Category Archives: Holocaust

Remembrance with Kebab: Babi Yar

Posted on 2020-11-12 by

I don’t know what exactly I expected when I went to the site of the largest mass shooting in the Holocaust, but this I didn’t expect. Continue reading →

Posted in Germany, History, Holocaust, Photography, Travel, Ukraine, World War II | Tagged , | 13 Comments

Why is German reunification celebrated on 3 October?

Posted on 2020-10-03 by

Today, Germany celebrates the 30th anniversary of the reunification of East and West Germany on 3 October 1990. The history buffs among you will know that the Berlin Wall fell almost a year earlier, on 9 November 1989. So why … Continue reading →

Posted in Cold War, Germany, History, Holocaust | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

“East West Street” by Philippe Sands

Posted on 2020-01-12 by

As a lawyer and budding historian, I found Philippe Sands‘ idea of telling the story of international criminal law through the biographies of Hersch Lauterpacht and Raphael Lemkin interesting. But the book East West Street is overloaded with the irrelevant … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History, Holocaust, Human Rights, Law, Ukraine | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Kyiv – Day 18/21 – Snow

Posted on 2020-01-02 by

Recently, many readers were jealous because of the mild Ukrainian winter. You needn’t be jealous any longer, for it finally snowed and became slightly colder. But before you say “oh, how pretty”, I should point out that the photos were … Continue reading →

Posted in Holocaust, Photography, Travel, Ukraine | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Kyiv – Day 10/21 – Babi Yar

Posted on 2019-12-25 by

There is so much to say about this place, but before I do so, I need to spend more time there, read more about it and think more. As you see from the photos, it got dark too early for … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Holocaust, Photography, Travel, Ukraine, World War II | Tagged | 1 Comment

Next trip: Krakow

Posted on 2018-06-10 by

Apparently, studying at a distance-education university does not only mean that I can study from anywhere, but also that they are taking me on trips. As part of my studies in history, I’ll be going on a field trip to Poland, starting … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, History, Holocaust, Poland, Travel, World War II | Tagged , | 22 Comments

Germany 1945-1949

Posted on 2017-04-29 by

These two films illustrate – with quite drastic footage, you are warned – what the Allied powers thought of Germany immediately after the end of World War II. They did see, correctly in my view, a continuity of German militarism … Continue reading →

Posted in Cold War, Films, Germany, History, Holocaust, Military, USA, World War II | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Sean Spicer explains Gas Chambers

Posted on 2017-04-12 by

Pro tip: if you want to make historical comparisons, read a bit about history before you do so. Saying about Hitler that “he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing” displays … Continue reading →

Posted in France, History, Holocaust, Military, Politics, Syria, USA, World War II | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Kaunas: European Capital of Culture 2022

Posted on 2017-04-04 by

As with the choice for 2021, I agree with the election of the European Capital of Culture for 2022. It will be Kaunas in Lithuania. Sadly and inexplicably, during my whole year in Lithuania, I only found one day to visit … Continue reading →

Posted in Europe, History, Holocaust, Lithuania, Travel | Tagged | 1 Comment

Book Review: “Alone in Berlin” by Hans Fallada

Posted on 2017-03-28 by

When a novel becomes an international bestseller 62 years after its original publication, there has to be something to it. Jeder stirbt für sich allein by Hans Fallada was published in Germany in 1947 and finally got translated into English … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Germany, History, Holocaust, Politics, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments