N1104 On the evening of January 30, 1933, in Berlin, just hours after Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany, his supporters marched through the Brandenburg Gate carrying torches. Within six months, every rival political party had been banned or dissolved, and Germany had become a one-party dictatorship. The Nazis promised not only a new political … Read more
On April 6, 1941, Nazi Germany invaded the Kingdom of Yugoslavia to secure its southern flank before launching Operation Barbarossa, the planned invasion of the Soviet Union. Within just 11 days, the Yugoslav army collapsed and the country was divided among the Axis powers and their allies. In Serbia, one of the most important parts … Read more
In 1944, Europe remained under Nazi occupation. After more than four years of war, Nazi Germany had suffered devastating losses but still controlled vast territories beyond its own borders. Because its forces had to defend front lines, watch over occupied lands, and fight resistance movements, the regime needed more soldiers. It relied increasingly on manpower … Read more
In 1944, Europe remained under Nazi occupation. After more than four years of war, Nazi Germany had suffered devastating losses but still controlled vast territories beyond its own borders. Because its forces had to defend front lines, watch over occupied lands, and fight resistance movements, the regime needed more soldiers. It relied increasingly on manpower … Read more
In photographs of Germany's senior military commanders during World War II, one object appears again and again in their hands. It is not a pistol or a map case, but a short, heavily decorated baton gleaming with gold and silver fittings. It was not a weapon and had no practical use in combat. This was … Read more
C’era un mercoledì pomeriggio di fine ottobre quando la mia vita intera cambiò direzione per sempre. Ero lì, seduta a gambe incrociate sul tappeto della lettura, con una pila di compiti di ortografia in grembo e un pennarello rosso in mano. La mia classe di prima elementare era immersa nel silenzio operoso dei bambini intenti … Read more
On December 22, 1944, a 19-year-old soldier from a small town outside Worcester, Massachusetts, sat on the running board of a supply truck on a frozen road in southern Belgium. He had not eaten a hot meal in three days. His hands were cracked at the knuckles, and his boots were wet through. He did … Read more
Lauri Törni was born on May 28, 1919, in the town of Viipuri, then part of independent Finland and today the Russian city of Vyborg. His father, Hjalmar Törni, was a ship captain, while his mother, Rosa Maria (Kosonen), managed the household. He had two younger sisters, Salmi and Kaija. The family was stable and … Read more
Musica, risate e odore di carne alla griglia arrivavano fino al marciapiede. Rimasi fermo lì, con la chiave inglese ancora in mano, a guardare il sole calare dietro il laboratorio. L’insegna con il mio nome, Darwin, era accesa da ventidue anni. Quella sera, per la prima volta, mi chiesi se fosse ancora mia. Mi aveva … Read more
In 1933, the German city of Nuremberg was given over entirely to spectacle. For four days, between August 30 and September 3, thousands of uniformed men marched, saluted, and cheered beneath enormous banners bearing the swastika. Torchlight processions filled the nights, and the sound of massed crowds filled the days. It was the first Nuremberg … Read more