the Netherlands
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In several European cities, they are remembering victims of the Holocaust by placing plaques in the streets where they used to live. The plaques are referred to as Stumbling Stones because people may stumble while walking on the sidewalk, and the purpose is to draw attention to the plaques. The plaques indicate the name, date…
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It is important how you report on history. No one expects things to be always 100% accurate, but facts that can easily be verified should always be correct. In the case of Hanns Albin Rauter, I have seen him described as the Dutch head of Police during World War II, this is not true, he…
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The German Reich Commissioner , in the Netherlands, Arthur Seyss-Inquart issued the second metal ordinance (Metallgutverordnung) on July 23, 1942. This meant, among other things, that the church bells would be requisitioned for the benefit of the German war industry. On October 11 of the same year, Seyss-Inquart referred to his decision in a speech.…
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Not every evil act was committed by a weapon or by sending people to the gas chamber. Some evil acts were much more subtle. Herman Heukels was a photographer and a member of the NSB, the Dutch Nazi party, Hermans’ weapon was a camera. He took pictures of several raids. His most famous pictures are…
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Hans Jack Tannenberg, a boy with a teddy bear. That is basically one of the few things I know about him. I probably could find out more if I would do some more research. But, I decided not to because I shouldn’t have to. This boy should have become a man, a father ,a grandfather…
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From the 3rd of May 1942, the Nazis made it mandatory to wear a yellow cloth star, called the “Star of David,” in the Netherlands. This measure made it easy to identify Jewish people and was intended to stigmatize and dehumanize them. These stars were printed on inexpensive yellow cotton, in De Nijverheid, a textile…
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July 21, 2025 was my 30th wedding anniversary. I still vividly remember my wedding day. It was the hottest day of the 20th century, at least in the town of Geleen, the Netherlands, where I got married. It was 42 degrees Celsius. Despite the heat, it was a beautiful day because both my family and…
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A Rain of Bombs March 1945, two months before the liberation. Den Haag has by then been occupied by the Germans for nearly five years. It is the tail end of the Hongerwinter, and there is a shortage of almost everything. On March 3, an additional great tragedy strikes the residents of the Bezuidenhout district…
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The story of Harrie and Trien Semler-Hendriks “Not a single day was without danger.” The most striking action of the underground resistance movement “De Vrijbuiters” in Maarheeze was the raid on the ration-distribution office in Valkenswaard in April 1944. The group also helped dozens of people in hiding. Yet here, in the border region with…
History of Sorts 