Fountain Pens, WWII and NCIS LA

You may wonder what do fountain pens, WWII and NCIS LA have in common.   Perhaps the only connection is that I am watching or watched two of the names in the title, at the same time seriously thinking about the past, the present and the future as Russia enters the Ukraine.

Sophie Scholl, teen years

Yesterday I started watching Sophie Scholl, The Final Days by way of Netflix.   Sophie, her brother Hans, and their friends were hung 70 years ago, most on February 22, 1943.  I was not yet born.  The young people, Sophie was 21 years old, were found guilty of propaganda after being caught distributing flyers at the University (Munich) that were believed to be anti-government.

Sophie Scholl as an artist

In the film, which is riveting, nearly everyone uses a fountain pen.  They always appear to be black, not very large, and to my eyes unrecognizable.   The attention to detail is exquisite.  Interestingly, all the pens have "nib creep," and appear to be using either black or a blue black ink.

Linda Hunt as Hetty Lange, NCIS LA

Then, NCIS LA.  If you've watched this spin off of NCIS, you may know Hetty [Henrietta Lange], the Los Angeles chief.  She is a unique character, probably as much as Linda Hurt is a unique and terrific actress.  She knows nearly everything there is to know about almost everything you can imagine or dream about but....she didn't use a fountain pen.  A woman of refinement, she selects her tea scrupulously, and has a sense of style and order.

Pilot Falcon (often has nib creep) ©

I find this a serious flaw for the Props Department.  So much so that I thought, for an instant, to send them a note about it.

Sophie Scholl's life story also resonates today.  She is now considered a heroine in Germany, has several stamps with her image (and one with both she and her brother), has a bust  prominently displayed and I believe several streets (strasse) named after her, or at least with the Scholl name.

What will we remember about our immediate historical events?   And most importantly will we ever look back and say, "that was a disaster, let's not repeat it."  And then, "not repeat it."