I was going to have the title of the post "The Odessa File" until I discovered that the book of that name ** had nothing to do with Odessa the city in Ukraine.
All that the card tells me is that it shows an old map of Odessa. A little research tells me that Odessa here, unlike the book, is a port in the north west part of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine. During the 19th century many of the houses were built of locally mined limestone. The mines were later extended by smugglers into an extensive network known as the catacombs used as hiding places during WWII. The catacombs have never been properly mapped and have prevented an underground transport system from being built.
The other point of interest - to me - is that Odessa is twinned with Liverpool, where I spent a happy time as a student.
** "Odessa" in The Odessa File (by Frederick Forsyth)is an acronym for "Organisation Der Ehemaligen SS-Angehörigen", or the Organisation for Former Members of the SS".
This is a post for Postcard Friday, which is hosted by Beth Niquette at The Best Hearts are Crunchy.
I like maps and so I like this postcard! (I wonder why I like maps?) Happy PFF!
ReplyDeleteNice! Check how many Odessa cities are in USA.
ReplyDeletei have a viennese friend named odessa. also had a classmate back in highschool named odessa. two different people. it's a beautiful name.
ReplyDeleteOdessa is also the location of one the classics of film history: Battleship Potemkin by Sergei Eisenstein. Maybe you remember the heartbreaking scene with the pram rolling down the stairs of the Odessa harbour?
ReplyDeleteLooks like a planned city with all the straight lines. Bob's comment made me look at the map again trying to work out where the steps were, not to any avail of course:-)
ReplyDeleteI nice layout for this city of Odessa. Map postcards are fun to collect.
ReplyDeleteJudy
I read a book at some point can't remember the name, but it was just that about a hiding place during WWII.
ReplyDeleteHappy PFF! Catacombs, eh?
ReplyDeletewonderful card and thank you Bob, for your comment - i had forgotten that odessa was the location for that iconic potemkin scene! happy PFF!
ReplyDeleteYou are such a good sleuth, giving us so much information!
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