The author's great-grandfather was in the marines in the early 20th-century. During WWI, as a marine of a neutral power, he helped rescue sailors from a sinking German warship, which earned him a German cross of honor. The drawing of him telling this story to a Nazi functionary, dressed in his old uniform, is one of the most dramatic and poignant scenes in the book.

But what exactly did the uniform look like?
Visited the Maritime Museum in Amsterdam to look for examples. While paging through books, thought anew of our dilemna with many of the drawings: how exact a historical reproduction should they be? Sometimes we can't find conclusive sources, but in some cases, like here, we're more concerned with emotional effect than exact reproduction. 

It's tricky. On the one hand, we believe that the real riches are hiding in the 'documentary' reality. On the other, these are stories - memories - people in a family told about the past - and their emotions are a central part of what they're trying to communicate. An interior, or clothing, can convey those emotions.

In practice, we wind up simplifying and stylizing most of the 'historic' settings, even when we know the exact details. It creates a stronger atmosphere. And in a way, it's more like memory really works: plucked clean of detail, object by object, over time.