samenwerkers

Samenwerkers is a Dutch term meaning “collaborators” or “those who work together” in a context that implies cooperation with an occupying or hostile power. Etymologically it combines samen (together) and werken (to work). In ordinary usage the word can denote constructive cooperation, but in historical and political discourse it carries a negative connotation.

In the context of World War II, samenwerkers referred to Dutch civilians and officials who cooperated with the German occupation and the Nazi regime. This included members of political groups sympathetic to the occupiers, local civil servants, police, and individuals who aided or facilitated repression, denunciations, or economic exploitation. The term covers a range of activities from passive compliance to active collaboration and varied in degree and intent. The label is often used in historical narratives to differentiate between résistants, who opposed the occupiers, and those who conspired with or aided them.

After liberation, the Dutch state and broader society scrutinized such collaboration. Prosecutorial and judicial actions were taken against many involved in collaboration, with sentences ranging from fines and dismissals to imprisonment or, in a minority of cases, harsher penalties. The term remains a charged descriptor in postwar memory and discourse, reflecting ongoing debates about moral responsibility and the scope of complicity.

In contemporary Dutch usage, samenwerkers is still understood as a critical label for those who cooperated with an aggressor, though the term is sometimes discussed in historical analysis to avoid overgeneralization. It is distinct from neutral notions of teamwork or cooperation in everyday contexts.