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Noske, Gustav

(Encyclopedia)Noske, Gustav go͝osˈtäf nôsˈkə [key], 1868–1946, German politician, a Social Democrat. A former member of the Reichstag, he was in charge of the armed forces after the republican revolution of...

Council for Mutual Economic Assistance

(Encyclopedia)Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON or MEA), international organization active between 1956 and 1991 for the coordination of economic policy among certain nations then under Communist domi...

Kirov Ballet

(Encyclopedia)Kirov Ballet, one of the two major ballet companies of Russia, the other being the Bolshoi Ballet. In 1991 it was officially renamed the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Ballet; however, on its frequent tours...

Ceauşescu, Nicolae

(Encyclopedia)Ceauşescu, Nicolae nēkŏlīˈ choushĕsˈko͞o [key], 1918–89, Romanian statesman. The son of a peasant, he early became active in the Romanian Communist movement and was arrested as a revolutiona...

Shamir, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Shamir shāˈmĭr [key], in the Bible. 1 In 1 Chronicles, Levite serving in the Temple. 2 In Joshua, unidentified town, S Palestine. 3 In Judges, unidentified place, E Palestine, home of the judge Tol...

Gujral, Inder Kumar

(Encyclopedia)Gujral, Inder Kumar, 1919–2012, Indian political leader, prime minister of India (1997–98), b. Jhelum, British India (now in Pakistan). Active in the Indian independence movement, he was a member ...

Leontief, Wassily

(Encyclopedia)Leontief, Wassily lēˈŏntēf [key], 1906–99, American economist, b. Russia, grad. Univ. of Berlin (Ph.D., 1928). The son of a Russian economist, he and his family left the Soviet Union in 1925 bec...

Arpad, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Arpad ärˈpăd [key], in the Bible, unidentified city, probably in W central Syria. Hamath is always named with it. It is the Arphad in the Book of Isaiah. ...

Bethesda, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Bethesda bĕthĕzˈdə, –thĕsˈ– [key], pool in Jerusalem, perhaps the one discovered under the Crusaders' Church of St. Anne near St. Stephen's Gate in the northeast corner of the city. Accordin...

Anna, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Anna ănˈə [key], [Gr.,=Heb. Hannah], in the Bible. 1 Aged prophetess who hailed Jesus' presentation at the Temple. 2 In the Book of Tobit, the mother of young Tobias. ...