February 22

Fritz Schmenkel served in the German army before witnessing the atrocities of Nazi forces on the Eastern Front. In 1942, he deserted and joined a Soviet partisan unit in Belarus, where he conducted sabotage operations and assisted local villagers. Captured in 1944, Schmenkel was executed but left a legacy of cross-cultural solidarity and moral defiance. His story resurfaced during the Cold War as propaganda but also inspired reflections on individual agency in wartime. Schmenkel remains a complex figure, honored for his unusual stand against his former comrades.

Born into the prominent Rockefeller family in 1912, Winthrop served as a U.S. Army colonel during World War II. After the war, he moved to Arkansas and became active in business and philanthropy. In 1966, he was elected governor as the first Republican since Reconstruction. His administration prioritized civil rights, education reform, and economic development. He championed racial integration and government modernization despite political resistance. After leaving office in 1971, he continued his philanthropic work until his death in 1973.

Born in 1906 in Kuçi, then part of the Ottoman Empire, Markos Vafiadis became a founding member of the Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS) during World War II. As its chief political and military leader, he organized resistance against Axis occupation and worked closely with Allied forces. After the war, Vafiadis served as head of the provisional government in liberated areas and held significant influence within the Greek Communist Party. During the Greek Civil War, he commanded ELAS forces, navigating complex alliances and facing internal party challenges. Following the defeat of the communists, Vafiadis went into exile in Eastern Europe, criticizing the party leadership for strategic mistakes. He continued writing and reflecting on the war's political lessons until his death on February 22, 1992. Vafiadis is remembered as a key figure in modern Greek history, embodying the complexities of resistance and ideology.

Jonas Savimbi was born in 1934 in Moxico Province, Angola, and studied in Portugal and Switzerland. In 1966, he founded the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) to resist Portuguese colonial rule. After Angola’s independence in 1975, Savimbi led UNITA in a protracted civil war against the MPLA government, securing support from foreign powers during the Cold War. He was known for his tactical prowess and charismatic leadership but faced criticism for human rights abuses within UNITA. Savimbi remained in command of UNITA’s forces until he was killed in combat in 2002. His death marked a turning point toward peace after decades of conflict.

George Patrick John Rushworth Jellicoe, 2nd Earl Jellicoe (1918–2007) was a British politician and decorated soldier. He fought in the Special Boat Service during World War II, earning the Military Cross for bravery in Italy. As a Conservative, he served as Leader of the House of Lords from 1970 to 1973 and held posts such as Lord Privy Seal. He chaired the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust and contributed to educational charity work. His dual legacy as a wartime hero and parliamentary leader made him a respected figure in British public life.