This Week in History- January 27 through February 2nd

(2000s – Present) Done Deal…Almost: Brexit, 2020

 

The UK originally voted to leave the European Union – often referred to as Brexit– back in 2016. However, it wasn’t until January 31st, 2020 that they officially left. Even then, things didn’t instantly change. They had until December 31st, 2020 to agree on how they would continue to operate and interact separately from the EU. After Brexit, the UK and EU could still import and export goods from one another without having to pay taxes on them, however, new regulations were put in place. This also meant stricter regulations on citizens of the UK who wished to live in the EU. They are no longer allowed to live freely in other countries that are part of the EU and instead are required to have a visa to stay more than 90 days at a time.

In an article published in The Gazette, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on December 21st, 2019, they shared various opinions on Brexit. Some thought that it would lead to uncertainty in commerce, questioning their trade relationships. Others were looking forward to the new independence of being separate from the EU. The most common thought that was shared though was that they were relieved the issue was finally settled. Since 2016, the topic of Brexit has plagued the country, dividing them and causing continuous discourse. Even those who were against Brexit shared their relief that the topic could finally be put to rest once and for all.

(1980s – 2000s) A Day Never Forgotten: Challenger Explosion, 1986

 

An exciting journey into space quickly turned into a nightmare on January 28th, 1986. The US had been preparing for Space Shuttle Challenger to complete its mission of launching the second Tracking and Data Relay Satellite, as well as releasing and picking up a smaller satellite that would survey Haley’s comet. The crew of this mission was unique in the fact that one of the seven members was not an astronaut. A contest was held in 1984 to select a teacher to accompany the crew on their mission. The winner then got to travel to outer space, where they would teach lessons while in orbit before returning to Earth and teaching across the United States about their experience. The winner of the contest was a teacher from Concord, New Hampshire, a woman named Christa McAuliffe.

Before the tragic launch day, the Challenger shuttle began to face issues. The launch got delayed by a few days following the delay of another shuttle mission’s late landing. The night before the launch in Cape Carnaval, Florida, was hit with a rare cold patch, resulting in ice covering the launch pad. Despite these setbacks, everything seemed in order. That was until 73 seconds after liftoff when the shuttle exploded. The explosion was a result of failures caused by the icy cold weather. The crew cabin separated during the initial explosion and then plummeted into the sea. However, it is commonly believed that the crew members passed prior to their plunge into the ocean, likely due to the pressure and lack of oxygen. 

In the Milford Cabinet, published in Milford, New Hampshire, they shared a story of someone close to the teacher who was on board. The article was printed 25 years after the explosion, but for Bette Chase, it still felt like yesterday. Chase was the best friend of Christa Mcauliffe, the educator who was aboard the shuttle. She had traveled with Christa to Cape Carnaval, where she got to tour the facilities. While there, she was mugged, during which her leg was injured. Despite the pain, she tried to hold out for the launch, but after numerous delays, she decided to return home and go to the doctor. Chase recounts standing with her second-grade class as they watched the launch on TV. Once she realized that the launch had gone horrifically wrong, she turned off the TV and excused herself to the bathroom, where she could process the reality of what had happened. For years after, she would be asked about it, but each time she remembered it, it felt like it had just happened. Other teachers remember their kids being confused at first, before processing what had happened. The day quickly turned from exciting to the kind of day you remember forever. Despite her grief, Chase made it her mission to help her students understand what had happened that day, and years later continues to share her story. 

(1945 – 1980s) Holding on to Hope: Auschwitz Liberation, 1945

 

For the people imprisoned in Auschwitz Concentration Camp, I can only begin to imagine how long each day felt as they waited for liberation. The strength it must have taken to continue living through the atrocities of the holocaust, each day was certainly its own battle. I imagine even more so in the weeks leading up to January 27th, 1945, the day that Auschwitz was liberated. 

Traveling back a few months, to July of 1944, the soviet forces liberated Majdanek, another Nazi concentration camp. The discovery of the horrors being committed by Nazi Germany fueled the Allies to continue fighting. On the other side of the war, the liberation of one of their camps made Nazi SS Officers frightened that they were next, including those at Auschwitz.

Seeing how quickly the Allies moved to document Majdanek, they quickly realized they needed to clear as much evidence of their crimes as possible. They began to destroy documents including prisoner records. In the summer as the Soviet Forces moved closer, they took down the crematoria used for gassing of prisoners, of course done by those imprisoned in the camps. Their last move to get rid of evidence before the arrival of the Soviets was to move prisoners out of the camp. Approximately 58,000 prisoners were forced to walk just under 40 miles from the camp to a second location, upon which they were divided up and sent to other German camps. In decreasing the number of prisoners alive in the camp, they hoped to leave little evidence for the Soviets to find when they arrived. The Quincy Herald-Whig shared the story of Dr. Bela Fabian, who was one of the prisoners in Auschwitz who had been transported to another camp. He confirmed that they were moved out of fear that the Russian forces would overrun the camp. 

When all was said and done, just 8,000 prisoners remained at Auschwitz, most too weak to complete the death march to other camps. Almost all the SS Officers had left as prisoners waited to see if liberation would come. Many died waiting for the Soviet Army to arrive, most commonly from illness and starvation. When they finally arrived, they were terrified at what they saw. It was a day of hope for those left at Auschwitz, hope that their nightmare was finally over, yet also a day of sadness for those who did not live long enough to see it. 

The Prohibition era had just begun this week in 1920. After the 18th Amendment was ratified on January 17, 1920, liquor sales were outlawed in the United States. This makes the week of the 27th one of the first weeks in the prohibition era, which saw lots of criticism and many people found ways to work around the law. One such way was actually done by the government itself. In The Cedar Rapids Evening Gazette, published on January 30th, 1920, they shared that alcohol would be supplied to continue using for medical treatment. Believe it or not, in 1920, some doctors used alcohol to treat influenza (more commonly known as the flu). They believed that alcohol would relieve pains and aches and warm up the patient’s body. The article explained that while doctors would be supplied with alcohol for these treatments, it would be a difficult task to obtain. This means that it was nearly impossible to obtain these treatments as home remedies, instead requiring a doctor’s visit. This is an aspect of the prohibition that I was previously unaware of, and I find it to be yet another interesting layer of this period of American History. 

I hope these stories from the past helped make the last week of January feel a little faster. Join me again next week to discover more of history’s hidden gems and timeless tales!