Propaganda leaflets of World War 2: Nazi leaflets airdropped over Dutch civilians and soldiers during the attack on Holland.

PROPAGANDA LEAFLETS OF THE SECOND WORLD WAR ....

FALLING FROM THE SKY

Nazi leaflets dropped over Dutch civilians and Dutch soldiers
during the attack on the Netherlands in May 1940

IMPORTANT: GIVE THE PICTURES TIME TO LOAD!

In my collection are all the leaflets known to have been dropped by the Nazis during the attack on Holland. There might be a few more dropped, but there is no information on them available at this moment.
In some specialist literature on the subject, a list of 8 known leaflets is given. One of these has a variant which makes it a total of 9 leaflets. In my collection are these 9 leaflets PLUS a photocopy of a 10th leaflet which I still miss in my collection.
I do also have a leaflet that was hand spread by the German 'Propaganda-Kompanien' AFTER they captured certain Dutch cities and villages. This last one is NOT a propaganda leaflet in the sense of this homepages subject, because it misses an important feature. It was NOT transported OVER battle line!
As these leaflets are difficult to find nowadays, and because they are nearly unknown in literature on WW2, I show them ALL here! Because of the Dutch language, these leaflets might be of less interest to non-Dutch visitors. But I will give a summarized translation/description for every leaflet.
The leaflets are shown in random order. From several of these I do not have the exact dates and places of use! So if anybody can give me more information on ANY of these leaflets, please contact me by email to the pageowner!
THE LEAFLETS:

This is perhaps the best-known leaflet of the period. It is shown in several ww2 books. The Luftwaffe dropped dropped this leaflet over The Hague on the 10th of Mai 1940.
The Dutch text has several very bad mistakes (some German words are mixed with Dutch). It is said that this leaflet - used to intimidate Dutch civilians - had virtually no effect on the target. During the time of its use there were heavy fights going on around The Hague. On the roads between The Hague and Rotterdam, many Luftwaffe airplanes had to crash land.
In short, the text on this one sided leaflet reads:
"Strong German troops surrounded the city.
All resistance is of no more use.
Germany is not fighting your country, but it fights England.
Only forced to, during this battle, the German army had to invade your country.
The German army protects life and property of every peace loving citizen.
But German troops will punish any violence by the civilians with Death.
Every citizen has to go on with his normal doings. In that way he is serving the interest of his own people."

This is another leaflet aimed at civilians. The one at the bottom is a variant of the top one. It has an error in the last line ('Nedderland' should read 'Nederland').
In short, the text on this two-sided leaflet (both sides same text) reads:
"Warning!
To the civilians of Holland!
Do not take part in sabotage against the German army!
You can't stop the German Army!
Large parts of Holland are already occupied!
All resistance is of no use!
Do not take part in sabotage actions like destroying dikes, blowing up bridges, or making road blockades. These actions are of no use because the German Army has lots of technical means to avoid them.
Do not take part in a war that is not yours!
Do not destroy your own country, but stay calm!
Civilians, captured during sabotage actions will get DEATH PUNISHMENT!
Civilians of Holland, we warn you!"

This leaflet is aimed at civilians also. It was meant for Dutch speaking people in Holland and Belgium. For the French speaking part of Belgium, a version in French was printed.
It would go to far to translate the complete leaflet in English. In short, the German government tells the people in both countries why the Germans were 'forced to' attack them. The reasons given are:

The press in both countries became more and more anti-German and pro-UK/France.
The governments in both countries did actively help the "Secret Intelligence Service" in their attempts to remove The Führer and his government from power.
The governments of both countries take military actions that contradict their sayings that they would prevent the countries being used as line of marsh (for the UK/France).
Gives an example of point 3.
As 4. Tells that the Germans can prove at least 127 occasions on which the UK made use of Dutch airspace.
Concentration of Dutch and Belgium troops at their eastern borders (and not at the borders with France/UK).
Tells that these concentrations take place in a time that Germany did not concentrate any troops at the borders to Holland and Belgium.

The rest of the leaflet tries to explain the above points in depth. At the end they call the governments and people of Holland and Belgium to not resist the Germans. If the Germans encounter any resistance, they "would break the resistance by all means" and "the sole responsibility for the bloodshed is with the Dutch and Belgium government".

The following leaflets are all single sided leaflets aimed at Dutch troops:

This leaflet is aimed at Dutch troops in the defense of their country.
The text reads:
"DUTCHMEN! SOLDIERS!

Who are YOU fighting for!
For who do YOU let yourself being 'butchered'?
For who do YOU get your people, your family, your wife and children into misery?

NOT in YOUR Interest
NOT for YOUR Country
NOT for YOUR Freedom
FOR OTHERS YOU ARE BEING DRIVEN INTO THE FIRE.

For the imperialism of England and France and in the interest of Dutch capitalists connected to English and French capitalists.
Refuse to be cannon fodder! Refuse to aim the riffle against the German Peoples Army that is the friend of the brother people of Holland."

This leaflet is aimed at Dutch troops in the defense of their country.
The text reads:
"DUTCHMEN! SOLDIERS!

For France and England you have to bleed.
Your government did bet the wrong horse because they do not think and act Dutch anymore.
They allied with pirates who,
Stopped trade and endanger your fishermen with mines,
and time after time
Act against your neutrality
Your government did choose against the related German peoples that never did anything against Holland
Your government wants you to fight the country that you need for your prosperity
This way your government fights against YOUR OWN vital interests
WE ARE YOUR BROTHERS AND WE WANT FOT YOU THE SAME AS WE WANT FOR US
FREEDOM AND PEACE!"

This leaflet is aimed at Dutch troops in the defense of their country.
The text reads:
"DUTCHMEN! SOLDIERS!

Do not let yourself being butchered without need!
Throw away your weapons and surrender! The German Peoples Army has the order not to shoot and to treat you as comrades and sons of a related brother nation
Make an end to this war for you and your people!
Make peace to the German people that wishe to spare the brother nation of Holland and wants to deal for once and forever with England and France.
SAVE YOUR LIFE AND THAT OF YOUR COMRADES!
SAVE YOUR OWN COUNTRY AND YOUR OWN PEOPLE!"

This leaflet is aimed at Dutch troops in the defense of their country.
The text reads (extract):
"DUTCHMEN! SOLDIERS!

Your liberation has come!
Help us to throw out your deceivers!
They sold and betrayed you to
"Capitalistic Lords", who occupy half the world and to
"rooineks" (rednecks) who, under the father of Chamberlain, delivered violently the free Dutch South Africa to pirate state England.
The pirate state England that captured away the Dutch richest colonies as soon as their latest allies, France, occupied Holland as a 'wash ashore' of French rivers.
We Germans are the only ones that can liberate you.
Do not fight us any longer and take part in our just cause!"

This leaflet is aimed at the military commander of the city of Utrecht.
It is not a normal size leaflet as the previous ones, but a large poster size sheet (35x45 cm).
This document was dropped in several thousand copies over the city on May 14th, around the same time as the bombardment of the city of Rotterdam took place! The text of the leaflet was presented earlier that same day to a Dutch fortress in Utrecht by a German negotiator. At that time the Dutch commander did not want to speak with the negotiator. He also refused to accept the document he brought.
But after the airdrop of this leaflet (with the same text as offered to the Dutch commander) and the horror messages that meanwhile came from the city of Rotterdam, the Dutch supreme commander General Winkelman decided to capitulate! Winkelman did send a telex message to all of his commanders in the field. Text started as follows:
"This afternoon Germany bombarded Rotterdam and did also threaten to do the same to Utrecht. I think it justified, in order to stop bloodshed and spare civilians, to ask you to order the troops to stop resistance."
A day later the capitulation was signed!
The text of this dramatic leaflet reads (extract):
"To the commander in Utrecht.

The Dutch lines at the GREBBE have surrendered! The outnumbering German troops are ready in the east, southwest and south, to, under simultaneously use of strong Tank and Air forces (bombers and Stuka's), attack the city of Utrecht.
Therefore I order the commander of Utrecht to stop the useless fight and surrender the city in order to spare the city and its inhabitants the fate of Warsaw.
I order you to signal your unconditional surrender (frequency 1102 kHz, call sign: hol).
If not, I regret to say, I will be forced to view the city of Utrecht as a fortress and attack with all military means.
The consequences will be yours only.
The German Supreme Commander.
14th of May 1940"

As said in the introduction, I also have a leaflet that was hand spread by the German 'Propaganda-Kompanien' AFTER they captured certain Dutch cities and villages. So this is NOT a propaganda leaflet in the sense of this homepages subject, because it misses an important feature. It was NOT transported OVER battle line! In fact you could call it one of the first 'normal' internal propaganda texts that the Nazis started to spread in Holland (by the thousands) after bringing the territory under their jurisdiction. But when this leaflet was spread, not all Holland had capitulated yet! That is why I think it fits on this page.
The text of this (also anti-Semitic) leaflet reads (extract):
"What do the Germans want here?
We did come to end the war and bring peace to Europe forever.
That is why we are not your enemies! We just wish good friendship between two old neighbours.
Why are you letting the English abuse you?
Did they not also promise things to Poles, Fins and Norwegians? Be wise as the Danes and keep your heads cool! Germany cannot be beaten.
Do not destroy your beautiful country with useless battles. Only the English will benefit from your country in destruction.
They hide behind your backs and hope that you resist us and the fights forced upon you by them.
A destroyed country means unemployment and poverty for you and for us. We want the long awaited peace in Europe. We have to help each other in order to reach the construction of a new Europe.
The English and the Jews, who controlled the world for centuries, brought us all to the edge of a new collapse.
That should end now for once and all!
It cannot be that peace in Europe is disturbed!
You also want that?
Help us to reach this aim!
We fight and work for Labour, Bread and Justice!"

I am still looking for this leaflet:

The leaflet is similar in text as the ones above. It attacks England and France and tells the reader that the Dutch are related to the Germans.
NOTE:
Anyone that can give me ANY information on these leaflets or similar ones not mentioned here, please contact me!