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TIL The reason the Allies knew about atrocities at Auschwitz was Polish captain Witold Pilecki, who let himself be captured, prepared inmates to uprise, distributed extra food, and built a secret radio transmitter. Pilecki was unknown until 1989, but was given Poland’s highest decoration in 2006.

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x6Kro TIL the United States was slated to transition to the metric system, however, in 1793, the ship transporting the standardized meter and kilogram was seized by pirates and the measurements never arrived in the country...
VBAl8 TIL Swedish mass-immigration to the USA began in the mid-1840s and peaked in 1887 with over 46,000 registered emigrants that year. Out of the 1.3 million Swedes who emigrated to the US, approximately one-fifth returned to their homeland
DQV5j TIL about Jediism, a belief system inspired by Star Wars, which is officially recognized as a religion in some countries, including the UK, where thousands listed "Jedi" as their religion on the 2001 census. Jediism focuses on mindfulness, self-improvement, and living harmoniously with the Force.
8ePva TIL the most southern British building is a tiny ladies bathroom in the Les Minquiers Islands that points towards France
nQ8Y TIL Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin were friends. On one occasion, Churchill taught Chaplin how to do brick laying, which was one of Winston’s favourite hobbies.