Biographies - TracesOfWar.com

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Article by Sjack van der Voort
Published on October 20th, 2024

Benjamin Hayes Vandervoort

Colonel Benjamin Hayes 'Vandy' Vandervoort became known to the general public by John Wayne's portrayal in the film classic The Longest Day. However, relatively little is known about Vandervoort's role as one of the pioneers of the American paratroopers and as a combat commander of various operations during the Second World War. For example, the role of his unit in Operation Market Garden in Nijmegen is overshadowed in many sources, films and documentaries by the heroic actions of Major Julian Cook. The role of 'Vandy' in the Ardennes offensive is also often neglected.

Article by Kevin Prenger
Published on September 27th, 2024

Josef Kramer

Josef Kramer was born an only child in a middle-class family on November 10, 1906, in Munich, the cradle of National Socialism. He spent his youth in Augsburg and initially worked as an accountant. After losing his job, the only future he could see was in the National Socialist Party. In December 1931, he joined the NSDAP and in January 1932, he joined the Schutzstaffel (SS). He began his career within the German concentration camps when he became a guard at Dachau in 1934.

Article by Pieter Schlebaum
Published on August 23rd, 2024

Donald Stevenson

Air Vice-Marshal Donald Stevenson was nicknamed ‘Butcher’ by the crews of No.2 Group of RAF Bomber Command. During his command of No.2 Group he ordered several low level operations which resulted in heavy casualties. The crews under Stevenson’s command felt their commander had no apparent interest in the risks and problems they faced on their operations.

Article by Egbert van de Schootbrugge
Published on May 15th, 2024

Johannes Post

Johannes Post was born on October 4, 1906 in the hamlet of Nieuw-Moscou in Hollandscheveld, near Hoogeveen. He was the eleventh and last child of Jan Wolters Post and Trijntje Tempen. There are few details about Johannes' childhood.

Article by Pieter Schlebaum
Published on April 17th, 2024

Patrick Playfair

Introduction

Article by Kevin Prenger
Published on March 10th, 2024

Julius Madritsch

A tree with a nameplate in Jerusalem is one of the few tangible memories of Austrian Julius Madritsch. In 1964, Yad Vashem nominated him Righteous among the nations. As a factory owner in Poland, he managed to save the lives of a part of his Jewish employees. He did this in cooperation with his much better-known colleague Oskar Schindler, whose story was filmed by Steven Spielberg under the name ‘Schindler’s List’ in 1993.

Article by Wilco Vermeer
Published on December 27th, 2023

Frederick Browning

Frederick Arthur Montague Browning was born 20 december 20, 1896 in Kensington (Londen), the first son of wine merchant Frederick "Freddie" Henry Browning and his wife Anne "Nancy" Browning-Alt. In 1905, he went to the West Downs School in Winchester (Hampshire) and was sent to Eton in 1910. There he joined the army clas and the officers trainiing course. After graduation he wanted to go the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. Unfortunately, he failed the entrance exam but the principal of Eton, Edward Lyttelton stood up for him and he was admitted after all on December 27, 1914.

Article by Robert Jan Noks
Published on October 29th, 2023

Rudolf Lange

Rudolph Lange was a German lawyer and SS officer. After a career in the Gestapo, he became SD chief in Latvia after the German invasion of the Soviet Union. He was responsible for the mass murders on Latvian Jews and Reichsjuden. In January 1942, he participated in the notorious Wannsee Conference. In February 1945, he died during the occupation of Poznan by the Red Army.

Article by Robert Jan Noks
Published on June 1st, 2023

Martin Luther

Martin Franz Julius Luther was born in Berlin on December 16, 1895. He dropped out of grammar school in August 1914. Shortly after the onset of World War I, he enlisted as a volunteer in the Prussian army. Until 1918, he served with the railroad troops. He reached the rank of reserve lieutenant.

Article by Kevin Prenger
Published on March 19th, 2023

Benjamin Ferencz

Benjamin Ferencz (1920) was just 27 years of age when he was appointed chief prosecutor shortly after the war at the Einsatzgruppen tribunal in Nuremberg that was called the 'largest murder trial in history' by the media.

Article by Ruben Krutzen
Published on March 4th, 2023

Caspar Sporck

Caspar / Casper Sporck (1922 – 1945) was a non-commissioned officer of the Waffen-SS during the Second World War. He was awarded the German Knight’s Cross for his heroic actions. This is remarkable, because only three other Dutch people were given this medal. Sporck was awarded several other medals as well, including a medal for sustained injuries. About 22.000 to 25.000 Dutch volunteers joined the Waffen-SS during the Second World War.

Article by Sanne Jussen
Published on January 28th, 2023

Annick van Hardeveld

Annick van Hardeveld was a courier in Amsterdam for the Nederlandse Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten (NBS; English: Dutch Domestic Armed Forces). In the night of May 4, 1945, Annick was travelling on her bike to the inner city of Amsterdam to deliver a message. On the Hekelveld, she was suddenly shot by a patrol of the Grüne Polizei. Annick was only 21 years old.