Hindenburg: A fiery descent
Sam Shere
's iconic photo captures the
Hindenburg
erupting into flames as it exploded mid-air in New Jersey, on May 6, 1937. Filled with flammable hydrogen, the
German airship
's fiery crash ended the era of passenger dirigibles and remains one of aviation history's most iconic and tragic photographs.
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Hindustan Times
6 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Roman era mosaic panel with erotic theme that was stolen during World War II returns to Pompeii
POMPEII, Italy — A mosaic panel on travertine slabs, depicting an erotic theme from the Roman era, was returned to the archaeological park of Pompeii on Tuesday, after being stolen by a Nazi German captain during World War II. Roman era mosaic panel with erotic theme that was stolen during World War II returns to Pompeii The artwork was repatriated from Germany through diplomatic channels, arranged by the Italian Consulate in Stuttgart, Germany, after having been returned from the heirs of the last owner, a deceased German citizen. The owner had received the mosaic as a gift from a Wehrmacht captain, assigned to the military supply chain in Italy during the war. The mosaic — dating between mid- to last century B.C. and the first century — is considered a work of 'extraordinary cultural interest,' experts said. 'It is the moment when the theme of domestic love becomes an artistic subject,' said Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii and co-author of an essay dedicated to the returned work. 'While the Hellenistic period, from the fourth to the first century B.C., exulted the passion of mythological and heroic figures, now we see a new theme." The heirs of the mosaic's last owner in Germany contacted the Carabinieri unit in Rome that's dedicated to protecting cultural heritage, which was in charge of the investigation, asking for information on how to return the mosaic to the Italian state. Authorities carried out the necessary checks to establish its authenticity and provenance, and then worked to repatriate the mosaic in September 2023. The collaboration with the Archaeological Park of Pompeii was also key, as it made it possible to trace it to near the Mount Vesuvius volcano, despite the scarcity of data on the original context of its discovery, the Carabinieri said. The panel was then assigned to the Archaeological Park of Pompeii where, suitably catalogued, it will be protected and available for educational and research purposes. 'Today's return is like healing an open wound,' Zuchtriegel said, adding that the mosaic allows to reconstruct the story of that period, the first century A.D., before Pompeii was destroyed by the Vesuvius eruption in A.D. 79. The park's director also highlighted how the return by the heirs of its owner signals an important change in 'mentality,' as 'the sense of possession becomes a heavy burden.' 'We see that often in the many letters we receive from people who may have stolen just a stone, to bring home a piece of Pompeii,' Zuchtriegel said. He recalled the so-called 'Pompeii curse,' which according to a popular superstition hits whoever steals artifacts in Pompeii. The world-known legend suggests that those who steal finds from the ancient city of Pompeii will experience bad luck or misfortune. That has been fueled over the years by several tourists who return stolen items, claiming they brought them bad luck and caused tragic events. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
United News of India
a day ago
- United News of India
TTD EO directs full-scale Annaprasadam distribution at Vontimitta Kodandarama Swamy temple in Kadapa Dist
South Tirupati, July 14 (UNI) Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Executive Officer J. Syamala Rao today directed officials concerned to take necessary steps for full-scale distribution of Annaprasadam to devotees at the TTD-run Kodandarama Swamy Temple in Vontimitta of Kadapa district. Rao, who conducted a review meeting here along with JEO Veerabrahmam and other officials, recalled that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, during his visit to Vontimitta for the Sri Kodandarama Swamy Kalyanotsavam on April 11, had instructed that Annaprasadam distribution should be organized at Vontimitta on the lines of Tirumala. In line with this directive, the EO instructed the concerned departments to initiate measures to ensure full-fledged food service for devotees. As an interim arrangement, German sheds are currently being used at the temple premises, he said from August onwards, coordinated efforts between the Engineering and Annaprasadam departments should ensure the full setup of Annaprasadam distribution facilities. The EO also directed officials to arrange for all necessary infrastructure, cooking equipment, and sufficient staff to manage the operations. UNI KNR SS
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
8 literary classic you can read in under 2 hours
Good things often come in small packages, and literature is no exception. Not every great work of literature is a 1,000-paged doorstopper weighed down by dense prose, labyrinthine themes, or academic obscurity. Some of the most enduring literary classics are concise enough to be devoured in a single sitting, yet linger in the mind for years. The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said: 'It is my ambition to say in ten sentences what others say in a whole book.' In that spirit, we have curated eight short literary masterpieces that prove brevity is no barrier to brilliance. Whether you are chasing a reading goal or simply looking for something to lose yourself in for a couple of hours, these compact classics pack a punch with minimal page count. When Gregor Samsa, a travelling salesperson, wakes up one morning to find himself transformed into a monstrous vermin – most Kafka scholars identify the insect as a cockroach – his first concern (disturbingly, one which would plague most working-class people) is not his grotesque form, but missing work. As Gregor's condition worsens, his once-dependent family turns on him. The denigration and alienation take a psychological toll and he begins to identify himself as vermin. Kafka's 1915 novella is a psychological dive into the dehumanising effect of modern Capitalist society where people are reduced to commodities, to be junked once they cease to be of use. It is testament to the profundity of this slim book that it has been interpreted in a variety of ways: a Freudian deep dive into horrors within the unconscious landscape, a Marxist indictment of the alienating effects of Capitalism, or simply a metaphor for illness. Unsettling and unforgettable, The Metamorphosis is a must read. Reading time: ~1.5 hours Length: ~60 pages 'All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.' Orwell's timeless masterpiece, a meditation on power and corruption, allegorically breaks down how ideology is used to justify oppression. In the novella, an optimistic uprising by overworked farm animals soon transforms into dictatorship. Orwell charts the rise and fall of Animalism, a stand-in for Communism, as pigs seize power from their human oppressors, only to become even more tyrannical. Written in accessible prose, Animal Farm is a political parable that distills political history by explaining how revolutions take place, the mechanics of propaganda, and the allure of power. Reading time: ~1.5 hours Length: ~90 pages George and Lennie are itinerant ranch workers in 1930s California who dream of owning land one day. Lennie, mentally disabled but physically strong, depends on George's protection and storytelling to survive. When they find work at a new ranch, their dream seems almost tangible, until the tide turns against them. The novel is a meditation on the elusive American Dream. Originally conceived as a 'play-novelette,' the book's tight structure and emotionally loaded scenes make it a gripping read. Reading time: ~1.75 hours Length: ~100 pages Meursault, an Algerian office worker, murders a man on a beach for no apparent reason. What follows is a courtroom drama where Meursault's indifference, not the crime itself, becomes his greatest offense. It is a commentary on the absurdity of existence and the alienation of modern life. A cornerstone of existentialist literature, The Stranger challenges readers to confront the meaning (or meaninglessness) of morality, emotion, and social convention. Stripped of sentimentality, it is a brutally honest portrait of a man who refuses to lie about who he is. Reading time: ~1.75 hours Length: ~100 pages Set in 19th-century New Orleans, The Awakening follows Edna Pontellier, a wife and mother who begins to question her limited role in society. Through a summer of sensual discovery and existential reflection, Edna seeks emotional, artistic, and sexual liberation. Her pursuit for freedom brings isolation. Considered scandalous when it was released in 1899, it is now celebrated as a feminist classic. The novella confronts the cost of selfhood in a world that punishes women for wanting more. Reading time: ~1.5 hours Length: ~90 pages An aging Cuban fisherman, Santiago, has not caught fish in 84 days. On the 85th, he hooks a giant marlin and wages a solitary, days-long battle far from shore. Hemingway's fable-like novella is a meditation on perseverance, pride, and what it means to be a 'man.' The Old Man and the Sea was Hemingway's last major work published during his lifetime, and won him the Pulitzer Prize. Reading time: ~1.75 hours Length: ~95 pages Ivan Ilyich, a respected judge in imperial Russia, lives follows a daily routine, until a terminal illness forces him to confront the void beneath it all. As he lies dying, his reflection peels back the illusion of a 'good life' built on social conformity, career ambition, and hollow relationships. Tolstoy's novella confronts the themes of life and death. Reading time: ~1.5 hours Length: ~80 pages From the writer of Moby Dick comes an enigmatic tale of a Wall Street lawyer who hires a mild-mannered copyist, Bartleby, who begins refusing all tasks with a polite but firm: 'I would prefer not to.' Is Bartleby mentally ill? A rebel? A ghost? Melville never answers. It is a meditation on passivity, alienation, and the toll of modern existence. Reading time: ~1.5 hours Length: ~70 pages
