War Museums - Fries Verzetsmuseum

Fries Verzetsmuseum - Leeuwarden - The Netherlands

Address: Turfmarkt 11, Leeuwarden (See map)
Telephone: +31 (0)58-2120111
Website: http://www.verzetsmuseum.nl

Shop: no shop present
Restaurant/refreshments: restaurant
Size of the museum/site: small
Year of visit: 2004
Overall rating:

Description: The Fries Verzetsmuseum (or Frisian Resistance Museum) is located in the centre of the city of Leeuwarden. Amidst all the historic houses the modern style building in which the museum is housed can hardly be missed. The main subject of the exhibition is resistance in the province of Friesland, but more general WWII-related items and information can also be found in the museum.

Throughout this museum you get to see pictures taken during the German occupation, get to read stories of different types of resistance activities and of course you can see some pretty interesting exhibits, like for instance newspapers and banknotes, but we reckon the nicest part is the attic. In the attic a lot of (small) items (radios, lights, bags, helmets, uniforms etc.) that aren't being displayed in the museum are stored and you're allowed to have a look around. This makes for a different atmosphere than you normally find in a museum.

In general the museum is nice, everything is displayed very well and in logical way, but it's rather small. Nevertheless it's worth visiting when you're in the neighbourhood or live in Leeuwarden or Friesland.

The entrance to the Fries Museum, in which the Fries Verzetsmuseum is housed.

Public notice proclaiming a curfew. Posters, just as radio, formed a very important way of communication in this pre-television era.

Headgear of the two opposing armies: the green Dutch helmet and the notorious black "Stahlhelm" of the German army.

Clandestine newspapers of the Dutch resistance, keeping people informed about the progress of the war without being hindered by Nazi censorship like the regular papers.

Banknotes of both the Dutch and Japanese governments that ruled the 'Dutch' Indies in the 1940-1945 period.

A dummy paratrooper which was used to misguide the Germans during operation Overlord.

Harley-Davidson "Liberator", that saw action during the liberation (hence the name) of The Netherlands by Canadian forces.

Folding bike, especially made for airborne operations. It was used during Market Garden.


The entrance to the Fries Museum, in which the Fries Verzetsmuseum is housed.	Public notice proclaiming a curfew. Posters, just as radio, formed a very important way of communication in this pre-television era.

Headgear of the two opposing armies: the green Dutch helmet and the notorious black "Stahlhelm" of the German army.	Clandestine newspapers of the Dutch resistance, keeping people informed about the progress of the war without being hindered by Nazi censorship like the regular papers.

Banknotes of both the Dutch and Japanese governments that ruled the 'Dutch' Indies in the 1940-1945 period.	A dummy paratrooper which was used to misguide the Germans during operation Overlord.

Harley-Davidson "Liberator", that saw action during the liberation (hence the name) of The Netherlands by Canadian forces.	Folding bike, especially made for airborne operations. It was used during Market Garden.