The Girl with the Red Hair: Hannie Schaft

Hannie Schaft was a Dutch resistance fighter during World War II. She became known as the girl with the red hair (in Dutch Het meisje met het rode haar). Hannie was not her real name, it was her secret name in the resistance movement.

I chose Hannie Schaft because I admire her for being one of only a few women resistance fightesr in the Netherlands during World War II.

It must have been very scary and lonely to operate in secret as her family didn’t know about it. It’s extremely tragic that she died so shortly before the end of the war.

I wanted to depict her while on a lonely mission walking through the park (Amsterdamse bos). She had her bag full of stolen identification cards, food-coupons and illegal newspapers.

She had to be very careful, there were always German soldiers around who could check her bag. It must have taken a lot of effort to look inconspicuous, as if just going for a stroll in the park.

Hannie Schaft was a Dutch resistance fighter during World War II. She became known as the girl with the red hair (in Dutch Het meisje met het rode haar).Hannie was not her real name, it was her secret name in the resistance movement.

Commercial fabrics.