USC Shoah Foundation mourns the passing of our friend Vera Gissing Vera will be remembered for her extraordinary life which included escaping Prague in 1939 on one of the last Kindertransport trains to make it out of Czechoslovakia before the outbreak of World War II Her father owned a wine and spirits business in Celakovice Vera was a student at the local Gymnasium (high school) and was very proud to be a Czech citizen Celakovice was occupied by the German armed forces the family was forced to house a newly appointed town commandant who subjected the family to brutal treatment Irma had registered Vera and Eva for the Kindertransport the organized movement of refugee children The sisters escaped to Great Britain in June 1939 Vera was placed in a foster family in Liverpool Vera managed to get in touch with Edvard Benes who had been the President of Czechoslovakia from 1935-1938 Vera started attending a school for Czech refugee children in England Vera was in Wales when the war ended in 1945 She later learned that her mother and father were killed in concentration camps Vera and Michael had three children and four grandchildren translator and editor for various British publishers and wrote children’s books and an autobiography Vera’s story has been serialized on Czech radio and has become the subject of several television documentaries She is known for her work on The Power of Good: Nicholas Winton (2002) and Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport (2000) The Power of Good won the 2002 International Emmy for Best TV Documentary The Czechoslovakian Kindertransport that saved the lives of 669 Jewish children Winton’s heroic actions were not known publicly until 1988 when his wife Grete found his scrapbook with documents and names of rescued children from the war in their attic It was at that time that Vera first learned of Winton’s role in saving her life The pair were subsequently introduced on a popular UK television show at what was the beginning of a long friendship Vera shared her story with USC Shoah Foundation in 1996. Her testimony is now in the Visual History Archive and is featured in the IWitness Activity “From the Mother Who Will Never Forget You” – Understanding the Kindertransport. Here she reflects on her parents’ decision to send she and her sister on the Kindertransport. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chDUTGxLNFY In September 2013, Winton recorded his testimony for the Visual History Archive in the U.K. In this clip he described his motivation to arrange the Kindertransport rescues Sign Up Today! Be the first to learn about new articles and personal stories like the one you've just read Digital Accessibility | Accessibility Guidelines This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page While artistic impressions of Neanderthals often show the face protruding forward with a broad nose modern technology has revealed a “softer side” to the now-extinct species.  Researchers reconstructed the face of a man who lived 56,000 years ago using skeletal remains found 115 years ago in France revealing an old man with a long beard.  A Brazilian graphics expert who co-authored the study used computed tomography (CT) scans of the ancient skull and compared them to human craniums in a database with similar measurements to fill in the blanks The fossil suggests the Neanderthal was suffering from severe periodontal disease which experts believe “could be one of the first documented cases of zoonotic infectious disease spillover.” When asked if the Neanderthal man was “handsome,” co-author Cícero Moraes this (Neanderthal) is the second approximation that the people ‘fall in love’ with the first one being the ‘vampire’ of Celakovice.” Neanderthals were a species that lived alongside humans tens of thousands of years ago and were very similar in appearance and size but were generally stockier and more muscular This early relative of humans existed for around 100,000 years – much of that time alongside people and breeding with them – before going extinct around 40,00 years ago The skull, found in La Chappelle-aux-Saints in 1908, features a nearly complete mandible and cranium. Experts argue it displayed “many ‘classic’ Neanderthal traits continuous brow ridge; a broad nasal aperture; a long and egg-shaped foramen magnum; a relatively flat cranial base (vs modern humans); small mastoid processes; a long and low cranium; and large orbits.”  “The fossil is often referred to as an ‘old man’ because he was suffering from severe periodontal disease and joint degeneration or arthritis The ability of this individual to survive such severe ailments indicates that he probably had help from others.” This skull helped a team of international researchers turn back time to see what the Neanderthal man may have looked like before death one more objective with just the bust in sepia tone without hair and another more speculative [and] colorful with a beard and hair,” said Morales.  “This image shows how Neanderthals were similar to us with more obvious peculiarities such as the absence of a chin it is impossible not to look at the image and try to imagine what that individual’s life was like thousands of years ago.” The old man’s reconstruction vastly differs from another Neanderthal portrait shared in 2021 of a man called Krijm He lived and died up to 70,000 years ago and had a curious facial disfigurement Krijn was a young man with a “fairly sturdy build” at the time of death He had a conspicuous lump over his right eyebrow – the result of a small tumor.  This particular tumor has never before been seen among Neanderthal remains and would likely have caused Krijn pain But despite what would have been a painful growth from the tumor Krijn was reconstructed with a cheery smile an ancient land bridge connecting Britain with the rest of Europe more than 50,000 years ago have fascinated scientists and historians alike Living approximately 400,000 to 40,000 years ago they were our closest extinct human relatives Recent research has shed light on their unique characteristics with stronger builds compared to modern humans They stood about 5 feet 4 inches tall on average with a stocky build adapted to cold climates Their large noses were likely an evolutionary response to humidify and warm cold The skull of a Neanderthal was larger than that of modern humans this did not necessarily translate to greater intelligence but possibly to different cognitive functions or adaptations to harsh environments Neanderthals were skilled hunters and toolmakers which were primarily used for hunting large animals Their hunting prowess is evident from remains of animals like mammoths and woolly rhinoceros found near their habitation sites Recent discoveries suggest that Neanderthals engaged in symbolic activities indicate a capacity for abstract thought and creativity This challenges earlier beliefs that they were incapable of symbolic expression Analysis of their living sites suggests a social structure where members worked cooperatively sharing food and caring for the injured and older members Evidence of intentional burial suggests that Neanderthals had some concept of an afterlife or at least a respect for their dead This practice highlights their emotional depth and cognitive complexity Genetic studies have revealed that Neanderthals interbred with anatomically modern humans. Today, about 2% of the DNA in non-African populations can be traced back to Neanderthals influencing traits ranging from immune response to hair texture The exact nature of the interaction between Neanderthals and modern humans is still debated Some evidence points towards peaceful coexistence and interbreeding while other findings suggest competition and conflict The extinction of Neanderthals remains a topic of intense debate and a lower reproductive rate have been proposed as contributing factors Their disappearance marks a significant event in human evolutionary history Neanderthals were complex beings with distinct physical characteristics Their interaction with modern humans and their eventual extinction continue to provide valuable insights into human evolution and our understanding of ancient civilizations our perception of these ancient relatives keeps evolving Scientists are painting a more detailed and fascinating picture of their place in our shared history The reconstructed image of the Neanderthal is published on the website  eFossils Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com Vera Gissing (née Diamant) was born on July 4 owned a wine and spirits business inCelakovice Vera attended a local Gymnasium and was very proud to be a Czech citizen the family was forced to billet a newly-appointed town commandant who subjected the family to brutal treatment Irma put Vera and Eva’s names down on the list for Kindertransport— the organized movement of refugee children the sisters were separated: Vera was placed in a foster family in Liverpool President of Czechoslovakia during 1935-1938 who after forced resignation had fled the country and established a Czechoslovak national committee in England Vera started attending a school for Czech refugee children in Whitchurch the school moved to better quarters in Llanwrtyd Wells having survived the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany Vera went back to Prague to study and became a literary translator All My Loved Ones (1999) and Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport (2000) Vera had three children and three grandchildren United Kingdom; interviewer: Bernice Krantz; videographer: Jonathan Harrison A 900-YEAR-OLD 'vampire' has been brought back to life thanks to 3D technology – just in time for Halloween. The spooky creature was discovered in 1966 along with 13 other bodies in Čelákovice, Czech Republic in a non-traditional graveyard. Creepily, some of the bodies had their hands tied behind their backs and were lying in unnatural positions on their side while others were on their front and their mouths were clogged with sand. Even a wooden stake was found in one of the graves lodged between the right forearm and the torso of a skeleton. At the time, the barbaric rituals shown in the burials led archaeologist to believe the skeletons, which date back to the middle ages, were actually the bones of vampires. One of the skulls had been facially reconstruction by scientist Cicero Moraes to mark the 50th anniversary of the excavation. The 3D graphics designer based in Sinop, Brazil said: “This was a really interesting project to work on as the skull was in a good preserved state so building the features was relatively straight forward. “As the face begun to emerge, I saw it was a 35-year-old man who had strong characteristics and was reasonably well-built at the time of his death.” More than 100 photographs were taken of the cranium using photogrammetry, which turns 2D images into 3D spatially accurate photographs. Cicero took around 24 hours to reconstruct the face using digital sculpting and algorithms to apply muscle and tissue depth markers and to build the features adding skin tone to complete the face. Cicero added: "I was relieved to get the job done before Halloween, so I avoided any chance of my imagination running wild and perhaps encountering something sinister on that night." Forensic anthropological analysis by Dr. Marcos Paulo Salles Machado, a forensic dentist based in Rio de Janeiro, confirmed the skull was that of a 35-years-old Caucasian man. Anthropologists said the man's reconstructed features were typical of the Slavic population during the middle ages. Radiocarbon dating is set to confirm the hypothesis that the buried people lived during the 14th century. The skeleton was discovered in 1966 by workers who were digging in the area to fit water pipes to a house. was called in to investigate and discovered 11 'unusual graves' containing 14 human remains Mr Špaček reported that the site was not an ordinary Christian graveyard and the men He concluded from the positioning of the bodies and the barbaric rituals performed on the remains He disagreed with more recent findings that there was no documented evidence of executions being held during this period he said: “All the skeletons buried in separate graves showed the tell-tale signs of anti-vampire rituals others had a nail driven through their temple others were tied down or variously debilitated with their heads cut off and faced downward so that they could not find their way back to the world of the living.” Researchers at the Městské museum in Čelákovice in the Czech Republic which were originally dated to the medieval 10th to 12th centuries heretics and suicide victims who lived between the 14th to 16th centuries said: “We do not believe these people were vampires but we do agree they died a violent death were barred from a religious funeral and were not allowed to be buried in the cemetery in the grounds around the local church the heads were not decapitated but had been separated over a long period by soil movement after the internment “The arms were placed underneath the pelvic bones and this location suggests they were tied at the wrist.” the Czech necropolis was the most famous vampire resting place in Central Europe and the theory has gone unchallenged for more than 40 years An exhibition starting this November will mark the 50th anniversary of the excavation in an attempt to debunk the theory of bloodsucking vampires swarming the city The exhibition 'Were there Vampires in Čelákovice?' open from November 11 until February 2017 showcases the virtual face and photographic evidence of the remains found in the so called 'vampire' graves Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ 2012Best-dressed reader Annette Kruber keeps things simple in flowing blouse and tailored skirt **WHAT SHE’S WEARING: **"I’m wearing a soft-pink blouse A DRESS TO IMPRESS: "I really like more a more elegant and tend to always choose dresses or skirts over pants or shorts!" Want to be our Best-Dressed Reader of the Day? Click here to submit your photos.** This morning, 48 locations across Czechia were under flood alert with four areas along the Elbe River at the highest risk. According to the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) 10 areas reported a reduced flood alert by 5 a.m The warning issued by meteorologists pertains to potential stream flooding around the Elbe and Morava rivers and the lower sections of the Vltava and Ohře rivers and Kostelec nad Labem in the Mělník (Central Bohemia) area woke to the Elbe River at level-three flood danger (the highest) the Vltava River in Český Krumlov (South Bohemia) fluctuated between dangerous levels around midnight before being downgraded to a lower-level alert three hours later Velká voda v ÄŒelákovicích. #povoden #celakovice #velkavoda pic.twitter.com/T6mRoVQzEn other areas like Trmice on the Bílina River in the Ústí nad Labem region and Nové Sady in Olomouc reported flood alerts in the early hours The ČHMÚ has set a low-level flood alert for Prague as of Thursday morning and Poděbrady areas (all Central Bohemia) have an extreme-danger level alert The entirety of southwest and northeast Czechia is without risk water levels in rivers nationwide are expected to fall with the exclusion of areas around the Ústí nad Labem region "The peak of the river level in Ústí nad Labem should come late tonight and from tomorrow [water levels in the] Elbe River should gradually fall too,” said a Czech Television meteorologist The rise in river levels commenced prior to Christmas Eve due to substantial rainfall and subsequent snowmelt from significant temperature jumps Prague activated preventive measures due to the rising water levels The city's flood authority implemented closed floodplains and activated barriers along the Vltava leading some residents to evacuate homes preemptively firefighters’ technical interventions surged multiple-fold surpassing regular intervention rates on Tuesday Your morning coffee deserves a great companion. Why not enjoy it with our daily newsletter? News from Czechia, curated insights, and inspiring stories in English. Pavel Tykac is a Czech businessman and entrepreneur who has a net worth of $1.1 billion In 2014 Tykac was the 4th richest person in Czechoslovakia Tykac has been a controversial figure and made much of his money during the privatization of the Czech national economy in the 1990s Pavel graduated from the Czech Technical University in Prague and became an engineer His coal mine gained a long term contract with Czech electricity producer CEZ Tykac started off as a computer distributor and invested in banking He co-founded Motoinvest which utilized hostile takeovers during the Czech Republic's privatization program The company bought and sold banking stakes and had many transactions investigated © 2025 Celebrity Net Worth / All Rights Reserved