Modified NSB-Related Flag – Netherlands ca. 1940s
FG-ID: FG-026
Flag Facts
- Dimensions: 135 × 230 cm
- Material: Wool blend for red and white stripes; cotton (painted) for replaced blue stripe
- Construction: Sewn tricolour, bottom stripe manually replaced
- Provenance: Found with original handwritten documentation
Original Documentation
English translation of the handwritten document:
This Dutch flag was found in 1944 by P. Keuris during his work for the Evacuation Bureau in The Hague, in an abandoned N.S.B. house (fled during Mad Tuesday, September 1944).
It was an NSB flag with a light blue stripe (orange, white, blue). This flag was converted by Petronella Keuris-Heenemann, by removing the blue stripe and replacing it with a stripe of cloth painted blue and reattaching it to the flag.
Furthermore, this flag was taken to Curaçao after the war, where it was used in the Netherlands until 1958, and then continued to be used for many more years.
Drawn up truthfully from first-hand experience and testimony of R.P. Keuris, son of the above-mentioned persons.
Source-Critical Note and Analysis
The accompanying testimony, signed by Rudolf Pieter Keuris (R.P. Keuris), states that the flag was originally found by P. Keuris (Piet Keuris) during his work for the Evacuation Bureau in The Hague in 1944. The location was an abandoned NSB residence, vacated during “Mad Tuesday” (Dolle Dinsdag) in September 1944.
According to the document, the flag originally featured a light blue lower stripe, consistent with NSB symbolism. Petronella Keuris-Heeneman subsequently removed this stripe and replaced it with a piece of blue-painted fabric, which was sewn onto the flag. This change was likely intended to neutralize the political association after the war.
The document mentions the Dutch tricolour as “oranje–blanje–bleu”, but the physical flag clearly shows that the top stripe is red, not orange. The red and white panels are woven with identical selvedges, likely from the same fabric bolt. The dark blue bottom stripe, however, is a different material (probably cotton), stitched on with rough, hand-sewn thread and noticeably different in colour and quality from pre-war standards.
It is therefore likely that the flag did indeed originate with a light blue stripe and that the “orange” mentioned in the document was a linguistic or memory-based error. Both the physical object and the written testimony agree on the central point: a politically charged NSB-style tricolour was altered by the Keuris family after the war for continued use abroad.
🎨 Probable Hypotheses for Original Color
| Hypothesis | Description | Assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Light blue bottom stripe (Prinsenvlag) | Common color used by NSB and Jeugdstorm; document mentions “light blue” | Very likely |
| Orange top stripe (as written in document) | Mentioned in document, contradicted by actual red fabric | Unlikely |
| Black, green, or other NSB-related color | Not physically observed, not supported by document | Very unlikely |
| Flag related to Jeugdstorm or local NSB group | Possible use of Prinsenvlag in altered form | Likely |
Conclusion: The most plausible original configuration was red–white–light blue (Prinsenvlag), with the light blue stripe removed and replaced with dark blue after the fall of the NSB.
The Evacuation Bureau and Piet Keuris
During the latter stages of the German occupation, many Dutch municipalities set up so-called “Evacuation Bureaus” (Evacuatiebureau) to manage housing crises, bomb damage, and German requisitions. These were not Nazi-run institutions, but local Dutch administrative offices operating under occupation constraints.
The Evacuatiebureau der Gemeente 's-Gravenhage (Evacuation Bureau of the Municipality of The Hague) was one such office. Staffed primarily by Dutch civil servants – schoolteachers, clerks, and municipal workers – the bureau handled a mix of logistics:
- Relocating civilians from areas seized for German military use (e.g., bunkers near Scheveningen)
- Managing empty homes left behind after bombings or evacuations
- Recording the movements of refugees and abandoned properties
- Occasionally aiding with forced housing reallocations
Piet Keuris (P. Keuris) was employed by the bureau in 1944 when he discovered the abandoned NSB residence that contained the modified flag. Though technically working within an occupation structure, his role was that of a regular municipal officer — not a collaborator, not a Nazi, and not part of any political organization.
This context explains why a Dutchman could find such an item while performing legitimate civil duties. The Evacuation Bureau served practical needs during a chaotic time and functioned in the blurry moral zones of wartime administration.
👨👩👦👦 Biographical Note: The Keuris Family
According to a passenger list from KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, the Keuris family departed Curaçao on 1 August 1948, flying to New York, USA. The list records the following family members:
- Petronella Keuris-Heeneman, female, 39 years old
- Piet Keuris, male, 40 years old
- Rudolf Pieter Keuris, boy, 12 years old
- Pieter Theijs Keuris, boy, 5 years old
The entire family was listed as residing at Kazerne Straat 28, The Hague, Netherlands before departure. Their tickets were marked as “Pooled,” confirming they traveled as a family unit.
This passenger list not only confirms Petronella’s existence as mentioned in the note, but also that Rudolf P. Keuris (12 years old in 1948) had direct, firsthand experience with the flag. It adds credibility to the accompanying description, in which Rudolf later attests to the replacement of the bottom stripe and the flag’s journey abroad.
The data also aligns with the narrative outlined in the original note:
The flag was discovered in an NSB residence, altered by Petronella, brought to Curaçao after the war, and eventually taken to the United States.
Trip to Curaçao
The family is documented as having left for Curaçao in the immediate post-war period. This supports the narrative that the flag and documents were stored during emigration.
Technical and Fabric Details
📚 Sources and References
- Original handwritten testimony signed by R.P. Keuris (
20250724_134704.jpg) - Dutch text describing flag origin and alteration (
20250724_134713.jpg) - English translation of handwritten document (included in report)
- Physical flag inspection, measurements and textile analysis (FlagGeek archive)
- Passenger list showing Keuris family departure to Curaçao (
passager_liste.jpg) - Dutch evacuation services during WWII:
D. van Lier, "De Openbare Dienst in Oorlogstijd", 1955 - Historical context for NSB and Jeugdstorm symbolism:
G. Voerman, "De NSB 1931–1945", Boom Uitgevers, 2014 - Common use of the Prinsenvlag and “oranje–blanje–bleu” idiom:
F. van Oostrom, "Het woord van eer", 2016 - Background on “Dolle Dinsdag” and mass NSB flight in September 1944:
NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies – www.niod.nl
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