Our perception of religion’s influence in [Viking] society is based on texts written hundreds of years afterwards, by men from a different and more misogynistic religion.

Don’t underestimate Viking women | ScienceNordic.

Other interesting things from the article: A lot of Viking grave sites have been gendered according to modern Western perceptions of “feminine” versus “masculine” burial objects. Only problem? In graves where human remains have been found (and examined) as well, men have been buried with things like beads and cloth and jewellery, and women have been buried with weapons.

The fact that the Christian men who wrote down most of what we know today of Viking history/religion downplayed the role of women is pretty much a given, q.v. how few stories of the ásynjur survive, versus the “gaps” in the sagas where women would seem to fit (and the women that we do have are not meek and mild little things). It’s good to see more and more of these stories coming out in recent years (and telling that they all come from female anthropologists/archaeologists/whatever).

My Viking feels. Let me show you tiem.

(via alisdee)

History Fun Fact

captainseverusblackheart:

genderbentunicorn:

zachingoff:

In Liechtenstein’s last military engagement, in 1886, none of its 80 soldiers were killed. In fact 81 returned, including a new Italian “friend.”

Yep, more came home than left. I don’t think that has been done any other time in history.

This is one of my favourite points in history

It’s so funny omfg

that’s even funnier than the time Switzerland accidentally invaded Liechtenstein and apologized afterward

theseasonofthewitch: checkmateprolifer: This is Gisella Perl, a  a successful Jewish gynaecologist in Sighet, Romania in the 1930s and 40s. She was taken to Auschwitz in 1944, where she treated women with kindness and compassion. She was asked to report all pregnant women to Josef Mengele- better known as the Angel of Death. When she discovered what was done to them (medical experimentation and torture, ending with often being thrown alive into the crematoriums) she vowed that there would never again be a pregnant woman in Aschwitz. So she began the abortions.  In her time in Aschwitz, Dr. Perl performed over 3,000 abortions in spite of her professional and religious beliefs as a doctor and an observant Jew. Any babies born alive in Aschwitz were usually drowned, despite Mengele’s orders to allow them to starve to death. Because of Dr. Perl’s brave actions in performing these abortions, many women made it out of Aschwitz alive, able to go on and have families after the war.  Although she was vilified by many for her actions, there is no doubt that she is not the monster abortionists are made out to be. This woman, this doctor, this abortionist was a hero. Despite her personal beliefs, she understood what had to be done. If you click the photo, you can go to a more extensive biography of her- she was a true hero.  This brought tears to my eyes. Kol HaKavod.

theseasonofthewitch:

checkmateprolifer:

This is Gisella Perl, a  a successful Jewish gynaecologist in Sighet, Romania in the 1930s and 40s. She was taken to Auschwitz in 1944, where she treated women with kindness and compassion. She was asked to report all pregnant women to Josef Mengele- better known as the Angel of Death. When she discovered what was done to them (medical experimentation and torture, ending with often being thrown alive into the crematoriums) she vowed that there would never again be a pregnant woman in Aschwitz. So she began the abortions. 

In her time in Aschwitz, Dr. Perl performed over 3,000 abortions in spite of her professional and religious beliefs as a doctor and an observant Jew. Any babies born alive in Aschwitz were usually drowned, despite Mengele’s orders to allow them to starve to death. Because of Dr. Perl’s brave actions in performing these abortions, many women made it out of Aschwitz alive, able to go on and have families after the war. 

Although she was vilified by many for her actions, there is no doubt that she is not the monster abortionists are made out to be. This woman, this doctor, this abortionist was a hero. Despite her personal beliefs, she understood what had to be done. If you click the photo, you can go to a more extensive biography of her- she was a true hero. 

This brought tears to my eyes. Kol HaKavod.