Melvin Jonah Lasky was born on Jan. 15, 1920 in the central Bronx at Crotona Park, New York to Jewish immigrants. With origins in an anti-Communist Russian-Jewish community he fought against communism on an intellectual level. He was a literary editor of the anti-Stalinist magazine, the New Leader, at age 22 and was also editor of Berlin Der Monat (The Month launched in Berlin in 1948), which was one of a cluster of magazines promoting a liberal, anti-Communist, pro-American line.
The devoutly anti-communist magazine Encounter, which was launched in London in 1953, flourished under his editorship, attracting leading thinkers and writers, but it’s prestige plummeted after 1967 when it was revealed that the magazine received financial support from the CIA.
His books include a widely translated volume on the Hungarian revolution, Reisesnotizen und Tagebucher, Africa For Beginners, Utopia And Revolution, The Use And Abuse Of Sovietology, his autobiography On The Barricades And Off, and Voices in a Revolution.
He died aged 84 on May 19, 2004 in Berlin, Germany and is buried in the Friedhof Heerstrasse in Berlin-Charlottenburg, Germany.
The town of Luss is situated on Loch Lomond in Scotland. There is evidence that a Church has been here since the year 510 AD; however, the current building was constructed in 1875.
The graveyard is located close to the edge of the loch, and is full of interesting and very old moss covered gravestones including 15 listed ancient monuments.
In some instances the sculptor was mindful of space and used what nowadays we would refer to as ‘justified text’.
Here lies the corpse of John Gay carpenter in Luss who died Feb 21 1761 aged 64 and also Cathrine Balfour his spouse who died Nov 16 1741 aged 38. This burial place appointed for Robert Gay son to John Gay and Agnes Macfarlan his spouse and his heirs.
The legends on the headstones are engraved using Olde English words and images of Memento Mori are visible on many of the stones.
Eternity is represented by the circle and the crossbones symbolize death. The Greek style columns with a flat top denote a life cut short.
The following transcriptions are related to the image below showing a cross in the forefront and a gravestone in the background.
His wife Caroline Anna Wyllie died 18th Jan 1914 Sacred to the loved memory of Andrew Wyllie for 12 years factor, on the luss estates died 1st February 1880 aged 46. No more death, neither sorrow. Rev 21,4
Sacred to the loved memory of Andrew Wyllie, for 12 years Factor of the Luss Estates. Died 1st February 1880, aged 46. “No more death, neither sorrow.” Rev 21:4
Interred here the remains of John Macauslan late tenant in Wester Bannachra who died 3 January 1795 aged 69 years. Also John Macausland late farmer illegible Roseneath who died 11th Oct 1843 Aged 73 years.
In memory of James 11th Baronet of Colquhoun and Luss, born February 7th 1804, John Boyd born April 23rd 1829, James Spottiswood born March 1st 1832, Angus Macdonald born June 15th 1839, Thomas Anderson born June 25th 1856 who were all drowned together in Loch Lomond on December 18th 1873. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee. Isaiah XIII
Historic Note: On 18 December 1873, with three of his gamekeepers and a stable boy, Sir James sailed to the island of Inch Lonaig to hunt red deer with the intent of providing Christmas fare for his tenants and friends. On his return a sudden storm swamped the heavily loaded boat and all on board perished. They drowned in Loch Lomond within earshot of Rossdhu, the home of the Chiefs of Clan Colquhoun. Sadly, the cries for help were believed to be joyous boating cheers.
This unusual gravestone memorializes a Doctor of Medicine and more specifically a surgeon. The acronym F.R.C.S. denotes that the deceased earned a professional qualification to practise as a senior surgeon in Ireland or the United Kingdom. An additional acronym, F.R.C.S. c, identifies the Fellowship of the Royal Colleges of Surgeons of Canada.
The symbolic engraving is related to astrology and is known as a natal chart. The chart is 360°, the 12 zodiac signs are 30° each and the relationships (aspects) shared between the planets in the chart is determined by the distance of the signs they are in.
If you are interested in astrology you may wish to click on the link below which, although identified as a chart for beginners, was beyond my comprehension and interest.
The cemetery of Khalid Nabi in north east Iran is a national heritage site protected by the Iranian government. It contains over 600 standing stones from the 17-19th centuries with forms that resemble human genitalia.
Type 1 is a cylindrical column type with a cap-like top which is considered a representation of a male phallic symbol. David Stronach, a Scottish archeologist of ancient Iran and Iraq, disputes this popular notion and interprets the stones to be depictions of men with helmets and in some cases with clearly visible turbans.
Type 2 stones with rectangular sections and two opposed high-set lobes supposedly represent the female reproductive organs. Stronach interprets these as human shapes with arms in akimbo position as visible in two elaborately carved stones on the site which clearly show the human shape.
In the 19th century, separation of Dutch society into groups by religion and associated political beliefs (known as pillars) meant that many people had little or no personal contact with people from another pillar. Within the graveyard of Roermond in the Netherlands is a dividing wall separating Protestant and Catholic burials.
Married for 40 years Colonel J.W.C. van Gorkum was a Protestant, and noblewoman J.C.P.H. van Aefferden was a Roman Catholic. When the Colonel died in 1880 his wife knew that society would not allow her to be buried next to him. The solution was ingenious. Van Aefferden made arrangements for the Colonel to be buried near the wall, and she would be buried in the same location on the other side of the wall.
Two hands clasping across the divide symbolizes their love and union, and no doubt a visual rebuff against Dutch society at the time.
COL Jacobus Warnerus Constantinus van Gorkum (10 Jan 1809–29 Aug 1880)
Josephina Carlina Petronela Hubertina van Aefferden (28 Jun 1820–29 Nov 1888)
These two stones are located in the Pantdu Cemetery, Cwmafan, Near Port Talbot, Wales.
The gravestone below shows a female hand (lace cuff) holding a single rose. The rose represents love and purity and the brevity of life on earth. Life, like a blooming flower, is never meant to be permanent. The deceased apparently suffered from a long illness before passing on.
In Loving Memory Of / Catherine / Wife Of John Webb / Who Died April 8 1894 / Aged 56 Years
Affliction Sore Long Time I Bore / Physicians Were In Vain; / Till God Was Pleased To Give Me Ease / And Free Me From My Pain.
Also The Above Named / John Webb / Who Died May 26 1915 / Aged 76 Years
The following headstone is engraved with three roses, one for each of the deceased. The stone is unusual in that the engraver added punctuation to the legend – not commonly applied.
In Loving Memory Of / Frederick, / The Beloved Son Of / John And Mary Jane Gamlin / Pontypridd, / Who Died June 18 – 1893, / Aged 9 Months.
Short Was Our Little Darlings Stay, / He Came Just As A Guest, / Just Tasted Life And Fled Away, / To His Eternal Rest.
Also The Above Named / John Gamlin, / Who Died July 7 – 1950, / Aged 80 Years. / Also His Beloved Wife / Mary Jane Gamlin, / Who Died May 21, 1954, / Aged 81 Years.
The hourglass and the sundial are symbols of time, and as such are often found within the cemetery. However, the perfect allegory for life and death is the clock identifying the passage of time. The clock face is a rare image and appears to have been most common in the late 1700s.
Here lies interred the body of / Mrs. Abigail Williams / the Relict of the / Rev M. John Williams of / this place. She died June y / 21st 1754 in the 82d / year of her age
Here lies the body of / Mrs. Abigail Paine / Relict widow of / Mr. Samuel Paine. / She died Jan y 13th / 1752 in the 80th / year of her age.
The design of these two gravestones is identical. Note the Memento Mori of crossbones and a pick and shovel. The numbers on the clock face are Roman Numerals. The hands are most often set in a vertical line pointing to 12 and 6. The meaning for this is unknown although a possible explanation is that it represents a dividing line between the earthly life and the heavenly life.
*Relict is an old English term for widow
* Y is an abbreviation of ‘the’
A more recent gravestone still indicates to 12 and 6 o’clock but the numbers are not Roman Numerals, and in the image below according to the engraving, it would appear to have been an actual working clock. My Father’s Clock Placed Here At My Request.
Another modern clock uses Roman Numerals yet it is set to a specific time, perhaps the time of death? You Shared My Dreams For The Future / You Shared My Past / You Were My First Love / And You Are My Last / We Met, Loved And Will Again / Whither Thou Goest I Will Go.
