History
General history issues, although a lot will be about WW2
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Betsy van Creveld lived in Hoensbroek during the war. Sonny Zurel was her child. The last refugees who were deported by the Nazis from South Limburg, the Netherlands, to Westerbork were two young nurses who had sought refuge in Hoensbroek. Betsie Zurel-van Creveld and her friend Cato van Lier, both from Amsterdam, were arrested by…
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Before I go into the main story, I think it is good to point out the differences between Fascism and Nazism. Key Differences Between Nazism and FascismFascism and Nazism are both far-right authoritarian ideologies that share similarities, such as promoting strong centralized leadership, suppressing dissent, and glorifying the state over the individual. However, they differ…
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Among the ranks of the SS were many evil men, some of whom seemed to take particular pleasure in their cruel deeds. Otto Moll, a notorious SS officer, was arrested by the Nazis on April 29, 1945, following the liberation of Dachau by the US Army. Before his tenure at Dachau, Moll held various positions…
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Act I, Scene I Enter Chorus. Chorus:Hark! Attend, good people, to a tale most dire,Of conflagration fierce and lute’s sweet lyre.Beside fair Geneva’s tranquil lake it fell,A tragedy where smoke and water tell. Enter noble musicians: Lord Ritchie, Sir Ian, Sir Roger, and Sir Jon. Lord Ritchie:Upon the glassy shore we’d planned our art,A hall…
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I’ve written about Corrie ten Boom before, but today marks the 80th anniversary of her release from Ravensbrück Concentration Camp—a perfect moment to reflect on this remarkable woman’s extraordinary courage and resilience. Corrie ten Boom is a name synonymous with resilience, faith, and forgiveness. As a Dutch Christian who harbored Jews during World War II,…
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Amid the chaos and carnage of World War I, a remarkable event unfolded on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in 1914 that remains a powerful symbol of hope and humanity. The Christmas Truce, an unofficial ceasefire on the Western Front, showed that even in the darkest of times, the human spirit can shine brightly. Setting…
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Who Was Eva Braun? A Villain, a Victim, or a Naive Girl Entranced by Love? Was she a shadowy accomplice to one of history’s greatest villains or a naive girl who fell hopelessly in love with the worst man imaginable? Was she his muse, his hostage, or both? Eva Anna Paula Hitler (née Braun; 6…
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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…
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Donald J. Trump appears to be on some crusade against immigrants in the United States, I know he says only illegal immigrants, but let’s have a look at the immigrants that surround him and his family. Donald Trump’s grandfather, Frederick Trump (originally Friedrich Trump), was a German-American entrepreneur who played a significant role in the…
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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…
History of Sorts 