GIST TALK

 Ilse Koch may not be as famous as the Holocaust's ringleaders, but she was every bit as evil. We’ve written twice before about women who not only survived the Holocaust, but saved the lives of fellow prisoners with their superhuman courage and will to survive. The stories of Gisella Perl and Stanislawa Leszczyńska highlight one vital aspect of human nature: Our ability to persevere and care for others in even the most harrowing and cruel of circumstances. But the Holocaust also presented many opportunities for humanity’s terrible dark side to run wild, as well. While Adolf Hitler, Josef Menegle, and Heinrich Himmler are rightly remembered as its figureheads, there were others just as villainous, but their names didn’t quite make the history books. One of these individuals was Ilse Koch, whose sadism and barbarism would lead to her to receive the nickname “The Bitch of Buchenwald.” Ilse Koch, born Margarete Ilse Köhler, was born in Dresden, Germany on September 22, 1906, to a facto

  Thomas Pierrepoint (1870 - 1954) hangman. Thomas William Pierrepoint was born in Sutton Bonnington, Nottinghamshire in 1870 and by 1891 the family was living at Clayton, near Bradford in Yorkshire where Thomas and his father were employed in a stone quarry. Thomas worked as a hangman for 40 years before being removed from the official list in 1946 due to his age, as he was by then 76 years old.  He assisted at 35 executions and carried out 203 civilian hangings in England and Wales and five in Scotland during his period on Home Office List from 1906 to 1946. His brother Henry persuaded him to become a hangman and trained him in the job.  Thomas had no difficulty passing his official training at Pentonville and was added to the official list in 1906. On the 4th of October 1906 he got his first appointment as an assistant to his brother for the execution of Harold Walters at Wakefield.  Wakefield had just had the first purpose built execution chamber constructed within the prison at th

  On June 30, 1943, General Douglas MacArthur launched Operation Cartwheel, a multi-pronged assault on Rabaul and several islands in the Solomon Sea in the South Pacific. The joint effort took nine months to complete but succeeded in recapturing more Japanese-controlled territory, further eroding their supremacy in the East. The purpose of Cartwheel was to destroy the barrier formation Japan had created in the Bismark Archipelago, a collection of islands east of New Guinea in the Solomon Sea. The Japanese considered this area vital to protecting their conquests in the Dutch East Indies and the Philippines. For the Allies, Rabaul, in New Britain, was the key to winning control of this theater of operations, as it served as the Japanese naval headquarters and main base. On June 30, General MacArthur, strategic commander of the area, launched a simultaneous attack, on New Guinea and on New Georgia, as a setup and staging maneuver for the ultimate assault on Rabaul.  The landing on New Geo

  The Lviv pogroms were the consecutive pogroms and massacres of Jews in June and July 1941 in the city of Lwów in German-occupied Eastern Poland/Western Ukraine (now Lviv, Ukraine).  The massacres were perpetrated by Ukrainian nationalists (specifically, the OUN), German death squads (Einsatzgruppen), and urban population from 30 June to 2 July, and from 25 to 29 July, during the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Thousands of Jews were killed both in the pogroms and in the Einsatzgruppen killings. Ukrainian militia as well as Ukrainian residents and to a lower degree Poles targeted Jews in the first pogrom, which was triggered by the discovery of thousands of bodies in three Lviv prisons of victims of the Soviet NKVD prisoner massacre, which were widely blamed on "Jewish Bolsheviks".  The subsequent massacres were directed by the Germans in the context of the Holocaust in Eastern Europe. The pogroms have been widely debated in the historiography, including the extent to w

  German troops paying their last respects to a fallen comrade on a stretcher-bearer on the Western Front, 1915. Photograph belonging to @drakegoodmanofficial. The following is the diary entry of a Danish-German medical orderly from March 13, 1915 - today 109 years ago, detailing of the awful scene inside a German field hospital following a battle. Translated by myself.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ "At the field hospital, March 1915. For a day the guns had sounded; one felt that "something was going on". At the field hospital the staff was anxious, they ran back and forth, counted the available beds and put in new ones. And shortly after midday the first wounded arrived - dusty, soiled faces, the majority with one bandaged arm, some with bandaged heads. For many, the red, warm blood ran through the bandaging and slowly dripped down onto the floor tiles. But no one complained of pains, and with a good appetite they devoured the meal put before them. And then they told about the experiences

   On this day in 1943, Rear Adm. Shigematsu Sakaibara, commander of the Japanese garrison on the island, ordered the execution of 96 Americans POWs, claiming they were trying to make radio contact with U.S. forces. In late December 1941, the Japanese reinforced existing forces on Wake Island, part of a coral atoll west of Hawaii, in massive numbers after being unable to wrest the island from a small number of Americans troops earlier in the month.  The Japanese strength was now overwhelming, and most of those Americans left alive after the battle were taken by the Japanese off the island to POW camps elsewhere.  Ninety-six remained behind to be used as forced labor. The Allied response was periodic bombing of the island–but no more land invasions, as part of a larger Allied strategy to leave certain Japanese-occupied islands in the South Pacific to basically starve in isolation. The execution of those remaining American POWs, who were blindfolded and shot in cold blood, remains one of

While attending high school in Bakersfield, California, William White participated in the summer program of the Citizens Military Training Camp being recognized as an honor trainee each year. After graduation in 1929 William was designated as a member Ninth Corps Area CMTG Rifle team for competition in the National Rifle Matches at Camp Perry, Ohio. White had also been recommended for a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the Officers Reserve Corps but being under age for a commission he would have to serve two years in the Enlisted Reserve Corps before becoming eligible. White began San Jose State Teachers College in January, 1930 however he dropped out at the end of his first quarter. A week later he enlisted in the US Marine Corps. By June of 1930 William White reported for duty as a member of the Marine Detachment of the USS West Virginia. After 11 years of service William left the Marine Corps and went to work for Shell Oil Company. In the late summer of 1941 White left his job a

  Fasting for Ramadan While Gaza Goes Hungry How do you celebrate the holy month when you fear the suffering may not end? In 2019, Palestinians broke their Ramadan fast near the rubble of a building destroyed by Israeli air strikes, in Gaza City.Photograph by Ibraheem Abu Mustafa / Reuters / Redux Save this story On the evening of February 28th, thousands of people gathered on Al-Rashid Street, in Gaza City, in hopes that a convoy of aid trucks would bring them desperately needed food. The trucks arrived early the next morning, at around a quarter to five. When a large crowd encircled them in an effort to obtain food, Israeli forces, who were standing by, opened fire. More than a hundred people were killed, and hundreds more were injured. Later, the Israeli Army said that its troops had felt threatened, and that some Palestinians died in a stampede. The day has become known as the “flour massacre.” After I saw the news, I called my father to check on him. I’m in New York and he lives i

  On 22 November 1940, the first execution by shooting took place on the grounds of the Auschwitz concentration camp. 40 Polish political activists, held in the prison in Katowice, were murdered. The execution was ordered on 18 November 1940 by the police commander in Breslau, Erich von dem Bach-Zelewski, in retaliation for the activities of the Polish resistance movement in Silesia. The Reichsführer-SS SS, Heinrich Himmler, personally chose those who were to be shot from four lists given to him by the German police in Katowice. The chosen were brought to Auschwitz on 22 November at 11.45 a.m.  They were shot by SS men from the guard company under the command of camp manager Karl Fritzsch. The execution started at noon and lasted 20 minutes. The youngest victim was 21 years old and the oldest was 63. SS-Hauptsturmführer Karl Fritzsch (the deputy camp commandant at the Auschwitz-Birkenau and Flossenbürg concentration camps) was known for his particular brutality. Indeed, it was thanks t

 Pictures showing accused Female Collaborators having their heads shaved in Valognes France after its Liberation in June 1944 After the liberation of French Towns by Allied Forces advancing after D-Day, the French Resistance / Maquis often rounded up accused or suspected collaborators and dealt with them. French Women accused of having romantic relationships or sleeping with German Personnel often had their heads shaved in punishment for “collaboration horizontale”. In several cases, the women in question had performed only professional services for the occupying Germans, rather than being engaged in relationships with them. During the German Occupation of France, an estimated 200,000 French babies with German fathers were born. Thank for reading leave your thoughts in the comments section below Read more on our Rare History Channel  

Daylight By Male & Female Officers In Public I said a few months ago that Bobi Wine should just let go of politics and take care of his young family. Some people disagreed with me. I love Bobi. But subjecting your young wife & family to such predictable public disgrace, is not worth it. Suffering such frequent public disgrace and torture for men and women safe and warm in the comfort zones of their homes. Women should be respected in any society. It was so of Uganda police, including a woman who should have respected her kind, to stoop so low. They should have respected even the boy and not stripped the woman so naked NOW BACK TO BOBI. When you know you are dealing with an old idiot who does not care about lives, has tortured you and is ever harassing your family, you are the one to care and let go. EVERY ONE IS ENTITLED TO THEIR OPINION. Some will praise Wine as a hero. Yet all he has got is a wife humiliated before the world and a boy who will live with the trauma all his lif

  China - Death by a Thousand Cuts From the Tang dynasty until the final years of the Qing, a form of capital punishment set itself apart from the rest for its particularly cruel and brutal practices. The ancient Chinese torture tactic known as lingchi — which translates loosely to “slow slicing,” “lingering death,” or “death by a thousand cuts” — was used as a method of execution from the seventh century up until 1905, when it was officially outlawed.  There are some records and photographs of of this still being used “unofficially' into the 1930's – 1940's as punishment by local people in some areas of China. In one case, a woman was stripped naked in a town then town's people would cut her with small knifes as she tried to escape to safety in the the county side out of the town. (I saw the photo of her running – do not know if she made it to safety and survived). Related Article 100 years ago today in 1919, as the established order of the world was seemingly being to

News reaching YSTV LIB December 11, 2023. MONROVIA – Deddeh Simmons, a victim of a brutal mob action in Redlight, is reportedly undergoing medical attention in Accra, Ghana. She was reportedly mistaken for someone who has been stealing motorbikes. A disturbing video obtained by front-page africa shows Simmons being trampled on by several men while at the same time mercilessly beating her after stripping her stack naked in the crowded market area. In the video, a man is seen trying to force her to open legs while she was already naked, but she lay there helplessly as she was beaten continuously all over her body. The Liberia National Police says it is investigating the incident to bring the perpetrators to book. The victim is reportedly the mother of the Tribeau Brown, the first winner of Big Brabee Liberia reality show. In a Facebook post, Tribeau explained that her mother had gone to Red Light Market on Saturday, December 9 to buy their weekly food when she was engaged by two zogos wh

Corporal Henry Fred Warner, of Troy, North Carolina, enlisted with the US Army on January 11, 1943. On December 20, 1944 near Bütgenbach, Belgium Corporal Warner, serving with the 2nd Battalion,  26th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division manned his anti-tank gun through the night and into the next morning, despite intense fire from the approaching German tanks. He successfully disabled several enemy tanks before being fatally wounded by enemy fire. ⭐Corporal Henry Ford Warner's Medal of Honor Citation reads as follows: Serving as 57-mm antitank gunner with the 2d Battalion, he was a major factor in stopping enemy tanks during heavy attacks against the battalion position near Dom Butgenbach, Belgium, on 20-21 December 1944.  In the first attack, launched early in the morning on the 20th, enemy tanks succeeded in penetrating parts of the line. Corporal Warner, disregarding the concentrated cannon and machine-gun fire from two tanks bearing down on him and ignoring the imminent da

 Ra*ped To Death  By Father and Son... In 2013, she was 8-years old. She went to stay with her Aunty so she could go to school. Her Aunty’s Husband and son allegedly ra*ped her repeatedly from 2013. She was ra*ped both anally and va*gin*ally, s£xually and physically assaulted over and over again. She was in and out of hospital. She suffered several health complications because her little young body couldn’t take the s£xual abuse. Unfortunately, the police seem to have released the r£pists without prosecution. Money buys justice in Nigeria. But I join the world to cry for  . Thanks for reading leave your thoughts in the comments section below Read more on our News Channel 

 The story behind this photo continues to shock anyone who recognizes it In 1968, two men kidnapped Kim Bird. They put her in a homemade coffin, took this photo and buried her in the woods. They hung the photo on a local bulletin board and signed on the back, "I am buried in the woods, you have no more than 5 days to find me." For days, passersby looked at the photo and thought it was a joke. Until a former colleague of Kim's saw the photo.  She immediately went to the police, but they didn't know what to do. After all, they only have the photo, but where it is buried is unknown. Then Kim's classmate started looking at the photo and realized that some letters are written strangely, highlighted in bold, and if you look closely, you can read the girl's secret message.... On the leaf was written Kim + Brad (classmate's name). It was exactly the kind of inscription they had once left on a tree during a vacation in the woods as a token of their love for each ot

 British and Belgian troops retreating from the Siege of Antwerp, October 1914. The following is the translated diary entry of Belgian grenadier Édouard Beer during the Siege of Antwerp in late September 1914. The fort he and his brother Charles Beer were defending was under heavy artillery fire when a shell struck an explosive munitions depot, causing a huge explosion.  "We needed all our courage. What a ghastly sight! Bodies without heads or faces, detached limbs, chests laid open, groans and shrieks agonising to the ears. Most were without their dogtags, and so unidentifiable. 37 bodies lay there, while just four survived wounded, two of them seriously. The stretcher-bearers refused to come forward, so our commandant asked for volunteers to take the two worst cases to the farm. Charles and I and two others came forward. The commandant shook our hands and said 'Good luck my children'. As we crossed the open ground, shells fell all around us, sometimes very close. The wou

After Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow died in a hail of bullets in May 1934, the V8 Ford they were driving became an instant tourist attraction — and it still draws crowds to this day. Public DomainBonnie and Clyde’s car was riddled with nearly 120 bullet holes during the ambush that killed the criminal duo. On May 23, 1934, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were driving through northern Louisiana when police ambushed them, killing the notorious duo and bringing an end to their 21-month crime spree. But Bonnie and Clyde’s car lived on. Crowds immediately flocked to the scene to see the bullet-riddled V8 Ford with the bodies of two of America’s most wanted criminals inside. Some onlookers even tried to swipe slivers of the shattered glass windows as macabre souvenirs. Soon, offers for the vehicle came pouring in. The car was returned to the Kansas couple from whom Bonnie and Clyde had stolen it a month before their demise, and they ultimately sold it for a tidy profit. From there, the Ford

  dead penalty of how a man was caned Most people seem to have heard caning is used for punishment in Singapore.  I have to admit before we moved here I thought it was a barbaric thing to do and many Western countries have over the years tried to apply pressure to the government to have the practice stopped. However…once you’ve lived here you quickly realise that this is one of the few places where you can walk around the city at all hours of the night without being harassed, mugged or in fear of your life. It’s a common sight to see women walking on their own at night – I’ve often popped down to the local supermarket at 10pm – without any concerns for their safety. There is also no graffiti, no vandalism, and a much higher degree of respect for people than anywhere else I have lived. Not all of this is down to caning of course but I’m willing to bet that if the little bastards who keep spray painting the church in Lochem knew they would get a good wallop if they got caught, graffiti w

  The worst, most painful and Horrible methods of execution in history  1.Rat torture was a method used in medieval times. It worked by putting a pot of hungry rats into a cage that was strapped to the victims stomach. Then the cage was slowly heated, making the distressed rats chew and claw through the victim, trying to escape. 2.Execution by elephant was an old method of capital punishment in South and Southeast Asia, particularly in India, where Asian elephants were used to crush, dismember or torture captives in public executions.  The animals were trained to kill victims immediately or to torture them slowly over a prolonged period. Most commonly employed by royalty, the elephants were used to signify both the ruler's power of life and death over his subjects and his ability to control wild animals. 3. The brazen bull, also known as the bronze bull, Sicilian bull, or bull of Phalaris, was an alleged torture and execution device designed in ancient Greece. The bull was said to

36 Photos Of The Battle Of Stalingrad, The Biggest Clash In The History Of War The bitter, colossal Battle of Stalingrad was the key turning point of World War II, paving the way for the eventual defeat of Nazi Germany. The battle of Stalingrad marked the turning point of World War II, setting the scene for the Red Army's advance on Berlin.TASS/Getty Images Women digging near damaged train tracks during the Battle of Stalingrad.Hulton Archive/Getty Images Dead bodies covered by snow in Stalingrad.Laski Diffusion/Getty Images An airplane wreckage lies in Stalingrad, with a devastated building in the background.Laski Diffusion/Getty Images The number of civilian casualties of the Battle is unknown but estimates believed that tens of thousands were killed, while tens of thousands more were captured and forced into slave camps in Germany. German prisoners huddle with soldiers from other Axis countries after the defeat of the German Army at Stalingrad.Archive Farms/Getty Images Tanks us

After an arson attack on June 11, 2024, several mummies in the crypt of St. Michan's Church suffered permanent damage — including an 800-year-old mummy known as the Crusader. Dan Sheridan/St. Michan’s ChurchThe partially destroyed mummies in the St. Michan’s Church crypt. Following a break-in and a fire at St. Michan’s Church in Dublin, Ireland, the church has released photos of the “desecrated” and partially destroyed remains of several mummies stored in its crypt. The arson attack occurred on June 11, and a man has since been charged with vandalism in relation to the incident. Five mummies in total suffered damage from the fire and the water used to put it out. Church officials say they are “devastated” by this act of arson — and unfortunately, it is not the first time vandals have targeted the St. Michan’s mummies. The Fire That Damaged Five Mummies At St. Michan’s Church Around 4:30 p.m. on June 11, a tour guide alerted the Dublin Fire Brigade to the fire at the church. After f

Sullivan survived but end up Tragedy the seven strikes and was referred to as a "human lightning conductor. Roy Cleveland Sullivan (February 7, 1912 – September 28, 1983) was an American park ranger in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Between 1942 and 1977, Sullivan was claimed to have been struck by lightning on seven occasions, surviving all of them. For this reason, he gained the nicknames "Human Lightning Conductor" and "Human Lightning Rod". Sullivan is recognized by Guinness World Records as the person struck by lightning more recorded times than any other human being Roy was born in Greene County, Virginia, on February 7, 1912. He started working as a ranger in Shenandoah National Park in 1936. Sullivan was described as a brawny man with a broad, rugged face, who resembled the actor Gene Hackman. He was said to have been avoided by people during the later years of his life, owing to fears of being struck by lightning, and that saddened him. He once

  119 years ago today in 1898, the so-called "Last Knight of Europe", Helmuth Von Pannwitz, was born on his father's estate of Botzanowitz, Silesia. He is best remembered for his command as Ataman of a cavalry corps of Don Cossacks during the Second World War.  Like many of the aristocratic Prussian officers during this era, Pannwitz' family history stretched back to the Middle Ages, his forefathers having ruled as Burgraves of Glatz from the 14th to the 16th century.  At the age of twelve he entered the Prussian cadet school and was instilled with an appreciation not only for the Prussian military tradition but also for the martial character of the Russian Cossacks units who on occasion would be seen across the border in Congress Poland.  In 1914 the young Pannwitz answered the Kaiser's call to war and became a lancer. He served with distinction on numerous occasions and was awarded the Iron Cross for his bravery. Following Germany's defeat in 1918 he joined