Category Archives: History and Archaeology

The Medieval Abbey of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives in Normandy

There is no way to miss this impressive abbey from anywhere within the small town of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives. And it is easily visible as you drive across the Calvados countryside, too. It’s quite wonderful to be living a mere ten minutes away from a place like this.

Founded in 1011 by Countess Lesceline, the aunt of William the Conqueror — the abbey has undergone a variety of extensions and renovations over the subsequent centuries and those renovations continue right into the present day. Here’s a small photo essay of this truly gorgeous abbey.

A glimpse of the medieval abbey towers of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives can be seen all throughout the town and from several miles/kilometres away as you drive across the landscape of Calvados in Normandy, France. Founded in 1011 by Lesceline, the aunt of William the Conqueror, the abbey has been enlarged, rebuilt, or renovated several times over the following centuries.

Exterior view of stained glass-filled chapels at the Abbey in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives.

Chapel containing the grave of Lesceline, the aunt of William the Conqueror and founder of the abbey in 1011.

The gravestone of Lesceline, the aunt of William the Conqueror and founder of the abbey in 1011.

The main altar area of the abbey.

A side aisle in the abbey.

A rather curious set of stairs to nowhere.

Abbey interior.

Lovely angles and arches.

A drawing of the original layout — much of which on the outer perimeter facing the gardens is being restored at present.

These are the buildings along the outer part of the Abbey complex — the ones that are facing the gardens in the illustration above. The French government sold these buildings off after the Revolution and they have gradually been repurchased. Some of them are in perilous condition and are being properly renovated now.

Simple chairs against a lovely metalwork enclosure near the main altar.

The ever-present candles.

By The Sea in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, UK

By the sea is where I wish I was right now. But in lieu of that reality, here’s a flashback photo essay from a trip to the lovely seaside town of Aldeburgh in Suffolk in the UK.

By the way, not ALL beaches are sandy. This one is a perfect example of that. Enjoy!

Medieval Moot Hall in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, UK, built in 1520, with the village memorial cross to the left.

A seagull sitting atop one of the medieval brick chimneys on Moot Hall,.

Fishing boats on a gravel, sometimes called shingle, beach in the UK.

Close-up of a the beautifully coloured pieces of stone comprising a gravel beach, sometimes called a shingle beach, in the UK.

MORE Vintage World War II Posters from Germany

Today is the final article from the German Historical Museum in Berlin, Germany.

With the exception of one bit of commentary further down, I am going to let the artwork speak for itself. These are all original posters that are rarely seen outside of Europe. And in spite the horrors of this period in history, I am grateful that someone thought to preserve these for posterity.

Hitler Election Campaign Poster

Hindenburg and Hitler Poster

Raised Arm Salute

Hitler believed that his war was a contemporary religious and racial Crusade.

The worker and the soldier are apparently united against Socialism. The red star and Hammer & Sickle symbol on the jacket of the bottom figure reference the Russians aka USSR — Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. And that same figure has clothing that references the stars and stripes of the USA and a top hat with the British flag on it. An interesting and layered political statement!

Kampffront — Battle Front Black White Red

I’d like to make a few comments about the final poster. As we stood in front of it, it was clear that it was a poster for a film, but I had no idea what the context was. As I researched the title, I discovered that this was a rather infamous movie that served its purpose — to create a divisive attitude of resentment and outright hatred of the Jews in Europe.

Jud Suss ended up being considered to be one of the most anti-semetic films of all time and it was well attended in every movie theatre. It was fully supported by Hitler’s devoted follower and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945 — Joseph Goebbels.

The artwork of the poster was even meant to summon up negative emotions amongst the everyday German population by showing the title character with a deeply green and reptilian skin colour and sinister-looking yellow eyes. I have placed a link to the article about this film in the paragraph above.

Poster advertising the anti-semetic film Jus Suss.

I hope you have enjoyed a glimpse at this rather strange social and political time period.

Vintage World War II Posters from Germany

In this second part of the visit to the Zeughaus, the late 17th and early 18th Century building that houses the German Historical Museum in Berlin, the Deutsches Historisches Museum — I must admit that it was both fascinating and a bit off-putting.

In the lead-up to those galleries full of nationalistic poster art, there are exhibits of social history that explained the frightful poverty and economic collapse in Germany in the period leading up to World War II.

Since there are so many images, I have decided to do a 3rd post about this museum. With the exception of the one rather depressing ink drawing style poster from the 1930s showing a starving family, today’s article shows lots of happy and upbeat propaganda to reinforce the message that the German people were unified in their thinking and to drum up feelings of purposefulness about their cause.

A 1930s poster showing a woman and child in extreme poverty.

A 1930s poster showing a mother and children in extreme poverty.

1936 Winter Olympics poster

Silhouette of the top of the iconic Brandenburg Gate in Berlin overlaid onto this poster for the summer Olympics.

The German ideal of happy families with blonde hair and healthy bodies was highly encouraged.

More perfect-looking blonde children to create Hitler’s future Utopia.

And of course, the idea was heavily promoted that once this temporary messiness of war was over, all good German working families would have prosperity and their own car for drives in the countryside. Recognise the early Volkswagon?

Whether you are a university educated man who works with his brain or a tradesman who works with his hands, the we’re-all-in-this-together approach is on display in this propaganda poster.

The glamourous airships or Zeppelins were still flying into the late 1930s. They provided a mental boost to the German public about their superiority with the construction of these massive airships.

The era of the Zeppelins came to an end in 1937 with the Hindenburg Disaster which took the lives of 35 out of 97 people on board. All remaining German airships were ordered to be destroyed in 1940. The article at the link above is quite comprehensive and if you are interested in that sort of aviation history, it’s definitely worth the time to read through it.

The third and final article from this museum in Berlin shows World War II posters from Germany that are significantly less sunny and optimistic. Watch for those in my next article.

A Day At The Zeughaus — The German Historical Museum in Berlin

We weren’t sure what to expect when we visited the German Historical Museum in Berlin, more correctly known by the actual name Deutsches Historisches Museum on the wonderful street, Unter den Linden. The charming street name translates to under the linden trees.

The museum is housed in an equally historical building, the Zeughaus — the oldest building on Unter den Linden and a former arsenal built between 1695 and 1730 in the Baroque architectural style.

Although ancient and relatively contemporary history is always interesting, both of us are quite curious about the historical periods from the 1920s through the 1940s — and this museum certainly didn’t let us down in that regard. It has halls full of information, remnants of those decades gone by, and a large collection on the emergence of the German Third Reich. Below is a small selection of what is on display.

The next TWO articles after this one will have a very specific theme. They will be photo essays of original World War II proganda posters distributed by the Nazi government of the time. So do come back and see some of that artwork that is rarely seen outside of Europe.

The courtyard of the German Historical Museum, established in the historic Zeughaus building, contains an I.M. Pei designed roofline over the large courtyard.

A vintage petrol pump from the 1920s-40s.

Pre-World War II motorcycle

Complete coffee set

Rather oddly — a display of vintage lingerie and clothing is right next to a display filled with old typewriters!

Sailor ceramic statue — advertising art.

A poster for the 1927 Fritz Lang masterpiece film — Metropolis.

Row of German uniform jackets with a swastika on each of them.

New Book on Barcelona — Online Now!

I am very pleased to announce the publication of a SECOND book this week — Brief Bits Of Barcelona. This book is available for purchase in several formats — ebook for iPad, hardback, and softcover. Barcelona is one of the places in Europe that we would return to again and again, so I hope this book either encourages a trip there or brings back some of your own memories.

Click LINKS BELOW to purchase
Brief Bits of Barcelona in PRINT
Brief Bits of Barcelona in EBOOK

I’m already working on the NEXT book, so come back soon for the launch of yet another one (and another, and another…).

What’s A Wall For in Melbourne?

What’s a wall for in Melbourne, Australia? Structural support of the building that it is attached to? Decorative element? An item that surrounds a garden?

How about advertising — both old and new?

Whilst out and about in Balaclava today, the next neighbourhood over from us by a mere few blocks, I saw both new and old advertising on the walls of buildings. Some of the truly old adverts were like ghostly presences against masonry walls that told the tale of what had once dwelt within. Here are some samples. Enjoy!

Historic advertising on an old wall in the Melbourne, Australia neighbourhood of Balaclava

Historic advertising on the upper wall of an old building in the Melbourne, Australia neighbourhood of Balaclava

Newer advertising painted on the passageway wall of a cafe in the Melbourne, Australia neighbourhood of Balaclava

A Wanderful Life

The Neverending Journey

Category Archives: History and Archaeology

The Medieval Abbey of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives in Normandy

By The Sea in Aldeburgh, Suffolk, UK

New Book on Barcelona — Online Now!

What’s A Wall For in Melbourne?