Early life.

Details of Marek Edelman's birth are not known for certain; sources give two possible years of birth, either 1919 in Homel (present-day Belarus), or in 1922 in Warsaw. His father, Natan Feliks Edelman (died 1924), was a member of the Socialist Revolutionary Party (his father's brothers, also Socialist Revolutionaries, were executed by the Bolsheviks). His mother, Cecylia Edelman (died 1934), a hospital secretary, was an activist member of the General Jewish Labour Bund, a Jewish socialist workers' party. When Edelman's mother Cecylia died, he was 14 years old, and was looked after by other staff members at the hospital where she had worked in Warsaw, the city he always called home. He said in 2001: "Warsaw is my city. It is here that I learned Polish, Yiddish and German. It is here that at school, I learned one must always take care of others. It is also here that I was slapped in the face just because I was a Jew."  As a child, Edelman was a member of Sotsyalistishe Kinder Farband (SKIF), the Jewish Labour Bund's youth group for children.  In 1939 he joined and became a leader in "Tsukunft" ("Future"), the Bund's youth organization for older children. During the war, he restarted these organizations inside the Warsaw Ghetto.  The defiance and organization of the Bund made their mark on Edelman. As conditions for Jews worsened in the 1930s, Bund members preferred to challenge the mounting antisemitism rather than flee. Edelman later said: "The Bundists did not wait for the Messiah, nor did they plan to leave for Palestine. They believed that Poland was their country, and they fought for a just, socialist Poland in which each nationality would have its own cultural autonomy, and in which minorities' rights would be guaranteed."

World War II.

In 1939, after the German invasion of Poland Edelman found himself confined—along with the other Jews of Warsaw—to the Warsaw Ghetto. In 1942, as a Bund youth leader he co-founded the underground Jewish Combat Organization ("Żydowska Organizacja Bojowa", ŻOB). In the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of April–May 1943, led by Mordechaj Anielewicz, Edelman was one of the three sub-commanders and then became the leader after the death of Anielewicz.  When the Germans had stopped their campaign of transporting Ghetto residents to Treblinka extermination camp in September 1942, only 60,000 had remained. Edelman and his comrades, however, had had little doubt that the Germans would resume the job. The Jewish Combat Organisation had begun acquiring weapons and organizing into units that would make up for lack of training and munitions with an intimate knowledge of the Ghetto, both above ground and in its sewer network.  The Germans resumed their attack on the Ghetto on April 19, 1943 with over 2,000 troops. According to Edelman: "The Germans weren't expecting resistance of any kind, let alone that we would take up arms." The outnumbered and outgunned Ghetto fighters' strong resistance forced the German troops to withdraw. It was on the second day of the Uprising, while protecting the retreat of Edelman and other comrades, that another prominent insurgent and Bundist, Michał Klepfisz, was killed. Over the next three weeks, the fighting was intense. The Jewish fighters killed and wounded scores of Nazis but inevitably sustained far greater losses. On May 8, ŻOB's commander, Mordechaj Anielewicz, was surrounded by German forces. He committed suicide, which meant that now Edelman was in charge. "After three weeks," he recalled, "most of us were dead."  The Germans proceeded to flush out the few remaining fighters by burning down the Ghetto - Edelman always insisted, "We were beaten by the flames, not the Germans." At that juncture, couriers from the Polish underground outside the Ghetto came through the sewers that still linked it with the rest of Warsaw. On the morning of May 10, Edelman and his few remaining comrades escaped through the sewers and made their way to the non-Ghetto part of Warsaw to find safety among their Polish compatriots. At this point the Uprising was over and the fate of those fighters who had remained behind is unknown.  After World War II, the Ghetto Uprising was sometimes given as an unusual instance of active Jewish resistance in the face of the horror perpetrated by the Germans. However, Marek never saw a difference in the character of those who fought in the Uprising and those who were sent to the death camps, as, in his view, all involved were simply dealing with an inevitable death as best as they knew how.  In mid-1944, Edelman, as a member of the leftist Armia Ludowa (People's Army), participated in the citywide Warsaw Uprising, when Polish forces rose up against the Germans before being forced to surrender after 63 days of fighting. After the capitulation, Edelman together with a group of other ŻOB fighters, hid out in the ruins of the city as one of the Robinson Crusoes of Warsaw before being rescued and evacuated with the help from the centrist Armia Krajowa (Home Army).

Later life.

Edelman's hospital upbringing had proven invaluable in the Warsaw Ghetto. After World War II, he studied at Łódź Medical School and became a noted cardiologist who invented an original life-saving operation. In 1948 Edelman actively opposed the incorporation of the Bund into the Polish United Workers' Party (Poland's communist party), which led to the communists disbanding the organization. In 1976, he became an activist with the Workers' Defence Committee ("Komitet Obrony Robotników") and later with the Solidarity movement. Edelman publicly denounced racism and promoted human rights. In 1981, when General Wojciech Jaruzelski declared martial law, Edelman was interned by the government. In 1983, he refused to take part in the official celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising sponsored by Poland's communist government, believing that this "would be an act of cynicism and contempt" in a country "where social life is dominated throughout by humiliation and coercion." Instead, he walked with friends to the street where Mordechai Anielewicz's bunker had been located. Edelman took part in the Round Table Talks as Solidarity's consultant on health policy.  In post-communist Poland, Edelman was a member of several centrist liberal parties: the Citizens' Movement for Democratic Action, Democratic Union, Freedom Union and Democratic Party – demokraci.pl. He supported the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia as well as the 2003 Iraq war, both of which he saw as instances of American democracy saving countries from fascism again.  As an appointed Senator of the Republic, he lent public support to anti-fascist initiatives and to organisations combatting antisemitism. In 1993, he accompanied a convoy of goods into the city of Sarajevo while that city was under siege. Edelman strongly condemned international indifference during the Bosnian Genocide in the early 1990s, calling it a disgrace for the rest of Europe and "a delayed victory by Hitler – a victory from the grave."  On April 17, 1998, Edelman was awarded Poland's highest decoration, the Order of the White Eagle. He received the French Legion of Honour.  Edelman was a lifelong anti-Zionist. In a 1985 interview, he said Zionism was a "lost cause" and he questioned Israel's viability. He remained firmly Polish, refusing to emigrate to Israel.  In his old age, he spoke in defence of the Palestinian people, as he felt that the Jewish self-defence for which he had fought was in danger of crossing the line into oppression. In August 2002, he wrote an open letter to the Palestinian resistance leaders. Although the letter criticised the Palestinian suicide attacks, its tone infuriated the Israeli government and press. According to the late British writer and activist Paul Foot, "He wrote [the letter] in a spirit of solidarity from a fellow resistance fighter, as a former leader of a Jewish uprising not dissimilar in desperation to the Palestinian uprising in the occupied territories." He addressed his letter "To all the leaders of Palestinian military, paramilitary and guerilla organizations – To all the soldiers of Palestinian militant groups".  Moshe Arens, former Israeli Defence Minister and Foreign Minister, visited Edelman in Warsaw in 2005 to discuss the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Arens admired Edelman and tried unsuccessfully to gain official Israeli recognition for him. Following Edelman's death, Arens recalled in "Haaretz":

Family life.

Marek Edelman was married to Alina Margolis-Edelman (1922–2008). They had two children, Aleksander and Anna. When his wife and children emigrated from Poland to France in the wake of antisemitic actions by the Polish communist authorities in 1968, Edelman decided to stay in Łódź. "Someone had to stay here with all those who perished here, after all." He published his memoirs, which have been translated into six languages. Each April he laid flowers in Warsaw for those he had served with in the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. Edelman's wife Alina, likewise a Warsaw Ghetto survivor, died in 2008. They were survived by their son and daughter.

Death.

Edelman died on October 2, 2009. He was buried in Warsaw with full military honours on October 9, 2009. His coffin was covered with a Bund banner inscribed ""Bund - Yidisher Sozialistisher Farband"," and a choir sang the Bund anthem, "Di Shvue." The Polish President Lech Kaczyński and the former President Lech Wałęsa were present at the funeral, attended by about 2,000 persons.  Władysław Bartoszewski, former Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs and an Auschwitz survivor, led the tributes to Edelman, saying: "He reached a good age. He left as a contented man, even if he was always aware of the tragedy he went through." Bartoszewski denied that the activist was "irreplaceable," before acknowledging that "there are few people like Marek Edelman." Roman Catholic Bishop Tadeusz Pieronek said: "I respect him most for the fact that he stayed in this land, which made him fight so hard for his Jewish and Polish identity. He became a real witness, he gave a real testimony with his life." The former Polish Prime Minister, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, was also present and said Edelman had been a role model for him.  Former head of Israel's parliament and former Israeli ambassador to Poland Shevah Weiss said: "I'd like to offer my condolences to Marek Edelman's family, to the Polish nation and to the Jewish nation. He was a hero to all of us." Ian Kelly, official spokesperson for the United States, expressed sympathies and affirmed that the United States "stands with Poland as it mourns the loss of a great man."

Marek Edelman (, born either 1919 in Homel or 1922 in Warsaw – October 2, 2009 in Warsaw, Poland) was a Polish political and social activist and cardiologist. Edelman was the last surviving leader of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising and, long before his death, was the last one to stay in Poland despite harassment by the Communist authorities.

Marek Edelman (auch "Edelmann" geschrieben; * 19. September 1919; † 2. Oktober 2009 in Warschau) war ein polnischer Kardiologe, Politiker und ein Kommandeur des Aufstands im Warschauer Ghetto.


Background.

The Slavic settlement of Pannonia started in the late 5th century after the fall of the Hunnic tribal union. In the late 6th century the Slavs in the territory became subjects of the Avar tribal union (Avar Khaganate). Trouble by internal conflicts as well as external attacks by the Frankish Empire (led by Charles the Great) and the Bulgarian Khanate (led by Khan Krum), the Avar polity collapsed by the early 9th century. Initially, Lower Pannonia lay between the Drava, Danube and Sava rivers, whilst Upper Pannonia lay north of the Drava river. Collectively, the southeastern Slavic marches of the Carolingian empire were called the Eastland ("Plaga Orientalis"). During the first two decades of the ninth century, Lower Pannonia was ruled by Slavic Prince Ljudevit Posavski, a Frankish vassal. After his rebellion, Louis removed the lands from the Friulian Duke and placed them under his son's (Louis the German) Bavarian sub-kingdom and the river Raab became the new border between Upper and Central Pannonia, with the core and the name of Lower Pannonia moving north of the river Drava. The turmoils did not end, as in 827, the Bulgarians invaded much of Lower Pannonia, but were then pushed back by Louis the German the following year.

History.

In the course of the creation of Great Moravia in 833 to the north of the Danube, Pribina, until then the Prince of Nitra, was expelled from his country by Mojmír I of Moravia. After several adventures, he was eventually given the Frankish lands in Lower Pannonia in 846, where he founded a principality. This was a calculated move on the part of Louis the German, who aimed to curtail the power of his prefect, Ratbod, as well as gain an ally (and buffer) against the potential threats of Great Moravia and Bulgaria. Pribina's capital was Blatnograd (Mosapurc), a city built at the Zala river near Keszthely, between the small and large Balaton lakes (Blatno in Slavic, meaning "muddy [lake]"). He greatly fortified this city, and surrounded by swamps and dense forests, it lay in a strategically powerful position. Pribina was Louis the German's "dux". His state grew powerful and Pribina ruled for two decades. His state contained a retinue of followers, including Carantanians, Franks and even Slavicized Avars. Pribina allowed the Archbishop of Salzburg to consecrate churches in the area.  After an attack by Carloman during his rebellion against Louis the German, Pribina's son, Kocel, fled to the court of Louis. He was soon re-instated in his father's lands. In the summer of 867, Kocel provided short-term hospitality to brothers Cyril and Methodius on their way from Great Moravia to the pope in Rome to justify the use of the Slavic language as a liturgical language. They and their disciples turned Blatnograd into one of the centers that spread the knowledge of the new Slavonic script (Glagolitic alphabet) and literature, educating numerous future missionaries in their native language.  Although a Frankish vassal, it later started resisting the influence of German feudal lords and clergy, trying to organize an independent Slavic archdiocese. Eventually, after Kocel's death in 876, Lower Pannonia was again made a direct part of the East Francia, ruled by Arnulf of Carinthia. During the succession strife in East Francia, in 884, the area was conquered by Great Moravia in ca. 894. After a few years of peace, Arnulf renewed his wars with Moravia, and recaptured Lower Pannonia. After he claimed the Imperial crown in 896, Arnulf gave Lower Pannonia to another Slavic duke, Braslav, ruler of Pannonian Croatia, as a fiefdom. Soon afterwards, in 901 it was conquered by the Magyars (Hungarians), who became the new ruling core, but retained many elements of Slavic political organization. The territory became part of the arising Hungarian state.

Geography.

Pribina's authority stretched from the Rába river to the north, to Pécs to the southeast, and to Ptuj to the West. Temporary, it also included territory in the east of the Danube and in the south of the Drava, i.e. parts of present-day central Hungary (between Danube and Tisa), northern Serbia (Bačka, west Syrmia) and eastern Croatia (west Syrmia, east Slavonia).  The capital or seat was Mosapurc ("Mosapurc regia civitate"), present-day Zalavár (in Old-Slavonic "Blatengrad", in Latin "Urbs Paludarum").

The Balaton Principality (, ) or Principality of Lower Pannonia, was a Slavic principality, vassal to the Frankish Empire, or according to others a "comitatus" (county) of the Frankish Empire, led initially by a "dux" (Pribina) and later by a comes (Pribina's son, Kocel). It was one of the early Slavic polities (Kocel's title was ""Comes de Sclauis"" - Count of the Slavs) and was situated mostly in Transdanubia region of modern Hungary, but also included parts of modern Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia and Austria.

Das Plattensee-Fürstentum oder Pannonisches Fürstentum (auch: "Transdanubisches Fürstentum", "Fürstentum Moosburg", slowakisch: "Balatónské kniežatstvo", slowenisch: "Spodnja Panonija", bulgarisch: "Blatensko Kneževstvo") war ein Herrschaftsbereich des Frankenreiches und Ostfrankenreiches. Das Fürstentum bestand von 839 bis 900/901. Hauptstadt war Blatnohrad (auch Blatenski kostel) am Kleinen Plattensee. Die vorwiegend slawisch-awarische Bevölkerung war eine eigenständige Mischkultur: die so genannte "Pókaszepetk-Zalakomár-Gruppe". Das historische Geschehen der Region war geprägt von intensiver Christianisierung sowie den Bestrebungen slawischer Knesen nach mehr Unabhängigkeit von den Franken. 900/901 wurde das Gebiet von den Magyaren erobert und in das neu entstehende Ungarn integriert.


Early life and career.

Letterman was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1947, and has two sisters, one older and one younger. His father, Harry Joseph Letterman (April 15, 1915 – February 13, 1973), was a florist. His mother, Dorothy Marie Letterman Mengering (née Hofert; July 18, 1921 – April 11, 2017), a church secretary for the Second Presbyterian Church of Indianapolis, was an occasional figure on Letterman's show, usually at holidays and birthdays.  Letterman grew up on the north side of Indianapolis, in the Broad Ripple area, about 12 miles from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He enjoyed collecting model cars, including racers. In 2000, he told an interviewer for "Esquire" that, while growing up, he admired his father's ability to tell jokes and be the life of the party. Harry Joseph Letterman survived a heart attack at the age of 36, when David was a young boy. The fear of losing his father was constantly with Letterman as he grew up. The elder Letterman died of a second heart attack in 1973, at the age of 57. Letterman attended his hometown's Broad Ripple High School and worked as a stock boy at the local Atlas Supermarket. According to the "Ball State Daily News", he had originally wanted to attend Indiana University, but his grades were not good enough, so he instead attended Ball State University, in Muncie, Indiana. He is a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity, and he graduated in 1969 from what was then the Department of Radio and Television. A self-described average student, Letterman later endowed a scholarship for what he called "C students" at Ball State. Though he registered for the draft and passed his physical after graduating from college, he was not drafted for service in Vietnam because of receiving a draft lottery number of 346 (out of 366).  Letterman began his broadcasting career as an announcer and newscaster at the college's student-run radio station—WBST—a 10-watt campus station which now is part of Indiana Public Radio. He was fired for treating classical music with irreverence. He then became involved with the founding of another campus station—WAGO-AM 570 (now WWHI, 91.3).  He credits Paul Dixon, host of the "Paul Dixon Show", a Cincinnati-based talk show also shown in Indianapolis while he was growing up, for inspiring his choice of career: I was just out of college [in 1969], and I really didn't know what I wanted to do. And then all of a sudden I saw him doing it [on TV]. And I thought: That's really what I want to do!

NBC.

Morning show.

On June 23, 1980, Letterman was given his own morning comedy show on NBC, "The David Letterman Show". It was originally 90 minutes

"Late Night with David Letterman".

NBC kept Letterman on their payroll to be able to try him in a different time slot. "Late Night with David Letterman" debuted February 1, 1982; the first guest on the first show was Bill Murray. Murray later went on to become one of Letterman's most recurrent guests, guesting on his later CBS show's celebration of his 30th anniversary in late-night television, which aired January 31, 2012 and on the very last CBS show, which aired May 20, 2015. The show ran Monday through Thursday at 12:30 a.m. Eastern Time, immediately following "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (a Friday night broadcast was added in June 1987). It was seen as edgy and unpredictable, and soon developed a cult following (particularly among college students). Letterman's reputation as an acerbic interviewer was borne out in verbal sparring matches with Cher (who even called him an asshole on the show), Shirley MacLaine, Charles Grodin, and Madonna.

CBS.

"Late Show with David Letterman".

In 1992, Johnny Carson retired, and many fans believed that Letterman would become host of "The Tonight Show". When NBC instead gave the job to Jay Leno, Letterman departed NBC to host his own late-night show on CBS, opposite "The Tonight Show" at 11:30 p.m., called the "Late Show with David Letterman". The new show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was taped at the historic Ed Sullivan Theater, where Ed Sullivan broadcast his eponymous variety series from 1948 to 1971. For Letterman's arrival, CBS spent million in renovations. In addition to that cost, CBS also signed Letterman to a lucrative three-year, million/year contract, doubling his "Late Night" salary. The total cost for everything (renovations, negotiation right paid to NBC, signing Letterman, announcer Bill Wendell, Paul Shaffer, the writers and the

Popularity.

The main competitor of the "Late Show" was NBC's "The Tonight Show", which was hosted by Jay Leno for 22 years, but from June 1, 2009, to January 22, 2010, was hosted by Conan O'Brien. In 1993 and 1994, the "Late Show" consistently gained higher ratings than "The Tonight Show". But in 1995, ratings dipped and Leno's show consistently beat Letterman's in the ratings from the time that Hugh Grant came on Leno's show after Grant's arrest for soliciting a prostitute.  Leno typically attracted about five million nightly viewers between 1999 and 2009. The "Late Show" lost nearly half its audience during its competition with Leno, attracting 7.1 million viewers nightly in its 1993–94 season and about 3.8 million per night as

Hosting the Academy Awards.

On March 27, 1995, Letterman acted as the host for the 67th Academy Awards ceremony. Critics blasted Letterman for what they deemed a poor hosting of the Oscars, noting that his irreverent style undermined the traditional importance and glamor of the event. In a joke about their unusual names (inspired by a celebrated comic essay in "The New Yorker", "Yma Dream" by Thomas Meehan), he started off by introducing Uma Thurman to Oprah Winfrey, and then both of them to Keanu Reeves: "Oprah...Uma. Uma...Oprah," "Have you kids met Keanu?" This and many of his other jokes fell flat. Although Letterman

Heart surgery hiatus.

On January 14, 2000, a routine check-up revealed that an artery in Letterman's heart was severely obstructed. He was rushed to emergency surgery for a quintuple bypass at New York Presbyterian Hospital. During the initial weeks of his recovery, reruns of the "Late Show" were shown and introduced by friends of Letterman including Norm MacDonald, Drew Barrymore, Ray Romano, Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, Megan Mullally, Bill Murray, Regis Philbin, Charles Grodin, Nathan Lane, Julia Roberts, Bruce Willis, Jerry Seinfeld, Martin Short, Steven Seagal, Hillary Clinton, Danny DeVito,

Re-signing with CBS.

In March 2002, as Letterman's contract with CBS neared expiration, ABC offered him the time slot for long-running news program "Nightline" with Ted Koppel. Letterman was interested as he believed he could never match Jay Leno's ratings at CBS due to Letterman's complaint of weaker lead-ins from the network's late local news programs, but was reluctant to replace Koppel. Letterman addressed his decision to re-sign on the air, stating that he was content at CBS and that he had great respect for Koppel.  On December 4, 2006, CBS revealed that Letterman signed a new contract to host "Late Show with David Letterman" through the fall of 2010. "I'm thrilled to be continuing on at CBS," said Letterman. "At my age you really don't want to have to learn a new commute." Letterman further joked about the subject by pulling up his right pants leg, revealing a tattoo, presumably temporary, of the ABC logo.  "Thirteen years ago, David Letterman

Retirement from "Late Show".

During the taping of his show on April 3, 2014, Letterman announced that he had informed CBS president Leslie Moonves that he would retire from hosting "Late Show" by May 20, 2015. However, later in his retirement Letterman occasionally stated, in jest, that he was fired. It was announced soon after that comedian and political satirist Stephen Colbert would succeed Letterman. Letterman's last episode aired on May 20, 2015, and opened with a presidential send-off featuring four of the five living American presidents, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, each mimicking the late president Gerald Ford's statement that "Our long national nightmare is over." It also featured cameos from "The Simpsons" and "Wheel of Fortune" (the latter with a puzzle saying "Good riddance to David Letterman"), a Top Ten List of

Post-"Late Show".

In the months following the end of "Late Show", Letterman was seen occasionally at sports events such as the Indianapolis 500, during which he submitted to an interview with a local publication. He made a surprise appearance on stage in San Antonio, Texas, when he was invited up for an extended segment during Steve Martin and Martin Short's "A Very Stupid Conversation" show, saying "I retired, and...I have no regrets," Letterman told the crowd after walking on stage. "I was happy. I'll make actual friends. I was complacent. I was satisfied. I was content, and then a couple of days ago Donald Trump said he was running for president. I have made the biggest mistake of my life, ladies and gentlemen" and then delivering a Top Ten List roasting Trump's presidential campaign followed by an on-stage conversation with Martin and Short. Cell phone

Notable exchanges and incidents.

NBC and Johnny Carson.

In spite of Johnny Carson's clear intention to pass his title to Letterman, NBC selected Jay Leno to host "The Tonight Show" after Carson's departure. Letterman maintained a close relationship with Carson through his break with NBC. Three years after he left for CBS, HBO produced a made-for-television movie called "The Late Shift", based on a book by "The New York Times" reporter Bill Carter, chronicling the battle between Letterman and Leno for the coveted "Tonight Show" hosting spot.  Carson later made a few cameo appearances as a guest on Letterman's show. Carson's final television appearance came May 13, 1994,

Oprah Winfrey.

Oprah Winfrey appeared on Letterman's show when he was hosting NBC's "Late Night" on May 2, 1989. Following that appearance, the two had a 16-year feud which arose, as Winfrey explained to Letterman after the feud had been resolved, as a result of the acerbic tone of their 1989 interview, of which she said that it "felt so uncomfortable to me that I didn't want to have that experience again". The feud apparently ended in 2005 when Winfrey appeared on CBS's "Late Show with David Letterman" on December 2, in an event Letterman jokingly referred to as "the Super Bowl of Love".  Winfrey and Letterman also appeared together in a "Late Show" promo that aired during CBS's coverage of Super Bowl XLI in February 2007, with the two sitting next to each other on the couch watching the game. Since the game

2007–2008 writers' strike.

"Late Show" went off air for eight weeks in 2007 during the months of November and December because of the Writers Guild of America strike. Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants, was the first company to make an

Palin joke.

On June 8 and 9, 2009, Letterman told two sexually themed jokes about a daughter (never named) of Sarah Palin on his TV show. Palin was in New York City at the time with her then fourteen-year-old daughter, Willow, and some contemporaries thought the jokes were aimed at Willow, which caused some small amount of controversy.  In a statement posted on the Internet, Palin said, "I doubt [Letterman would] ever dare make such comments about anyone else's daughter" and that "laughter incited by sexually perverted comments made by a 62-year-old male celebrity aimed at a 14-year-old girl is disgusting." On

Al-Qaeda death threat.

On August 17, 2011, it was reported that an Islamist militant had posted a death threat against Letterman on a website frequented by Al-Qaeda supporters, calling on American Muslims to kill Letterman for making a joke about the death

Appearances in other media.

Letterman appeared in the pilot episode of the short-lived 1986 series "Coach Toast", and he appears with a bag over his head as a guest on Bonnie Hunt's 1990s sitcom, "The Building". He appeared in "The Simpsons" as himself in a couch gag when the Simpsons find themselves (and the couch) in "Late Night with David Letterman". He had a cameo in the feature film "Cabin Boy", with Chris Elliott, who worked as a writer on Letterman's show. In this and other appearances, Letterman is listed in the credits as "Earl Hofert", the name of Letterman's maternal grandfather. He also appeared as himself in the Howard Stern biographical film "Private Parts" as well as the 1999 Andy Kaufman biopic "Man on the Moon", in a few episodes of Garry Shandling's 1990s TV series "The Larry Sanders Show", and in "The Abstinence", a 1996 episode of the sitcom "Seinfeld".  Letterman provided vocals for the Warren Zevon song "Hit Somebody" from "My Ride's Here", and provided the voice for Butt-head's father in the 1996 animated film "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America", once again credited as Earl

Business ventures.

Letterman started his production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated, which produced his show and several others, in 1991. The company also produces feature films and documentaries and founded its own record label, Clear Entertainment. Worldwide Pants received significant attention in December 2007, after it was announced the company had independently negotiated its own contract with the Writers Guild of America, East, thus allowing Letterman, Craig Ferguson, and their writers to return to work, while the union

Influences.

Letterman's biggest influence and his mentor was Johnny Carson. Other comedians that influenced Letterman were Paul Dixon, Steve Allen, Jonathan Winters, Garry Moore, Jack Paar, Don Rickles, and David Brenner. Although

Personal life.

On July 2, 1968, Letterman married his college sweetheart, Michelle Cook, in Muncie, Indiana; their marriage ended in divorce by October 1977. He also had a long-term cohabiting relationship with the former head writer and producer on "Late Night", Merrill Markoe, from 1978 to 1988. Markoe was the mind behind several "Late Night" staples, such as "Stupid Pet/Human Tricks". "Time" magazine stated that theirs was the defining relationship of Letterman's career with Merrill also acting as his writing partner. She "put the surrealism in Letterman's comedy."  Letterman and Regina Lasko started dating in February 1986, while he was still living with Markoe. Lasko gave birth to a son in 2003. In 2005, police discovered a plot to kidnap his son and demand a ransom of US$5 million. Kelly Frank, a house painter who had worked for Letterman, was charged in the conspiracy.  Letterman and Lasko wed on March 19, 2009, during a quiet courthouse civil ceremony in Choteau, Montana, where he had purchased a ranch in 1999. Letterman announced the marriage during the taping of his show of March 23, shortly after congratulating Bruce Willis for his marriage the week before. Letterman told the audience he nearly missed the ceremony because his truck became stuck in mud two miles from their house. The family resides in North Salem, New York, on a estate.  Letterman suffers from tinnitus, a symptom of hearing loss. On the "Late Show" in 1996, Letterman talked about his experience with tinnitus during an interview with William Shatner, who himself has severe tinnitus caused by an on-set explosion. Letterman has stated that initially he was unable to pinpoint the noise inside his head, and that he hears a constant ringing in his ears 24 hours a day.  Letterman no longer drinks alcohol. On more than one occasion, he said that he had once been a "horrible alcoholic" and had begun drinking around the age of 13 and continued until 1981 when he was 34. He recounts in 1981, "I was drunk 80% of the time... I loved it. I was one of those guys, I looked around, and everyone else had stopped drinking and I couldn't understand why." When he is shown drinking what appears to be alcohol on "Late Night" or the "Late Show", it is actually replaced with apple juice by the crew.  In 2015, Letterman stated about his anxiety: "For years and years and years—30, 40 years—I was anxious and hypochondriacal and an alcoholic, and many, many other things that made me different from other people." He became calmer through a combination of transcendental meditation and low doses of medication. Letterman is a Presbyterian, a religious tradition he was originally brought up in by his mother. However, he once said he is motivated by "Lutheran, Midwestern guilt".

Awards and honors.

David Letterman Communication and Media Building.

On September 7, 2007, Letterman visited his "alma mater", Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, for the dedication of a communications facility named in his honor for his dedication to the university. The million, David Letterman Communication and Media Building opened for the 2007 fall semester. Thousands of Ball State students, faculty, and local residents welcomed Letterman back to Indiana. Letterman's emotional

Awards and nominations.

In his capacities as either a performer, producer, or as part of a writing team, Letterman is among the most nominated people in the history of the Emmy Awards with 52 nominations, winning two Daytime Emmys and ten Primetime Emmys since 1981. He won four American Comedy Awards and in 2011 became the first recipient of the Johnny Carson

David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He hosted late night television talk shows for 33 years, beginning with the February 1, 1982, debut of "Late Night with David Letterman" on NBC, and ending with the May 20, 2015, broadcast of "Late Show with David Letterman" on CBS. In total, Letterman hosted 6,080 episodes of "Late Night" and "Late Show", surpassing his friend and mentor Johnny Carson as the longest-serving late night talk show host in American television history. In 1996, Letterman was ranked 45th on "TV Guide"s 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time. In 2002, "The Late Show with David Letterman" was ranked seventh on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time. He is also a television and film producer. His company, Worldwide Pants, produced his shows as well as "The Late Late Show" and several prime-time comedies, the most successful of which was "Everybody Loves Raymond", now in syndication. Several late-night hosts have cited Letterman's influence, including Conan O'Brien (his successor on "Late Night"), Stephen Colbert (his successor on "The Late Show"), Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers. Letterman currently hosts the Netflix series "My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman".

David Michael Letterman (* 12. April 1947 in Indianapolis, Indiana) ist ein ehemaliger Moderator der US-amerikanischen Fernsehsendung "Late Show with David Letterman". Außerdem ist er Komiker, Produzent und Miteigentümer des Motorsportteams Rahal Letterman Racing. Lettermans ironischer, oft absurder Humor ist stark beeinflusst vom Komiker Ernie Kovacs und vom "Late-Night"-Moderator Johnny Carson.


History.

The terminology comes from the tradition of close order formation combat, in which soldiers were held in very strict formations as to maximise their combat effectiveness. Formation combat was used as an alternative to mêlée combat, and required strict discipline in the ranks and competent officers. As long as their formations could be maintained, regular troops could maintain a significant advantage over less organised opponents.  Nevertheless, military parades are not to be confused with the military show of force.  Although the firepower of breechloading rifles and machine guns long ago rendered close formations in battle suicidal, modern armies still use parades for ceremonial purposes or in non-combat environments for their efficiency, ease of organization and encouragement of discipline. Roughly synonymous are "drill" and "march". The English word "drill" is of Middle Dutch origin, dating from the 16th-century drill of the Dutch army of prince Maurice of Orange, which was widely copied throughout Europe at the time, decreasing the volley time of musket formations.  In ancient times, drilling increased in importance when men stopped fighting as individuals and began to fight together as units. Drilling as a vital component of a war machine further increased with the increases

Rationale.

A military drill is memorizing certain actions through repetition until the action is instinctive to the soldiers being drilled. Complex actions are broken down into simpler ones which can be practiced in isolation so when the whole is put together the desired results are achieved. Such is necessary

Military marching commands.

Four directional commands.

Parades consist of four directions:  The Advance is the primary direction of movement, regardless of which direction the soldiers are actually facing (similar to a ship's bow.) On a parade square, the advance is determined by the position of the dais or flags. When these are not present, the direction of the drill commander is the advance.  The Retire is opposite to the advance, against the primary direction of movement (similar to a ship's stern.)  The Left is to the left of the Advance (similar to a ship's port.)  The Right is to the right of the Advance (similar to a ship's starboard.)  If the Advance is changed, then all

Marching with weapons/saluting.

Rifles

Compliments and Saluting.

Saluting on the march.

In the Commonwealth countries, the following saluting on the march commands are ordered with a preparatory command of 'Saluting on the march...'. For example, 'Saluting on the march, to the front Salute' and always called on the left foot. In British Corps, the drill movement for saluting to the front is the following. Two, three, up. Two, three, down.  In the United States, the command for saluting on the march is "Eyes, RIGHT/LEFT." The parade leader and other officers execute the hand salute, while everyone but the right file or left file, in either case, turns their heads to

Turning motions at the march.

Turning motions at the halt (static).

United States Armed Forces:  Commonwealth of Nations

Modern era.

Drill is today used to demonstrate discipline and cohesion in a modern military force. Large military parades are today held on major holidays and military events around the world. It usually held on occasions of national importance such as a country's independence day, and therefore is presided over by the head of state who, in most cases, is the commander in chief of the combined national military forces of that country. Today, military parades include all aspects of military drill, from an exhibition drill of precision drill teams and military bands (in addition to the occasional corps of drums, fanfare band, and/or drum and bugle corps), as well as an exhibition of military weapons such as a mobile column, the occasional mounted cavalry column (led by a mounted band), a naval parade, and a fly past by the country's air force. When on parade, most of the participating soldiers wear their ceremonial uniforms and carry the standards/colours of their respective battalions/regiments/corps/academies. In many countries, the military contingent is joined by contingents from youth cadet organizations, personnel from the police and fire services and by occasion jail and border services, youth police and fire cadets, veterans and personnel of the civil service.

By country.

Albania.

Albania has long been influenced by Greek and Italian influences and even Soviet/Russian tradition. During the era of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania, Liberation Day, which then the main national holiday, was celebrated with a military parade of the Albanian People's Army on Tirana's Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard. These parades have been held in 1954, 1959, 1964, 1974, 1984 and

Argentina.

Argentina's long history of military parades are a heritage inherited from the times of the Spanish colonial Viceroyality of Rio de la Plata, with influences from Germany, France,

Australia and New Zealand.

As both Commonwealth realms, Australia and New Zealand share the customs and traditions of parades of the British Armed Forces. The friendship and cooperation of the defence services of both countries can be seen in the annual Anzac Day parades every 25 April, in memory of the namesake Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, which was heavily involved in the long Battle of Gallipoli and were the first Allied forces to

Canada.

Within Canada, the now tri-service Ceremonial Guard performs the marchpast for senior dignitaries of the Canadian Armed Forces during change of command ceremonies and state arrival ceremonies, typically held in Ottawa, the national capital. The two Primary Reserve Canadian Army regiments that typically provide personnel for the guard, the Governor General's Foot Guards and The Canadian Grenadier Guards, together with the Governor General's Horse Guards and guard of honour detachments from both the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal Canadian Air Force take part in these events. In addition, the CG and optionally both the GGHG and the CGG take part in military parades such

Chile.

The tradition of military parades in Chile has origins not just in Spanish tradition, but also a mix between those of France, the United Kingdom, and particularly Germany, given the fact that Imperial German Army officers trained

China.

The first military parade on the Chinese mainland can be dated to over 4,000 years ago, when Yu the Great, a legendary ruler in ancient China, hosted a gathering of tribal forces from northern and southern China.

Colombia.

Both the Military Forces of Colombia and the National Police of Colombia hold important national parades to celebrate the anniversary of national independence as well as of the Armed Forces. Such parades are

Cuba.

The Cuban Revolutionary Armed Forces generally holds military parades in honor of the Day of the Cuban Armed Forces and the Triumph of the Revolution on Havana's Plaza de la Revolución. The first parade took place in 1960 for the latter event and over time, importance was transferred to Armed Forces Day in relation to military parades. In 2011, a

Czech Republic.

Large mlitary parades in the Czech Republic are today held every 10 years in the capital of Prague, encompassing personnel from the Czech Army and the Police of the Czech Republic. The first of these parades occurred in 2008 in honor of the founding of Czechoslovakia on 28 October 1918. Another one took place in 2018 and included foreign troops.  Prior to 1918, military parades followed the tradition of their

Ecuador.

Both the Armed Forces of Ecuador and the National Police of Ecuador hold important national parades to celebrate the anniversaries of national

France.

The annual military parade in the French capital of Paris is held on July 14 during the Bastille Day holiday. It is currently the oldest and largest military parade on the European continent. It is held on the Champs-Élysées and passes from l'Arc de Triomphe to Place de la Concorde. Bastille Day parades are also held in smaller garrison towns such

Germany.

The Germany has had a long tradition of military parades dating back to the days of Kingdom of Prussia and its army and navy. It was the Prussians who invented the goose step, a style of marching that was used in many German armies as well as in the militaries of various countries, which were instructed by Prussian military training officers and instructors from the 19th century to the early 20th.  During the Nazi era, military parades were commonplace as they were held as a sort of victory parade for the German Wehrmacht as they invaded countries during the Second World War. The first major parades took place in Nuremberg in September 1938 and Adolf Hitler's 50th birthday in April 1939. In the months Immediately after the German invasion of Poland, a joint German–Soviet military parade took place in Brest-Litovsk (now Brest, Belarus). In Allied-occupied Germany, the major powers held parades through the center of Berlin to honor their victory. These include the Berlin Victory Parade of 1945, 1945 British Berlin Victory

Greece.

The long history of the Hellenic Armed Forces and the role played in the defense and progress of the country are

India.

The Republic Day Parade is held annually in Delhi to mark the Republic Day of India. Parades are also held on

Mongolia.

Military parades in Mongolia have a long tradition that dates back to the era of the Mongol Empire. Today they closely follow the Russian model with sone modifications such as trooping of the Flag of Mongolia in a car rather than by foot. A Dangjiren is based off a cavalry military parade of the Mongols that were held in the 17th century.  The first official military parade in Communist Mongolia took place in 1921 in honor of the victories of Damdin Sükhbaatar in the People's Revolution. The anniversary parades that followed have been held on jubilee years (specifically in 1946, 1951, 1956, 1961, 1966,

North Korea.

All military parades of the Korean People's Army (KPA) and the Worker-Peasant Red Guards (WPRG) are centered in the national capital of Pyongyang and have a long tradition that goes back to the DPRK's establishment in 1948. Between 1993 and 2011, the DPRK held over a dozen military parades, which was frequent compared to the 1960s–80s, during which only three parades were held. Known

Peru.

The Peruvian Armed Forces and the National Police of Peru holds the yearly Great Military Parade of Peru every July 29 in Lima as the armed services' way of honoring the anniversary of national

Poland.

The Polish Armed Forces and the Police of Poland holds two yearly military parades () in the capital of Warsaw: The Armed Forces Day parade through Ujazdów Avenue and the National Independence Day parade near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Piłsudski Square. Both of these parades include NATO personnel stationed near or inside the country. The Armed Forces Day Parade was introduced in 2007 and 2008 as first grand military parades since the holiday was reinstated and have been held yearly since 2013. The first Polish military parade took place on 17 January 1945. Prior to 1989, parades were held in front of the

Russia and ex-Soviet countries.

The Western tradition of military parades in the Russian Empire was part of the many reforms made by Peter the Great as part of his many efforts to transform the army and the navy from traditional militias to a full-blown professional armed service that is a model for the people in discipline and obedience, courage, bravery, loyalty to the country and in bringing pride and glory to her people. During the Imperial period, national parades were alternated between Moscow and Saint Petersburg on major national civil and military holidays, anniversaries of the Romanov Dynasty and as part of the imperial coronation celebrations, celebrations and parades were also held in many major cities and provincial capitals.  So important was the value of these parades that even the Soviet Armed Forces made these parades a common tradition beginning in August 1918 when the first

Serbia/Former Yugoslavia.

Military parades in Serbia and the former Yugoslavia follow a close tradition that is significantly unique to the Balkan states. Their usage of the high step instead of the more European goose step is a notable display of heritage and tradition in their parades. The Yugoslav People's Army held its first military parade on Bulevar revolucije just days before the conclusion of the Second World War on International Workers Day. Another parade on 20 October of that same year was held in honor of the one year anniversary of the end of the Belgrade Offensive.  Since then military parades in

Turkey.

The Turkish tradition of military parades was introduced in the 19th century as part of the Westernization and modernization of the army and navy of the then Ottoman Empire to modern

United Kingdom.

In the United Kingdom, a guard of honour traditionally performs the march past for whoever received the salute. In the capital of London, traditional ceremonial units that perform public duties (the Queens Guard for example) take part in military parades such as the more common Trooping the Colour on Horse Guards Parade and special parades during the jubilee years of

United States.

Military parades in the American capital are held quadrennially by servicemen of the United States Armed Forces during the Presidential inaugural parade. These are not considered to be regular military parades however, as the parading formations are actually not entirely composed of armed servicemen. The first known organized military procession in the United States was the Grand Review of the Armies, on May 23 and May 24, 1865, following the end of the American Civil War (1861-1865). The New York City Victory Parade of 1946 was held in mid-January in 1946 to commemorate the conclusion of World War II and the Allied victory over the Axis Powers in all theaters of the war, helped by the service of millions of Americans who served under the armed forces and the National Guard, in addition to the state defense forces. In the late 40s and the early 50s, massive parades in honor of Army Day and later Armed Forces Day were held in the capital. The most recently held military parade was the National Victory Celebration on June 8, 1991, to celebrate the conclusion of Gulf War in Iraq. In 2018, a national debate was sparked when

Venezuela.

Full blown military parades by the National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela are held on the following days:  Taking part on these parades are active duty and reserve personnel of the NBAF and its service branches, and these are a mix of the German, British and later on Chinese and Russian traditions.  In August 2018, during a military parade and ceremony on the Venezuelan National Guard's 81st anniversary, President Nicolás Maduro was targeted in a drone attack, which left him unharmed, and left 8–9 people injured.

A military parade is a formation of soldiers whose movement is restricted by close-order manoeuvering known as drilling or marching. The military parade is now almost entirely ceremonial, though soldiers from time immemorial up until the late 19th century fought in formation. Massed parades may also hold a role for propaganda purposes, being used to exhibit the apparent military strength of one's nation.

Unter einer Militärparade (auch Heerschau oder Revue) versteht man eine militärische Zeremonie, in der Soldaten zu besonderen staatlichen Anlässen öffentlich auftreten und dabei ihre Bewaffnung und Ausrüstung präsentieren.


Biography.

Egon Schultz was born on 4 January, 1943, in Groß Jestin, in Kolberg-Körlin county, Pomerania, Nazi Germany (now Gościno, Kołobrzeg County, West Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland), the second of two sons of Alfred Schultz, a truck driver, and his wife Frieda, a waitress. Schultz trained as a school teacher in Putbus and at 19 years-old began working as a teacher in Dierkow near Rostock in September 1962, but shortly after beginning his teaching career it would be interrupted with his conscription to the National People's Army. His older brother, Armin, was a painter, and at the time of Schultz’s conscription the family resided at Karl-Marx-Strasse 16 in Rostock. His final visit home, just days prior to his death, was at the same time that his parents were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary. By the time of his death, Schultz was two years into his three-year service, and had become a sergeant of the Border Troops of the German Democratic Republic, the border guards of the East Germany that guarded the Berlin Wall which had been erected 3 years earlier.

Death.

On 4 October 1964, Schultz was assigned as a reserve to the command post at Arkonaplatz in Berlin-Mitte, East Berlin. Shortly before midnight, a Stasi officer demanded backup support from the border guards, who were to investigate and arrest suspicious individuals at Strelitzer Strasse 55, located very close to the West Berlin border barriers that extended along Bernauer Strasse. Schultz and his fellow border guards were not informed of the real purpose of the operation: the Stasi had learned from informants about an escape operation. While investigating the area near the border, the two Stasi agents met two men who were assisting an escape operation in the foyer of the building at Strelitzer Strasse 55. The escape helpers mistook the Stasi agents for escapees, and were able to leave the building without raising suspicion by claiming that they had to get a friend who had just been released from custody. The Stasi agents left the escape helpers to await their return while they organized support from the border guards.  Taking several months to accomplish, a group of West Berlin students dug a 145-meter long tunnel in secrecy, which began at a closed bakery on Bernauer Strasse, and continued eleven meters underground to an outhouse located in the courtyard of the building at Strelitzer Strasse 55. This tunnel later became famous as "Tunnel 57" referring to the number of people who had succeeded in escaping through it the nights of 3 and 4 October 1964. One of the escape helpers was Reinhard Furrer (the future astronaut) who waited with Christian Zobel and two other escape helpers on the East Berlin side, ready to direct fugitives to the tunnel’s opening. At about half past midnight, the two Stasi agents returned with the border guards, including Schultz, who approached Furrer before he recognized much too late that a gun was pointed in his direction. Familiar with the surroundings, Furrer quickly receded into the courtyard and before disappearing into the tunnel, warned his friends of the incoming guards. As the Stasi agents and border guards entered the courtyard there was an exchange of gunfire with the escape helpers, where Schultz was hit in the shoulder by a bullet from Zobel’s gun, causing him to fall to the ground. While attempting to get back up, Schultz was hit again by a larger 7.62x39mm round fired from the Kalashnikov rifle used by a fellow border guard. The shootout ended when the escape helpers were able to use the tunnel to escape themselves at the last minute and enter the safety of West Berlin. Schultz died on the way to the Krankenhaus der Volkspolizei (People's Police Hospital).

Burial.

The East German government gave the highest visibility to Schultz's funeral, which received full military honors in the Friedrich-Engels barracks in East Berlin, and then again in his hometown, Rostock. When the coffin was transferred from East Berlin to Rostock, tens of thousands of workers followed government orders to line the streets and pay their last respects to Schultz, who was then buried in the Neuer Friedhof cemetery in Rostock. On the day of his funeral, the school in Rostock where he had been a teacher was given the honorary name “Egon Schultz Oberschule” (Egon Schultz Secondary School). Eventually, more than a hundred collectives, schools and institutions were named after Egon Schultz.

Aftermath.

Investigations were opened in East Germany and West Berlin against the escape helpers, who admitted to West Berlin investigators that one of them did fire a gun, but there was no proof that Egon Schultz was killed from that particular gunshot. The East German government claimed that Egon Schlutz was tragically murdered by Western agents. The East Berlin prosecutor’s office refused to cooperate with requests from the West Berlin investigation, and instead demanded the extradition of the “murder suspect“ Christian Zobel. East German authorities quickly discovered that Schultz had been accidentally shot by his own comrades, and that the fatal shot came from a Kalishnikov, not from an escape helper. The findings of this investigation, to include disappearance of the autopsy files from the Charité Hospital, would remain highly classified until October 1990, when the 1964 East Berlin files were given to the German federal judiciary. In November 1965, the West Berlin public prosecutor closed the case against the escape helpers, after charging them only a fine, for illegal possession of a weapon.  A memorial plaque was erected on 4 January 1965, on the house at Strelitzer Strasse 55, commemorating Schultz’s death and denouncing the West Berlin agents involved in the "assassination". The section of Strelitzer Strasse in East Berlin was renamed Egon-Schultz-Strasse on 13 August 1966. A popular children's book was written about him, and almost every East German citizen knew his name from school and the media.  The Egon Schultz saga drew great attention not only in East Germany, but also in the West Germany, because the "Stern" editor in chief Henri Nannen had purchased exclusive rights to Tunnel 57 in advance, essentially co-financing the building of tunnel. This was partially responsible for increased tensions between the East and West German governments.  On 1 December 1991, the aforementioned Egon-Schlutz-Strasse reverted to its original name, Strelitzer Strasse. About the same time, the Egon Schultz Oberschule in Rostock was renamed Käthe-Kollwitz-Gymnasium. Throughout the former East Germany, many schools and institutions bearing Egon Schultz’s name reverted to their original names.  By 1992, prosecutions had begun against former border guards, charging them with murder or manslaughter. A case was opened with regard to Egon Schultz for suspicion of negligent homicide, involving investigation of all the people involved in the incident, including the Stasi agents and the border troops. "Neues Deutschland" embarked on a major campaign asking for donations to help cover the costs of legal counsel and court fees for the border soldiers who, from the viewpoint of the fundraising initiators, were being unlawfully prosecuted. Almost 200,000 German marks were donated, managed by the “Gesellschaft für rechtliche und humanitäre Hilfe” (Society for Legal and Humanitarian Aid), an association of former Stasi, border troop and Communist Party members. The investigation concluded that Christian Zobel fired the first shot in order to prevent Reinhard Furrer and himself from being arrested. The bullet was lodged in Egon Schultz’s lung but did not kill him. The fatal shot came from the Kalashnikov of a border soldier who, on instructions from a Stasi officer, fired shots in the dark courtyard, unintentionally hitting Egon Schultz, who then died from internal bleeding. It was accepted by the court that the border soldier who had fired the deadly shot had acted in self-defense. The case was dismissed since he had been ordered to fire.  In response to the investigation against the border guards and Stasi agents, in May 1994, private individuals pressed charges against Reinhard Furrer for supposedly murdering Egon Schultz. Egon Schultz’s mother, who had supported the accusation, was represented by a renowned West Berlin law firm. Additional charges were also filed with the Berlin public prosecutor’s office. When Reinhard Furrer died in an airplane accident in September 1995 and it became known that Christian Zobel had already died, the lawyers representing Egon Schultz’s mother filed charges against the other escape helpers as murder accomplices, which were eventually dropped.  In 2004, a memorial plaque was erected, replacing the one previously mounted (and subsequently disappeared after 1989) on the house at Strelitzer Strasse 55. This was done on the initiative of both, former escape helpers and friends of Egon Schultz, on the 40th anniversary of his death.

Egon Schultz (4 January 1943 – 5 October 1964) was a German sergeant of the East German Border Troops who became the fifty-second known person to die at the Berlin Wall. While responding to the discovery of “Tunnel 57,” Schultz was killed during a shootout with the tunnelers. Schultz subsequently became a national hero in East Germany, with hundreds of memorials and schools named in his honor. His death caused a public sensation in both East Germany and West Germany. Following the reunification of Germany and the report that Schultz was actually killed as a result of friendly fire, many of the memorials to Schultz were removed, although a new memorial plaque was erected at his death site at Strelitzer Strasse 55, Berlin, in 2004.

Egon Schultz (* 4. Januar 1943 in Groß Jestin, Landkreis Kolberg-Körlin; † 5. Oktober 1964 in Ost-Berlin) war ein Unteroffizier der Grenztruppen der DDR. Er wurde bei einem Schusswechsel mit Fluchthelfern versehentlich von einem anderen DDR-Grenzsoldaten erschossen. Von der DDR-Führung wurde wahrheitswidrig verbreitet, dass Schultz von einem Fluchthelfer erschossen wurde. Diese Propagandalüge wurde erst nach der Deutschen Wiedervereinigung aufgedeckt.


History.

The town began as a makeshift harbour that was set up by Commodore of the Cape, Sir Frederick Richards during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. In 1935 the Richards Bay Game Sanctuary was created to protect the ecology around the lagoon and later by 1943 it expanded into the Richards Bay Park. The town was laid out on the shores of the lagoon in 1954 and proclaimed a town in 1969. In 1976 Richards Bay harbour was converted into a deep water harbour with railway and an oil/gas pipeline linking the port to Johannesburg.  The South African Government under Minister of Transport Ben Schoeman decided in 1965 to build a deepsea harbour at Richards Bay, about 180 kilometres north of Durban. Construction work began in 1972 and four years later, on 1 April 1976, the new harbour was opened. The residential area of Richards Bay developed north of the harbour. Meerensee, started in 1970, was the first suburb. It was followed by Arboretum in 1975 and VeldenVlei in 1980.  All three suburbs catered exclusively for whites in accordance with the existing laws of apartheid. A township for blacks was developed at Esikhaweni, fifteen kilometres south of Richards Bay. Residential areas for Indians and coloureds were opened after 1985 west of VeldenVlei. All the suburbs of Richards Bay together (excluding the black township of Esikhaweni) had a population of about 20,000 in 1990.

Economy.

The Port of Richards Bay contains what was once the largest coal export facility in the world, with a planned capacity of 91 million tons per year by the first half of 2009. In 2007 annual throughput was 66.12 million tons. The Australian port of Newcastle, New South Wales, is the largest coal exporting harbour in the world, exporting just over 161 million tonnes of coal in 2016.  Two aluminium smelters, Hillside Aluminum and Bayside Aluminium are operated by South32. A fertiliser plant operated by Foskor has been erected at the harbour. Iron ore, rutile (titanium oxide) and zircon are mined from the sand dunes close to the lagoon by Richards Bay Minerals, part of the Rio Tinto group. Local exports include coal, aluminium, titanium and other heavy minerals, granite, ferrochrome, paper pulp, wood chips and phosphoric acid. Richards Bay is, alongside Rustenburg, South Africa's fastest-developing city. It is a fast-growing industrial centre that has been able to maintain its ecological diversity.  However, like most of South Africa, the Richards Bay area is plagued by unemployment and poverty. Unemployment has been estimated at forty percent and an undefined number of people live below the poverty line. The local government have not made enough efforts to implement projects aimed at poverty reduction.  The "John Ross Parkway" (P496) which links Richards Bay to Empangeni and the N2 highway is named after "John Ross" (real name, Charles Rawden Maclean), who at the age of 15 walked from Port Natal to Maputo and back to procure medicine and supplies for the early settlers.  Apart from the mining industry, tourism is a major part of the economy, with Richards Bay seen as a gateway to Zululand, and area popular with foreign tourists because of its large game parks and the diverse wildlife on offer.  The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone is one of two Industrial Development Zones within the province of KwaZulu-Natal. It is a fully serviced industrial land comprising heavy, medium and light industries linked to the adjacent Port of Richards Bay.

Government and politics.

Since municipal boundaries were newly demarcated in 2000, the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP), in a coalition with the Democratic Alliance (DA) and other smaller parties, were in power in the uMhlatuze Municipality. However, due to the final floor crossing period, the IFP lost control of the Municipality to the ruling African National Congress (ANC). The mayor of uMhlathuze is now Mr Mduduzi Mhlongo, who so happens to be the Chairperson of the African National Congress in the region. The City of Umhlathuze is part of the King Cetshwayo district, also governed by the ruling ANC.

Demographics.

White people account for 39.98 percent of the population, followed by black Africans at 37.05 percent, Asians or Indians at 19.16 percent and coloureds at 3.8 percent. 74.19 percent of the population is under the age of 34 years, with 2.73 percent over the age of 65. For every 100 females, there are 93 males. The population density has been estimated to be 526-1,192 persons/km squared. There are 12,433 households in Richards Bay, with 66.4 percent of such households being house or brick structure. According to household income, the wealthiest suburb is Meerensee, with an average household income of more than R153,601 per annum. The unemployment rate in Richards Bay alone is 19 percent, compared with 55 percent in surrounding rural areas.  The various racial makeups of the seven different suburbs are still along the Apartheid-era segregation lines, with Meerensee a mostly white area, while suburbs such as Brackenham and Aquadene predominantly Indian/Asian and Ngwelezane home to the black community. However, in recent years there has been a movement towards more integration, with predominantly black people moving into other, traditionally higher-income areas, due to the growing black middle-class in the area.  22 percent of the population have completed school only. A further 8.45 percent have a tertiary education. 16.7 percent have received no schooling at all. However, this data reflects the uMhlathuze municipality as a whole.

Geography and climate.

Richards Bay is characterised by a humid subtropical climate that very closely borders a tropical savanna climate as only two months have an average temperature of below 18 °C There are warm wet summers and mild moist to dry winters, which are frost-free. The town has an average annual rainfall of 1228 millimeters (48.3 in). The average annual temperature is 21.5 °C (71 °F), with daytime maxima peaking from January to March at 29 °C (84 °F), and the minimum is 21 °C (70 °F), dropping to daytime highs from June to August of 23 °C (73 °F) and a minimum of 12 °C (53 °F). Sunrise is at 04h45 and sunset at 19h00 in summer. In winter sunrise is at 06h20 and sunset at 17h00. Richards Bay is a popular kitesurfing destination thanks to consistent winds blowing from the North East.  The Richards Bay area is generally very flat and is situated on a coastal plain. The terrain rises slightly towards the west. The suburbs are all no more than a few metres (Reneging around 140m) (feet 459.3 ft) above sea level. The area is abundant in coastal dune forest, most notably along the coastal dune belt and in the suburb of Meerensee.

Catholic history of Richards Bay.

The parish priest of Kwambonambi celebrated Mass twice a month in a private home and, starting in 1973, in the Meerensee Primary School. There were few Catholics in Richards Bay in the beginning, but their number increased steadily with the development of the town. The parish priest of Empangeni took over the pastoral care of these Catholics after a new road link between Empangeni and Richards Bay had been completed at the end of 1974. He introduced a weekly Mass, which was held in the Methodist Church in Meerensee and later in the Primary School in Arboretum. The Diocese of Eshowe had in the meanwhile bought a church site in Meerensee. The site was offered to the Nardini Sisters who built a convent and a primary school there in 1977/78. Reg Sommerville, an architect from Empangeni, drew up the plans. O'Connell Brothers, an Empangeni company, began the building operations in June 1977. They finished the first phase within one year so that Archabbot Notker Wolf of St. Ottilien (Germany), who was at that time in South Africa on a visit, could bless the chapel and kindergarten on 12 August 1978. The second phase which involved the construction of a convent, was completed in January 1979. Two Nardini Sisters took up residence in the new convent in February 1979. The convent chapel was used by the Catholic community of Richards Bay for Sunday Mass from June 1978 until August 1986 when the new church in Veld-en-Vlei was opened.  The influx of people to Richards Bay in the early eighties brought about a marked increase in the number of Catholics. This in turn made it necessary to think of building a proper church. Duvenhage and Fischer, architects from Richards Bay, were approached to submit designs. During this planning period, all parishioners were invited to make suggestions for the new Catholic centre. For months the sketches and plans were displayed after Sunday Mass so that everyone could contribute ideas. The Diocese of Eshowe eventually accepted the proposal to build a church together with a hall and a caretaker's flat in Veld en Vlei because of the central position of this suburb. The turning of the sod service took place on 12 September 1985. LTA Construction, one of the largest building companies in South Africa was awarded the contract. Work was completed in June 1986. Bishop Mansuet Biyase consecrated the new church on 31 August 1986. The patron saint of the church and the parish is St. Francis of Assisi. Attached to the church is a sacristy, a small kitchen and a caretaker's flat. In 1992, another building was added. It contains a meeting room and several classrooms for catechism children. The St. Francis Parish in Richards Bay had about 600 Catholics in 1992.  All the additional buildings were constructed and paid for by Father Pious Paul from a legacy left to him. He gave to the Richards Bay Parish a memorial for the benefit of all Catholics in Zululand. After Father Pious there were several priests who ran the parish namely Fathers Alousios, Eugene, Hemmie, Peter Blue, Max and the present incumbent Bheki.

Sports Events.

2006/7/8 Richards Bay BG Triathlon World Cup.

Richards Bay hosted the ITU World Cup. ITU Triathlon World Cup was a series of triathlon races organised by the International Triathlon Union (ITU) for elite-level triathletes. There were twelve races held in twelve countries, each held over a distance of 1500 m swim, 40 km cycle, 10 km run (an Olympic-distance triathlon). Alongside a prize purse, points were awarded at each race contributing towards the overall World Cup for which an additional prize purse was awarded. The 2008 World Cup was sponsored by BG Group. The 2008 World Cup series marked the final year of this race and championship format as the ITU shifted its focus to developing the World Championship Series. For more information contact the Zululand Multi Sports Club.

2010 FIFA World Cup.

Due to its regional airport, its close proximity to Durban (3 hour drive) and its status as the gateway to Zululand, Richards Bay was identified as a possible training base for the World Cup. A small stadium aimed at achieving FIFA accreditation was developed. In late 2009, a Ghana delegation visited the town, raising speculation that the Ghana football team could base themselves in the town. In May 2010, it was announced that the Nigeria football team would move their base to Richards Bay for the duration of the World Cup.

2011 South African Surfski Championships.

Zululand Kayak Club, Richards Bay, was nominated by Kwazulu Natal Canoe Union (KNCU) to host the yearly surf ski championship for single and double surf ski formats. This was achieved on the 17th and 18th of September 2011. This race brought in professional and amateur surf ski racers alike from Durban, East London, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and Johannesburg. The race was sponsored by Rio Tinto-Richards Bay Minerals and Midbay Motors.

2015 South African Surf Championships.

In 2015 Richards Bay was selected by the governing body of South African surfing, Surfing South Africa (SSA), to host the South African Surf Championships. South Africa's top provincial surfers gathered to compete at Alkantstrand during the week long event in August. The contest was handled and coordinated by local surf club, uThungulu Surfriders (formerly Zululand Surfriders Association), and was extremely successful. The event was covered on the uThungulu Surfriders website www.zulusurfriders.co.za with heat by heat updates and daily articles, by uThungulu Surfriders correspondent John Cawood (of Alliance Graphics).

Richards Bay () is a city in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is situated on a 30 square kilometre lagoon of the Mhlatuze River, which gives it one of the country's largest harbours. Richards Bay also has the deepest natural harbour in the continent.

Richards Bay (afrikaans: "Richardsbaai") ist eine Stadt in der südafrikanischen Provinz KwaZulu-Natal. Sie gehört zur Gemeinde uMhlathuze im Distrikt King Cetshwayo. 2001 hatte sie 44.852 und 2011 57.387 Einwohner. Die Stadt liegt am Indischen Ozean etwa auf Meereshöhe. Hier befindet sich der Frachthafen "Port Richards Bay".


History.

Their self-titled debut album was released in 2001 on Sony BMG Records, led by the hit single "Guapas", and was certified four-times platinum by the CAPIF. Despite being initially snubbed by many critics and artists, Bandana emerged as Argentina's best-selling act since 2001.  At the time of their disbandment in 2004, the combined sales of Bandana's three studio albums were estimated to be 450,000 copies sold. Their career was marked by several landmarks for Argentine musicians — specially bearing in mind the 1998–2002 Argentine great depression: 280 thousand tickets were sold to see them perform in the Teatro Gran Rex (with a total of 86 concerts in the venue); they performed twice for a total of 90 thousand people in the Vélez Sársfield Stadium; and released "Vivir intentando", a film starring themselves that was seen by over 1 million people.  In 2016, Bandana announced a reunion concert (without Ivonne Guzmán) at the Lola Membrives Theatre in Buenos Aires; due to the high demand for tickets, the group has added five more dates. The concerts sold out within an hour and a half. The band also released a new album, titled "La Vuelta" which contains new versions of some of their biggest hits. On January 16, 2017, the band released their first original song ever since 2003 entitled "Bombón". The following day, da Cunha announced her departure from the band. In March, 2017 the 3 Bandana members, Lourdes, Valeria and Lisa, flew to the US to record the music video for their first single since their comeback, "Bombón" featuring Wisin. The music video was produced and directed by Lourival Rodriguez and co-directed by Ruslan Shakirov. It was shot in a Mansion in Miami Beach, FL.  Following da Cunha's departure, the band continues to release new singles, including "No No No" and "Baila" in 2018, and their latest single, "En la Punta de la Lengua" in February 2019.

Members.

The original group consisted of 5 girls:  All the girls hailed from Buenos Aires, apart from Guzmán, who is a native of Colombia.  Upon the band's comeback tour in 2016, Guzmán decided not to return, being the only member who did not rejoin. Guzmán's role was not replaced.  On January 17, 2017, da Cunha revealed through her Instagram account she had left the band to focus on her solo career. The rest of the members announced subsequently that they would not replace da Cunha and instead, would continue as a 3-girl group.

Casting.

Formed in 2001 on the reality TV show Popstars, 5 girls were selected from 5,000's of contestants who had attended the casting. Their emergence coincided with a period of nationwide economic depression. As such, their success contrasted greatly with the general mood of the country, & one of the judges commented that "this was an opportunity to shine at a very downbeat moment for Argentina". The final line-up was unusual in the sense that the girls didn't conform to traditional ideas of beauty: Ivonne wore braces & Lourdes was known as "la peti" ("shorty") due to her height. Judge Afo Verde noted that ""appearance didn't matter to us, what each girl conveyed was most important"".

Musical history.

Their first self-titled album, "Bandana", was the best-selling album of 2001 in Argentina, turning platinum soon after release and achieving 4 platinum certifications. It spawned a number of hits including "Cómo Puede Ser", "Guapas" & "Maldita Noche". They also completed a successful tour, selling out Buenos Aires' biggest theatre, Teatro Gran Rex, more than 40 times during winter vacations (July).  Later in 2002, they recorded a Spanish version of Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley "(Muero De Amor Por Tí)", for the Disney film Lilo & Stitch. In 2002, they released their second album, "Noche" ("Night"), which wasn't as successful as the first but it was still the best-selling album of 2002 in Argentina. In 2003, they released their third studio album, titled "Vivir Intentando" which was also the soundtrack of their film of the same name released during the same year. They also won Best New Artist—Southeast at the MTV Video Music Awards Latin America. In December 2002, they performed a joint concert with Mambrú in the Vélez Sársfield stadium with over 40,000 tickets sold.  In order to promote themselves internationally, they traveled to the USA, appearing in New York & Miami & also featuring on the cover of Billboard Magazine. This was notable for being the first time that an Argentine group had achieved this feat.  In 2016 they are back in order to do several shows and a tour around the country. They revealed through interviews that reuniting had always been a possibility, but it kept being postponed due to some of the members' pregnancies and other professional commitments. A new album, "La Vuelta" was released to celebrate their reunion, which contains revised versions of some of their biggest hits. The track list is also the set list of their tour.  On January 16, 2017, the group released their first original song since 2003 entitled "Bombón" featuring Puerto Rican rapper Wisin. The following day, da Cunha revealed she had left the band, hence why she did not participate in the recording of this song. This brand new song serves as the main theme of one of Telefé's reality show, "Despedida de Soltero" ("Stag Party").

Cultural Impact.

Following on from a trend established by the Spice Girls in the UK & internationally in the late 1990s, Bandana became a carefully marketed product which was especially popular among young girls. Many licensed products with their brand were available to purchase, and contributed to the heightened interest in the group, occasionally referred to as 'Bandanamania'. Their signature bandanas of varying colours were quickly imitated by the teen population, as were their lyrics & dance routines.  From 2001 to 2003, there was an official "Bandana" store selling lots of merchandisings. The store was located at Avenida Corrientes, right besides Teatro Gran Rex.

Vivir Intentando (Go For It).

In 2003 they released their first movie, Vivir Intentando, filmed on location in Buenos Aires. It premiered in Argentina on 14 June 2003, & met with mixed reviews. One critic claimed it a success ""thanks to the competent technical aspects, precise use of emotion that plays with the audience, but above all, the atmosphere which it creates in the cinema"". Others were less complimentary, commenting ""their acting talents are just passable...the songs shine due to the absence thereof...& the script comes straight from the 'teenager dreams of being a singer' handbook"". In spite of this, the movie grossed over ARS 10,500,000. and had a bigger B.O. than many international blockbusters.

Bandana is an Argentine pop girl group formed in 2001. Following the international trend of teen pop girl groups established by the Spice Girls, the five members of Bandana — Ivonne Guzmán, Lourdes Cecilia Fernández, Valeria Gastaldi, Virginia Da Cunha and María Elizabeth Vera — were selected on the TV show "Popstars" and were a carefully marketed product that became a phenomenon in the country, particularly among young girls.

Bandana ist der Name einer argentinischen Popgruppe, die 2001 aus der dortigen Version des TV-Gesangswettbewerbs "Popstars" hervorgegangen ist. Die Popgruppe hat sich im Jahr 2004 aufgelöst, nachdem sie mehrere mit Platin ausgezeichnete Alben eingespielt und verkauft hat.


Signs and symptoms.

Onset may be rapid (acute) or more gradual (subacute). Signs of cardiac tamponade typically include those of cardiogenic shock including shortness of breath, weakness, lightheadedness, and cough. Other symptoms may relate to the underlying cause.  Other general signs of shock (such as fast heart rate, shortness of breath and decreasing level of consciousness) may also occur. However, some of these signs may not be present in certain cases. A fast heart rate, although expected, may be absent in people with uremia and hypothyroidism.

Causes.

Cardiac tamponade is caused by a large or uncontrolled pericardial effusion, i.e. the buildup of fluid inside the pericardium. This commonly occurs as a result of chest trauma (both blunt and penetrating), but can also be caused by myocardial infarction, myocardial rupture, cancer, uremia, pericarditis, or cardiac surgery, and rarely occurs during retrograde aortic dissection, or while the person is taking anticoagulant therapy. The effusion can occur rapidly (as in the case of trauma or myocardial rupture), or over a more gradual period of time (as in cancer). The fluid involved is often blood, but pus is also found in some circumstances.

Surgery.

One of the most common settings for cardiac tamponade is in the first 24 to 48 hours after heart surgery. After heart surgery, chest tubes are placed to drain blood. These chest tubes, however, are prone to clot formation. When a chest tube becomes occluded or clogged, the blood that should be drained can accumulate around the heart, leading to tamponade.

Pathophysiology.

The outer layer of the heart is made of fibrous tissue which does not easily stretch, so once fluid begins to enter the pericardial space, pressure starts to increase.  If fluid continues to accumulate, each successive diastolic period leads to less blood entering the ventricles. Eventually, increasing pressure on the heart forces the septum to bend in towards the left ventricle, leading to a decrease in stroke volume. This causes the development of obstructive shock, which if left untreated may lead to cardiac arrest (often presenting as pulseless electrical activity).

Diagnosis.

The three classic signs, known as Beck's triad, are low blood pressure, jugular-venous distension, and muffled heart sounds. Other signs may include pulsus paradoxus (a drop of at least 10 mmHg in arterial blood pressure with inspiration), and ST segment changes on the electrocardiogram, which may also show low voltage QRS complexes,

Medical imaging.

Tamponade can often be diagnosed radiographically. Echocardiography, which is the diagnostic test of choice, often demonstrates an enlarged pericardium or collapsed ventricles. A large cardiac tamponade will show as an enlarged globular-shaped heart on chest x-ray. During inspiration, the negative pressure in the thoracic cavity will cause increased pressure into the right ventricle. This increased pressure in the right ventricle will cause the interventricular septum to bulge towards the left ventricle, leading to decreased filling of the left ventricle. At the same time, right ventricle volume is markedly diminished and sometimes it can collapse.

Differential diagnosis.

Initial diagnosis of cardiac tamponade can be challenging, as there is a broad differential diagnosis. The differential includes possible diagnoses based on symptoms, time course, mechanism of injury, patient history. Rapid onset cardiac tamponade may also appear similary to pleural effusions, shock, pulmonary embolism, and tension pneumothorax.  If symptoms appeared more gradually, the differential diagnosis includes acute heart failure.  In a person with trauma presenting with pulseless electrical activity in the absence of hypovolemia and tension pneumothorax, the most likely diagnosis is cardiac tamponade.  In addition to the diagnostic complications afforded by the wide-ranging differential diagnosis for chest pain, diagnosis can be additionally complicated by the fact that people will often be weak or faint at presentation. For instance, a fast rate of breathing and difficulty breathing on exertion that progresses to air hunger at rest can be a key diagnostic symptom, but it may not be possible to obtain such information from people who are unconscious or who have convulsions at presentation.

Treatment.

Pre-hospital care.

Initial treatment given will usually be supportive in nature, for example administration of oxygen, and monitoring. There is little care that can be provided pre-hospital other than general treatment for shock. Some teams have performed an emergency thoracotomy to release clotting in the pericardium caused by a penetrating chest injury.  Prompt diagnosis and treatment is the key to survival with tamponade. Some pre-hospital providers will have facilities to provide pericardiocentesis, which can be life-saving. If the person has already suffered a cardiac arrest, pericardiocentesis alone cannot ensure survival, and so rapid evacuation to a hospital is usually the more appropriate course of action.

Hospital management.

Initial management in hospital is by pericardiocentesis. This involves the insertion of a needle through the skin and into the pericardium and aspirating fluid under ultrasound guidance preferably. This can be done laterally through the intercostal spaces, usually the fifth, or as a subxiphoid approach. A left parasternal approach begins 3 to 5 cm left of the sternum to avoid the left internal mammary artery, in the 5th intercostal space. Often, a cannula is left in place during resuscitation following initial drainage so that the procedure can be performed again if the need arises. If facilities are available, an emergency pericardial window may be performed instead, during which the pericardium is cut open to allow fluid to drain. Following stabilization of the person, surgery is provided to seal the source of the bleed and mend the pericardium.  In people following heart surgery the nurses monitor the amount of chest tube drainage. If the drainage volume drops off, and the blood pressure goes down, this can suggest tamponade due to chest tube clogging. In that case, the person is taken back to the operating room for an emergency reoperation.  If aggressive treatment is offered immediately and no complications arise (shock, AMI or arrhythmia, heart failure, aneurysm, carditis, embolism, or rupture), or they are dealt with quickly and fully contained, then adequate survival is still a distinct possibility.

Epidemiology.

The frequency of tamponade is unclear. One estimate from the United States places it at 2 per 10,000 per year. It is estimated to occur in 2% of those with stab or gunshot wounds to the chest.

Cardiac tamponade, also known as pericardial tamponade, is when fluid in the pericardium (the sac around the heart) builds up, resulting in compression of the heart. Onset may be rapid or gradual. Symptoms typically include those of cardiogenic shock including shortness of breath, weakness, lightheadedness, and cough. Other symptoms may relate to the underlying cause. Common causes of cardiac tamponade include cancer, kidney failure, chest trauma, myocardial infarction, and pericarditis. Other causes include connective tissues diseases, hypothyroidism, aortic rupture, autoimmune disease, and complications of cardiac surgery. In Africa, tuberculosis is a relatively common cause. Diagnosis may be suspected based on low blood pressure, jugular venous distension, or quiet heart sounds (together known as Beck's triad). A pericardial rub may be present in cases due to inflammation. The diagnosis may be further supported by specific electrocardiogram (ECG) changes, chest X-ray, or an ultrasound of the heart. If fluid increases slowly the pericardial sac can expand to contain more than 2 liters; however, if the increase is rapid, as little as 200 mL can result in tamponade. Tamponade is a medical emergency. When it results in symptoms, drainage is necessary. This can be done by pericardiocentesis, surgery to create a pericardial window, or a pericardiectomy. Drainage may also be necessary to rule out infection or cancer. Other treatments may include the use of dobutamine or in those with low blood volume, intravenous fluids. Those with few symptoms and no worrisome features can often be closely followed. The frequency of tamponade is unclear. One estimate from the United States places it at 2 per 10,000 per year.

Unter einer Herzbeuteltamponade oder Perikardtamponade, auch "Herztamponade" genannt, versteht man die Komplikation einer Flüssigkeitsansammlung (siehe Tamponade) im Herzbeutel, eines sogenannten Perikardergusses, oder selten die Komplikation einer Luftansammlung im Herzbeutel, eines sogenannten Pneumoperikards. Bereits geringe Mengen an Flüssigkeit können zu einer Behinderung der Ventrikelfüllung, einem verminderten Schlagvolumen und somit zu einer lebensbedrohlichen Funktionsstörung des Herzens führen. Außerdem wird der Blutfluss in den Koronararterien vermindert und der Herzmuskel nur noch ungenügend mit Sauerstoff versorgt (Hypoxie). Eine Herzinsuffizienz entsteht. Bei der Flüssigkeit kann es sich um Blut (Hämoperikard), seröse Flüssigkeit (Hydroperikard), Eiter (Pyoperikard) oder Chylus (Chyloperikard) handeln. Das Herz wird von außen zusammengedrückt und so in seiner Funktion behindert. Vor allem die diastolische Füllung des Herzens ist dabei beeinträchtigt.