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Ans van Dijk—Jewish Nazi Collaborator

(Update from the November 2016 blog) One aspect of history I find particularly difficult to grasp is the collaboration of some Jews with the Nazis. On one hand, I understand that self-preservation is a powerful human instinct—survival at any cost can drive people to make unimaginable choices. Yet, on the other hand, it’s hard to reconcile how those who collaborated could ignore or overlook the…

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The Demmin Mass Suicide— A Final Desperate Act

(Originally posted on 1 May 2016) On 1 May 1945, hundreds of people committed mass suicide in the town of Demmin, in the Province of Pomerania (now in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern), Germany. The suicides occurred during a mass panic provoked by atrocities committed by soldiers of the Soviet Red Army, who had sacked the town the day before. Although death toll estimates vary, it is acknowledged to be…

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The Murder of the Goebbels Children: A Tragic Legacy of Nazi Fanaticism

In the final days of World War II, as the Third Reich collapsed and Allied forces closed in on Berlin, one of the most chilling episodes of the Nazi regime’s downfall unfolded in the Führerbunker beneath the ruins of the German capital. It was there that Magda and Joseph Goebbels, Hitler’s closest propagandist and loyal Minister of Propaganda, made a horrifying decision: to murder their six…

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Suicide is Painless—The Death of an Evil Man

In the bunker’s depths, darkness crept,Where shadows danced and silence wept.In April’s final, fateful breath,History marked a momentous death. The tyrant’s reign, a brutal sway,Had led the world astray.But as the war’s end drew near,His downfall echoed clearly. In Berlin’s heart, besieged and torn,The dictator faced fate’s scorn.As allies closed their tightening grip,And desperation began to…

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“Sometimes It’s Harder to Live than to Die”

When I was younger, in my late teens, one of my uncles took his own life. I was devastated, not just because I was very fond of my uncle but because I never faced a situation like that. I didn’t know if there was anything I could do. Also, the fact that I had the same first name as my uncle didn’t help the situation. A few people thought it was me who committed suicide. At the time, I thought it…

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This used to be my playground

I always get frustrated when people try to excuse the actions of thugs and criminals by blaming their difficult childhoods or lack of places to play. These photos are from a petrochemical plant in Geleen, the Netherlands. When I was growing up, it was known as DSM (Dutch State Mines), even after the actual mines had shut down. Today, the site is called Chemelot. I’m sharing these because I used…

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Remembering the Jews of Geleen

Remembering the Jews of Geleen

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Adolf and Eva- A marriage made in Hell.

The marriage of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun is one of the most infamous and enigmatic unions in modern history, not for the grandeur of the ceremony or the love story behind it, but because of its context: it took place during the final hours of the Third Reich, deep within the Führerbunker in Berlin, as Nazi Germany crumbled around them. Who Was Eva Braun?Eva Braun was born on February 6, 1912,…

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The Execution of Benito Mussolini and Clara Petacci

The final chapter of Benito Mussolini’s life, marked by betrayal, capture, and execution, symbolizes the brutal end of Fascism in Italy. Alongside him was his mistress, Clara Petacci, whose loyalty led her to a tragic end. Their deaths on April 28, 1945, not only concluded Mussolini’s two-decade rule but also sent a powerful message about the fate of totalitarian regimes. Background: Mussolini’s…

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The Final Atrocity: The Execution of 33 Austrian Socialist and Communist Leaders in Mauthausen

As the Second World War drew to a close and the Nazi regime faced inevitable defeat, its acts of brutality did not diminish — in many cases, they escalated into desperate and horrific final acts of violence. One of the most chilling episodes of this period was the last use of gas chambers at Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria: the execution of 33 Upper Austrian socialist and communist…

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215 years of Für Elise

Few pieces of classical music have achieved the universal recognition and enduring popularity of Ludwig van Beethoven’s “Für Elise.” Composed on April 27 1810, but not published until 1867, decades after Beethoven’s death, “Für Elise” stands today as one of the most iconic piano pieces in history. Its simple, haunting melody has transcended time, finding its way into popular culture, film, and…

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1.5 Million Flowers

They grew not in gardens,nor fields brushed by spring,but in the hush between heartbeats,where grief has taken wing. Each one, a tender blossom —a smile just barely sown,a laugh that caught the morning,a dream not fully grown. They plucked them from the sunlight,before they knew the rain,before they tasted birthdays,or danced away the pain. Petals crushed by hatred’s hand,colors blurred by…

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Witold Pilecki: The Hero Who Volunteered for Auschwitz and Planned His Daring Escape

Witold Pilecki stands as one of the most courageous and selfless figures of the 20th century. A Polish cavalry officer, intelligence agent, and resistance leader, Pilecki did what few could even imagine: he voluntarily infiltrated the Auschwitz concentration camp to gather intelligence and organize resistance from within. His mission was unparalleled in both bravery and importance, offering the…

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Witold Pilecki: The Hero Who Volunteered for Auschwitz and Planned His Daring EscapeWitold Pilecki stands as one of the most courageous and selfless figures of the 20th century. A Polish cavalry officer, intelligence agent, and resistance leader, Pilecki did what few could even imagine: he voluntarily infiltrated the Auschwitz concentration camp to gather intelligence and organize resistance from…

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Camp Vught on the Border from War to Freedom

On October 26, 1944, British soldiers from the 51st Highland Division turned onto the Boslaan in Vught. As they passed through the wooded heath, the sight of barbed wire and watchtowers came into view, marking the entrance to Konzentrationslager Herzogenbusch—better known as Camp Vught. Though the grounds were nearly deserted, the abandoned barracks, workshops, and prison bunkers left no doubt:…

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Albert and Ida Claessens-Pastoor Vonckenstraat 51-Geleen

One of the difficulties I have in telling or writing stories about the Holocaust is the sheer volume of victims. I believe the best way of keeping the memories alive is to personalize the stories. Rather then talk about millions ,talk about individuals and show that they were human beings like every one else. To give an indication, if I would only focus on the 6 million Jewish victims and I would…

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Painting for Mengele.

When you look at some bizarre connections in History, you cannot escape the fact that life sometimes has a ironic way of weaving a tapestry of coincidences. One of Hitler’s favourite movies was the Walt Disney classic “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” released in 1937. One of the main animators of the movie was Art Babbitt. an animator who joined the Disney studio in 1932. He  was born to a…