News - TracesOfWar.com

1Dec

World War 2 Youtube Series - The Titanic Struggle for Reunion Island - WW2 Special

New on Youtube, from the makers and creators of Youtube channel 'The Great War', the Second World War week by week, 6 years long.

22Nov

British soldiers in Helmond, the Netherlands

Helmond is a town in the south of the Netherlands, just east of Eindhoven. It was liberated on the 25th of September 1944 during one of the flanking operations of operation Market Garden. After its liberation, the town was used as a rest centre for allied soldiers, mainly British. They where quartered in schools, but mostly at the homes of the civilians. Some signed their names on pieces of paper, others sent lengthy letters after they left. We've compiled a list of names that we came across and encourage British family members to contact us.

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13Nov

Searching for Nazi escape routes by bike in an empty Berlin

Escaping Hitler's Bunker is the latest book by Sjoerd J. de Boer. It is an overview of the last ten days of Hitler's life. Subsequently it follows the escape of various groups and individuals from that last day when they were in Hitler's vicinity. It is the first time that all escape routes are mapped in a book. In word and images, author and WW 2 expert Sjoerd de Boer tells the stories of the best known occupants of the bunker and the Reichskanzlei. And he reports about various eye witnesses who told him after the war how they had attempted to escape. We asked him a few questions by e-mail about his book.

24Sep

Photo Report Race to the Bridge 2021

When the first Airbornes landed on 17 September 1944 in the Renkum/Wolfheze area, it was of the utmost importance to reach their target as quickly as possible: the road bridge in Arnhem. Every year on the Saturday afternoon during the memorial weekend, this Race to the Bridge is reenacted.

28Oct

Researchers discover WWII sewers where Jews hid to escape Holocaust

Ukrainian researchers have discovered the hiding place of Jews in the Lwów sewer made famous in Agnieszka Holland's Oscar-nominated film In Darkness.

20Oct

Illegal murders in Auschwitz

WWII specialist Kevin Prenger wrote: 'A Judge in Auschwitz' about SS judge Konrad Morgen. In 1943, this judge paid a visit to concentration camp Auschwitz in order to investigate malpractices in the camp – as strange as it may sound. The occasion was a parcel, sent from the camp and containing chunks of gold and which was intercepted by customs. In the camp, Morgen discovered this smuggling affair was the tip of an iceberg: camp guards in their masses were guilty of theft and corruption. Whereas in the gas chambers of Nazi-Germany millions of Jews are being killed, Morgen is engaged in gathering evidence of 'illegal' murders. The Dutch History website Historiek.net questioned author Kevin Prenger about his remarkable book.

20Oct

New book about SS Judge Konrad Morgen published

In October 2021 Pen & Sword Books published a book written by TracesOfWar volunteer Kevin Prenger. It is titled A Judge in Auschwitz and tells about Konrad Morgen's crusade against SS corruption & 'illegal' murder in the concentration camps. It has already been published successfully in Dutch and Polish. This English version was translated by Arnold W. Palthe, also a contributor of this website.

12Oct

Arnhem veterans Sam Kendrick and Victor Gregg passed away

British Arnhem veteran Sam Kendrick passed away on Sunday 10 October in Ireland. He turned 96 years old. On September 17, 1944, Sam landed with the British 1st Airborne Division at Renkum. He was taken prisoner of war during the Battle of Arnhem.

10Oct

WWII was above all won by the blood and sacrifice of the Soviet people

Russia’s losses during the Second World War were beyond imagination and touched the lives of an entire population caught between a brutal and murderous invader and a ruthless leadership at home. Soviet victory over the Nazis, which effectively won the war, according to the author, was the end result of effort and sacrifice by the ordinary millions who were totally committed to saving their motherland'. The humanity of the ordinary Soviet citizen in uniform is often forgotten because of later Cold War narratives propagated East and West for differing ideological reasons. With Red Star at War Colin Turbett seeks to redress these imbalances. We asked him some questions about his book by e-mail.

24Sep

Photo Report Race to the Bridge 2021

23Sep

Photo Report Airborne Commemorations Renkum and Heelsum 17 September 2021

On September 17, 2021, the Airborne commemoration was held at the landing areas near Renkum at the beginning of the afternoon. It was then exactly 77 years ago that the first paratroopers and gliders of the 1st Airborne Division landed here. In the evening the commemoration took place at the Airborne memorial in Heelsum.

22Sep

Photo Report Commemoration Victims Bomb Raid 17 September 1944 Ede

On September 17, 1944 at 11:41 in the morning the first bombs fell from allied aircraft in the area around the Parkweg in Ede. The bombs were intended to attack German targets on the east side of Ede, prior to the Airborne landings later that day. A second attack followed in the afternoon. A total of 71 inhabitants of Ede died as a result.

22Sep

Photo Report Commemoration Air Despatch Memorial 2021

The last formal commemoration in the Arnhem Airborne weekend is the commemoration at the Air Despatch monument, near the cemetery in Oosterbeek.

21Sep

Photo report Ceremony headstone with name for unknown Polish soldier

On Friday, September 16 2021, a ceremony was held at the Airborne cemetery in Oosterbeek because the grave of an unknown Polish soldier was given a new stone with name. Thanks to research by Mateusz Mróz, it has been established that the remains in this grave must have come from Edward Trochim of the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade. The ceremony attracted a lot of interest.

21Sep

Photo report Airborne commemoration Bear Pit Arnhem

Prior to the ceremony in the 'Bear Pit' on Friday evening September 16, 2021, there was a meeting for invited guests in the Eusebius Church. Speeches were given here by, among others, Mayor Marcouch and State Secretary Blokhuis.

21Sep

Photo Report Airborne Commemoration Arnhem-West

During the first days of the Battle of Arnhem there was heavy fighting in Arnhem-West. The units intended to reinforce the bridge were stopped here. Every year on the Friday afternoon during the memorial weekend in September, there is a ceremony at the monument that General Urquhart himself unveiled. An impression of Friday 17 September 2021:

20Sep

Photo Report Air landings and Commemorations Ginkel Heath

On Saturday 18 September 2021, the Air Landing and commemoration took place on Ginkel Heath near Ede. Because of Covid without veterans, but with a large crowd and many historic vehicles.

19Sep

Photo Report Commemoration Airborne Cemetery Oosterbeek

On Sunday, September 19, 2021, the annual commemoration was held at the Airborne Cemetery in Oosterbeek. Due to the Corona measures, unfortunately with a limited number of invited guests and no Arnhem veterans.

16Sep

Photo Report Airborne region gears up

The weekend of 17 to 19 September is the focus of the commemorations of the Battle of Arnhem. During the days leading up to this, a lot is already happening. In recent years, exercise Falcon Leap has been held in this week. Large groups of military paratroopers are dropped at various places in the region. Flags are hung and crosses are placed. The first wreath laying takes place. Reenactors and old vehicles appear in the streets etc.