History & Memory – Page 2

From Synagogue to Frauenkirche: Nuremberg’s Church of Our Lady

August 16, 2025

The Frauenkirche (“Church of Our Lady”) stands on the eastern side of the main market in Nuremberg, Germany. An example of brick Gothic architecture, it was built between 1352 and 1362 on the initiative of Charles IV (1316–1378), Holy Roman Emperor.

The church’s origins are bound up with tragedy. In 1349, during the Black Death, a violent pogrom led to the expulsion of Nuremberg’s Jewish community. Charles IV ordered the city’s synagogue demolished, and the Frauenkirche was built on its ruins as part of the newly created Hauptmarkt.

Yet within a few years, the city authorities, short of money, sought to attract Jews back. In 1351, Charles IV allowed their return under specific conditions, and by 1382 the Jewish community numbered more than 500, concentrated in the Judengasse (today’s Judenstrasse). More background can be found at the Jewish Virtual L ibrary.

Centuries later, between the two world wars, Nuremberg became a stronghold of the Nazi Party. Julius Streicher (1885–1946) founded one of the first local branches there in 1922 and published the antisemitic weekly Der Stürmer. The city also hosted massive Nazi rallies, and its Jews lived under daily harassment and threat.

The Frauenkirche itself was nearly destroyed during the bombing of Nuremberg (see photo above) in World War II, leaving only its nave walls and façade. Restoration was completed in 1953, and today the church once again dominates the Hauptmarkt as both a historic monument and a reminder of the city’s layered past.

The Institut de France: Guardian of Knowledge and the Arts

August 16, 2025

The Institut de France is a French learned society that brings together five académies, including the prestigious Académie Française, guardian of the French language. Founded in 1795 at the direction of the National Convention, it is housed on the Quai de Conti in the 6th arrondissement of Paris.

Today, the Institut oversees nearly 1,000 foundations, along with museums and châteaux open to visitors. It also distributes prizes and grants—amounting to more than €27 million annually in 2017—most of them awarded on the recommendation of the académies.

Faithful to the mission set for it in 1795, the Institut and its five académies continue “to contribute, on a non-profit basis, to the progress and influence of letters, sciences, and the arts; to honor useful inventions and discoveries; to recognize distinguished artistic achievements; and to reward noble deeds and the steadfast practice of civic and social virtues.”

The Pegnitz River and Nuremberg’s Place in History

August 16, 2025

The Pegnitz is a river in Franconia, in the German state of Bavaria. Its source is in the town of Pegnitz (population ~15,000), about 27 km south of Bayreuth. The river runs for about 113 km (70 mi) before meeting the Rednitz in Fürth to form the Regnitz. Along its course, it flows through Nuremberg (population ~545,000), the largest city in Franconia, the second-largest in Bavaria, and the 14th-largest in Germany.

Nuremberg is famous for its castle and extensive city walls, with their many towers—among the most impressive fortifications in Europe.

Nuremberg in the Nazi Era

From 1933 to 1945, Nuremberg held special significance for the Nazi regime. The city was chosen as the site of massive Nazi Party rallies, staged in 1927, 1929, and annually from 1933 to 1938. These events were designed as propaganda spectacles.

The 1934 rally was filmed by Leni Riefenstahl, resulting in the propaganda film Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will).
At the 1935 rally, Hitler convened the Reichstag in Nuremberg to pass the Nuremberg Laws, which stripped Jews and other so-called “non-Aryans” of German citizenship.

After the collapse of Nazi Germany, Nuremberg again became a focal point of world history. Between 1945 and 1946, the surviving top Nazi leaders were tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Military Tribunal. The proceedings took place in Courtroom 600 of the Nuremberg Palace of Justice. (The cross visible today in the courtroom was added later by the postwar German government and was not present during the trials.)

Honduras: Resilience and Natural Beauty Amid Challenges

August 16, 2025

Ponant’s Dumont-d’Urville is a beautiful way to travel in French style. We spent much of our cruise exploring Honduras and the rest in Belize.

Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, and to the north by the Gulf of Honduras, a large inlet of the Caribbean Sea. Its capital and largest city is Tegucigalpa, home to about 1.6 million of the country’s 9.5 million people. Slightly larger than Tennessee, Honduras is unique in Central America for having two major urban centers: Tegucigalpa and San Pedro Sula.

Honduras is one of the poorest countries in Latin America and has one of the world’s highest murder rates. More than half the population lives in poverty, with rural and indigenous communities particularly affected. Per capita GDP was about $5,600 (2021 est.), and nearly half the population lives below the poverty line. Honduras is also a major transshipment point for cocaine bound for the United States.

Although primary school enrollment is near 100%, the quality of education is low, with high dropout and grade repetition rates and weak accountability.

Honduras gained independence from Spain in 1821 and has held regular elections since 1838. During the 1980s, the United States established a strong military presence in the country to support operations in neighboring El Salvador and Nicaragua, while developing strategic infrastructure.

The country was devastated by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which killed about 5,600 people and caused approximately $2 billion in damage. While the economy has slowly rebounded, setbacks from COVID-19 and severe storms in 2020–21 remain.

Despite these hardships, Honduras offers extraordinary natural beauty.

Guanaja, one of the Bay Islands of Honduras, lies about 70 km off the north coast and 12 km from Roatán. Most of its 10,000 residents live on a nearby cay called Bonacca, often referred to as the Venice of Honduras for its waterways.

The Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge, on the Atlantic coast, is a protected area home to manatees, monkeys, and countless bird species. Its mangrove canals, fed by the Cuero and Salado rivers, create a rich brackish habitat where freshwater meets the sea.

The Cayos Cochinos (or Cochinos Cays) consist of two small islands and 13 coral cays northeast of La Ceiba. Although small in population (108 residents as of 2001), the islands form part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the world’s second-largest barrier reef. With no roads, cars, or bikes, Cayos Cochinos remains a pristine marine reserve managed by the Honduras Coral Reef Foundation.

You can see more photos of Honduras here.

Sources: CIA World Factbook | Wikipedia | Honduras Official Tourism Site | Audley Travel

Decatur House: A Historic Home Near the White House

August 16, 2025

Decatur House is one of Washington’s most historic homes, standing just steps from the White House at the corner of Lafayette Square. Built in 1818 by the great neoclassical architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe, it is one of only three of his houses still standing in the United States.

Portrait of Stephen Decatur Jr. in Decatur House

The home was commissioned by Stephen Decatur Jr., a celebrated naval officer who became the nation’s first post–Revolutionary War hero. Decatur supervised the construction of U.S. naval vessels, commanded them in battle, and won fame for his victories against pirates and foreign adversaries. His promising career ended abruptly in 1820, when he was killed in a duel with fellow officer James Barron. Decatur’s death at just 41 shocked the young republic.

In 1836, later owners added an outbuilding behind the house, which included slave quarters — a reminder that the grandeur of Lafayette Square coexisted with the realities of enslavement.

Today, Decatur House is both a museum and the home of the National Center for White House History, operated by the White House Historical Association, the nonprofit founded by First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961 to preserve and share the history of America’s Executive Mansion. The association offers free public tours of Decatur House every Monday (excluding federal holidays and the Monday after Thanksgiving). The house and courtyard can also be rented for private events, including weddings. A small shop offers books, gifts, and keepsakes that make excellent mementos of a visit to the nation’s capital.

Standing in its elegant rooms, it’s easy to sense the layers of history — from Decatur’s tragic end to the continuing work of preserving White House history. Decatur House remains both a monument to a naval hero and a reminder of the complexities of America’s past.

Sources: The White House Historical Association | National Trust for Historic Preservation | National Park Service | Wikipedia

Where Hitler’s Crowds Once Roared

August 18, 2025August 16, 2025

Between 1933 and 1938, Nazi Germany staged massive rallies in Nuremberg. The former Nazi Party Rally Grounds remain the largest surviving complex of National Socialist architecture in today’s Germany. Designed by Hitler’s architect Albert Speer, the vast structures still convey the immense power of Nazi propaganda. Speer was later convicted of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg. He served 20 years in prison and died in London in 1981.

The Zeppelinfeld (Zeppelin Field), shown above, is one of the most striking remains. Its massive grandstand, 360 meters wide, was modeled on the Pergamon Altar of ancient Greece, with square piers inspired by Franco-American architect Paul Philippe Cret. After Germany’s defeat in 1945, American forces famously blew the swastika from its top. The name “Zeppelinfeld” refers to the landing of Count Zeppelin’s airship (LZ6) here in 1909.

I visited in April 2024, on a cold and windy day, with my cousin from Nuremberg who graciously served as my guide. The site felt stark, desolate, and impossibly vast—its scale resisting any attempt to capture it in photographs. Only a handful of visitors were there, but the immensity of the place chilled me. I tried to imagine the grounds filled with uniformed followers of Adolf Hitler, roaring in unison. The thought sent a shiver down my spine.

How could this have happened in Germany—a country with such a deep tradition of culture, learning, and science? Could it happen again? Is it already happening? The pull of the far right has not disappeared; it is rising once more.

What happened here was not inevitable. It can happen again.

The Peabody Room: Georgetown’s Window into Local History

August 16, 2025

The Peabody Room is a special collection dedicated to Georgetown neighborhood history and is part of The People’s Archive, the D.C. Public Library’s local history center focused on Washington, D.C. and African American history and culture. Among its resources is a house history file covering many Georgetown home

Peabody Room, Georgetown Library

This local branch dates back to 1875, when the first library in Georgetown was funded by George Peabody (1795–1869), an American financier and philanthropist.

Peabody was born into a poor family in Massachusetts. He began in the dry goods trade and later moved into banking. In 1837, he relocated to London—then the capital of world finance—where he became the most noted American banker and helped to establish the young nation’s international credit.

Having no son of his own, Peabody took on Junius Spencer Morgan as a partner in 1854. Their joint business would evolve into the global financial services firm J.P. Morgan & Co. after Peabody’s 1864 retirement.### George Peabody’s Legacy

Peabody is often considered the father of modern philanthropy. His charitable initiatives included:

The Peabody Trust in Britain
The Peabody Institute
The George Peabody Library i in Baltimore

For his generosity, he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal and named a Freeman of the City of London.

Fire and Renewal

In 2007, a large fire broke out at the Georgetown Library, severely damaging much of the building and causing the roof to collapse. The blaze irreparably damaged parts of the library’s holdings and artwork, including items in the Peabody collection.

Repairs and a major renovation were completed in 2010, restoring the library and ensuring the Peabody Room’s continued role as a steward of Georgetown’s history.

La Maison de Molière: A Living Tradition in Paris

August 15, 2025

As a lover of France and its language, walking into the Comédie-Française feels like stepping into the heart of French culture. Founded in 1680 by decree of Louis XIV, it is the world’s oldest active theater company and the only state theater in France with its own permanent troupe of actors.

Its main stage, the Salle Richelieu, stands within the Palais-Royal complex in the 1st arrondissement. The setting is both grand and intimate — a space steeped in history yet alive with contemporary energy.

Often called La Maison de Molière, the theater honors the playwright most closely tied to its legacy. Though Molière died before the company was formally created, the Comédiens-Français still perform his plays and pay tribute to him each January 15.

The Comédie-Française is often associated with the classical repertoire, but creation has always been central to its mission. In 2023, I saw a modern staging of Médée d’après Euripide that showed just how vital and daring the troupe remains.

If you speak French, it’s worth buying a ticket. Sitting in that gilded hall, you’re not just a spectator — you’re part of a living tradition more than three centuries old.

Salle Richelieu, Comédie-Française, Paris © David H. Enzel, 2023

The Beauty of the Peabody Library in Baltimore

August 15, 2025August 15, 2025

The George Peabody Library in Baltimore is one of the most beautiful libraries I’ve ever stepped into. Walking through its doors feels like entering a cathedral of books — the kind of place that instantly slows you down and makes you look up.

It wasn’t always part of Johns Hopkins University. The library began as the library of the Peabody Institute of the City of Baltimore, founded in 1857 when Massachusetts-born philanthropist George Peabody dedicated the institute to the people of Baltimore in gratitude for their “kindness and hospitality.” Today, it’s part of the Special Collections Department of the Sheridan Libraries at Johns Hopkins, still serving the public as Peabody intended.

The building, which opened in 1878, was designed by Baltimore architect Edmund G. Lind, working with the Peabody Institute’s first provost, Dr. Nathaniel H. Morison. The moment you enter the stack room, your eyes are drawn upward to five tiers of intricate cast-iron balconies, all leading to a skylight 61 feet above. The ironwork, crafted by the Bartlett-Robbins Company, has the kind of fine detail you don’t see much anymore.

The library holds 300,000 volumes, mostly from the 19th century, covering everything from religion and British art to American history, literature, the history of science, and tales of exploration and travel. It’s easy to imagine 19th-century scholars hunched over these very books.

Between 2002 and 2004, the library underwent a $1 million restoration, and it still feels lovingly cared for. Best of all, it’s free and open to the public. If you find yourself in Baltimore, make time for it. It’s not just a place to see books — it’s a place to feel them, to stand in the quiet and be surrounded by the beauty of knowledge made visible.

The George Peabody Library, in keeping with Peabody’s original gift, is free and open to the public.

Sources: Johns Hopkins University | Wikipedia

Google Engineer Uses AI to Identify Faces in Holocaust-era Photographs

August 18, 2025August 14, 2025

From Numbers to Names is a website created by Daniel Patt, a software engineer at Google, that uses artificial intelligence to help identify Holocaust victims and survivors in historical photographs. The platform searches through roughly 500,000 images from institutions such as Yad Vashem — The World Holocaust Remembrance Center and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Visitors can upload a photograph of a Holocaust victim or survivor, and the site’s facial recognition technology will compare it to its vast archives, returning the ten most likely matches.

Patt’s motivation is deeply personal: all four of his grandparents were Holocaust survivors from Poland. His initial goal was to help his grandmother recover photographs of her family members who were murdered during the Holocaust. When the war began, she was nine years old and fled her hometown of Zamość with her father and siblings. Her mother — Patt’s great-grandmother — remained behind and was shot and killed during the Nazi invasion. Later, her brother was killed when he attempted to return to rescue her. The rest of the family survived and eventually emigrated to New York City after the war.