The Hunger Winter or the Dutch Famine 1944-1945
Two participants in the hunger expeditions during the hunger winter
The Hunger Winter, also known as the Dutch famine of 1944–1945, was a devastating period during World War II when the German-occupied Netherlands experienced a severe scarcity of food and fuel. The famine was most acute in the densely populated western provinces, resulting in widespread hunger and suffering.
The cause of the famine was a German blockade that cut off food and fuel shipments from farm towns to the western Netherlands. As a result, at least 20,000 people died of starvation and cold, with the majority of the victims being elderly men. The situation worsened as the harsh winter of 1944–1945 set in, freezing rivers and canals and further impeding the transport of supplies.
During the Hunger Winter, the adult rations in cities like Amsterdam dropped to dangerously low levels, with people receiving less than 1000 calories a day. The scarcity of food items, including bread, butter, and meat, led to the consumption of unconventional and insufficient substitutes like tulip bulbs and sugar beets. Many people resorted to the black market, trading valuables for food, while others were forced to dismantle furniture and houses to use as fuel for heating.
In the face of such dire circumstances, humanitarian intervention became crucial. The Swedish Red Cross provided "Swedish bread" flour, and humanitarian airlift operations, known as Operations Manna and Chowhound, were conducted by the Royal Air Force, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces. Additionally, Operation Faust organized a land-based, civilian supply chain to distribute food within the country. These efforts alleviated the immediate emergency, but the famine persisted until the liberation of the Netherlands by the Allies in May 1945.
The Dutch famine of 1944–1945 left a profound legacy on the health of its survivors and future generations. Studies have shown that children born to pregnant women exposed to the famine were more susceptible to various health problems, including diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and microalbuminuria. Moreover, grandchildren of women carrying female babies during the famine also experienced increased health issues, suggesting intergenerational inheritance of the famine's effects.
The famine also played a significant role in the discovery of the cause of coeliac disease. The shortage of wheat during the famine led to improvements in children with coeliac disease, providing crucial evidence to support the hypothesis that wheat intake aggravated the condition.
One notable figure who survived the Hunger Winter was actress Audrey Hepburn, who spent her teenage years in the Netherlands during World War 2. Despite her later fame and success, she suffered lifelong negative medical repercussions from the experience, including anemia, respiratory illnesses, and œdema.
Overall, the Hunger Winter was a tragic and heart-wrenching chapter in Dutch history, highlighting the devastating impact of war and famine on civilian populations and underscoring the importance of humanitarian efforts in times of crisis.
The Hunger Winter and The Crystal Butterfly
Edda the main character in The Crystal Butterfly escapes most of the Hunger Winter because she is interred at Camp Westerbork. But when she returns to Amsterdam after the liberation of the camp she becomes aware of what’s been taking place in her home city Amsterdam and the entire west of the country.
Here’s a snippet of what she hears:
“Sit, Miss,” Corrie said again. “I’ve done my best to prepare you a proper breakfast but it’s easier said than done with no eggs and only a pinch of flour.” Then Edda remembered the hunger winter that had struck the big cities in the west of Holland in the past months. How had Duifje and her children survived? And her parents? Probably fed by the Germans, Edda thought, but strangely without any anger. Despite being captives at Westerbork, at least they had enough food.
As if guessing her train of thought, Corrie said, “You’re lucky you found us here, Miss Edda. We’ve only just returned here, you see. We were on Valkena Estate all winter. Took the sickly Marchioness with us. So, we’ve had plenty of eggs and milk. We haven’t had any shortages. Mrs van Leeuwen is only back here with Mr Sipkema to sell the house. We’re all moving to Friesland for good.”
Edda was aware she gaped at the housekeeper and uttered not very coherently, “Valkena Estate? Mother? Friesland?” Sinking on the chair, she tried to make sense of it all. The Sipkema name rang a bell. Her father’s solicitor. Papa had mentioned him as Edda’s go-to, should she need to talk business. That last strained conversation she had had with her father. Talking about his will.
Malnourished children at the time of the liberation in May 1945
