Good read with my coffee on a cold, dreich Thursday morning. The event sounds very high powered. Did the German ambassador thank you for doing all the Anglo-German relationship heavy lifting? When you think of the historical strife between the our nations it is remarkable we are besties (as the young people say) now. As a Scot I hesitate to criticise another nation’s football team. Full disclosure I’m not a football fan; cricket and the NFL for me. Remarkable niche train history! Very far sighted of the Bavarian monarch. All new to me. I wonder what they would all make of the DB’s current difficulties.
I enjoyed your piece about the tall Englishman very much. It reminded me of another example of fascination in things English in Germany over the past century or two. While working at our Embassy in East Berlin in the eighties, I used to enjoy visits to that quintessential example of English architecture, Cecielienhof in Potsdam. German royal fascination in British architecture at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th, even extended to sending an Architectural Attaché to the German Embassy in London, namely Hermann Multesius, who went on to write Das Englische Haus - ? a subject for one your fascinating studies in the future, perhaps.
And to come full circle on that, the architect of Cecilienhof was one Paul Schultze-Naumburg, who features strongly in my Weimar book as an important lynchpin between German conservatives and the rising Nazi movement in the 1920s.
I live in Scotland. My friend described our national feeling of participation in the World Cup as “like waiting to be punched in the face”. This is an unusual simile, but does seem to capture the essence of the experience.
But you always seem admirably jolly about it! Germans loved your football fans during the Euros. Apparently, they managed to drink empty a beer garden in Munich! That's quite the feat...
I am not interested in football but it's difficult to avoid. I read another of Jan Rüger's books, about the history of Helgoland after I visited the island about three years ago. I've been working my way through your book list Katja (two books on Weimar including yours, Stay Alive and Hotel Exile; and have Exit Stalin to go) and wondered if you have some more for the rest of the year?
I wouldn't dare to take the piss after the Germany defeat a sly chuckle maybe 😆 Great unknown well to me train story,I was imagining the newly crated train arrives to Nuremberg as the locals set about to built it then find their metric spanners aren't a great fit for the Imperial nuts and bolts ,but I expect it came with spanners .
I watched every German World Cup game. I’m a huge fan of soccer especially World Cup. I live in one of the host nations so this is heaven! Germany’s team looked sluggish the entire tournament and didn’t really play well together. Keep your eyes on the USA team who so far look very good but lost one of the best goal scorers to a red card last night and won’t play in the next round of 16 against Belgium. This will be a true test.
Hi Katja, I’ve watched every World Cup soccer tournament for as long as I can remember. Soccer has picked up in the US. It will never be as big as American football, basketball or baseball, but children start playing as young as 4 years old and parents like it because it’s safer than other contact sports. Also judging by the crowd sizes during the games, although some of the fans come from the countries playing, I think this has been, so far a huge success in the US. Hopefully we’ll beat Belgium and advance. Thanks, Bob
Thanks for the article, partuicularly as my family comes from Nuremberg. Only one tiny little know-it-all correction: the Bavarian colours are white and blue (weiß-blau) never the other way round.
Good read with my coffee on a cold, dreich Thursday morning. The event sounds very high powered. Did the German ambassador thank you for doing all the Anglo-German relationship heavy lifting? When you think of the historical strife between the our nations it is remarkable we are besties (as the young people say) now. As a Scot I hesitate to criticise another nation’s football team. Full disclosure I’m not a football fan; cricket and the NFL for me. Remarkable niche train history! Very far sighted of the Bavarian monarch. All new to me. I wonder what they would all make of the DB’s current difficulties.
I'm certainly glad that that relationship appears to be in good shape again. I shall continue to contribute to that as best I can.
You are doing sterling work Katja. You’ll get a gong one day.
I enjoyed your piece about the tall Englishman very much. It reminded me of another example of fascination in things English in Germany over the past century or two. While working at our Embassy in East Berlin in the eighties, I used to enjoy visits to that quintessential example of English architecture, Cecielienhof in Potsdam. German royal fascination in British architecture at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th, even extended to sending an Architectural Attaché to the German Embassy in London, namely Hermann Multesius, who went on to write Das Englische Haus - ? a subject for one your fascinating studies in the future, perhaps.
And to come full circle on that, the architect of Cecilienhof was one Paul Schultze-Naumburg, who features strongly in my Weimar book as an important lynchpin between German conservatives and the rising Nazi movement in the 1920s.
Muthesius, sorry!
I live in Scotland. My friend described our national feeling of participation in the World Cup as “like waiting to be punched in the face”. This is an unusual simile, but does seem to capture the essence of the experience.
But you always seem admirably jolly about it! Germans loved your football fans during the Euros. Apparently, they managed to drink empty a beer garden in Munich! That's quite the feat...
I am not interested in football but it's difficult to avoid. I read another of Jan Rüger's books, about the history of Helgoland after I visited the island about three years ago. I've been working my way through your book list Katja (two books on Weimar including yours, Stay Alive and Hotel Exile; and have Exit Stalin to go) and wondered if you have some more for the rest of the year?
These two might appeal:
Cold War City: A History of West Berlin by David Barclay (who happens to be a ZEITGEIST reader :))
City Without Jews: Life and Death in Nazi Vienna by Douglas Smith
I wouldn't dare to take the piss after the Germany defeat a sly chuckle maybe 😆 Great unknown well to me train story,I was imagining the newly crated train arrives to Nuremberg as the locals set about to built it then find their metric spanners aren't a great fit for the Imperial nuts and bolts ,but I expect it came with spanners .
Cheers, Adie, you're a pal :D
What a fun way to start the day! Even though you started with a recap of that debacle😀 Thanks for bringing this bit of history into my life.
Bitte! :)
What a cracking read 👏👏👏👏brilliant 👍
Cheers, Dave!
I watched every German World Cup game. I’m a huge fan of soccer especially World Cup. I live in one of the host nations so this is heaven! Germany’s team looked sluggish the entire tournament and didn’t really play well together. Keep your eyes on the USA team who so far look very good but lost one of the best goal scorers to a red card last night and won’t play in the next round of 16 against Belgium. This will be a true test.
Interesting that you follow the World Cup. Has football/soccer got bigger on your side of the Atlantic?
Hi Katja, I’ve watched every World Cup soccer tournament for as long as I can remember. Soccer has picked up in the US. It will never be as big as American football, basketball or baseball, but children start playing as young as 4 years old and parents like it because it’s safer than other contact sports. Also judging by the crowd sizes during the games, although some of the fans come from the countries playing, I think this has been, so far a huge success in the US. Hopefully we’ll beat Belgium and advance. Thanks, Bob
Thanks for the article, partuicularly as my family comes from Nuremberg. Only one tiny little know-it-all correction: the Bavarian colours are white and blue (weiß-blau) never the other way round.