On November 13th, 2015, a group of terrorists carried out a series of attacks in Paris. Suicide bombers detonated vests outside the Stade de France, where a soccer match was being played. A second group opened fire on crowds of Parisians at restaurants and cafes. A third, final group attacked a concert happening at the Bataclan theater, where they fired into crowds and took hostages. In the Gazette, published in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on November 14th, 2015, they share interviews with those at the theater during the attacks. One describes the scene as a bloodbath, and another shared his initial confusion when the attack started, where there was no shouting, only gunshots. A total of 137 people were killed, 90 of them at the Bataclan alone, and over 400 more were injured. However, in the same article where they detailed the horrific scenes of the attacks, they also shared their hope that the tragic events would lead to a more unified France.
This week in 1989, the Berlin Wall was actively being deconstructed. The Berlin Wall, which had separated post-war Germany into East and West Berlin, was built after World War II, when the country was split into two. One half was controlled by the Allied Powers, the other by the soviet union, and tensions between the two forms of government led to the creation of the wall. For nearly 30 years, the wall divided Berlin, but that all changed when it was reopened for travel on November 9th, 1989. Following this announcement, citizens began to demolish the wall in celebration. On November 11th, 1989, the Moultrie Observer reported that a section of the wall had been cut out, and 28 more openings were under construction to allow more people to pass through. Now a united Germany, crowds of people danced on the wall, lit sparklers and fireworks, and joined together to celebrate. One witness to the wall’s opening shared his feelings of overwhelming excitement, as the wall that had restrained them no longer could.
(1945 – 1980s) Waves Turn Minutes To Hours: Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, 1975
It’s been 50 years since the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and the tragedy has resurfaced on social media channels as young adults rediscover what happened many years ago. The SS Edmund Fitzgerald was a freighter ship that travelled the Great Lakes. On November 10, 1975, the ship and her 29 sailors traversed Lake Superior, but tragically never reached their destination. The weather that day was horrible; a large storm moving through the area created dangerously large waves in the lake. About 17 miles from Whitefish Bay, the ship split in two and sank to the bottom of the lake, a detail that wasn’t known until the wreckage of the ship was discovered. In the Herald Times, published on November 10th, 2012, in Gaylord, Michigan, they shared details of the story from the captain of another ship traveling the same area as the Fitzgerald. Captain Cooper describes 35-foot waves nearly overtaking his ship, the Anderson. He also explains how Fitzgerald never sent a distress signal; it was like one second they were there, and the next they were gone. The last words transmitted from Edmund Fitzgerald were “we are holding our own”, and shortly after that, the ship went down.
The wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald inspired a song by the same name, which has now become popular on social platforms like TikTok. Many young adults are discovering the tragedy for the first time, and it has become a topic of conversation, capturing attention in the same way tragedies like the Titanic have. This year, on the 50th anniversary of this tragedy, new attention has been turned to the topic, and young adults across the country join in remembering the lives lost in the waves of Lake Superior.
The Great War, commonly known as World War I, came to an end on November 11, 1918, after four years of conflict. An armistice was signed that day between the Allied Powers and Germany, which was facing defeat on the Western Front. This agreement marked the cessation of hostilities, and later, the Treaty of Versailles formally established the terms of peace. November 11 is now recognized as Armistice Day, commemorating the official end of what was referred to as the war to end all wars. That day, celebrations erupted across the globe, with headlines such as “WORLD WAR IS BROUGHT TO END” appearing in newspapers like the Newark Evening News. This publication specifically reported on factory whistles sounding and crowds flooding the streets to celebrate the war’s conclusion. While much of the reporting focused on the end of the conflict, some writers began to speculate about the transition period that Germany would face. However, overall, it was a day filled with celebration.
Join me again next week to discover more of history’s hidden gems and timeless tales.
Explore the “Read All About It” archives to read stories that spotlight our partners and their communities, announcements from our team, updates on current projects, and so much more. Discover articles about engagement, outreach, primary sources, community, digitization, education, and other topics of interest. Delve into the happenings in this week in history and take a deep dive into the events and people who helped shape our communities, our nation, and the world.
Hear Ye, Hear Ye, READ ALL ABOUT IT!
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