Another little adventure with a country's gold reserveThe story of Belgian gold during World War II is one of the most dramatic financial and geopolitical thrillers of the war, involving a secret evacuation, a colonial betrayal, Nazi looting, and postwar restitution. At the outbreak of the war,... See More » (1)
The biggest news todayis the visit of the CIA chief to Moscou. One could say that it was indeed secret. Why? (1)
Keeping the past aliveFortress Breendonk was a stronghold built between 1906 and 1913 as part of the defensive belt around the important harbour town of Antwerp. During the Second World War, from September 1940 onwards, the Nazis used it as a "detention camp" for... See More » (1)
How to define Germany?My dad was a soldier in Germany once. There's one souvernir of his time there that I've admired and loved since childhood. It's a metal miniature of the Dom St. Peter und Maria in Köln. I've inserted how that building survied the heavy bombing... See More » (1)
Events do tend to repeat themselves.This afternoon I had a nice chat at the local pub with an old friend. He mentioned that he's astounded how people demonize the Russians these days. He has a point. No people is the devil but the devil is indeed nevertheless always everywhere. Or... See More » (1)
I'll never forget Sam NeillThe Spectator wrote this week that actor Sam Neill, whose unexpected death was announced by his family, was claimed as a son by not one, but three countries. Born in Northern Ireland, grown up in New Zealand, and first making his name in Australia,... See More » (1)
Has anything changed?is something my friends ask me as the historian in the group often enough. Nothing major is my answer then because human kind is still that. There's still a bin and a Nige around. Up the RA indeed 🙄 Although, come to think of it, I wish there was so... See More » (1)
Did you know that todaythere was the annual Belgian Cenotaph Parade, which traditionally takes place on the Saturday preceding Belgian National Day (July 21). Belgium is the only non-Commonwealth nation allowed to parade its troops, armed and in uniform, through the... See More » (1)
