October 11, 1956
STALINGRAD: Berlin, 10 – According to reports from Moscow, the Soviet government has decided to restore the names of all Russian towns that had been renamed in honor of Stalin, including Stalingrad, Stalino and Stalinsk, and about another 20 villages and towns. The renaming would have already taken place if it were not for Stalingrad, which had acquired legendary significance in modern Russian history and for which it was difficult to find a name worthy of its role in history… Similar problems were encountered in other Iron Curtain countries. (Ed. note: Stalingrad was eventually renamed Volgograd. Only in Paris is the name still used, in the square and metro station of that name.) MAUD ALLAN: New York, 10 – Maud Allan, whose «Salome’s Dance» offended the sensibilities of British audiences in 1908, has died in Los Angeles at the age of 76. She had been ill for the past few years and quite alone. Allan was a pioneer of sensual dance, wearing transparent costumes, but mediocre compared to dancers of today. However, between 1903 and 1907 she was very successful in London. She was also famous for her dance interpretation of Rubinstein’s «Valse Caprice» and Mendelssohn’s «Spring Song.»
