World War 2
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We are in the middle of a new UEFA Champions League season and only a few months away of UEFA Euro 2024 This inspired me to look at some players who never had a chance to play in football tournaments, either as players or coaches. Before I go into the stories of some individual footballers,…
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Somebody once told me, “Evil acts can only be committed by men.” I disputed that notion. History has many examples of women who are just as evil—if not even more evil than men. Anyone who knows me knows how important eye health is to me. In 2011, I lost my right eye, and in 2015,…
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Most people will have heard of Sophie Scholl, but perhaps not so much about her brother Hans. Both Hans and Sophie were members of the resistance group, The White Rose. The reason I refer to Hans Scholl as a victim (in the title) rather than a resistance fighter is as follows:Except for the Jews, Roma,…
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Americans and the Holocaust is an exhibition at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC, which opened on 23 April 2018. Before I go into the details of this exhibition, I want to mention one of the few Americans, Eddy Hamel, who was murdered during the Holocaust. Eddy Hamel was the first Jewish player, and…
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One of the men I owe my freedom is—LT Colonel Robert G. Cole. I do understand people will argue and say, “You were born a free man—long after World War II.” However, because of the sacrifice of men like Robert G. Cole, I was born a free man. Cole was born at Fort Sam Houston,…
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Operation Market Garden was a failed operation by the Allied forces, which would have dire consequences for the Netherlands in the following winter. Irish journalist and author Cornelius Ryan wrote the book A Bridge Too Far about the operation. Market Garden was divided into two parts.Market: Airborne forces (of Lieutenant General Lewis H. Brereton’s First Allied Airborne…
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The vow: David whispered in Dora’s ear. “No matter where they take us, we will meet back here in the Square, when this is over. Stay strong my Love, and know my thoughts and prayers are with you.” Dora replied with tears in her eyes. “I love you David and I will pray every night…
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A few months ago, I visited Dachau. Today, for some reason, I was reminded of something that the tour guide said. The guide was from Ireland, which I found surprising but it was a pleasant surprise because he was clearly an expert in Dachau and its history. However, despite his expertise, there was one thing…
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Sabotage: a destructive or obstructive action carried out by a civilian or enemy agent to hinder a nation’s war effort. The Dutch are often criticized for not having done enough to protect their fellow citizens during World War II, especially their Jewish neighbours. To an extent, it is a justified criticism. However, this doesn’t mean…
History of Sorts 