Alex von Tunzelmann
@alexvont.bsky.social
Historian, writer, broadcaster. She/her. Latest book, FALLEN IDOLS, shortlisted for the Wolfson History Prize 2022. HISTORY’S SECRET HEROES and THE LUCAN OBSESSION on BBC Radio 4. One of the Silk Road Slippers https://www.silkroadslippers.com
Pinned
Alex von Tunzelmann
@alexvont.bsky.social
· Oct 28
Fifty years ago, a possibly mistaken murder and the disappearance of a playboy aristocrat gripped the nation. My documentary The Lucan Obsession starts this lunchtime at 1.45pm on BBC Radio 4. Or you can binge all 10 eps (they’re only 15 mins each) on BBC Sounds now. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
Stuck with a mansplainer at a party? Try turning to someone – anyone – else and asking, “What is a quasar?” If they reply: “Two shots of gin, a hint of vermouth and a twist of lemon. Shall I make you one?”, marry them
Feb 1970: The New English Encyclopedia ad from Purnell
«When the girl with the shortest skirt in the room says "What is a quasar?" do you speak up or shut up?»
«When the girl with the shortest skirt in the room says "What is a quasar?" do you speak up or shut up?»
February 10, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Stuck with a mansplainer at a party? Try turning to someone – anyone – else and asking, “What is a quasar?” If they reply: “Two shots of gin, a hint of vermouth and a twist of lemon. Shall I make you one?”, marry them
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
The choice to frame this rhetorically as a negotiation *with ICE and DHS* rather than, you know, a decision about their future made by their rightful superiors in the popularly elected legislature is, to me, incredibly grating.
Our DHS reform demands are exceedingly reasonable.
We're asking ICE to do nothing more than follow the standards that the vast majority of law enforcement agencies already follow.
Republicans, the ball is in your court. The clock is ticking.
We're asking ICE to do nothing more than follow the standards that the vast majority of law enforcement agencies already follow.
Republicans, the ball is in your court. The clock is ticking.
February 10, 2026 at 4:55 AM
The choice to frame this rhetorically as a negotiation *with ICE and DHS* rather than, you know, a decision about their future made by their rightful superiors in the popularly elected legislature is, to me, incredibly grating.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
There‘s lots of political incidents that still need clear accountability but if the Epstein stuff just gets turned into a stupid meme for zany tik toks and reels and there’s no justice then I feel like it will make people more insane than usual. How can anyone carry on pretending like it’s normal
February 10, 2026 at 8:39 AM
There‘s lots of political incidents that still need clear accountability but if the Epstein stuff just gets turned into a stupid meme for zany tik toks and reels and there’s no justice then I feel like it will make people more insane than usual. How can anyone carry on pretending like it’s normal
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
When trying to explain the strategic predicament that Canada now is in to people in London you really do find yourself wondering what the UK would be willing to do if Trump decided to escalate against Britain's most loyal ally
February 10, 2026 at 5:37 AM
When trying to explain the strategic predicament that Canada now is in to people in London you really do find yourself wondering what the UK would be willing to do if Trump decided to escalate against Britain's most loyal ally
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
always so funny to me when people are like “how am I supposed to explain Gay to my kids?” my kid asks me way harder shit all the time. “why did they build the road this way? why are some people bad?” I don’t know. please ask me about Gay
February 10, 2026 at 2:51 AM
always so funny to me when people are like “how am I supposed to explain Gay to my kids?” my kid asks me way harder shit all the time. “why did they build the road this way? why are some people bad?” I don’t know. please ask me about Gay
It’s easy to get things completely wrong when trying to read the deep reality of royal feelings from their deliberately clipped and opaque public statements. So I could be completely wrong! But I suspect HM would gladly throw his grotesque middle brother under any passing bus
Buckingham Palace is ready to support the police as they consider allegations against King Charles' brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#Epsteinfiles
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
#Epsteinfiles
King's 'profound concern' as police consider Andrew claims over Epstein
Making his first intervention in the Epstein scandal, the King said he is ready to support the police in their inquiries.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 9, 2026 at 10:23 PM
It’s easy to get things completely wrong when trying to read the deep reality of royal feelings from their deliberately clipped and opaque public statements. So I could be completely wrong! But I suspect HM would gladly throw his grotesque middle brother under any passing bus
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
This is THEE thread on Benito's show. Someone called this thread an exegesis. :)
Disturbingly detailed analysis of my first rewatch incoming
February 9, 2026 at 8:48 PM
This is THEE thread on Benito's show. Someone called this thread an exegesis. :)
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
starting to feel like there's a direct relationship between the growing obsession with lifestyle hygeine (no drinking, no caffeine, no sex, obsessive working out and looksmaxxing) and the inability to meaningful moral stands on issues of actual import
Cafes across the U.S. are embracing the low- and no-caffeine lifestyle, with options that are a far cry from dusty tea bags and rewarmed decaf. nyti.ms/3XKlqoj
February 9, 2026 at 5:12 PM
starting to feel like there's a direct relationship between the growing obsession with lifestyle hygeine (no drinking, no caffeine, no sex, obsessive working out and looksmaxxing) and the inability to meaningful moral stands on issues of actual import
Just watched Bad Bunny’s Superbowl halftime show. Glorious. What a terrific performer; what an incredible celebration and assertion of American identity. Lol at people thinking it wasn’t political
February 9, 2026 at 8:46 PM
Just watched Bad Bunny’s Superbowl halftime show. Glorious. What a terrific performer; what an incredible celebration and assertion of American identity. Lol at people thinking it wasn’t political
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Problem with any anti-Starmer tweet that gets attention is I inevitably have to hear the thoughts of people who think Starmer is Blair 2.0, when a lot of the Starmer project's reactionary tendencies are an attempt to distance itself from the socially liberal aspects of Blairism
Starmer "led Labour to a thumping victory nobody thought possible" is one of those weird revisions of history, when 400+ seats was obviously in the realm of possibility from the moment the first post-minibudget polls dropped in September/October 2022
February 9, 2026 at 4:25 PM
Problem with any anti-Starmer tweet that gets attention is I inevitably have to hear the thoughts of people who think Starmer is Blair 2.0, when a lot of the Starmer project's reactionary tendencies are an attempt to distance itself from the socially liberal aspects of Blairism
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
U.K. might lose a prime minister because a guy who worked for him knew another guy who hung out with Epstein. Meanwhile the U.S. opposition party is telling our President, who was Epstein's best friend, that his secret police should get better training so their public street murders look less messy.
February 9, 2026 at 4:07 PM
U.K. might lose a prime minister because a guy who worked for him knew another guy who hung out with Epstein. Meanwhile the U.S. opposition party is telling our President, who was Epstein's best friend, that his secret police should get better training so their public street murders look less messy.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
BBC R4’s latest How Did We Get Here? on Israel and the Palestinians starts today. You’ll find me in Episode 4, with Eugene Rogan and Gudrun Krämer.
BBC Sounds - How Did We Get Here? - Available Episodes
Listen to the latest episodes of How Did We Get Here? on BBC Sounds.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 9, 2026 at 11:49 AM
BBC R4’s latest How Did We Get Here? on Israel and the Palestinians starts today. You’ll find me in Episode 4, with Eugene Rogan and Gudrun Krämer.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
February 8, 2026 at 10:23 PM
I'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
This is the key point that is lost in so much Westminster bubble talk on net zero. It is popular. It’s hugely popular with Labour’s base and with the progressive voters it needs to vote tactically to defeat Reform. And it’s even popular with Tories who Labour needs not to switch to Reform.
…as well as being supported by the vast majority of Lab/Lib/Gn voters, almost all Labour MPs, a 2-1 majority of voters overall and – even now – a healthy majority of Con voters
February 8, 2026 at 10:16 PM
This is the key point that is lost in so much Westminster bubble talk on net zero. It is popular. It’s hugely popular with Labour’s base and with the progressive voters it needs to vote tactically to defeat Reform. And it’s even popular with Tories who Labour needs not to switch to Reform.
Inject that uber-woke net-zeroist rejoinerism straight into my veins
Yes, god help we risk a floundering government that feels like no one is in charge.
February 8, 2026 at 6:26 PM
Inject that uber-woke net-zeroist rejoinerism straight into my veins
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
"It’s hard not to read these files and come to the conclusion that Epstein helped engineer the ultimate elite impunity — in which our society has been totally destroyed so the richest and most powerful men in the world can do whatever they want." — @lopatto.bsky.social
How the men in the Epstein files defeated #MeToo
The emails show the “anti-woke” crusaders are afraid of accountability.
www.theverge.com
February 6, 2026 at 5:02 PM
"It’s hard not to read these files and come to the conclusion that Epstein helped engineer the ultimate elite impunity — in which our society has been totally destroyed so the richest and most powerful men in the world can do whatever they want." — @lopatto.bsky.social
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
If there's ever been a time to NOT be incrementalist, this is it. The most political capital you're gonna have is right now. And we got Gestapo death squads in MSP and TB spreading through concentration camps in Texas. If you can't find a win there, get out of politics. The Epstein Class, baby
February 8, 2026 at 4:29 AM
If there's ever been a time to NOT be incrementalist, this is it. The most political capital you're gonna have is right now. And we got Gestapo death squads in MSP and TB spreading through concentration camps in Texas. If you can't find a win there, get out of politics. The Epstein Class, baby
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
Concentration camps:
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
Exclusive: Detention Center Captives Are Throwing Lotion Bottles Wrapped With Notes to Organizers Outside Otay Mesa Facility ~ L.A. TACO
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh," an Otay Mesa captive communicated through handwritten note. "We are all in one big room with no doors...
lataco.com
February 8, 2026 at 2:24 AM
Concentration camps:
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
“For 280 days we haven’t eaten a single piece of fruit, banana, apple, orange, or anything fresh. We are all in one big room with no doors or windows. We can’t see any grass or trees. We are all constantly sick."
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
“Renee was not the first person killed, and she was not the last,” Becca Good said. “You know my wife’s name and you know Alex’s name, but there are many others in this city being harmed that you don’t know — their families are hurting just like mine, even if they don’t look like mine.”
Renee Good's partner addresses Minneapolis immigration crackdown one month after killing
Becca Good has seldom spoken out since Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.
nbcnews.to
February 7, 2026 at 9:00 PM
“Renee was not the first person killed, and she was not the last,” Becca Good said. “You know my wife’s name and you know Alex’s name, but there are many others in this city being harmed that you don’t know — their families are hurting just like mine, even if they don’t look like mine.”
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
A scammer just tried exactly this on me via WhatsApp. Glad I saw a post here recently outlining the scam - it would be very easy to fall for. The “hotel” account had an unconvincing name, but they had my name, number & reservation dates. lifehacker.com/money/hotel-...
This New Hotel Reservation Scam Is Fooling People Who Use Sites Like Booking.com
If you've booked a hotel through a platform like Booking.com or Expedia, beware any communication that directs you to confirm your payment details to hold your reservation.
lifehacker.com
February 7, 2026 at 9:03 AM
A scammer just tried exactly this on me via WhatsApp. Glad I saw a post here recently outlining the scam - it would be very easy to fall for. The “hotel” account had an unconvincing name, but they had my name, number & reservation dates. lifehacker.com/money/hotel-...
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
i love european olympics opening ceremonies. the second the ioc names a european host city the prime minister calls the culture minister into their office and says "find me your strangest homosexuals. give each of them a period of our great nation's history, a kilo of cocaine, and Ten Million Euros"
February 7, 2026 at 4:22 AM
i love european olympics opening ceremonies. the second the ioc names a european host city the prime minister calls the culture minister into their office and says "find me your strangest homosexuals. give each of them a period of our great nation's history, a kilo of cocaine, and Ten Million Euros"
I really hope people advocating to ban kids from SM read this. Some kids are isolated by disabilities or circumstances. Furthermore, some kids grow up in abusive households. “Ideally, a child’s exposure to online worlds should be moderated by their parents” isn’t a reassuring sentiment for everyone
www.theguardian.com/australia-ne...
The impacts of locking under 16 yos from their social media networks are now beginning to bite for those young people who relied on them for social connection
The impacts of locking under 16 yos from their social media networks are now beginning to bite for those young people who relied on them for social connection
‘I’ve lost my friends’: advocacy groups warn Australia’s social media ban risks isolating kids with disabilities
Despite the ban’s aim to protect young people, experts are concerned that those in marginalised communities or living with disabilities could lose vital support networks
www.theguardian.com
February 7, 2026 at 8:06 AM
I really hope people advocating to ban kids from SM read this. Some kids are isolated by disabilities or circumstances. Furthermore, some kids grow up in abusive households. “Ideally, a child’s exposure to online worlds should be moderated by their parents” isn’t a reassuring sentiment for everyone
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
look what you did
you broke hakeem jeffries
you broke hakeem jeffries
BREAKING:
New reaction from Leader Jeffries to the racist Trump video:
"This disgusting video posted by the so-called president was done intentionally. Fuck Donald Trump and his vile, racist, and malignant behavior. This guy is an unhinged bottom feeder."
New reaction from Leader Jeffries to the racist Trump video:
"This disgusting video posted by the so-called president was done intentionally. Fuck Donald Trump and his vile, racist, and malignant behavior. This guy is an unhinged bottom feeder."
February 6, 2026 at 10:04 PM
look what you did
you broke hakeem jeffries
you broke hakeem jeffries
Reposted by Alex von Tunzelmann
I wish I could tell people like me, who first came to Bluesky and felt pummeled by performative scolding, that now it feels a lot less like that and a lot more like that brief window when Twitter was pretty good: useful, occasionally ridiculous, a place to discover new thinkers & writing
February 6, 2026 at 4:13 AM
I wish I could tell people like me, who first came to Bluesky and felt pummeled by performative scolding, that now it feels a lot less like that and a lot more like that brief window when Twitter was pretty good: useful, occasionally ridiculous, a place to discover new thinkers & writing