About February 17, 1945, my father, Arthur Thorspecken had arrived in Le Havre, France. Artur had studied French in High School and had picked up the language easily. Whereas, I had to use Google translator set to camera to interpret the menu, my dad could have read the menu and ordered in French. Of course if he was wearing a uniform that would
have given him away as an American. Since the destruction was so widespread, I tend to think that there was no relaxed outdoor dining options.
Le Havre had been liberated by the Allies from the Nazis on September 12, 1944. It was the last Norman city to be liberated. By some accounts the liberation of Le Havre marked the end of the battle of Normandy, France. Le Havre had been liberated for 5 months and 5 days before Arthur Thorspecken arrived. Between 1939 and 1945 there were an estimated 2,900 civilian casualties in Le Havre.
Between 1939 and 1945 about 75,000 Jews were deported to Nazi concentration camps and death camps and 73,500 of them were murdered. During the Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup on July 16, 1942, 13,000 Jews were arrested by the French police. Jews were sent eastward, their destinations unknown.
I would have to assume that Arthur would have been rushed to the front lines as fast as possible to join C-Company of the 75th infantry. After the battle of the bulge, C-Company had just 21 men left of the 200 or more troops and replacements that they once had.
There were four cities on the way up to the posing in the Netherlands where Arthur likely joined the 75th Infantry. I sketched in all four cities but Weert, Netherlands is the command post that Arthur Thorspecken most likely might have reported to before joining his troops on the front. Arthur’s mastery of the French language was likely wasted since he was probably quickly rushed up to the Netherlands where Dutch is the predominant language. Most locals today know quite a bit of English. Every person I have met while sketching in the Netherlands has been able to speak English, which has made my life so much easier.