My recent postings on radio history
My stats page tells me that my recent radio-history related posts are resonating with a large number of readers, thanks in part to Twitter and a nice mention in an ARRL newsletter by Ward Silver N0AX.
Something to the tune of 500-700 hits for each of those posts.
Two readers have emailed me with gentle advice to consider that the postings may have the effect of re-opening old wounds that are best left alone – with 1500 hits from Germany and 3300 from the UK this year, why am I writing things that may cast one or the other country in a bad light?
To be honest, that thought never occurred to me. Enough years have gone by to look at past events from another angle – that of human behavior in circumstances most of us can’t imagine – all with a radio-related slant.
Regardless of country of origin or language spoken, I’ve always found it fascinating to know what motivates people to do what they do. As a ham, when radio and history collide, I take notice – and I now know that many of you do too.
My first exposure to to what I considered a remarkable event - the one that elevated personal history from being an abstraction to a reality and set the stage for this ongoing interest – occurred at my own dinner table one Christmas when I was a boy: I met my Uncle Herman for the first time and learned of his life.
My grandmother’s cousin, he fought in the army in WW2 – the German army. In fact, he lost a leg to an American artillery shell, moved to California in the early 1960′s and now was enjoying a dinner of turkey, dressing and cranberry sauce with me.
His prosthetic leg was made of cork and us kids were wide-eyed and on the edge of our seats at the stories he would tell in his thick German accent. Though politically incorrect nowadays (hasn’t modernity spoiled so much fun), Uncle Herman would, at some point after dinner, come hobbling into the room where we children were watching TV. In great “pain”, he would lurch about with a knife or dinner fork stabbed into his cork leg. We howled with laughter and begged another story out of him.
As I grew older I came to appreciate the magnitude of becoming a citizen of a country with whom you were once at war. There were questions I wanted to ask him about the emotional aspects of that process but he lived in California and I lived in Texas – we only saw each other briefly during Christmas and the proper moment for such a conversation never came.
I consider myself fortunate that our dinner table included conversations in “Texas English”, Danish and German and, although I’ve forgotten what little I learned in my ancestors’ languages, I appreciate their unknowingly instilling in me a curiousity of human motivations that has morphed into a similar interest in various aspects of history.
And, when there’s a radio involved – boom, I’m there front and center.
I have a few more posts I’d like to make on the topic of radio & history, if only to get them out of my system. No offense is intended. Then it’ll be back to the blog as you knew it.
Auf weirdersehen for now, yawl.
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Themocracy
John,
Keep those radio history posts coming, OM! Funny, though, that I actually thought about this myself. On the SWLing Post, I get a lot of interaction in comments and by email from German readers. I have wondered if my fascination with WWII was putting anyone off. I certainly hope not. WWII was a time, on both sides of the fence, that incredible leaps of technology were made. Ingenuity was competitive advantage and radio was king.
Thanks for sharing the words about your Uncle Herman. He sounds so much like my (American) Uncle Luther–who served WWII in the Navy, though couldn’t swim. I’m pretty sure that the phrase “swearing like a sea-going sailor” came from someone who had met Luther. He and I spent many, many hours on the lake fishing and talking about WWII during my childhood. I had to quickly forget all of the words he taught me before heading back home to mom & dad. Hi hi.
-Thomas
I learned some of those words in the Navy myself – I think a few were even put to use during my tower installation…
Yes, keep them coming, they are fascinating. I’ve purchased most of the books mentioned also, all are great reads. History needs to be exposed and studied, the good and the bad, from all sides… it’s the only way we have to know where we came from, to whom we owe the debt, and to avoid repeating our errors.
Very well said, Elwood – thanks. And since you’ve enjoyed the radio-related books mentioned, you may like these as well, about other aspects of history:
http://www.ae5x.com/blog/various/book-reviews-history/
Good morning John, I agree with the above comments in that keep them coming. I have been very much enjoying them and learning as well. This post reminded me of my dad. He was in WW2 with the RAF, he was a tail gunner in a Lancaster bomber. I can remember from time to time him telling me of his time in the war. This all came about after I saw some scars on him when we were swimming. I was told it was due to his Lancaster meeting up with the “other team” and his short stay in Germany. He never went into details and I never asked. He passed away when I was very young….Thanks for bring out some of the facts that are very interesting.
The interesting thing to me about both world wars is not the political-military back & forths or the movement of armies, etc – it’s the personal aspect. Who (as an individual) did what…and why. There are some rich stories within that framework and they tell us who we are – not as Germans, Americans, Dutch, etc – but as people.
John,
Keep them coming! I appreciate your sensitivity regarding the “re-opening old wounds that are best left alone” comment you received, but there is also another aspect to consider – “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”.
Your historical posts are written in a style where it is quite evident that you are not beating anyone on the head about it. Please continue – I enjoy them very much.
Larry W2LJ
It’s more the technology and its implementation that I’m interested in – I’m glad that’s coming through.
Hi John, I always read your historical posts with great interest. I am second generation after WW2. I don’t know anyone in my family that was in this war and so there are no stories. The only “live” stories that I know from someone are those from my neighbour that lived here at that time. Unfortenatly he died 2 years ago. I don’t think you will open old wounds, as most of the people involved are not alive anymore. And after more then 60 years who cares? It’s clear that you not intend harm anyway and it’s actually only interesting for someone that is interested in radio. 73, Bas
Yes, those folks are in their 90′s now and my wife knew three of them until a month ago when one passed away – the one I most wanted to have met myself. Somewhere there is a photographer traveling around interviewing and photographing those who remain. His subject pool gets smaller daily.
With first hand story tellers disappearing, it’s important that we use all means possible to remind us of some things in recent history.
Because similar conditions might trigger similar events.
And because some things should never happen again.
Besides, who can be offended by history and its facts?
Who could be offended by history and its facts? A very thick book would probably be required to answer that question!