A Look At The Dark Life Of A Berlin Wall Guard
it wasn't just East Germany's scientists and doctors looking to escape the east; it was also the labor workforce -- the backbone of East Germany's economy.
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When Ships' Crews Were Shanghaied
Shanghaiing was a predecessor to what we would today call human trafficking. Or another term for the practice could be straight-up kidnapping of adult men.
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Why Jane Austen's Sister Burned Nearly All Of Her Letters
Cassandra, her sister, is described as Jane Austen's "closest confidante." Their extensive correspondence offers us the most details about Jane's life.
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The Messed Up Truth About The Empress Who Caused Russia's Dark Age
One lesser-known monarch of the Russian Empire was a woman who is considered by her own people to have led Russia into a dark age: Anna Ivanovna.
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The Reason The Knights Templar Was Formed
Despite their eventual reputation, the Knights Templar weren't formed to fight during the Crusades. They envisioned a different mission when they first started.
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The Stunning Length Of The Entire Oregon Trail
If you grew up playing Oregon Trail on your elementary school's one computer, you probably remember shooting buffalo and your characters dying from dysentery.
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How Many Victims Did Serial Killer Elizabeth Báthory Actually Have?
Elizabeth Báthory de Ecsed, a Hungarian noblewoman (1560-1614), may have been the worst serial killer in world history, torturing and killing as many as 650.
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The Horse That Became A Sergeant In The Korean War
A heroic horse named Reckless would eventually be promoted to the rank of staff sergeant — yes, really.
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The Messed Up Truth About The Murder Of Laci Peterson
A missing woman, Laci Rocha Peterson, eight months pregnant with a son, was last seen by her husband, Scott Peterson, at 9:30 on Christmas Eve morning, 2002.
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The Truth About The 'Demon Burials' Of Poland
Long before author Bram Stoker assembled various inspirations into his 1897 novel Dracula, legends had circulated for centuries regarding the undead.
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The True Story Of American Medical Student Grave Robbers
Grave robbers have been around for as long as humans have been burying their dead beneath the ground and was prevalent in the 1800s.
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The Truth About Pirate Eyepatches
The assumption that pirates wear eyepatches didn't just spring out of thin air. Pirates actually did wear them, and not for reasons most people would think.
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The Intense True Story Of The New York City Draft Riots
One of the most intense and violent protests includes the New York City draft riots that took place from July 13 to July 16 in 1863.
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The Former Klansman Who Joined The Supreme Court
We can't fully do justice to Hugo Black's vast legacy or complexity. But we'll try to present compelling facts and let a jury of our readers judge our execution
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Do People Actually Inhabit Easter Island?
Easter Island already had a name, Rapa Nui, and was home to a rich culture that flourished there long before its "discovery." Do people still live there?
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This Is The Reason Pirates Wore Earrings
A pirate's costume is not complete without an eye patch and gold hoop earring, but it turns out that the earring is more than just a fashion statement.
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The True Story Of Vlad The Impaler's Hungarian Labyrinth-Prison
The Panoptikum is a one-mile-long series of corridors and prison chambers, part of a six-mile-long labyrinth that comprises one of the oldest parts of Budapest.
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The Time Teddy Roosevelt Quit Politics To Become A Cowboy
In 1883, rising politician Teddy Roosevelt swapped suits for spurs and took to the United States Badlands to seek freedom, heal from grief, and become a cowboy.
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What Was Wyatt Earp's Childhood Really Like?
Wyatt Earp is remembered as a pioneering lawman of the Wild West and had a life filled with the stuff of American legend and lore.
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Here's How Much Secret Service Agents Really Make
There are many possible jobs a Secret Service agent might have, and they include a lot more than just protecting the president.
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A Look At The Assassination Attempts Against Harry Truman
While some U.S. presidents have been killed by assassins, President Harry Truman faced two attempts on his life and survived.
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Camorra: The Truth About Italy's Most Successful Crime Group
The Sicilian Mafia may have found success in the United States, but in Italy, the Camorra is the top dog of the world of organized crime.
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How The Rockefeller Family Really Got So Rich
Through the 1900s, the Rockefellers were at the top of the list of America's richest families, with notable politicians and businessmen among their ranks.
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The True Story Behind The Last Massacre
In February of 1911, one of the last clashes between Native Americans and United States forces -- "the Last Massacre" -- occurred in Humboldt County, Nevada.
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The Maritime Torture Worse Than Walking The Plank
Keelhauling combines the best parts of waterboarding, rusted razor shaving, and literal salt in wounds that will leave you wishing you'd walked the plank.
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The Real Reason JFK Was Begged To Wear Hats
Indeed, so famous was John Kennedy for not wearing hats that something of an urban legend has sprung up that he single-handedly killed the hat industry.
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The Reptile Fossil Paleontologist Mary Anning Found
Self-taught paleontologist, sketch artist, and early 19th-century natural scientist Mary Anning stands prominently among her peers.
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