Auschwitz
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In January 2017, Polish historians unveiled what they claim to be the most comprehensive roster of Nazi SS commanders and guards at Auschwitz, aiming to ensure that any surviving perpetrators might still face justice. This monumental effort, spearheaded by the state-run Institute of National Remembrance, is titled the SS KL Auschwitz Garrison List. It draws…
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Salomon Cohen was the second of three children born to Joseph Cohen and Federika Gozina Godschalk. He was born on July 14, 1907, in Gorredijk, a small town in Friesland, the Netherlands. Like his father, Salomon followed the trade of a butcher. On June 10, 1936, he married Roosje de Wilde, the daughter of Gerson…
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(November 22, 1934 – November 13, 1942) In Amsterdam’s streets, a child once played,Laughter as bright as the morning’s arrayed.Judic, a girl with dreams untold,It’s a story cut short in a world gone cold. Born to life on a November morn,In a city where beauty and strife were sworn.The cobbled paths knew her tiny feet,Her…
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Eve Simons was born on November 16, 1939, in Amsterdam; the picture above is of the announcement of her birth in a local newspaper by her parents. Less than three years later, Eve was murdered in Auschwitz. For Eve and the light that could not stay In Amsterdam, on a chilly morn,A fragile star, young…
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I will never forget the moment my wife told me we were expecting our first child. It was pure magic. Bringing new life into the world is a sacred, joyful moment that every expecting parent should be able to cherish—free from fear, focused only on the health and future of their baby. My thoughts drift…
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Anne Frank’s schoolmates played a significant role in her early life, forming a close circle of friends that shared childhood dreams, games, and conversations during a turbulent time Anne Frank attended two main schools in Amsterdam before she and her family went into hiding: Montessori School (from 1934 to 1941)Jewish Lyceum (from 1941 to 1942)Since…
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Rachel Elisabeth Italiaander (Chelly) was the eldest daughter of Isidor Italiaander and Esther Stad. She was born on July 1, 1929 in Amsterdam. Still, it wasn’t until 1939 that she had a sister, Elisabeth Julia, and in 1941, a brother, Marcus Jozef, followed. The two youngest children survived the war by going into hiding. Rachel…
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On October 30, 1944, Margot Frank and her younger sister Anne were put on a transport from Auschwitz to Bergen Belsen. By November 1944, Bergen Belsen received approximately 9,000 women and young girls. Margot and Anne were murdered there in February 1945. I deliberately say murdered because they were ill and received no treatment—to me,…
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Vidkun Quisling is one of the most infamous figures in 20th-century European history. His name became synonymous with treason and collaboration during World War II, and his actions as a Nazi collaborator in Norway led to one of the most dramatic and controversial trials in the aftermath of the war. This essay delves into Quisling’s…
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The title of this blog is the opening lines of the song “Red Sector A” by the Canadian Rock band “Rush.” It is a song from their 1984 album, Grace Under Pressure. It’s one of Rush’s most emotionally charged songs, heavily influenced by Geddy Lee’s personal family history. The song’s poignant lyrics, written by drummer…
History of Sorts 