WARSAW: THE BURDEN OF OLD MEN

While walking in the streets in the old city of Warsawa I noticed some decorations on one of the buildings: The everlasting burden of some old but strong men. They need strong shoulders. No holidays for the men. My comments are:Don't give up, don't leave the house, keep calm, well done work , no pay so far ,and above all: Ageing is no crime. We need you all, old and young, to make the society working.But who will replace these old men who might ask for a chance? Take care.I recall also a painting made in 1975. The painting was made by Yvonne Claesson. The writing on the painting was a threat to all men worldwide except the old men in Warsaw: We leave now!But they decided to stay for some more years.

(Første pris i SIDAs affischtavling infør FNs Internationella kvinnoår 1975)

SWEDISH PRISONERS OF WAR

SWEDISH  PRISONERS OF WAR IN NORWAY?

During a hike in the forest north of Oslo, the capital of Norway, together with two old friends on May 5, I noticed an information sign set up close to the path. The main content of the information on the sign was that Swedish prisoners of war had built the stone walls set up in the forest. Swedish prisoners of war in Oslo?

I had forgotten the military history about the many wars between Norway and Sweden. The year is 1808. Norway was not an independent country but in union with Denmark. Any war initiated by the kings of Denmark ment that Norway was at war too.

The war of 1807 – 1808 between Denmark/Norway and Sweden led to military actions within Norway. The official reports of the fightings in Norway contents some figures of Swedish prisoners of war . After the battle of Prestbakke in the county Østfold about 361 Swedish prisoners of war were taken. Østfold is a county in the southeastern Norway.

The Swedish battalion : 1. Sødermanlands bataljon consisted of about 150 soldiers.We do not know if the stone walls were built by men from Sødermanland in Sweden – but it might be a possibility?

I do not know if the prisoners from the battle of Prestbakke were the same prisoners who built the stone walls in the forest situated north of Oslo? Anyway the year 1808 is written on the sign.

Swedish prisoners of war were imprisoned at the Akershus Castle in Oslo. Cheap labour was wanted at the Nordberg Farm. The prisoners were not satisfied with the food at the Akershus Castle. No money was given to the Swedish prisoners for the work done at the farm, but they all got food.
Many of the prisoners working at the farm escaped during the work.

The Danish Prince Christian August av Augustenborg (1768-1810) was the military leader of the Norwegian forces. About 400 Norwegian soldiers were killed during the war. After the war, Prince Christian August accepted an official request to become the King of Sweden .

The French General Jean Baptiste Bernadotte became the King of Sweden when Christian August died just after having accepted the request to become King of Sweden in 1814 -and King of Norway too.

History in the trees in  forest close to Oslo – hiking is an interesting activity!

Sources/bibliography:

-Per Erik Olsen: Blodig blågult nederlag. 1807-1808: Grensekrigen mellom Norge og Sverige.
 ( Published: Norge i krig .Norske soldater gjennom 1000 år.." Vi Menn.Norge i Krig. 2014".)
-Norges historie. Bind 9. Kampen om Norge 1784-1814 av Knut Mykland. J.W. Cappelens Forlag .A.S. 1978.
-Grace Brynn: Fra kirkegård til storgård. Published: Nordre Aker Budstikke. June 22, 2008.

JOSEPH CONRAD ON THE WALL IN WARSAW

On the walls of the houses in Warsaw you find many interesting historical plaques. My problem was that the texts were written in Polish. But I noticed one memorial plaque on my way to my hotel because the name was known to me: Joseph Conrad. The street of Warsaw was Nowy Swiat 47. The famous Polish/ British writer had lived in the house in 1861. Joseph Conrad was born December 3, 1857 in what is now Ukraine. The region had belonged to the Kingdom of Poland. He was christened Jozef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski. Joseph Conrad is regarded as one of the greatest novelists to write in the English language. He died in 1924, aged 66.

WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING

Poland. Warsawa 19 April 2017. It was impossible not seeing the many girls and boys wearing the yellow star. The tourists were informed about  the reason for wearing the yellow star: To remember the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943. A small pamphlet was given you contenting facts about the tragic event that took place in Warsawa during the Second World War.

WARSAW GHETTO UPRISING

Three millions Jews living in Poland were deported to ghettos located in Polish cities by the German occupational authorites in 1939. The Warsaw Ghetto was the largest of the many ghettos. About 400 000 people were living in the Warsawa Ghetto. The Jews were dying of hunger, diseases and perished in mass executions. On 19 April 1943 two thousand Germans entered the ghetto to carry out its final liquidation. The Jewish Combat Organization and the Jewish Military Union decided to fight the German soldiers . The Jews were poorly armed. Most of them knew that they did not stand a chance to survive. To die in combat was preferred in order to retain their dignity. The fight went for abour four weeks. The ghetto was destroyed. Fire was set to all the buidings by the Germans.

The story of the rebellion against th Nazi German soldiers is described in the movie, Uprising. The film was realised in 2001.Polish Jews were imprisoned in the Warsawa Ghetto. In 1943 a revolt against the German soldiers took place. The film is directed by Jon Avnet. Archival footage has been used in the movie.The French title for the film is, 1943, L'ultime revolte. The German title is, Uprising: Der Aufstand.

THE YELLOW FLOWER

Marek Edelman was one of the survivours of the battle of the ghetto. On 19 April he used to lay a bouquet of yellow flowers at the Monument to the Warsaw Ghetto Heroes in Muranow.

By wearing the yellow star on your jacked you take part in remembring those who fought, died or perished in fighting the Germans in 1943. To die in combat to retain the dignity was the aim of the impossible fight against the well armed German soldiers.

About 13000 Jews were killed in the uprising.

I got the yellow star which I put on my jacket to commemorate the uprising and to honour those who  fought again all odds.

GUADALEST:EL CASTELL DE GUADALEST -2017

Guadalest  is a small town in Spain, Valencia, in the province of Alicante.The main income of the town in 2017 is tourism. For those of  you are interested in history, I recommend you to pay the town a visit. The town is also of interest for you who want to study military history.The old castle situated in the town should be visited too. The population of the town: About 200 inhabitants only.

Some facts/ A short history of the town:

-The town was a strategic military stronghold

-The town is old. We have to go back to 715 AD

-The Moorish occupation of Spain.” El Castell de Guadalest ” was built in the 12th century

-In 1644 the fort and houses in the town were damaged by a strong earthquake

-During the war of the Spanish succession in 1708 the fort and the town were damaged

-The river Guadalest flows through the area.

The history of the castle . Here is names of some of the persons who were in charge of the castle:

-King Jaime II

-Bernardo de Sarria. The Sarria family

-Prince Pedro of Aragon

-The Cardono family

-Marquis of Ariza

-The Orduna family

In 1994 the Orduna house was bought by the town hall in order to refurbish the house.

THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR

MUYHISTORIA

Spain: La batalla del  Ebro y otros frentes de la Guerra Civil espanola.

Novelists like: Ernest Hemingway, Andre Malraux, George Orwell, Nordahl Grieg, Antoine de Saint-Exupery and above all: Photo journalists like Gerda Taro and Robert Capa were the sources for my private interest in studying of the Spanish Civil War. I take it for granted that the works of the persons mentioned are among those few who make you interest in the Spanish Civil War in year 2017? Because of my interest in history I bought a Spanish paper during my stay in Albir, Spain in February. The main content of the paper was dedicated to information about the Spanish Civil War. The paper is a good one for those of us who have an interest in history. To my surprise I see that information about the war must have been selected for reasons unknown to me. What about the activities made by the French novelist Andre Malraux? What about facts about the famous ” Espana squadron ”?I recall photos of Andre Malraux in front of an aircraft- the French bomber ” Potez 540”.

Andre Malraux was not a professional pilot. He was appointed Lieutenant Colonel for the famous ” Escadrille Andre Malraux” even if he had no military education or any qualification in running an air force. No. But he made the whole world know about the war. My interest for the war was made while reading his book ” The Hope ”( L’Espoir) and viewing his film about the war, ” L’Espoir”. ” For whom the bell tolls” by Ernest Hemingway is another book which made me aware of the conflict in Spain.

What about the Internationale Brigades and facts about the contribution from Norway and Sweden and Denmark? The Norwegian broadcasting reporter, Yngvar Ustvedt, wrote a  book about the Norwegians who participated in the war: ” Arbeidere under våpen. Norske frivillige i den spanske borgerkrigen”. The book was published in 1975. A report about the battle of Ebro is a part of the book.  

Olaf Johansen from the city of Bergen, Odd Olsen from the city ofTrondheim, Bjarne Jensen from the city of Tønsberg, Einar Pettersen from the county, Østfold, Rolf Eriksen from the city of  Oslo and Rudolf Paulsen from the city of Narvik were killed during the battle of Ebro. I do not how many from Sweden who were  died, but Karl Ernstedt was killed.  About 300 Norwegians and about 600 from Sweden  participated in the war.

Novelists who supported the fascists in Spain have been forgotten or not mentioned due to reasons unknown to me?What about: The British novelist, Evelyn Waugh, the Americans: Gertrude Stein and Ezra Pound?

The paper has also dedicted two pages for those who are interested in military history. Guns, aircrafts, tanks, helmets and military equipments used during the war are presented at page 42 and 43. The different aircrafts used by ” Escarille Andre Malraux” are missing. No photos or drawings of the French aircraft , ” Potez 540” , which was used in the fim ” L’Espoir”. Sorry.

I am happy observing that the works of Robert Capa and Gerda Taro are presented in the paper.

SPAIN:ALBIR -FLOWERS

On my way to the hotel  in Albir, I passed some flowers unknown to me. One of the guests at the hotel made me aware of the flowers set up close to the hotel. The name was: Parrot flower. A nice flower with the shape of a parrot. Relaxing to know -a flower and a parrot.
Take look for yourself.