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TIL that after World War II, Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie was recruited by the CIA as an anti-communist counter-intelligence offer in France; upon being discovered by French authorities, the CIA helped Barbie escape to Bolivia.

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JngV TIL In 1939, Władysław Szpilman, known from “The Pianist”, was in the middle of performing a Chopin piece when German fire on Polish Radio’s studio forced him to stop playing. This was Poland’s last live music broadcast until 1945, when he opened the first broadcast by picking up where he left off.
YpaMG TIL Mark Hamill was cast in the original pilot for the television series Eight is Enough. He was locked into a five-year contract, however he requested to be released so he could audition for Star Wars.
QJPbp TIL Leonardo de Vinci isn't the only one who painted the "Mona Lisa", his student Francesco painted a version her too. Francisco's painting has been kept in far better condition and is currently on display at the Prado museum in Madrid.
Lkpvr TIL that for 2-syllable heteronyms (in English) that have 1 noun meaning and 1 verb meaning, there exist a pattern where the noun is 1st syllable stressed and the verb is 2nd syllable stressed, e.g Present, Record, Contract, Project, Insult
6mwJ TIL a researcher in the 1970s blindfolded participants and told them they were going to play tug-of-war against another team. When they were told they had 3 others pulling with them, they pulled 18% less strenuously than when they were told they were alone. The effect is now known as social loafing.