From 19-22 September you can visit the temporary exhibit Baasrode Bevrijd. The exhibit commemorating the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Baasrode, Belgium, is organised by collector Geert Van Nimmen. The entrance is free and you can get real close-up to all the mannequins and equipment. The mannequins and other material are mostly British and American. I went today, and it was worth the trip!
For those of you who saw my letter in Brussel Deze Week, here’s the link to the article this is about:
Out soon (end of October – early November) from Michel De Trez, this new book dedicated to paratrooper helmets. In recent years we have seen the release of a number of high quality books on the M1 helmet, but none specifically about the parachutist versions. This book focusses on all variations of shells and liners and different markings present on para helmets. We are getting it from the horse’s mouth because Michel De Trez has a huge para helmet collection himself. Many of them unique pieces from historic figures who appeared in his earlier works. This book is availably in English from the English language version of paratrooper.fr. I ordered one already. When I get it I will write a detailed review.
Click here to view extracts of this book.
Last night I went to see the new Tarantino I had been looking forward to, and I was not disappointed. If you like WWII movies, you MUST SEE this one. It is one big satire on a lot of famous movies, but without becoming a slapstick. Christoph Waltz deserves an Oscar for his role as SS Colonel Hans Landa. He’s not the main character (that’s Brad Pitt), but certainly has the most text in the movie. And that in four languages: German, French, English and Italian. All fluent, as far as I can tell. Language is the ‘file rouge’ in this story and Tarantino plays on this skillfully. Here in Belgium we are used to subtitles, but I have heard that all the switching of languages (with or without subtitles) can be quite annoying to an American audience. I could jabber on for another page, but it’s best you go see the movie yourself. I definitely want to see it again, because it’s so full of original lines and great acting, and layers of hidden jokes and references, that you need to pay attention to absorb it all. For the movie buff!
May 11, 1940, 11h15: the “impregnable” Fort Eben Emael on the Dutch-Belgian border fell to an unorthodox attack of 78 German paratroopers who landed on the roof by glider. This breach in the Belgian defenses was the beginning of the end. Ten days later the Belgian King capitulated.
Paratrooper.be is organizing a guided tour of Fort Eben Emael on 31 25 October. We are looking at assembling a group of at least 10 people. If you’re interested, sign up here.
For more information about the Fort, click on the photo.
I found some more items related to GIs in Brussels which I added to my article: souvenir postcards of Brussels and Antwerp, and a pamphlet for GIs staying over at the Metropole Hotel.
Read the updated article…
This year’s show hardly had any ‘wings’, but I enjoyed the many vehicles, re-enactors and militaria stands. Always a great day out.
View the photo album
Last weekend my dad gave me the original of the photo you see here. I already had a scan of it, but now it turns out that there’s a text written on the back. The handwriting says that this picture is Jack Beatty before joining the 17th Airborne as a medic, and that he was killed after the Wesel drop while tending to a wounded comrade. A purple heart was sent to his parents posthumously.
Now what does this have to do with me?
I found out the hard way when a radio mailed to me from the States was seized by Belgian customs. It turned out the BIPT (Belgisch Instituut voor postdiensten en telecommunicatie) had been alerted of the parcel and seized it because I did not have a license. Now I can understand you need a license to own guns or an actual working radio transmitter, but this to me was really over the top. To their credit though, they soon did send me a letter acknowledging that this was indeed a historical piece of equipment and that an exception would be made in this case. I was allowed to request a license to own (not use!) this radio. To request a license, a list with details of all radios I already owned, along with a letter of motivation was to be sent to the BIPT. Now, over a month after the radio was seized, I have my license and the radio has finally arrived.
I know that practically all collectors and owners of WWII vehicles own a radio. Even if it no longer works, you need a license. I suggest you write a letter to the BIPT and be in order. An ownership license is free of charge. Let me know if you need any help.
Over the years I collected a lot of paratrooper related stuff that hasn’t made it to the reference books. And even when you find a picture, no details are provided. Granted, all this ephemera is not official government issue, but it is part of the entire historic picture. Whereas advertisements and magazine covers really give us a taste of the time, one can debate the historic importance of postcards with paratroopers on them. It seems they were meant not just to boost the morale of the paratroopers themselves, but also to instill pride of this new elite unit onto the home front. So they were really a kind of propaganda.
View photo album…