› added 5 years ago

96

TIL: The Beethoven family is not German, but Belgian. The grandfather was a talented singer and later became music master (Kapelmeister) at the Court of Bonn. His talents jumped a generation to manifest in the grandson, who had the same name as the grandfather: Ludwig van Beethoven!

Read more popularbeethovcom

via reddit.com

k0aW TIL that the mayor of Key West, FL declared war against the United States, surrendered after one minute, and applied for one billion dollars in foreign aid.
Wk9mL TIL On September 15, 2009, Comedy Central re-broadcasted South Park's 'Fishsticks' episode for two straight hours following the press attention towards Kanye West interrupting Taylor Swift's acceptance speech at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.
v0X8 TIL When Sati was prohibited in India. Charles Napier told protesting Hindu priests “Be it so. This burning of widows is your custom; prepare the funeral pile. But my nation has also a custom. When men burn women alive we hang them, and confiscate all their property…”
KYdo4 TIL a group of religious folks in Canada that believed in anarchy, vegetarianism and being naked clashed violently with the government. They detonated bombs and had naked protest parades because they felt their land and children were being unfairly taken from them
KPm6 TIL in WWI a messenger pigeon, Cher Ami, saved an surrounded American battalion that was being shelled by friendly artillery. It carried a message through heavy fire that said “WE ARE ALONG THE ROAD PARALELL 276.4. OUR ARTILLERY IS DROPPING A BARRAGE DIRECTLY ON US. FOR HEAVENS SAKE STOP IT.”