PN1501

On March 12, 1938, Nazi Germany annexed Austria in what became known as the Anschluss, triggering an outbreak of public violence against the country’s Jewish population. Vienna filled with swastikas, anti-Semitism became state policy, and violence against Jews was no longer punished but rewarded. The SS expanded rapidly, offering power and advancement to men willing … Read more

King Ludwig II of Bavaria appeared to have everything a monarch could want: youth, good looks, and the adoration of his people. But behind the fairy-tale image, he led a double life, funding extravagant castles, indulging in secret romantic relationships with men, and alienating the very government officials who would eventually move to destroy him. … Read more

Newly rediscovered court records from the 1881 Tombstone gunfight are challenging the long-held popular image of Wyatt Earp as a straightforward Wild West hero. The original 36-page coroner’s inquest papers, missing for decades, were found in 2010 by Cochise County court staff clearing storage at the Bisbee courthouse. The Arizona State Library later digitized them … Read more

When Germany surrendered in May 1945, 18-year-old Bernhard Randerath was put to work clearing the very mines his own army had buried along the Dutch coast. Drafted into the Wehrmacht months earlier, he was assigned to Brigade Draga, one of the German units ordered by the Allies to remove the minefields that stretched in front … Read more

Prince William of Gloucester was born fourth in line to the British throne, but he spent much of his life trying to escape the constraints of his title. He rejected the comforts of royal protocol in favor of diplomatic work, academic study, and flying planes. On August 28, 1972, he died at age 30 when … Read more