3230 - Pforzheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

The Pforzheim City Museum was inaugurated in 1979. Pforzheim has a lengthy history. It was first settled by the Romans in CE 90. The Romans called it Portus "river crossing"

During World War II, Pforzheim was heavily bombed. Many of the factories were converted to produce weapons such as anti-aircraft shells, fuses for bombs, and parts for the V-1 and V-2 rockets. In February 1945, one of the most devastating area bombardments of the war was carried out by the Royal Air Force. About 17 000 people, or about one-quarter of the population, were killed, and 83% of the city's buildings. The RAF's job was to destroy built up area and associated industries and rail facilities. The bombardments was via carpet bombs.

After the war, the city was occupied by the French and Moroccans for three months. Both sides were hostile towards one another and there were many reported incidents of rape and looting. The American Army took over occupation in July 1945 and helped repair Goethe Bridge, Benckiser Bridge, Old Town Bridge, and Horse Bridge. The American forces and the citizens of Pforzheim got along much better than with the French and Moroccans.

In November of 2002, an excavator unearthed a 250 kg bomb that had not detonated
during the February 1945 raid. About 5000 people had to be evacuated was the bomb was defused. Many unexploded allied bombs have been unearthed since 1945.

Comments

3584 - Blaine, Minnesota, United States of America

The sender was in Las Vegas recently and bought this card from The Mob Museum. The Mob Museum, officially known as the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, is located in downtown Las Vegas. It open in 2012. It features artifacts, stories, and the history of organized crime in the United States, but also the actions and initiatives by law enforcement to prevent such crimes. The museum is found at the former Las Vegas Post Office and Courthouse, which was built in 1933. The quote on this card was from John Gotti. John Gotti (1940-2002) was the mafioso and boss of the Gambino crime family in New York City. After ordering the killing of Gambino boss Paul Catellano in 1985, he took over the family and led what was the United States' most powerful crime syndicate. He was known as The Teflon Don after three high profile trials in the 1980s resulted in acquittals. Later it was revealed that the trials had been tainted by jury tampering, juror misconduct, and...

3564 - Kassel, Hesse, Germany

A wonderful message on this card that translates to to those wh o can wait, everything comes with time.

2346 - Iwate, Iwate, Japan

Keita is a junior high science teacher in Iwate 岩手町. He sent me a photo of the Tokyo Sky Tower during a fireworks display. The Tokyo Sky Tower is a broadcasting and observation tower in Simide, a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis. It became the tallest structure in Japan in 2010. In 2011, when it was completed at a height of 634 meters, it became the tallest tower in the world, and the second tallest structure in the world, after Burj Khalifa in Dubai, UAE.

Search This Blog