National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands

The Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging (official name Nationaal-Socialistische Beweging in Nederland; abbreviation NSB; translation National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands) was a Nazi political party in the Netherlands during the 1930s and during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II. During the most part of the war it was the only allowed political party.

The party was established in 1931 by Anton Mussert and Cornelis van Geelkerken, based on the ideas of Italian fascism and German nazism. The party was also modeled after these examples, and therefore had several attached bodies, such as a youth movement. Unlike its German counterpart it was initially not anti-semitic and it even had Jewish members.

In 1936, under the influence of Meinoud Rost van Tonningen, the party became openly anti-semitic, which led to decreased support for the party. In the 1937 elections, the party won 4 seats in the second chamber of the Dutch parliament (Tweede Kamer), which then consisted of 100 seats.

During World War II, Mussert believed himself to be the leader of the Netherlands but he was used and not taken very seriously by the Germans and his influence in the party waned at the expense of more pro-German members. Mussert wanted to keep the Netherlands independent within a Europe ruled by Germany. Some claim that the Germans however wanted to make the Netherlands into a puppet state.

After the German signing of surrender on May 6, 1945, the NSB was prohibited. Mussert was arrested the following day. Many of the members of the NSB were arrested, few were convicted, including Mussert, who was executed on May 7, 1946.

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