August 2026

  • “Venus” is a song by Dutch rock band Shocking Blue. It was released as a single in the summer of 1969 and topped the charts in nine countries. Written by Robbie van Leeuwen, it was a hit in the Netherlands. The song has been covered dozens of times by many artists. In 1986, English girl…

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  • 2731 was the inmate number given to this girl. Nothing else is known about her, except that it is very unlikely that she  survived. My heart broke when I saw this picture. A life wiped out only a picture that remains. Not a picture of a young girl dressed in a gown. Or a picture…

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  • Stevie Ray Vaughan, one of the most influential guitarists in the history of blues and rock music, died tragically on August 27, 1990, in a helicopter crash. His untimely death at the age of 35 not only ended a promising career but also marked a significant loss to the music world. Vaughan’s death was not…

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  • On the eve of the 1939 invasion of Poland, Adolf Hitler justified his brutal plans by exploiting historical amnesia. Rhetorically asking his generals, “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?”, Hitler signaled that the international community would ultimately ignore the mass slaughter of his own targeted victims. Enver Pasha was one…

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  • A smiley face on a passport application form. A smiley face of a girl who had high hopes of travelling and getting many stamps on her passport. A smiley face of a girl who maybe one day would become a famous child actor, like Shirley Temple because she looks just like her. The same Shirley…

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  • Heinrich Himmler, one of the most infamous figures of the Nazi regime, was born on October 7, 1900, in Munich, Germany. As a leading member of the Nazi Party and head of the SS (Schutzstaffel), Himmler played a pivotal role in orchestrating the Holocaust and implementing policies that led to the genocide of six million…

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  • Strange Fruit

    I don’t think there is a more powerful song then ” Strange Fruit” which deals with racism. Especially the original version sung by Billie Holiday. The lynching of black men in the American South was an all-too-familiar occurrence in the 1930s, even though it rarely made news. So when Billie Holiday had a hit record…

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  • Dolly Parton: Rhinestones, Wit, and a Heart as Big as Texas Dolly Parton was one of those rare figures who seemed almost too extraordinary to have been real—a woman who had transformed a childhood of poverty into a life glittering with rhinestones, hit records, unforgettable characters, and generosity that touched millions. She had arrived in…

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  • Oswald Kaduk was born on 26 August 1906. I think a line from an Iron Maiden song applies to him, “All the evil seem to live forever.” He died on 31 May 1997. He was a German SS member and served as Rapportführer at Auschwitz. He was on trial during the second Auschwitz trial. Kaduk…

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  • Dachau herb garden

    Aside from their murderous practices, the SS also had several businesses. On January 23, 1939 Oswald Pohl .the head of “SS Main Economic and Administrative Office” founded the “German Research Institute for Nutrition and Food Provision Ltd.” The shareholders were the SS concern “German Earth and Stone Works Ltd.” and a member of the SS…

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