Reading about the looting that went on after the German surrender reminds me on some current events in America…with different motivation. Tonight we discussed the rioting and looting in Baltimore and Ferguson. These lootings have been motivated “retaliation” for young African American men being killed by white police. These acts of burglary and disrespect were…
Author: kbickel@rollins.edu
Increasing Sickness
After 1943, sickness and dread was increasing within the German capital. Halitosis, influenza, common cold, scarlet fever and dysentery were all increasing. The increased shortages of food because of rationing, lack of sleep due to stress, and daily worry of what the next war time effect would be all lead to this lack of health….
Housewives: More Than what Meets the Eye
Hitler’s complete control even penetrated personal, daily life in Berlin. By forcing citizens to say “Heil Hitler” instead of the traditional “Guten Morgen”, he exercised his complete control and thrust the Nazi party onto those opposers. Some member of the capital city especially challenged these guidelines with small victories. There is a recollection from a…
Yom Kippur
Upon reading Into Oblivion of Berlin at War, I was shocked to read about the successful celebration of Yom Kippur. The extreme commitment to a faith, that for some unfair, unknown reason got others in their community imprisioned in the first place, was shocking to me. On October 1st, 1941, when Jewish Berliners were celebrating Yom Kippur at Levetzowstrasse, one…
Reactions in Berlin of War Declaration
Berlin at War by Roger Moorhouse has given me a new insight into the overall initial reactions of Berliners in Germany during the early days of WWII. The initial reactions of the common Berliner to the declaration of war was one of eerie calmness and dread. As war is not usually something to be celebrated,…