[Featured photo: Early 1900’s Sumatra Railroad Construction Through Jungle] By Frans Krajenbrink, California, USA (My grandpa is the smallest guy and it seems he is pointing at something with his right hand.) When my mom was a little girl in the early 1900’s she lived in Palembang on the island of Sumatra. This island was…
By Bianca Dias-Halpert Title: Memories of ‘The East’ Author: Fridus Steijlen, KITLV Press ISBN-10: 906718199 4 ISBN-13: 9789067181990 This book offers a window into the past without having to wade through a lot of facts and data. Between 1997-2001, over 700 interviews were conducted of those who had lived through the end of colonialism…
By Robert Vanderwaall, nephew Name: Pieter Hendrik van der Waall Born: July 3, 1921 Dutch East Indies Died: July 5, 1993 Zoetermeer, Netherlands POW: Thai-Burma Railway Pieter Hendrik van der Waall July 3, 1921 to July 5, 1993. He was the brother of my father Charles. During the war he was a mechanic in the…
[Featured photo: Ship approaching Hobokan port New Jersey] By Johannes Adriaansen, Oregon, USA The Decision I was ten years old sitting at the dinner table when Dad came “outa the blue”and brought up the idea of going to “Amerika” and asked us for a vote! Unanimously we voted for Amerika !! The next thing…