In the First World War, the Netherlands was neutral, but German forces invaded the Netherlands during World War II. In 1945, Indonesia declared independence from the Netherlands, and Suriname followed suit in 1975.
The postwar years saw rapid economic growth (aided by the American Marshall Plan), followed by establishing a welfare state. The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg founded the Benelux economic alliance, and all three countries became founding members of the European Union and NATO. The Dutch economy has been inextricably connected to Germany’s in recent decades, and it is thriving.
Below are some fascinating vintage photos that capture the Netherlands in 1954.
