5 Stories about Paper Clips that will make you rethink their importance in history

Have you ever given thought to how frequently we take paper clips for granted just due to the fact that they are simple and unremarkable supplies used in the workplace? However, there are a great number of fascinating anecdotes regarding paperclips, which demonstrate their flexibility, ingenuity, and even their role in historical events. In this blog, we are going to look at five fascinating paperclip anecdotes that show the unusual and unexpected facts and features of paperclips.

A Paper clips that Ended Up Saving Many Lives:

During World War II, a Norwegian man named Johan Vaaler was the one who came up with the idea for the “Life-Saving Paperclip.” It possessed proportions that were far larger than the norm and was shaped like a double oval. This paperclip, which was utilised to link together secret messages and papers, eventually became a symbol of Norwegian resistance to the occupation by the Nazis. Paperclips were made illegal once the Nazi regime discovered their usage and attempted to eradicate it, but the resistance continued to make use of them. This everyday item of a boring workplace made a significant contribution to the liberation of Norway as well as the saving of many lives.

The Paperclip Gift:


Seattle, Washington, native and eighth-grader Gabi Mann had a one-of-a-kind connection with crows. She reported in 2015 to BBC that she began to receive gifts including a blue paper clip, beads, and buttons from the birds she feeded in her garden. The crows appeared to know that Gabi appreciated bright things, so they sometimes presented her with gifts in exchange for food.

The Paper clips Book:

Markus Zusak’s novel “The Book Thief,” which was published in 2004, tells the story of a little girl who steals books during World War II. Zusak is the author of this novel. One of the novel’s recurring themes is that the protagonist uses paperclips to identify pages and hold important papers together. This activity also serves as a motif throughout the narrative. The paperclip is used throughout the course of the book as a metaphor for optimism and tenacity in the face of adversity.

The Paper clips Invention:

In 1899, a man named William Middlebrook invented a machine that could bend wire into a loop. He called the wire loops the “Gem Paper Clips”. At the time, there were a flood of different paper clip designs being patented, but the Gem type stood out for its simplicity and efficiency. This innovation completely changed the paperclip industry. In addition to making paperclips more affordable and accessible, it also made them more efficient. The basic masterpiece made by Middlebrook demonstrates the significance of creativity and innovation while simultaneously having an influence on the office supply sector that will continue for a long time.

The Paper clips Project:


A group of Whitwell, Tennessee middle school students began studying the Holocaust in 1998. Six million paper clips were amassed for the project, one for each Jewish victim slain by the Nazis in the second world war. Almost 30 million paper clips were sent in as a result of the project’s first success. A memorial to the victims of the Holocaust was constructed in Whitwell out of the paper clips, and it is still there to this day.

These five mind-boggling anecdotes about paperclips illustrate the versatility, ingenuity, and awe-inspiring potential of the object. Paperclips have been used in a wide variety of contexts throughout history, including historical events, art, literature, and even science. This has given them a rich and intriguing history. By the examination of these stories, we may obtain a new perspective on the everyday object known as the paperclip and observe how even the simplest of things can motivate individuals to innovate and be creative.

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