As I am in the midst of my comprehensive exams, this is a just a quick update! The annual German Remembrance Day service is being held on Sunday, November 16. This service takes place at Woodland Cemetery in Kitchener, Ontario (119 Arlington Boulevard) at 2:30 p.m. For more information, please visit the German Embassy’s website.
Author Archives: Michael O'Hagan
Following In Their Footsteps
For my 50th post and my one-year anniversary on WordPress, I’d like to share what I’ve been up to these last few weeks. Two years ago, I was forwarded an email from someone in Germany whose father had spent time in Canada during the Second World War as a prisoner of war. Lutz, the senderContinue reading “Following In Their Footsteps”
Postcard from Malte Sacolowsky, U-501
Last week I posted about “Real Photo” picture postcards sent home by PoWs interned in Canada. Today, I’d like to focus on one of those postcards and share a little more about one of the men featured in it. In the seventy years that have passed since these postcards were mailed, the provenance of manyContinue reading “Postcard from Malte Sacolowsky, U-501”
Picture Postcards – Part III of PoW Mail
Continuing with the topic of Prisoner of War mail, today’s post deals with the picture postcard, a popular form of communication between PoWs and their friends and family back home. Picture postcards are exactly what they sound like: postcards with a picture on them. As I’ve mentioned before, these photos not only allowed PoWs toContinue reading “Picture Postcards – Part III of PoW Mail”
PoW Interpretive Wagon Tours
Bear with me for a bit of shameless self-promotion! Friends of Riding Mountain National Park (and myself) are pleased to announce the return of the “From North Africa to the North Woods” Interpretive PoW Wagon Tour! In Riding Mountain National Park this September Long Weekend? Why not take a tour to PoW Camp! Loaded ontoContinue reading “PoW Interpretive Wagon Tours”
Prisoner of War Mail and the YMCA – Part II of PoW Mail
Updated translations August 5, 2014 and November 29, 2016 – Thanks to Günther and Joel for their help! In my last post I introduced the basics of Prisoner of War mail in Canada during the Second World War. Today, I’m going to continue this by showing another type of postcard. In the early years ofContinue reading “Prisoner of War Mail and the YMCA – Part II of PoW Mail”
Kriegsgefangenenpost (Prisoner of War Mail) – Part I
After an unintended hiatus, here is the first of a series of posts about prisoner of war mail. Now you may be thinking this isn’t the most exciting subject or the most exhilarating objects (and I don’t blame you) but there is more to it than it may appear! I have shown a few PoWContinue reading “Kriegsgefangenenpost (Prisoner of War Mail) – Part I”
Juno Beach: Then and Now
To mark the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day landings, here is one of the projects I have been working on. Earlier in the year, the Laurier Military History Archive released thousands of aerial photographs taken during the Second World War. Among the collection was a number of photos taking during reconnaissance missions leading up toContinue reading “Juno Beach: Then and Now”
Mother’s Day – 1918
I haven’t been able to do any further research but apparently the YMCA produced stationery specifically for soldiers writing home for Mother’s Day. I can’t imagine the YMCA thought that this would be used by a Canadian Forestry Corps company to record some productions statistics but it looks like they used anything on hand. Anyways,Continue reading “Mother’s Day – 1918”
Interactive Exhibit – Video
Bit of a delay since my last post, my apologies! As I get back into the swing of things, I hope my posts become a bit more regular. Just a quick post today – a short video showing off my project for the Interactive Exhibit Design. Fellow PhD Candidate Steve Marti recorded and produced aContinue reading “Interactive Exhibit – Video”
POWs in Canada 