Members of the White Rose Movement executed
One of the things I enjoy about this blog is the stuff I
find out. Today in 1943 was a shameful day for the German nation, one of many I’ll come
across no doubt, but I’m glad I have learnt about the White Rose movement. It
was a tiny group of incredibly brave and idealistic students from Munich, who formed a
passive resistance group and tried to appeal to the nation’s young people and
intellectuals, to help bring down the Nazis after the tide of the war seemed to
be turning. They started a leaflet campaign and painted simple slogans on walls
like “Down with Hitler”. They were ignored by the other students and turned in
by a University caretaker. The three principal members, brother and sister Hans
and Sophie Scholl and Christoph Probst, were tried and executed for treason on
the same day.
The first Woolworth store opens
F.W. Woolworth opened
the first five and dime store in 1879 in
It wasn’t just an original idea to have only two prices but also in its day it was one of the first stores to have any fixed priced item at all – the price of most goods could usually be haggled over.
For an English kid the phrase “the five and dime” spoke as much to me of America as soda fountains, Sam Spade, Elvis, cars with tail fins and the New York Skyline (which, of course, included the Woolworth Tower). It’s inspired drama, a genre of fiction and a lovely song by Nancy Griffith.
In Britain, Woolworths were once pretty glamorous, exciting places. A great part of my childhood was spent in the Barnsley branch of Woolworths – it had pic’n’mix, a photo-booth and it sold records! It was the big city come to town for a 12 year-old in 1974.
The Woolworths tv ad was a big part of every Christmas, like a proper tv special. Everyone would wonder which cheesy celebrities will they have lined up this year (Anita Harris and the Goodies, usually). Now every supermarket from Morrisons to M&S is at it, but none can compete with the wonder of Woolies
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