History is full of all kinds of crazy and unique stories if you go digging in the right places. While there are the common tales that we all learn in school, you can come across some very interesting stuff once you head off of the beaten path.
World War II is one of the most complex eras in modern history, and there’s a lot to know about it. We bet that there are even trained WWII scholars that don’t know about this: the Great Dane named Juliana that became a heroine.
World War II is one of the most complex eras in modern history, and there’s a lot to know about it. We bet that there are even trained WWII scholars that don’t know about this: the Great Dane named Juliana that became a heroine.
England During WWII
While most people remember WWII for the massive genocides that ocurred throughout many countries, there were also huge battles and attacks that took place that were only tangentially related to genocide. For instance, England was often a major target for bombings, and citizens lived in fear for years.
They never knew when a bomb might just happen to be sent towards their area, so they could never fully relax. In general, there wasn’t much you could do if some kind of weapon was deployed near you; you simply had to cross your fingers that you would stay safe.
Enduring the Blitz
Bombings happened throughout Europe across the entirety of the WWII era. But perhaps one of the scariest times to be an English citizen during WWII was when the Blitz was occurring. From 1940 to 1941, Germany strategically targeted England with bomb attacks, killing tens of thousands of civilians.
It took a toll on the English military, but it also just generally affected the country’s morale. The bombing was so relentless during the Blitz that citizens just felt drained and stressed at all times. In the end, though, Britain remained strong and didn’t surrender, which was Germany’s goal.
One Brave Dog
So how does a dog play into this, exactly? Well, let us explain. During the Blitz in 1941, a European shop owner was peacefully sitting at home when a German bomb was sent through their home. Amazingly, the bomb did not immediately detonate. Instead, it was on fire, threatening to explode at a moment’s notice due to the flames.
The shop owners had no idea what to do; their Great Dane, however, snapped into action. Rather than standing by and allowing the bomb to explode or the fire to spread, the dog promptly got up and relieved herself on the bomb, eliminating the fire and making the situation much safer.
A Hero Once Again
Believe it or not, but this isn’t the only time that Juliana the Great Dane proved herself to be brave in the face of formidable circumstances. A few years later, in 1944, the same shop that had been bombed in 1941 tragically caught fire.
The owners of the shop were completely unaware of the flames, however. Juliana realized what was going on and began barking to alert the shopkeeps of the situation. Once they saw the flames, they were able to escape with their lives - and with the life of their courageous dog.
Juliana’s Legacy
As you might guess, Juliana earned a reputation for being a hero. She was awarded two Blue Cross medals, a prestigious commendation that was typically only awarded to horses that helped in the fight in WWI. Juliana, however, had proved herself to be worthy of the medals through her two displays of bravery. This story was doomed to obscurity once Juliana died, but her medals were later discovered in 2013 alongside a beautiful painting of the dog.
The painting featured an inscription describing why she had been given the medals, and the legacy of Juliana the Great Dane was revived once again. Did Juliana truly understand that she was saving her owners from danger? We might never know, but the fact is that she did it anyway. That makes her a unique and unlikely war heroine.