Good morning, Whitewater
The Municipal Building is closed today, for Presidents’ Day. It’s closed for some, but not all, federal holidays. The building was open, and ready for business — such as that is — through the evening of January 19th. Some federal holidays are a day of rest for municipal employees public servants, and some aren’t.
No matter — there will be much more later this week, including a Police and Fire Commission meeting, and a Common Council meeting.
Over at Washington School today, there will be a celebration of Washington’s Birthday, and at the High School, it’s National History Day.
The Wisconsin Historical Society reports on a sad anniversary today, from 1943: “Mildred Harnack Guillotined in Berlin” —
On this date Mildred Harnack was guillotined in Berlin, Germany. Harnack was born in Milwaukee and studied and lectured at the University of Wisconsin. She and her husband, Arvid Harnack, were key members of a German resistance group which assisted German Jews and political dissidents, circulated illegal literature, met secretly with prisoners of war, and worked to document Nazi atrocities in Europe. Known by the Nazis as the “Red Orchestra,” Harnack’s companions were arrested, tortured, and tried for their activities. Mildred Harnack was guillotined in Berlin on the personal orders of Adolf Hitler.
Many fine presidents these last two centuries, but not one a finer citizen, or more worthy of respect for personal sacrifice, than Harnack.