the Netherlands

  • I came across date about the ‘Voormalig Rotterdams kindertehuis’ or Former Rotterdam home for Children. Initially I was a bit confused. I wanted to find out more so I looked in some Rotterdam archives, then I noticed that the actual home was in Arnhem. To make it even more confusing the address was Amsterdamscheweg 1,…

    Read more →

  • The Other Side of WWII

    World War II wasn’t only death and destruction, there were a few occasions where there was some reprieve. Sports remained very important during the war, to keep up the morale. The above picture is of Private Leonardo Rodriguez of Cartaro, Arizona, roping a calf during the American Red Cross rodeo and “Wild West” show staged…

    Read more →

  • For the majority of people the name Patricia Paay will mean very little. However in the Netherlands she is a mega star. She is a Dutch singer, radio host, glamour model and television personality. In the Netherlands, she is well known for her musical career, which spans over four decades. She is also regularly featured…

    Read more →

  • Dr. Maria Montessori once said “Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future.” The picture above is of a Montessori school in Amsterdam, it was taken in 1937. Leonard Samuel van Esso was one if that school’s pupils.…

    Read more →

  • A few months ago I saw a quote which said “If you remember one, you remember them all” This really stuck with me. Today I am remembering Betsy Labzowski, she was born in Zierikzee, the Netherlands , 29 June 1920 and she was murdered in Extern kommando Raguhn, 12 March 1945, which was a subcamp of…

    Read more →

  • Günther Ernst Aronade was born on March 19, 1918 Kattowitz, Germany, now Poland. I am not sure on the exact date but it looks liked Günther and his wife Alisa (Ilse) Heymann moved to Amsterdam in 1938, I can only imagine because of the Nazi regime in Germany. In September 1943 the couple ended up…

    Read more →

  • They say that babies born today will live for 100+ years. This of course can not be said with a 100% certainty, simply for the reason that we don’t know what the future brings. When Margherita Berkelij was born on February 3,1937 her parents had all reason to believe that Margherita would live a long,…

    Read more →

  • I need someone to explain to me the threat this nine-month-old child posed to the Nazi state? Annelise Julie van Voolen was born on 17 September 1942 in Amsterdam and was murdered on 1 July 1943 in Westerbork. She was cremated the following day July 2nd. I don’t know what caused her death but I…

    Read more →

  • Phil Bloom in Hoepla

    +++++Contains some nudity++++ This is a bit of a deviation of my usual blogs but Phil Bloom has a significant cultural meaning to the Netherlands .The name Phil Bloom will mean very little to people outside of the Netherlands. She is an artist and actress On July 28,1967 she caused quite some controversy and a…

    Read more →

  • Not Just Numbers

    The approximate number of Jews murdered in the Holocaust by nation . Poland 3,000.000; Ukraine 900,000;Hungary 450,000; Russia 352,000;Romania 300;000;BaltIc countries 228,000;Germany/Austria 210,000;the Netherlands 105,000;France 92,000;Slovakia 75,000; Greece 54,000;Belgium 40,000;Yugoslavia 26,000;Bulgaria 14,000 ;Italy 8,000,Luxembourg 1,000;Norway 900. Total 5,907,900. These numbers are just estimates. I believe the number is actually higher, because not all suicides are…

    Read more →