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Category Archives: History
Elie Wiesel, 1928-2016
We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. I highly recommend Elie Wiesel’s book Night, a short but powerfully moving biography-novel.
How punctual are Bolivians?
In Bolívar – American Liberator, Marie Arana writes about the Congress of Panama: The conference was to take place on June 22, 1826, on the Isthmus of Panama […]. Bolívar had decided not to attend the proceedings so that it … Continue reading
The Armenian Genocide
In the Old City of Jerusalem, you know you are in the Armenian Quarter when you see these posters on many of the walls and rusty gates. I still remember my first visit to Jerusalem in 1992. When I spotted … Continue reading
While researching the story of a great Romanian adventurer, I found a great Romanian adventurer. But a different one.
When I moved to Romania, I knew that it had produced one of the greatest adventurer of all times. This is the story of how I was both wrong and right at the same time. (Scroll down to the 5th … Continue reading
Posted in Afghanistan, Argentina, Colombia, History, Iran, Romania, Russia, Travel
Tagged adventure, Couchsurfing, Dumitru Dan, hitchhiking, Statistics, Timotei Rad
6 Comments
Easily Confused (57) Coup in Brazil
1889, that was a coup when the military toppled the Brazilian emperor Pedro II and forced him into exile. 1964, that was a coup which lead to 20 years of military dictatorship. 2016, that is, contrary to some angry rhetoric and calls of “coup” … Continue reading
What is the SS Marching Band doing in Bolivia?
Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Artikels. On average, you are awoken by marching bands in Bolivia twice per week and at least once per week you will be prevented from falling asleep at night by a marching band and fireworks. I generally like … Continue reading
Posted in Bolivia, Germany, History, Music, Travel, Video Blog
Tagged German history, Potosi, SS
15 Comments
Lady Liberty in Bolivia
Not only New York has a Statue of Liberty. So does Potosí in Bolivia. This one is no replica of the famous sister, but an original creation in its own right. Yet sisters they are, for they have the same … Continue reading
Why I don’t make friends on LinkedIn
People send me a friend request on LinkedIn; I give them a history lesson. (This was also published on my Medium account, which is way more interesting than LinkedIn.)
Where can you still find Postcards?
To add an element of crowdfunding to this blog, I promised a postcard from South America to every contributor. Only when the first donations came in, I realized how hard it has become in 2016 to find postcards. Only 10 … Continue reading
Posted in Bolivia, History, Photography, Travel
Tagged Cochabamba, crowdfunding, postcards
16 Comments
Easily Confused (56) Republican debates
How Republican debates used to be: How Republican debates look now: Even I, as someone who is very interested in politics, have stopped watching these debates. There is nothing new to be learned from them, there is nothing of substance. … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 