Richard Wagner was not only a great and productive composer, he was also an extremely amorous man. In 1834 Wagner met Christine Wilhelmine (Minna) Planer, an actress, and in 1836 they got married. The marriage was far from successful. To the contrary, it was quite "stormy" because of Minna's and Wagner's numerous love affairs on the side. They … [Read more...]
Arthur Schopenhauer – The Philosopher of Pessimism and Will
Arthur Schopenhauer is perhaps German philosophy’s most compelling paradox: a deeply pessimistic thinker whose influence gave rise to some of the most liberating ideas in psychology, literature, and art. While Hegel envisioned history as a rational march toward freedom, Schopenhauer saw human life as a ceaseless struggle driven by irrational will … [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 Nietzsche – The Rebel Philosopher Who Reshaped Modern Thought
Friedrich Nietzsche didn’t come to play nice. He came to question everything. God. Morality. Society. Even the meaning of truth itself. Armed with aphorisms and a hammer, Nietzsche shattered conventions and laid the groundwork for modern existentialism, postmodernism, and critical theory. Often misunderstood and frequently misquoted, Nietzsche … [Read more...]
Albrecht Dürer – Germany’s Master of Art
When we think of the German Renaissance, one name shines brighter than the rest - Albrecht Dürer. Revered as one of the greatest artists of his time, Dürer seamlessly blended Northern European detail with Italian innovation, leaving an indelible mark on the world of art. His works, ranging from woodcuts to oil paintings, transcend time, offering … [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...]