National Socialist Dutch Workers Party
Encyclopedia
The National Socialist Dutch Workers Party (Dutch
Nationaal-Socialistische Nederlandsche Arbeiderspartij or NSNAP) was a minor Dutch
national socialist party founded in 1931 and led by Ernst Herman van Rappard
. Seeking to copy the fascism of others, notably Adolf Hitler
, the group failed to achieve success and was accused by rivals such as the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands
(NSB) and the General Dutch Fascist League
of being too moderate for a fascist movement.
The group looked to the National Socialist German Workers Party
for its inspiration, setting up its own Storm Trooper battalion in imitation of the Sturmabteilung
and its own Holland Youth like the Hitler Youth
, as well as copying the black swastika
in a white circle on a red background as its emblem. Unlike its far right
counterparts, who claimed to endorse Dutch patriotism
, the NSNAP sought full incorporation of the Netherlands into the Third Reich, a policy which won it little support as the 998 votes which the party captured in the 1937 election
demonstrated.
Van Rappard was unable to hold the party together and before long three separate group were claiming the NSNAP name, one under Major Cornelis Jacobus Aart Kruyt and the other under Albert van Waterland (who had dropped his real surname of de Joode as it meant 'the Jew'). This factionalism in what was already a small party ensured that Alfred Rosenberg
, who had considered the possibility of supporting the group with German money, lost interest and so the three NSNAPs faded from significance.
The NSNAP did not gain from the German invasion of 1940 as the Nazis chose Anton Mussert
of the rival NSB as their main beneficiary and Major Kruyt's version of the party merged into Mussert's movement in late 1940. The NSNAP finally disappeared altogether on December 14th 1941 when Arthur Seyss-Inquart
banned all parties except the NSB. With van Rappard on active service with the Waffen-SS
most of the remaining NSNAP members accepted the decision and switched their support to Mussert.
Dutch language
Dutch is a West Germanic language and the native language of the majority of the population of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname, the three member states of the Dutch Language Union. Most speakers live in the European Union, where it is a first language for about 23 million and a second...
Nationaal-Socialistische Nederlandsche Arbeiderspartij or NSNAP) was a minor Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
national socialist party founded in 1931 and led by Ernst Herman van Rappard
Ernst Herman van Rappard
Ernst Herman ridder van Rappard was a Dutch Nazi and anti-Semite...
. Seeking to copy the fascism of others, notably Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
, the group failed to achieve success and was accused by rivals such as the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands
National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands
The National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands was a Dutch fascist and later national socialist political party. As a parliamentary party participating in legislative elections, the NSB had some success during the 1930s...
(NSB) and the General Dutch Fascist League
General Dutch Fascist League
The General Dutch Fascist League was a minor Dutch fascist party founded in 1932. The party sought to create a volksfascisme, although they failed to fully define this aim and were considered closer to Mussolini than Hitler despite their rhetoric. The party failed to gain support in the 1932...
of being too moderate for a fascist movement.
The group looked to the National Socialist German Workers Party
National Socialist German Workers Party
The National Socialist German Workers' Party , commonly known in English as the Nazi Party, was a political party in Germany between 1920 and 1945. Its predecessor, the German Workers' Party , existed from 1919 to 1920...
for its inspiration, setting up its own Storm Trooper battalion in imitation of the Sturmabteilung
Sturmabteilung
The Sturmabteilung functioned as a paramilitary organization of the National Socialist German Workers' Party . It played a key role in Adolf Hitler's rise to power in the 1920s and 1930s...
and its own Holland Youth like the Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
, as well as copying the black swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
in a white circle on a red background as its emblem. Unlike its far right
Far right
Far-right, extreme right, hard right, radical right, and ultra-right are terms used to discuss the qualitative or quantitative position a group or person occupies within right-wing politics. Far-right politics may involve anti-immigration and anti-integration stances towards groups that are...
counterparts, who claimed to endorse Dutch patriotism
Patriotism
Patriotism is a devotion to one's country, excluding differences caused by the dependencies of the term's meaning upon context, geography and philosophy...
, the NSNAP sought full incorporation of the Netherlands into the Third Reich, a policy which won it little support as the 998 votes which the party captured in the 1937 election
Dutch general election, 1937
A general election of the House of Representatives of the Dutch Parliament was held in the Netherlands on May 26, 1937.-National summary:-Parties:* Anti Revolutionary Party...
demonstrated.
Van Rappard was unable to hold the party together and before long three separate group were claiming the NSNAP name, one under Major Cornelis Jacobus Aart Kruyt and the other under Albert van Waterland (who had dropped his real surname of de Joode as it meant 'the Jew'). This factionalism in what was already a small party ensured that Alfred Rosenberg
Alfred Rosenberg
' was an early and intellectually influential member of the Nazi Party. Rosenberg was first introduced to Adolf Hitler by Dietrich Eckart; he later held several important posts in the Nazi government...
, who had considered the possibility of supporting the group with German money, lost interest and so the three NSNAPs faded from significance.
The NSNAP did not gain from the German invasion of 1940 as the Nazis chose Anton Mussert
Anton Mussert
Anton Adriaan Mussert was one of the founders of the National Socialist Movement in the Netherlands and its de jure leader. As such, he was the most prominent national socialist in the Netherlands before and during the Second World War...
of the rival NSB as their main beneficiary and Major Kruyt's version of the party merged into Mussert's movement in late 1940. The NSNAP finally disappeared altogether on December 14th 1941 when Arthur Seyss-Inquart
Arthur Seyss-Inquart
Arthur Seyss-Inquart was a Chancellor of Austria, lawyer and later Nazi official in pre-Anschluss Austria, the Third Reich and for wartime Germany in Poland and the Netherlands...
banned all parties except the NSB. With van Rappard on active service with the Waffen-SS
Waffen-SS
The Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
most of the remaining NSNAP members accepted the decision and switched their support to Mussert.