A sense of humour is one of the best survival tools, and the van Boeckels had loads of it. Talking to Jacqueline and Ineke, two of the youngest van Boeckels, they forever tell their painful childhood stories laced with the jokes that were prevalent in the family. It still makes them laugh out loud. Continue reading Processions in the Hunger Winter
After the mobilisation of the Dutch military in 1940 Jacqui had seen the war unfold. Dutch soldiers passing through the street to join up with their company in the dunes, her sisters offering them tea and sandwiches. And then suddenly Germans in the street Continue reading A child’s eye
Before Jan joined their group in the forests of Compogne, the Maquis d’Engreux had experienced trying times. Life was dangerous and volatile. Let me return to the beginning of 1944, when Theo and Jan had not yet arrived. Continue reading Partisans de Houffalize, Maquis D’Engreux
After defeating the Dutch army in 1940, and bombing Rotterdam to cinders, Holland was occupied by the Germans. If living under these circumstances was hard for the average Dutch man or woman in the early years of the war, 1942 was a hellish year Dutch Jews and anyone suspected of working against Hitler. Continue reading 1942: Devilish dilemmas
Interesting points of reflection. One way of looking at it is that trees, or even man-made fences, only bear witness to time, they probably do not even notice our human follies or the stories taking shape in their vicinity. It is you and I, with our human perspectives, who brand the landscape with an emotion. Continue reading Thoughts on inspiration
