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Seducing and Killing Nazis

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Member Reviews

‘Seducing and Killing Nazis’ by Sophie Poldermans is an astonishing true story of three teenage Dutch girls—Hannie Schaft and sisters Truus and Freddie Oversteegen—who played a daring role in the Dutch Resistance during World War II. These courageous young women took up arms against the Nazi occupiers by seducing high-ranking Nazi officers, luring them into the woods, and eliminating them. A gripping account of bravery and sacrifice in the face of unimaginable danger.

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This was a short but good, I wish it had gone into more depth since I am fascinated by stories of resistance against the Nazis in WW2. Nonetheless, it wasn’t time wasted and I’m grateful that I was given the opportunity by NetGalley and publisher to review it.

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For all of the horrors and depths of depravity reached during the Holocaust, there are so many unknown or little-known stories about ordinary people who reached new heights of self-sacrifice and courage. This is the story of three of those young women. Their stories are more fascinating than fiction and show there is hope for humanity even in the darkest of times.

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First and foremost this book is wonderfully written! I would love to have a copy of this book about these 3 young women who not only fought for their country but sacrificed for it, in my classroom! I feel like it may bee too much for my younger grades but my older 8th graders into High Schoolers should definitely read this. It will give them more knowledge to know about the resistance during WWII but would be a great starter got a conversation about being an upstarter.

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this book was a really well done and well-researched book, I love historical books and love learning about history that I had never heard again. It was always interesting and I really enjoyed learning about these amazing women.

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2.5 Lacklustre Stars

I was expecting a engaging and entrancing read, a book with rich detail and pages filled with intrigue - however that was not the case.

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I enjoyed this book. First one by this author, but for sure it will not be the last. Great book to return too at the end of the day.

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If you didn't know going in that you were reading a non-fiction book, you might almost believe this was fiction. The heroics of these people and their determination to not only survive but to guarantee the survival of others is what hero novels are based on.

I was really fascinated by this book, and it made me feel things to the core, particularly when you find out the outcome of the lives of these people. This is the kind of book that makes you realise the events of WWII were far more personal than we might realise, many of us not having lived through the events and only reading about them or getting them second hand from someone who experienced the either directly or indirectly. This book puts the humanity back into the story and lets the reader glimpse into a world that is rarely explored in mainstream retellings of this period.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone wanting to know more about the behind the scenes events that women were involved in during WWII. It is a great book with a lot of interesting photos included.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

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Synopsis

Seducing and killing Nazis is monograph by Sophie Poldermans. She introduces us to three ordinary girls who did extraordinary acts during tumultuous times. Of the three main characters two are still alive; Freddie Oversteegen and her sister Truus Oversteegen. The third woman, Hannie Shaft, sadly, lost her battle in 1945. I could go further into the details of the in-depth biographical account of the surviving sisters, and of the historically available information researched by Poldermans. This would be remiss of me because in order to experience the life of these women and girls during the horrors of that era you really need to read this book for yourself. Fortunately it is available in many formats and in many stores. If you enjoy well researched, concisely written, biography of the horrors of war, from a female perspective then this is the book you may enjoy.

Conclusion

Sophie Poldermans has provided a valuable account of the dire experiences of three women and girls. Their lives and for Hannie her death forever changed by their experiences and activities. They may have begun as ordinary students but they ended up being remarkable women. Their stories are inspirational and their bravery is undeniable. These female teenagers set a high standard for the rest of us. I could not help but be inspired and motivated by the life they describe. It is a perfect memorial to the life and times of Hannie Shaft the forgotten heroine of World War II until now.

You can read an extended review at Litercurious

Acknowledgements

My sincere thanks go to: NetGalley, and the Publisher SWW Press for affording me the opportunity to review of Seducing and Killing Nazis.

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Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read a complimentary copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

This book is such an important read; there are very few men and women who fought during WWII still living and it is so important to never forget what was done for our freedom. We have read and heard many stories about soldiers in the war and the war itself, but not nearly enough about the every day people. The everyday people who fought for the resistance were such an integral part of the war, women, children, the elderly, all did their part for a better future at great risk to themselves, how many larger battles would not have been won without the selfless acts of the men and women who fought for the resistance. They stood for what they believed in and fought, whether it was throwing furniture on the Germans as they passed below, bombong strongholds or seducing them and killing them in the forest, it was all at a great cost to them, personally and morally. Trying to stay human in inhuman conditions, to persevere and come out the other side as whole as possible, Truus, Freddie and Hannie struggled with this. They did what had to be done and made amends with it the best they could, Hannie ended up paying the ultimate price for her village, for her family, for her country.

It is more important now than ever that we hear these stories of resistance, so that we never forget the atrocities of war and the courage of people in the face of war.

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I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you NetGalley.

I was a bit bummed I couldn't download this for Kindle, but that's besides the point.
The book was powerful.. informative... and interesting.

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This book tells the story of Hannie Schaft, Truus Oversteegen and Freddie Oversteegen, three young women who were part of the Dutch resistance against the nazis during World War Two. Stories like this are incredibly important, both to remember historically individuals' roles in the fight against fascism (and womens' roles in particular, which are often ignored), and to apply the values and bravery of those people to the fights we are currently facing.

The book is well written, and easy to read. I had no prior knowledge of the events in this book before reading it, and found it very informative. The subject matter is obviously not enjoyable to read (nor should it be) but it is fascinating. The photos included in the book help to bring it alive, and there are maps as well, for readers who are geographically inclined (I am not, but I'm sure that other people would find them interesting).

I know that Hannie, Truus and Freddie's story will stick with me for a long time now that I've finished reading this book.

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This was one of those books where I had to take breaks while reading it. I never know what to write about a book about the Holocaust. Especially when it is a true story. Even after reading the book I still can't imagine being able to do what those ladies did;. It took more guts than I even know how to express. But it is a good reminder to all of us that sometimes you have to do unpleasant things (to put it lightly) to help others. Their bravery is something we should all aspire to be like.

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As the generation that fought World War II dies off and fascism becomes more widely embraced in the West, it becomes paramount to remember the people who fought Nazis. This motivated Sophie Poldermans, a longtime admirer of the three heroic Dutch women memorialized in this book, to write Seducing and Killing Nazis.

The title couldn't be more blunt. Hannie Schaft, Truus Oversteegen, and Freddie Oversteegen (Truus' sister) did exactly that in the German-occupied Netherlands during the early 1940s. The three of them ranged from their mid to late teens. Tragically, Hannie Schaft would pay the ultimate price shortly before the Netherlands were liberated from the Germans. The Oversteegens, particularly Truus, ensured that Hannie's contributions to the Dutch Resistance and those of others would be remembered.

The writing is a bit stilted. However, the heroism of these three girls and Poldermans' deep respect for her subjects shine through. Chapters are organized roughly into before, during, and after the war. The girls are portrayed as teenagers with typical concerns and foibles, not saints or superheroes. While the Oversteegens were fortunate enough to die as old women with families, they had some difficulty reconciling the fact that they'd killed human beings with the justice of their cause. There are ample footnotes. The many photo illustrations of everything from buildings to a pair of false glasses that Hannie used to disguise herself are particularly intriguing.

Read this to remember the lessons of World War II and the European Resistance. Meditate on it a while. Then give it to a teenager in your life to teach them and to give them three models of true courage.

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As someone with an interest in the resistance fighters of WWII, this story was so powerful and moving I couldn't put it down. Words cannot express how good it is.

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Review for Seducing and killing Nazis by Sophie Poldermans

A fascinating book that goes into detail of the lives of 3 women of the resistance movement Hannie, Truus and Freddie. I really enjoyed reading this especially as I had not heard of these 3 hero's before. I have read a few stories of Aushcwitz and survivors of Aushcwitz but had never read anything about the resistance movement prior to this. I loved the fact that the author included time lines and that all factors of these 3 women's lives were covered with nothing missing. A well written page turner that includes photos and plenty of detail.

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This book sounded very interesting. Unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations based on it's title.. It was disjointed repetitious and superficial. I assume it was written for a general audience and not just for the Dutch. So I don't see the point of giving all those addresses of safe houses etc. I just found it irritating and distracting.

The pictures were great though.

This could have been a great book if written and reaserched in more depth and more coherently organized and edited.

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Hannie, Truus and Freddie were just teenagers when the Germans invaded the Netherlands during World War II. They joined the resistance and spent the war targeting German officers and those who turned resistance fighters into the German police. They also blew up bridges, passed information to the allies and did whatever they could to fight the German occupation of the Netherlands. One of them was executed by Germans after being captured. The other two survived but suffered from PTSD, depression and other war related ailments for the rest of their lives.

This book outlines what these girls did for the resistance, retaliations by German forces and some of the events that occurred in the Netherlands during the occupation. I found the facts and photographs compelling, but horrifying. I have a 15 year old son at home. I can't imagine children his age being recruited to kill people, being forced to hide from authorities, and being under threat of execution if captured. It makes me have a high level of respect and pride in these girls and what they did. They did not kill German officers and others with no care....what they had to do during the war had an effect on them until their deaths. When I was 14, my biggest worry was running out of hairspray or getting a flat tire on the way to work. These girls faced arrest, starvation, being sent out to shoot people, planting bombs on bridges or in buildings, and the daily atrocities committed by German troops occupying their homeland. I can't even imagine it... But, part of the reason why I (and millions of others) can't imagine living like that is because of the strength and bravery shown by thousands of people like these three teenage girls during World War II.

Great book! I did not know about these three girls before I read this book. I'm going to read more on the resistance fighters in the Netherlands. It's a portion of World War II history that I don't know very much about. I would definitely read more by this author. She obviously did a lot of research for this book, and her sources are well documented.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from SWW Press via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**

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This may be the most incredible book I’ve ever read. I love non-fiction and this part of history is the most important. The tremendous efforts that were made and many that aren’t in the standard history books.

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Incredibly powerful read. I thoroughly wreaking this one. The fact it’s true made it all the more poignant and interesting. Very good

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