Ravensbrück was the only major Nazi concentration camp for women. At the end of autumn 1938, Himmler decided to establish a concentration camp for women in Ravensbrück. This location was chosen by Himmler because it was out-of-the-way and at the same time easy to reach. Ravensbrück was a small village located in a beautiful areaContinue reading “Ravensbruck, Hitler’s Concentration Camp for Women During World War II”
Category Archives: World War 2
13 Amazing Colorized Photos of Refugees During World War II
Refugees crossed these same passageways 70 years ago. But they were not Syrians and they traveled in the opposite direction. At the height of World War II, the Middle East Relief and Refugee Administration (MERRA) operated camps in Syria, Egypt and Palestine where tens of thousands of people from across Europe sought refuge. MERRA wasContinue reading “13 Amazing Colorized Photos of Refugees During World War II”
Belgian Man Discovered Stash of Cars Hidden in Abandoned Quarry Since World War II
For nearly 80 years these cars have been hidden underground in a quarry in France but they were uncovered by Belgian PE teacher Vincent Michel in 2016. The cars were hidden away during World War II and after the war ended they were never removed. It is thought the rusting collection was hidden to avoidContinue reading “Belgian Man Discovered Stash of Cars Hidden in Abandoned Quarry Since World War II”
How A Small Group Of Canadian Paratroopers Saved Denmark From Soviet Occupation
By May 1945 the war in Europe had finally started to wind down. Yet for the men of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, there was one final mission to complete before they were relieved. Due to increasing tensions between them and the USSR, the Western Allies recognized that they had to take as much GermanContinue reading “How A Small Group Of Canadian Paratroopers Saved Denmark From Soviet Occupation”
The Dancer in Birkenau: Meet the Polish-Jewish Ballerina Who Shot Nazis on Her Way to the Gas Chamber
More a certainty than a legend, a woman killed a Nazi guard at Birkenau while she was ordered to strip en route to the gas chambers. But who was she? On October 23, 1943, a transport of around 1700 Polish Jews with foreign passports were transported out of the Special Camp at the Bergen-Belsen ExchangeContinue reading “The Dancer in Birkenau: Meet the Polish-Jewish Ballerina Who Shot Nazis on Her Way to the Gas Chamber”
Amazing Photos of Britain’s Female Dispatch Riders During World War II
During World War II, the British Royal Navy created an all female corps whose members were nicknamed the Wrens. One of their most notable duties was as dispatch riders for both the Admiralty and the Royal Navy. This turned out to be a tough assignment as German bombs made travel increasingly difficult as the warContinue reading “Amazing Photos of Britain’s Female Dispatch Riders During World War II”
25 Tragic Photos Of The Forgotten Genocide In Nazi-Occupied Poland
The death toll of the Holocaust wasn’t 6 million, it was 11 million. These are some of the victims killed in Nazi-occupied Poland who often go overlooked. When we think of the Nazis’ crimes against humanity, the most obvious example is the horrific, systematic murder of about 6 million Jews across Europe. However, the HolocaustContinue reading “25 Tragic Photos Of The Forgotten Genocide In Nazi-Occupied Poland”
The Last Jew of Vinnitsa, 1942
“The Last Jew of Vinnitsa” is an iconic photograph picturing the imminent execution of a Jewish man in the vicinity of the Ukrainian town of Vinnytsia during a massacre perpetrated by Nazi SS and Ukrainian militia. The photograph was found from the personal album of an Einsatzgruppen soldier (from Nazi death squad). It is namedContinue reading “The Last Jew of Vinnitsa, 1942”
Why did Nazis Shoot Female Russian Soldiers on Sight
Stories about military history often focus on battlefield tactics and strategy. When they do focus on people, it is usually on a male soldier. However, during WWII, the Germans often executed female soldiers on sight. This is doubly amazing because it suggests women were a significant part of the fighting forces and that they provokedContinue reading “Why did Nazis Shoot Female Russian Soldiers on Sight”
A Collection of Funny Photobooth Portraits of World War II Soldiers
These funny photobooths are from war-time photo album of John Beat, 14 BSD, RASC. North Africa, where he was in stores and supplies as part of the Royal Army Service Corp. Ever the joker, John posed for some souvenir photos with his best friends on leave in Cairo in March 1942.
