Samuel Beckett and the Theatre of Resistance
The dark, absurdist humor of Samuel Beckett's work was directly informed by his time in the French Resistance during World War II.
Painter, Proust Scholar, P.O.W.
Józef Czapski was a painter, writer, and Proust scholar -- as well as one of the few Polish military officers not executed by the Soviet Union in 1940.
When America Incarcerated “Promiscuous” Women
From WWI to the 1950s, the "American Plan" rounded up sexually-active women and quarantined them, supposedly to protect soldiers from venereal disease.
What Life Was Like During the London Blitz
During WWII, 150,000+ people sought shelter in London's Tube stations each night. Over time, the various stations developed their own mini-governments.
Clothing Britain’s Spies during World War II
To hide in plain sight while on assignment in foreign nations, agents needed precisely tailored clothes made to look local.
The Complicated Politics of… Refrigerators
When American kitchens started getting high-tech in the 1950s, the refrigerator seemed to alienate and frustrate many men.
Iris Origo’s Italian War Diary
The marchese's 1939-1940 diary, detailing the months before Italy's armed alliance with Nazi Germany, is now available as A Chill in the Air.
“Saint” Anne Frank?
Pop culture has made Anne Frank into an icon, but one scholar notes that she was a terrified child trapped and killed by war, and should be seen as such.
The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and Jewish Identity
How do identity politics work in extremis? The resistance in the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising had to both suppress and amplify their Jewishness.
Casablanca at 75
On the 75th anniversary of the premier of Casablanca, let's revisit the art and politics of this venerable American classic.