History

General history issues, although a lot will be about WW2

  • I know the Catholic church has quite a few questions to answer when it comes to WWII, but there were many within the church who stood up against the Nazi regime, knowing that it could cost them their lives and for many it did. Alfred Delp was a German  Jesuit priest. Witnessing at  first hand his…

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  • Jews in World War 2

    As the title suggests, this blog is about Jews in WWII. However it is not about Jews who were murdered during the Holocaust. This is about the Jews who fought on both sides, for the allied troops but also for the Axis powers. This may sound crazy but some Jews even got awarded an Iron…

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  • This is slight deviation from my usual heavier history blogs. Every once in a while something lighthearted is needed. The Netherlands, a small country in the Northwest of Europe. Known for great painters and footballers and for Tulips and windmills and a lot of other things. It is however not so much known for its…

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  • One event that is often over looked in the wider context of WWII is one of the first actions of the war. On September 1,1939 the Germans cut the phone and electricity lines to the Post office of Gdansk. At the time there were 56 people in the building. Combat engineer and Army Reserve 2nd…

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  • First of all, let me tell you I am Dutch, and I am proud to be Dutch. I love the country where I was born and where I grew up. But I am not proud of some of its black pages in history. I can understand why some Dutch bureaucrats and civil servants colluded with…

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  • I am Paul

    I am Paul , like every 4 year old boy I like to kick a ball. Give me a blank sheet of paper and some crayons and I am happy as can be. I am Paul  I feel like a big boy but I know I am small. I like to play outside, come rain…

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  • I would love to explain the exact reason why these 9 Polish men were executed on November 25,1941. But I can’t. Looking at the text of the German announcement which was signed by the by the governor of Lublin district,all that the announcement indicates is that the men did not fulfill their quota and were…

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  • I think mostly everyone has heard of the name Dior. The fashion house Dior is one of the most successful fashion houses in the world. However there is a darker history behind the name and on the other hand also a tale of heroism is connected to the name. Especially the family’s history during WWII…

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  • Oliver Hardy

    When you think of a comedy duo the first pair that comes to mind is Laurel $ Hardy, they were and still are ,without a shadow of a doubt the most successful comedy double act of all time. However these 2 were not always a duo, they both had long established careers before they teamed…

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  • Who is an immigrant?

    The buzzword nowadays is “immigrants” and in hardly any context it is used in a positive way.Here is the thing though, who is an immigrant? This is just a micro snapshot in history. It is basically a background of my family well at least from my Mother’s side. The picture at the start of the…

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