Books

  • Mildred Elizabeth Gillars (November 29, 1900 – June 25, 1988), commonly known as “Axis Sally,” was an American broadcaster who worked for Nazi Germany during World War II. Broadcasting from Berlin for German state radio, she delivered English-language propaganda aimed at American troops and civilians. After the war she was captured in Berlin, returned to…

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  • Primum non nocere is the Latin phrase for “First do no harm” It is part of the Hippocratic Oath including the promise “to abstain from doing harm” . The Hippocratic Oath is an oath historically taken by physicians. It is one of the most widely known of Greek medical texts. In its original form, it requires a new physician to…

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  • This story is both heartbreaking and uplifting — heartbreaking because it tells of a mother who knew she was going to die, and uplifting because her final words revealed remarkable courage and hope in the face of certain death. Olga Bancic was born on May 10, 1912, into a large Jewish family in Bessarabia, then…

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  • Dick Turpin is one of England’s most famous historical outlaws, known for his exploits as a highwayman during the early 18th century. Over time, he has become a legendary figure, celebrated in folklore and literature as a daring and gallant rogue. However, the reality of Turpin’s life is far less romantic. While he was indeed…

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  • Before delving into the story of Adriana Valkenburg, it’s important to understand the context of prostitution in the Netherlands. While prostitution has historically been tolerated in the country, it was not officially recognized as a legal profession until 1988. In the Netherlands, prostitution is legal and regulated, with sex work recognized as a legitimate profession.…

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  • “On the wet windy evening of January 22, a youthful band of idealists went to a lonely cabin in the Maryland woods.” these are the first few lines of one of the more stranger stories of LIFE magazine. “On the damp, windy night of January 22, a group of idealistic youths ventured into a remote…

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  • This Isn’t About a Western Film: It’s About a Remarkable WWII Story When I first picked up a guitar, it was because of two towering inspirations: Django Reinhardt and Jim Croce. Django, with his captivating melodies and revolutionary style, made the strings sing in ways I could only dream of. Born in 1910 in Belgium…

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  • Afghanistan

    Afghanistan is in the news again for all the wrong reasons. But I am not going to address that here, there are plenty of news outlets where you can read all about that. I want to go more into the history, or at least the recent history, of Afghanistan. The name Afghanistan (Afghānistān, land of…

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  • The title might sound very cold and calculated but the fact is in order to facilitate the mass deportation the Nazis applied very efficient and sophisticated supply chain management principles. In commerce, supply chain management (SCM), the management of the flow of goods and services,however they were the same principles used during the Holocaust. Crucial to this was the involvement…

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  • Pets During the Holocaust

    The Nazis implemented a series of discriminatory laws and regulations aimed at isolating and persecuting Jews. In many cases, Jews were forced to relinquish their pets as part of broader property confiscation. Pets were considered part of personal property, and when Jewish people were displaced, arrested, or deported, they were often forced to leave their…

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