Category: Thoughts on History

Museums & Historic Sites, Thoughts on History

Exhibiting Difficult History at the Imperial War Museum

After completing yet another rewatch of Derry Girls – which, by the way, is one of my favorite shows – last night, I found myself reflecting on an exhibition I visited at the Imperial War Museum (IWM) during my trip to London in December. Technically speaking, there are a number of exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum that exhibit difficult history, as the museum focuses … Continue reading Exhibiting Difficult History at the Imperial War Museum

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Europe, Thoughts on History

Step Into Tea History At Twinings

When you think of Britain, one of the first things that probably comes to mind is tea. In fact, tea is so intertwined with British culture today that it’s hard to think of what Britain would be like without its unofficial national beverage. Would you be surprised to learn, then, that tea only arrived in Britain in the seventeenth century? It’s true! While the first … Continue reading Step Into Tea History At Twinings

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Europe, Royal History, Thoughts on History

The Woman Behind the Tudor Dynasty

Today, the Tudor monarchs are well-known in Britain and around the world. Thanks to the plethora of books, movies, TV shows, and even musicals about the Tudor era, Henry VIII and his six wives, Mary I (“Bloody Mary”), and Elizabeth I are commonly recognizable figures. Edward VI and Henry VII may be somewhat less familiar to audiences today, but, on the whole, the Tudors are … Continue reading The Woman Behind the Tudor Dynasty

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Europe, Royal History, Thoughts on History

Royal Marriages: The Not-So-Fairy-Tale Edition

After seeing several posts on my Twitter feed today relating to the wedding anniversary of Prince William and Kate Middleton (married twelve years ago today), I found myself thinking about royal weddings. Today, the media often portrays a royal wedding (and the marriage that follows) as a modern-day fairy tale: the beautiful dress, the lavish ceremony, the aristocratic guests, and so on. While the reality … Continue reading Royal Marriages: The Not-So-Fairy-Tale Edition

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Europe, Royal History, Thoughts on History

Coronations in History

With the coronation of King Charles III coming up in just over two weeks, I thought it was only fitting to look back at some notable coronations throughout the history of the British monarchy. So, without further ado, here are eight memorable coronations in history. Coronation #1: William the Conqueror. After his victory over Harold Godwinson and the Anglo-Saxon army at the Battle of Hastings … Continue reading Coronations in History

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Europe, Memory, Thoughts on History

Uncovering the History Behind a Pair of Memorials

Traces of the past are everywhere in Berlin. The city is dotted with memorials, monuments, and plaques that mark significant events and commemorate important figures in German history. Many of these memorials only hint at the larger history behind them. This is especially true for two memorials located on the western edge of the Tiergarten, a large park in central Berlin. Located a few hundred … Continue reading Uncovering the History Behind a Pair of Memorials

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Europe, Thoughts on History

A Year of Anniversaries

For anyone interested in German history, 2023 will be a year of anniversaries, as this year marks the centenary of three significant events in modern German history: the occupation of the Ruhr industrial area by French and Belgian soldiers, intended to force Germany to pay its reparations; the resulting hyperinflation and complete devaluation of Germany’s currency; and the Beer Hall Putsch, Adolf Hitler’s first attempt … Continue reading A Year of Anniversaries

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Europe, Museums & Historic Sites, Thoughts on History

The Sisi Myth vs. Reality

Vienna is a city that strives to sell a romanticized, idealized version of the past, especially at its major tourist attractions: the Hofburg and Schönbrunn Palace, the former residences of the Habsburg imperial family. The foremost myth being sold by Vienna’s tourism industry today is the Sisi myth. Sisi, or Empress Elisabeth of Austria (1837-1898), was the wife of Emperor Franz Joseph (1830-1916), the penultimate … Continue reading The Sisi Myth vs. Reality

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Bookshelf, Europe, Thoughts on History

Uncovering the History of a Photograph

What can we learn from a photograph? The answer, Wendy Lower argues in The Ravine: A Family, A Photograph, A Holocaust Massacre Revealed, is a great deal. Presented with a photograph taken during a mass killing of Jews in Ukraine during the Holocaust, Lower set out to learn everything she could about the massacre (in a forest outside the town of Miropol), the victims (a … Continue reading Uncovering the History of a Photograph

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Thoughts on History

Five Best . . . Undergraduate Classes

In a recent post, I mentioned a class on Berlin that I took as an undergraduate student and described it as one of the five best classes I took as an undergraduate. This superlative got me thinking about what other classes from my undergraduate career would round out my “five best” list. Now that I’ve taught undergraduate students myself, I know how difficult it is … Continue reading Five Best . . . Undergraduate Classes

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