The Underground War: Resistance Networks in Occupied Europe (1939-45)



Overview

Step into the shadows of World War II and uncover the extraordinary stories of courage, defiance, and espionage that shaped the fight against tyranny. Explore the daring resistance movements that rose across Nazi-occupied Europe, from covert intelligence operations to grassroots uprisings.

Through case studies and critical analysis, you will examine the work of the Special Operations Executive, the Office of Strategic Services, and the Secret Intelligence Service, alongside powerful local acts of defiance such as the Warsaw Uprising and the Vercors Plateau resistance.

You will gain insight into how ordinary people, including agents, soldiers, and civilians, risked everything to resist oppression and influence the course of history in ways both seen and unseen.

Join us for a journey into the heart of resistance, where bravery met strategy and freedom was fought for in the shadows.

This course is part of the Inspiring Oxford summer school programme, held at Brasenose College.

Programme details

Daily schedule

After registration on Sunday afternoon, we invite you to a welcome meeting in the Amersi Lecture Theatre in New Quad, where you will meet your tutors. Join us in Deer Park afterwards for our opening drinks reception, followed by dinner in Brasenose’s historic dining hall (informal dress).

Seminars take place on weekday mornings. Most afternoons are free, allowing you time to explore Oxford, enjoy a variety of optional social events (see details below), or to sit back and relax in one of the college's atmospheric quads.

Your course culminates on Friday evening with a closing drinks reception and gala farewell dinner at which Certificates of Attendance are awarded. For this special occasion smart dress is encouraged (no requirement to wear dinner suits or gowns).

Social programme 

We warmly invite all Inspiring Oxford students to take part in our optional social programme, with all events provided at no additional cost. Events are likely to include:

  • Croquet on the quad
  • Chauffeured punting from Magdalen Bridge
  • Expert-led walking tours of Oxford
  • Optional visit to an Oxford Library or the Ashmolean Museum
  • River Thames afternoon cruise
  • Quiz night in the college bar
  • Scottish country dance evening (where you do the dancing!)

Seminars and field trip

Monday

Begin the week with an introduction to the complex world of resistance and the key organisations that shaped it, including the Special Operations Executive, the Office of Strategic Services, the Secret Intelligence Service, and MI5.  We then turn to France, where agents, spies, and underground networks waged a determined fight against occupation.

Tuesday

Explore the transformation of Scandinavia from co-operation to resistance under Nazi control. Examine the remarkable story of the SOE in the Netherlands through the lens of the Englandspiel and other covert operations that tested the limits of trust, courage, and communication behind enemy lines.

Wednesday

Investigate the defiant spirit of the Polish resistance and the monumental Warsaw Uprising. Then follow the missions of the Palmach, whose efforts to rescue European Jews during the war added a powerful dimension to the wider struggle for survival and liberation.

Thursday

Take learning beyond the classroom with visits to the Military Intelligence Museum at Chicksands and the Shuttleworth Collection, Biggleswade. Discover rare artefacts, historic aircraft, and personal stories that bring the realities of espionage and resistance to life.

Friday

Conclude the week with an exploration of some of the most daring raids and missions of the war, including the sabotage of the Norsk Hydro factory, Operation Anthropoid, and the Blackmail sabotage. Experience history first-hand through a practical session using authentic SOE equipment, gaining insight into the ingenuity and bravery of those who operated in the shadows.

Certification

Certificate of Attendance

At the end of the course you will receive a Certificate of Attendance.

Digital Certificate

You will also be issued with an official digital certificate of attendance. After the course, you will receive an email with a link and instructions on how to download it. You will be able to share this on social media and add to your email signature if you wish to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Fee option 1 (single en suite accom and meals per person) £2698.00
Fee option 2 (single standard accom and meals per person) £2348.00
Fee option 3 (twin en suite accom and meals per person) £2508.00
Fee option 4 (no accom; incl lunch and dinner per person) £1928.00

Funding

Please note there are no sources of funding (scholarships, bursaries, etc) available for the Inspiring Oxford Summer School programme.

Payment

All fees are charged on a per week, per person basis

Included in the course fee:

  • Any included excursions (see programme details above) and the full optional social programme.
  • Breakfasts Monday-Saturday (residential guests only), five weekday lunches, and dinners Sunday-Friday. If your course includes a full-day field trip, a packed lunch is normally provided.
  • Morning refreshments and the welcome and closing drinks receptions.

Participants attending multiple weeks

Residential participants staying at Brasenose College for consecutive weeks may arrange an additional Saturday night bed-and-breakfast between courses, available for an additional fee. Please email inspiringoxford@conted.ox.ac.uk to arrange this.

Payment terms

  • If enrolling online: full payment by credit/debit card at the time of booking.
  • If submitting an enrolment form: full payment online by credit/debit card or via bank transfer within 30 days of invoice date.

Please be aware that all payments (and refunds) made via non-UK credit/debit cards and bank accounts are subject to the exchange rate on the day they are processed.

Course change administration fee

Please note that course transfers may be permitted in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Programme Administrator, up to 1 May 2026; however, in accordance with our terms and conditions for our open access courses, an administration fee of £50 will be charged.​

Cancellations and refunds

Please see the terms and conditions for our open-access courses.

The Department cannot be held responsible for any costs you may incur in relation to travel or accommodation bookings as a result of a course cancellation, or if you are unable to attend the course for any other reason. You are advised to check the terms and conditions carefully and to purchase travel insurance.

Tutor

Dr Kate Vigurs - Tutor

Dr Kate Vigurs FRHistS is an historian, author and researcher. She is currently a visiting academic in the Department of Political and International Studies at the University of Warwick. With a PhD in history from the University of Leeds, her first book ‘Mission France – The True Story of the Women of SOE’ was published in 2021 to critical acclaim and was shortlisted for the Dr Polly Corrigan Book Prize and the Society for Army Historical Research first book prize.

‘Mission Europe’ was published in May 2025 by Yale University Press, and focusses on the women secret agents across Europe. It was researched using funding from the Gerry Holdsworth Special Forces Charity. Kate is an experienced and highly respected public speaker and can engage with any audience on her specialist subject of women in WW2 and Special Operations Executive, as well as many other aspects of history. Kate has recently spoken at the Chalke History Festival, We Have Ways Festival, The Chelsea History Festival, Natural History Museum, Special Forces Club, University of Warwick, In and Out Club, National Army Museum, Royal Armouries, British Embassy in Paris, as well as several military clubs and schools.

Kate also tutors for the Department for Continuing Education at the University of Oxford and successfully completed her first teaching course on SOE and intelligence in the summer of 2024.

She frequently appears on WW2TV on YouTube. Recent TV projects will see Kate on screens in Denmark, Australia and the UK. In June 2024, she was featured on BBC One’s production ‘D-Day the unheard tapes’ and, more recently, on series five of ‘A House Through Time’. Other TV projects have included: The One show, World War Weird, True Evil – The Making of a Nazi, Spymistress – The Life of Vera Atkins, Secrets of Her Majesty’s Secret Service, WWII in Colour: The Road to Victory on Netflix and the BBC’s Time Commanders.

Teaching methods

Participants will be taught in seminar groups of up to 16 people.

Teaching methods used during this course may include:

  • Short lectures/presentations
  • Physical handouts
  • Seminars/group discussions

Application

Registration closes on 29 May 2026 at 2pm BST (UK time).

If your preferred course is fully booked, you may wish to add yourself to the waiting list and the Programme Administrator will contact you should a place become available.

Online enrolment (single person accommodation and non-residential)

Single person accommodation and non-residential places should be booked online by clicking on the 'Book now' button at the top of this page. Please do not complete an enrolment form for these. 

If you have any trouble booking online, please contact the Programme Administrator by emailing inspiringoxford@conted.ox.ac.uk.

Online enrolments require payment in full at the time of registering.

Single bedroom options:

  • Single en suite: private bathroom facilities (shower, washbasin and toilet).
  • Standard single: private bedroom with shared bathroom facilities (typically shared among four participants).

Enrolment form (multi-occupancy or accessible accommodation)

Twin bedrooms

Those requiring a twin en-suite room (for two people) should complete an enrolment form as these rooms cannot be booked or requested online. Please note these rooms have limited availability. 

If requesting a twin room, each person should complete an enrolment form and name the other person who they wish to share a room with. 

Ground/lower floor accommodation

Brasenose rooms do not have lift access, and the higher rooms can be located up a few flights of stairs. If you need a room on a ground or lower floor please complete an enrolment form and indicate your requirements, or contact the Programme Administrator directly at inspiringoxford@conted.ox.ac.uk as soon as possible. 

Enrolment form

The enrolment form is an editable PDF and can be completed electronically, so you should not need to print and scan it. 

Completed forms should be sent:

  • by email to inspiringoxford@conted.ox.ac.uk, or

  • by post to Inspiring Oxford, Oxford Lifelong Learning, University of Oxford Department for Continuing Education, 1 Wellington Square, OXFORD, OX1 2JA, UK.

Level and demands

The Inspiring Oxford programme is aimed at non-specialists: no prior knowledge is required, and classes are pitched at an introductory level. Courses are designed for an international audience aged 18 and over.

There are no assessments for this course.

Accommodation

Residential options are outlined below.

Please see the 'application' section above for guidance on how to book or request the right accommodation for you, including how to request a lower/ground floor room.

The course fee includes breakfasts Monday-Saturday (residential guests only), five weekday lunches, and dinners Sunday-Friday. All meals included are served in Brasenose College's dining hall. If your course includes a full-day field trip, a packed lunch is normally provided.

Accommodation options at Brasenose

During your course, for an authentic Oxford University experience you can stay in typical student accommodation at Brasenose College, in the heart of the city in buildings overlooked by the iconic Radcliffe Camera. 

Please note that bedrooms are student rooms. They are simply and modestly-furnished and do not have air-conditioning. You can find out more about Brasenose and its facilities by visiting their website.

The following types of accommodation are available. 

  • Single en suite: private bathroom facilities (shower, washbasin and toilet).
  • Twin en suite: shared between participants that apply to the programme together, with private bathroom facilities.
  • Standard single: private bedroom with shared bathroom facilities (typically shared among four participants).

Non-residential option

Prefer not to stay on site? We also offer places on a non-residential basis whereby participants can take classes and have lunch and dinner at Brasenose College, having arranged their own accommodation elsewhere. Breakfast is not included.

Non-residential participants are warmly encouraged to take part in every aspect of the academic and social programme and enjoy the same access to Brasenose facilities as residential participants.

Participants attending multiple weeks

We welcome students who want to attend multiple Inspiring Oxford courses. Residential participants staying at Brasenose College for consecutive weeks may arrange an additional Saturday night bed-and-breakfast between courses, available for an additional fee. This option ensures a seamless and enjoyable stay in Oxford.

Accommodation before/after your course

We are unable to arrange accommodation at Brasenose College prior to or following your course. Please visit universityrooms.com if you require additional nights of bed and breakfast accommodation, and they may be able to assist.

Additionally, family or friends who are not enrolled in the programme cannot be accommodated in college. 

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support