Henri Bergson died on this day 1941. He died in Nazi-occupied Paris from pneumonia he contracted waiting in line in the cold to register as Jewish. In the weeks after he passed, strange details about his final moments started emerging.

In his final moments, Bergson’s life did not flash before his​ eyes. Instead, he retreated into an activity he knew well. According to a friend who was with Bergson until the end:

"In the bedroom of his Parisian home, Bergson had been in a coma for twelve hours. Those who witnessed his agony sensed that the​ end was near when, all of a sudden, the illustrious philosopher​ began to speak. He gave a lecture, a philosophy lecture, for an hour.​ He pronounced the words very distinctly. His sentences were clear.​ His lucidity overwhelmed those who listened to him. And then he​ said, “Gentlemen, it is five o’clock. Class is over.” And he expired