A remarkable tale from World War II unfolds, chronicling the extraordinary bravery of three young female resisters in Nazi-occupied Netherlands, whose innocence and youth concealed their audacious courage. The invasion of the Netherlands by Third Reich forces on May 10, 1940, led to complete occupation by Nazi Germany within a week. In the city of Haarlem, three teenage girls—Hannie Schaft and sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen—joined forces, forming a unique female underground squad dedicated to the resistance cause.
These smart, politically astute, and unwaveringly devoted young women, armed with an unyielding resolve and “nothing to lose but their own lives,” engaged in daring direct actions against Nazi targets. Their activities included sheltering Jews, political dissidents, and Dutch resisters, sabotaging bridges and railways, leading children to safety, transporting weapons covertly, and executing assassinations of German soldiers and traitors in public streets and private traps. The trio displayed the courage of seasoned guerilla fighters and the cunning of experienced spies.
Tim Brady recounts this true story through the lens of these three uniquely fearless freedom fighters, offering a captivating perspective on the Dutch resistance during the war. The narrative delves into the lives under constant threat, explores how these courageous young women became involved in the underground movement, and reveals their evolution into operatives undertaking perilous, life-threatening missions for the Dutch patriots, irrespective of the consequences. Harrowing, emotional, and unforgettable, “Three Ordinary Girls” finally brings these three icons of resistance to the forefront of world history, where they rightfully belong.