Today's interesting fact has to do with the German 30 years war

This war ended in 1648 and was fought by soldiers from all over Europe.

It is estimated that up to 30% of the German population was wiped out during the war, many in atrocities that echo what happened 300 years later.

The end result was the division of Germany into many states, and the basic East / West German divide that has only recently been undone.