The Silent Majority and Illegitimate Structures: An investigation into everyday nationalism during the German Occupation of the Netherlands throughout the Second World War

Persistent URL of this record https://hdl.handle.net/1887/3275362

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History (research) (MA)

Seijger, Maurits (2021)

The Silent Majority and Illegitimate Structures: An investigation into everyday nationalism during the German Occupation of the Netherlands throughout the Second World War

Research master thesis | History (research) (MA)

By addressing the theory associated with studying nationalism from below, and approaching the case study of the German occupation of the Netherlands during WWII, this thesis expands the methodological toolbox with which to approach the evidence problem associated with historical research on nationalism from below. By taking the Stimmungsberichte (mood reports) written by the Wehrmacht, as ledgers of everyday actions performed by the silent majority of the Dutch population, this thesis assesses the fluctuation of nationalistic sentiment in terms of the commonly used repertoires of contention. This leads to a more dynamic perception of nationalism in the Netherlands during this unique time in the history of the nation-state.

Repertoires of Contention

Nationalism From Below

Silent Majority

Fluctuation