De Stad Moet Plat

Web graphic novel on 1941 Amsterdam's stand against oppression

De Stad Moet Plat (Shut Down the City) is an interactive, web-native graphic novel detailing the historic general strike of February 1941. Led by dockworkers and public transport staff, the citizens of Amsterdam organized the only mass protest against the persecution of Jewish people in Nazi-occupied Europe.

Designed specifically as a digital scrollytelling experience, the story unfolds vertically as the user scrolls. To engage a modern audience, the artwork steps away from dusty black-and-white historical imagery in favor of a bold color palette. This is paired with scroll-triggered sound effects to fully immerse the reader in the tense atmosphere of occupied Amsterdam. This project showcases the final illustrations and the creative process of translating history into a fresh digital narrative.