Lucas Cranach the Elder ...1472 to 1553... was a German Renaissance painter and printmaker in woodcut and engraving. He and his son were court painters to the Electors of Saxony and are known for portraits, both of German princes, princesses and those of the leaders of the Protestant Reformation. Cranach the Elder embraced the Protestant… Continue reading Cranach’s Portrait of a Beardless Man in 1500 was widely used on German currency in 1960s
Alsace-Lorraine was territory west of the Rhine River that was part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.. For over 700 years It was known as Elsass-Lothringen... from the 10th to the 17th century... populated with people who for the most part spoke Alemannic German dialects. However, France long desired their eastern border… Continue reading The German area of Alsace Lorraine was once again given to France in 1945
This pictorial map of East and West Prussia was produced in 1937. All of the major towns are pictorially represented on the map, notably with images of signature buildings, while the coat of arms of the towns line the edges of the printwork. The body of water on top of map is named Ostsee which… Continue reading Pictorial map of East and West Prussia
Martin Luther influenced our German Christmas traditions, in both northern and southern Germany. In general, the Christkindl …or Christ-child… always seemed to be the tradition in Catholic southern Germany and the Weihnachtsmann seemed to be the Lutheran tradition in northern Germany. But it was not always so…early in the 16th century there was no Christkindl… Continue reading The Christkindl gift bringer tradition was first introduced by Martin Luther
The single headed German eagle adopted in AD 800 was used for 640 years...this example is the Teutonic Knights Grandmaster symbol inaugurated in 1198...it consists of the German black crusader cross plus the German eagle that was gifted by the Kaiser. At the tips of the cross are 4 Fleur de Lis symbols gifted by… Continue reading German Eagles…single head 640 years, double-headed 366 years, then single head ever since 1871.
Herbst in Wiesbaden (Autumn in Wiesbaden) Travel Poster, vintage Germany 1930's. The image portrays a fashionable lady of the era, holding a bunch of flowers with seagulls flying overhead, painted in watercolor by the master of advertising art, Ludwig Hohlwein. Wiesbaden is one of the oldest spa towns in Europe. Its name translates to "meadow… Continue reading Wiesbaden is one of the oldest spa towns in Europe
My parents lived in Königsberg and were married there in 1940. The city was the capital of East Prussia in Germany. I remember a photo of them in 1937 in a rowboat on this large castle lagoon, the one pictured here. And stories of how they had dinner in the somewhat spooky Königsberg Castle’s Blutgericht… Continue reading This photo brings back memories of my parents who lived in Königsberg
In Treue Fest…German WWI patriotic farewell card, with the lady professing that she is Firm in Loyalty to her man....a German Flag is prominent on a diagonal...The motto, In Treue Fest, was also used to describe the alliance of Germany and Austria.....It was also the motto of the Bavarians in WWI, whose army proudly wore… Continue reading Firm in Loyalty…WWI motto for men and women
It seems out of character for a German patriot like Wagner to stage such a Germanic Opera in France....even more out of character is that he reworked the opera and added a ballet to suit his Parisian audience. Tannhäuser und der Sängerkrieg auf Wartburg Upon researching this event, I learned that Wagner was in Paris… Continue reading Richard Wagner premiered his 1861 Tannhäuser Opera in Paris?
This is another painting that needs to be viewed large to be appreciated... Its the year 1875 and the "The Iron Rolling Mill" by Adolph Menzel was a sensation. Shortly after its introduction the painting became known as the " Modern Cyclops", as in the Greek sagas of Vulcans helpers who forged the gods' weapons. … Continue reading The first painting of a factory and working life in German art
For People Proud of their German Heritage 