Tag Archives: World War II

Irena Sendlerowa.

Posted on April 21, 2009 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

I’m disappointed that I missed the  Hallmark Hall of Fame television docudrama about Irena Sendlerowa.  But I came across these comments from Phyllis Chesler that are worth pondering: … yesterday was the fiend Hitler’s birthday and the day the United … Continue reading →

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Warsaw: “A city that no longer exists.”

Posted on April 16, 2009 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

In Poland,  a new exhibit of …two dozen or so black-and-white pictures in “Warsaw from Above” give visitors an eagle’s eye view of the Polish capital as the densely packed, almost honeycomb-like city of tenement buildings, townhouses and palaces of … Continue reading →

Posted in Poland, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Great Escape: fact vs. fiction.

Posted on April 2, 2009 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

This heading “‘Great Escape’ POWs remember comrades…and boo ‘silly’ Steve McQueen. summarizes it all. I can understand the frustration of the survivors of the horrific event to realize that most people would only recall what happened 65 years ago through … Continue reading →

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The World War II story behind Adidas and Puma.

Posted on March 6, 2009 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

It turns out that the predecessor of the sports shoe companies Adidas and Puma was the manufacturer of the “Panzerschreck”, the German version of the bazooka. And the American GIs who debated whether to destroy the building where the anti-tank … Continue reading →

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Processing of human hair from the Auschwitz death camp.

Posted on March 3, 2009 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

The horrors of World War II are never quite behind us.  According to Spiegel Online: The deputy head of the Auschwitz Museum’s research department, Dr. Jacek Lachendro, told SPIEGEL TV that part (1.95 tons) of the hair still exhibited in … Continue reading →

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Sir Nicholas Winton, a hero for the ages.

Posted on February 22, 2009 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

A couple of years ago I was lucky to be invited by a friend to go to Paris.  My visit there coincided with the visit of one of those rare individuals who –in his unassuming way- was a giant of … Continue reading →

Posted in Czech Republic, Holocaust, World War II | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

The Great Escape.

Posted on May 27, 2008 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

Some of the things that have amazed me about Poland: I was just listening to the radio and the music score of the movie The Great Escape was playing… What a score! It always makes me feel good! Yet, this … Continue reading →

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Thoughts on leaving Poland – Part 1 – Discovery

Posted on May 26, 2008 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

Moving in the Foreign Service. We are hitting the last leg of our unaccompanied tour in Warsaw. Only 6 weeks left before we depart to go home. Bitter-sweet thoughts come to mind. Poland is a beautiful country, rich in magnificent … Continue reading →

Posted in Foreign Service, Moving, Poland, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Irena Sendlerowa: Member of the “decent” race.

Posted on May 14, 2008 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

Irena Sendlerowa had a gentle and sparkling gaze. She was a giant of a human being, working against all odds to wrench 2500 children from the arms of their miserably desperate parents, risking her life as well as others in … Continue reading →

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Have you ever heard of Oswiecim?

Posted on June 12, 2007 by Barbara Dillon Hillas

Auschwitz From Krakow (Poland), driving through beautiful fields, along country roads with fruit trees lining the sides of the roads, one eventually arrives at the most infamous place in the world: a pleasant little town called Oswiecim about an hour … Continue reading →

Posted in Auschwitz, Czech Republic, Europe, Holocaust, Poland, Travel, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments