World War 2
-
Friedrich “Fritz” Pfeffer was born on April 30, 1889, in Gießen, Germany, into a Jewish family that owned a bustling clothing store in the city’s center. Bright and ambitious, Fritz pursued dentistry in Berlin, eventually establishing a successful practice. After completing his education, Fritz trained as a dentist and jaw surgeon, obtained a license to…
-
The Foundation for Individual Insurance Claims Sjoa (Stichting Individuele Verzekeringsaanspraken Sjoa) pays out life insurance policies of individuals who were persecuted as Jews during the Second World War in the Netherlands to their rightful beneficiaries. They have a list of approximately 2,500 individuals with life insurance policies that were likely not paid out to the…
-
I recently finished am reading Animation under the Swastika: A History of Trickfilm in Nazi Germany, 1933–1945. This compelling book delves into the history of how Hitler and Joseph Goebbels sought to rival Hollywood, particularly the works of Walt Disney. It provides a fascinating and often chilling account of how animation was weaponized as a…
-
The Battle of the Bulge fought from December 16, 1944, to January 25, 1945, was one of the largest and most consequential battles of World War II. This pivotal conflict between the Allied forces and Nazi Germany occurred in the Ardennes region of Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. Often considered Adolf Hitler’s last major offensive in…
-
Anti-Semitic propaganda during the Third Reich was a central tool used by the Nazi regime to spread its ideology and justify the persecution and extermination of Jews. This propaganda aimed to dehumanize Jewish people, portray them as a threat to German society and blame them for Germany’s political, social, and economic problems. Here is a…
-
My mother was born on December 10, 1935, and passed away on January 26, 1996, at the age of 60. It felt far too young, but I took solace in the fact that she lived a full life, witnessing all her children grow up and settle into their lives. Sigmund Cohen, born on the same…
-
Over the years, I’ve often been asked why I write so much about the Holocaust. My answer has always been simple yet profound: because it matters. Because we must remember. Because we must never forget the depths of evil humanity can sink to. That response is truthful—but it’s not the whole story. In truth, even…
-
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Japanese Imperial Navy Air Service on the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941. The attack aimed to neutralize the U.S. Pacific Fleet as Japan pursued territorial expansion in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Key Details: Time and…
-
The surname Klein has always intrigued me, likely because it’s my name. At some point, one of my ancestors altered it from Klein to de Klein for reasons that remain unknown to me. While Klein is traditionally a Jewish surname, it is also carried by others, such as Dr. Fritz Klein. When you search for…
-
The B-17 That Landed ItselfOn a chilly November day in 1944, an anti-aircraft crew stationed in Belgium spotted something unusual. A large plane was heading toward them, its silhouette unmistakable—it was an American B-17, the legendary “Flying Fortress.” The sight was immediately strange: the landing gear was down, and the aircraft was descending fast. There…
