4 Surprising Facts About Houdini
Hi!
Here is your weekly dose of “Everything Strange,” literally a list of everything strange happening around us. So let’s start with
Today's Strange History (March 24, 2021)
Houdini: Exactly 147 years ago today in 1874, famous illusionist and stunt performer Harry Houdini was born in Budapest, Austria-Hungary (now Hungary)
Detention: In 1942, US government began moving native-born citizens with Japanese ancestry into detention centers under Executive Order 9066, with intention of preventing home-grown espionage.
Miracle: Today in 1944, United Kingdom's Royal Air Force rear gunner Nicholas Alkemade survived a jump from his Lancaster bomber 18,000 feet over Germany without a parachute. His fall was broken by pine trees and soft snow and he suffered only a sprained leg.
Operation Varsity: In 1945, the largest one-day airborne operation of all time was conducted. British, US & Canadian paratroopers landed east of the Rhine in Northern Germany during the war.
Euthanasia: 24 years ago today in 1997, Australian parliament overturned world's 1st & only euthanasia law during that time. Euthanasia is the practice of intentionally ending a life to relieve pain and suffering.
Dictator: In 2006, a US intelligence report published today suggested that Russian dictator Putin gave Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein intelligence on U.S. troop movements after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The report said that the Russians collected information from sources in U.S. Central Command in Doha and Qatar, which were then delivered to Saddam.
Democracy: Today in 2008, Bhutan officially became a democracy, with its first ever general election.
YouTube: In 2008, Pakistan blocked access to the centralized video platform YouTube because of its content being offensive to Islam. 1 year later, exactly on this day in 2009 China blocked access to YouTube because it showed videos of Chinese soldiers beating Tibetan monks and passers-by. Pakistan later lifted the ban, China's censorship still continues.
War Crime: 5 years ago today in 2016, Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžić was found guilty of genocide by the International Criminal Tribunal during 1995 Srebrenica massacre and was sentenced to 40 years.
What is Today?
Today i.e. 24th March is
🤝 Flatmate’s Day
💉 Tuberculosis Day
🍫 Chocolate Covered Raisins Day
Strange Case of the day: 4 Lesser Known Facts About Harry Houdini
Harry Houdini was a Hungarian-born American illusionist and stunt performer noted for his escape acts. He first attracted notice when he challenged police forces to keep him locked up - they failed. He is regarded as one of the most famous magicians in recorded history. Let's look at 4 less-known facts about him in less than 4 mins.
4. His Name:
Houdini was born Erik Weisz, but his name was altered to Ehrich Weiss after his family emigrated from Hungary to USA. He was nicknamed “Ehrie” or “Harry” and was fascinated with magic, particularly the work of the famed French conjurer Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin. When he began his own magic career, he paid homage to his hero by adding an “i” to the name “Houdin” to create his stage name “Harry Houdini.” In a strange twist, Houdini later accused his former idol of stealing other magicians’ tricks. He even wrote a book called “The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin” in which he branded him as a fraud “who waxed great on the brainwork of others.”
3. Paranormal:
Houdini didn't like anyone who claimed to be in possession of supernatural powers. He was a skeptic and debunker of psychics, mind readers, mediums and other “Spiritualists” who claimed to have powers to contact the deceased. Houdini often visited séances in disguise to expose their ringleader as frauds. He also offered a $10,000 reward to any psychic who could present “physical phenomena” that could not be explained rationally - no one ever collected the reward. In 1926 he even testified before US Congress in support of a bill to outlaw the practice of “pretending to tell fortunes for reward or compensation."
2. Death:
Houdini died on Halloween 1926 at the age of 52. Official cause of death was peritonitis brought on by a ruptured appendix, but several legends continue to this day. The most famous concerns an incident that had occurred after a performance in Montreal a few days before his death. Houdini was approached by a university student who inquired about a rumor that he could withstand heavy punches to his abdominal muscles. When Houdini boasted about his physical strength, the young man punched him in the stomach without warning. Houdini complained of stomach pains for the rest of the day, leading many to conclude that the unexpected blows somehow triggered his appendicitis. Others, meanwhile, claim that he was poisoned by the Spiritualists, who had previously issued several death threats against him.
1. After Death:
Despite his strong skepticism about the spirit world, Houdini promised his wife Bess that he would try to contact her after his death. He told her to listen for a specific message - a series of codes that spelled out the words “Rosabelle, believe.” Bess Houdini spent a decade trying to contact her husband before giving up, supposedly saying, “ten years is long enough to wait for any man.” Others continued the search and since the 1930s, fans have held Houdini séances every Halloween to attempt to communicate with the magician’s ghost. There is even an “Official Houdini Séance” that takes place in a different US city each year.
So will end today’s strangeness here. As always, please give me feedback. What do you want more or less of? Other suggestions? Let me know! Just tweet me at @StrangeButTrue_
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Much love and Stay Strange,
Stranger