Tag: World War II

What Diaries—Fictional and Real—Can Teach Us About History

What Diaries—Fictional and Real—Can Teach Us About History

Even as a kid I was a history nerd. It started with the American Girl dolls and branched into Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series, Little Women, and Anne of Green Gables. My sister, our friends, and I would dress up in 

Finding Family History in the Pages of the CRC Archive – Part I

Finding Family History in the Pages of the CRC Archive – Part I

On August 27, 1955, Pieter Duinkerken showed up at the offices of the Calvinist Resettlement Committee to speak with Miss Agnes Flonk, the assistant secretary. The committee was created by the Christian Reformed Church (CRC), whose headquarters were in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Mr. Duinkerken himself 

Evacuees Return Home after the Dutch Surrender to Germany, 1940

Evacuees Return Home after the Dutch Surrender to Germany, 1940

This blog post has a different title, but is “Part II” of the previous post, “DUTCH REFUGEES FLEEING GERMAN INVASION, 1940.” It includes the second half of letter that is part of our World War II Collection, 1940-2011 (COLL 454, Box 8, Folder 21), dated Friday 10 

Dutch Refugees Fleeing German Invasion, 1940

Dutch Refugees Fleeing German Invasion, 1940

Heritage Hall has a rich collection of documents related to World War II. They offer windows into the experiences of Dutch people who lived through the war and the German occupation, members of the resistance movement, and American soldiers. The document below is part of 

Christian Reformed Veterans of World War II

Christian Reformed Veterans of World War II

“Christianity isn’t passive–it’s active,” said a WWII veteran in 1945, recalling the lessons he learned during the war. Over 16 million Americans served in the United States Armed Forces during WWII. In 1991 the Christian Reformed Church conducted a survey of veterans and their experiences.