Showing posts with label German. Show all posts
Showing posts with label German. Show all posts

Monday, January 4, 2021

German Castle Paid for by British Tax Payers

Count Hans Caspar von Bothmer was instrumental in paving the way for his master the way to Great Britain and Ireland's throne. The Elector of Hanover showed his gratitude with largesse and the count built one of the most beautiful castles in northern Europe. After extensive restoration by the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, it can now be admired in its baroque beauty. The money to build a palace in Germany, by the way, didn't come from Hanover.

Monday, November 11, 2013

How Migrants Save a Dying Language

Switzerland is a country with four main languages. 75 years ago, Romansh was recognized as the fourth national language by ballot. Since then, it has been declared a dead language many times over. If you visit the Engadin Valley in Grisons, it will show that the language is alive and kicking. It is alive thanks to the children of migrant workers living there.


Friday, November 1, 2013

Awkward: Gestapo Burial in Berlin Jewish Cemetery

German history researcher Johannes Tuchel made a series of very awkward discoveries. The discoveries shed light on post-war Germany and how it was (not) run by the allies, on the the machinations of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and on what happens when sloppy research replaces real hard graft. Now he did the real hard work and here is what he found.

Adolf Hitler and Heinrich Müller

Thursday, August 8, 2013

City on the Language Divide: Fribourg

The city of Fribourg is located only 20 miles from Bern, but is today mainly French speaking though it started out as a German (or Alemannic) speaking city. It boasts the only Catholic University in Switzerland and has retained its medieval character throughout the city to this day. If you want to get a feeling for the lifestyle 600 years back, this is the place to visit.