Browse Items (632 total)
- Tags: home front
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Interview with Inge Heinrich
Inge Heinrich (b. 1922) describes the bombing of the Berlin borough of Kreuzberg and recounts how she had dreamt of being buried alive under the rubble but surviving in the end. Tells of how the patent agency building, in which she was working, was…
Tags: bombing; civil defence; home front
Interview with Margarete Meyer
Margarete Meyer (b. 1936) describes the 13 February 1945 Dresden bombing and recounts how her mother reacted to the alarm. She rushed to the shelter and took some belongings, including what she thought was her confirmation dress. Explains how her…
Interviews with Jaun Schauerte
Jaun Schauerte (b. 1936) recalls rushing to the shelter with a suitcase and a bag pack. Remembers one night when his grandmother fell under the heavy weight of the rucksack and nobody stopped to help her. Recalls the Bremen bombing, while he was…
Interview with Jörg Funfoff
Jörg Funfoff (b. 1942) recounts the experience of being a young boy at Heiligensee, a Berlin suburb; on the flying path of approaching bombers. Narrates how he was the first to hear the bombers approaching before they are in sight (a fact he was…
Interview with Brigitte Terboven
Brigitte Terboven (b. 1930) recalls the bombing of Essen and the dropping of an air mine by a British bomber which was trying to evade a German night fighter. The bomb hit the ground about 20 meters from her home which collapsed like a house of…
Interview with Maria Teresa Boazzelli
Maria Teresa Boazzelli describes the bombing of Frascati on 8 September 1943 and provides an account of life inside an improvised shelter: people praying and screaming after explosions. She explains how the Germans had been expecting the bombing and…
Interview with Carla Fantini
After leaving school, Carla Fantini started working as telegraph operator, which she found a gratifying and thoroughly enjoyable occupation. She describes the bombing war in Milan, stressing widespread destruction and ravaging fires. Reminisces…
Interview with Leontina Giovanetti
Leontina Giovanetti (b. 1913) reminisces about her early life with three sisters, her father who was a typographer and photographer and her mother a house-wife. Describes musical training at the Milan conservatory, stressing the demanding attitude of…
Interview with Alessandro Samorè
Alessandro Samorè reminisces his early life in Milan, Domodossa, Portofino, and Santa Margherita Ligure. Provides details of life in youth fascist organisations, playing with homemade fireworks, and attempts to assemble an improvised scuba gear.…
Interview with Edvige Colombo
Edvige Colombo recalls her life in wartime Milan and describes an occasion when the alarm sounded and she and her family went to the basement, used as a shelter. She recollects moments inside, re-emphasizing how there was nothing to do, just standing…
Tags: bombing; home front; Resistance; shelter
Interview with Giuseppe Pirovano
Giuseppe Pirovano describes wartime memories as schoolboy at Affori, a Milan neighbourhood, and daily life in fascist youth organisations, with regimented schooling and political rallies. He talks about children’s games and pastimes, such as…
Interview with Tito Samorè
Tito Samorè recalls wartime memories in Milan, when he was a member of the Balilla youth organisation. He remembers the outbreak of war and its announcement on the radio. Tito describes the first bombing of Milan in 1940, stressing how easy it was…
Interview with Annunciata Buffadossi
Annunciata Buffadossi recollects her wartime life in Milan. Annunciata stresses poor-quality housing in a low-class neighbourhood close to potential targets; emphasises how much she feared Germans and Fascists; and speaks with affection of her old…
Interview with Santina Colombo
Santina Colombo describes her early life in a family of farmers, her father a fervent socialist. She mentions the start of the war announced on the radio and gives a detailed account of civilian life in wartime Milan: scarce food, growing vegetables…
Interview with Efrem Colombi
Efrem Colombi recalls his care-free childhood, initially in the Bergamo countryside and then in Milan. Emphasises his life-long radical anti-Clericalism and recounts how he ran away several times from Catholic boarding schools because of his…
Last night's air raid
Seven caricature figures, five men and two women in a room. Three men are conversing on the left in front of fireplace. A woman sits reading a newspaper on a chair and another woman stands in front of her with paper in hand. On the right two men in…
Tags: arts and crafts; home front
Evacuplets
Four pairs of cartoon figures, all girls. Top right: two hockey players, top left: two girls whispering together. Bottom left: two girls hand-in-hand, both wearing school type uniform and hats. Bottom right: two girls fighting. Captioned…
Tags: arts and crafts; evacuation; home front
More Evacs
Thirteen cartoon figures standing in row of seven at top and six on the bottom. All are girls of various heights, some wearing school uniform like clothes. One has a tennis racket and some have hats. One is eating a banana and one is crying.…
Tags: arts and crafts; evacuation; home front
Assorted Evacs
Twelve cartoon figures standing in two rows. All are girls of varying height, some in school type uniforms and some with hats. Captioned 'Assorted Evacs by Aki'.
Tags: arts and crafts; evacuation; home front
Catalogue of Evacs
Drawing showing head of girl with pigtails and glasses.Dated 10.3.41 by Aki. Captioned 'Evacuees come to Collingham'.
Tags: arts and crafts; evacuation; home front
Gremlins in the fog
Girl in overalls and head scarf with finger to lips. In the background a cloud with a number of gremlin figures as well as building, tree windmill and gate. One gremlin has rope to girls left ankle while three others pull back on rope to left ankle.…
Tags: arts and crafts; gremlin; home front; superstition
Irene Harrison, land girl at Potter Hill
Girl in land girl uniform carrying basket with vegetables and two rabbits with other items under her arm. Captioned 'Home for Christmas'. Title 'Irene Harrison, land girl at Potter Hill, letters page 206'.
Tags: home front
The family at Potter Hill
Two adult figures - plus baby - all in uniform facing front on the left between two flag poles. Led by a dog, four other figures in uniform march past from the right with pitchforks shouldered.
Added caption: 'The family at Potter Hill, L to R,…
Added caption: 'The family at Potter Hill, L to R,…
Tags: animal; arts and crafts; home front
The family gardening at Potters Hill
Six figures and two dogs carrying out various activities at farm. Fence on left and hedge on right, sheep in field top left. Captioned "Wednesday night was drying ground night"
Added caption: 'The family gardening at Potter Hill, L to R, Irene,…
Added caption: 'The family gardening at Potter Hill, L to R, Irene,…
Tags: animal; arts and crafts; home front
Letter from Bill Akrill to mother and family
Writes from the Receiving Centre of his billet in a 'rather nice block of flats' near Regents Park and of walking round looking at bomb damage to some old haunts in London.
They go to the zoo for their meals ('lot of monkeys').
Will on be at…
They go to the zoo for their meals ('lot of monkeys').
Will on be at…