection is also already a prelude to the Resistance Museum’s new presentation in the new Fries Museum.

Children of War contains personal memories of the Second World War in Sneek and South-West Friesland. The core of this book consists of thirteen short and three long testimonies from those directly involved. In words and images, it gives a personal insight into the life of a child during the war. These are not just stories about events in Sneek and South-West Friesland. They are above all poignant testimonies about tension and emotion, about fear and friendship. The many photographs come mostly from personal archives, bringing the stories even closer. The testimonies are placed in perspective with a historical reflection on far-reaching war events in Sneek and South-West Friesland, written by historian Meike Jongejan. The foreword is written by former mayor Bernhard Van Haersma Buma, son of mayor Sybrand Marinus van Haersma Buma, who died in a concentration camp during the war.