Friday, April 28, 2006

der Rote Baron


Who killed the WW I ace pilot with the best name of all time?

Rittmeister Baron Frhr. Manfred von Richthofen (1892-1918)

The Red Baron was one of those heroes whose life seems almost scripted. Discipline, pride, hunting skills, and Teutonic patriotism all combined in this man, bringing him to the pinnacle of fame which long outlasted the man himself. "Curse you, Red Baron," cried Snoopy, the Mitty-esque canine ace of Charles Schultz' Peanuts comic strip. But Richthofen was no caricature, methodically claiming 80 aerial victories, before falling himself, in a Wagnerian finale...