LITHUANIA: MEDAL OF JANUARY 13

Four Norwegians have received  the Medal of January 13 ( Sausio 13-osios atminimo medalis).
Leon Bodd, Thorvald Stoltenberg, Ingvald Godal and Hans-Wilhelm Steinfeld.

The medal was introduced in memory of the events that took place in Vilnius, January 13, 1991,
when the Russian army attacked those who demonstrated against the Russian occupation of Lithuania. The Medal is given to those who have fought for an independent Lithuania from September to December 1991.

VILNIUS: NORVEGIJOS ZURNALISTO HANSO-WILHELMO STEINFELDO-YEAR 1991

IASA-BAAC Conference 2013 took place in the capital of Lithuania, Vilnius, October 6 to 10. Some of the participants paid a visit to The Lithuania National Radio and Television Archives. It was  a historical meeting too because we were informed about the political events of 1991 when people of Lithuania began to demonstate against the Russian occupation of the country. The Television building was attacked by the Russian army. Fourteen  were killed and many vounded .
The political events were not on my mind when I walked around in the Television and Radio Archives. To my surprise, I saw a photo on the wall of the famous Norwegian journalist, foreign correspondent and non-fiction writer, Hans -Wilhelm Steinfeld from The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK). In Vilnius he is called: Hanso-Wilhelmo Steinfeldo. For your information only: Hans-Wilhelm Steinfeld has worked for the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) from the year 1976 - ( I began in NRK the same year, too).He has written several books. In 1990 he received the Narvesen Prize, The Cappelen Prize and the Peer Gynt Prize in 1991. Steinfeldo is well-known in Norway. He was in Vilnius in year 1991. He reported to the whole world about the historical events that took place in Lithuania. Steinfeldo was here at the Television building when the dramatic events took Place doing his job as a reporter. The photo of him is still on the wall - the history on the wall.

Hans-Wilhelm Steinfeld making an interview.

Memory of those who  were killed in 1991.

 

Hans-Wilhelm Steinfeld received The Honorary Prize of the Union of Lithuanian Journalists in 1992.

BARI: HISTORY ON THE WALL - MUSTARD GAS BOMBS

Winston S. Churchill did not like information forwarded him in year 1943 about the sinking of the American Liberty ship : " John Harvey ". He ordered all British documents to be pruged -documents burned due to enemy action. The site is the city of Bari in Italy. " John Harvey " - the U.S Liberty ship had been carring a secret cargo. The cargo contended 2,000 M47A1 mustard gas bombs. A secret cargo. Mustard gas is a chemical agent that causes severe burning of the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. The ship was bombed by German bombers on December 2, 1943. Nearly all crewmen on the ship were killed. I paid the city of Bari a visit. I did not know anything about the city or what went on here during the Second World War. No. But on the wall of a building situated close to the habour, I found information about the war. Later on I got information that four Norwegian cargo ships were damaged due to the German air attack: " Bollsta", "Lom", "Norlom" and "Vest " - Norwegian cargo ships which were all damaged. Four sailors were killed on the ship: "Lom" and six sailors were killed on: " Norlom". Today the city is a wanted aim for foreign tourists. Few of them care to read on the walls of the city.
WWII Liberty ship like the " John Harvey".

Norwegian ships damaged during the German attack on Bari.

 

D/S Vest.

The ship was damaged but later repaired and returned to service. The ship was scrapped in 1959. 

Bollsta

The ship was attacked by German bombers. The ship sank.Six sailors are reported killed.

The name of four sailors killed: Ole Chr. Folkvold ( County:Aust-Agder), Olaf Jacobsen(County: Vestfold), Erling Rasch Eylertsen (County: Telemark) and Gunnar Svingen(Arnesen)(County: Oppland). In year 1948 the ship was raised and returned to service. In year 1969 the ship was scrapped in Italy.

Norlom

The ship was bombed and sank at Bari. Six of the crew were killed.In year 1946 the ship was raised and later sold to be scrapped.

 

 

 

DUBROVNIK: BESIEGED, ATTACKED AND REBUILT BY UNESCO-HISTORY ON THE WALL

The city of Dubrovnik is visited by a lot of foreign tourists every year. The city is nice. Not all of the tourists do know that the city was attacked in year 1991. Shopping is more important than historical facts. For seven months the city was besieged by the The Yugoslavia's Yugoslav People's Army(JNA). The fight was a result of the disagreement about to whom the city belonged: Croatia or Serbia? The reports of the fight are to be found on the walls of the city. The history on the wall is interesting to study. The year was 1991. About 114 civilians were killed. In year 1992 the Croatian Army lifted the siege of the city. The damage of the buildings caused by the shelling of the Old Town
was repaired  with support from UNESCO. General Pavle Stugar who coordinated the attack on the city, was sentenced to an eight-year prison term by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia for his role in the attack.

DUBROVNIK:WHO IS ON THE BALCONY?

Dubrovnik is a Croation city on the Adriatic Sea. The name of the country is Croatia. I paid the city a visit in September in year 2013. A nice city. A stay is recommended. If you go to the city, take a look at the balconies of the buildings.You might see a sculpture on one of the balconies? Who is the person on the balcony? You let me know if you have the right answer.

The city was founded in the 7th Century. Dubrovnik is on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites.