Copied from Internet:
In
the south of the main island, the Himeyuri no Tō (literally, Tower of the
Lilies) memorialises the Himeyuri students, a large corps of local students and
their teachers drafted by the authorities to help in the war effort. For the
most part, this meant serving as nurses to the wounded in make-shift field
hospitals erected, if that is the apt word, in caves. Perhaps it is something
about the primitivism of the use of caves by a modern war machine that makes
the whole scenario feel so futile, so doomed and absurd. Teenaged girls tending
to dying soldiers and helping with supplies under the ground, caught between an
invading army and their occupiers — can their plight be any more pathetic?
Over
any other place associated with the tragedy of Okinawa, the Himeyuri no Tō cult
prevails. It has inspired multiple films as well as a recent manga by Machiko
Kyō. Needless to say, there were numerous other student corps but none have
entered the popular imagination as much as the Himeyuri girls. After all, the
majority of the students perished and it was probably the largest corps of its
kind. Plus we are suckers for wartime stories involving kids.
Today the Himeyuri no Tō is a sacred place. The monument is built at one of the caves in which the Himeyuri students served. The cave remains, a gaping, weird mouth into the bowels of the earth. In other circumstances it would be a natural curiosity — but surely formidably fenced off in fastidious Japan where any hint of danger is always unduly signposted — if not for the way it was utilized seventy years prior. And so the pit signals emptiness, a hole of hell. Flowers are purchased at the entrance, to be laid at the cave mouth like a religious offering. There is now a museum and various surrounding cenotaphs and monuments, added incrementally in the post-war period. One was unveiled in 1975, the same year as the Okinawa Expo.
Message on card:
Hello. Greeting from Japan, and many sports competition are held. In my town there was a 100 km. marathon yesterday. I participated and finished the race. Today, it's painful with muscle pain.
1978. Javadkhan Mausoleum
Ganja, Azerbaijan
My research tells me that Javadkhan was killed in 1804 in the battle protecting Ganja from foreign invaders. The Mausoleum was built recently using the style from 200 years ago, and Javadkhan's body was moved from the local cemetery at the turn of this century.
Salam from Baku (the capital), Azerbaijan! I hope you like this card. All the best, Elvina
1949. Old Jewish Cemetery in Wroclaw, POLAND
Stary Cemntarz Zydowski Muzeum Sztuki Cmentarnej
Odzial Muzeum Miejskiego Wroclawia
I am sending you a postcard depicting The Old Jewish Cemetery in Wroclaw, old medieval city in southwestern Poland. I live and work in Warsaw. Best, Marek
1937. Tumba de Confucio, CHINA
Tomb of Confucius - UNESCO World Heritage site - Cemetery of the Kong Clan in Confucius' home town Qufu in Shangdong Province
Greetings from China! On the postcard is the tomb of Confucius. Confucius is a great thinker and educator, founder of the Confucius School. One of the most famous cultural celebrities. I hope you will like this card. Happy postcrossing!
1935. Cimetiere de Saint-Gilles, Uccle BELGIUM
Hi Chris, I am Lieve from Retri, a village in the north of Belgium (cag note: very close to the southern Netherlands border). It really is spring weather today. My laundry is drying in the sun and I washed my car, wil...I went to the carwash.) My husband is away to his parents for an hour so time to write some cards. Mustn't forget my laundry. All the best, Lieve
1922. Heidelberg, GERMANY
postcard: Grabmal von Frederic Chopin auf dem. Cimetiere du Pere-Lachaise in Paris
I'm Claudia, and I send you best wishes from Heidelberg in Germany. I hope you like this postcard which shows the grave of Chopin in Paris. We have a friend in Maine - Fred Granger - he is very often in Vinalhaven, maybe you know him? The world in small sometimes!
1904. Detroit
Walter Crane (1845-1915)
The Grave of Keats
Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford
Hello Chris from Detroit. I hope you like this cemetery card. I'm a 70 year old retiree living with my husband, Peter, and our pet dog, Nellie. We recently had 5 inches of snow in one day and are told to expect a similar amount in a few days - a lot for here. Marc
Monument to Alexander Hamilton - former of the Constitution, first Secretary of the Treasury, and pewholder at Trinity Church. In 1804, Hamilton died after a duel with Aaron Burr and rests in Trinity Churchyard.
First Line of a Book Postcard
Hello Chris. On my Kindle, I'm reading "Alexander Hamilton" by Ron Chernow. First line is: "Alexander Hamilton claimed Nevis in the British West Indies as his birthplace, although no surviving records substantiate this." I'm on page 9,221 of 22,722 - it's a very long book! Alex & I were both born on January 11th (he's older)! This is the book that Lin Manuel Miranda used to compose and write his smash it "Hamilton." I've yet to see it, but it's not for a lack of trying. It's showing in Denver now and I've been in the lottery for tickets every day, but so far no luck. In NYC I saw Alex's home, grave, and a great statue at Columbia University, too. Take care, Carol 3/24/2018
1227. Kafka Museum, Prague, Czech Republic
Card sent from Washington, DC
H Chris! I am Maureen and I work in Washington D.C. I can't believe I don't have a jackalope card - I grew up in South Dakota, where they are big and have visited the town in WY where they supposedly began. I am happy to send this card to you - I love Kafka and when last in Prague I visited his grave. But this card isn't great and few people ask for gravestones, so I've had it awhile!
1196. Erevelden in Indonesie
"Honor Fields in Indonesia"
sent from The Netherlands
My name is Marina. I love walking and visiting cities in the Netherlands. I also love to go to quiet places just to enjoy nature. My husband has Parkinsons and cannot go with me. I am very busy with photography. Best Wishes,
1134. Krakow, Poland
1110. USA - Georgia
Hi Chris! I hope you're well and you enjoy this card from the cemetery I volunteer at in Atlanta. It's called Oakland - please look it up! Misty
Lychakiv Cemetery, Lviv
Hello Chris! I'm Alex, I'm 17 and I'm from Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. My main hobbies are reading books, watching movies, drawing with a pencil or with colored pencils and we b development (I'm learning it now.). In the end of this school year I'll have exams, so I have to work hard to pass them well. But I like to learn something new, it's so interesting! Recently I watched "it" movie at the cinema. It is not so scary at all, but funny as for me. Have you watched "it"? Be happy, Alex
877. Beijing, China
Temple of Heaven (which lists in WCI in 1988) located in Chongweng District, Beijing, the place for Ming and Qing emperors to offer a sacrifice to heaven and pray for harvest.
Nice to see you, Chris. I chose this postcard, Temple of Heaven, for you cause I saw that you like cemeteries and this is it. And it's a VESCO site. Hope you like it. Best wishes.
Abney Park is a woodland memorial park and a local nature reserve, managed by the Abney Park Trust.(One of the "Magnificent 7" Cemeteries in London)
Card sent from Turku, Finland
Hei Chris! Greetings from Turku, the oldest town in Finland. My name is Anna-Maija an I live now with two lovely cats. Last week I was in London (my niece lives there). We visited in a district called Stoke Newington and found this amazing old cemetery.. Anna-Maija
Klatovske katacomby
Hello Chris, I cordially greet you from Pilsen in the Czech Republic. The postcard is catacombs in Klatovech. Petra
Czech Republic
20.07.2017
Hi Chris. I live at capital city Prague but I love nature. I send you card with Wood Cemetery in Novy Bor ("New Pine Forest"). Although the cemeteries do not belong among the usual tourist destinations, this is the place visitors abundant search for the beautiful forest scenery. At the end of spring changes in the overflowing flower garden full of rhododendrons. Among the trees there are hidden tombs of famous glassblower geniuses. Peace of mind here found executed participants of known rebellion of town Rumburk. Wood Cemetery was founded between the years 1907 - 1909 and is the first of its kind in Czech Republic. I hope you enjoy it Many greetings! Bye, Helena
812. Alberta, CANADA
"April and June dig up an old friend"
Happy 241st birthday to your awesome country!! America doesn't look a day over 200, she's aging beautifully. Canada turned 150 on July 1st, but that's not as impressive at 241. Eat a hotdog and light some fireworks for me!
Arlington National Cemetery, actually in Arlington, VA
Located in Arlington National Cemetery, this block of white marble marks the final resting place of our Unknown Soldier. Measuring 16 feet long, 11 feet high, and 9 feet wide, inscribed on the stone is the following: "Here rests in honored glory an American Soldier known but to God."
Hello Chris. Most of my postcards are in storage in Florida for when I move. I have more jackalope and cemetery cards. I hope you enjoy this one. Warm regards, Richard
772. China
Greeting from China. Nice to meet you. This is a postcard of Dr. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum (cemetery). Sun is the father of the country Hope you enjoy it.
NOTE: Dr. Sun Yet-san (1866 - 1925) was the founding father and 1st president of the Republic of China..
696. Russian Cemetery
Hello Chris! My name is Maria. My hobbies are breeding flowers, postcrossing, and travel with my husband. I read that you collect postcards with cemeteries, and like Halloween! I hope you enjoy the card and its design. This postcard is from my collection from my grandmother and she's 32 years old! :) I wishy you all the best!
580. Indonesia
Open air funerals in Tana Toraja, South Celebes
Hello Chris,
Greetings from Indonesia. My name is Nisa and I live in Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia. yesterday, we just celebrate our independence day. This postcard shows you a "graveyard" in Toraja. They have such a unique funeral ceremony. If someone died, they will keep the body for sometime and one day, in the ceremony, the dead body will walk by his own to his graveyard. They say it's magic. I can't explain any logical explanation for this. You can search "The Walking Corpses." Have a nice day! Nisa
521. Pensacola, FLORIDA
(Card is from somewhere in the US)
Thank you for letting me send you this card. I have been holding on to it for awhile waiting to send it tot he right person. I love the irony in your last name. I recently traveled through Arizona and got some good jackalope postcards. Devin
503. New Orleans, Louisiana
Hi Chris, My name is Kathy Lea and I live in Louisiana. I like to travel, read, garden, and postcrossing. I've never been up north, it is way too cold for me. I love the tropical weather we have down here. Hope you have a great day!
446. Stary Cmentrz Zydowski Museum Szuki Cmentarnej
Dear Chris, My name is Sophie, I'm 19 years old and moved to Poland in September for a one year voluntary service. Actually I'm from Germany but till September I'm living in Osure U'm (Auschwitz), where I work with youths who are learning about Auschwitz and the Holocaust. Before WWII there were over 3 million Jews in Poland. That's why you can find Jewish cemeteries in any cities like in Wroclaw (see the ad). I have often been to Jewish cemeteries in Poland and I am really happy that most of them were restored after they had been destroyed by the Nazis. Although the issues I have to deal with at work are not easy, I enjoy my work and I learn a lot. Moreover I'm meeting a lot of new people, also from the US sometimes. There I realized some interesting cultural differences between Americans and Germans/Poles: All the Americans I meet always ask, "How are you" (though you don't know each other). Moreover they often say "that's awesome." In Germany people only ask "how are you" if they know each other and even then not always. You don't often hear a German phrase for "that's awesome" either, I guess people would rather nod their head or say "hmm." Well, that's an impression I got and I can't say if it is always like this....but anyway I thing it's interesting. Sophie
370. Cimetiere Americain - Normandy Landing Beaches, France (card is from ROMANIA)
Normandy Landing Beaches, Colleville, Saint-Laurent-sur-mer (Calvados). The American Cemetery - The memorial and the 9286 graves.
Hello and many greetings from N-W part of Romania. My name is Duidiu and I love to travel. This card is from my latest trip to France. A nice one for your cemetery collection. All the Best, Duidiu.
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