Arthur Schopenhauer (22 February 1788 – 21 September 1860) was one of the greatest philosophers of the 19th century, known for his philosophy of pessimism and for his emphasis on the will. He claimed that our world is driven by a continually dissatisfied will, continually seeking satisfaction. A key focus of Schopenhauer was his investigation of … [Read more...]
Richard Wagner
"I am the most German being, I am the German spirit."Richard Wagner Richard Wagner considered himself to be "the most German of men". He wrote such great operas as "Tristan und Isolde", "Parsifal", "Der fliegende Hollaender", "Der Ring des Nibelungen", and others. He actively participated in the revolution of 1849. He had numerous love affairs. … [Read more...]
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
The Irrational Genius, or Why Am I so Wise? Turbulent life of Friedrich Nietzsche The cure for love is still in most cases that ancient radical medicine: love in return.-- Friedrich Nietzsche Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche was born on October 15, 1844 in a small Prussian town of Roecken. The date of his birth coincided with the 49th birthday of the … [Read more...]
Albrecht Dürer
Sometimes it feels so good to get into high antiquity and have a look at the great masters whose works are still alive and admired. The art of 15th century in Germany is marked with the period of Renaissance. The revival of fine arts of that time was intensive and full of different schools and trends. The brightest star on the Renaissance sky of … [Read more...]
Albert Einstein
When we hear the name of Albert Einstein, we mostly just think of two things: a) Genius of physics, b) E=mc2. But there is more to know about Albert Einstein than just that. Einstein was a theoretical physicist who developed the general theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics (alongside quantum mechanics). While best known … [Read more...]
November 13 in German History
November 13, 1486 Birth of Johann Eck (birth name Johann Maier) in Egg, Germany. Eck was ordained a Catholic priest in 1580 and attained the degree, Doctor of Theology in 1510. He then was appointed as professor of theology at the University of Ingolstadt. Eck was outraged at Luther's 95 Theses which he denounced as heresy in 1518. He … [Read more...]
St. Martin’s Day (Martinstag) – November 11
St. Martin sharing his cloak On the 11th day of the 11th month at exactly 11 minutes past 11 o'clock a.m. St. Martin's day is celebrated. It is mostly favored by youth and rural population. Martin, the bishop of Tours, lived in the 4th century. The soldier in his past, he was given this title due to his exemplary way of life. The best-known … [Read more...]
November 7 in German History
November 7, 1707 Birth of Johann Julius Hecker in Werden, Germany. It was he who developed the "Realschule", the track of secondary schools stressing practical education to parallel the classic educational schools. He opened the first "Realschule" in 1747 in Berlin. November 7, 1750 Birth of Friedrich Leopold Graf zu Stolberg-Stolberg. … [Read more...]
November 6 in German History
November 6, 1672 Death of Heinrich Schütz in Dresden, Germany. One of the most talented early German composers, Schütz was given the position of court composer in Dresden. Works by Schütz include Dafne, Musikalische Exequien, and Kleine geistliche Konzerte. November 6, 1771 Birth of Alois Senefelder in Prague, then Imperial city … [Read more...]
German Christmas tree or Tannenbaum
The first known Christmas tree was set up in 1419 in Freiburg by the town bakers, who decorated the tree with fruits, nuts, and baked goods, which the children were allowed to remove and eat on New Year's Day. So, German Christians were the first to bring the trees into their homes to decorate or use a Christmas pyramid made of wood in areas where … [Read more...]