Teacher Resistance During WWII

Why visit Norway and the Netherlands?  As President Franklin D. Roosevelt noted in 1942: “If there is anyone who still wonders why this war is being fought, let him look to Norway. If there is anyone who has any delusions that this war could have been averted, let him look to Norway; and if there is anyone who doubts the democratic will to win, again I say, let him look to Norway.”  

Norway is stunning, with over 50,000 islands carved by glacial fjords and sprawling snowcapped mountains. Amsterdam’s canals, windmills, tulips, and sustainable biking culture lure tourists from around the world, who are entranced by the beauty of the Netherlands. And both countries’ robust economies, strong social welfare systems, and commitment to environmental protection contribute to their people regularly being ranked as some of the “happiest” in the world.  

In midst of WWII, however, Nazi forces tested the moral resiliency of both countries’ people and teachers. As Nazi troops invaded these beautiful coastal countries, over 12,000 of Norway’s 14,000 teachers resisted calls to Nazify their curriculum and instruction.  Famously wearing paperclips in demonstration of their solidarity, Norwegian teachers acted selflessly, and their resistance remains instructive in the face of authoritarian leaders even today. Teachers were but one group of many to resist in both countries, and we will learn more about these social movements. 

Beginning in the vibrant capital, Oslo, the city that awards the Nobel Peace Prize, we will experience “Sytennde Mai,” Norway’s Constitution Day, where schoolchildren fill the streets and lead parades celebrating community. We will explore neighborhoods, art, the Holocaust museum and the Akershus Fortress, which highlights the Norwegian Milorg resistance movement during WWII.  Next, we will move south to Amsterdam, where we will tour the canals, learn about environmental stewardship, and visit the house where Anne Frank and her family were forced to hide during the Nazi occupation. Finally, we will tour the Dutch Resistance Museum in the Plantage neighborhood of the city, which also hosts one of the oldest botanical gardens, Hortus Botanicus, in the world.  Throughout our travels, we will be engaging in conversations with university students about their educational experiences with this complex history and culture.  

Norway and the Netherlands are countries steeped in splendor, environmentalism, social welfare, culture, and exceptional soccer. So, join us while we explore, experience, and learn from these beautiful countries!

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