Kutno Poland 1939

An elderly Jewish man speaks with German officers during the roundup of Kutno’s Jewish residents in 1939.

Once its invasion of Poland was complete, Germany wasted no time in rounding up Poland’s citizens of Jewish faith—often with the willing assistance of Poland’s Gentiles, as appears to be the case in the scene captured in the photograph.

This photograph was taken by one of Hitler’s favorite photographers, given free rein—and color film, quite rare at the time—to photograph whatever he liked in newly-occupied Poland.

The photographs—more than a thousand in all—have come to light only in recent years. Only a handful has yet to be published.

Camouflage Class New York University 1943

A camouflage class at New York University in 1943.

Students were trained to create models from aerial photographs; such models were intended to assist in the detection of camouflage schemes.

Detecting camouflages was to be useful not only in the upcoming Normandy campaign but also in aerial bombardments of military and industrial targets in Germany.

26 May 1945: The Berghof

The Berghof, Hitler’s retreat at Berchtesgaden, three weeks after cessation of hostilities.

The Berghof had been bombed repeatedly in the final months of the war.

In the photograph, a P-47 Thunderbolt of the U.S. Army 12th Air Force may be seen flying low over the crumbled ruins.

The crater in the background is enormous; it demonstrates that the Allies used significant weaponry at Berchtesgaden.

More Adventures In British Dentistry

To paraphrase John W. Gardner, the society that scorns excellence in dentistry will also, perforce, tolerate shoddiness in education, philosophy, economics and politics.

All such endeavors are destined to exhibit identical levels of decay.

Dessert Du Jour

The photograph depicts Minneapolis’s current dessert of choice at a semi-fashionable local restaurant.

Persons from Minnesota will instantly recognize the inspiration behind the dessert creation.

Others may have to google “Claes Oldenburg”.

The Flatiron Building After A 1905 Snowstorm

The Flatiron Building after a 1905 snowstorm.

Despite many trips to New York, I have never seen the Flatiron Building.

When I mentioned this to Andrew, he said we shall have to make a point of visiting the Flatiron Building in October.