Armistice/Rememberance Day & Berlin Wall

1914 by WILFRED OWEN

War broke: and now the Winter of the world
With perishing great darkness closes in.
The foul tornado, centred at Berlin,
Is over all the width of Europe whirled,
Rending the sails of progress. Rent or furled
Are all Art's ensigns. Verse wails. Now begin
Famines of thought and feeling. Love's wine's thin.
The grain of human Autumn rots, down-hurled.

For after Spring had bloomed in early Greece,
And Summer blazed her glory out with Rome,
An Autumn softly fell, a harvest home,
A slow grand age, and rich with all increase.
But now, for us, wild Winter, and the need
Of sowings for new Spring, and blood for seed.

This heartbreaking poem and other reflections on World War I are found on The First World War Poetry Digital Archive. The Archive includes not only poetry but other fascinating and moving artifacts of "the great war" including photos, audio/video clips and educational timelines.  See an overview of this resource on YouTube. 

Voices of the Armistice are podcasts revealing the actual experiences of British soldiers during the war.

Guide to World War I Primary Source Materials details resources from the Library of Congress

In Europe days and months are reversed so the notation 9/11 has a different meaning, especially in Germany.  November 9th is the day the Berlin Wall came down, and this year marks its 20 year anniversary.  Check out information about this momentous event at Freedom Without Walls from the German Embassy and photos and video from visitBerlin.