Europe

Exploring Cultural Beliefs – Do They Hold Us Back?

March 16, 2021 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

A friend from the Netherlands sent me this article, How the Dutch Lost Their Shine. Let’s talk about cultural programming and ego for a moment as more is brought to the surface in global and spiritual disclosure for us to look at.

Every country has programming of their citizens. It is more obvious when we look at say, GER in WWII, but have you ever stopped to look at all the ways, for centuries, your country programs and manipulates you to believe you are the ELITE above all others? How they help individual egos grow? **There will be more coming on this site on how our WWII veterans were programmed as were their families and society near the end of the war and beyond. You might be surprised to learn what the belief system was in America from 1944 forward. You might better understand your veterans and why you and your family believes and behaves as they do. You might also become more aware of how the veteran experience is still with us today through inherited trauma and belief systems.

They may have come home, but they never really came home.

In the NL we see a lot of “If it ain’t Dutch it ain’t much.”, plastered on shirts, coffee mugs, etc. They have a long history of trade of many things going back centuries that made them “elite” in their day. That culture programming and trauma still carries forward today and most people don’t even see it.

As I traveled Europe for many years I was told the French hate Americans. The Dutch hate the Belgians or think they are stupid. This country doesn’t like that country because…and everyone hates Americans because (enter a multitude of reasons even though Americans saved Europe in both world wars….another program running on us.)

You have to stop and ask yourself if this is true or is the person telling me this stuff stuck in an old belief system he/she grew up with? Did their parents hate a certain country and its people because of World War II or World War I? Or even something that happened before those wars? Where did this hatred belief come from?

As we move deeper into this year and this decade, all this darkness of the ego and cultural programming, division, anger, hate, and negativity and hate WILL surface.

It is up to each of us to step back and look at how we contribute to the continuation of it. It is a choice to explore our belief systems, where they came from (ancestors, culture, etc) and CHANGE. Shift into a higher state of consciousness where there is no division or anger or hate programming.

What are you choosing and buying into? Just because someone who lives in another place has a belief about another group of people doesn’t mean you have to believe it.

We are all SOULS having a human experience here. Waking up and learning the lessons we came here to learn. No judgment…..just allowance of where we were functioning from and choosing something of a higher and more loving vibration.

All of life is a choice. If this article I shared offends or triggers you, makes you question things, FANTASTIC!!!

That means you have inner work to do. No matter where you live, because we can all see pieces of ourselves and countries within this article if we set the ego aside and go within to examine our beliefs without judgment.

I love you all.

Ask how I can help you uncover more of your family’s war stories and belief systems. Email Jennifer at info@wwiirwc.com to ask and explore some of my spiritual services at Finding the Answers Journey store.

Visiting the Land of my Ancestors – Part 2 (Prague)

December 6, 2017 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

This is day 2 of Visiting the Land of my Ancestors. Part 1 can be read here.

Our first full day on honeymoon in Prague. Yesterday we traveled and had an amazing time walking through part of the city. Today we were tired so chose to sleep as late as possible, without missing breakfast at the hotel, and do as little as possible and more thoroughly enjoy what we chose to see and do.

After breakfast the first target of the day was to find me some kolacky. My grandma used to bake them. While I could drive 30 minutes to a Czech bakery in Chicago to get some, I never do. They take a while to make so I don’t bake them either. Kolacky isn’t something you find in most restaurants in Prague. We asked at the hotel front desk where I could get some and the market down the street was suggested. Kolacky, we were told, was more of a rural tradition on special days. Not something you find on most menus. Apple Streudel – not that is on practically every menu. Sadly on Saturday there was no market. We did however go into a large shopping mall in search of something for Johan and in the lowest level, found a cart selling traditional Czech pastries!! Yes!!!

After purchasing my Czech sweets we headed out to wander the Old Town Square in full daylight. We took more photos of the astrological clock – one of my favorite things in Prague. We went into the Old Town Hall to look at their information brochures and found a WWII in Prague tour. I contemplated touring the Old Town Hall but the wait was 45 minutes until the next tour which would go into the Gothic and Roman Cellars. We were tired so I opted to wait until Sunday to see if I still wanted to do it. It was a good thing I waited. While we were there, the Old Town Hall was having some outside restoration done so most of the building was covered. I guess next time we’ll see it in all it’s glory.

After a coffee, we explored some more and found some gorgeous doors and art in the city. When I stroll around Chicago, I always look up to see what is on the buildings. In Prague my head almost got stuck in the “looking up” position. There was so much to see from art above doorways, Mother Mary watching over us in many locations, hanging door signs, statues, paintings, mosaics, and so much more. There were also so many old doors to look at. I have a thing for doors. I do. I LOVE old doors. I always wonder what their story is. Who used to go through them. Into what new world did the enter? How did that change their life? If I went through one, what would happen? Could I time travel? What adventures could I have? So many doors.

We took a walk and ended up at one bridge at the river. Not the Charles Bridge. That was yet to be crossed. After taking some photos of Prague Castle and looking down the river toward the Charles Bridge, and thenadmiring more art on buildings, we wandered near Wenceslas Square and found some lunch in an outdoor cafe. The cafe was called Švejk after the book The Good Soldier Svejk. I had heard of this book, but have not read it. Johan was much more well educated on Švejk though.

When we finished eating I wanted to powder my nose so headed inside the restaurant. The walls were lined with Švejk Stained Glass or paintings. Merchandise lined some shelves. As I proceeded down three levels to the Roman Cellars, I finally found the powder room and several other rooms with more stained glass on the walls and also over the bridge that was on the level above me connecting rooms. It was incredible. I took a few photos before I left. I wonder how many people go down there to just stand in awe of the beautiful art…. The last photo is the bridge. Beneath this row of photos is one stained glass which is a bridge panel.

I do admit I had to see the stained glass more than once so ventured down to the cellars again. The cellars themselves are amazing and gorgeous. Most of the restaurants have small rooms off the main cellar – as you can almost imagine from the bridge photo above – rooms off to each side of the tunnel. The spaces are magical and inspiring. You do, in a way, time travel to the Gothic and Roman times when you go into the depths of these buildings. I wonder how many of my ancestors would have done that in these buildings – of course in a time they were more street level.

From there we wandered up and down Wenceslas Square, which contained more art on the buildings. This is another area of Prague you could explore for hours – just looking up at the buildings. Art, statues, architecture. Just gorgeous.

Without intent to take it easy today, we ended up back at the hotel for a coffee, snack and rest before venturing out for the concert in Our Lady of Tyn Church. Dinner we decided, would have to come after the concert.

The concert was incredible and featured some of the same members as the group the night before. On Saturday night they added the organ, an opera singer who sang Ave Maria, and a trumpet player who played a few songs. I enjoyed most of the concert, but not so much the organ. One organ song is ok. After that……. The soloist who sang Ave Maria was wonderful. I was grateful we took advantage of this experience. It was a great end to another magical day.

Of course, after the concert we were starving. Not quite finding something that we wanted in the Square, we ended up back at the hotel and had a lovely dinner, with of course, a Pilsner!

My second day in the land of my ancestors brought more magic and possibility to my life. And more awareness that yes, Jennifer can relax on a trip and just enjoy slowing down. Thank you husband for helping me do that.

History Majors! Think Outside the Box

July 31, 2017 by Jennifer Holik 4 Comments

Yesterday I was interviewed and filmed for the business, in Chicago at the Pritzker Military Museum and Library. People strolled in and out of the building while we were filming and one young woman listened to the stories I told as Scott asked questions while he filmed. She and I had several short conversations about the work I do, the History degree I have (Bachelor only) and the adventurous, inspirational, traveling, healing, love-filled life I have created with my business. She too has a history degree. It reminded me that several years ago I gave a talk at my alma mater, The University of Missouri-Rolla – now Missouri S&T, to the history club about thinking outside the box. I’d like to share a few thoughts with history majors around the world and let you know, there are many other choices available besides going for your Masters or Ph.D. and teaching or being a scholar. ANYTHING is possible if you choose it.

What did my life look like after I finished my degree?

When I finished my history degree I moved back to Chicago and worked for several years at Shedd Aquarium, first in the education department and later built databases for their animal management system. Building databases, writing reports, and teaching staff how to use the system, encompassed analytical thinking, which is important for historians. I was using some of my history skills and also taught myself everything I knew about databases. Those things would benefit me when I was in business for myself. No experience is ever wasted. As time passed, I had three boys and stopped working for five years. In 2010 it was time to return to work and I ended up not working for “the man” but started my own genealogy business.

When my business started I was only taking genealogy research clients. I also wrote one book about my cousin Flying Tiger Robert Brouk. You can find his story in my book “Stories of the Lost.” Writing that book was a bucket list thing. I never intended to write 13 others after that in five years. As time passed I expanded the business into teaching some genealogy topics and researching WWI and WWII. I published several genealogy teaching course books for kids to adults and one for societies and libraries. By late 2012 I was moving more into WWI and WWII research, writing, and teaching, and moving away from genealogy clients.

Jennifer writing by the sea in Hastings, UK in June 2017.

What does my life look like right now?

Seven years later, my business looks completely different than it did when I started it. I’m currently only working with one genealogy client I’ve had for six years. The rest of my business consists of WWI and WWII clients with an occasional Korean War client thrown in the mix. I wrote 14 books, countless articles and programs. I also teach seven WWI and WWII research and writing programs in the U.S. and Europe.

Why did I move from genealogy to WWI and WWII? In part because no one else was specializing in this. Also because I was chosen to do this job so the stories of war would be saved. I also followed the energy, the soldiers I channeled, and my intuition. I did what was easy and fun for me, and things and people showed up to support that. I invested a lot of time and money into research and writing so I could write the only books on the market that teach you how to research any branch of the military for WWI and WWII. This also allowed me to create the programs I now teach.

After that I began traveling to Europe to meet people in a network I was building of WWII researchers and tour guides, to which I refer clients who wish to walk in their soldier’s footsteps. Through people I met on one of those trips, I was introduced to my now fiancé, Johan, a Dutch man living near Amsterdam. Johan and I now live part of the year in Europe and part in the U.S. My fiancé is also a historian and 101st Airborne Reenactor. Together we are creating new programs and workshops and travel together. I’m also raising three very active boys.

Along the way I had a couple people who mentored me briefly in starting the business. When it was time to move into military research, there was no one to mentor me. I made it up and worked through the questions as I went along. I also collaborated with researchers in Europe. When people tell you that you should always have a mentor, I say no you don’t. You are capable of creating something no one else has if you trust yourself, what you know, and are willing to put in the time to follow your heart.

Throughout the last seven years, more in the last five, I started a spiritual journey which took me through a dark night of the soul in which I left my marriage, started a new life with my boys, and spent a lot of time alone (with my soldiers.) I rediscovered myself, resolved within myself a lot of family issues, and found parts of me that had been hidden for lifetimes. That journey took me through Europe with my cousin James Privoznik who died 11 January 1945 in Bras, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. I wrote his story in “Stories of the Lost” and feature him in many of my programs. James helped shaped the business and my life from the beyond. He, among many others living and dead, helped me heal a lot of deep, dark parts of me.

That healing journey allowed me to be more open and vulnerable, and offer this to clients and those who attend my programs. Research isn’t always about the questions we have about our soldier. Often it takes us deeper, to places we never expect, if we choose and allow it. To expand my healing and what I BE in this world to make a contribution, I became a Certified Access Consciousness Bars Practitioner this summer. The tools I’ve learned in Access and ThetaHealing, along with meditation and other healing modalities allows me to contribute to my work and healing in ways I never expected.

What comes next?

My research business is expanding and I’m now working with one colleague to keep the client load moving smoothly. Soon I will be looking for an intern. Johan and I are creating workshops which currently do not exist anywhere in the world. I’m writing two short books and will increase my speaking and teaching in 2018. I also decided to pursue the Access Consciousness Certified Facilitator training and Reiki Training.

What else will show up? Who knows. ANYTHING is possible.

If you are pursuing a degree in history and think the only option available to you is to go into teaching or become a scholar, consider the little I’ve told you about my journey. Think outside the box, beyond what everyone else tells you is possible and create your own reality and life. You just may discover that what you love to do and is easy for you, can create a business and life you never expected.

Have you pursued a history degree and done something other than teaching with it? We’d love to hear about your journey.

Finding Peace in Chichester, UK

June 30, 2017 by Jennifer Holik 4 Comments

Many research clients have wandered into my life the last seven years. Some create more of a connection than others due to the type of project we work on together. There are clients who want the facts and only the facts. Then there are others who seek to heal things within themselves and their family, often without realizing that is one reason they hired me. When those clients show up, often, a vulnerable exchange takes place between us both. When that happens, we are both affected and both healed, whether we are conscious of it or not.

Those exchanges can take us on powerful journeys we might not otherwise have taken. If we choose the journey.

I had one client this year who truly touched my heart. He had a family member who fought in the 30th Infantry Division during World War II. Together we discovered his story and throughout the process, I found piece of myself that I was waiting to be healed. I also found I was more capable of some things than I thought. We all have those moments when we doubt our capacities and capabilities right? Isn’t it great when someone helps us see we are able to do more than we think we can? Those people show up when we least expect them.

On 2 June, Johan and I were in England. We had driven from Amsterdam to Calais and took the ferry to the White Cliffs of Dover. We arrived the day before in Dover and had a marvelous day exploring. This was my first trip to England and there was a lot to take in. On the 2nd, the plan was for me to drop Johan at a golf course about 30 minutes north of Brighton and then I would drive to Chichester and then to Brighton by the evening.

Let me be honest – at first, the thought of driving on the wrong side of the road in a place I’d never been, was a bit scary. It has been a couple years since I traveled solo in Europe and there was a moment I wondered – can I really do this……by myself!? Well of course I could! I was not about to spend the entire day sitting in a golf clubhouse and told my client I would visit Chichester since the 30th Division had been there.

After breakfast Johan drove us to the golf course and I left him there and was off on my way. We heard there was a RAF museum at Tangmere, which turned out to be on the road to Chichester. I chose to stop there and see what that museum was all about and if it contained anything on the Americans in the area. That will be another article as there was a lot to take in there. I arrived in Chichester after 1:30. It took me quite a while to get there as roads in England are not the same as the Netherlands or the U.S. there are many small country roads and it takes a while to get most places. The drive was incredibly beautiful and relaxing and I had no problems driving on the wrong side of the road. I asked my guides and angels to help me drive and keep me focused. They did a great job.

After Tangmere, I drove to Chichester. My first stop there was the cathedral. The client and I had no idea if his family member had visited the cathedral, but he had been in the area. I also never turn down an opportunity to visit a cathedral.

Chichester Cathedral is large. Not as large as Canterbury Cathedral, but still large. It is a place where you can find serenity and a bit of yourself around each corner or hidden within a sunlit prayer room. Like any cathedral, everywhere you look there is something intricate and beautiful to see. There are paintings, tombs, stained glass, arches, floors, signs, candles, flags and banners for military regiments, and people wandering through it all. Of course there were places to light candles, which I always do. Often to Mother Mary as she guides me, but also to Archangel Michael when possible, or military shrines. I was able to light candles for the 30th Division soldiers, who were definitely there with me in the cathedral. I guess I wasn’t as alone as I thought I was.

I’ve always found these sacred places excellent places to write, pray, and release all those things that no longer serve me. The prayer room pictured to the right was one area of the cathedral I could have sat for hours writing, looking at the light play with the colors in the stained glass, and just BE. How often do we stop and just BE? Not often enough.

One part of the cathedral that felt connected to me was the Arundel Tomb. There is a poem by Philip Larkin, An Arundel Tomb, written about the Earl and his Countess with joined hands in death (uncommon for this to be on a tomb at that time.) Made me think of my knight and our past life together. That could have been us.

The last line of that poem is, “What will survive of us is love.” Beautiful.

As is the case with most places I visit, time was limited and I had not eaten lunch yet. FYI – in England at most museums, cathedrals, or places like these, if you do not get into their cafes for lunch prior to 2:00 p.m. you will probably be out of luck and get the bottom of the pan of what’s left or coffee. I was able to get a little lunch just before they put the pots away. Then I took a walk through the town center before discovering there are gardens on the cathedral grounds!

Jennifer in the Bishop’s Garden at Chichester Cathedral.

After lunch I visited the Bishop’s Garden. Words cannot accurately describe how beautiful and peaceful it was. One cannot walk into the garden without smiling, feeling joyful, smelling numerous flower scents, and finding some peace in the sunshine. The garden seemed to go on forever, though I did not have the time to explore every inch. Perhaps another trip. The photo I took with the flowers and cathedral behind me almost looks as if I was imposed into a painting. The whole area has a magical fairy tale feel to it.

So what did I learn this day? How did I heal?

I remembered I was fully capable of traveling on my own and driving in a foreign land on the wrong side of the road. Patience, the willingness to ask the universe for help, a good GPS system, and plenty of time to get where I needed to go was important.

I was able to just BE in the cathedral and gardens. There was no one asking me to move on to the next place or see the next thing. There was just time. We all need that time alone no matter how much we love our [fill in the blank….husband, kids, wife, parents….] That time helps us grow, heal, resolve things within our hearts and souls, and discover pieces of ourselves we thought were missing or never discovered.

I learned I love nature more than I thought! I’m not a woman who likes to go play in the dirt and get her hands all dirty. That’s never been me. A few months ago I learned I had the capacity to communicate with trees, plants, and the earth. Sitting in the Bishop’s Garden felt so joyful. I even wrote about it in my journal.

I’m sitting in the Bishop’s Garden at Chichester Cathedral. Bids are singing, and the sun shining with wispy clouds. Behind me is the cathedral and so many beautiful flowers. Heaven. I wish I didn’t have to leave soon. Probably take an hour to get to Brighton and need to check in before Johan arrives.

When I walked into the garden, my heart sang! It felt so good to be here. One can’t help but smile here. There are roses everywhere you look and peonies and other flowers I can’t name.

The gardens go on forever but I don’t have time to walk them all. I’m content now sitting here. I walked part of the garden earlier and then walked up to part of the old city wall. Left the gardens to photograph more of the exterior of the cathedral and walk to the gate. Then I came back.

Finally, visiting the cathedral and gardens showed me again how much I love my job and that I would like to do more of this. Visiting places client’s family members have been when they cannot. Walking where my client’s family member was, I took photos and videos for him, which allowed him to almost be there. Though he was there in spirit.

Thank you to the client who inspired this trip to Chichester. You touched my heart and helped me grow.

Would you like to know how we can help you research your family’s soldier, sailor, airman, or Marine and walk in their footsteps? Contact us to learn more.

What Are We Creating?

June 14, 2017 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

It’s a beautiful day in the Netherlands. Our staff at the WWII Research and Writing Center have been busy creating new things. We can’t wait to share!

What are we working on now?

Here’s a quick video to tell you.

Jennifer Holik from Amsterdamse Bos, Amsterdam, Netherlands

The Spiral of Healing

June 12, 2017 by Jennifer Holik 2 Comments

The longer I continue on my spiritual journey, the more I heal, and the more aware I become. Being an empath, I tend to pick up everything from everyone and everywhere. I’ve been told and read many times, that healing is like a spiral. We start at one spot, one event, one moment in time, and work through and release some pain. This could be from a past life or this life.

Then we spiral around the staircase, choose another path – right or left – and something else appears in our lives that trigger something else. I often wonder in these moments, ‘Didn’t I already heal that?’ Then usually I realize it is a deeper issue than what I previously healed. Often I’ve healed something related to the issue that keeps appearing as a distraction to keep me from dealing with the actual deeper, more painful issue that arrives.

Then there are times when I wonder, what happened to me that I could handle something in the past and now it triggers terrible things in my body and soul. I had an experience like this in London last week.

Imperial War Museum – Holocaust Exhibit – 8 June 2017

Johan and I went to the Imperial War Museum in London on 8 June 2017. We had a short visit in London and since I had never been there, Johan showed me a lot of things as we walked and walked. I have a better idea of what I want to see when we return in the fall. The only place we actually entered to spend time was the IWM London before we left the city to go to Canterbury. The museum is incredible with a lot of great artifacts from World War I and World War II. Even some things coming more to the present day, though we chose not to tour those areas. Our focus is World War I and World War II and we had limited time.

Near the end of our visit there was one area I still wanted to see. The Holocaust floor. Johan chose not to walk through since he had seen it, so I went alone. That was fine because sometimes I prefer to be alone when viewing certain things related to war. Having been to Dachau in 2015 and not having a massive triggered panic/anxiety attack there, I thought I would be fine in this exhibit. I know a lot about the Holocaust. I’ve channeled some of the victims in my writing. I’ve seen other exhibits and even been in a camp. Why should this exhibit cause any issues for me? Yet, it did.

It is important to note, no photographs were allowed in the exhibit. I’m not sure why this is the policy as I would think people should know more about the Holocaust, but that is the policy at IWM.

Moving through the initial floor of the two in which the exhibit was held, I saw the history of Europe and Hitler that led up to World War II and the formation of the camps. I was fine through this part and knew a lot of this history. I continued on past a group of noisy school children and walked downstairs to the second part of the exhibit.

At the beginning of this floor was a cattle car used to transport people to the camps. Something said to touch it, so I did. I’m able to pick up things from photographs, objects, nature, etc. At that point I became aware of a flood of things, including so many emotions from people connected to this car and the Holocaust. I had already shielded myself so I wouldn’t pick up everything I encountered in the museum, but it wasn’t enough. I began to feel panicked, anxious, nauseous, and generally ill. Moving on and using all the Access Consciousness tools I could, I still could not Return To Sender, all the things being thrown on me. I still felt uncomfortable and on the verge of what some may call a panic attack.

Seeing the striped uniforms and piles and piles of shoes did not help the rising panic, nausea, and anxiety flooding my system. I had to get out of there as quickly as possible.

It took several minutes after I left the exhibit before I felt relatively normal again and had convinced my soul not to flee. I hate these moments when I pick up so much my soul wishes it could leave my body and I want to jump around to keep it in there and release the energy. I hate those moments that panic sets in and it isn’t even mine, but I absorb it and no amount of Return To Sender gets rid of it.

This makes me wonder, why was I able two years ago to move through Dachau on the 70th Anniversary of the liberation of the camp without these intense feelings and not move through this exhibit the same way?

They say healing comes in spirals. What was unleashed since my visit to Dachau in my soul? In the world? Am I THAT much more aware and conscious now than then? Yes. Have I claimed more of my empathic and healing abilities. Yes. Do the dead seek me out because they know I will help? Yes.

So the question I must now answer for myself is, how do I best protect myself from all of this and not get lost, while still healing myself and the world? How do I best travel through these places and moments in time so I can educate the world and not lose my soul? Spiral…..spiral……spiral……..

Have you experienced these things in your travels? As a healer, how do you handle all the things you become aware of?

Jennifer’s European Adventures 26 May 2017

June 11, 2017 by Jennifer Holik 3 Comments

There is so much happening on this trip to Europe that I’m struggling a bit to keep up and document it all. As I write this, we just returned from 10 days in England. It was my first time there and so much happened. More on that in a future post. For now, let’s return to Friday, 26 May 2017, when we drove from Amsterdam to Thirimont, Belgium to be in the town where a client’s brother was Killed In Action (KIA) on 13 January 1945.

We had a lovely drive down, passing through the Dutch countryside to the Belgian border. Once we reached Maastricht, Netherlands, the landscape changed from all flat to slightly rolling hills. From there we made our way southeast to Thirimont, where the 30th Division had a massive battle for this and two other towns nearby between 13-15 January 1945.

The town is located on a hill, with a good view all around. This is probably why the Germans took the town. Strategic location and there are crossroads here. Today, the town is all new. Nothing, it seems, remains from WWII, though by all accounts, the battle wiped out whatever was there before. G Company of the 30th Division was almost completely wiped out here on 13 January 1945. This was the day William E. Jones, Jr. was KIA.

William’s IDPF stated he was killed in Waimes. If you think about how the U.S. sets up cities, counties, states, Waimes is more like the county, though there is a town named Waimes just 8 km up the road. By the unit records, it appears Thirimont was William’s death site. I took a video for my client as we drove the main road through town. Thankfully it was a beautiful sunny day with hardly a cloud in the sky. Almost no traffic meant a relatively quiet video. After our drive through town, we made our way to Waimes to see what that was like. Again, it is all new. We saw almost no trace of the past. In both places, I felt nothing. Just dead energy which I thought was unusual since so many died in these areas.

From Waimes we headed back to the Netherlands to Margraten, where we planned to spend a couple of days and attend the Memorial Day service at the cemetery. Interestingly, we chose to make our way to Malmedy to see the site of the massacre. I had not yet been there.

The soldiers in the area had other plans for us and sent us back the way we came into Thirimont and Waimes, through Ligneuville. The road to Malmedy was blocked so we detoured to see if Waze would take us where we wanted to go. It did not, but instead took us through forests near Malmedy where the soldiers were out and waiting to be heard. I couldn’t believe all the auras in the photos I took as we drove through there.

Had there been a place to stop and walk around that area, I would have loved that. I think many stories would have emerged onto my journal pages from soldiers lining up to talk. Sadly, there was nowhere to stop.

We kept driving and later stopped in Aubel, Belgium to photograph the 30th Division Monument there. It is a tall monument with flags on either side. This is not far from Henri-Chapelle cemetery.

Our day ended with our return to Hotel Groot Welsden in Margraten. We had a relaxing drink in the garden before dinner. We discussed our plans for Saturday and Sunday and it was off to bed.

Have you been to these places with your research? What did you experience? Were you in other places nearby? For what Divisions? What did you experience there? I’d love to hear your stories.

Jennifer’s European Adventures 22-24 May 2017

May 31, 2017 by Jennifer Holik 1 Comment

The weekend is over and jet lag has subsided. Hooray! Now what is possible for this new week?

One benefit of being in business for yourself is the flexibility to work anywhere. Have Wifi and computer? Check. Check. I can work. I spent Monday working on client projects and my new books while in Utrecht. After work, Johan and I headed to Naarden for a quiet evening.

Naarden is a favorite place for us to visit and near to another favorite location, the castle Muiderslot. Naarden is fortified village (Google it to see photos from above.) You can walk through the entire village in less than an hour. You can also go up on top of the fortifications and walk then also walk the perimeter.

The village is old and beautiful. You can park on old cobbled streets or outside the bridges into the village. The views from the top of the fortifications are breathtaking. We took a long walk around and then had drinks and snacks (bitterballen!) in an outdoor cafe. What a perfect way to end the day.

Tuesday I worked at home and worked on my books a little. Later in the day Johan and I opened up a box of decadent chocolates our friends brought us Saturday.

Wednesday was a really fun day because I got to go to ‘s-Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) to spend time with my sister in-law. Den Bosch is my favorite city in the Netherlands. It has Sint-Jan Cathedral, which I visit every time I am in the city. There is such peace there. I love the stained glass, smell of incense, lighting a candle for Mother Mary in the back of the church and, when it is open, walking through the back of the cathedral to see the niches for different saints. I was lucky that this time the back of the church was open. I was in Den Bosch four other times and only one of those visits was the back open.

There was a market in the square and my sister in-law and I had a lovely lunch outside. Lunch is so much better outdoors don’t you think?

Before we left the city and I went home, we stopped at Jan de Groot to pick up Appelflappen and Bosche Bollen. Appelflapp is a flaky pastry, usually triangle shaped with apples and cinnamon inside and covered in heavy sugar. YUM! Bosche Bol is something everyone should have if they love chocolate and cream. These are about the size of your fist or slightly larger, are like what we know as cream puffs, covered in a dark chocolate and filled with whipped cream. Jan de Groot makes the best. I’ll have another one before I fly back to Chicago when a woman comes over from the U.S. to meet with her Dutch ‘family’ and we get to spend some time together.

My journey has only just begun but more adventures await. Soon it will be time to head to Belgium and then stay in Margraten for Memorial Day weekend. I wonder what and who will show up……..

Jennifer’s European Adventures 19 – 21 May 2017

May 30, 2017 by Jennifer Holik Leave a Comment

It’s so great to be back in Europe for the second time this year. Johan and I are going back and forth regularly now and having all kinds of adventures.

I flew to Amsterdam and arrived Friday 19 May. Spent a very quiet day at home while Johan went to the office. I did what everyone says not to do…..sleep! Life in Chicago has been so busy with work, my boys, sports, school, you name it, that I have been a bit run down. After I had lunch after my arrival, my body said SLEEP! I had the most fabulous nap with our furry cat Memphis for almost three hours. After that I felt human and the jet lag was much less than it would have been. Listening to your body is so important regardless of what anyone else says.

Saturday was a quiet day and I did a bit of shopping and had lunch in an outdoor café. I love the cafés here because so many have outdoor seating, often with a great view. In most, you can sit for hours, which we often do. Saturday evening we had dinner with a couple of friends, one of whom is the historian for the 94th Infantry Division Historical Society. We shared a lot of soldier stories over the course of the evening. It was fantastic.

Sunday we went to Amsterdam for a bit of shopping, lunch, and wandering. I wanted to stop in the P.W. Akkerman Fountain Pen shop in Amsterdam since we were unable to go to the P.W. Akkerman we prefer in The Hague. Our routine is to go to The Hague the day after I fly in and I always buy a new fountain pen and inks. Patricia is one woman who works at the store in The Hague and knows our love story. She is always so happy, friendly, and helpful in picking out pens, helping fix older pens, choosing inks, and catching up on life. We really enjoy visiting the store (which is old and has a fantastic atmosphere,) and speaking with her. Sadly, our experience at the Amsterdam store was nothing like The Hague. The staff seemed uninterested in helping us, was unfriendly, and rude. I will not return to the Amsterdam store and instead, wait until I can visit Patricia in The Hague store.

We did have a lovely walk around some of the centre and had a nice lunch in a shop across from a church that is now part of the University of Amsterdam. From our table we watched a group of people dance, chant, bow, and sing, in a circle outside the church. They were doing a peace ceremony with flags from countries around the world. It was cool to watch.

Before we drove home we stopped at the Begijnhof to take a short walk. It was very crowded and noisy there as lots of tour groups had come out since it was a beautiful day. Johan took me there last year over the winter when it was very quiet. Usually it is a place of peace and quiet and you don’t hear the city noise once you are in the courtyard.

To leave the noise, we entered the chapel, which I had not yet been in. I love churches and cathedrals in Europe and visit as many as possible. I prefer Catholic Churches because they are often more lavish, contain more stained glass windows which play with the light that shines through, Mother Mary is there and I always light and candle and have a talk with her. They are also places to just stop, BE, release things that don’t serve me, and receive healing and awareness.

After our visit to the chapel we headed home. It was a great start to my time in Europe. I wonder what else will show up that I am not expecting!

Honoring Service – Engaging Children in WWII Research

October 20, 2016 by Jennifer Holik 2 Comments

Life in Europe is really different from life in the U.S. Every time I am there, I get to experience new things, visit new places, and become more immersed in how the European people (especially the Dutch!) honor our World War II soldiers. The things I see and take part in never cease to amaze me. Often because we do nothing like those things in the U.S. We don’t have commemorations like they do in Europe. We don’t have old guilds and people dressed in medieval clothing performing ceremonies to open Congress. It is a whole different world there and one I deeply love.

In September and October I had the opportunity to attend two World War II commemorations. The first was on 20 September in Nijmegen at the Waal River Crossing Commemoration. At this event the Airborne Troops who fought in the Nijmegen area and helped liberate the country were honored and remembered. Flags were flown, speeches given (in Dutch primarily), school children from a nearby school attended to read poems they wrote and lay flowers at the monument for the Airborne, Taps was played and wreaths laid.

On 7 October, I attended the Commemoration for the Airborne at Heteren, near the famous Band of Brothers Crossroads. A similar ceremony was held with flags flying, speeches given, school children reading poems, laying flowers and wreaths, Taps was played and wreaths laid. The difference at this commemoration was my fiancé’s 101st Airborne re-enactment group attended and acted as Color Guard and doves were released at the end. That added another dimension to the ceremony.

How do we engage children in World War II History?

Take them to ceremonies and commemorations. Help them understand why we are honoring the soldiers, sailors or Marines.
Take them to visit the American Battle Monument Commission (ABMC) Cemeteries, especially if you have adopted a grave. Help them create a story about the adopted soldier, or any soldier they are drawn to when they visit.
Encourage special programs at school on D-Day, VJ-Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Liberation Day and other important days.
Talk to your children about the history of World War II. Explain what a different world we would live in if the other side had won.

Do you have other ideas on how to engage children in World War II research to preserve the stories? Please share in the comments.

I am taking new clients at this time if you are interested in working with a researcher to pull records for any military branch. I’m also scheduling speaking appearances in Europe for 2017. Please contact me if your group is interested in a program. I have seven to choose from on my website.

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