Today is the Day of Memory, a public holiday in the Czech Republic. The full name of this holiday is the “Day of Memory of the Victims of the 1968 Invasion and subsequent occupation of Czechoslovakia by Warsaw Pact troops.”
In 1968, Alexander Dubček was appointed to the key post of First Secretary of the Czechoslovak Communist Party. Dubček made changes that liberalized the nation, a period known as the Prague Spring. In response, after failing to persuade the Czechoslovak leaders to change course, five other members of the Warsaw Pact invaded, with Soviet tanks rolling into Czechoslovakia on the night of August 20th 1968.
A massive wave of emigration swept the nation. Resistance was mounted throughout the country, involving attempted fraternization, sabotage of street signs, defiance of curfews, etc. While the Soviet military had predicted that it would take four days to subdue the country, the resistance held out for almost eight months until diplomatic maneuvers finally circumvented it.
Czechoslovakia remained a Soviet satellite state until 1989 when the Velvet Revolution peacefully ended the communist regime; the last Soviet troops left the country in 1991.
The Prague Spring inspired music and literature including the work of Václav Havel, Karel Husa, Karel Kryl and Milan Kundera’s novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being.
SIGNZ and SIGNZ and SIGNZ
Today is the birthday, in 1954, of Nick Kane from the American band The Mavericks who had the 1998 UK No.4 single ‘Dance The Night Away’. The Mavericks won a Grammy Award for the song ‘Here Comes the Rain’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UajuBAUkBs
Today is Revolution Day, a public holiday in Morocco. Also known as the King and People’s Revolution Day, this day commemorates the exile of Sultan Mohammed V on this day in 1953.
In 1912 Morocco became a French protectorate under the Treaty of Fez, administered by a French Resident-General. Morocco had traditionally been ruled by a sultan. Under France’s rule, the role of the monarch was greatly reduced to that of a figurehead.
The 1940s saw a growing level of nationalism with Istiqlal, a political party aimed at bringing independence to Morocco founded. To quell the nationalism, the French authorities asked the highly respected Sultan Mohammed V to sign a ‘pact of surrender’. The Sultan refused and on August 20th 1953, the French exiled the Sultan; first to Corsica, then to Madagascar.
This backfired on the French as Moroccans who wanted independence and those who followed the Sultan as a religious leader, united in active opposition. The opposition turned to armed resistance.
In November 1955, Mohammad V returned to Morocco. Receiving overwhelming support from the Moroccan people, and with rising levels of violence in Morocco and Algeria, the colonial authorities were forced to enter into negotiations with Morocco over independence. A year later, Morocco gained its independence with Sultan Mohammad becoming King.
High school…
BADA BING!
Whoever is in charge of making sure I don’t do stupid shit is FIRED!
So are you seeing anyone? You mean like a therapist or hallucinations?
All I’m saying is that MF grew an ear back like a salamander.
Better woke than weird.
If anybody knows how to handle a bully, it’s a prosecutor and a high school coach.
Make fixing a printer an Olympic sport.
What do you call a paper airplane that can’t fly? Stationary.
Just a reminder, you’re never too old to throw random shit in people’s shopping carts when they aren’t looking.
It’s stupid that you can’t smoke with kids in the car anymore. Look how wet they’re getting standing out in the rain.
My ancestors navigated the ocean using stars and I’m over here missing my exit with GPS.
The first rule of our “Condescending Club” is quite complex and I don’t think you would understand it even if I explained it to you.
We members of the Procrastinator’s Club will be discussing this at length. Maybe tomorrow or sometime in the future. Not sure when. We’re going to meet soon to try to set up a time for the meeting when the members can decide when they might be available. I think.
I’ve made some bad choices in life but I’ve never bought a pair of crocs.
I’m glad you’re learning to laugh at yourself. It was getting kind of awkward for the rest of us.
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Those who prevent history from being taught intend to repeat it.
Doctor: What’s wrong? Her: Nothing… Doctor: I’m your Doctor, not your husband.
Today is the anniversary of the premiere, in 1882) of the 1812 Overture (The Year 1812, Solemn Overture, Op. 49) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The piece commemorates Russia’s successful defense against the French invasion of the nation in 1812. The fifteen-minute overture is best known for its climactic volley of cannon fire, ringing chimes, and a brass fanfare finale. It has also become a common accompaniment to fireworks displays on the United States’ Independence Day. Here’s the climax… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MGTK-MHSSg
Today is St. Stephen’s Day, a public holiday in Hungary. It is also known as Foundation Day and Constitution Day. This is the official state holiday of Hungary. This is a ‘bridge day’ allowing a four day holiday including the official St. Stephen’s Day on the 20th.
St. Stephen of Hungary (Szent István király) was the first king of Hungary and he laid the foundation of the state by converting the Magyar people to Christianity.
After a serious military loss in 955 AD, Hungarian tribal leaders decided to abandon their nomadic existence. Stephen, the Grand Prince of the Hungarians, realized that conversion to Christianity would be a way of strengthening the idea of Hungarian nationhood.
St. Stephen’s Day may be called “the day of the new bread” as it is a tradition to cut bread on this day to celebrate the arrival of the harvest.
Stephen received the “Sacred Crown” from Pope Sylvester II becoming Hungary’s first king on Christmas Day in 1000 AD, ruling until his death on August 15th 1038. Stephen was buried next to his son, Imre in St. Mary’s Church in Székesfehérvár. His remains were later transferred to Buda. His Holy Crown has survived the centuries since and it is now Hungary’s most precious treasure.
August 20th was first celebrated in 1092, when another saint king, Ladislaus I declared it a sacred day.
Until 1687, August 20th was St. Stephen’s feast day and thus became Hungary’s national day, even after the feast day itself has switched around in the calendar a few times. August 20th has been a national holiday since 1771 when Queen Maria Theresia changed it from a church feast to an official national holiday.
In 1945 Communist leaders prohibited celebrations due to its religious nature and in 1950 it was changed to Constitution Day. It was reinstated as a celebration of St. Stephen in 1990 by the Hungarian Parliament.
Today is the birthday, in 1940, of American singer-songwriter Johnny Nash, who had the 1972 US No.1 single ‘I Can See Clearly Now’, and the 1975 UK No.1 single ‘Tears On My Pillow’. Nash died of natural causes on 6 October 2020 age 80. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDNKOblg3gs
Today is Restoration Day, a public holiday in Dominican Republic. Known in Spanish as ‘el día de la Restauración Dominicana’, this holiday commemorates the start of the Dominican Restoration War on this day in 1863.In 1844, the Dominican Republic had regained independence from Haiti.
For political and economic reasons, Pedro Santana, the then President of the Dominican Republic signed a pact with Spain in 1861 to revert the status of the Dominican Republic to that of a colony of Spain.
The move led almost immediately to a failed rebellion and Santana realised his decision to impose Spanish rule had reduced his power, and he resigned in January 1862.
On August 16th 1863, 15 men under the leadership of Santiago Rodríguez made a daring raid from the city of Dajabon and raised the Dominican flag on the Capotillo hill. This action, known as the ‘grito de Capotillo’, was the beginning of the Dominican Restoration War which was fought until 1865 between nationalist Dominicans and Spain.
The war ended when a decree of Queen Isabel II of Spain, on March 3rd 1865, repealed the Dominican Republic’s reinstatement to the Spanish Monarchy. The last Spanish troops left on July 15th 1865.
School starts soon!!
Today is the birthday, in 1972, of Emily Robison, singer-songwriter with The Chicks. With sales of 27.2 million albums in the US alone, they have become one of the top-selling all-female bands and biggest selling country groups in America. Robinson also formed Court Yard Hounds with her sister and fellow Chicks member, Martie Maguire. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw7gNf_9njs
Today is Staatsfeiertag (National Day), a public holiday in Liechtenstein and is always celebrated on August 15th. It commemorates the birthday of Prince Franz Josef II.
The date had a double meaning in Liechtenstein as August 15th was already a public holiday to mark the Feast of the Assumption, but also served to celebrate the birthday of Prince Franz Josef II, who was born on August 16th 1906.
This holiday is unusual in that it began during a war. Just days before, Adolf Hitler had said in a speech that “Small states have no right to exist.”, so the establishment of this National Day by this smallest of states can be seen as much as an act of defiance as patriotism.
The small principality is the fourth-smallest state in Europe and is one of the few nations in the world that adheres to a no defence policy, meaning that the country doesn’t have armed forces. Their safety is only guaranteed by a small Police force, which in 2011 counted 91 agents, 34 civilians and 38 paramilitaries.
Their lack of armed forces means that their celebrations of National holidays exclusively revolves around the role played by civilian authorities in the Principality’s life.
In the afternoon the centre of Vaduz is full of visitors of all ages enjoying traditional celebrations and a funfair. The National Day is brought to a spectacular close with a 30-minute firework display next to Vaduz Castle.
Of course, the history of the world’s sixth-smallest country goes back much further than 1906. It was on January 23rd 1719 when the Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI elevated the principality of Liechtenstein to the status of an imperial principality.
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