travel
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I know what you all are thinking “He is Dutch, he must have been smoking some funny stuff” Rest assured nothing could be further from the truth. 30 February was actually a real date, well at least in Sweden. February 30 was a real date in Sweden in 1712. Instead of changing from the Julian…
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Dick Turpin is one of England’s most famous historical outlaws, known for his exploits as a highwayman during the early 18th century. Over time, he has become a legendary figure, celebrated in folklore and literature as a daring and gallant rogue. However, the reality of Turpin’s life is far less romantic. While he was indeed…
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In Auschwitz’ shadow, where darkness lay deep,A mother once cradled her children to sleep.Her son, just ten, with bright, curious eyes,Her daughter, eleven, under grey, smokeless skies. They walked hand in hand on a road cold and grim,A path carved in silence, devoid of a hymn.The mother, so gentle, whispered soft prayers,But the heavens were…
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Before delving into the story of Adriana Valkenburg, it’s important to understand the context of prostitution in the Netherlands. While prostitution has historically been tolerated in the country, it was not officially recognized as a legal profession until 1988. In the Netherlands, prostitution is legal and regulated, with sex work recognized as a legitimate profession.…
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The Końskowola Ghetto, a small yet harrowing piece of the Holocaust’s vast history, stands as a stark reminder of the Nazi regime’s genocidal campaign against the Jewish people. Located in the Lublin District of Nazi-occupied Poland, this ghetto represents the systematic oppression, suffering, and extermination faced by Jewish communities during World War II. Although less…
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On may 15 1945 , Otto Frank wrote the following letter, while on board the Monowai steamship. This was exactly 5 years after the Dutch army had capitulated to the Germans. “The closer we get to home the greater our impatience to hear from our loved ones. Everything that’s happened the past few years! Until…
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The Holocaust remains the most devastating and horrifying chapter in human history, marked by its relentless dehumanization and systematic annihilation of millions of people. Among the lesser-known stories is that of the Schwanger Kommando, or the “Pregnant Command,” which existed in the Kaufering subcamps of Dachau, one of the many Nazi concentration camps. Background: The…
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It is a sensitive and often overlooked subject. I’m not certain whether suicides were completely included in the Holocaust statistics. In this blog, I focus specifically on the situation in the Netherlands, but I believe this was likely the case in all occupied territories—and possibly beyond. Suicide emerged as a tragic yet significant response to…
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A vital element of the Holocaust’s industrial-scale genocide was the efficient logistics system that transported millions of people to their deaths in concentration and extermination camps. The Deutsche Reichsbahn, the German national railway company, played a central role in this process. By providing the means of transportation for the deportation of Jews and other victims,…
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Just a young girl standing outside her school in Amsterdam with a sign that reads, “Memory of my school time, 1936.” The whole future was still ahead of her. The possibilities were endless. Her dream was to become a midwife, a noble profession to help deliver new life and witness the joy of young mothers,…
History of Sorts 