Weerbaarheidsafdeling

The organization, roughly equivalent to the German SA,[1] was founded in 1932 by Anton Mussert,[2] co-founder of the NSB in 1931 and its leader until the end of the war.

This led to the formation of "knokploegen", informal militias, and fights erupting between the WA and Jewish and non-Jewish inhabitants.

[7] This led to a pitched battle with Jewish and inhabitants of the Jordaan in which WA member Koot was severely injured.

He died a few days later; he was buried with great pomp, and stylized a martyr, in much the same way as Horst Wessel in Nazi Germany.

The events led to the first razzias, deportations of Jews and formation of a ghetto in Amsterdam, and from there to the February strike.