The Hungarian settlement of Sződliget is often called “Witch Village” due to it’s eerie atmosphere. It is a small waterside town with only a couple of inhabitants, and fog gathers on the lake most nights.
In 1960, Felice Quinto “the king of paparazzi,” snapped photographs
of actress Anita Ekberg and a married movie producer sharing a kiss. He later
stood outside her home, hoping to snap more incriminating photos. Instead,
Anita emerged from her home armed with a bow and arrow and shot towards Felice.
She managed to shoot him in the hand.
William Utermohlen was an American artist diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In response to the illness, he began to paint a series of self-portraits. The result is a crushing depiction of his descent into dementia. They provide a stark insight into the devastating effects that the disease has. As he struggled to keep in touch with the world surrounding him, his works became flatter and more abstract. They lacked the details and spatial sense that his art had early on in his diagnosis. By 2000, his memory and technical skills had deteriorated so much that his final heartbreaking portrayal was little more than a scribbled skull. He passed away in 2007 “but it wasn’t him by then,” said his widow, Patricia.
This photograph of a 1940s German U-Boat appears to show an extinct Megalodon floating along side it. The existence of the gigantic shark has been disputed by many, but a lot of scientists say there’s evidence to support the fact that they may still be out there.
Dr. Arthur Duperrault had always promised his family that one day, he would take them sailing. That day finally arrived on the 8th of November, 1961, when Arthur, his wife Jean, and their three children, 14-year-old Brian, 11-year-old Terry Jo, and 7-year-old Renee, departed Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to sail to the Bahamas. Also in attendance was WWII and Korean War veteran, Julian Harvey and his wife, Mary Dene. Julian was there to skipper the yacht on behalf of Arthur.
While the trip started as an idyllic getaway, it soon turned to horror. One night, Terry Jo was awoken by deafening screams. As she came up to the deck, she was met by a bloodbath - her entire family and Mary had been brutally murdered. Standing at the other side of the deck was Julian. He ordered Terry Jo to stay on board as he escaped on a dinghy. Terry Jo soon realised that the yacht was quickly sinking. She managed to untie a small cork float which she launched into the ocean.
Four days later, Terry Jo was rescued by a passing ship. She had been floating on the cork float with no food or water. Meanwhile, Julian was picked up by a different ship and spewed some tale about how the yacht had mysteriously sunk, killing everybody on-board. Unbeknownst to him, however, Terry Jo had survived and was able to refute his claims.
As it turned out, Julian had killed his wife to pick up the insurance money and killed Terry Jo’s family as a way to cover up the murder. Terry Jo later said she believed that Julian hadn’t killed her because he expected her to sink with the yacht. After discovering that Terry Jo was still alive, Julian committed suicide.
This video depicts the moment Sir Nicholas Winton realises he is in the same room as hundreds of Jewish people he saved as children during the Holocaust. While appearing on the TV show, “That’s Life!” the host Esther Rantzen asked the audience: “May I ask, is there anyone in our audience tonight who owes their life to Nicholas Winton? If so, could you stand up, please?” To Winton’s shock, the entire audience stood up.
Winton was responsible for organising eight trains full of children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia to London in 1939. While supporters in Britain were working to get Jewish intellectuals and communists out of Czechoslovakia, nobody was attempting to save the children so Winton took it on himself. Once Winston secured their escape, he travelled to Britain where he persuaded British officials to accept the children as long as foster homes were found. In all, Winton saved the lives of 669 children. He was not recognised for his achievements until 60 years later because he kept quiet about his exploits. In 2003, he received a knighthood from the queen for his services to humanity.
