World War 2
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The NSVO—Nationaal-Socialistische Vrouwenorganisatie (National Socialist Women Organisation-SS), was the female branch of the NSB, the Dutch Nazi party. To win women for National Socialism in the Netherlands, Mussert founded the NSVO on 1 September 1938. As an independent branch of the NSB, it was led by Mrs. A.M. by Hoey Smith-van Stolk. The purpose of…
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Never Again are two words that are easily said. Though, do we mean them? Or are we just saying them to make ourselves feel better about us? Recently, I was called ”a genocide junkie.” I did not judge the person who said it because I could see why they said it. I disagree—because they are wrong about…
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Life is only a sequence of events and accidents, often determined when and where you are born. When I was 15, as a young man in the 1980s in the Netherlands, my main interest was girls and trying to get beer. When Elie Wiesel was 15 and a young man in Romania (or then Hungary)…
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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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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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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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Like in Germany proper and other Nazi-occupied countries, the Holocaust wasn’t a sudden process but a gradual one. On September 1, 1941, the Nazis introduced several measures against the Dutch Jews. On that day, the Nazis announced that from that moment on, Jewish students and teachers were no longer welcome at ordinary schools. They had…
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Sweet angel Rudolf, you would have had 85 candles on your birthday cake today. How I wish I could have helped you blow them out. That would have been 85 candles—one for each year of your life. You weren’t given the opportunity to see five candles on your cake all those years ago. Rudolf de…
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I have mixed feelings about the story of Marcel Pinte. I didn’t think that any child, especially a child as young as six, should ever be used in a war situation. However, I have also never lived in a wartime situation. Marcel was born on 12 April 1938 in Valenciennes, France. He was the youngest…
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You might think this is an odd subject in the narrative of World War II, perhaps it is. However, I was reminded of a former colleague who nearly died because he had an abscess in one of his teeth which he ignored. It had been neglected for several months, it eventually resulted in infections all…
