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Stadtschloss Berlin Reconstruction

Thursday, July 18th, 2013

Following years of heated debates, the Stadtschloss Berlin reconstruction is ready to start. On June 12, 2013, German President Joachim Gauck laid the foundation stone for the 590 million euro project.

The Stadtschloss Berlin (Berlin City Place) was a royal and imperial palace in the city’s center. Originally built in the 15th century as a fort to guard the crossing of the River Spree, the castle stood on Fishers’ Island, now known as Museum Island. Throughout the intervening centuries its face continued to change until the famous architect Andreas Schlueter finalized its appearance in the middle of the 18th century.

Stadtschloss Berlin ca. 1920

The Stadtschloss Berlin served as the residence to various Electors of Brandenburg and to the Hohenzollern Kings of Prussia. Following the demise of the German Empire in 1918, the palace was turned into a museum. Badly damaged during Allied bombings in World War II, it ended up in the eastern sector of the city. In 1950, East German leaders decided to demolish rather than to repair it. More than a decade later, East Germany built a new Staatsrat building (Council of State) on part of the site and added the Palast der Republik (Palace of the Republic) in the 1970s. When the Palast der Republik, a large modern building, was found to be contaminated with asbestos shortly before German reunification in 1990, it was closed to the public. Following unification the new Federal government of the united Germany demolished the building and left the area a parkland, pending a decision on its ultimate future.

Heated debates arose. Some citizens advocated for the Stadtschloss Berlin reconstruction. Others suggested that the exterior baroque facades be rebuilt, but a modern interior added. Some advocated the retention of the Palast der Republik http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/palace-of-the-republic/ to preserve its historical significance. Others argued for a public park. Lobby groups formed, and finally, after two decades of passionate debates, the Stadtschloss Berlin will return to the heart of Berlin.

A key figure in the debates has been a businessman from Hamburg, Wilhelm von Boddien. He founded and heads the Association Berliner Schloss. Upon project completion in 2019 the Stadtschloss Berlin reconstruction will house a modern museum containing collections of African and other non-European art. http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/berliner-stadtschloss-to-humboldt-forum/

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

Tags: Berlin City Palace, Electors of Brandenburg, Hohenzollern Kings, Museum Island, Palast der Republik, Stadtschloss Berlin, Wilhelm von Boddien
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When adversity knocks

Monday, July 15th, 2013

When adversity knocks, how do you respond? Do you complain? Do you feel sorry for yourself? Do you get mad? Do you take your frustration out on others? Or do you rise to the occasion?

I have been feeling a little overwhelmed lately. For every problem I have solved, ten new ones seem to crop up. I was about to throw in the towel when I remembered a little experiment from my high school days. Our teacher had filled three pots with water. In the first, she placed some carrots; in the second she placed an egg, and in the last she dropped a few coffee beans. Then she brought each pot to a boil and let the contents simmer. After fifteen minutes she fished out the carrots and the egg and arranged them on a plate. She poured the water into a small cup and placed it next to the plate. Then she had us examine each item. The raw carrots had become soft and pliable in the hot water; the egg’s fluid content had hardened; the plain water from the faucet had turned into an aromatic coffee. In each case, the hot water (adversity) had changed the original substance of each item into something else.

coffee, egg or carrot?

Which do you resemble when adversity knocks? Do you react like a carrot and wither? Do you appear unchanged; on the outside but have acquired a hardened core? Or do you change your surroundings for the better when the going gets tough? Which do you resemble when adversity knocks? A carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Tags: adversity
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Catholic League Formation

Wednesday, July 10th, 2013

This day over 400 years ago gave us the Catholic League (Katholische Liga) formation. On July 10, 1609, a loose confederation of Roman Catholic German states within the Holy Roman Empire of German nations formed the Catholic League. It was created to counterbalance the slightly older Protestant Union in religious and political disputes.

Instead of balancing the powers, however, the formation of the Catholic League intensified the long-standing strain between Protestant reformers and the members of the Catholic Church. Intolerance increased. Repression and civil disobedience resulted and led to the longest lasting and most destructive conflict in modern European history: the Thirty Year War (1618-1648).

Although the Thirty Year War was a European conflict, it laid waste mainly to Germany whose regions became the principal theatre in the devastating clashes. Archduke Ferdinand II of Austria and his commanders Tilly and Albrecht von Wallenstein together with Duke Maximilian of Bavaria fought on the side of the Catholic League. Christian IV of Denmark and King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden were the main opponents on the side of the Protestant Union. Over the thirty-year period, the conflict destroyed large stretches of land and caused widespread famine and epidemics. It claimed the lives of 8,000,000 civilians.

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: Historical or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall, and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

Tags: Catholic League, intolerance Holy Roman Empire, Protestant Union, Thirty Year War
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propaganda vs. advertising

Monday, July 8th, 2013

Is there a difference between propaganda and advertising? According to Merriam-Webster, propaganda is (1) “the spreading of ideas, information, or rumors for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person; (2) ideas, facts, or allegations spread deliberately to further one’s cause or to damage an opposing cause; (3) manipulation of information to influence public opinion. Propagandists emphasize the elements of information that support their position and deemphasize or exclude those that do not. Misleading statements and even lies may be used to create the desired effect.”

Growing up in West Berlin during the Cold War, I became accustomed at a young age to being bombarded by propaganda from East and West. Cold War clichees about the Free World versus the Communist Tyranny peppered the daily news. Terms like Bolshevism, Fascisms, Imperialism, subversion, espionage, and sabotage were used so frequently that they lost their meaning. Capitalist propaganda tended to be a little more and communist propaganda a little less polished. Both versions served as my first inoculation against the willingness to accept advertising claims.

According to Merriam-Webster advertising is the practice used “to bring products, services, opinions, or causes to public notice for the purpose of persuading the public to respond in a certain way.”

Based on the definitions, is there really a difference between propaganda and advertising? According to the EDR (Elke’s Desk Reference) there is not. In my view, both techniques are biased and are used to promote a particular point of view. Argument anyone?

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com. Walled-In is a story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War.

Tags: advertising, bias, propaganda
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“Berlinisch”, dialect of the Berliner

Monday, July 1st, 2013

Berlinisch is a vernacular that is spoken only in Berlin, Germany. It is not a written language, only a spoken one, and it mirrors the character of its people. The born-and-bred Berliner has a reputation of being a matter-of-fact, self-confident, often flippant individual who has at his disposal a sufficient dose of skeptical optimism, ready wit, and down-to-earth humor.

The city of Berlin is first mentioned in 1244, but we know that Germanic settlements existed in the region, dating as far back as the 6th century. Originally Plattdeutsch (Low German) was the official language and spoken at the courts. But in the 15th century, businessmen from Frankfurt/Oder and Leipzig (65 miles southeast and 200 miles southwest respectively) brought the language of Upper Saxony to Berlin. Upper Saxon was more similar in character to the High German that the reformer, Martin Luther, spoke. Over time, the upper circles and administrative bodies in Berlin combined the Upper Saxon sounds with their customary Low German language. And by the 17th and 18th centuries, all levels of Berlin’s society spoke Berlinisch.

But by the end of the 18th century, Berlin’s educated circles felt that Berlinisch sounded too vulgar and should be replaced by High German. Soon, the children of the middle class no longer learned Berlinisch in school. To this day, Berlinisch is not spoken in school; yet, somehow, every Berliner learns to speak the vernacular. Indeed, Berlinisch sounds a little rough around the edges, but it is a dialect with lots and lots of heart and honestly. It would be a shame if it disappeared.

So red’t der Berliner by Wilhelm Franke, 1966, a guide to speaking “Berlinisch”. www.walled-in-berlin.com

(the history of the rise and fall of Berlinisch is taken from a small booklet, called “So red’t der Berliner” by Wilhelm Franke and was given to me by his daughter)

Tags: Berlin dialect, Berlinisch, High German, Low German
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President Barack Obama

Monday, June 24th, 2013

President Barack Obama spoke in Berlin this week. The event took place on June 19, the hottest day of the year so far. After weeks of heavy rains, the sun shone brightly. Not a cloud in the sky. Who could have guessed? He had to deliver his 30-minute open-air address, standing in the blazing sun, sans shade of any kind. Likewise, 4,500 guests sat on their folding chairs in the Pariser Platz, on the east side of the Brandenburg Gate. Temperatures had hit 92° and felt more like 97° in Berlin’s humid continental climate. No shade was to be had for speaker or guests.

Obama Spoke at Berlin’s Brandenburger Tor

Despite the intense heat and uncomfortable circumstances, Obama delivered a spirited talk. He covered the history of Berlin and Germany, referenced the milestone speeches of President John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan, and touched upon climate change, renewable energy, International responsibility, and disarmament of nuclear weapons.

Later, some commentators suggested that Berliners must have “cooled” to President Obama because of the paltry attendance of a mere 4,500 guests. People, people come on. Be fair. It is true that Kennedy drew a crowd of 450,000 in Berlin in 1963, and Democratic candidate Obama attracted over 200,000 in 2008. But both spoke to the public at large, not to a limited number of invited guests. Times have changed. While Kennedy still drove through Berlin in an open limousine, today’s presidents are protected behind bulletproof glass. Besides, President Obama was to deliver his address to 6,000 guests, many of them up in years. Do you blame the 1,500 who chose not expose themselves to the relentless heat? The small number of attendees at President Obama’s June 19 speech is hardly proof that his popularity in Berlin is waning. Maybe it is, but please people, use real, not manufactured, facts to argue the point.

Tags: Barack Obama, Berlin, Brandenburger Tor, Pariser Platz
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Regifting

Monday, June 17th, 2013

How do you feel about regifting? Is it good? Is it bad? Does it depend? When the topic came up recently among a group of friends, I was surprised at the intensity of feelings on both sides of the issue.

According to Merriam-Webster, a gift is something voluntarily transferred by one person to another without compensation. Technically, regifting is nothing more than the act of taking that gift and passing it on to somebody else. I don’t think the concepts of good and bad enter regifting at this point. But the waters get muddy when Webster’s New Millennium Dictionary of English defines regifting as giving an unwanted gift to someone else. The crux, I believe, is in the “unwanted” aspect of the gift, not in the giving.

If regifting is done under the guise of a new gift or as means of disposing an unwanted gift, I agree wholeheartedly that it is tacky. But if my friend is given a blue ceramic vase when her house is decorated in green, while mine is decorated in blue, then I gladly receive her regifted blue vase as a birthday present. I see no reason why perfectly good and desirable stuff should have to go into the landfill just because a gift isn’t coming directly from a store. I consider thoughtful regifting a form of Green Giving. How about you? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Tags: gift, Green Giving, regifting
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Schloss Neuschwanstein

Monday, June 10th, 2013

Schloss Neuschwanstein is located near Fuessen in the Bavarian Alps of Germany and overlooks the Hohenschwangau valley. It is the most magnificent of the castles and palaces built by Ludwig II, King of Bavaria. The king reigned from 1864 until shortly before his death in 1886. He is often called the Maerchenkoenig, the Fairy tale King. The most famous of his castles, Schloss Neuschwanstein, became the inspiration for Disneyland’s Cinderella Castle.

Schloss Neuschwanstein near Fuessen in the Bavarian Alps

King Ludwig also built other beautiful castles and palaces. Schloss Linderhof and Schloss Herrenchiemsee were constructed during his reign as well. Although the shy and eccentric king used his own funds to pay for the construction of his palaces and did not expend public funds, his ministers became increasingly concerned with their king’s excessive spending. Ludwig II was deeply in debt. Instead of agreeing to future economization, as his financial ministers advised, he planned additional opulent projects. He even contemplated replacing his entire cabinet to rid himself of their antagonism. But his ministers acted quickly. They declared Ludwig II of Bavaria mentally ill, placed him in custody, and replaced him with his uncle, Prince Luitpold.

Only three days after being disposed, King Ludwig II of Bavaria died under mysterious circumstances. On June 13, 1886, he took a walk in the parkland of his Schloss Berg alongside the shore of Lake Starnberg and went missing. He was found dead in the lake. Although Ludwig’s death was officially ruled a suicide by drowning, no water was found in his lungs.

The shy king had built Schloss Neuschwanstein to withdraw from public life. Ironically, his magnificent castle is the most visited tourist attraction today, not only in Germany, but in all of Europe. Every year over 1.3 million people view King Ludwig’s private refuge https://neuschwansteincastle.net. If you visit Schloss Neuschwanstein, I am sure that the beauty of the castle and its surroundings will amaze you.

Tags: Fuessen, Hohenschwangau, King Ludwig II of Bavaria, Maerchenkoenig, Schloss Neuschwanstein, tourist attraction
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The Bell Pepper Urban Myth?

Monday, June 3rd, 2013

It seems that the bell pepper urban myth has been making the rounds. According to eHow and a sizeable number of blogs, word has it that there is such a thing as male and female bell peppers. Male bell peppers, the legend goes, have a three-lobed bottom and fewer seeds; female peppers have a four-lobed bottom and a lot more seeds. The urban myth goes on to suggest that female bell peppers are sweeter and therefore best eaten raw while male bell peppers are best cooked. The number of seeds in male and female fruits led blogger to the conclusion that male bell peppers are the frugal shopper’s better buy because there is more product and less waste.

When I shopped at Sprouts the other day I heard this urban myth for the first time. I placed my three bags of large fruit on the checkout counter when the lady behind me enlightened me on the male and female differences. I had never known this! It sounded so plausible. But a quick trip to the Internet painted a slightly different picture. After searching through a plethora of articles, I feel far more comfortable with Megan Stoddard’s explanation that bell peppers, like most flowering plants, produce bisexual flowers. In other words, the flowers, which eventually become the fruit, have both male and female parts. If you are an expert on the subject, please let me know. Until then I am with Megan Stoddard at http.//www.helpfulgardener.com. I think the existence of male and female bell peppers is an urban myth. I have to admit though – it had me going for a while.

Tags: bell peppers, male and female, plants, propagation, urban myth
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Dresden’s Green Vault

Monday, May 27th, 2013

If you are planning a trip this summer that includes Dresden, Germany, be sure to visit the Green Vault (Gruenes Gewoelbe). It houses the largest collection of Europe’s most precious art objects. The Green Vault occupies two floors of the Dresden castle with over 21,500 square feet on each level. The original Green Vault is located on the first floor and houses more than 3,000 works of art in gold, silver, precious stones, ivory, ebony and amber. The baroque rooms themselves are famous and a feast for the eyes. The Green Vault took its name from the column bases and capitals (column tops) that were once painted malachite green.

The second floor houses the New Green Vault with a collection of well over 1,000 pieces. The New Green Vault is constructed in a modern style, which keeps the focus on the objects on display. It contains many pieces of baroque jewelry and unique works that were created by the royal goldsmith, Johann Melchior Dinglinger.

Golden Coffee Service – the pieces were made by court goldsmith Johann Melchior Dinglinger around 1700

The history of the Green Vault dates back to 1547, when elector Moritz of Saxony added a west wing to his castle. Originally, the rooms were used as private chambers for important documents and jewelry. But between 1723 and 1729, Augustus the Strong turned the once private chambers into a public museum.

When the Second World War loomed, the art treasures were removed and taken to the Koenigstein Fortress. On February 13, 1945, near the end of World War II, the city of Dresden was bombed, and the historic Green Vault was severely damaged. Three of the eight rooms were totally destroyed. The art objects were confiscated by the Red Army and transported to the Soviet Union.

Following World War II, the Green Vault was completely reconstructed. In 1958 the Soviet Union returned the treasures to Dresden, and in 2004 the New Green Vault was opened on the second floor of the rebuilt Dresden castle. In 2006 the historic Green Vault was reopened, as it had existed in 1733, the time of its founder’s death. Click “like” if you enjoyed this article.

Tags: art collection, Green Vault, Gruenes Gewoelbe, Johann Melchior Dinglinger, Koenigstein Fortress, World War II
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