Dolle Dinsdag

Dolle Dinsdag celebration (5 September 1944) at Willebrordusplein, Rotterdam

Dolle Dinsdag (Mad Tuesday) took place in the Netherlands on 5 September 1944. After a broadcast by the Prime Minister-in-exile that alleged Breda had been liberated, many rumours spread across the occupied Netherlands that the liberation by Allied forces was at hand. On 4 September 1944 the Allies had conquered Antwerp, and it was thought that they already advanced into the Netherlands.

Many Dutchmen celebrated on the streets while preparing to receive and cheer on the Allied liberators. Dutch and Orange flags and pennants were prepared, and many workers left their workplace to wait for the Allies to arrive. German occupation forces and NSB members panicked: documents were destroyed and many fled the Netherlands for Germany.

The Allied advance could not continue as the Allies had overextended themselves and had to halt in the South of the Netherlands. The northern part of the Netherlands had to wait until 5 May 1945 for their liberation.

Mad Tuesday caused the railway strikes of 1944 that started on 17 September with the code: "De kinderen van Versteeg moeten onder de wol" (translation: the children of Versteeg must "under the wool"/go to bed). The strike would last until the complete Netherlands was liberated on 5 May 1945; the government thought that by spreading rumors the Germans would start to panic. It worked, and by announcing the railway strike of 1944 the Germans started to panic even more, and many Germans fled to Germany. The industry and supply route from and to Germany was almost completely stopped, which made it even harder for Germany to defend what still was occupied.