Sjoerd bakker

Last Pride Month (2025), I painted queer resistance fighters, but didn’t get to everyone. The next one was a Dutch couturier named Sjoerd Bakker. He came from an extraordinary family that waged its own personal war against the Nazi occupation of their homeland.  The Bakkers fought back in myriad ways, from an uncle who published illegal newspapers and pamphlets, to helping shelter Jews in hiding, to planning the bombing of the Nazi population registry building. Even more fascinating, 4 of the 9 siblings were queer men who fought against the Nazis. Dirk, Sjoerd, Lammert, and Albert were all queer. Sjoerd helped his younger siblings come to terms with their orientation as they all were close. They all came out in their teens; Lammert was only 12 when he first spoke of it.

In high school, Sjoerd excelled at sewing and tailoring. He worked at fashion houses, including the family business of PS Bakker, and honed his craft. He became well known for his fine workmanship, creating dresses and clothes for even the Dutch Royal Family, who came to the shop he worked at. He eventually opened his own business. Sjoerd elevated the business of fashion, having fancy galas and parties at the shop to show off new designs. 

Sjoerd spent time working in Germany, which opened his eyes to the horrible mistreatment of Jewish people and queer people. He returned to The Netherlands determined to make a difference in the world. While this was all happening, Sjoerd and his gay brothers went to queer bar Cafe t’Mandje, where they would come into contact with Willem Arondeus and the artists resistance group. Dirk went off to join a resistance group of Dutch soldiers whose mission was to repel the Germans and return Queen Wilhelmina to the throne. Sjoerd began printing illegal magazines and pamphlets, as well as fake ID cards to protect Jews. He did all this while running Sjoerd Bakker Couturier during the day. His fellow resistance members remembered him as sweet, polite, and well dressed. He and Albert acted as couriers, delivering ration cards and fake ID cards. He also made warm clothes for Jews in hiding or being deported. He would sneak to them at night to deliver them. Sjoerd’s older brother Popke told him “It’s OK to be afraid, but not cowardly.” Sjoerd was a sterling example of this maxim.

When it came time to destroy the population registry, Sjoerd was put in charge of creating the exact replica nazi police uniforms. They had to be immaculately perfect to avoid suspicion. Sjoerd sourced the exact materials and created the uniforms down to the tiniest detail. He measured Willem Arondeus for his uniform in his shop, silent, with their lawyer Lau Mazirel there. They didn’t know if they would survive. They told Lau that the world must be told “Homosexuals are not cowards!” should they be killed. It was their final wish. 

The attack was a success. 8 enemy police were overpowered then anesthetized by two doctors in the resistance group. They then blew up the building. Sadly, the Nazi intelligence services were able to follow a trail back to the group. Sjoerd was arrested in his shop. He faced brutal interrogation for up to 36 hours at a time. The nazis were incensed at the attack, and the possibility of inspiring further uprisings. Sjoerd and his compatriots endured this for months. 

They were reunited for their trial, where they were cheerful, smiling and singing together. People who visited them said they were serene, at peace. They were granted a final wish. Sjoerd, whose favorite color was pink, demanded his favorite pink shirt. He wanted to die in it, a shining pink symbol of the bravery of queer people. He wrote a final note: “You know me, and know who I am and was. I hope I will remain who I am until the end and give up everything in this life. What I ask is: don’t think of my death in vengeance, which was in its time and place, in the great plan which we cannot comprehend. Thank you all for what you have been for me; the last few days have been real, and good. Hello, greetings, and thank you all, Your Sjoerd.”

The lesbian owner of Cafe t’Mandje, Bet van Beeren, had the following memorial written for Sjoerd:

In Memory of Sjoerd Bakker

Now we bend our lives

About your great death, 

All we can give

Comes from the dire need

Wells up to our lips and becomes a voice

 and rings in the bells

Of the sacred requiem

 and has lifted us up, until those in dire need

Raise your life

Until patriotic death

Sjoerd’s grave has the inscription “But the greatest of these is love”

Sources and Further Reading:

"It's OK to be Afraid, But not Cowardly" by Toni Boumans

https://www.elisarolle.com/queerplaces/pqrst/Sjoerd%20Bakker.html