Today is once again Valentine's Day, probably the biggest business for florists, because as many hypocrites as on this day are not sold all year long. What many people don't know is that 81 years ago today, the brutal shooting of seven people who were part of a gang war in Chicago also took place, which caused huge waves in the media at the time. I personally don't like Valentine's Day, and it's not because I'm frustrated or emotionally disturbed, but because I can't understand the meaning behind this day. The history of Valentine's Day alone has so many gaps that I can't understand why we should celebrate the day with pink plush hearts - the massacre would be more appropriate!

There are two legends surrounding this day, one being that in the third century Italian city of Terni there was a bishop named St. Valentine. At that time, Emperor Claudius II decided that unmarried men made better soldiers and as a result banned young men from getting married. However, St. Valentine continued to marry young couples in love and when this violation became known to the emperor, he had the bishop imprisoned and beheaded on February 14, 269 because of his Christian faith, which, in my opinion, one would be happy to do with all bishops today There's something about martyr's death, isn't there? But I digress...

Another legend says that Valentine's Day goes back to the Roman festival of Lupercalia, during which young Romans from the common people drew the names of young women from an urn in order to find their future partner. This pagan custom remained in people's hearts despite attempts by the church to banish it. The couples chosen in this way were dating and some are said to have fallen in love with each other. Husbands gave their wives flowers on this day and so this older Roman custom came to be mixed with the story of the Christian martyr.

Valentine's Day is supposed to be a day on which love is commemorated and, in my opinion, something like that shouldn't happen in the form of tacky plush hearts, tons of red roses or other commercialism. Maybe it would be an idea to just visit his family again? Or maybe you should give your friends a thought? How long have you not seen countless friends? But love – no matter what form it takes – actually deserves more than just one day a year...

...I would like to come to the Valentine's Day massacre, because commemorating this on February 14th seems to make much more sense! John May (25), Adam Heyer (40-45), Albert Kachellek (39), Peter Gusenberg (40), Frank Gusenberg (36), Reinhart H. Schwimmer (29) and Albert R. Weinshank (36) were the seven Victims of a five-person hit team who drove up in two black limousines that looked deceptively similar to those of the Chicago police. Three of the killers wore police uniforms and staged a raid. The seven “victims” allowed themselves to be disarmed without resistance, placed against the wall and shot with two Thompson submachine guns. When they immediately fled, the murderers feigned an arrest by having the two non-uniformed perpetrators appear to be led away by the uniformed ones with their hands raised... Valentine's Day. Nothing is what it seems.