Indonesia
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On December 2, 1975, 7 South Moluccan terrorists hijacked a train with about 50 passengers on board in open countryside near the village of Wijster, halfway between Hoogeveen and Beilen in the northern part of the Netherlands. The hijacking lasted for 12 days and 3 hostages, including the driver were killed. The terrorists were seeking…
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Reina Prinsen Geerligs, a young Dutch woman who lived a brief but impactful life, is remembered as a symbol of resistance and sacrifice during World War II. Born on October 7, 1922, Semarang, Dutch East Indies,(Indonesia nowadays)Reina’s early life was characterized by intellectual promise and a deep sense of justice. Her contributions to the Dutch…
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Before delving into the main story, it’s important to discuss the events that led up to it. The Farhud Pogrom: A Forgotten Tragedy The Farhud, meaning “violent dispossession” in Arabic, was a devastating pogrom against the Jewish community in Baghdad, Iraq, on June 1–2, 1941. This dark chapter in Jewish history not only marked a…
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On May 23, 1977, the Netherlands was gripped by one of the most dramatic and violent episodes in its post-war history. A group of South Moluccan extremists launched a coordinated attack, hijacking a train and taking hostages in a nearby elementary school. This act of terrorism was not random—it was rooted in decades of political…
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During the Second World War, numerous war crimes were committed by various nations, but some of the most horrific atrocities were perpetrated by the Japanese Army. Their occupation of conquered territories was marked by extreme brutality, with estimates suggesting that up to 14 million people perished as a result of Japanese war crimes. One of…
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This blog is based on nostalgia and facts, although it could not be verified who made the cards. However, the photos in the blog are of a real deck of cards that were made by one or more prisoners in Japanese captivity, it is not known where exactly though, and who made them. They were…
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Aside from the fact that February 28, 1944, was 80 years ago, the date is random, and that is just what all the murders by the Nazi regime were, random acts of violence. Yes, they targeted certain groups, the biggest group being Jewish, within the groups the Nazis were still random in the selection. If…
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One of the definitions of hygiene is conditions or practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease—specifically through cleanliness. The lack of hygiene was one of the hidden killers during World War II, and indeed any other war, because it wasn’t always possible to keep a minimal level of hygiene. This post has a few…
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I love the Netherlands. I was born and raised there and proud to call myself a Dutchman. Like all other countries in this world, it has pages in history that are not so glorious. I believe that the best way for any country to deal with the darker days of its history is not to…
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The Nazis weren’t the only ones using concentration camps, the Japanese Imperial army had them too, although not to the extent as the Nazi camps, and they were not meant for mass extermination. However, the treatment of the prisoners was still brutal and evil. One of the camps was the Lampersari Prison camp. Lampersari was…
History of Sorts 