Nederlandse Landwacht
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The Nederlandse Landwacht was a Dutch paramilitary organization founded by the German occupation forces in the Netherlands on November 12, 1943. It should not be confused with the military volunteer corps 'Landwacht Nederland', which was established in March 1943 and renamed Landstorm Nederland in October, and which became part of the Waffen-SS.
The Landwacht was first seen on the street in March 1944. The Landwacht mostly was made up of Dutch National Socialist movement (NSB) members equipped with shotguns. The populace nicknamed them the "Jan-Hagel", Dutch slang for a rabble but also related to the Dutch word for a shotgun (hagelgeweer).[1] The Landwacht was mainly used to guard buildings, check identity cards, and carry out arrests, house searches, and raids. They did not wear a uniform initially, but were identified by a red bracelet.[2]
The Landwacht was feared and hated by the population, among other things because during the Hongerwinter, the Dutch famine in the winter of 1944–45, the Landwacht confiscated food parcels from Dutch civilians. Many thousands of Dutch people had traveled hundreds of kilometers to obtain bread or some potatoes.[3] On 27 March 1945 the illegal Het Parool newspaper devoted an article to the Landwacht's many arrests and executions. Het Parool opined that the Landwachters deserved execution once liberation came.[4]
Uniforms
Members of the Landwacht generally wore the black NSB party uniforms: black shirts, black trousers or riding breeches, black leather motorcycle or riding boots, and a black leather belt with matching carrying strap. Depending on the weather, a black tunic or black overcoat could be worn.[3] Though the Landwacht were poorly armed, black pistol holsters were sometimes carried.