Railway tracks leading through the gatehouse of the Auschwitz II (Birkenau) death factory - one of the last sights on this earth for many.

Auschwitz-Birkenau labour and murder camp was liberated by soldiers of the Soviet Red Army on 27 January, 1945 -  70 years ago on this day.  Best regards, JR.

Abandon Hope all ye who enter here ...



Gmunden, Austria – A loud blast disturbed the small lakeside Austrian town of Gmunden after a WWII grenade erupted inside the wood stove of a 22-year-old unnamed woman. 

According to the investigation made by the likewise puzzled Austrian authorities, the WWII grenade was embedded in the firewood the woman used for her burner.
As what Police spokeswoman Petra Datscher stated, the WWII grenade appeared to have landed on a tree during the Second World War. As years passed, the wood grew around it completely enveloping the explosive to the point of making it invisible to anyone looking. That tree was apparently cut and chopped down to be sold as firewood in the supermarket where the clueless woman bought the bundle for home use.

Once the stove owner placed the firewood inside, the fire had triggered the embedded WWII grenade causing the blast. The explosion caused the glass panel of the stove to shatter. Fortunately, the wrought-iron stove was quite sturdy, thus, it prevented causing injuries on the owner.
greetz,brummbar

Blast from the past

Captain Alexei Vorontsov, cameraman who recorded the Red Army's liberation of Auschwitz on 27 January, 1945, in later life.   Best regards, JR.