Read the First Chapters of “The Resistance Girls Revisited”

Greetings, readers and fans of The Resistance Girl Series! Exciting news awaits as I announce the arrival of the much-anticipated final book in the series, The Resistance Girls Revisited: A Reunion of Courage and Bond.

Prepare to immerse yourself once again in the extraordinary lives of Lili, Océane, Esther, Sable, Edda, and Anna as they reunite at the picturesque Swiss finishing school where their paths first intertwined before World War II.

Set partly in Le Manoir, Switzerland, in 1948, three years after the tumultuous end of the war, our six heroines, alongside mothers Agnès and Madeleine, gather to honor their enigmatic headmistress, Madame Paul, on her 40th year of leadership. Amidst the breathtaking backdrop of the Swiss Alps, they come together to reminisce and celebrate their shared experiences, braving the trials of war and forging unbreakable bonds of friendship.

In this emotional reunion, the women share their gripping tales of wartime bravery, from the chaos of battlefields to the secrecy of covert operations. Their stories, inspired by real events, weave a rich tapestry of courage, sacrifice, and resilience, showcasing the indomitable spirit of the female heart in the days of peril.

As a teaser, I offer an exclusive sneak peek into The Resistance Girls Revisited. Click the link below to read the first three unedited chapters of the girls’ captivating journey through their past and into the future.

Don’t miss the thrilling conclusion to The Resistance Girl Series. Join all the girls, now mature married mothers, as they embark on their final adventure, rediscovering the true meaning of courage, love, and the enduring power of friendship.

On 16 July 2024 we will celebrate the ultimate closure to The Resistance Girl Series. After that, I truly hope you will embark with me on a new series about female resistance fighters: The Timeless Spies Series.

But first things first, as we revisit the remarkable journey of our cherished heroines.

Unveiling “The London Spymaker”: Book 7 in The Resistance Girl Series

The moment has arrived! I’m so happy to announce the release of my newest book, “The London Spymaker,” the 7th book in “The Resistance Girl Series”. Set against the backdrop of World War II, this gripping tale of espionage, betrayal, and passion promises to captivate your imagination and tug at your heartstrings.

In “The London Spymaker,” we delve into the tumultuous world of Anna Adams, the indomitable spymistress of Baker Street Headquarters. Anna’s duty is to recruit female secret agents to be sent behind enemy lines in France, navigating a web of secrecy, love, and duty in wartime London.

However, Anna’s world is turned upside down when her former boyfriend, the Polish fighter pilot Major Henryk “Hubal” Pilecki, reenters her life. Torn between her undeniable feelings for Hubal and her duty to marry the British Count Roderick Macalister to erase all traces of her past, Anna is faced with an impossible choice.

As the war rages on, Anna’s decisions lead to catastrophic consequences, with her female agents disappearing without a trace. In the aftermath of the war, Anna embarks on a quest to uncover the fates of the women she sent to their deaths, while confronting her own troubled past and mysterious protector.

But don’t just take my word for it! Here’s what some early reviewers had to say:

1.      “A really wonderful book! WWII Historical that is intriguing and heartbreaking. Lots of twists and turns and tragic events in this unpredictable haunting story make this a real page-turner and a must-read.”

2.      “Highly Recommend This Series. Another riveting, well-researched resistance story by Hannah Byron. It shows a different side to the WW2 story, especially events immediately after the end of the war. Highly recommend this series, this is book 7.”

3.      “This book by Hannah Byron is the best out of the whole series, so detailed descriptions, something just connected with me in this read to keep it one of my top 5 books this year. A KEEPER!”

4.      “I Suggest You Read the whole Series and Be Swept Away. This is a story that will have you captivated from the very first page. Honestly, I never knew I could get into historical stories but this series has really captured my heart.”

And the best news yet? “The London Spymaker” is currently available at the low price of $4.99 for just a few more days before it goes up to $6.99. Whether you prefer ebook, paperback, or Kindle Unlimited, now is the perfect time to dive into this enthralling tale of courage, sacrifice, and redemption.

Don’t miss out on the latest book in “The Resistance Girl Series”. Grab your copy of “The London Spymaker” today and embark on an unforgettable journey through the shadows of wartime London and post-war Germany.

Dive into The London Spymaker, a Thrilling Tale of Espionage and Intrigue!

Celebrate Women's History Month with My Inspiring YouTube Series!

March is Women's History Month, a time to honour the incredible contributions and achievements of women throughout history. To commemorate this special occasion, I’ve launched a Women's History Month playlist series on YouTube!

I’d love for you to watch as I shine a spotlight on the remarkable stories of trailblazing women from all walks of life. From pioneers in science and technology to leaders in activism and the arts, each video in this series gives a short overview of the lives and legacies of extraordinary women who have shaped our present-day world in profound ways.

Whether you're familiar with their names or discovering them for the first time, these inspiring stories will lift a tip of the veil of their enduring impact.

Please watch and subscribe to my YouTube channel. After Women's History Month, I’ll return to my own heroines of the WW2 Resistance to tell you more about remarkable women in history who continue to inspire with their legacies.

Let's celebrate the past, empower the present, and inspire the future. Don't miss out on this empowering journey through Women's History Month but be part of it.

Unraveling the Enigma of Herschel Grynszpan: A Tale of Controversy and Intrigue

Herschel Grynszpan after his arrest in Paris in 1938

In the annals of history, certain figures emerge whose stories are shrouded in controversy and intrigue. Herschel Grynszpan, a name perhaps unfamiliar to many, stands as one such enigmatic figure. His life, marked by a fateful act of defiance against the Nazi regime, has sparked debates, theories, and even conspiracy theories surrounding his fate. In this exploration, we delve into the life of Herschel Grynszpan, the controversy surrounding his death, and the tantalizing possibility of his survival.

Herschel Grynszpan was born in Hanover, Germany, in 1921, to a Polish-Jewish family. His life took a dramatic turn on November 7, 1938, when he shot and killed Ernst vom Rath, a German diplomat in Paris. This act of political assassination was Grynszpan's response to the escalating persecution of Jews in Germany, culminating in the violent events of Kristallnacht, also known as the Night of Broken Glass. The repercussions of Grynszpan's actions reverberated far beyond the streets of Paris, igniting a firestorm of Nazi propaganda and providing Adolf Hitler with the pretext for further anti-Semitic measures.

However, it is not Grynszpan's act itself that has captured the imagination of historians and conspiracy theorists alike, but rather the circumstances surrounding his subsequent fate. Official records indicate that Grynszpan was arrested by French authorities shortly after the assassination and was later extradited to Germany. Yet, what transpired after his extradition remains a matter of speculation.

However, it is not Grynszpan's act itself that has captured the imagination of historians and conspiracy theorists alike, but rather the circumstances surrounding his subsequent fate. Official records indicate that Grynszpan was arrested by French authorities shortly after the assassination and was later extradited to Germany. Yet, what transpired after his extradition remains a matter of speculation.

Some historians argue that Grynszpan was executed by the Nazis, his fate sealed in the shadows of a Gestapo prison. However, others contend that he may have survived, his death staged to conceal his true whereabouts. This theory is fueled by a lack of concrete evidence regarding Grynszpan's demise, as well as the clandestine nature of Nazi operations during that period.

Adding another layer to this intricate tapestry of history and mystery is the portrayal of Herschel Grynszpan in "The London Spymaker," my new historical fiction novel. In this gripping tale, Grynszpan's story is interwoven with that of a fictitious character, Anna Adams, his cousin, who finds herself ensnared in a web of danger and suspense as she and her family are pursued by Nazi agents seeking retribution.

Through the lens of fiction, "The London Spymaker" explores the untold possibilities surrounding Grynszpan's fate, inviting readers to ponder the enigma of his disappearance and the potential ramifications of his survival. As Anna Adams navigates a world fraught with peril and deception, the specter of Herschel Grynszpan looms large, a symbol of resistance against tyranny and a reminder of the enduring quest for truth amidst the shadows of history.

In conclusion, Herschel Grynszpan remains an enigmatic figure whose legacy continues to captivate and intrigue. Whether he met his demise at the hands of the Nazis or managed to evade their grasp and disappear into obscurity may never be definitively known. Yet, his story serves as a poignant reminder of the power of individual defiance in the face of oppression, and the enduring quest to unravel the mysteries of the past.

Left to right.

Detailed view of crystal structure of Grynszpan’s face with hammer blow glass breakage. Art work by Johannes Angerbauer-Goldhoff to remember the Kristallnacht and Herschel Grynszpan’s unintended roll in it.

German citizens walk past destroyed Jewish shops and houses on 10 November 1938, the day after Kristallnacht.

Börnerplatz synagogue in Frankfurt am Main was set on fire by a Nazi mob during Kristallnacht. The photograph was taken the next day when the synagogue was still burning.

Interior view of the destroyed Fasanenstrasse Synagogue, Berlin.

My new book The London Spymaker offers a tantalizing glimpse into the world of Herschel Grynszpan, blending fact with fiction to craft a narrative that is as thrilling as it is thought-provoking. As the debate over Grynszpan's fate rages on, one thing remains certain: his legacy will continue to inspire and intrigue for generations to come. it stand out

Get the preorder at the reduced price here now.

Reflecting on the Legacy of the Nuremberg Trials

The Nuremberg Trials stand as a watershed moment in human history, representing the first international effort to hold individuals accountable for crimes against humanity. Convened in the aftermath of World War II, these trials sought to bring justice to those responsible for the atrocities committed during the war, including genocide, crimes against peace, and war crimes. As we reflect on the legacy of the Nuremberg Trials, it becomes clear that they not only established crucial principles of international law but also shaped the course of modern justice and human rights.

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Nuremberg Trials - the defendants dock

The Nuremberg Trials, held from 1945 to 1946, marked a radical departure from previous approaches to addressing war crimes. Instead of merely punishing the defeated, the trials aimed to provide a fair and transparent legal process that would serve as a model for future efforts to uphold human rights and prevent impunity. This ground-breaking approach was enshrined in the Nuremberg Principles, which laid the foundation for modern international criminal law.

Central to the Nuremberg Trials was the concept of individual responsibility for crimes against humanity. For the first time, political and military leaders were held personally accountable for their actions, regardless of official orders or directives. This principle, articulated in the famous Nuremberg Charter, established a precedent that has since been applied in numerous international tribunals, including the International Criminal Court.

Moreover, the trials played a crucial role in defining the legal framework for prosecuting genocide. The indictment of Nazi leaders for their role in the Holocaust set a precedent for recognising genocide as a distinct crime under international law. This recognition paved the way for subsequent efforts to prevent and punish genocide, including the establishment of the Genocide Convention in 1948.

Beyond their legal significance, the Nuremberg Trials also served as a catalyst for broader conversations about justice, accountability, and reconciliation. By bringing perpetrators of war crimes to trial in a public forum, the trials provided a platform for survivors to share their stories and seek closure. They also helped to foster a collective reckoning with the horrors of the Holocaust and the need to confront the legacy of anti-Semitism and xenophobia.

However, the legacy of the Nuremberg Trials is not without its complexities and controversies. Critics have pointed to issues such as the selective prosecution of war crimes and the influence of political considerations on the judicial process. Moreover, the trials were limited in scope, focusing primarily on Nazi leaders while largely overlooking the complicity of other actors, including collaborators and bystanders.

Despite these challenges, the Nuremberg Trials remain a landmark moment in the quest for justice and human rights. They remind us of the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for their actions, regardless of their status or position of power. They also underscore the enduring relevance of international law as a tool for promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in a world scarred by conflict and injustice.

As we look back on the legacy of the Nuremberg Trials, let us reaffirm our commitment to upholding the principles of justice, accountability, and human rights that they helped to establish. By learning from the past and building on its lessons, we can strive to create a more just and peaceful world for future generations.

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Prosecutors and Deputies on Staff of Brig. Gen. Telford Taylor, subsequent Nuremberg Trials

A Critical Perspective on the Gender and Race Disparity

Beneath the veneer of justice to hold individuals accountable for crimes against humanity lies a stark reality: the trials were an all-white, male affair, with women and people of color relegated to non-decision-making roles such as reporters and secretaries. This gender disparity is not just a footnote in history but a glaring example of the systemic exclusion of women and people of color from positions of power and influence, even in matters of justice and accountability. Despite the gravity of the crimes being prosecuted, the composition of those involved in the trials reflected the deeply entrenched gender biases of the time.

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Judges of the Nuremberg Military Tribunals

At the heart of the Nuremberg Trials were the prosecutors, judges, and defense attorneys – all of whom were white men. While the supportive female contributions as typists, secretaries and reporters were undoubtedly valuable, they were confined to positions that lacked decision-making authority.

This gender disparity is particularly striking when considering the magnitude of the crimes being addressed, including genocide and crimes against humanity. Yet, the absence of women from positions of power meant that their perspectives and experiences were largely overlooked in the pursuit of justice.

Moreover, the exclusion of women from decision-making roles in the Nuremberg Trials sends a troubling message about who holds the authority to shape narratives of history and memory. By relegating women to the sidelines, the trials reinforced the notion that matters of justice and accountability were the domain of men – a narrative that persists in many spheres of society to this day.

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Only one woman in the pressroom

It's important to recognize that the gender and race disparity in the Nuremberg Trials was not simply a product of the times, but a reflection of deeper inequalities that continue to persist. Even as we commemorate the legacy of the trials and celebrate their role in establishing principles of international law, we must also acknowledge the voices that were silenced and marginalized in the process.

Moving forward, it is imperative that efforts to promote justice and accountability are inclusive and representative of all voices, regardless of gender or race. This means actively working to dismantle the systemic barriers that exclude all minorities from positions of power and ensuring that their perspectives are central to the pursuit of justice.

In revisiting the history of the Nuremberg Trials, let us not only honor the memory of those who were lost but also commit to creating a more just and equitable future – one in which all voices are heard, and all individuals are given the opportunity to participate fully in the pursuit of justice.

Inside the Nuremberg Trials: A Glimpse into History

From Ruins to Rivalry: The Division of Post-War Germany in 1945

The timeline in The London Spymaker
The release date for my upcoming book, the 7th book in The Resistance Girl Series titled The London Spymaker, is set for April 2nd and is currently available for preorder. The story starts in 1945 after the German surrender, delving into Anna Adams' life before and during the war in later parts of the book.

Beginning with a Prologue set in 1937, the start of the book follows the Allies' pursuit of justice against Nazi war criminals while safeguarding Europe from another German conflict by dividing the country. Squadron Officer Anna Adams embarks on a mission to locate her secret agents who failed to return to Britain after the war's end.

In the weeks ahead, I'll be releasing several blogs pertaining to the themes explored in the new book. This initial blog focuses on the Allies' partitioning of Germany following its capitulation.

Why divide post-war Germany in 4 occupational zones?
In this blogpost we’ll take a closer look at the reasons for dividing Germany into occupational zones monitored by Great Britain, the United States, France and the Soviet Union.  

In the wake of World War II, as the dust settled and the echoes of battle faded away, the world found itself facing a new challenge: the division of Germany. The year 1945 marked the end of Nazi Germany, but it also signaled the beginning of a new chapter in German history – a chapter characterized by division, rivalry, and the eventual Cold War confrontation between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. Let’s explore the events that led to the division of post-war Germany and the consequences that followed.

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Yalta Conference (Churchill, Roosevelt, Stalin)

The Yalta and Potsdam Conferences
The seeds of division were sown during the Yalta Conference in February 1945, where Allied leaders Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Joseph Stalin gathered to discuss the future of Europe after the defeat of Nazi Germany. It was here that the groundwork for the division of Germany was established. The Allies agreed to divide Germany into four occupation zones, with each of the major Allied powers – the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union – administering one zone.

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Potsdam Conference July 1945 (Attlee, Truman, Stalin)

The division was further solidified during the Potsdam Conference in July and August 1945, where the Allied leaders revisited the issue. The conference confirmed the division of Germany into occupation zones, with the city of Berlin, located deep within the Soviet zone, also being divided into four sectors. This division was intended to be temporary, with the goal of demilitarizing and denazifying Germany, as well as holding war criminals accountable.

The Emergence of Ideological Rifts
While the division of Germany was initially seen as a temporary measure, it quickly became apparent that the Allies had different visions for the post-war future of the country. The ideological differences between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union began to crystallize, setting the stage for the Cold War.

In the Western zones, efforts were made to establish democracy and a free-market economy. The introduction of the Marshall Plan in 1948 provided significant financial aid to Western Europe, including West Germany, aimed at promoting economic recovery and preventing the spread of communism. Meanwhile, in the Soviet zone, the focus was on establishing a socialist system under Soviet influence.

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Marshall Plan poster

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East (red) and West (blue) Germany October 1949 - July 1952

The Berlin Blockade and the Formation of Separate German States
One of the key turning points in the division of post-war Germany was the Berlin Blockade, which began in June 1948. In response to Western efforts to consolidate their zones and create a separate West German state, the Soviet Union blockaded access to West Berlin, attempting to starve the city into submission. In response, the Western Allies launched the Berlin Airlift, providing essential supplies to West Berlin via air.

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Children in East and West Berlin

This standoff solidified the division between East and West. In May 1949, the Federal Republic of Germany, commonly known as West Germany, was officially established in the Western zones, while the German Democratic Republic, or East Germany, emerged in the Soviet zone in October 1949.

Conclusion
The division of post-war Germany in 1945 was a complex and multifaceted process that resulted from a combination of geopolitical considerations, ideological differences, and the legacy of World War II. What was initially intended as a temporary occupation soon became the defining feature of Germany's post-war landscape, setting the stage for decades of Cold War rivalry between East and West. The division of Germany would not be resolved until the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, but its impact on the course of history remains significant, serving as a stark reminder of the consequences of war and the challenges of post-conflict reconstruction.

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West and East Germans at the Brandenburg Gate in 1989

The Partisan Fighter: A Tale of Courage and Liberation

Introduction
In the midst of the chaos and darkness that engulfs Europe during World War II an unlikely heroine emerges: a young French couture designer named Daphne de Dragoncourt. Her journey from a privileged life in Paris and Picardy to the heart of the resistance movement is a story of courage, transformation, and the fight for freedom. Join this thrilling adventure by diving into The Partisan Fighter, a story that is not for sale but exclusively available to subscribers of the Hannah Byron newsletter.

The Rainbow Couturier
Daphne de Dragoncourt is anything but the epitome of traditional French sophistication. With a penchant for risqué combinations and bold patterns inspired by the vibrant colors of her pet macaw, Liberté, she is a breath of fresh air in the world of couture dominated by black-and-white Chanel. Daphne’s dream is to leave behind her complicated family life and shine brightly on the catwalks of French fashion.

Hitler’s Invasion
However, Daphne’s dreams are shattered when Hitler’s forces invade Northern France in May 1940. The Dragoncourt family’s Château is overrun by German boots, and to make matters worse, her beloved macaw, Liberté, escapes during the chaos. Daphne finds herself fleeing into the fields of Picardy, stranded and alone.

A Chance Encounter
In the midst of her despair, Daphne stumbles upon a wounded resistance fighter named Paul Bâh, a Congolese-born merchant from Paris with a fierce appetite for warfare. Instead of fashioning garments with a needle and thread, Paul hands Daphne a German-snatched MP 40 gun and begins teaching her to wield it effectively.

Becoming Simone
With Paul by her side Daphne adopts the code name ‘Simone Charlet.’ Together with their motley crew of partisan fighters, they engage in daring clashes with the Nazi forces from Paris to Picardy. As Simone, the once capricious and starry-eyed teenager Daphne, transforms into a fearless resistance leader, ready to risk it all for her country and her castle.

Liberation and Reunion
As the war rages on, the Partisan movement is eventually reinforced by the D-Day landings, and together with the Allies, they bring an end to four years of German terror. Through determination and sheer willpower, Simone and her comrades fight valiantly to liberate their homeland.

The Triumph of Liberté
The Partisan Fighter is a remarkable tale of transformation, resilience, and the indomitable spirit of those who fought for freedom during World War II. Daphne de Dragoncourt’s journey from a couturier to a resistance fighter is a testament to the human capacity for bravery and adaptability in the face of adversity. As we follow Simone’s path, we are reminded that even in the darkest of times, the pursuit of liberty can lead to extraordinary heroism.

The Partisan Fighter is the free companion novella to the 7 books of The Resistance Girl Series.

Join my newsletter to exclusively experience this captivating story of courage and liberation.

But The Partisan Fighter is not just a historical account; it’s a tribute to the unwavering spirit of those who dared to cast off their jewels, their blueblood, and their privileges, all in the name of freedom. It is loosely based on the story of the real Partisan fighter Simone Segouin.

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The French Riviera under Italian Rule during WW2

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The Val Dora battalion of the 5th Alpini Regiment in action in the Col de Pelouse during the Italian invasion of France in June 1940

Introduction
During World War 2, southeastern France experienced two distinct periods of occupation by Fascist Italy. The first occurred from June 1940, following the Italian invasion, and continued until the Armistice between Italy and the Allied armed forces on 8 September 1943. Subsequently, the German forces compelled Italian troops stationed in France to retreat within their own borders, marking the end of the Italian occupation of southern France. The second occupation took place in November 1942, as Italy asserted control over the region once again during this period.

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Occupation zones of France during the Second World War

The Italian Occupation
Benito Mussolini initiated the invasion of France on June 10, 1940, with limited success. Following France's surrender to Germany on June 25, an Armistice was signed between France and Italy, designating a 830 km² Italian-controlled zone in southeastern France, which included nearly 30,000 French citizens. Notably, Menton became part of the Kingdom of Italy during this period, with Grenoble and Nice as major cities within the 50-km 'demilitarized zone' near the Italian Alpine Wall.

 In November 1942, there was an expansion of Italian-held territory as Nazi Germany assumed control over most of Vichy France, which had been a French Puppet state led by Marshal Pétain. This military occupation was referred to as 'Case Anton.'

 The Royal Italian Army extended its authority to Toulon and Provence, reaching the Rhône River, and claimed Corsica as well. The intention was to annex Nice and Corsica to Italy, mirroring the 1940 incorporation of Menton. However, Italy's surrender to the Allied forces in September 1943 marked the conclusion of Italian rule in France.

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Secret signing of the Cassibile armistice on 3 September 1943:
Major General Walter Bedell Smith for the Allies and Brigade General Giuseppe Castellano for Italy

The Italian Army
In June 1940, the Italian occupational army, numbering 700,000 troops, had significant numerical superiority over the French. However, they faced numerous challenges, including inadequately light tanks, a lack of artillery and motor transport, and ill-preparedness for the cold Alpine climate. The French had established substantial fortifications along the Alpine Line, referred to as the 'Little Maginot.'

In November 1942, the Italian occupation of most of southern France and Corsica encountered no resistance from the Vichy Army.

Until the summer of 1943, there was minimal guerrilla warfare against the Italian occupation.

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Benito Mussolini

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Margherita Sarfatti

Benito Mussolini and his Jewish mistress Margherita Sarfatti, who was instrumental in shaping Italian “fascism” without the “Jew hate”.

A 'Safe' Haven
During the early years of WW2, many French and European Jews sought refuge in the Italian-occupied part of France to escape Nazi persecution in Vichy France. When Italy expanded its control over additional French territory in November 1942, almost 80% of the remaining 300,000 French Jews found sanctuary there, as Mussolini did not share Hitler's views on the "Jewish problem," possibly influenced by his Jewish mistress, Margherita Sarfatti.

 An Italian Jewish banker named Angelo Donati played a vital role in convincing Italian civil and military authorities to protect Jews from French persecution. In January 1943, the Italians refused to cooperate with the Nazis in rounding up Jews in their occupied territory and even prevented German deportations from their zone in March. This led to German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop complaining to Mussolini about Italian military circles' insufficient understanding of the "Jewish question."

 However, after Italy signed an armistice with the Allies in September 1943, Nazi forces swiftly took control of the Italian zone, leading to raids against Jews. Alois Brunner, the SS official responsible for Jewish affairs, oversaw the search for hidden Jews and deported over 5,000 within five months.

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The memorial plaque on the boulevard
(click to enlarge image)

The plaque reads:
During the German occupation of Nice from September 1943 to August 1944, more than 3,000 Jews including 264 children were arrested in the Alpes-Maritimes, Basses-Alpes and the principality of Monaco and deported by the Gestapo in application of Nazi anti-Semitic ideology.
Before being transferred by rail to the Drancy camp near Paris from where they were sent to the Auschwitz extermination camp, the victims had been interned in the Excelsior hotel, which became an annex to the Drancy camp and was requisitioned by the Germans because of its proximity to Nice station.

"Inaugurated on October 9, 2009 by Christian Estrosi, Minister of Industry, Mayor of Nice, President of Nice Côte d'Azur in the presence of Serge Klarsfeld and Eric Ciotti, Member of Parliament, President of the General Council of Alpes-Maritimes"

The memorial plaque across the street from Hotel Excelsior
In The Highland Raven, secret agent Sable Montgomery embarks on an SOE mission in occupied France, arriving via felucca on the French Riviera and staying at the Excelsior Hotel in Nice. In The Partisan Fighter (upcoming), Count and Countess de Dragoncourt assist Jews in escaping from Nice during WW2.

 Research revealed the disturbing history of the Hotel Excelsior under German occupation that same year.

 Today, this Belle Époque hotel, boasting four stars and a prime city center location near the Mediterranean, welcomes tourists seeking French Riviera delights. However, a nearby plaque tells a grim WW2 story about the hotel's role in Nazi war criminal Alois Brunner's operations.

 After France's fall in June 1940, Nice was in the unoccupied zone, providing a safe haven for Jewish refugees despite Vichy's anti-Jewish laws.

 In 1942, the Allies invaded North Africa, and the Germans and Italians occupied southern France, with the Riviera under Mussolini's control. Although not philanthropic, Mussolini refrained from collaborating with Vichy and refused to persecute Jews or enforce yellow star badges.

However, when Italy surrendered on September 8, 1943, the Germans assumed control of the Nice region, with Alois Brunner, Adolf Eichmann's top aide, establishing his headquarters at the Hotel Excelsior just two days later. This marked the start of a horrific crackdown on the Jewish population. SS officers systematically patrolled the city, arresting anyone who appeared Jewish, including those in mixed marriages, of certain nationalities, children, elderly, and invalid individuals. These individuals were interrogated at the hotel and subsequently deported to death camps from a nearby train station.

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Alois Brunner

Alois Brunner
In just 80 days, Brunner oversaw the deportation of over 2,000 Jews from Nice to their deaths.

As the Wehrmacht retreated from France, Brunner arrested and deported 1,327 Jewish children in Paris in July 1944. He left Paris on August 17, a week before the city's liberation, taking deported personnel as potential hostages.

Overall, Brunner orchestrated the deportation of an estimated 23,500 Jews from France to death camps. From September 1944 to March 1945, he quelled the Jewish underground movement in Slovakia and led the Sered concentration camp, deporting about 11,500 people to Auschwitz, Sachsenhausen, Bergen-Belsen, and Terezín for extermination.

Alois Brunner remained one of the top Nazis who evaded capture after the war and lived freely, reportedly passing away in Damascus around 2010.

The Plaque

In modern times, the Hotel Excelsior's plaque was unveiled in 2009 by Mayor Christian Estrosi. He noted that the hotel still carries the painful memories of Jewish suffering, where innocent men, women, and children once sought refuge, believing Nice would be a safe haven.

Klaus Barbie: From Nazi Criminal to Post-war US Spy

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Klaus Barbie in uniform (a.k.a. The Butcher Of Lyon)

Introduction
When reading this blog post, I guess your hairs will start to stand on end just like mine did. Some criminals seem able to escape justice for a very long time. But not eternally! In Barbie’s case, we need to thank the Nazi-hunting couple Serge and Beate Klarsfeld and journalist Ladislas de Hoyos, who managed to bring this truly dangerous man to justice for a French court after 33 years in freedom.

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Serge and Beate Klarsfeld in 2007

Who was Klaus Barbie?
Nikolaus "Klaus" Barbie (25 October 1913 – 25 September 1991) was a German Nazi who worked in both the Stutzstaffel (SS) and the Sicherheitsdienst (SD) and was mainly stationed in Lyon in Vichy France during World War II.

His nickname was the "Butcher of Lyon", because he personally tortured prisoners, mostly French Jews and Resistance fighters, in his function as head of the Lyon Gestapo. Barbie was one of the prominent Nazis who escaped prosecution for many decades, the wry fact being that he was helped to escape by the US.

After the war, United States intelligence services employed Barbie to help them with their anti-communist efforts and stationed him in Bolivia, where he advised the regime on how to repress opposition through torture. Much later the United States issued a formal apology to France for heling Barbie to escape.

But the sad saga doesn't end here. In Bolivia, West German Intelligence Service recruited him as well. There is reason to believe Barbie was deeply involved in the Bolivian coup d'état by Luis García Meza in 1980.

After Meza's fall, Barbie lost the protection of the La Paz government and in 1983 he was - finally- brought to justice in France in a much-televised court case. Barbie was convicted of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life in prison. He had been sentenced to death in absentia both in 1947 and in 1954 but as capital punishment was abolished in France in 1981, it was changed to a life sentence. He died of cancer in prison in 1991, at age 77.

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Hôtel Terminus in 1940, headquarters of the Lyon Gestapo. Mentioned in The Highland Raven

Second World War
After the Nazis occupied Holland in 1940, Barbie was stationed in Amsterdam. His department was responsible for identification, roundup and deportation of Dutch Jews and Freemasons.

In 1942, he was sent to Dijon in the French Occupied Zone. In November 1942, at only 29, he was made head of the Lyon Gestapo. His headquarters were at the illustrious Hôtel Terminus in Lyon, where he personally tortured both adult and child prisoners. Early on this led to his alias the "Butcher of Lyon".

It is estimated that Barbie was directly involved in the deaths of up to 14,000 people, personally participating in roundups. His most famous victim was Jean Moulin, a high-ranking member of the French Resistance. In 1943, Barbie was awarded the Iron Cross (First Class) by Adolf Hitler for rounding up so many members of the French Resistance and for capturing and killing Moulin.

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Jean Moulin

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the flamboyant and fearless French resistance fighter who died under Barbie’s hands

But he is also responsible for many of the roundups and deportations of Jewish adults and children who were mostly deported to Auschwitz. Barbie rejoined the SiPo-SD of Lyon when the Nazis had to retreat and led an anti-partisan attack in September 1944.

US intelligence work in post-War Europe
While still in Germany, Barbie was recruited as an agent for the US Army Counterintelligence Corps (CIC) in 1947. The US used Barbie and other Nazi Party members for its anti-communist efforts in Europe. He reported on French intelligence activities in the French zone of occupied Germany as the US suspected the French were infiltrated by the KGB and GPU.

When France found out Barbie was in U.S. hands, although he had been sentenced to death in absentia for war crimes, they unsuccessfully asked for him to be handed over for execution. Instead, the CIC helped Barbie flee to Bolivia, claiming Barbie had too much knowledge about the German spies the CIC had in various European communist organisations.

In 1965, Barbie was recruited by a West German foreign intelligence agency under the code name 'Adler', which means eagle.

Bolivia
In 1951 Barbie emigrated to Bolivia where he lived for over 30 years under the false name Klaus Altmann. Barbie was found there in the higher echelons with friends like the Bolivian dictators Hugo Banzer and Luis García Meza. He was still the German nationalist and anti-communist he'd been from the start. While in Bolivia, he raised to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Bolivian Army.

Barbie taught Barrientos's regime how torture can best be employed on prisoners. Many left-wing Bolivian groups suffered from Barbie's instructions on how to use intelligence, torture, and interrogations. From 1972 when General Banzer was in power, he assisted in illegal arrests, interrogations, murders and disappearances of the opposition.

Barbie was also linked to neo-Nazi paramilitary groups in Bolivia and drug cartels, including illegal drug and weapon trade. In the late 1970s, Barbie also had liaisons with the Columbian Pablo Escobar and others within the Medellín cartel. Escobar financed Barbie's anti-communist activities. He also stayed in touch with Nazis and Fascists in his native Germany, thus staying involved in criminal and anti-democratic movements in Europe.

Barbie was also involved in the arrest of freedom fighter Ernesto Che Guevara in Bolivia, who rose to fame in the Cuban Revolution in 1966. Barbie was called in by Bolivian Interior Ministry for his anti-partisan skills. He apparently often boasted of having "hunted down Che".

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The world-famous picture of left-wing politician and poet Che Guevara

There are many records that state Barbie remained a firm and fanatic believer in the Nazi ideology and was a staunch anti-Semite. He also introduced Josef Mengele's and Adolf Eichmann's practices, which Barbie fully supported and saw as the norm for dealing with opponents.

The tide is turning
Th French Nazi hunters Serge and Beate Klarsfeld found out Barbie, alias Altmann was in Peru in 1971. The French newspaper L'Aurore published an article with a picture of Altmann in January 1972. A German expatriate living in Lima had provided the Klarsfelds with that photo. Barbie was in Peru to provide intelligence services to the Velasco junta.

Together with Beate Klarsfeld, a French journalist and cameraman flew to La Paz to interview Klaus Barbie, alias Klaus Altmann. The Bolivian authorities had placed Barbie under protection, but he agreed to an interview in Spanish. The journalist, Ladislas de Hoyos, tricked Barbie by asking in French whether he'd ever been to Lyon, a language Altmann wasn't supposed to understand. Barbie's automatic response in German was that he hadn't.

Ladislas de Hoyos then showed him pictures of Resistance fighters he'd tortured. Barbie again replied to the negative, but his fingerprints were on the photos now and with the new technology point betrayed him. The third evidence against him was when the interview was broadcast on French television, Barbie alias Altman was recognized by French resistance member Simone Lagrange whom he had tortured in 1944 when she was only 13.

Despite global outcry, Barbie freely returned to Bolivia where the government refused to hand him over to the French authorities as France and Bolivia had no extradition treaty and the statute of limitations on his crimes had passed. Barbie's inner circle of fascists knew exactly who he was and what he'd done in WW2, but outwardly Barbie continued to portray himself as the innocent Altmann.

However, the tide was turning against him in the 1970s. The Jews who had survived or escaped the war started to open discussion that Barbie/Altmann was the war criminal from Lyon now living in La Paz, here he led a coveted life protected by the Bolivian regime.

Barbie's extradition, trial and death
It took until 1983 when the newly elected democratic government of Hernán Siles Zuazo arrested Barbie in La Paz. The pretext was that he owed the government an exorbitant sum for goods he'd never delivered. The government subsequently handed him over to France to stand trial.

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Jacques Vergès defender and Klaus Barbie during his trial in Lyon 1987 (drawing by Calvi)

Shortly after his arrival in France, the evidence of Barbie having worked for US intelligence in Germany became also known, including the fact that the US very well may have helped Barbie to flee and thus escape French justice for 33 years. The US Counterintelligence Corps (CIC) claimed it had no knowledge of Barbie's atrocities in Lyon during WW2, but it was still US self-preservation to help Barbie escape Europe rather than honor an outstanding French warrant for his arrest. Based on the research that took place, the US government issued a formal apology to France.

Barbie was indicted for crimes he had committed as the Lyon Gestapo chief from 1942 to 1944. The jury trial started in May 1987 in Lyon before the Rhône Cour d'Assises. It was one of the first times the court allowed the trial to be filmed due to its historical value. A special courtroom was constructed which could seat 700 people. The head prosecutor was Pierre Truche. Central issue was Barbie's role in Hitler's Final Solution.

Barbie's defence was financed by Swiss pro-Nazi financier François Genoud and led by attorney Jacques Vergès. Barbie was tried on 41 separate counts of crimes against humanity, based on the depositions of 730 Jews and French Resistance survivors who described how he tortured and murdered prisoners. Among his victims was the father of French Minister for Justice, Robert Badinter who had died in Sobibor after being deported from Lyon on Barbie's orders.

Barbie continued to claim he was Klaus Altmann and that the extradition was illegal. Asking to be excused from the trial, he was allowed to return to his cell at Prison Saint-Paul. He faced some of his accusers at the end of May 1987. To their testimonies he had "nothing to say".

Barbie's lawyer, Vergès, was well versed in attacking the French political system, especially when it came to the French colonial past. His strategy was to show war crimes committed by France since 1945. Vergès argued that Barbie's actions were no worse than the actions of other colonialists worldwide, and that his trial was based on selective prosecution. Barbie continued to believe in his innocence, claiming "When I stand before the throne of God, I shall be judged innocent."

But the court thought otherwise. On 4 July 1987, Barbie was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. He died in the Lyon prison four years later of leukaemia and spine and prostate cancer. He was 77.

Personal life
In April 1939, Barbie became engaged to Regina Margaretta Willms, the 23-year-old daughter of a postal clerk and an active NSDAP member; they had two children. A son named Klaus-Georg Altmann and a daughter named Ute Messner.

Françoise Croizier, Klaus Barbie's French daughter-in-law, told in a 1983 interview that the CIA kidnapped Klaus-Georg in 1946 to make sure his father carried out intelligence missions for the agency. Croizier met Klaus-Georg while both were students in Paris; they married in 1968, had three children and lived in Europe and Bolivia using the surname Altmann. Croizier said when she married, she did not know who her father-in-law was, but that she understood the reasons for a German to move to South America after the war.

General De Gaulle’s Free French Movement and SOE

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Winston Churchill and Charles de Gaulle during World War 2

Introduction

My upcoming free novella, The Partisan Fighter, illuminates the Partisan fight in France during WW2. Though there were numerous Partisan groups that also fought for prominence among themselves, only a few of these France-based groups closely cooperated with the British SOE movement.

Like the squabbles on the ground between the militant groups, in London, the Free French Movement led by General de Gaulle and Winston Churchill’s SOE did not see eye to eye with each other most times.

These disagreements are–alas–the reality of war. Even the ultimate victors have oftentimes fought each other tooth and nail, despite having had the same aim. Here: slay Hitler’s Third Reich.

After WW2, we have seen the quick deterioration of the collaboration between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union, an unravelling we are still suffering the consequences from today.

However, in The Partisan Fighter, we are solidly in the Gaulle’s camp. Daphne de Dragoncourt, alias Simone Charlet, is a French partisan fighter. In most of my other books in The Resistance Girl Series and in my upcoming series Timeless Spies, I concentrate on British-led SOE activities in France during WW2.    

Background

Since the end of WW2, the various European resistance movements and secret government organizations that fought Nazism from aboard have fascinated historians, filmmakers, and novelists.

Though the reality of the spies and resistance fighters involved was often far from glamorous, the fictional documentations about these WW2 heroes and heroines behind enemy lines always accentuate the glamour and courage. I do the same with my WW2 women in my books.

Let us have a look how the SOE (Special Operations Executive), a very British organization with (foreign) agents all over Europe, the Middle East and the Far East, related to General de Gaulle's only French group, the Free French Movement. Both competing organizations had their headquarters at a stone’s throw from each other in London.

Both interacted with the Allied forces, both performed guerrilla warfare in occupied territories, both suffered from German infiltration.

SOE conducted operations in Western Europe: in France, Norway, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Poland, the Balkan states, Greece, Italy, Northern Africa, and the Far East, while the Free French movement concentrated on France and its (former) colonies.

SOE started its operations in June 1940 and had its headquarters in Baker Street. Its formation by Winston Churchill gave existing secret organizations, such as the SIS (Secret Intelligence Service), a means of performing campaigns that before had mostly been only on paper. Winston Churchill ordered SOE "to set Europe ablaze" and the organization did just that in the next five years of the war.

Unlike the other secret services that only gathered intelligence behind enemy lines, SOEs task was to cause as much disruption as possible. Within a month, it acquired the reputation of an obscure and unique organization. Agents and instructors in guerrilla warfare were hired from a range of different backgrounds and nationalities. By 1944, approximately 5,000 agents were involved in operations behind enemy lines, with a back-up support of nearly 10,000 staff at home.

Paradoxically, SOE’s Section F, the French division, became the largest SOE unit with most agents in France, while De Gaulle was also very active with his agents. Post-war documents provide a fascinating insight into the strained relationships between General de Gaulle, the French Governing bodies, resistance groups, SOE, and the allied governments.

With De Gaulle exiled in London from 1940 onward, representing the "Free French Government" as opposed to Petain's puppet regime in Vichy, most of the French saw him as the leader of the Resistance and Free (Fighting) French.

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General de Gaulle’s first BBC speech addressing the French from London

De Gaulle's Challenges with the SOE

Dealing with General De Gaulle posed challenges for the authorities in London due to his complex and unpredictable personality. Moreover, there were significant cultural and political differences between the two governments. For instance, De Gaulle was wary of collaborating with British intelligence services. He insisted on having complete control over their activities in his occupied country, requiring them to obtain his explicit permission before involving French agents in operations. This created obstacles for the Special Operations Executive (SOE), both in terms of security and politics. The concern was that if the French agents shared De Gaulle's political beliefs, it could jeopardize SOE's relationship with Petain's Vichy Government.

Until the Germans occupied all of France in 1942, SOE agents could move relatively freely in the non-occupied south of France. However, due to De Gaulle's reluctance to cooperate closely with the SOE, there was a lack of direct coordination between them. Unfortunately, this ongoing conflict put SOE agents in France in danger, sometimes leading to their arrest and even death.

De Gaulle's Second Obstacle

Efforts to establish paramilitary organizations in collaboration with the Fighting French and their personnel failed to materialize. While the SOE had the armed personnel capable of conducting attacks on important French targets, General De Gaulle, in the early years of the war, couldn't provide the necessary manpower, like 50 men, for such operations.

De Gaulle's Emergence as the Leader of the Free French

Was General De Gaulle genuinely considered the leader of the French population fighting the Nazis? What was his relationship with his own secret services? There is ample evidence to suggest that although French officials recognized De Gaulle's importance during the war, they didn't expect him to maintain this position after the war. He was viewed as a temporary figure causing some irritation. However, they couldn't have been more wrong.

From his base in London, De Gaulle worked diligently to increase his influence among the French. He engaged with leaders of various French political groups in an attempt to secure his position as the leader of a post-war French government. He also maintained relationships with the Syndicalism movement, the socialist party, trade unions, and right-wing politicians, while having a mutually beneficial relationship with the powerful French Communist Party. All of his efforts were geared towards becoming the leader of all French citizens.

The longstanding strained relations between France and Great Britain continued to influence certain groups' attitudes and sentiments. The French remained unconvinced of Britain's commitment to their security after the war. Additionally, the U.S. and U.K. governments were suspicious of the policy direction of De Gaulle's French Committee of National Liberation (FCNL), which he formed when he relocated his headquarters from London to North Africa in August 1943.

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Churchill and De Gaulle in Paris after the war

The relationship between the French and the US

During World War II, the French admired the US, but Marshal Petain didn't understand the US embassy in Vichy. Leftist French parties were unhappy about rumors of US support for French capitalist interests.

In 1942, the French Army revived under Jean Francois Darlan and General Henri Giraud. De Gaulle and Giraud jointly led the FCNL, strengthening relationships with the Resistance and right-wing supporters.

France's position became clear under Nazi occupation, but the resistance involved fewer than a million people and faced internal conflicts and criticism of SOE support.

SOE agents struggled due to diverse resistance factions, hampered by military coordination issues. The London Gaullist organization BCRAL operated separately.

Distrust was mutual, as the Allies questioned French communist groups, hindering cooperation for D-Day preparations. Deep-seated mistrust persisted between De Gaulle's Gaullists and the Allied Forces.

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Charles de Gaulle as the President of the Fifth Republic of France

Conclusion

This blog provided a quick look at the collaboration between French and UK secret services during World War 2. Scholars and historians have delved into public archives from the early 2000s, uncovering challenges and successes. The Free French Movement and SOE played crucial roles in ensuring the success of D-Day.

Charles de Gaulle briefly served as France's president after the war, but differences in policies led to his resignation. He later became the iconic President of the Fifth Republic from 1959 to 1969, leaving a lasting legacy tied to WW2 and post-war French politics.

The Miracle of Empel: An Unconventional Christmas Tale

Introduction
For the exceptional tale of The Miracle of Empel (Milagro de Empel in Spanish) we’re – for once - not talking about the Second World War but about the Eighty Years’ War which raged between Spain and Holland in the 16th century.

The Miracle of Empel happened in my backyard here in the Netherlands, so let me share this amazing Spanish victory over the Dutch on 8 December 1585. The miracle is still celebrated every year by Spaniards flocking to the shores of the river Meuse. This year, on 8 December 2023, I experienced the first part of this remarkable ceremony down by the river.

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Visiting the Event on 8 December

Background
How did the Immaculate Conception become the Patroness saint of Spain and of the Spanish Armed Forces?

In December 1585, the Spanish soldiers of the Tercio Viejo de Zamora found themselves surrounded in Empel, a town on the river Meuse in the Netherlands, after the Dutch rebels opened the dikes and water flooded the entire area.

When all seemed lost, a Spanish soldier found a panel with the image of the Immaculate Conception, surely hidden by local Catholics to keep it safe from the image destruction campaign unleashed by the Calvinists.

Spanish soldiers, seeking the Immaculate Conception's protection, witnessed a miraculous event: a sudden icy wind descended upon the river Meuse, freezing the water. This enabled the Tercio Viejo of Zamora to break the siege and triumph over the terrified rebels, a moment now known as the Miracle of Empel.

From that day forward, the Immaculate Conception became the guardian of the Spanish Tercios. In 1892, she was officially declared the Patroness of the Spanish Infantry, a title she had held unofficially for centuries. Additionally, the Immaculate Conception holds various other patronages within the Spanish Army.

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Obsessi apud Bommeliam Hispani Anno 1585 - The Spaniards were driven out of the Bommelerwaard by breaking the dikes 1585

Since 2004, the Spanish Army has made it a custom to pay tribute to its patron saint in that Dutch town where the miracle occurred. The soldiers taking part are stationed at the Allied Joint Force Headquarters in Brunssum in the Netherlands.

Hundreds of Spanish citizens from all over Europe flock to the, now tiny, village of Empel on this Holy Day of The Immaculate Conception to celebrate their patron and their historic victory.

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The Empel Maria

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The Empel Chapel

On 8 December 2000 a small chapel was erased in Empel on the place where all earlier Empel Catholic churches stood. The last church was bombed in WW2. From the ceremony on the river, the Spaniards paid tribute to the chapel and then went to a communal Mass in New Empel.

On YouTube you can watch more on this ceremony (in Spanish). Below is a short explanation of the videos.

Video 1: Speech by Army Infantry Commander Javier Pontijas on the banks of the Meuse River, held in the place where the miracle of Empel occurred.

Video 2: Lieutenant General Luis Lanchares Dávila, second chief of HQ JFC Brunssum, addressing a few words to those attending the event, after which the facts of the Miracle of Empel are explained.

Video 3: Speech by the Military Bishop General of the Netherlands, Monsignor Everard de Jong, accompanied by the Episcopal Vicar of the Ministry of Defense of Spain, Francisco Javier de la Vega Fernández.

Video 4: The beautiful singing of the Spanish Infantry Hymn and the "Salve Regina", a hymn dedicated to the Virgin Mary, in front of the Empel chapel.

The Miracle of Empel seen with my own eyes

Saving Chartres Cathedral

Introduction
In the free WW2 Novella, The Partisan Fighter (read the first two chapters here), that comes out in January, I let the main character Daphne de Dragoncourt save Chartres Cathedral in France from American bombings. The Allies thought Germans were hiding in the cathedral’s bell tower.

The cathedral miraculously escaped destruction, but not by a fictional character. This is the actual story.

Click on cover to read first 2 chapters

The magnificent 12th-century Catholic cathedral was at risk of destruction by American forces in August 1944. They believed the cathedral was being used as a sniper post by German forces. Until Colonel Welborn Barton Griffith, Jr., an American Army officer from Texas, stepped in and saved the century-old marvel. Colonel Griffith’s heroic act took place on 16 August 1944, on the same day he tragically lost his life in France while fighting to liberate the French people from German occupation.

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Welborn Barton Griffith Jr. (1901–1944)

Who was Colonel Griffith?
Colonel Welborn Barton Griffith, Jr. was born on 10 November 1901, in Quanah, Texas. He attended Texas A&M University and the United States Military Academy at West Point. At West Point, he excelled in various sports, including football, and displayed exceptional skills in horsemanship, rifle shooting, and pistol marksmanship. He also took part in activities like boxing, wrestling, and lacrosse before graduating in 1925. In 1929, Griffith married Alice Torrey, the daughter of an army officer, and they had a daughter named Alice in 1931.

During the 1930s, Griffith was stationed in the Philippine Islands and then in Shanghai, China, as an observer with the Chinese Army. His adventures even took him to Japan, where he explored the country and took photographs. His activities raised suspicions, and Japanese authorities briefly detained him. After a divorce from his first marriage, Griffith married Nell Humphrey of Brooklyn, New York, in 1940.

World War 2 Activities
With the United States entering World War II in late 1941, Colonel Griffith dedicated his life to preparing soldiers for combat. He served as an instructor at the Command and General Staff School in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, and later as the operations officer (G-3) at the IV Armored Corps Headquarters at the Desert Training Center in California in 1943. Here, he played a crucial role in training troops for desert warfare in North Africa. The Corps later transformed into the XX Corps and shifted its focus to the invasion of Western Europe.

In February 1944, the XX Corps departed for England, where they trained extensively for the D-Day invasion. They landed on the beaches of Utah Beach in Normandy in July 1944, and by August, they were attached to General George S. Patton, Jr.’s Third Army. It was during their advance towards Chartres, France, that Colonel Griffith’s heroic act took place.

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12th-century Catholic cathedral Chartres

Saving Chartres Cathedral
On the morning of 16 August 1944, Colonel Griffith, along with General Walton Walker and other officers, learned about German machine gun and mortar positions in Chartres. During this briefing, they were informed orders had been issued to destroy the historic Chartres Cathedral, fearing it was occupied by German forces.

Colonel Griffith, determined to verify if German troops were indeed inside the cathedral, drove to Chartres with his jeep driver. Upon arrival, he witnessed American soldiers firing at the cathedral but observed no return fire. Unconvinced, he entered the cathedral, combed its compartments, and climbed to the top of the bell tower. To signal that the cathedral was free from enemy occupation, he rang the bell and hung an American flag from the belfry. Afterward, he sent an order to the artillery unit to spare the cathedral from destruction.

His Death
Colonel Griffith headed to the village of Lèves, where he encountered a German patrol. A firefight ensued, during which Griffith ordered his driver to return to Chartres, where they met a tank from the Seventh Armored Division. Griffith joined the tank crew, armed with a pistol and rifle. As they traversed the streets of Lèves, they came under heavy fire, and tragically, Colonel Griffith was struck in the back and killed instantly.

Eyewitnesses saw two French boys move Griffith's body to the sidewalk, where villagers placed a blanket, flowers, and an American flag. The villagers held a vigil until American forces arrived the following day and removed his body. Colonel Griffith was buried with full military honors at the Brittany American Cemetery and Memorial near the village of St. James.

His Legacy
Colonel Griffith’s valor on 16 August 1944 earned him several prestigious awards, including the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Purple Heart, the French Croix de Guerre avec Palm, the Legion of Merit, and the Legion of Honor.

His legacy lives on in France, where a plaque was placed in 1961 to honor his sacrifice. On the 51st anniversary of his heroic act, a new plaque was dedicated in his honor in Lèves. Griffith’s daughter, Alice, and other family members attended the memorial service held at Chartres Cathedral. During the ceremony, the Dean of the Cathedral acknowledged Griffith's actions, stating that the veritable tomb of a hero resides in the hearts of the living. A park was also established in Lèves to commemorate Colonel Griffith’s memory.

Colonel Welborn Barton Griffith Jr. will always remain a remarkable American hero of WW2.

Simone Segouin: The French Resistance Heroine Who Stood Strong

My soon-to-be released FREE introductory book to The Resistance Girl Series, The Partisan Fighter (read the first two chapters here) is loosely based on the heroic actions of the 18-year-old French girl, Simone Segouin, who has become a symbol of French female resisters since the liberation. High time to put this incredible lady in the spotlight.

Click on cover to read first two chapters for free

Introduction
In the annals of history, there are individuals who rise to the occasion when their countries face the darkest of times. Simone Segouin, also known by her code name Nicole Minet, was one such remarkable individual. She was a fearless young woman who played a pivotal role in the French Resistance during World War II. Her story is a testament to the bravery, determination, and resilience of those who fought against the Nazi occupation of France. In this blog post, we will delve into the life and heroic actions of Simone Segouin, a symbol of resistance and hope during one of the most trying periods in modern history.

Photos of Simone holding her German-confiscated MP-40 gun, popped up in newspapers in August 1944, leading to the assumption the photos were staged. To some extent this was true. Simone posed on the stairs for photographers after the liberation of Chartres, but not because the automatic gun wasn’t hers, or because she didn’t know how to wield it.

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Simone Segouin, code name Nicole Minet, captured 25 Nazis while liberating Chartres

Generally, though, Simone Segouin was a French WW2 heroine and remained relatively unknown to the rest of the world. The French newspaper Independent Eure-et-Loir in its 26 August 1944 issue described her as “one of the purest fighters of heroic French Resistance who prepared the way for the Liberation”.

Early Life and the Call to Resistance
Simone Segouin was born on October 3, 1925, in Thivars, a small town south-west of Paris. Growing up in a modest family, she enjoyed a relatively ordinary childhood until the outbreak of World War II. The occupation of France by Nazi Germany in 1940 marked the beginning of a tumultuous period that would change her life forever. Witnessing the atrocities committed by the Nazis and the Vichy government, Simone felt a growing sense of outrage and a deep desire to take action. Her father had been a decorated soldier of the Great War.

Simone Joins the Resistance
In 1944, at the age of 18, Simone Segouin made the courageous decision to join the French Resistance. She adopted the nom de guerre “Nicole Minet” to protect her identity. Under the guidance of her older brother and other resistance fighters, she began her journey into the clandestine world of sabotage and espionage.

Simone’s Role in the Resistance
Simone Segouin’s role in the French Resistance was multifaceted and invaluable. She was involved in a range of activities that hindered the Nazi occupiers and their collaborators. For example:

Sabotage: She participated in acts of sabotage, targeting German military installations, communication lines, and transportation networks. These acts disrupted the Nazi war effort and helped slow their advance.

Espionage: With her youthful appearance, she could easily move through occupied areas without arousing suspicion. This made her an ideal courier for the resistance, relaying critical information between different cells and resistance leaders.

Participation in Liberation: As the Allied forces advanced through France in 1944, Simone was actively involved in the liberation of Chartres and Paris. In Chartres she captured 25 Nazis. In Paris she liquidated several Germans and actively helped to reclaim the capital from the clutches of the Nazis.

Iconic Photographs and Legacy
Simone Segouin’s fearless commitment to the resistance captured the imagination of many. Iconic photographs of her, brandishing weapons and sporting shorts and resistance emblems, remain etched in history. Especially her German-confiscated MP-40 gun, which she could wield as the best, made her a force to reckon with.

These images symbolize the strength and determination of the French people during their struggle against oppression.

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Simone Segouin sporting shorts and an MP-40 gun

Simone’s legacy goes beyond her wartime actions. After the war, she continued to lead a life dedicated to preserving the memory of the resistance and the sacrifices made by her comrades. She served as a reminder that even in the darkest of times, ordinary individuals can rise to extraordinary heights when they choose to resist tyranny.

Simone was promoted to lieutenant and awarded the Croix de Guerre. A street in Courville-sur-Eure is named after her.

Later years
After the war Simone became a pediatric nurse in Chartres, where her wartime exploits made her hugely popular. While she had six children with her husband, she never took his name.

Despite her active participation in the resistance, Simone acknowledged the difficulty for women to be taken seriously. Only 10 percent of partisans were women and hardly any of those had combat roles.

Her proudest moment was going to Paris with General De Gaulle.

Simone died at age 97 in Courville-sur-Eure on 21 February 2023.

Conclusion
Simone Segouin’s life and actions serve as a powerful reminder of the indomitable spirit of those who fought against the Nazi occupation of France during World War II. Her courage, resourcefulness, and unwavering commitment to the resistance make her a genuine hero and an inspiration to generations to come. Simone Segouin’s story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity and remains a beacon of hope for all who believe in the power of resistance and resilience.

The Partisan Fighter

Exciting News: the first two chapters of The Partisan Fighter are available!

I've got some thrilling news to share with you. I'm diving back into the world of De Dragoncourts from In Picardy’s Fields with my latest project, The Partisan Fighter. I'm so excited about writing Daphne’s story. Daphne is the 18-year-old daughter of Count Jacques de Dragoncourt. Do you remember the young manager of the WW1 hospital, who was so in love with surgeon Agnès? Alas, Agnès married her colleague Alan Bell instead. So, find out who Jacques married and what his daughter Daphne is like!

I'm giving you the chance to read the first two — still unedited chapters right away — completely free!

Flag of the Free France (1940-1944)

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Simone Segouin during the liberation of Paris on 29 August 1944

What’s The Partisan Fighter About?
The Partisan Fighter takes us back to World War II, a time of bravery and tumultuous change in the French countryside. The story is loosely based on Simone Segouin’s story and the fight of the Partisans. This motley group of Resistance fighters was allied to the British SOE organization, which is now my main body of work, but The Partisan Fighter is a story purely about the French Resistance.

Based as always on actual facts, our protagonist, Daphne, a young couturier turned fighter, navigates the chaos of occupied territory. Her journey is filled with danger, sacrifice, and resilience, and I can't wait for you to join her on this thrilling ride.

Why Historical Fiction?
Historical fiction has a unique charm—it's like a time machine that lets us step into the shoes of people from the past. It's a chance to experience their world and understand the challenges they faced. The Partisan Fighter is my way of bringing history to life, creating characters you'll care about, and spinning a tale that'll have you hooked from the start.

Read the First Two Chapters
To give you a taste of what's in store, I'm sharing the first two chapters of The Partisan Fighter for free. Just head over to the downloadpage here to start reading. I hope these initial pages will grab your attention and leave you hungry for more of Daphne’s journey, which will be available in December. Exclusive for my newsletter subscribers! So it won’t be for sale.

Stay in the Loop
I'm super excited to share this novella with you, and I can't wait to hear what you think. Your support keeps me going and inspires me to keep telling stories.

To stay in the know about The Partisan Fighter and get updates on new chapters, subscribe to my newsletter or join my Reader group on Facebook.

Thanks for joining me on this historical adventure, and I can't wait to explore The Partisan Fighter with you.

Happy reading!

Cast off your jewels, your blue-blood, your privileges. Fight for freedom only.  

Picardy, France, May 1940

Daphne de Dragoncourt simply knows she's the new French couture designer on the firmament. With her taste for risqué combinations and bold patterns, she's anything but the sophistication of black-and-white Chanel.

Inspired by the rainbow colors of her pet macaw, Liberté, Daphne can't wait to exchange her coveted countryside life in Picardy for her own atelier in Paris. Away from her depressed, alcoholic father, the 10th Count De Dragoncourt, and his complicated marriage to her Italian-Principessa mother, Marielle de Ibrio.  

But Hitler's invasion of Northern France crushes all Daphne's dreams of a career in beauty and style. When her family's Château is overrun by German boots, and her beloved macaw escapes, she is forced to flee into the Picardy's fields.

Stranded and alone, she stumbles upon the wounded resistance fighter Paul Bâh, a Congolese-born merchant from Paris, with an avid taste for unruly warfare. Instead of a thread and needle, Paul presents the queen of patterns with a German-snatched MP 40 gun and teaches Daphne to wield it well. 

With Paul by her side, Daphne - code name Simone - and their motley cell of partisan fighters clash with the Nazis from Paris to Picardy. Until the Partisans are finally reinforced by the D-Day landings and, together with the Allies, terminate four years of German terror. 

The Partisan Fighter is the heroic metamorphosis of a capricious, starry-eyed teenager into a death-dealing resistance fighter. Buckling down in a camouflage outfit, the upper-class heiress is hell-bent on bringing Liberté back to country and castle.

Coding a Message like a WW2 Secret Agent

Just for fun, I’ll take you through the steps of how to encode a message with the use of double transposition in this blog. If you're subscribed to my newsletter, you probably already know about the coding puzzles I've been making. But this one is even more challenging.

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A wireless operator working in the field

I will demonstrate how wireless operators from the British wartime intelligence agency, SOE, sent coded messages to London with the help of a poem code. Until 1942 this was the customary British way to code messages, but when the German counterintelligence cracked too many of these poems after agents were captured and interrogated, new code systems were invented.

When Leo Marks, the young master coder at the London SOE HQ, got growing suspicions the Germans had captured many of the Dutch SOE agents and communicated with London using their poems, he insisted the use of memorized poems – or even the Lord’s Prayer - was far too easy to crack. He invented other systems. More on that later. Until then, the agents operating in occupied northern Europe memorized a poem they liked. Agents in the Mediterranean often used parts of novels.

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Agent Yvonne Cormeau (own photo SOE museum Beaulieu, England)

We will use Robert Frost’s Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, which is copyright free, so I can freely quote it on my blog.

Here’s our poem code:

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it's queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

When using the poem code, the message needed to be a minimum of 200 characters. It goes too far to explain why, so please just accept that fact. As the message was transmitted via Morse code, there was no punctuation.

The actual agents were encouraged to mix up English with, say French in France and Norwegian in Norway, but as coding is a difficult enough job as it is for us lay (wo)men, we’ll stick to English.

Here’s our fictive message:

latest drop successful stop need more crystals and thermal socks stop use new landing site north of river stop next moon period stop urgent pick up agent thomas urgently cover blown stop agent yves arrested in lyon stop plan to sabotage car parts factory next monday.

Now we need a key. Agents picked five words from their poem. Some chose long ones, other short ones or a mix. Let us choose these:

harness, woods, sleep, darkest, flake

Now we need to transcribe our words into a numeric code. We assign 1 to the first letter in the alphabet, then a 2 to the second, etcetera. In case more of the same letters appear in the words, give the letter to the left the first number and then add.

Start with the A’s:

Then fill in the rest:

Now put your message in a grid:

Onto the transposing process. Take your key and put it on top of the table containing the message:

The coded message will be written out in the following way. Start with the column under number 1 and write it down from top to bottom, which will read ARUSGTPY. Continue with column number 2 and progress in that order.

Our message would read as follows below. For readability, we divide the letters into groups of five. The agents also did this because a five-letter message was easier to manage during transmission. They needed to be ‘on -air’ as short as possible to prevent the Gestapo from picking up their signals.

ARUSG TPYUM NDYTR ESIKO NCSSD OSVBA FREOL SASRN PTAAX ETSEE RGSHIR NRETS TOVIR MOEPN TONKF IBYFL OPRAS ORSLR TODAD TVUWS TCDGP GAAES RCLOA ECEON PLEOA ATMTS NPLNM AYADS ETITE CTEST EOPNL AOSCE PTYEN TGNTD SWEHE TMUAI OUEOY CNNNR STOOH PENTP COPRL SRTLX ONOO

Think we’re done? Nope! Agents had to use double transposition, so they had to repeat the process. For that, they picked five different words from their poem and transposed the already transposed message once again. Experienced coders probably took the letters from the first grid and placed them directly into the second grid. I invite you to do this yourself! You may send me your attempt at hannah@hannahbyron.com

Use the words: snow, lovely, farmhouse, lake, miles

After the double transposition, the agent added an indicator so London HQ would know which words they had chosen. Now came the job of the wireless operator, who sent the coded message in Morse as fast as he or she could.

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Wireless Transceiver No 3 Mk II, 1943

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Overview of it’s parts

Apart from the fact the poem codes were easy to torture out of captured agents, Leo Marks found they led to too many ‘indecipherables’. Some agents were atrocious spellers, which botched their coding. In London, hundreds of decoders worked tirelessly to decrypt misspelled messages, preventing agents from having to resend them and face further danger. But it was an arduous job. Marks developed what he called WOKs, worked-out-keys. The WOKs were premade codes, giving the agents ready-made keys, printed on easy-to-hide silk scarves or handkerchiefs. The agent destroyed each set of keys after use, using a different key for every message.

The most important advantage was that the agent wouldn’t be able to remember the key he or she had used, so the Gestapo couldn’t torture it out of them. That differed from the poem codes. WOKs also saved the agents a lot of time, not having to make their own keys. As they were secure with only 100 characters (down from 200), the wireless operators stayed ‘on air’ for a shorter time. Plus, no more spelling errors in the keys. A WOK would have looked something like this:

18.9.11.4.20.10.21.22.3.6.13.1.17.23.14.7.19.8.12.15.5.16.2

in pairs, with an indicator group off to one side to let London HQ know which pair the agent was using.

I hope you enjoyed this lesson in coding.

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Part of a WOK

From The Crystal Butterfly to The London Spymaker

Two months ago, I shared a video (link below) on YouTube, recounting the remarkable liberation of Amsterdam in May 1945. Little did I expect it would capture the hearts and minds of 54,000 viewers, many of whom were touched by the heroics of their Canadian relatives, who played a pivotal role in Holland's liberation. All these reactions from viewers ignited a spark in me, and made me think with even more fondness why I wrote my book on the Dutch Resistance, "The Crystal Butterfly." In the 7th book in The Resistance Girl Series, our heroine, Edda Van der Valk (then Edda Valkena), joins in the jubilation of Amsterdam's liberation.

The popularity of the old Dutch news reel also evoked a profound sense of gratitude in me towards the brave Canadians, Brits, Americans, Australians, and others who landed on Normandy's beaches on that historic day of June 6, 1944 to begin their relentless march northward. It spanned eleven grueling months and was marked by countless sacrifices before the European Continent was liberated from Hitler's Third Reich. How the SOE secret agents played a vital role in assisting the Allied forces with their sabotage actions will be at the core of my new series “Timeless Spies”, coming in 2024.

At an hour’s drive from where I live lies the Canadian War Cemetery at Groesbeek, Netherlands. Two weeks’ ago, on a sunny Sunday, I went on a field trip to honor these young heroes who gave their lives for our cherished freedom. Over 7,600 Canadian soldiers died for the liberation of Holland, and 2,331 of them found their eternal rest at Groesbeek. It stands as an immense Canadian Commonwealth Cemetery, with a minority of other nationalities interred alongside.

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The original Canadian cemetery 1946

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The Canadian cemetery 1947

My fascination with the Secret Operations Executive (SOE), as discussed in last week's blog, led me to discover that two of the five Canadian secret agents who were murdered in concentration camps while serving in the French section of SOE are commemorated on one pillar at this graveyard. That was my second motivation to pay a visit and pay tribute.

I also reached out to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and became a Foundation member, granting me the opportunity to contribute to their vital work. It puzzled me that the records showed that three agents were commemorated at Groesbeek - Pickersgill, Sabourin Biéler (correct spelling) -, whereas I could only find two names. (See photo left). The War Graves Commission told me that WW2 casualties with no known graves, like these five agents, may only be commemorated in one location. Where Biéler is commemorated elsewhere I’m still in the process of finding out. Considering that all 104 fallen agents of the French Section are commemorated on the Valencay Memorial in France (see last week’s post), the French memorial is not classified as a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery. A valuable lesson learnt.

Mind you, these men are heroes of the highest class. They fought alone!

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The author at Groesbeek, left of me you can see the two agents’ names

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The 5 Canadian SOE agents who died in concentration camps

I invite you to watch my visit to Groesbeek through the video linked below, and I'm excited to share that you have one more week to download and read for free the first chapters of "The London Spymaker," set to be released next March.

Video visit to Groesbeek Cemetery

Video liberation of Amsterdam

The link between The London Spymaker and SOE

As I’m writing the last book in The Resistance Girl Series (for now), I’m already transitioning to what I’m going to specialize in for probably the rest of my writing career. The secret agents of SOE, an abbreviation for the Secret Operations Executive. A name and organization as shrouded in mystery as its non-descript name.

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Hannah at SOE plaque in Beaulieu

In book 7 in The Resistance Girl Series, titled The London Spymaker, I’m already deeply invested in SOE, the British organization Winston Churchill launched in July 1940 “to set Europe Ablaze” with irregular warfare and sabotage actions. Flight officer Anna Adams in The London Spymaker, though fictive, is based on Vera Atkins’ remarkable position at the London-based organization, as the second person behind Colonel Maurice Buckmaster, the head of SOE’s French section.

Vera Atkins

From 1941 till after D-Day in June 1944 some 400 Section F agents were dropped into France. 109 of them didn’t survive the arrests, torture, and murder by the Gestapo. Most of these heroic agents, who came from all walks of life, were killed in concentration camps. Of the 40 brave women, whom SOE started recruiting in 1942 as women could more easily blend in with the French population and were less likely to be stopped by the Germans, 13 did not survive their missions. 104 of these agents are commemorated on the Valencay Memorial in France, which I will certainly visit in person one day and tell you all about.

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Valencay memorial for SOE French Section

With Anna’s story, we start at the end of the second World War as she flies to post-war Germany in search of her “missing agents.” In the chaos after the liberation, with hundreds of thousands of bewildered and traumatized holocaust survivors trying to find their way to safety, it was often unclear what had happened to political prisoners, especially these agents whom Hitler had branded the worst enemies of the Third Reich. They fell in the “Nacht und Nebel” category, people the Nazis didn’t want to leave any trace of where they’d gone (Night and Fog), so their families would never know what had happened to them.

Anna not only attends the opening of the Nuremburg trials in November 1945, she also interrogates arrested camp commanders from Ravensbrück and Sachsenhausen to find out about the fate of “her girls”. The real Vera Atkins made it her life’s mission after the war to trace all the agents so she could tell their families what had happened to them.

To give you a taste of the history and research behind Anna’s story, you can read the rough draft of the first chapters of The London Spymaker here. The book is on preorder and will be available on 7 March 2024.

The London Spymaker sneak peek - click to download

Next week I will tell you about my visit to the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, where 2 of the 5 French-Canadian SOE male agents are commemorated. Though I intend to start my new series “Timeless Spies” (2024) with the female agents, in time I’d like to honour the brave men as well. What’s more, they usually worked together in teams.

In the footsteps of Audrey Hepburn

For my final blog for Book 6 in the Resistance Girl Series, The Crystal Butterfly, I spent a day in the footsteps of the famous 20th century actress Audrey Hepburn. During her life, little was known about her war years as a teenager in The Netherlands, but one of her more recent biographers, Robert Matzen, together with Audrey’s youngest son, Luca Dotti, unraveled most of the mysteries around this period in the moving and impressive biography Dutch Girl. Audrey Hepburn and World War II.

Robert Matzen's Dutch Girl, Audrey Hepburn and World War II

I read Robert’s book as part of my research for my own book on a ballerina under German occupation in The Netherlands. And also, because I’ve been a lifelong fan of Audrey Hepburn. Robert’s detailed description of Audrey’s life in Oosterbeek (before the war), Arnhem and ultimately Velp, three places in the Province of Gelderland, made me decide to visit all the places where she either lived or spent (dancing) time. 

Come with me on my trip.

Field trip to Oosterbeek, Velp & Arnhem in the footsteps of Audrey Hepburn

There’s just one aspect of Robert’s book, which I highly recommend, by the way, I want to touch on because I’m not sure many people knew this about Audrey. She, herself, had a lifelong admiration and tender spot for Anne Frank, who in a way was her soul-sister. After the liberation in 1945, Audrey moved to Amsterdam with her mother so that she could take dance lessons with the famous Sonia Gaskell. 

They happened to live in the same building as the editor working on Anne Frank’s Diary. Audrey was the first to read this moving account of a girl only six weeks apart in age. She was also among the very first to visit “Het Achterhuis” on the Prinsengracht, where the Frank family hid until they were betrayed. 

Of course, Audrey heard when the Diary of A Young Girl became an instant bestseller in America. Then she was asked to portray Anne in George Stevens’ 1958 movie on the Jewish girl who died in Bergen-Belsen. Typically, the thoughtful and emphatic Audrey refused the role. Even after meeting up with Anne’s father Otto in Switzerland, who asked her to reconsider, Audrey declined. The war and its scars were still too raw for her. And how could she accept money for a role about a girl who felt like a sister to her but who hadn’t survived the war?

However, in the 1980s Audrey went on a tour through the US to give readings of Anne’s Diary in her function as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. And thus, raised money for the organization that meant everything to her.

I wanted to share with you this story of Anne and Audrey to round off my series of blogs for The Crystal Butterfly.

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There is no mention of Audrey Hepburn in my own book, of course, as Edda–my main character - was unaware of that budding film star and ballerina - who would capture the hearts of millions a decade later - living in the same country as she was. But there are many similarities. Both are dark-haired ballerinas, resilient girls that strive for the top. Both have parents that embrace Hitler’s Nazism, and both come from Frisian nobility. 

Here's the link to Robert’s book Dutch Girl:
https://www.amazon.com/Dutch-Girl-Audrey-Hepburn-World-ebook/dp/B07MSCBVBJ/
(Amazon US store but I’m sure it’s available everywhere)

In the footsteps of Anne Frank in Amsterdam…

Though Anne doesn’t play an active role in my fictive book on the Dutch resistance and Jewish persecution in WW2, “The Crystal Butterfly”, she is an important symbol of Holland in WW2. No wonder, that her name came up time and time again in my research. Both in Amsterdam and in transit Camp Westerbork. 

Partly to honour Anne, I have my main character, Edda, keep a diary as well. But Edda, who is not Jewish but the daughter of collaborators and a resistance fighter, only writes what she witnesses around her during the Nazi occupation. So it’s not a personal diary like Anne’s.

Also, Edda is at almost the same time in Transit Camp Westerbork, when Anne briefly stayed there with her family before being transported to the German concentration camps. 

Enough reason for me to go to Amsterdam and visit the two places where Anne lived and the one place where she is commemorated with all other 120,000 murdered Jews, Sintis and Romas. Will you join me in her footsteps? 

Field trip to Amsterdam. In the Footsteps of Anne Frank…

But what is – in a nutshell - Anne Frank’s legacy?

Anne Frank's importance for the world stems from her powerful and poignant account of her life in hiding during the Holocaust, documented in her now-famous diary, "The Diary of a Young Girl." Why was the voice of a teenage girl so significant?

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Symbol of the Holocaust
Anne Frank's diary provides a personal and relatable perspective on the horrors of the Holocaust. Through her writing, she humanizes the millions of victims and gives a voice to the countless innocent lives lost during World War II.

Impact on Education
Anne's diary has become an essential educational tool in schools worldwide. It helps students learn about the Holocaust, discrimination, and the consequences of hatred, fostering empathy and understanding.

Testament to Resilience
Despite facing extreme hardship, Anne's diary reflects her resilience and optimism. Her courage and determination to keep hope alive amid despair serve as an inspiration to people facing difficult situations.

Human Rights Advocacy
Anne Frank's story has become a symbol for promoting human rights, tolerance, and inclusivity. Her words remind us of the importance of standing against prejudice, discrimination, and injustice.

Preservation of History
Anne's diary provides a first-hand account of life during the Holocaust, preserving an important historical record for future generations.

Global Recognition
The Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, where Anne and her family hid, is now a museum attracting millions of visitors each year. This international attention helps ensure that her story reaches people from all walks of life.

Cultural Impact
Anne's diary has been translated into numerous languages, making her story accessible to people around the world. It has also inspired various adaptations, including plays, films, and other literary works.

Unfinished Potential
Anne Frank's untimely death at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in 1945, shortly before the camp's liberation, serves as a poignant reminder of the potential that was lost due to hatred and intolerance.

In summary, Anne Frank's significance lies in her ability to humanize the Holocaust and serve as a beacon of hope, education, and inspiration for generations to come. Her enduring legacy reminds us of the importance of promoting understanding, compassion, and the protection of human rights.

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Anne Frank statue Merwedeplein

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Significant Anne Frank sites

The Liberation of the Netherlands

This blog sheds a quick light on the events surrounding the liberation of the Netherlands during World War II. After the Allied landing in Normandy in June 1944, the Western Allies advanced towards the Dutch border, raising hopes of liberation among the Dutch population. In September, Operation Market Garden was launched, an unsuccessful attempt to reach the north of the Netherlands and Germany due to the failure to capture the Rhine bridge at the Battle of Arnhem. However, substantial regions in the south were liberated during the operation.

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Parts of the southern Netherlands were not liberated by Operation Market Garden, but British and American forces managed to defeat remaining German forces through Operation Aintree. Battles were fought in various regions, including Zeeland and North Brabant, to clear the way for liberation. During these operations, the Dutch faced a harsh winter in 1944-1945 known as the Hunger Winter, resulting in significant casualties due to starvation and disease.

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Bicycles were confiscated by the Germans, so were hidden by some people. These two men are digging up a bike after the war.

The liberation of the western provinces faced delays, but negotiations for the surrender of German forces were finally successful on May 5, 1945, three days before Germany's general capitulation. The liberation process involved battles like the Battle of Groningen and the Battle of Otterlo. Additionally, the Dutch government initially considered annexing a part of Germany but later dropped the idea.

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Liberation of Amersfoort including clogs

After the war, some individuals accused of collaboration faced extrajudicial punishment, while others were tried for treason. The Dutch government implemented plans to deport Germans from the Netherlands. The war also led to the loss of the Dutch East Indies, leading to Indonesian independence after a four-year war. World War II had lasting effects on Dutch society, with emotional scars carried by both the first and second generations. The Dutch Red Cross issued apologies for its failure to protect certain groups during the war.

The Liberation of Amsterdam on 8 May 1945

In The Crystal Butterfly, Edda is liberated when she’s still a political prisoner in Camp Westerbork. Here’s a snippet from her own diary:

Westerbork, 13 April 1945, 8:00 pm

I am so happy I think I’ll burst and at the same time I’m way too ill to stand on my feet for longer than 5 minutes. What a contrast. We’re free! We’re liberated! The Germans are gone, gone, gone!!!! We couldn’t believe our eyes but yesterday, 12 April 1945, the First Canadian Army liberated us. We saw them coming. 

But let me first tell you how Gemmeker and Frau Hassel were made to eat humble pie. All the rumors were so loud that liberation was imminent. We only saw Allied planes fly over and they dropped us food! Real food! I mean flour, margarine, coffee, milk powder, cheese, chocolate. Things we haven’t tasted for years. I was so hungry, but I remembered Miss Sterling saying we need to eat small portions, so I ate a little bite every hour. Honestly, I feel my strength already returning but that must also be the mental boost that it’s really, really over. 

See, I can’t even return to the topic of that Gentleman Crook, but I need to. This notebook, by the way, was given to me by one of the sweet Tommys. I was talking with him last night, his name is Sergeant Stuart Gildersleeve (his last name sounds like a character from a ballet!!!) and he told me he’d been keeping notes ever since landing on the beaches in Normandy, which was over 10 months ago!!! The diary kept him sane, and I told him about my little notebooks hidden at my sister’s. 

“I’ve got a spare one, now that I hope to head back to Vancouver soon,” he grinned. So now I have a Canadian notebook, a simple thin cahier with a brown cover but I’ll cherish it all my life. It’s my liberation gift, almost more important than the chocolate that melts on my tongue.

Alright, I promised you Gemmeker and Mistress Hassel. Well, there isn’t a grand finale there. They just left. Like that. Each had a small suitcase and they walked away. I hope by God they’ll be arrested before they walk hand-in-hand into Germany, but they kept their heads high. You know what Frau Hassel said to me on my last visit to them, which was months ago as they didn’t like my company anymore. I know I am a bore, but I was a deliberate bore with them as I hated every minute in the green villa. Anyway, back on track. She said to me: “My Albert is the Jesus Christ of Westerbork.” Can you imagine? I almost choked on the coffee I was drinking and spit it out on that striped sofa. The Jesus Christ of Westerbork. The woman is insane. I won’t be surprised he’ll be convicted of sending all these Jews and Sintis and Romas east with little chance of survival. 

Though I’m writing horrible things, you can’t imagine what joy it is to write freely again. Oh, how I missed my own thoughts on paper. I simply love the act of my pen going over the page. Maybe I’ve got a bit of a writer in me? Who knows! But for now, it’s Heaven on Earth. Food in my stomach, the sun on my table, and me with my diary. 

The Canadians have ordered us to stay here until Amsterdam is liberated but Stu told me it’s a mere matter of days now. I’ll be going home. But I almost dread the idea. What will I find at home? Will my flat still be there? And what about Tante Riet? No word of her all these months. Gemmeker kept promising me he’d find out if she was still in Zwolle but he said he couldn’t find her. I fear the worst. My instinct tells me something’s wrong there. But no sad thoughts today. There will be plenty of decisions to be made over the coming weeks but for now I’m going outside again and enjoy the company of the Canadians! They’re such fun.

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Canadian soldier being kissed on Damsquare Amsterdam