My family name is Mooiman, in the Netherlands. Only one letter difference. My grandfather, also named Gerardus, often encountered trouble with official business like at postoffices. I have heard about the mix-ups from my grandfather but this is so much more information! Thank you for that.
If he was active in WW2 with the Germans your family name would have been Mooimann. My family name is Moorman. But during WW2 my grandpa was forced to add an 'n' ;)
Thank you! my great grandfather served along with him, he got them trough the hardship of war, a few dutch soldiers got executed by the germans for ignoring orders and retreating from their position at leningrad, according to my great grandfather gerardus was furious but could not really do anything about it, He was a great comedian that was motivating others to not think and just fight, He just played along and regretted that very after the war. My great grandfather aswell, he passed when i was 6 in 97 and i got called the ''nazi boy'' in my village, the dutch really where unforgiving on men like gerardus and my great grandfather. I wish whe werent and they could have openly talked about their choices, so that we could all learn about it. His diary with some stories is what he left to me, with the note i would try to understand, since i was young and open minded, he really made me fascinated about the world war and the psychology of men, why did they chose that voluntarily? He wrote that he had a deep fear of communism but also poverty, and it paid well for our family, and thats why he made the choice, later in life he never cared about money because of that choice. ''Live happy, poverty is a state of mind, you can only be broke''
@@Kededian it probably a bad ideal 😂 it may ruin his 🌈 image of his great grand father . He aint join SS for money and communist fear for sure 😂 better believe his great grand father and family story then find out true story thru the archive haha
I thought that Argentina was the only former SS shelter. Now we are discovering that a lot of countries used them after the war..... So if a 3rd world country do it is bad and if the USA or the French do it is OK ?
Regardless of the side he chose, you can't deny his devotion, dedication and bravery. The German army/SS didn't just hand out the Knights cross to just anyone.
It is sad that just because some people chose the wrong side to fight on that their inspirational bravery is often overlooked. Bravery is bravery even if in the wrong cause. The wrong side is only defined by politicians at the time and by history written by the winners!
@@chrisstephens6673 Wrong on the 1st part, correct on the 2nd. No, it is your internal moral compass that dictates right and wrong. Hitler and the Nazis thought the final solution was the "right" course of action even tho deep down they knew it was morally wrong, hence why they kept it so well hidden by even those dedicated to Nazi Germany. I don't know about you, but invading and subjugating neighbouring countries is morally wrong in every way shape or form.
@@jesperkuipers9432 they were ideologically conditionally different from regular soldiers, politically schooled, with the belief that they were better than anybody else. Hence the near suicidal bravery in combat. Far different attitude than the french regular soldiers from 1940. Same can be said about the Danes ,swedes, Norwegians, Dutch etc
Thank you for keeping WW2 history alive, as the last eye witnesses are passing away. Keep in mind that a lot of SS volunteers went for a sense of adventure as well. In this time before the internet and television, traveling 2 villages over was already considered an adventure; going to war was one of the few opportunities a young man had to see the world. With regards to the treatment of Eastern Front veterans; my grandfather, who was only a teenager during the war, later stated that he was disgusted by how collaborators were treated post-war. Not because he didn't think they didn't deserve punishment, but because 99% of the Dutch were content to do nothing during the war years, and had no moral standing to punish others.
He was one of the lucky ones. Also, that French 1897 75mm gun was the inspiration for the 75 mm gun on the early Sherman tasks, and fired interchangeable ammunition. The first American tank Destroyers were half tracks with WWI surplus 1897 75mm guns, both French and American made.
The "Famous French 75" was revolutionary, being the first to incorporate features such as on carriage recoil control, one piece ammunition and quick action breech.
He survived fighting T34s and Soviet artilleries, but died in a car accident at age 63! What a ridiculous way to die for a war veteran! I just feel shock for the cause of his death.
A great uncle of mine enlisted on day one of the first world war, fought in France all through the war and survived without a scratch, when he was demobbed, he caught the train to his home in London, walked out of the station, crossed the road and was killed by a bus.
This very similar to the Hollywood actor Audie Murphy the most decorated allied soldier all what he went through in the war made a film of himself Hell and Back ended up killed in a plane accident in the 1970s. Then there's the famous SAS hero Paddy Mayne all what he went through in the war ended up being beheaded in a car accident in Ireland in the 1950s I think. Yes there seems to be a cruel irony those that survive wars.
It wasn't uncommon after either World War for decorated heroes (most notably fighter pilots) to die in car or motorcycle accidents. Once you've lived life on the edge for so long, it's hard to slow down and confine oneself to the boring pace of civilian life. It's a challenge for veterans of every war.
Gerardus Mooyman was a real killer of the T34. Without the support of drones, without electronic devices, and relying solely on the gun's aiming instruments, he was able to destroy such a large number of moving combat vehicles... Amazing! Thank you for the great video, Dr. Felton. 💪
You must have the most incredible source access to find all these fascinating stories. Also impressive is all the digging to put the pieces together, well done. Thank you.
Pretty ironic, since the dutch were selling out jews left and right. especially in Amsterdam. Rotterdam on the other hand.... those were the real resistance fighters....
Mr felton sir I wish to stress just how good and interesting your content is. From narration to imagery this channel just stands head and shoulders above any other, good darts sir please persist in these endeavours.... Thankyou !!
Ah yes, Mooyman, the first foreigner awarded the Knight's Cross. Via a website I found a post-war interview with him in which he said: "I regard everything I experienced in the German era as a great personal tragedy. As a youthful National Socialist and fanatical fighter for this ideal, I later came to the conclusion that I fought and suffered for a criminal cause. [...] A lot of old front soldiers reading this will not have expected this statement from me, but I feel like a deceived idealist, a victim of National Socialism.''
This is such a realistic, honest feeling. I don’t think many people who haven’t been in active combat realize how common it is - doubt, resentment, regret. It can be depressing, frustrating, or even infuriating to have sacrificed so much for a goal that won’t be met. But to look back on years freely given to a cause that was never honest, to understand how much you’ve contributed to something that has never aligned with your values, to be met full on with the waste and death and indignity…it’s an ego unraveling betrayal. It’s the job of the leadership, on all sides, regardless of “moral standing,” to distract from any sort of introspection. Even after victory. Sad world
Well, one appeal to join the SS was also the adventure. My uncle was a dutch SS soldier (died in the battle of Leningrad) but his only reason was the adventure.
Was aware of him many years ago from BRUCE QUARRIE book THE SS - HITLERS SAMURAI. Very similar story to that of FRITZ CHRISTEN of the TOTENKOPF division. Whatever the politics, a brave man. Not all dutchmen were pro British obviously. Thankyou again Herr Professor
Ofcourse we were not pro British. Back then, we still remembered that our Boer kins were the first victims of British extermination camps during the Boer wars. The Germans had never wronged us, the English on the other hand..
It's a bit strange seeing all these foreigners jumping on the German bandwagon in 1940-1941 until you realize in those years no-one had any idea who was going to win WW2. In 1940-1941 there was no reason to think it wouldn't be the Germans. Who doesn't want to play on the winning team, especially if you lean in that direction to begin with? An edit here: Don't anyone get the wrong impression from my comment, in NO WAY am I attempting to excuse treason or Quisingism on anyone's part during WW2. What I AM saying is it's easy to condemn from our vantage point 80+ years after the fact. We KNOW what's going to happen, they didn't, and there was no way they could have known. And that being the case we should respect all the more the people of the various resistance movements in Europe for the terrible risks they took.
Even in the US, the German-American Bund was a big deal and pretty much the third party until the Pearl Harbor attack. See recent PBS documentary, "Nazitown, USA" or a documentary on the big Bund rally at Madison Square Garden in 1938 (?)
There's also the fact that in nazi ideology the Dutch are one of the aryan peoples. So what do you say when someone comes along and says that you're the pinnacle of evolution, the greatest thing ever? You say, of course, you're right!
Yes, very strange. Good people stay with their people and country and because of a just cause They dont join the enemy occupation side because they may win.
@wayneantoniazzi2706 I don't think that was the reason - at least not the main one: let's not forget that the formation of SS legions only STARTED then - but it continued throughout the war (for instance, Vlasov's Russial Liberation Army formed only in 1944). Those people, differently from the masses (and, regrettably, differently from the political leaders of the Western Alles), adequately understood what threat Communism poses to the Western civilization. Unfortunately, the majority of the Westerners are still blind to this threat, which eventually is quite likely to lead to the downfall of the West.
The Waffen-SS Battle Group "Ezquerra" took part in the defense of Berlin, along with the 11th Waffen-SS Panzer-Grenadier Division "Nordland", the Latvian 15th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division, and part of the French 33rd Waffen-SS Grenadier Division "Charlemagne". "Nordland" included many volunteers from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
The idea that someone serving on the Eastern Front in the SS was unaware of Nazi crimes, particularly if they were in a unit involved in anti partisan fighting, is too ludicrous for words. Not of course that such knowledge and involvement was restricted to the SS as is now very well known. The full extent he may only have realised later. But let's face it, the extent he would have known about was bad enough. As for his success and courage on the battlefield, I restrict my respect to those defending their country from agressive invasion and occupation. Be they the crews of the T34s he killed or for that matter his own countrymen in the Dutch resistance.
@@argr No I would have been too young. In fact not born. I have met many people who went through the 2nd World War though. Including my parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles etc. And including people wh experienced Nazi occupation and brutality. For what it's worth I think this individual was very lucky not to have been executed as a traitor. I certainly wouldn't be complaining, no matter how courageous he may have been.
Im torn between WW1 and WW2 as being the definitive transition between medieval and modern styles of warfare. All the ritual, decoration, and performative nods to both before and after their time, crossing over medieval and modern life and tech, it’s all so impressive, and certainly inspires all the anachronistic sci fi out there.
The first modern war aka modern war with modern techniques and weaponry was the crimean war between the english russian french ottoman 1853 >1856 Not ww1 Before the crimean war people used Napoleonic strategys from the late 1700s early 1800s
I share the same lastname as him. When I was in the army I didn’t know this man but than a sergeant of mine told me that I had to look up my namesake who fought for the SS and destroyed dozens of tanks a day. So I did and learned about this man.
Thanks for this detailed story. I have read a lot about Mooyman, but this is the first time I get detailed information about the gun he used in his knight cross awarded action.
I'm not sure we can judge him by today's standards. Even a Dutch court only gave him 6 years. His own regret must have hurt deeply all through his life.
6 years was not a light sentence, and like many he served only half of that. More interesting is that - unlike those who volunteered to fight Franco in Spain before WW2 - he did not lose his citizenship for joining a foreign army.
I doubt he regretted it at all, that’s just what you say when you want the government off your back. In reality he joined the ss to fight against communism and by the time he died communism now controlled half of Europe and its atrocities were known to the world. No way he regretted anything
Another fantastic, well researched video/story. Thank heavens there are historians like you who chronicle these stories for future generations. thanks Mark.
Great video! The Freiw. Legion Niederlande stayed in trenches during the siege of Leningrad near the village of Krasnoje-Selo. Gerhardus Mooijman though, was part of the 14th panzerjägerkompagnie and was transferred to Mga to support the german troups there during the Zweite Ladoga schlacht. The the Freiw. Legion Niederlande just stayed near Krasnoje Selo.
Thank you, Dr. Felton, for your detailed research and fantastic presentations. I enjoy the history of WW2 as so many of my relatives served in various branches of the services. My wife's family is Russian, and her family served, some interred in camps during occupation. It is a pleasure to see your videos. Thank you again.
We staan er vaak beter voor ten opzichte van de collaborerende Fransen. Helaas was dit nou eenmaal de realiteit voor sommigen. Helaas was een groot deel van de bevolking vatbaar voor radicale opvattingen. Maar over de hele breedte heeft de Nederlandse samenleving gewonnen want Duitsland dacht dat ze ons konden inpalmen met hun propagandamachine. Toch hield het gros van de Nederlandse bevolking voet bij stuk!
@@joecrypto2459 I suppose it depends on who is talking and who is listening, but I could catch what you were saying. We had a Dutch prescribed book at school, and we could understand it.
My wife is Dutch and from the eastern part of the Netherlands. She got really pissed off when her boss who was also Dutch said that he thought people from that part were pro-German. I guess these issues just last.
These men didn't serve *their* country. Nor did they serve Germany. They served *Europe*. It was in the ranks of the SS that the first true European died. A fact which today's EU would very much prefer was not known, for obvious reasons.
He did not betray his country. The government did! The sitting government and the King and Queen had fled quickly, the Germans then took full control of the country. The pre-war leadership could have stayed too! As happened in Belgium. Gerardus Mooyman, was jung and perhaps a bit naïve. Like most people.
Michael Wood produced a very interesting historical video on Dutch and other European volunteers with interviews of survivors and their spouses. Played once in the USA. It appears the video will never again be available on air and will never be released on video for historians and consumers.
There is an excellent study of the Dutch in the SS. At this moment however only avalaible in Dutch; Evertjan van Roekel 'Veldgrauw - Nederlanders in de Waffen SS' 2019.
A few interesting books: "Waffen-SS Encyclopedia", by Marc Rikmenspoel "Dutch Waffen-SS Legion and Brigade 1941-45", by Massimiliano Afiero "In The Fire of the Eastern Front", by Hendrick C. Verton (a Dutch Waffen-SS veteran) "The Unknown Eastern Front", by Rolf-Dieter Muller "Joining Hitler's Crusade-Europe and the Invasion of the USSR", edited by David Stahel "The Patriotic Traitors", by David Littlejohn
Thanks for this video! I remember Mooyman from a Deutsche Wochenschau. There was also a Dutch documentary about him being used by Rauter and Seyss-Inquart for propaganda purposes all dressed up which he didn't like at all. Kind regards from Holland.
It's sad to see the young, full of passion & idealism, swept away by the "isms" (Fascism, Communism, Socialism, ...). At least he had the courage to continue to grow after the war. Many didn't. Thankfully he lived in a part of the world where free thought & introspection were possible. Many thanks again Dr Felton for another interesting post.
Remarkable person. Obviously stood for his believes. Wrong choice, brave man. If he had been better informed, he maybe would have made a different choice. Nowadays, also democracy only functions when the people are well informed. One more great story, Mark.
Of course, many of the "Resistance Fighters" were Communists loyal to the dictator Stalin, and to the Communist International. They certainly were not "patriots".
Amazing how quickly attitudes change. Many fought against communism during the war, we later employed many of them to continue the fight against communism. Perhaps some Cold War topics would also be interesting Dr Felton? Thanks again.
I speak afrikaans which originated from dutch and usually we say "mooi man" to sort of praise some one, its kind of funny how it relates to this guy's surname.
My grandfather's brother joined the SS in the Netherlands. 'Luckily', as we would say, he got killed in Austria, en-route to the Eastern front. At the same time, my grandfather, a man of the cloth who openly opposed the nazis, was taken to Dachau. Luckily, he survived or otherwise I wouldn't have been here.
This shows that even judging by todays standards there was a choice between good or bad. I would be proud of a grandfather who choose for the good side.
That's some twisted and f***ed up s**t to say about your uncle, but thanks for the evidence that Dachau wasn't the industrial assembly line of death (they) say it is
@@vtrrookie1 yes, I am! Also of my grandmother, who, with small kids to take care of and her husband in a concentration camp, actively aided the resistance. Difficult and dangerous situations that are impossible to imagine for us now.
@@vtrrookie1 There is no "Good" or "Bad" within this war. Both sides lost.. It's only a narrative that "the good guys" won, however this is false. Dig deeper and you guys will see how many innocent Germans descendants died outside of Germany.
My father enlisted in the Army in 1942 when he was 17, he lied and said he was 18. I found among his things a metal box with his medals and a German cross in the original box with a separate ribbon which I believe was fastened to the tunic. Like many veterans he never spoke of the war unless he had too much to drink and even then it was rather cryptic. He passed away and I was never able to ask him where he got that German cross. My question is, what is the difference in appearance between the second class, first class, and knights cross? The one I have is black with silver around the edge, with a swastika in the middle, and 1939 at the bottom. Anyone know what this is?
They are all black with metal around the edge and 1939 at the bottom…😅 The iron cross 2nd class has a round hanger and comes with a ribbon. In everyday use only the ribbon was worn in a button hole on the tunic, not the cross. This one is the most common. The iron cross 1st class has a clasp on the back and was worn pinned on the left breast pocket. It doesn’t have a ribbon. The knight’s cross has a hanger made from metal wire in a rectangular shape and was worn with a ribbon around the neck. This one is the most rare (and expensive)
Up until early september 1944 there where more Dutch fighting in the SS then there where in Resistance against the Germans, but I never knew that that a Dutchman was the first one to get an Iron Cross as a foreigner!
I don't know if that can be substantiated that more Dutchmen were fighting for the Germans than against. My Opa (grandfather) was in the Resistance and always said that they mostly worked in isolated cells. Also, the Resistance had been compromised numerous times. So I don't know if we can ever get accurate numbers. Do you have a source on this? I'd love to read more.
It has struck me more often than once how men who have seen and escaped so much danger in war later die in civilian life so violently. Audie Murphey being one example.
@@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus Uh huh. "Queers For Palestine" and all those young women protesting for Hamas would be in for one hell of a surprise should they have an encounter with those psychos.
Great story Mark! Never knew we had a ‘war hero’ in Hoogkerk. I even played football there. The name Mooyman doesn’t ring a bell either. His kids probably changed their names.
It was, for Dutch and Belgians, and other nationalities, a difficult situation. Some churches organisations, wanted you to be against the Germans. Other church organisaitions wanted you to fight the Communists, thus go to the eastern front. Church influencers , priests and preachers, would tell you this way or the opposite. What would I do, and you, in such a situation?
Indeed. Even in Germany itself before the war both Right and Left were raising armies to impose their will on the country - or to prevent the other side from doing so. When your choices are to either let the communists take over, or to oppose the communists, who here would be stupid enough to side with the communists?
many Waffen SS troops sought refuge in the French Foreign Legion after the war. the lineage of these troops is intact even today, as some of their battle hymns are still used from this period during training. virtually all the former Waffen SS in the Legion went on to serve in French Indo-China, precursory to the Vietnam War.
As I have commented before, the name of the leader of the NSB is not pronounced as Moezzurd or something like that but as Mussurt with two short ‘u’s, like in mum. The s is a hard s, not a z. Also, the chronology is somewhat off: in april 1940 the Netherlands were not even occupied yet, so there was no Dutch ss-regiment at that time. Only in 1941 the first steps to organise a Dutch ss were taken, which was led by the former physics student Henk Feldmeijer, a move fiercely resisted by Mussert, who saw the ss as the mortal enemy of a future independent nationalsocialiist Netherlands. Finally, Mussert and the NSB were never given any real power by the Germans.
I don't think you will ever run out of interesting, unknown WWII stories! Thanks, Mark!
true
Mr. Felton ! The ODESSA File ? Can you please explain ? Thanks !
That’s Dr. Felton to you 😎
@@gilbertomolina2177He already has.
I believe what Dr. Felton found out is only the tip of the tip of the iceberg
It’s always crazy to me to hear about guys who survive intense frontline combat only to be killed driving to the grocery store in a car crash.
After you've been in combat everything else you experience in life will pale in comparison.
Huh? A nice non-sequitor...
Such is life
Just like when Patton was assasinated. Poor guy.
You really think that is how he died? Wake up
My family name is Mooiman, in the Netherlands. Only one letter difference. My grandfather, also named Gerardus, often encountered trouble with official business like at postoffices.
I have heard about the mix-ups from my grandfather but this is so much more information! Thank you for that.
Btw: near perfect pronunciation!
If he was active in WW2 with the Germans your family name would have been Mooimann. My family name is Moorman. But during WW2 my grandpa was forced to add an 'n' ;)
Moomin
@@MichielDeSnuyter Dus dat was Durch wat je geleerd hebt?
Drang nach Osten und zurick!😂
Without a doubt, one of the finest TH-cam channels ever. Absolute first class.
Thank you! my great grandfather served along with him, he got them trough the hardship of war, a few dutch soldiers got executed by the germans for ignoring orders and retreating from their position at leningrad, according to my great grandfather gerardus was furious but could not really do anything about it, He was a great comedian that was motivating others to not think and just fight, He just played along and regretted that very after the war.
My great grandfather aswell, he passed when i was 6 in 97 and i got called the ''nazi boy'' in my village, the dutch really where unforgiving on men like gerardus and my great grandfather.
I wish whe werent and they could have openly talked about their choices, so that we could all learn about it.
His diary with some stories is what he left to me, with the note i would try to understand, since i was young and open minded, he really made me fascinated about the world war and the psychology of men, why did they chose that voluntarily? He wrote that he had a deep fear of communism but also poverty, and it paid well for our family, and thats why he made the choice, later in life he never cared about money because of that choice. ''Live happy, poverty is a state of mind, you can only be broke''
Tony you should contact the national archive in the Hague they might have more info on your grandfather. Maybe even letters etc.
It's called CABR.
@@simripool5477 yep!
@@Kededian it probably a bad ideal 😂 it may ruin his 🌈 image of his great grand father . He aint join SS for money and communist fear for sure 😂 better believe his great grand father and family story then find out true story thru the archive haha
If the socialist side won they would have been lauded as heroes. History turns on a dime.
Former waffen SS volunteers fought in Korea and Indochina
some joined the French Foreign Legion after the war because the legion didn't ask questions
Mercenaries?
I thought that Argentina was the only former SS shelter. Now we are discovering that a lot of countries used them after the war..... So if a 3rd world country do it is bad and if the USA or the French do it is OK ?
Wonder what the pay, chow, and local nightlife was like for those guys?
@@paulkelk5142 Former French SS even made a ,,clean" version of Teufelslied, ,,La Legion Marche".
Regardless of the side he chose, you can't deny his devotion, dedication and bravery. The German army/SS didn't just hand out the Knights cross to just anyone.
It is sad that just because some people chose the wrong side to fight on that their inspirational bravery is often overlooked. Bravery is bravery even if in the wrong cause. The wrong side is only defined by politicians at the time and by history written by the winners!
Not at that point in the war, anyway. Late in the war when things were going poorly, they started handing them out liberally to try to keep morale up.
@@carsonm7292 The Iron Cross 2nd class was given out easily at the end of the war. The Knights Cross - no.
@@anon2034 Thaks for the correction
@@chrisstephens6673 Wrong on the 1st part, correct on the 2nd. No, it is your internal moral compass that dictates right and wrong. Hitler and the Nazis thought the final solution was the "right" course of action even tho deep down they knew it was morally wrong, hence why they kept it so well hidden by even those dedicated to Nazi Germany.
I don't know about you, but invading and subjugating neighbouring countries is morally wrong in every way shape or form.
That the French SS were the last defending Berlin says everything and nothing in one last breath.
Charlemagne
They had nowhere else to go, I would imagine, so they fought to the end
They couldn't retreat any further
damn never imagined the french not waving a white flag
@@jesperkuipers9432 they were ideologically conditionally different from regular soldiers, politically schooled, with the belief that they were better than anybody else. Hence the near suicidal bravery in combat. Far different attitude than the french regular soldiers from 1940. Same can be said about the Danes ,swedes, Norwegians, Dutch etc
Thank you Dr. Mark for telling and keeping this story alive for the annals of history. Many thanks for posting!
This evenings history education sorted. Thanks Mark.
Thank you for keeping WW2 history alive, as the last eye witnesses are passing away. Keep in mind that a lot of SS volunteers went for a sense of adventure as well. In this time before the internet and television, traveling 2 villages over was already considered an adventure; going to war was one of the few opportunities a young man had to see the world.
With regards to the treatment of Eastern Front veterans; my grandfather, who was only a teenager during the war, later stated that he was disgusted by how collaborators were treated post-war. Not because he didn't think they didn't deserve punishment, but because 99% of the Dutch were content to do nothing during the war years, and had no moral standing to punish others.
He was one of the lucky ones.
Also, that French 1897 75mm gun was the inspiration for the 75 mm gun on the early Sherman tasks, and fired interchangeable ammunition.
The first American tank Destroyers were half tracks with WWI surplus 1897 75mm guns, both French and American made.
The "Famous French 75" was revolutionary, being the first to incorporate features such as on carriage recoil control, one piece ammunition and quick action breech.
Always love the cover art choices mark! Reminds me of my airfix days as a boy!
Thank you for sharing Mark. As an history buff and Dutch, I love this story.
He survived fighting T34s and Soviet artilleries, but died in a car accident at age 63! What a ridiculous way to die for a war veteran! I just feel shock for the cause of his death.
A great uncle of mine enlisted on day one of the first world war, fought in France all through the war and survived without a scratch, when he was demobbed, he caught the train to his home in London, walked out of the station, crossed the road and was killed by a bus.
This very similar to the Hollywood actor Audie Murphy the most decorated allied soldier all what he went through in the war made a film of himself Hell and Back ended up killed in a plane accident in the 1970s. Then there's the famous SAS hero Paddy Mayne all what he went through in the war ended up being beheaded in a car accident in Ireland in the 1950s I think. Yes there seems to be a cruel irony those that survive wars.
T. E. Lawrence of Arabia ?
@@panglossianaeolist3704 Died aged 46 at a motorbike accident.
It wasn't uncommon after either World War for decorated heroes (most notably fighter pilots) to die in car or motorcycle accidents. Once you've lived life on the edge for so long, it's hard to slow down and confine oneself to the boring pace of civilian life. It's a challenge for veterans of every war.
Your content passes me so now and then and over the years became a big fan of this channel. Thx for the uploads and as always a like from me.
Outstanding video and presentation
Gerardus Mooyman was a real killer of the T34. Without the support of drones, without electronic devices, and relying solely on the gun's aiming instruments, he was able to destroy such a large number of moving combat vehicles... Amazing! Thank you for the great video, Dr. Felton. 💪
His record id most likely embellished, to serve for propaganda purposes, as was usual with Germans in WW2.
That French gun, though, was really good to start with, and the Germans improved them, much like the other legacy equipment they captured and reused.
You must have the most incredible source access to find all these fascinating stories. Also impressive is all the digging to put the pieces together, well done. Thank you.
The Amsterdam Resistance Museum is a hidden gem. Well worth a visit. Informative and doesn't pull any punches...
I just visited it few days ago and read the piece written on him. Was a great surprise seeing this video now pop up. What a coincidence
Thanks for the information.
As a Dutchie, I never knew this existed 😮 Now I will visit it for sure!
Too bad it’s in Amsterdam lol
Pretty ironic, since the dutch were selling out jews left and right. especially in Amsterdam. Rotterdam on the other hand.... those were the real resistance fighters....
Mr felton sir I wish to stress just how good and interesting your content is. From narration to imagery this channel just stands head and shoulders above any other, good darts sir please persist in these endeavours.... Thankyou !!
Ah yes, Mooyman, the first foreigner awarded the Knight's Cross. Via a website I found a post-war interview with him in which he said:
"I regard everything I experienced in the German era as a great personal tragedy. As a youthful National Socialist and fanatical fighter for this ideal, I later came to the conclusion that I fought and suffered for a criminal cause. [...] A lot of old front soldiers reading this will not have expected this statement from me, but I feel like a deceived idealist, a victim of National Socialism.''
Interesting💪
Thanks for that.
Good quote!
Leuk je hier te zien, the poster has a good channel to haha pS I am a viewer of him
This is such a realistic, honest feeling. I don’t think many people who haven’t been in active combat realize how common it is - doubt, resentment, regret.
It can be depressing, frustrating, or even infuriating to have sacrificed so much for a goal that won’t be met.
But to look back on years freely given to a cause that was never honest, to understand how much you’ve contributed to something that has never aligned with your values, to be met full on with the waste and death and indignity…it’s an ego unraveling betrayal.
It’s the job of the leadership, on all sides, regardless of “moral standing,” to distract from any sort of introspection. Even after victory.
Sad world
Well, one appeal to join the SS was also the adventure. My uncle was a dutch SS soldier (died in the battle of Leningrad) but his only reason was the adventure.
Was aware of him many years ago from BRUCE QUARRIE book THE SS - HITLERS SAMURAI. Very similar story to that of FRITZ CHRISTEN of the TOTENKOPF division. Whatever the politics, a brave man. Not all dutchmen were pro British obviously. Thankyou again Herr Professor
Ofcourse we were not pro British. Back then, we still remembered that our Boer kins were the first victims of British extermination camps during the Boer wars. The Germans had never wronged us, the English on the other hand..
@@Pujo-f9t" were" ?😂
As an irishman I fully understand
No, and the British didn't like us either, the memory of the Boer Wars were still fresh.
Who is pro-British?
It's a bit strange seeing all these foreigners jumping on the German bandwagon in 1940-1941 until you realize in those years no-one had any idea who was going to win WW2. In 1940-1941 there was no reason to think it wouldn't be the Germans.
Who doesn't want to play on the winning team, especially if you lean in that direction to begin with?
An edit here: Don't anyone get the wrong impression from my comment, in NO WAY am I attempting to excuse treason or Quisingism on anyone's part during WW2. What I AM saying is it's easy to condemn from our vantage point 80+ years after the fact. We KNOW what's going to happen, they didn't, and there was no way they could have known. And that being the case we should respect all the more the people of the various resistance movements in Europe for the terrible risks they took.
Even in the US, the German-American Bund was a big deal and pretty much the third party until the Pearl Harbor attack. See recent PBS documentary, "Nazitown, USA" or a documentary on the big Bund rally at Madison Square Garden in 1938 (?)
There's also the fact that in nazi ideology the Dutch are one of the aryan peoples. So what do you say when someone comes along and says that you're the pinnacle of evolution, the greatest thing ever? You say, of course, you're right!
Yes, very strange. Good people stay with their people and country and because of a just cause They dont join the enemy occupation side because they may win.
Everyone was dirt poor in those times. That played a massive role aswell.
@wayneantoniazzi2706 I don't think that was the reason - at least not the main one: let's not forget that the formation of SS legions only STARTED then - but it continued throughout the war (for instance, Vlasov's Russial Liberation Army formed only in 1944). Those people, differently from the masses (and, regrettably, differently from the political leaders of the Western Alles), adequately understood what threat Communism poses to the Western civilization. Unfortunately, the majority of the Westerners are still blind to this threat, which eventually is quite likely to lead to the downfall of the West.
A video about Miguel Ezquerra of the blue legion and later SS would be interesting. If there is enough info about him.
He has a Wikipedia entry so maybe there is.
Check out a site called Military1945. Its doing a series on the diary of an SS platoon leader who fought near Moscow.
read his book "Berlin a vida o muerte", very thrilling!
The Waffen-SS Battle Group "Ezquerra" took part in the defense of Berlin, along with the 11th Waffen-SS Panzer-Grenadier Division "Nordland", the Latvian 15th Waffen-SS Grenadier Division, and part of the French 33rd Waffen-SS Grenadier Division "Charlemagne". "Nordland" included many volunteers from Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.
I am an Apeldoorner myself but never knew about this person. Thank you Dr. Mark! 😊
During the siege of Leningrad. There was at least one Italian navy torpedo boat company operating in lake Lagoda.
Mamma Mia! Must've been some cold spaghet!
How did they get into a lake?
Another day, another fascinating footnote to history from the good Dr. Felton.
The idea that someone serving on the Eastern Front in the SS was unaware of Nazi crimes, particularly if they were in a unit involved in anti partisan fighting, is too ludicrous for words. Not of course that such knowledge and involvement was restricted to the SS as is now very well known. The full extent he may only have realised later. But let's face it, the extent he would have known about was bad enough. As for his success and courage on the battlefield, I restrict my respect to those defending their country from agressive invasion and occupation. Be they the crews of the T34s he killed or for that matter his own countrymen in the Dutch resistance.
@@judithmatthews8460 I didn't see a comment I was responding to the video itself.
You were certainly there on the eastern front? You know how to tell everything so well.
@@argr No I would have been too young. In fact not born. I have met many people who went through the 2nd World War though. Including my parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles etc. And including people wh experienced Nazi occupation and brutality. For what it's worth I think this individual was very lucky not to have been executed as a traitor. I certainly wouldn't be complaining, no matter how courageous he may have been.
Im torn between WW1 and WW2 as being the definitive transition between medieval and modern styles of warfare. All the ritual, decoration, and performative nods to both before and after their time, crossing over medieval and modern life and tech, it’s all so impressive, and certainly inspires all the anachronistic sci fi out there.
The first modern war aka modern war with modern techniques and weaponry was the crimean war between the english russian french ottoman
1853 >1856
Not ww1
Before the crimean war people used
Napoleonic strategys from the late 1700s early 1800s
Another great true story from M. F. Thanks, they never cease to educate and amaze at the same time😳
I share the same lastname as him. When I was in the army I didn’t know this man but than a sergeant of mine told me that I had to look up my namesake who fought for the SS and destroyed dozens of tanks a day. So I did and learned about this man.
To think that the French had 75mm anti tank cannon when all the Germans had were 50mm cannon.
Not counting those 88mm anti-air artillery of course.
Mark, once again an amazing and interesting video!
Interesting video Dr. Keep researching and presenting stories such as these. I’ll keep eagerly waiting. Greetings from central Texas, USA.
Please make a video about Christian Peder Kryssing. The non German (a Dane) that obtained the highest rank within the SS.
Was he the one that held off an entire russian onslaught with a mg42 hmg? Single handedly?
@@HooDie-Trench-GoTh2022
He was an outstanding artillery officer. He was a general. And a favorit of Himmler.
As a Dutch dude, i only vagely heard of this story. Thanx you so much for these fascinating video's!
His knights cross is in the NMM Museum in soesterberg.
Thanks for this detailed story.
I have read a lot about Mooyman, but this is the first time I get detailed information about the gun he used in his knight cross awarded action.
I'm not sure we can judge him by today's standards. Even a Dutch court only gave him 6 years. His own regret must have hurt deeply all through his life.
But we can, on the basis of his own documents. Unlike Albert spier we know he didn’t commit any know attrosities.
people are quick to judge
even when they have no understanding of the circumstances
6 years was not a light sentence, and like many he served only half of that.
More interesting is that - unlike those who volunteered to fight Franco in Spain before WW2 - he did not lose his citizenship for joining a foreign army.
I doubt he regretted it at all, that’s just what you say when you want the government off your back. In reality he joined the ss to fight against communism and by the time he died communism now controlled half of Europe and its atrocities were known to the world. No way he regretted anything
All im saying as a dutch person. I could not serve a country that occupies my country.
Another fantastic, well researched video/story. Thank heavens there are historians like you who chronicle these stories for future generations. thanks Mark.
Ah Monday at work just got a little more interesting thanks to Dr.Felton..
Just when you think there’s nothing left to talk about, Mark puts out another video. I wonder if anyone ever made a film about this man?
Great video!
The Freiw. Legion Niederlande stayed in trenches during the siege of Leningrad near the village of Krasnoje-Selo. Gerhardus Mooijman though, was part of the 14th panzerjägerkompagnie and was transferred to Mga to support the german troups there during the Zweite Ladoga schlacht. The the Freiw. Legion Niederlande just stayed near Krasnoje Selo.
Thank you for this post.
Thank you mark for another history lesson I find then fascinating you are never to old to learn about world war 2
Sorry I missed you in Amsterdam.
Thank you for all the videos.
Thank you, Dr. Felton, for your detailed research and fantastic presentations. I enjoy the history of WW2 as so many of my relatives served in various branches of the services. My wife's family is Russian, and her family served, some interred in camps during occupation. It is a pleasure to see your videos. Thank you again.
Difficult to argue that his assessment of the Commies was correct
We staan er weer mooi op jongens!
We zijn weer lekker bezig.
Ja mooi man
Potjandikkie zeg.
We staan er vaak beter voor ten opzichte van de collaborerende Fransen. Helaas was dit nou eenmaal de realiteit voor sommigen. Helaas was een groot deel van de bevolking vatbaar voor radicale opvattingen. Maar over de hele breedte heeft de Nederlandse samenleving gewonnen want Duitsland dacht dat ze ons konden inpalmen met hun propagandamachine. Toch hield het gros van de Nederlandse bevolking voet bij stuk!
GEKOLONISEERD 🇳🇱
Thank you Mark! I am from South Africa and speak Afrikaans, which is closely related to Dutch, so I found this extra interesting.
Good for you! question though: i have and south african friend whom speaks Afrikaans, but he barely understands my Dutch... Can you?
@@joecrypto2459 I suppose it depends on who is talking and who is listening, but I could catch what you were saying. We had a Dutch prescribed book at school, and we could understand it.
Again an interesting story! Looking forward to the next one.
These men were all guys who "noticed".
My wife is Dutch and from the eastern part of the Netherlands. She got really pissed off when her boss who was also Dutch said that he thought people from that part were pro-German. I guess these issues just last.
The Communist post-war Anti-German propaganda campaign continues to this day. So long as it does, so will the "issues".
I’m starting to believe WW2 history is like space, it just never ends. Felton is like voyager, just keeps going.
Yes. Every individual who lived through the war would have their own story to tell. So we will never know it all.
My father in law was a child during the German occupation of the Netherlands. He would never buy a German car.
You should be pround because the nazis did lots of horror and terror historys that never came up to públic.
I learn more in one Dr. Felton video than I ever learned in school. Thank you for what you do.
This is insane amount of information that I never knew
Because you never bothered to look into it? 😐
Wait till you hear the other side of the story
You always deliver really good content. Thank you mr Felton.
These men didn't serve *their* country. Nor did they serve Germany. They served *Europe*. It was in the ranks of the SS that the first true European died.
A fact which today's EU would very much prefer was not known, for obvious reasons.
He did not betray his country. The government did! The sitting government and the King and Queen had fled quickly, the Germans then took full control of the country. The pre-war leadership could have stayed too! As happened in Belgium. Gerardus Mooyman, was jung and perhaps a bit naïve. Like most people.
Michael Wood produced a very interesting historical video on Dutch and other European volunteers with interviews of survivors and their spouses.
Played once in the USA.
It appears the video will never again be available on air and will never be released on video for historians and consumers.
Wow, grate job, you always provide grate documentary information, well done.
There is an excellent study of the Dutch in the SS. At this moment however only avalaible in Dutch; Evertjan van Roekel 'Veldgrauw - Nederlanders in de Waffen SS' 2019.
A few interesting books:
"Waffen-SS Encyclopedia", by Marc Rikmenspoel
"Dutch Waffen-SS Legion and Brigade 1941-45", by Massimiliano Afiero
"In The Fire of the Eastern Front", by Hendrick C. Verton (a Dutch Waffen-SS veteran)
"The Unknown Eastern Front", by Rolf-Dieter Muller
"Joining Hitler's Crusade-Europe and the Invasion of the USSR", edited by David Stahel
"The Patriotic Traitors", by David Littlejohn
Mooiman means “beautiful man” in Dutch.
Greetings from the Netherlands 🇳🇱👍👋
🟠⚪️🔵
Hou Zee!
⚫️🔴
He lived in Hoogkerk, now part of Groinngen. He was quite (in)famous there. My family is from Hoogkerk, they knew the guy.
Thanks for this video! I remember Mooyman from a Deutsche Wochenschau. There was also a Dutch documentary about him being used by Rauter and Seyss-Inquart for propaganda purposes all dressed up which he didn't like at all.
Kind regards from Holland.
A brave young man with young Ideals we were all young once....
A cracking story Mark!
Excellent research! Cheers, Mark!
It's sad to see the young, full of passion & idealism, swept away by the "isms" (Fascism, Communism, Socialism, ...). At least he had the courage to continue to grow after the war. Many didn't. Thankfully he lived in a part of the world where free thought & introspection were possible. Many thanks again Dr Felton for another interesting post.
Conveniently forgetting capitalism? which has created much misery for humanity & much profit for the Plutocracy
Capitalism
Must have missed this one. Thanks Mark.😊
Remarkable person. Obviously stood for his believes. Wrong choice, brave man. If he had been better informed, he maybe would have made a different choice. Nowadays, also democracy only functions when the people are well informed. One more great story, Mark.
Of course, many of the "Resistance Fighters" were Communists loyal to the dictator Stalin, and to the Communist International. They certainly were not "patriots".
Amazing how quickly attitudes change. Many fought against communism during the war, we later employed many of them to continue the fight against communism. Perhaps some Cold War topics would also be interesting Dr Felton? Thanks again.
The Dutch who served in the German Army got pension untill they died then until his wife died.
I love how you just keep making videos
I speak afrikaans which originated from dutch and usually we say "mooi man" to sort of praise some one, its kind of funny how it relates to this guy's surname.
In Dutch is also the same meaning
I'd love to learn Afrikaans, it's so interesting!! ❤
@@thomasvp8707 so cool!
@@MsFrostitute you should, its an amazing language :D
His Knight’s Cross is at the Nationaal Militair Museum in Soesterberg. I believe Dr. Felton has some footage of this also, shown in another video.
My grandfather's brother joined the SS in the Netherlands. 'Luckily', as we would say, he got killed in Austria, en-route to the Eastern front. At the same time, my grandfather, a man of the cloth who openly opposed the nazis, was taken to Dachau. Luckily, he survived or otherwise I wouldn't have been here.
This shows that even judging by todays standards there was a choice between good or bad. I would be proud of a grandfather who choose for the good side.
That's some twisted and f***ed up s**t to say about your uncle, but thanks for the evidence that Dachau wasn't the industrial assembly line of death (they) say it is
@@vtrrookie1 yes, I am! Also of my grandmother, who, with small kids to take care of and her husband in a concentration camp, actively aided the resistance. Difficult and dangerous situations that are impossible to imagine for us now.
@@vtrrookie1 There is no "Good" or "Bad" within this war. Both sides lost.. It's only a narrative that "the good guys" won, however this is false. Dig deeper and you guys will see how many innocent Germans descendants died outside of Germany.
Dit verhaal was mij niet bekend ! Dank hiervoor dokter
Last time I was this early the Sudetenland was still part of Czechoslovakia
😂😂😂
😂🤣😂
Last time I was this early yo mumma something something.
Another fascinating story 👍
Dr. Felton is just The Best Ww2 Historian Ever.
My father enlisted in the Army in 1942 when he was 17, he lied and said he was 18. I found among his things a metal box with his medals and a German cross in the original box with a separate ribbon which I believe was fastened to the tunic. Like many veterans he never spoke of the war unless he had too much to drink and even then it was rather cryptic. He passed away and I was never able to ask him where he got that German cross. My question is, what is the difference in appearance between the second class, first class, and knights cross? The one I have is black with silver around the edge, with a swastika in the middle, and 1939 at the bottom. Anyone know what this is?
They are all black with metal around the edge and 1939 at the bottom…😅
The iron cross 2nd class has a round hanger and comes with a ribbon. In everyday use only the ribbon was worn in a button hole on the tunic, not the cross. This one is the most common.
The iron cross 1st class has a clasp on the back and was worn pinned on the left breast pocket. It doesn’t have a ribbon.
The knight’s cross has a hanger made from metal wire in a rectangular shape and was worn with a ribbon around the neck. This one is the most rare (and expensive)
@@slicker67 Thanks for the info.
Mooiman basically means 'attractive man' which is pretty ironic knowing he was part of the SS.
Up until early september 1944 there where more Dutch fighting in the SS then there where in Resistance against the Germans, but I never knew that that a Dutchman was the first one to get an Iron Cross as a foreigner!
Knight's Cross
@@jfkcamelot Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross ( Ritterkreuz der Einsers Kreuz).
Knight's Cross.
I don't know if that can be substantiated that more Dutchmen were fighting for the Germans than against. My Opa (grandfather) was in the Resistance and always said that they mostly worked in isolated cells. Also, the Resistance had been compromised numerous times. So I don't know if we can ever get accurate numbers. Do you have a source on this? I'd love to read more.
@marcbrown9413 aha your grandpa was another opportunist who joined the 'resistance' after the September days in '44...
It has struck me more often than once how men who have seen and escaped so much danger in war later die in civilian life so violently. Audie Murphey being one example.
The soldiers look like they're barely into adulthood. The idealism and energy of youth can really go off the rails.
Like those pro Hamasses
Author Kurt Vonnegut (who was there) called World War Two "The Children's Crusade." He wasn't far wrong.
@@OptimusPrinceps_Augustus Uh huh. "Queers For Palestine" and all those young women protesting for Hamas would be in for one hell of a surprise should they have an encounter with those psychos.
The real danger of communism is what they saw first hand
Indeed, adulthood in the Netherlands was at the age of 21. Now, since 1985 it is 18. And majority since 1990.
Great story Mark! Never knew we had a ‘war hero’ in Hoogkerk. I even played football there. The name Mooyman doesn’t ring a bell either. His kids probably changed their names.
He looked like a school boy!
He was 19 when he was awarded the Knight's Cross.
@@MarkFeltonProductions Thats wildly impressive! Look at todays 18 year olds
I thought the very same thing! A young impressionable kid.
Thanks for you interesting videos. Greetings from Paraguay.
It was, for Dutch and Belgians, and other nationalities, a difficult situation. Some churches organisations, wanted you to be against the Germans. Other church organisaitions wanted you to fight the Communists, thus go to the eastern front. Church influencers , priests and preachers, would tell you this way or the opposite. What would I do, and you, in such a situation?
Indeed. Even in Germany itself before the war both Right and Left were raising armies to impose their will on the country - or to prevent the other side from doing so. When your choices are to either let the communists take over, or to oppose the communists, who here would be stupid enough to side with the communists?
many Waffen SS troops sought refuge in the French Foreign Legion after the war. the lineage of these troops is intact even today, as some of their battle hymns are still used from this period during training. virtually all the former Waffen SS in the Legion went on to serve in French Indo-China, precursory to the Vietnam War.
Another well-researched and interesting video!
As I have commented before, the name of the leader of the NSB is not pronounced as Moezzurd or something like that but as Mussurt with two short ‘u’s, like in mum. The s is a hard s, not a z. Also, the chronology is somewhat off: in april 1940 the Netherlands were not even occupied yet, so there was no Dutch ss-regiment at that time. Only in 1941 the first steps to organise a Dutch ss were taken, which was led by the former physics student Henk Feldmeijer, a move fiercely resisted by Mussert, who saw the ss as the mortal enemy of a future independent nationalsocialiist Netherlands. Finally, Mussert and the NSB were never given any real power by the Germans.
Fascinating. These little gems are what we love Mark for. Rancher Hitler didn't grew on me...
Dude was a badass.
TY FOR RESEARCH DR FELTON