Here are some photos I’ve started collecting that will be used in my photo journal autobiography a photo of “myself” A photo of “my brother” A photo of a line of German political prisoners, one “my father”, all in a line having just arrived at Sachenhausen Or a photo of when I watched the soldiers ride…

Between 1915-1923, the Ottoman Empire started exterminating its minority subjects living in the Ottoman Turkish territory. It is estimated that a total of 1.5 million Armenians were killed during this time. However barely twenty-seven countries recognize it as a genocide. On the other side the Jewish Genocide by the Third Reich was recognized worldwide, during…

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…

In April of 1945 the Red Army began to make it’s final advances towards Berlin. The shelling from the Battle of Berlin had left the city in shambles and the spirit of the people almost wholly broken. They had shifted into survival mode, no longer could they (or their government) deny the fact that the…

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….

Diary entry from Edith Farber. I received a letter in the mail today. It was from Hans! I was so excited wen I saw his handwriting because I hadn’t heard from him in so long. I got even more excited when I saw what the letter said!! He had told me that once he got…

Diary entry from Edith Farber. Age 16.  Today I received a letter from my father. I haven’t heard from him since I moved to the country, only from my mother. Unfortunately the letter said that she had passed away in the bombing that took place on the first of March. Although it has been years…

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…