Syndrome K: The Fake Disease that Saved Italian Jews from the Nazi Regime

Syndrome K: The Fake Disease that Saved Italian Jews from the Nazi Regime

Syndrome K was a neurological illness “that began with convulsions and dementia and led to paralysis and death from asphyxia.” This ailment, which terrified the Nazi soldiers occupying the city, reportedly saved anywhere from 20 to over 100 Jews who were destined for the Auschwitz concentration camp. But how was this possible during an epidemic of such a lethal sickness?

3 Major Causes of the 1917 February Russian Revolution

3 Major Causes of the 1917 February Russian Revolution

The 20th century was one filled with significant change within Europe, including the Russian Revolution of 1917, which consisted of two pivotal rebellions that year. While the latter November Revolution led to the rise of a group of communists known as the Bolsheviks to power, it was the initial February Revolution that ended centuries of imperial rule in Russia.

The Lost Colony of Roanoke: 7 Theories on What Happened

The Lost Colony of Roanoke: 7 Theories on What Happened

In 1587, Englishman John White led a group to establish the Roanoke colony in present-day North Carolina. After leaving for England due to supply shortages, he returned to find the colony abandoned. Various theories exist about their fate, including assimilation into local tribes and a letter inscribed on a stone. Archaeological findings continue to fuel speculation.

Unbelievable True Story About the Fox Sisters, Spiritualism, and the Biggest Hoax of the 19th Century

Unbelievable True Story About the Fox Sisters, Spiritualism, and the Biggest Hoax of the 19th Century

Word got around and before they knew it, people from all over New Jersey and New York were coming to talk to the famous spirit (with help from Maggie and Kate, of course). Thus, modern spiritualism was born and the Fox sisters became the first “mediums.” In fact, the movement grew so large that by the year 1867, more than 11,000,000 Americans (or two-fifths of the entire population at the time) were “spiritualists.”