travel

  • The 1965 film The Sound of Music immortalized the story of the von Trapp family as they fled Nazi-occupied Austria. With its sweeping landscapes, memorable songs, and emotional core, it remains one of the most beloved films of all time. But while the movie is inspired by real events, the true story behind the von…

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  • This is a short poignant story but it has so much in it.A story of hope,survival,death, bereavement and most of all a story that tells us that life is a very precious thing. It is also a stark reminder that we have to remain vigilant to ensure that evil doesn’t win. It is the story…

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  • Masada

    The fall of Masada in 79 AD (some sources give another date)stands as one of the most symbolically charged episodes of the ancient world, marking the dramatic conclusion of the First Jewish–Roman War. Perched atop a rugged plateau overlooking the Dead Sea, Masada was not merely a fortress—it was a final refuge, a political statement,…

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  • Isidor Straus and his wife Ida were prominent passengers aboard the Titanic. Isidor Straus was born in Germany in 1845 and immigrated to the United States with his family—when he was a child. He eventually became a successful businessman and co-owner of Macy’s department store in New York City, along with his brother Nathan. Isidor…

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  • I don’t think I have to tell anyone who Elie Wiesel is, but for those who don’t know him, I’ll provide a brief overview. Elie Wiesel was born in Sighet (in Transylvania, now a part of Romania, but part of Hungary between 1940 and 1945) on 30 September 1928 and grew up in a Chassidic…

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  • The Long Peaceful War

    The ‘Three Hundred and Thirty-Five Years’ War lasted from 30 March 1651 to 17 April 1986. The “war” between the Netherlands and the Isles of Scilly is one of those curious historical footnotes that often draw a few chuckles. This conflict, if it can even be called that, occurred in 1651 during the First Anglo-Dutch…

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  • (Originally published 29 April 2022) The title of this blog does not refer to the verse in the bible in the book of Exodus chapter 16 verse 15, “And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto…

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  • Buchenwald

    Buchenwald concentration camp was established in 1937. Thousands of people were imprisoned there, primarily political prisoners and those classified as “asocial.” Following Kristallnacht in November 1938, approximately 10,000 Jewish men were sent to Buchenwald, most of whom were released after about one month. By 1943, many prisoners were forced to work in nearby munitions factories…

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  • What Would I Have Done?

    When reflecting on the persecution of Jews and others during the Holocaust, it’s tempting to judge those who stood by and did nothing, condemning their inaction and confidently asserting, “I would have acted differently.” However, the truth is, none of us can truly know how we would respond unless faced with the same horrifying circumstances.…

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  • The Nazis in Auschwitz were determined to document all prisoners. They also kept records of their experiments and war crimes. That is how arrogant they were, they didn’t think that they would be held accountable and that all these records would be used against them. The Politische Abteilung Erkennungsdienst -“Political Department Identification Service”-in Auschwitz was…

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