N1104

When Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands on May 10, 1940, the attack came with paratroopers, tactical strikes, and heavy aerial bombardment. The bombing of Rotterdam culminated on May 14 with the destruction of its historic center, and after the Germans threatened to bomb Utrecht in the same way, the Dutch forces surrendered one day later. … Read more

Florentine Rost van Tonningen was born Florentine Sophie Houbolt on November 14, 1914, in Amsterdam, the youngest of four children. Her father was German, had moved to the Netherlands as a young man to build a banking career, and married his employer's daughter. The family settled in Hilversum, where they were held in high regard. … Read more

In October 1944, Erwin Rommel was no longer commanding armies. He was recovering at his villa near Ulm from a fractured skull suffered when a British fighter plane attacked his car in Normandy that summer, and he was still nearly blind from the injury. Only months earlier, he had been one of the most feared … Read more

On July 4, 1946, several thousand people gathered on a hill near the town of Gdansk in recently liberated Poland. Before them stood a row of gallows. One by one, 11 bound prisoners were noosed on the backs of Allied military trucks. When the signal was given, the trucks drove forward, leaving the condemned suspended. … Read more

The Mercedes-Benz 770 Grosser W150 was a favorite showpiece vehicle for several Nazi leaders, including Adolf Hitler. The heavily armored car weighed 4,100 kilograms, or about 4 tons, and was powered by a 230-horsepower engine that gave it a top speed of roughly 150 kilometers per hour, or about 93 miles per hour. Its protective … Read more

The Nazi occupation of the Netherlands began on May 10, 1940, when German forces invaded the country. The Luftwaffe used paratroopers to capture tactical points and support the advance of ground troops. The invasion was accompanied by heavy aerial bombardment of Rotterdam, culminating on May 14 with the destruction of its entire historic center. Because … Read more

The wedding of Hermann Fegelein and Gretl Braun on June 3, 1944, was the largest social event on the calendar of Hitler's inner circle. It was stage-managed with great care by Eva Braun, and it unfolded against the backdrop of the Nazi elite's alpine retreat at Obersalzberg in southern Bavaria. Obersalzberg was a heavily secured … Read more

The Iron Cross is a decoration that has become synonymous with the German military of two world wars. It was awarded for gallantry or meritorious service in operations against the enemy. Almost all recipients were men, since Germany prohibited women from joining combat units. Yet in World War II, somewhere in the region of 40 … Read more