Broche ‘Vrije volkeren sterven niet’
Silent Resistance –War and Liberation Jewellery
During the Second World War, small pieces of jewellery were worn in the Netherlands as a silent protest against the German occupier. In April 1941, Dutch coins were officially confiscated for the war industry. As jewellery did not have to be surrendered, coins were quickly transformed into rings, brooches, pins and bracelets.
A portrait of Queen Wilhelmina was worn as a sign of resistance, as well as a token of loyalty to the royal family. Margriet Francisca, the third daughter of Princess Juliana and Prince Bernard, was born
in Canada in January 1943. The pin with the three yellow chicks refers to the three young princesses Beatrix, Irene and Margriet and the steadfastness of the Dutch royal family. After the liberation, coins and silver were used for jewellery conveying messages of hope for a peaceful future.