WW2-related links

[vilakins]

Two interesting links, one of which (at least) I know will interest azdak if she hasn't already seen it.

Queen pays tribute to Bletchley Park Enigma code breakers
I like the memorial they put up. I was there in 2004 and was as fascinated as I expected to be.

Nazi-looted Klimt to be auctioned following return
Not Music II, but hey, very late is better than never.

Comments

[pebblerocker]

I'm having a slow internet day, so I'll have to watch the video later, but on the subject of Enigma: recently a woman living in the local retirement home and hospital received a medal for her work at Bletchley Park. She was one of the codebreakers, but was never allowed to talk about what she did afterwards. At the presentation, with message from the UK Prime Minister, and with the local newspaper in attendance, she said everyone was making a lot of fuss over her for nothing and she only did her bit in the war like everyone did. I was very impressed and kept the newspaper clipping about her, but I think she'd rather I didn't visit her and ask more questions.

[vilakins]

Maybe she'd enjoy it!

I believe it was 40 or 50 years after the war that people were finally allowed to talk about it. I'm glad she got a medal. Many of the women contributed so much that wasn't recognised at the time.

[azdak]

Ooh, I'm interested in both! Thank you!

It's good news about the restitution (though I wonder how large the donation to the museum in Salzburg was? The Austrians have had a horrible habit all along of blackmailing the heirs of dispossessed Jews into handing over valuable items in order to get anything back at all).

[vilakins]

I believe that. I don't feel that happy about Austria as a whole, sexist and bigoted as they are. There were a couple of related articles saying they had to be told to give it back. I'd be amazed if they hadn't been forced into it.