Author: khalvorson@rollins.edu

Reading about the ‘Swing Kids’ was extremely interesting because I have never heard of anything like this before. Most fascinating is the ability music can have on someones life or how it can influence someones political thought process. It is interesting to learn about Manfred Omankowsky work and although he did believe or show interest…

Looking at photos of the sizes of a cellar Berliners would stay in I could never imagine staying one for an extended period of time. It is obvious that the emotions would already be heightened since being confined into a small area. It seemed that if it was a private or a public cellar the…

When the Soviets finally did invade and went to each house looking for German soldiers  I found it very interesting that they were constantly asking for watches and schnapps. These are obviously very different things.  I just am not sure the point of taking both men and women’s watches. It seemed almost like a trophy…

Being forced to wear a star seems so little but I believe mentally it can be very traumatic. I don’t believe that people should be separated from each other or forced to wear something to show that they are different. I have a hard time coming to terms with Hitler having so much influence on…

The KLV plan really stood out to me when I was reading. it just showed that Germans were finally coming to terms with their new realities and stand out for me in a change in the war. Most shocking to me was that if you were a kid over the age of ten you would…

Something I find hard to grasp the idea that the Jews just kind listened to what they were suppose to do and went along with the resettlement. I understand that they were all very scared but there aren’t many stories of people trying to do their own resettlement to somewhere else they want to go…

Through my history classes I have learned about the war but what I really like about this book is that is gives diary entries and has people talking about their experiences. For example, I failed to think about the civilians living in Berlin and the air raids and how it affected people that were simply…

Chapter 6 has provided me with the most information so far from this book. Before reading this I really did not know that labor and that people were forced into slavery during the late 1930’s early 1940’s. I really just through people got send to camps and worked there or got killed. Not only that…

A particular name really stood out to me during these readings, Albert Speer,  was a fascinating and controversial figure during the late 1930s and early 1940s. I found it very interesting to read about him and his ability to sort of reshape how Berlin’s city looked in what I thought was a very quick period…

Wow! After reading the prologue I was amazed at how Hitler celebrated his birthday! I still cannot  get over the idea of how Hitler got so many people to follow him! Along with that, it is weird to think about the dedication in order to see Hitler for just a second or two on his…