Book 'V2-VERGELTUNG' from The Hague

Preface

In the beginning of the sixties I played as a child on the V2 launching platform, which was left in some odd corner of the Wassenaar Zoo. Hardly 15 years ago, this was a clear trail of the V2 operations in Wassenaar.

My parents had painful memories of the 'ultimate revenge weapon', like all inhabitants of The Hague, who have been in the war. The V2 also has its good side: my father returned home by train from the east of Germany as an ex-forced laborer, comfortably seated in the tail of a V2 rocket, which was destined for the United States of America. The descendants of these rockets, like Apollo rockets, conquered the space in a glorious manner. However, one may not forget its horrific beginning.

As time went by, my interest as a child developed into one of a professional historian. I thank the V2Platform Foundation for publishing this book in accordance with its purpose to remember the V2 rockets.

My special thanks for their contributions and support with the realization of this edition go to Drs. Jos Borsboom, chairman of the V2Platform Foundation, Mart Keuning, Dr. Paul van Woerkom ,Jeroen van Zijderveld and Ronald Duijne for the layout.

Drs. J.R. Verbeek
The Hague, August 2005.

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© text: drs J.R. Verbeek © title: drs. J.R. Verbeek
All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

First English edition, Almere – The Hague, August 2005
Translation: Dily Damhuis, Paul Fowlie, Sylvia en Johan van Oosten en Trees Teunissen.
Original Dutch version published, Almere – The Hague, September 2003 (2^nd edition)