Berlin
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Erected in the dead of night on August 13, 1961, the Berlin Wall (known as Berliner Mauer in German) was a physical division between West Berlin and East Germany. Its purpose was to keep disaffected East Germans from fleeing to the West. When the Berlin Wall fell on November 9, 1989, its destruction was nearly…
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This is something that always intrigued me. How many serial killers were there during WWII and got away with it because they joined the various death squads? Where they could kill authorized by the Nazi regime, and indeed the regimes of the other axis nations. And what differentiated those who were captured and brought to…
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David Friedmann’s story is not just a story of dealing with the horrors of the Holocaust but also a story of a second chance and hopes despite immense grief and hardships. The artist David Friedmann was born in Mährisch Ostrau, Austria (now Ostrava, Czech Republic), but moved to Berlin in 1911. In 1944, Friedman was…
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If you did not know the man in the photograph, you would think he was a loving family man, doting on his daughter. However, since we know the man is Joseph Goebbels, the dynamic of this photo changes. Goebbels did portray himself as a good family man and a loving father. Clearly, he had no…
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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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Sometimes, you come across stories and are amazed that they are not widely known. We all have heard about Oskar Schindler because of Steven Spielberg’s “Schindler’s List.” Still, Otto Weidt’s story is probably just as amazing. It is a story that is close to me because I am half blind and will likely become utterly…
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“The sportive, knightly battle awakens the best human characteristics. It doesn’t separate but unites the combatants in understanding and respect. It also helps to connect the countries in the spirit of peace. That’s why the Olympic Flame should never die.” One could be forgiven for thinking that the words above were uttered by someone with…
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The Law Concerning Jewish Tenants (“Gesetz über die Mietverhältnisse mit Juden”) of 30 April 1939 was a significant piece of Nazi legislation that furthered the regime’s systematic persecution of Jewish citizens in Germany. This law was part of a broader campaign to isolate, disenfranchise, and ultimately remove Jews from German society. By targeting Jewish housing…
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On June 12, 1987, U.S. President Ronald Reagan gave a speech at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, calling for the leader of the Soviet Union, Mikhail Gorbachev, to open the Berlin Wall. He famously said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” This moment is considered a significant event in the Cold War era, symbolizing…
History of Sorts 