This Week in History: From a Gestapo trial to the EgyptAir 804 mystery
From the shadows of World War II to the dawn of the digital surveillance age, this week’s archive spans decades of history-defining moments. The world watches as over a million protesters march in Peking, India reels from the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, and Israel executes a chaotic withdrawal from southern Lebanon. With stories ranging from Queen Elizabeth II’s historic peacemaking visit to Ireland to early warnings about Google’s “Big Brother” data collection, explore the diverse headlines that captivated readers in this week’s gallery.
23 May 1987 – Resistance heroines testify at Klaus Barbie trial
French Resistance heroines deliver harrowing testimony at the trial of former Gestapo chief Klaus Barbie, with 86-year-old Lise Lesevre detailing the 19 days of brutal torture she endured in 1944. Following this historic trial for crimes against humanity, the infamous “Butcher of Lyon” was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, ultimately dying behind bars four years later.
18 May 1989 – Over a million march in Peking as protests sweep across China
The pro-democracy movement in China escalates dramatically as over a million people surge through the capital in support of hunger-striking students, joined by hundreds of thousands more in provincial cities across the nation. The unprecedented scale of the uprising completely overshadows Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev’s historic summit, though he tactfully expresses sympathy for the grassroots reform movement.
22 May 1991 – Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassinated
Former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the front-runner in the country’s ongoing elections, is killed at a campaign rally near Madras by a devastating bomb blast, leaving him identifiable only by his white canvas shoes. The assassination was carried out by a female suicide bomber from the Sri Lankan separatist group LTTE, who detonated a hidden explosive belt as she bowed to touch his feet under the guise of presenting flowers.
24 May 2000 – Israel ends 22-year occupation of southern Lebanon
Israel’s 22-year military occupation of southern Lebanon concludes in a chaotic and humiliating withdrawal as Hezbollah forces rapidly advance, seizing abandoned armour and liberating the notorious Khiam prison. The desperate overnight evacuation culminated with Israeli troops opening fire on their own allies, as fleeing South Lebanon Army militia fighters attempted to seek sanctuary across the frontier.
18 May 2003 – Suicide bombings in Casablanca leave 41 dead
A series of synchronised suicide bombings targeting Western and Jewish sites in Casablanca, Morocco, leaves 41 people dead and prompts the arrest of 30 suspected Islamists. Coming just four days after similar deadly attacks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the devastating blasts signal a resurgent global threat from a regrouping al-Qaeda network.
24 May 2007 – Google triggers ‘Big Brother’ privacy fears
The Independent warns of an impending “internet Big Brother” as Google reveals ambitious plans to compile the most comprehensive database of personal information ever assembled. This unprecedented drive to organise global data raises immediate questions about digital surveillance, foreshadowing the intense debates over tracking and personal privacy that continue today.
18 May 2011 – Queen Elizabeth II makes historic state visit to Ireland
Queen Elizabeth II touches down in Dublin for a four-day tour, marking the first visit to the Republic of Ireland by a reigning British monarch since King George V a century earlier in 1911. The highly anticipated trip serves as a powerful symbol of reconciliation following the Irish peace process, with both governments hoping it will herald a new, modern era in Anglo-Irish relations.
20 May 2016 – EgyptAir Flight 804 crashes into the Mediterranean
EgyptAir Flight 804, carrying 66 people from Paris to Cairo, vanishes over the Mediterranean Sea. The crash initially sparks widespread fears of another major terrorist attack. However, extensive investigations would later rule out terrorism, concluding instead that a devastating cockpit fire – likely caused by a pilot’s cigarette igniting a leaking oxygen mask – brought down the aircraft.
