This Is Why Germans See David Hasselhoff as a Symbol of the Fall of the Berlin Wall

It’s been 30 years…

1989 seems like a long time ago, but this year is still recent in the memories of the people of Berlin, Germany. Until 1989, the Berlin Wall divided the city and its citizens, with those on the east living in Communism, and those on the west in Capitalism. The wall was was heavily policed, and attempting to cross was a deadly act of courage.

Thankfully the city (and the country) was eventually reunited. Many factors contributed to the fall of the Berlin Wall, and, weirdly, to some Germans David Hasselhoff is a symbol of its removal.

Yes, the guy we best remember for a being the hot 1980s super-stud from Baywatch has a special place in modern German history.

We may know Hasselhoff best for being a fake lifeguard, but Germans associate him with their freedom.

That’s because, in addition to acting, Hasselhoff also sings. His first album, 1985’s Night Rocker, was pretty successful when it was came out, but he became iconic in Germany in 1988 when he released a song called “Looking for Freedom,” in an album with the same name.

Though it was released in June 1989, many Germans were still listening to it when the wall came down several months later, on November 9, 1989.

To be clear, the star insists that he’s not responsible for the fall of the Berlin Wall in any way.

But it’s logical that some German fans at the time associate his song with the momentous event in history because of its timing.

Hasselhoff has spoken to various media about his memories of this era. He told TIME he was moved by his experience touring in Germany in 1989. When he was asked to perform, he said, he’d only do it if he would be allowed to perform at the wall, WHICH HE DID.

Of the experience, he said,

“I remember it like it was yesterday. There was a camera on the crane, and I wasn’t playing to the camera. Usually you play to the camera. I just kept bending over and playing to the crowd because I was so moved by the experience.”

No matter what Hasselhoff says about his connection to the Berlin Wall, it’s clear his German fans will always have a special place for him in their hearts because he was the man who sang about freedom.

Is there anything that surprised you about David Hasselhoff and his special place as a pop culture icon in Germany? Let us know here!

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Teenagers Are Using Social Media to Make History More Exciting, and It Is Definitely Working

Kids today…

TikTok isn’t history class (it’s probably not allowed in most history classes), but teenagers all over are using the newish social media platform to prove the adults around them wrong (again).

Many of the commentaries are a bit simple, but hey – you have to remember that some people are hearing about these events for the first time.

And simple or complicated, this is a way more fun way to study for a test than reading a textbook or actually paying attention to a lecture.

There are some that tackle tougher historical events, like the Vietnam War and the truth about colonization of the Americas.

Here are some of the best ones!

10. The Monroe Doctrine (1823).

9. The German occupation of Belgium (1914).

8. The colonization of Africa (1400s).

7. The establishment of the League of Nations (1919).

6. The assassination of Abraham Lincoln (1865).

5. The attack on Pearl Harbor (1941)

4. The Black Death (1347-1351).

3. The U.S. exit from Vietnam (1975).

2. The Boston Tea Party (1773).

1. The European age of exploration/invasion (1405-)

I love these, and would totally have been on board as a teenager!

Do you have a favorite? What would you like to see next? Share with us!

The post Teenagers Are Using Social Media to Make History More Exciting, and It Is Definitely Working appeared first on UberFacts.

This Tiny Yorkie Dog Was a Hero Who Saved Soldiers During WWII

The dog’s name was Smoky, and she was a wee little Yorkshire terrier who, after her heroic performance in WWII, became the world’s first therapy dog.

Photo Credit: Flickr

Found in an empty jungle foxhole in New Guinea, she was first thought to be the pet of one of the Japanese soldiers. The soldiers took her to a nearby POW camp and discovered she couldn’t understand either English or Japanese. So, her origins remained a mystery.

Still, she ended up in the American soldiers’ camp, where Corporal William (Bill) A. Wynne of Cleveland, Ohio, bought her off of another soldier, distracted by his poker game, for about $7.

That lucky seven bucks ended up saving Corporal Wynne’s life.

Wynne credited Smoky with leading him through heavy shelling coming from a transport ship. She warned him of the attack, and while eight other men around them were hit, Wynne made it to safety.

For the next two years, Smoky never left Wynne’s side, sleeping with him in his tent in the harsh conditions of the jungle and eating from his rations. Since she was there in an unofficial capacity, she didn’t get her own special food like the other war dogs received. Eventually, the 5th Air Force made her a member, and she saw 12 combat missions and was even awarded eight battle stars for bravery.

Photo Credit: Aphillcsa

Her most notable mission was crawling through narrow pipes filled with soil to run telegraph wire for an airbase crewman were building. She saved the soldiers from a three-day, danger-filled task of digging up a heavily used runway, as she took only minutes to squeeze through pipes with the wire, wiggling through a space of about 4 inches in some places.

She also loved to entertain soldiers recovering from their wounds in hospitals with her tricks. She would go on rounds with the nurses, visiting the wounded and lifting their spirits, and she actually continued to do this well after WWII ended (therapy dog!).

After the war, Smoky appeared on TV where she performed tricks like riding a scooter. She was a natural entertainer who delighted audiences with her intelligence and is credited for making the then obscure Yorkshire terrier one of the most popular and adored breeds today.

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18 Times People Shared Interesting Things They Found in Secondhand Books

People buy secondhand books for a lot of reasons: maybe they don’t live near a library, or they read too fast to buy them full price, or they enjoy a good deal. But one of those reasons will always be that reading someone else’s book can be like a little glimpse into their life.

And for these 18 people, that peek turned out to be more than they bargained for…in the best way possible.

18. How utterly charming.

I found this in a 1949 children’s book I bought today from ForgottenBookmarks

17. I hope she had an extra pair lying around at home.

16. Nope, she’s not giving you the code word!

I found this in a random book on the shelves of a cafe. from funny

15. Really lovely work.

14. Someone is definitely missing this!

13. Well I mean, money is always a nice surprise.

Found a Little Surprise in the Library Book I Borrowed from pics

12. People are so careless with those things!

used bookstore has a wall of forgotten bookmarks from ForgottenBookmarks

11. Honestly, probably worth more then than now.

In a vintage Hemingway from FoundPaper

10. I want to know the story of their trip.

A 1970’s plane ticket from ForgottenBookmarks

9. Aw, I remember when my grandpa gave me one of these.

Found a cool surprise in my library book. from pics

8. Kind of makes you feel like you won the lottery!

Nothing like picking up a book and finding a photo (and autograph) of the author inside from ForgottenBookmarks

7. Oh you guys my heart.

6. I bet they’re so sorry they lost these.

Found tucked between the pages of a secondhand textbook I bought. from FoundPaper

5. I wish I had found this.

My mother found a 108 year old ticket to a fair in an old book being used as a book mark. from mildlyinteresting

4. How utterly adorable.

A message, and a coin. from ForgottenBookmarks

3. I hope they’re as lucky for you as they were for the first person!

This 4 and 5 leaf clover I found in this nearly 200 year old book from mildlyinteresting

2. A little piece of history.

My son found a report card from nearly 100 years ago in his library book from mildlyinteresting

1. This one is definitely not as charming as the others.

Dried lizard between my book from mildlyinteresting

 

I can’t wait for my next trip to the used book store…but also I need to go through my own books and make sure there’s nothing embarrassing in there before I donate.

Just in case.

The post 18 Times People Shared Interesting Things They Found in Secondhand Books appeared first on UberFacts.

18 Times People Shared Interesting Things They Found in Secondhand Books

People buy secondhand books for a lot of reasons: maybe they don’t live near a library, or they read too fast to buy them full price, or they enjoy a good deal. But one of those reasons will always be that reading someone else’s book can be like a little glimpse into their life.

And for these 18 people, that peek turned out to be more than they bargained for…in the best way possible.

18. How utterly charming.

I found this in a 1949 children’s book I bought today from ForgottenBookmarks

17. I hope she had an extra pair lying around at home.

16. Nope, she’s not giving you the code word!

I found this in a random book on the shelves of a cafe. from funny

15. Really lovely work.

14. Someone is definitely missing this!

13. Well I mean, money is always a nice surprise.

Found a Little Surprise in the Library Book I Borrowed from pics

12. People are so careless with those things!

used bookstore has a wall of forgotten bookmarks from ForgottenBookmarks

11. Honestly, probably worth more then than now.

In a vintage Hemingway from FoundPaper

10. I want to know the story of their trip.

A 1970’s plane ticket from ForgottenBookmarks

9. Aw, I remember when my grandpa gave me one of these.

Found a cool surprise in my library book. from pics

8. Kind of makes you feel like you won the lottery!

Nothing like picking up a book and finding a photo (and autograph) of the author inside from ForgottenBookmarks

7. Oh you guys my heart.

6. I bet they’re so sorry they lost these.

Found tucked between the pages of a secondhand textbook I bought. from FoundPaper

5. I wish I had found this.

My mother found a 108 year old ticket to a fair in an old book being used as a book mark. from mildlyinteresting

4. How utterly adorable.

A message, and a coin. from ForgottenBookmarks

3. I hope they’re as lucky for you as they were for the first person!

This 4 and 5 leaf clover I found in this nearly 200 year old book from mildlyinteresting

2. A little piece of history.

My son found a report card from nearly 100 years ago in his library book from mildlyinteresting

1. This one is definitely not as charming as the others.

Dried lizard between my book from mildlyinteresting

 

I can’t wait for my next trip to the used book store…but also I need to go through my own books and make sure there’s nothing embarrassing in there before I donate.

Just in case.

The post 18 Times People Shared Interesting Things They Found in Secondhand Books appeared first on UberFacts.

10 Interesting Facts for You to Think About

Let’s get down to business with another fact set. We consistently bring you the facts that you make you think about our world and ponder our past, present, and future.

Are you ready to put on your thinking cap?

Let’s go!

1. Get down to business!

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

2. You have two minutes!

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

3. Consider me the hardest worker of all time.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

4. How many do you have?

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

5. I want to ride my bicycle.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

6. I’m with Mr. Jefferson on this one

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

7. What a story!

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

8. No proof…yet.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

9. I’m in luck!

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

10. Brilliant until the end.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

Some quality facts, right there!

Be sure to explore our other fact sets as well.

The post 10 Interesting Facts for You to Think About appeared first on UberFacts.

10 Interesting Facts for You to Think About

Let’s get down to business with another fact set. We consistently bring you the facts that you make you think about our world and ponder our past, present, and future.

Are you ready to put on your thinking cap?

Let’s go!

1. Get down to business!

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

2. You have two minutes!

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

3. Consider me the hardest worker of all time.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

4. How many do you have?

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

5. I want to ride my bicycle.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

6. I’m with Mr. Jefferson on this one

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

7. What a story!

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

8. No proof…yet.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

9. I’m in luck!

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

10. Brilliant until the end.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

Some quality facts, right there!

Be sure to explore our other fact sets as well.

The post 10 Interesting Facts for You to Think About appeared first on UberFacts.

A Pigeon Built a Gorgeous Nest out of Poppies Stolen from a World War I Memorial

For more than a month, the staff at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra noticed that poppies laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were disappearing, one at a time. They were bothered at first because that is desecration, but after a while they spotted the culprit – a pigeon who was filching the flowers and using them to build a stunning nest near a stained glass window.

The window commemorates the wounded soldier and honors the quality of endurance.

Instead of being irritated at a bird for causing trouble, the staff there chose to see it the colorful nest as “a reminder of the powerful bond between man and beast on the battlefield.”

Even though most people today see pigeons as little better than rats with wings, during many of the world’s wars, they were considered powerful allies and communication tools.

Historian Dr. Meleah Hampton reminds us why:

“Particularly in the early wars, communication is really difficult. Wireless is in its absolute infancy in the First World War and telephone wires get broken apart in the shellfire on the Western Front. So pigeons are particularly of use in warfare when you’ve got a couple of men trying to get a message from where they are back to the backline: a pigeon can get that through sometimes when nothing else can.”

During WWII, 32 pigeons were recognized with the PDSA Dickin Medal, an award given to any animal that displays conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.

One pigeon, called White Vision, received his (or her) medal for “delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an aircrew while serving with the RAF in October, 1943.”

Just something to remember the next time you’re shooing them away at the park, or grumbling about the mess they’ve made of your car.

They might not be technical veterans, but on a day when we remember those who have spent part of their life in service to country, it seems fitting to remember that not everyone who sacrificed was human.

The post A Pigeon Built a Gorgeous Nest out of Poppies Stolen from a World War I Memorial appeared first on UberFacts.

A Pigeon Built a Gorgeous Nest out of Poppies Stolen from a World War I Memorial

For more than a month, the staff at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra noticed that poppies laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were disappearing, one at a time. They were bothered at first because that is desecration, but after a while they spotted the culprit – a pigeon who was filching the flowers and using them to build a stunning nest near a stained glass window.

The window commemorates the wounded soldier and honors the quality of endurance.

Instead of being irritated at a bird for causing trouble, the staff there chose to see it the colorful nest as “a reminder of the powerful bond between man and beast on the battlefield.”

Even though most people today see pigeons as little better than rats with wings, during many of the world’s wars, they were considered powerful allies and communication tools.

Historian Dr. Meleah Hampton reminds us why:

“Particularly in the early wars, communication is really difficult. Wireless is in its absolute infancy in the First World War and telephone wires get broken apart in the shellfire on the Western Front. So pigeons are particularly of use in warfare when you’ve got a couple of men trying to get a message from where they are back to the backline: a pigeon can get that through sometimes when nothing else can.”

During WWII, 32 pigeons were recognized with the PDSA Dickin Medal, an award given to any animal that displays conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.

One pigeon, called White Vision, received his (or her) medal for “delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an aircrew while serving with the RAF in October, 1943.”

Just something to remember the next time you’re shooing them away at the park, or grumbling about the mess they’ve made of your car.

They might not be technical veterans, but on a day when we remember those who have spent part of their life in service to country, it seems fitting to remember that not everyone who sacrificed was human.

The post A Pigeon Built a Gorgeous Nest out of Poppies Stolen from a World War I Memorial appeared first on UberFacts.

The Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle Has Been Solved

The mystery of why things – ships, people, maybe even entire civilizations – seem to disappear over one particular barren section of ocean has captured the minds of the public and conspiracy theorists alike. We’re talking about the Bermuda Triangle, obviously.

The truth is that while ships and planes go missing fairly regularly in the BT, they do not do so more often in the triangle of sea between Puerto Rico, Bermuda, and Florida than they do anywhere else.

Like, we don’t really know why the myth got so out of control, but there is not and never has been any statistical significance to the area at all.

Despite scientists knowing the truth of this fact, when things do happen to go missing in the area, reports often don’t neglect to take facts into consideration. Maybe to make a buck on the sensational aspect?

After a recent event, however, many are hopeful that it’s finally time to dismiss the harebrained theory once and for all.

During an on-air interview with news.com.au, well known Australian scientist Karl Kruszelnicki said in no uncertain terms that the number of boats and other vessels that disappear in the triangle “is the same as anywhere else in the world on a percentage basis.”

“It is close to the equator, near a wealthy part of the world, America, therefore you have a lot of traffic.”

According to Kruszelnicki, the myth can be traced back to a number of disappearances in the area between WWI and WWII. People started to get weirded out about the incidents even though the weather was often terrible and the craft weren’t reliable. In addition, pilots at the time weren’t as efficient or well-trained, and therefore were more likely to make catastrophic mistakes (like being drunk while they flew).

The fact that wreckage and remains were rarely found makes sense, too, given that it’s a large area and the water is quite deep in most places.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also maintains there’s nothing to see there – not even the Triangle itself, if you want to get technical. They agree that environmental conditions could explain many, if not all of, the disappearances, but they also reiterate that the “US Board of Geographic Names does not recognize the Bermuda Triangle as an official name and does not maintain an official file on the area.”

Lol.

So, it’s time we put the whole theory to rest once and for all and stop blaming perfectly normal, but tragic events on the supernatural or whatever.

“There is no evidence…that mysterious disappearances occur with any greater frequency in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other larges, well-traveled area of the ocean,” NOAA states.

Make no bones about it, there’s nothing to see here.

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