April 09

Johann Georg Elser was a skilled carpenter who planned and executed a failed assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler during a rally at the Bürgerbräukeller in Munich in 1939. Motivated by his belief that Hitler would lead Germany to catastrophe, he built a time bomb inside a pillar of the venue. When the bomb detonated, Hitler had left early, saving his life but killing several bystanders. Elser was arrested two days later while trying to flee to Switzerland and was held in Gestapo custody for nearly six years. He was executed at Dachau concentration camp on April 9, 1945, just weeks before the end of World War II. Elser's courage and solitary act of resistance have since become emblematic of individual opposition to tyranny.

Zakariya Rashid Hassan al-Ashiri was a prominent Bahraini journalist and blogger who covered political unrest and human rights issues in Bahrain. He worked for the independent newspaper al-Wasat and maintained a popular blog where he documented protester activities and government crackdowns. In April 2011, al-Ashiri was arrested without charge, and his subsequent death in custody sparked international condemnation and calls for justice. His courage in the face of repression made him a symbol of press freedom struggles during the Arab Spring. Zakariya's legacy continues to inspire journalists advocating for transparency and accountability.

Born in 1932 in Fort Worth, Texas, Duane Clarridge joined the Central Intelligence Agency in the 1950s and rose to head its Latin American division. He oversaw clandestine operations across Latin America and the Caribbean, playing a central role in U.S. policy during the Cold War. In the 1980s, Clarridge managed Operation Cyclone, which funded Afghan mujahideen fighters against Soviet forces. He was later implicated in the Iran-Contra scandal and indicted on charges of conspiracy, though he was ultimately pardoned. After retiring from active service, Clarridge wrote memoirs and lectured on intelligence matters. He remained a controversial and influential figure in espionage until his death in 2016 at age 83.

Born in 1921 into the Greek and Danish royal families, Prince Philip was educated in the United Kingdom and served with distinction in the Royal Navy during World War II. He married then-Princess Elizabeth in 1947, becoming the Duke of Edinburgh and the longest-serving consort in British history. Prince Philip founded the Duke of Edinburgh's Award in 1956, a youth development program that has reached millions worldwide. A patron of over 800 organizations, he championed conservation, science, and technology initiatives. Known for his forthright manner and dedication to public service, he supported the Queen through decades of constitutional and social change. Prince Philip retired from public duties in 2017 and passed away in 2021 at age 99.