Archive for the ‘History’ Category
The Lod Airport massacre
May 17th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Today Vee and I attended the 60th birthday celebration of someone who has been a dear friend for over 20 years. The event – attended by around 40 family and friends – was held in premises almost opposite the synagogue that she and her husband attend. It was a very joyful occasion but, in her […]
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Czechoslovaks and the First World War
April 22nd, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Regular readers of NightHawk will know that I was in Prague for Easter. During my visit, I viewed a photographic exhibition in Prague Castle of Czechoslovak soldiers in the First World War. Now here’s a quiz question: on whose side did Czechoslovaks fight in the Great War? In a way, it’s a trick question because […]
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The shah of Iran
March 24th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
This week, I was able to visit the British Museum and see the fascinating exhibition “Shah ‘Abbas: The Remaking of Iran”. This tells the story of seventeenth-century Iran through the reign and legacy of one of its most influential rulers, Shah ‘Abbas I who reigned 1587–1629 and founded the capital of Isfarhan. I would always […]
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It has been much worse
March 6th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
I know that everyone is now suffering the impact of the global economic crisis and that some people have been hit much harder than others. But it is important to keep a sense of perspective. I’m currently reading “A History Of Modern Britain” by Andrew Marr (born 1959) which is essentially a review of the […]
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“The Counterfeiters”
February 22nd, 2009 by Roger Darlington
I’m guessing that you’ve never heard of the film “The Counterfeiters” – but this Austrian work the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film last year. I’m guessing that you’ve never heard of “Operation Bernhard” – but this secret German plan devised during the Second World War was the largest counterfeiting operation in history. And […]
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Understanding the Holocaust
February 13th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve done a number of postings mentioning that I was reading “The Nazi Holocaust: Its History And Meaning” by Ronnie Landau. I’ve now finished this excellent work and you can read my review here.
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The remarkable case of Rudolf Vrba
February 7th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
As regular readers of NightHawk will know, I’m currently reading “The Nazi Holocaust: Its History And Meaning”. The book mentions in passing the case of a Slovak Jew called Rudolf Vrba and I recently saw a television programme about this remarkable story. Together with his friend Alfréd Wetzler, Vrba managed to escape from the Nazi […]
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How many died in World War Two?
February 5th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
As I’ve mentioned in a couple of recent postings, I’m reading a book entitled “The Nazi Holocaust: Its History And Meaning”. Of course, it is widely known – if not accepted by Holocaust denialists – that some six million Jews perished in the Shoah. Without in any way wanting to diminish the uniqueness and the […]
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Evian – not just (in)famous for water
January 31st, 2009 by Roger Darlington
As I mentioned in an earlier posting, I’m reading a book entitled “The Nazi Holocaust: Its History And Meaning”. I’m learning a lot that I didn’t know. For instance, I was not familiar with the Evian Conference which was held from 6-15 July 1938. This was convened at the request of Franklin D Roosevelt to […]
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The Diet of Worms
January 28th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
If ever there was an historical event that captures the imagination, it is the Diet of Worms. To English-speaking school children, it must sound like the worst meal ever. Of course, a ‘diet’ is simply a gathering (the word comes from the Latin ‘dieta’) and Worms is a city – arguably the oldest – in […]
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