The gask mask is an important artefact for our city. It represents the struggle people faced during World War2 and was one of the only defences peopel at that time had to protect them. Everybody in the community was assigned a gas mask and needed to carry one with them at all times they were essential wearing given out by the Government. During 1940 the Germans obliterated the city centre of Coventry. Many innocent people died. The gas mask can serve as a symbol of that time and serve as a reminder for war to not happen again oin such a scale. Future generations can learn from this artefact - about war, struggle of people and how times were during war. Those visiting from around the world can see this object and look back in time to the war and what happened not only in our country but the personal struggles of so many in our amazing city that has now risen from the ashes like a phoenix, a symbol of hope, reconciliation and peace for the future.
Gas mask from Coventry Blitz
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Coventry
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1939
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Comments
The decan of Coventry Cathedral said in his Christmas Message, broadcast by the Â鶹Éç at December 1940, in the destructed cathedral of Coventry that there should be no revenge for this.
Yes, this has been a great gesture in this awful situation and I appreciate this very much.
The Coventry air raids caused about 1.500 victims.
However, only six weeks ahead of the end of WWII, the beautiful historic town of Würzburg with no militaristic industries or importance has been completely destructed by a RAF air raid with an estimated number of 5.000 people and an unknown number of refugees between 21.25 and 21.42 o´clock on the 16th of March 1945.
At this date, every year, all bells of the 35 churches - all destructed bur rebuild after the war - ring at this time of the air raid, starting and finishing with biggest bell of the Cathedral of Wurzburg at this evening time. This is such an overwhelming awful moment, I can´t describe this, I am so sorry that I can´t get over all this insanity.
I heard a story of a girl that said her little sister and her mother didn´t manage to go out of the cellar, her sister said: "I am so afraid to go out, but I am so young, I am too young to die."
She has been burnt with her mother, her sister escaped outside.
I have to think of the mass grave at the Würzburg cemetry where 3.000 victims of the air raid are buried.
I am so sorry, this fills me up with desperation, I can´t get over it.