Did the Nazis treat German or Austrian Jews who were veterans of the First World War any better than other Jews? —Jeremy Joyner‚ Houston‚ Texas           Yes‚ many Jews who were veterans of World War I were initially spared deportation to camps and ghettos in the East. It should be remembered that Hitler and many of his closest associates were veterans‚ and World War I was a formative experience for many of them. Veterans were also excluded from what is usually considered Nazi Germany’s first program of systematic mass murder‚ the “euthanasia‚” or Aktion T4‚ program. The T4 program targeted for killing disabled patients living in institutional settings in Nazi Germany and its annexed territories who were considered a burden to the Reich; the Nazis murdered 250‚000–300‚000 patients‚ the overwhelming number of them German “Aryans‚” between October 1939 and May 1945. The T4 plenipotentiaries‚ Dr. Karl Brandt and SS Reichsleiter Philipp Bouhler‚ wrote guidelines for the euthanasia program in which they exempted veterans of  World War I and soldiers in the war at hand. They reasoned that if the public learned of the clandestine killing operations‚ morale might suffer or that soldiers in the ongoing war might refuse to fight if they knew that veterans of military action (especially invalids of war) were being murdered. However‚ as the program radicalized in 1943–1944‚ veterans were regularly included in the killing process. Numerous Jewish World War I veterans were deported to Theresienstadt‚ which the Nazis deceitfully presented to the world as a “spa town.” A similar rationale came into play when one of the main architects of the “Final Solution‚” Reinhard Heydrich‚ ordered the establishment of the Theresienstadt ghetto in Czechoslovakia as a Jewish settlement on October 10‚ 1941. This order coincided with the general deportation of German Jews to concentration camps and ghettos in the East. Heydrich proposed that German Jewish veterans who were invalids of war or who had been decorated should be spared the general deportation and sent to Theresienstadt instead. This also applied to Jews over the age of 65 and later to prominent Jews‚ whose disappearance in the killing centers might attract attention abroad. Nazi propaganda cynically described Theresienstadt as a “spa town” where elderly German Jews could “retire” in safety. The SS invented the Theresienstadt fiction primarily for domestic consumption in order to shore up a fiction about the deportations—that the Reich was deporting its Jewish population to work in the East—and to respond to citizens who wondered aloud how aged seniors and severely disabled war veterans were expected to be productive laborers. However‚ this did not necessarily save these German Jewish veterans‚ for Theresienstadt was also a transit camp to killing centers in German-occupied Poland‚ especially to Auschwitz. this article first appeared in world war II magazine See more stories SubscriBE NOW!  

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A Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft landed smoothly on an icy runway in a remote part of Antarctica earlier this month‚ earning the title of the largest plane to ever land on the airstrip near the Norwegian research station Troll.Commissioned by the Norwegian Polar Institute‚ the giant aircraft set off on its voyage from Cape Town in South Africa before arriving in Antarctica at 02:01 local time on November 15‚ according to Norse Atlantic Airways.The plane glided down onto a 3‚000-meter (9‚842-foot) blue ice runway‚ which sits above a glacier and is only operated during the Antarctic summer season between October and March. As treacherous as it may sound‚ it’s not uncommon for large aircraft to land in Antarctica and air travel has become the main mode of transportation to and from the continent. This particular Norwegian airstrip at Troll greets around six to 10 aircraft every year‚ but this latest arrival is the largest yet and the first-ever Boeing 787 Dreamliner. “Norwegian Polar Institute has safely landed a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on Troll Airfield. A milestone! This demonstrates our capability of performing more effective flight operations to Antarctica by carrying a larger scientific and logistics crew‚ more cargo with a smaller environmental footprint‚” Norwegian Polar Institute director‚ Camilla Brekke‚ said in a statement.Larger planes have landed elsewhere in Antarctica‚ though. In 2021‚ an Airbus 340-300 landed on the continent‚ measuring 63.7 meters (209 feet)‚ less than a meter longer than a Boeing 787 Dreamliner.          Along with the crew‚ 45 passengers and 12 tonnes of research equipment were onboard the recent landing. Many headed towards the Norwegian Troll research station‚ but a handful traveled onwards to the German research station "Neumayer III".Travelers still had a long journey to go after touchdown. The airstrip is located approximately 7 kilometers (over 4 miles) from the Troll research station‚ Norway's only all-year research station in Antarctica‚ located 235 kilometers (146 miles) from the coast in the eastern part of Princess Martha Coast in Queen Maud Land‚ Antarctica. Its main mission is atmospheric research‚ along with an ample dose of biological‚ glaciological‚ and geological fieldwork. Antarctica is important for science as it provides a unique vantage point for studying the climatic conditions of our planet and the impact humans have on it. Antarctica has a profound influence on the Earth’s wider climate and ocean systems‚ so what happens here will be felt far beyond the icy continent’s boundaries.However‚ researchers are aware that their presence in this strange land will also have an impact on the environment‚ so they take significant precautions to ensure it’s left as pristine as possible. For instance‚ the station actively limits its energy consumption so excess heat isn’t leaked into the environment. Instead‚ excess heat is guided towards a system that’s used to melt snow and ice for drinking water and the station’s central heating.

The Tusk Conservation Awards returned for its 11th year on November 27‚ 2023‚ celebrating the inspirational work of conservationists championing biodiversity‚ wildlife‚ and the environment. The work of this year's winners has contributed to the preservation of chimpanzee‚ gorilla‚ bonobo‚ and painted dog populations‚ and has earned them recognition as some of Africa's leading conservationists.“Africa‚ its people‚ and its biodiversity are disproportionately affected by the impacts of a warming planet. Impacts which are‚ for the most part‚ not driven by those most affected‚” said Tusk Royal Patron‚ The Prince of Wales‚ at the awards ceremony at The Savoy‚ London‚ UK.“Those living in Africa emit just a quarter of the emissions than that of the average global citizen. Yet the African continent is set to incur disproportionate loss and damage from climate change. But we do have the power to change this‚ and the stories we have heard tonight provide both optimism and hope. By investing in nature-based solutions we can help mitigate the worst effects of our warming planet and put it back on a healthier path.”The Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa Winner 2023 was awarded to Dr Ekwoge Abwe of the Cameroon Biodiversity Association. Fanny Minesi‚ Director of Friends of Bonobos of Congo‚ was granted the Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa‚ and Jealous Mpofu‚ Chief Tracker at Painted Dog Conservation‚ was given the Tusk Wildlife Ranger Award. We spoke to them to find out more about their contributions to conservation.Dr Ekwoge Abwe‚ how has connecting people from grassroots organizations and traditional communities been pivotal in your conservation work?Our initial surveys in the Ebo forest‚ Cameroon‚ revealed not only a forest teeming with wildlife and plants‚ but importantly recent relics of human occupation‚ including abandoned settlements‚ farm cultivation‚ and grave sites. We realized from the onset that conservation in this landscape could only be achieved through close collaboration with communities whose history and ancestry are intricately linked with the wildlife and forest; those who call it home.United by a shared forest‚ but alienated by the civil strife around Cameroon’s independence in the early 1960s‚ our first real challenge was to work with the disparate communities east and west of the Ebo forest. From 2007‚ we started bringing hunters from these communities together in a series of conservation workshops held at the Limbe Wildlife Centre‚ a sanctuary for animals confiscated from the wildlife trade.   In addition‚ through continued lobbying‚ in 2011 we supported the first ever meeting of traditional chiefs from more than 40 communities around the Ebo forest. This was the birth of the Ebo Traditional Chiefs’ Association‚ their goal being to enhance the welfare of their communities and protect the rich biodiversity of the Ebo forest for posterity.Today we have succeeded in initiating and supporting community-led conservation around the Ebo forest‚ including supporting the Gorilla Guardians and Chimpanzee Guardians. This is important because the forest is not legally protected by law and has suffered from threats ranging from hunting and the bushmeat trade to habitat loss through logging and the expansion of agro-industrial plantations. The communities see themselves today as custodians of the rich biodiversity of the forest‚ which is home to a unique population of gorillas and tool-wielding chimpanzees‚ in which they take enormous pride. The gorilla and chimpanzee guardian clubs engage in alternative sustainable livelihood activities to reduce dependence and pressure on wildlife and their habitat.Fanny Minesi‚ what’s it like working with bonobos‚ and is rewilding them difficult?Bonobos are endlessly fascinating. They are our closest genetic relatives – with DNA that is 98.7 percent the same as ours. They are intelligent‚ playful‚ resilient‚ and generous‚ each one different from the others. They have so much to teach us! [But they are also] very sensitive to stress‚ and this is partly why it is very difficult to return them to the wild. We select candidates for rewilding from the bonobos at Lola ya Bonobo Sanctuary who have recovered from the trauma of being orphaned and captured. We choose a cohesive social group to rewild together. On moving day‚ we transport them more than 800 kilometers [500 miles]‚ by truck‚ airplane‚ truck again‚ and finally by boat to a quarantine site near the Ekolo ya Bonobo Community Forest. The quarantine site gives them time to get used to their new environment and prevents the introduction of illness to the forest.  A rewilding mission is very complex and involves many‚ many people. Everything happens with the bonobos’ cooperation‚ or not at all. But before we can even begin‚ we must first create the conditions for success in the wild. This means building strong partnerships with the people living near Ekolo forest. Helping them understand how protecting bonobos and their rainforest is better for them than extraction‚ and ensuring they benefit from their conservation efforts – this is absolutely critical. Ekolo ya Bonobo Community Forest is the first provincial-level protected area in DR Congo‚ and it is true partnership. With their help‚ we have returned more than two dozen bonobos to their rightful place in the rainforest‚ and at least 10 babies have been born to the rewilded bonobos. Rewilding is very challenging‚ and also very rewarding.Jealous Mpofu‚ what challenges do you face working with painted dogs?Due to the painted dogs having one of the largest home ranges of any land mammal‚ it is both challenging‚ but equally rewarding to see them in their natural habitat. I monitor five packs‚ which have a combined territory of more than 3‚000 km [1‚800 miles]. The dogs are active early in the mornings and late afternoons when it is nice and cool‚ so I have to start my day at around 4 am to drive to the last sighting of the pack I am monitoring. If you stay in bed for too long‚ you find them gone. When the packs are further out‚ I have to camp out overnight to look for the dogs‚ and often stay in the bush for days until I see them‚ particularly if there is an injured dog in the pack.The threats they face include diseases like distemper‚ parvo‚ and rabies. However‚ their biggest threat is mankind through road accidents where the dogs build dens near major highways‚ not forgetting shooting and accidental snaring. My colleagues and I have been standing guard on the highway guiding dogs returning from hunts back to the den‚ making sure they are not killed by vehicles. I also recall last year in Hwange National Park when four dogs were snared in one pack. I had to track them down so my colleague Peter could dart them‚ and one by one‚ as I found them‚ we got the snares off.How does it feel to be recognized at the Tusk Conservation Awards?Dr Ekwoge Abwe: It never crossed my mind that our conservation work in a remote corner of Cameroon would be recognized‚ let alone celebrated on such a global stage. That said‚ I have always believed that conservation anywhere is conservation everywhere! I am humbled by this recognition and award. This is not a solo effort; I wish to fully acknowledge the hard work and sacrifices of our entire team in Cameroon and the support of the grassroots communities we have been working with over the years.The Tusk Conservation Award Winners with the Prince of Wales at the awards.Image credit: Tusk Conservation Awards 2023Fanny Minesi: I am thankful and feel really honored. Honestly‚ I was not expecting this! When you are deeply immersed in the work every day‚ you do not look for honors. And I accept it in the name of my team‚ because nothing would be possible without them‚ and on behalf of the people who are working so hard without recognition or awards. I am also thankful to our partners in Congo and around the world because it is thanks to them that bonobo conservation is happening.Jealous Mpofu: I feel absolutely honoured to win this award‚ recognising my passion and commitment for saving the painted dogs for over the last 25 years and most importantly‚ keeping their future secure. This recognition will provide me with a platform to raise awareness of the plight of painted dogs‚ as the reality is‚ if we don’t do something to help them now‚ these beautiful animals will be lost to humankind.Find out more about the Tusk Conservation Award winners here.

There are a lot of terrifying things you can find in space‚ from mysterious massive voids 250 to 330 million light-years across‚ to tiny droplets of water in your space suit which could very easily drown you. But the moniker of the "most terrifying space photo" is generally given to a photo of astronaut Bruce McCandless II‚ taken from the space shuttle Challenger on February 7‚ 1984. On that day‚ and again on February 9‚ he and fellow astronaut Bob Stewart strapped themselves into Manned Maneuvering Units (MMUs) and left the comfort of their ship to make an untethered space walk as they and Challenger hurtled along at nearly 28‚900 kilometers per hour (18‚000 miles per hour).Bruce was the first to make the leap‚ becoming the first human in history to make an untethered spacewalk.Don't look down.Image credit: NASA.There's video‚ too.       Though both astronauts had trained hard for this moment‚ it was a little hairy for those watching from the ground below."My wife was at mission control‚ and there was quite a bit of apprehension‚" McCandless recalled in a piece for the Guardian in 2015. "I wanted to say something similar to Neil [Armstrong] when he landed on the moon‚ so I said‚ 'It may have been a small step for Neil‚ but it’s a heck of a big leap for me.' That loosened the tension a bit."Of course‚ hurtling along at 28‚900 kilometers per hour (18‚000 miles per hour) sounds terrifying‚ but it didn't feel like those speeds to the astronauts. Relative to Challenger‚ the MMU boosted the astronauts along at gentler speeds‚ using nitrogen for thrust.“It was supposed to be an early-day Buck Rogers flying belt‚ if you know what I mean‚ except it didn’t have the person zooming … real fast‚” astronaut Vance D. Brand explained on NASA's website. “It was a huge device on your back that was very well designed [and] redundant so that it was very safe‚ but [it] move[d] along at about one to two or three miles per hour. It used cold nitrogen gas coming out in spurts to thrust you around and everything.”Though a terrifying image to people who like to be firmly attached to the Earth‚ or at least tethered to a spacecraft protecting you from dying in space‚ for the first human to fly untethered‚ the main feeling was one of professional accomplishment."I don’t like those overused lines 'slipped the surly bonds of Earth;‚ but when I was free from the shuttle‚ they felt accurate‚" McCandless wrote in the Guardian. "It was a wonderful feeling‚ a mix of personal elation and professional pride: it had taken many years to get to that point."

Imagine a heartwarming scene where 15 adorable Great Dane puppies‚ each with their unique personalities‚ reunite for a special occasion. This is not a scene from a feel-good movie but a real-life event that unfolded recently‚ capturing the hearts of many. The story of these puppies‚ born to a rescued Great Dane named Meadow‚ has... The post 15 Greyhound puppies from ‘record-breaking litter’ melt hearts reuniting for first time appeared first on Animal Channel.

The great Steven Nelson at the New York Post broke the news Monday afternoon that “[a] large number of White House reporters have been snubbed from President Biden’s press corps Christmas parties for the second year in a row” and “impact a diverse group of outlets — including The Post...as well as reporters known for sharp questions who work for Democrat-supporting titles.” In “Frosty the Joe-man: White House Christmas parties freeze out reporters — again‚” three from non-conservative outlets were quoted anonymously while those “whose opinion content skews conservative” admitted “on the record that they were snubbed‚ including” our friends with “the Washington Examiner‚ Newsmax and Catholic channel EWTN”. Nelson explained there are actually two media-based Christmas parties‚ with one for TV set for Friday and one “for print and radio reporters scheduled for Dec. 6‚” which unfortunately coincides “with the fourth Republican presidential primary debate‚ which many journalists must cover.” While not as egregious as‚ say‚ being iced out at press briefings and cut off from White House events without explanation‚ Nelson explained throughout the piece how such moves reveal the gatherings “offer intimate interactions with the president” and  a sort of soft access as the press corps also struggles to get into hard-news events”. One “large non-conservative outlet” was blunt to Nelson: “If you’re hosting a reception for the press‚ invite the entire press corps or just call it what it is‚ a private party for your friends.” A second‚ whose outlet “tilts left” didn’t hold back in describing the parties “as bait for access” The third who “does not lead Republican” unloaded at Team Biden’s “play-to-play system” with things such as what were traditional invites to Christmas gatherings being used as rewards for peddling “‘stories’ the press office desires — including the first lady ‘fluff stories’ like Christmas decorations and state dinner menus.” If not‚ they said‚ “not only are” you axed from “social events‚ but you’re also threatened with a lack of access....to high-profile” officials and being ignored at briefings. One who did go on the record was Newsmax’s James Rosen‚ who noted he had been previously attended parties going back to the Clinton years (which would then include the Obama years‚ even as the administration was spying on him). Rosen argued “[o]nly the Biden White House has exhibited such pettiness at the holidays” and‚ while it’s not issue one for Americans‚ it illustrates for them a lack of “magnanimity” and “toughness of skin” Former longtime CBS News reporter Mark Knoller countered this was much ado about nothing because “[i]t’s their party‚ they can invite who they like and don’t like.” However‚ Nelson wound down with tidbits such as this one about how “beat reporters have noticed that many journalists who are invited aren’t assigned to cover the White House and that other attendees are merely friends of West Wing officials” with “[t]he TV party” being “expected to draw celebrity anchors and executives from New York.” Imagine having a skull thick enough in the liberal media and government to think moves like this won’t make people hate you even more than they already do.

A 16-year-old boy was savagely murdered at a French village's annual winter ball earlier this month. According to witnesses‚ the gang of young men responsible for the boy's death and the corresponding rampage on Nov. 18 made clear they were out to "stab white people." In the days since‚ tensions in the European nation have begun to boil over‚ prompting the French regime to clamp down on so-called "far-right" groups and to urge citizens not to take the law into their own hands. Olivier Véran‚ a socialist spokesman for the French government‚ stressed Tuesday‚ "We are lucid. There is a violent minority‚ which sows terror. But there is no justification for taking the law into your own hands. It is up to the rule of law to provide answers." The demands for order issued by Véran and other officials are in response to alleged threats of vigilantism and protests loud with chants including‚ "Justice for Thomas‚" "Islam out of Europe‚" "Immigration kills‚" and "French‚ wake up‚ this is your home." — (@) Véran has acknowledged that Thomas' murder may amount to a "tipping point for French society‚" reported the Telegraph. Given the French government's trouble containing Algerian race riots in July‚ which almost did as much damage to France as the BLM riots dealt to the United States throughout 2020‚ it's unclear what success the government will have in halting the pendulum on its return. What's the background? The French village of Crépol in the southwestern Drôme region had a winter ball on Nov. 18. Roughly 300 out of the village's 532 residents were in attendance. A gang of of approximately ten young men — reportedly from the epicenter of July's Algerian race riots — descended on the village dance‚ attacking 17 individuals in attendance between the ages of 16 and 65. On their way in‚ the group of thugs stabbed a guard‚ slicing through his fingers. According to France24‚ the attackers ultimately murdered a 16-year-old high school student named Thomas. A witness named Hugo indicated that Thomas was stabbed in the heart and throat. One of Thomas' friends told Le Dauphiné Libéré newspaper that he heard a commotion outside where Thomas‚ a beloved rugby player who wasn't "the type to dance‚" had gone out for a smoke. Thomas' friend quickly went outside to investigate. "I was stabbed in the shoulder and in the back‚" said the unnamed teen. "I saw my friend Thomas being stabbed. ... I saw another friend of mine get stuck in the back‚ I compressed his wound to make a tourniquet; he was hit in the kidney. It was horrific." The teen recalled the attackers saying‚ "'We're here to stab white people.'" According to prosecutors‚ eight other witnesses reported hearing the attackers signal anti-white hatred during their rampage. The Telegraph reported that one witness told the French press‚ "There was a fight between the assailants and those who were brave enough to face them." A young woman in attendance told Le Dauphiné Libéré‚ "I heard people say‚ 'It's crashing! It's crashing! They've got knives‚ leave!' ... There was blood everywhere. It was horrible‚ it wasn't something to experience at 16." "It was a bloodbath‚" said another witness. "Youths from the suburbs surrounded the party hall‚ blindly stabbing people. ... One youth received a heart massage on the floor. It was chaos." In addition to murdering Thomas‚ the outsiders injured eight revelers‚ two seriously. One of the two victims left in critical condition was stabbed several times in the throat. The response Martine Lagut‚ the mayor‚ stressed that the "gang turned up to kill." "They didn't come to have fun but to harm‚" added the mayor. Police spokeswoman Marie-Laure Pezan indicated the violence "was quite incredible for a village of 500 people." Josette Place‚ a pensioner and member of Crépol's events committee‚ told the French press‚ "This wasn't a fight‚ it was an attack." Government spokesman Véran said‚ "Thomas was 16 years old. He loved rugby‚ his family‚ his friends‚ whose pain and anger I share. He is a victim of the savagery that fell in Crépol. Suspects have been arrested. Justice will punish. Answers will be provided. We owe them." Alex Vignon‚ the coach of Thomas' rugby team‚ said‚ "He was an endearing boy who had values that we instill in rugby." The victim's rugby club‚ RC Romans-Péage‚ indicated they were visited by "barbarity and tragedy" and noted that the sport seemed trivial in the wake of Thomas' murder. Days after the attack‚ Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin revealed to French parliamentarians that police had arrested seven people believed to have had a hand in "this odious crime." A total of nine suspects are now in custody. Three of the suspects are minors. The others are between ages 19 and 22. France24 reported that the suspected killer was arrested near the city of Toulouse‚ some 250 miles away‚ during raids conducted by the country's elite GIGN unit. Darmanin made clear‚ "People came from elsewhere‚ wanted to force their way into this party and stabbings started. It's called savagery‚" reported the Telegraph. The interior minister added‚ "It is a general failure of our society. There is a need to rethink the framework of authority." Despite the efforts of law enforcement to capture those responsible‚ protesters have taken to the streets demanding "justice for Thomas." Over the weekend‚ around two dozen protesters were reportedly arrested‚ six of whom were fast-tracked through court proceedings and sentenced to several months in jail. Fearing a "mobilisation within the exreme right ... would have us tip into civil war‚" Darmanin indicated the government is looking at clamping down on groups perceived to be far right and potentially even arresting their members‚ reported the Local. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!