How Audrey Hepburn Supported Holland's Resistance To Nazi Occupation During WWII
Audrey Hepburn is one of the most iconic actresses of all time. Not only was she well-known for the poise, grace, and beauty she portrayed on the big screen, she was revered for her caring heart and giving nature off-screen as well. She got her start as a dancer and performer when she made her first appearance in the Broadway production of "Gigi" when she was 22. Two short years later she made her film debut in "Roman Holiday," and her career took off from there.
Despite the fame and notoriety she achieved later in life, her teenage years were a bit tumultuous, to say the least. By the time she was 10, World War II had broken out. She and her mother left Belgium for the Netherlands in hopes of avoiding the invading Nazi army. It was while there that she began training as a ballerina and dancer. However, that joy was short-lived because, according to Vintage News, the Nazis eventually invaded the Netherlands in 1940.
She risked her life to resist the regime
War wreaked havoc on the country for the next 5 years. Vintage News tells us Audrey Hepburn, her family, and those where they lived were subject to food shortages, bombings, and hearing the tortured screams of the Nazis' victims. During these traumatizing times, many would have tried to lay low, but Audrey Hepburn reportedly did exactly the opposite. Instead of hiding from her German tormentors, she found a way to help bring them down.
According to Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Hepburn joined the Dutch Resistance, which was a movement that defied the current Nazi regime. She would reportedly do things like deliver newspapers between resistance members, as well as carry messages in her shoes to downed Allied pilots. Bravery was apparently a family trait because her family even hid a British paratrooper in their home at one point. All of these were offenses that were punishable by execution.
Life was rough for Hepburn and all others who were subject to the traumatic experiences of war until its end in 1945. Though she never really spoke of her courageous acts in the face of tyranny, the story of her brave acts is finally being told in a biography entitled, "Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II."