History

Significant past events, influential figures, and cultural moments that shaped society. Ancient civilizations, wars, social revolutions, historical landmarks, and biographies.

Author and Holocaust survivor Peggy Parnass dies at 97 in Hamburg

Parnass was an icon of Hamburg's leftist scene, famous for her court reports and activism.

The enigma of Nikita Khrushchev: Unravelling the Soviet leader's views on Israel, Zionism

The story of the Soviet leader’s time in power, his policies against Jews, and his relationship with Israel and Zionism

'Ahasuerus and Haman at the Feast of Esther' by Rembrandt, 1660, at Moscow's Pushkin Museum

This week in Jewish history: Purim story, mass suicide, killing of York's Jews

A highly abridged weekly version of Dust & Stars

By STEVEN DRUCKER
15/03/2025

'Fear No Pharaoh': US Jews and slavery – from implicated to appalled

In his book Fear No Pharaoh, Richard Kreitner examines the reactions of six Jewish Americans to slavery and the Civil War.

By GLENN C. ALTSCHULER
15/03/2025

Sun Yat-sen at 100: The revolutionary who shaped modern China

Often referred to as the "Father of Modern China," Sun held a pivotal role in overthrowing the Qing dynasty and establishing the Republic of China.

'Death has me in its grip': German hippie icon faces terminal cancer

Rainer Langhans refuses aggressive treatments, embracing spirituality in his final days.

Two middle-aged women defied the Nazis, one ‘wrote’ a book that betrayed the other

“Kate is obviously betrayed by this publication of the book; Etta is betrayed by the publishers.”

By ANDREW SILOW-CARROLL/JTA
09/03/2025

'Zionism and Jewish Culture': Getting to the true essence of Jewish nationalism

Zionism, Prof. Yitzhak Conforti shows, represents a continuation of an ethnic Jewish community that sustained its distinctiveness throughout centuries in the Diaspora.

This week in Jewish history: The births of Moses and Barbie

A highly abridged version of Dust & Stars.

By STEVEN DRUCKER
07/03/2025

Hand-written version of Shakespeare's Sonnet 116 discovered in 17th-century manuscript

Researchers said the added lines "potentially transform" the sonnet from "a meditation on romantic love into a powerful political statement."

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