Dachau Concentration Camp in Bavaria, Germany

This is so far one of the horrible places during the World War II. I had my second visit here last September 2011 to accompany some friends who want to see it. As we were inside the building, I don't know what happened but the hairs on my skin began to stand out. I guess you know what I mean about it. I am not really afraid in going to this place but only to think what horrifying things did happened there during the Nazis regime was really a very sad and tragic part of history.

Dachau concentration camp was the first Nazi concentration camp opened in Germany, located on the grounds of an abandoned munitions factory near the medieval town of Dachau.

during my second visit with friends last September 2011.

Memorial Day Celebration for Americans

Special greetings to all Americans especially to all American friends from Hohenfels U.S. Base here in Germany in the celebration of Memorial day! I wish you all a safe and enjoyable holiday!

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (May 25 in 2009). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who died while in the military service. First enacted to honor Union soldiers of the American Civil War (it is celebrated near the day of reunification after the civil war), it was expanded after World War I to include American casualties of any war or military action.

HISTORY OF MEMORIAL DAY

Following the end of the Civil War, many communities set aside a day to mark the end of the war or as a memorial to those who had died. Some of the places creating an early memorial day include Sharpsburg, Maryland, located near Antietam Battlefield; Charleston, South Carolina; Boalsburg, Pennsylvania; Petersburg, Virginia; Carbondale, Illinois; Columbus, Mississippi; many communities in Vermont; and some two dozen other cities and towns. These observances coalesced around Decoration Day, honoring the Union dead, and the several Confederate Memorial Days.

According to Professor David Blight of the Yale University History Department, the first memorial day was observed on May 1, 1865 by liberated slaves at the Washington Race Course (today the location of Hampton Park) in Charleston, South Carolina. The site had been used as a temporary Confederate prison camp as well as a mass grave for Union soldiers who died in captivity. The freed slaves disinterred the dead Union soldiers from the mass grave to be inhumed properly reposed with individual graves, built a fence around the graveyard with an entry arch, declaring it a Union graveyard. On May 30, 1868, the freed slaves returned to the graveyard with flowers they had picked from the countryside and decorated the individual gravesites, thereby creating the first Decoration Day. Thousands of freed blacks and Union soldiers paraded from the area, followed by much patriotic singing and a picnic.[4]

The official birthplace of Memorial Day is Waterloo, New York. The village was credited with being the place of origin because it observed the day on May 5, 1866, and each year thereafter. The friendship between General John Murray, a distinguished citizen of Waterloo, and General John A. Logan, who helped bring attention to the event nationwide, likely was a factor in the holiday's growth.

Logan had been the principal speaker in a citywide memorial observation on April 29, 1866, at a cemetery in Carbondale, Illinois, an event that likely gave him the idea to make it a national holiday. On May 5, 1868, in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, a veterans' organization, Logan issued a proclamation that "Decoration Day" be observed nationwide[5]. It was observed for the first time on May 30 of the same year; the date was chosen because it was not the anniversary of a battle. The tombs of fallen Union soldiers were decorated in remembrance.

Many of the states of the U.S. South refused to celebrate Decoration Day, due to lingering hostility towards the Union Army and also because there were relatively few veterans of the Union Army who were buried in the South. A notable exception was Columbus, Mississippi, which on April 25, 1866 at its Decoration Day commemorated both the Union and Confederate casualties buried in its cemetery.

continue reading here

The Tower Bridge in London

I am finally here!!..in England...One of the most interesting and most visited spots in London is the Tower Bridge..You might be confused because London Bridge and Tower Bridge are totally different. The London Bridge is not the Tower Bridge. They are two different bridges. The Tower Bridge is the one you usually hear in song..."it is falling down", actually it is the Tower Bridge that is falling down everytime a boat is passing here!! a tiring but great walk we got here!!

I'm Finally in England

I finally visited one of England's very interesting and historical places, The Warwick Castle. But first of all, I would like to express my gratitude to Dae Loy for all the touring and accommodation he offered. It is really very much appreciated. This photo was taken at upon entering Warwick Castle. It is around 40 minutes from Northfiled, Birmingham where I am staying now, in Dae Loloy's beautiful home! We had a great day yesterday as we go around the Castle. There are a lot of things to see here of what history left for us!! hope that you had a great day today as weekend is almost ending!! take care everyone!!

Maypole or Maibaum

As mentioned in my Wordless Wednesday yesterday, here is now a bit infos about Maypole or Maibaum as called in German. Please visit The World Wide Web Addict for more infos about Maypole...
still busy..busy...busy...hopefully will visit you next week esp. to those friends who leave comments and messages here..I really appreciate it!! I'm having my count down now for my tripto USA and that is two sleeps more!!! hopefully till tomorrow, I can be fully prepared for my trip!! Have a great evening to all!! Take care and God bless us all!!

Maypole

The maypole is a tall wooden pole (traditionally of maple (Acer), hawthorn or birch), sometimes erected with several long coloured ribbons suspended from the top, festooned with flowers, draped in greenery and strapped with large circular wreaths, depending on local and regional variances. What is often thought of as the "traditional" English/British maypole (a somewhat shorter, plainer version of the Scandinavian pole with ribbons tied at the top and hanging to the ground) is a relatively recent development of the tradition and is probably derived from the picturesque, Italianate dances performed in mid-19th century theatricals. It is usually this shorter, plainer maypole that people (usually school children) perform dances around, weaving the ribbons in and out to create striking patterns.

With roots in Germanic paganism, the maypole traditionally appears in most Germanic countries, Germanic country-bordering and countries invaded by Germanic tribes after the fall of the Roman Empire (like Spain, France and Italy), but most popularly in Germany, Sweden, Austria, the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Finland in modern times for Spring, May Day, Beltane and Midsummer festivities and rites.

wikipedia.org

Escapades at Lengenfeld

Hello!! it's TGIF..hope everyone is doing okey!! We went to my husband's twin sister in Lengenfeld this afternoon to pick-up my car. My husband's brother in law have a business to repair cars like having accident or just for repainting. My car was hit last February 2008 and got some scratches and need to be repaired..Now it looks very new again!!

As my husband was talking to his relatives, I went walking to this small town called Lengenfeld. It is also nice place..I took some photos, being a photo addict..hehehe..We simply got a very cool afternoon. Simply Thanks God it's Friday..hope you got a nice one too!!

this is a hotel in Lengenfeld that is very historic. As you see that date, where they also produce here beer named Winklerbrau since 1428..really amazing how the family continue the culture and traditions...started this hotel business since 1978.

the view of St. Martin Church and the hotel

the little history of the Church which was built starting 1140. The baroque style of the church was rebuilt between 1693 and 1696.

Frequently Asked Questions About Good Thursday

1. What is the Paschal Triduum?
The Paschal Triduum, often called the Easter Triduum or simply the Triduum, consists of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. This includes the Great Easter Vigil, the high point of the Triduum. The word Triduum comes from the Latin word meaning "three days." It begins the evening of Maundy Thursday and ends at Evening Prayer on Easter Sunday. Thus the Triduum consists of three full days which begin and end in the evening. The Triduum technically is not part of Lent (at least liturgically), but Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are still reckoned as part of the traditional forty day Lenten fast. The Triduum celebrates the heart of our faith and salvation: the death and resurrection of Christ, and is thus the high point of the liturgical year.

2. Why Does the Church Celebrate the Institution of the Eucharist on a Thursday?
It is long-held Tradition, based on the Biblical texts, that Jesus died on a Friday and rose from the dead on a Sunday, which would place the Last Supper on a Thursday night. Scripture tells us that Jesus rose from the dead "early on the first day of the week" (Mark 16:2, RSV). It was on the same day (the first day of the week) that Jesus met his apostles on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:1). John also confirms that Jesus rose on a Sunday (John 20:1). The early Church Fathers universally held that Jesus rose from the dead on a Sunday, and worshiped on Sunday, "The Lord's Day." The Fathers also testify to the Institution of the Eucharist on a Thursday and a Friday crucifixion of Jesus. Even though Jesus tells us that he was to be in the belly of the earth for three days, in ancient Jewish reckoning, this included partial days, and Jesus' death spanned three days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). Saint Justin Martyr (writing in 150 AD) testifies to both Sunday worship and a Friday crucifixion of Jesus:

But Sunday is the day on which we all hold our common assembly, because it is the first day on which God, having wrought a change in the darkness and matter, made the world; and Jesus Christ our Saviour on the same day rose from the dead. For He was crucified on the day before that of Saturn (Saturday); and on the day after that of Saturn, which is the day of the Sun, having appeared to His apostles and disciples... (First Apology 67)

The Didache (70-90 AD) also mentions Sunday worship, and fasting on Fridays (likely connected to Jesus' crucifixion that day):

Let not your fasts be with the hypocrites... but fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday)...But every Lord's day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure (8, 14).

The Apostolic Constitutions (late 4th century) verifies the same chronology. Note that, based on Scripture, this document provides the rationale for the dates of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday.

And on the fifth day of the week (Thursday), when we had eaten the Passover with Him, and when Judas had dipped his hand into the dish, and received the sop, and was gone out by night, the Lord said to us: "The hour is come that ye shall be dispersed, and shall leave me alone" (V:3:XIV).

...it being the day of the preparation (Friday), they delivered Him to Pilate the Roman governor, accusing Him of many and great things, none of which they could prove...[Jesus] commanded us to fast on the fourth and sixth (Friday) days of the week; the former on account of His being betrayed, and the latter on account of His passion (V:3:XIV, XV).

But when the first day of the week (Sunday) dawned He arose from the dead, and fulfilled those things which before His passion He foretold to us, saying: "The Son of man must continue in the heart of the earth three days and three nights" (V:3:XIV).

Virtually every Church Father who addresses the issue agrees with the traditional dating of a Thursday Last Supper, Friday Crucifixion, and Sunday resurrection. This includes those Church Fathers and writings mentioned above, but also Ignatius (105 AD), Pseudo-Barnabas (120 AD), Clement of Alexandria (195 AD), and many others. This chronology is firmly based on Scripture, and universally verified by Tradition.

adapted from: Churchyear

Vienna, Austria

I have been one time in this very magnificent capital city of Austria, Vienna. I just love this place and hope to be back there next time!! sharing to you some of my photos and a little of its history.

Vienna is the place where the spirit of Austria's biggest history is still alive. Austria's biggest history, this was the time of the Austrian Empire, and the capital of the empire was Vienna. But the very first beginning was around the year 500 BC, when Vienna was founded as a Celtic settlement.

in front of the Parliament, Vienna..lots of amazing monuments here

still in Parliament building.. it's very nice here in the night..

Hofburg, Vienna

Heldenplatz Square - dedicated to the victory over Napoleon

in front of Albertina, an opera house in Vienna

In 15 BC Vienna became Roman, and the city was called "Vindobona". During the Middle Ages, Vienna was the capital of the Babenberg Dynasty. In 1440 the Habsburg Dynasty took the power, and Vienna became their residence. The Ottoman-Turkish invasions of Europe in the 1529 and 1683 were stopped twice just outside Vienna.

Vienna is composed in 23 districts which all have their own names: 1st Innere Stadt (city centre), 2nd Leopoldstadt, 3rd Landstrasse, 4th Wieden, 5th Margareten, 6th Mariahilf, 7th Neubau, 8th Josefstadt, 9th Alsergrund, 10th Favoriten, 11th Simmering, 12th Meidling, 13th Hietzing, 14th Penzing, 15th Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus, 16th Ottakring, 17th Hernals, 18th Währing, 19th Döbling, 20th Brigittenau, 21th Floridsdorf, 22th Donaustadt and 23th Liesing.

The heart and historical city of Vienna, the Innere Stadt (Inner City), was once surrounded by a mighty city wall. The wall was removed in 1857, and the new space was used for a street around Vienna, todays "Ringstrasse". Imposing buildings, monuments and parks were created along this Ringstrasse, such as Rathaus (town hall), the Burgtheater, the University, the Parliament, and the State Opera.

Vienna is famous for its many parks. Some of these parks include monuments, such as the Stadtpark and Belvedere Park with its baroque-style castle. The principal park of Vienna is the Prater, which is situated on an island formed by the Danube River and the canal. Schönbrunn, the beautiful Imperial Summer Palace, includes an 18th century park and the world's oldest zoo (1752).

History of Saint Valentine

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY TO ALL MY BLOGGER FRIENDS,
VIEWERS, READERS AND COMMENTATORS!!
I really appreciate all your visits here!!
Please always feel free to leave comments and messages!!
My deepest apology if I cannot visit you one by one
but if given the chance
and time, I always wanted to!!!
Thank you very much for your patient and understanding!!

St. ValentinePatron of Love, Young People, Happy Marriages
269

St. Valentine

Valentine was a holy priest in Rome, who, with St. Marius and his family, assisted the martyrs in the persecution under Claudius II. He was apprehended, and sent by the emperor to the prefect of Rome, who, on finding all his promises to make him renounce his faith in effectual, commended him to be beaten with clubs, and afterwards, to be beheaded, which was executed on February 14, about the year 270. Pope Julius I is said to have built a church near Ponte Mole to he memory, which for a long time gave name to the gate now called Porta del Popolo, formerly, Porta Valetini. The greatest part of his relics are now in the church of St. Praxedes. His name is celebrated as that of an illustrious martyr in the sacramentary of St. Gregory, the Roman Missal of Thomasius, in the calendar of F. Fronto and that of Allatius, in Bede, Usuard, Ado, Notker and all other martyrologies on this day. To abolish the heathens lewd superstitious custom of boys drawing the names of girls, in honor of their goddess Februata Juno, on the fifteenth of this month, several zealous pastors substituted the names of saints in billets given on this day.

The Origin of St. Valentine

The origin of St. Valentine, and how many St. Valentines there were, remains a mystery. One opinion is that he was a Roman martyred for refusing to give up his Christian faith. Other historians hold that St. Valentine was a temple priest jailed for defiance during the reign of Claudius. Whoever he was, Valentine really existed because archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine. In 496 AD Pope Gelasius marked February 14th as a celebration in honor of his martyrdom.

The first representation of Saint Valentine appeared in a The Nuremberg Chronicle, a great illustrated book printed in 1493. [Additional evidence that Valentine was a real person: archaeologists have unearthed a Roman catacomb and an ancient church dedicated to Saint Valentine.] Alongside a woodcut portrait of him, text states that Valentinus was a Roman priest martyred during the reign of Claudius the Goth [Claudius II]. Since he was caught marrying Christian couples and aiding any Christians who were being persecuted under Emperor Claudius in Rome [when helping them was considered a crime], Valentinus was arrested and imprisoned. Claudius took a liking to this prisoner -- until Valentinus made a strategic error: he tried to convert the Emperor -- whereupon this priest was condemned to death. He was beaten with clubs and stoned; when that didn't do it, he was beheaded outside the Flaminian Gate [circa 269].

Saints are not supposed to rest in peace; they're expected to keep busy: to perform miracles, to intercede. Being in jail or dead is no excuse for non-performance of the supernatural. One legend says, while awaiting his execution, Valentinus restored the sight of his jailer's blind daughter. Another legend says, on the eve of his death, he penned a farewell note to the jailer's daughter, signing it, "From your Valentine."

St. Valentine was a Priest, martyred in 269 at Rome and was buried on the Flaminian Way. He is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.

There's Something Crooked About 'Change'

The word "change" clings like ChapStick to the lips of presidential candidates these days. But if Hillary and the chaps knew the origin of the word "change," they might not stick with it.

"Change" first appeared as both a verb and noun in Middle English during the 1200s. In 1300, for instance, a piece of writing dubbed "Cursor M." (which would make a really cool screen name) included this sentence: "He chaunges crun or wede." After rummaging around in a Middle English dictionary, I discovered this means something like, "He changes gully and weed," a skill that might have come in handy during the Dust Bowl era.

In 1340, someone named Hampole wrote that "he ofte chaunged to and fra," which pretty much describes the shifting policies of today's presidential candidates. (Could "fra" be a prescient reference to Rudy Giuliani, who has changed his frau twice? Hmm ... ) The word "chaunge" was imported into Middle English from the Old French "changier," which, in turn, had been derived from the Latin "cambiare," meaning "to exchange."

But here's the game-changer: There's strong evidence that "cambiare" came from the Old Irish "camm," which meant -- get ready to wince, politicians -- "crooked."

So, over the course of 1,200 years, a humble Irish word meaning "crooked" went through a few changes itself, migrating from Old Irish to Latin to French and then back again to the British Isles, where it entered Middle English meaning "change." Perhaps the presidential administration of the change-loving candidate who wins should be dubbed "Camm-elot."

The candidates, of course, can choose among any number of synonyms for "change," but the trendiest terms related to mutability seem to be the adjectives "transformational" and "transformative."

Writing in the Atlantic Monthly, for instance, Andrew Sullivan described Barack Obama's candidacy as "potentially transformational." Last Thursday, Washington Post columnist George Will described the interval between the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary as "six transformative days."

And BBC reporter Justin Webb recently wrote, "The buzzword here on the subject of the 2008 presidential election is that it will be 'transformative.' ... I am at a disadvantage though: I am not sure what 'transformative' really means."

Maybe we should just stick with "change."


story by Rob Kyff

Passing-By at Landstuhl, Rhineland Pfalz, Germany

As I stayed for some days in my friend in Ramstein, we always passed by Landstuhl but there is no time to see this town. Last Jan. 15,'08, we need to go there to find a Quelle Shop. Unfortunately there is no Quelle Shop to return the items that my friend ordered. So what we did instead was went walking around.

Landstuhl is a small town of Kaiserslautern. You can find below a little history about Landstuhl. I also have here some photos for you to see the place.


at the back of this Chapel is a cemetery (Friedhof Kapelle)



Burg Nanstein



Insurance Building in Landstuhl



street direction going to Landstuhl



Holy Ghost Church, landstuhl



busy street in Landstuhl



Ballet School Building



front of the Holy Ghost Church



that's the Ruins of Nanstein Castle






gate of the Amsgericht(Municipal Court)


Landstuhl
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Administration
Country: Germany
State : Rhineland-Palatinate
District Kaiserslautern
Municipal assoc.: Landstuhl
Mayor: Klaus Grumer

Basic statistics
Area 15.34 km² (5.9 sq mi)
Elevation 248 m (814 ft)
Population 8,852 (31/12/2006)
Density 577 /km² (1,495 /sq mi)

Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate KL
Postal code 66849
Area code 06371
Website www.landstuhl.de


Landstuhl (IPA: [ˈlantʃtuːl]) is a municipality of over 9,000 people in southwestern Germany. It is part of the district of Kaiserslautern, in the Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is situated on the north-western edge of the Palatinate forest, approx. 10 km west of Kaiserslautern.

It is perhaps best known in the U.S.A. because of the U.S. Army's medical installation. The Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, a U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) post, is often the first stop for American casualties leaving the ongoing conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ramstein Air Force Base is also located nearby.

The earliest traces of human settlement in Landstuhl are from 500 B.C. From the Celtic period is the “Heidenfels” (i.e heathen rock), which was a holy site even into Roman times. From the Roman period is a settlement from the 1st Century A.D.

In the 15th Century, the von Sickingen knight dynasty assumed responsibility for Landstuhl and the surrounding area. The most famous member of this family was Franz von Sickingen. Franz von Sickingen built his castle in Landstuhl – Burg Nanstein (the most visible landmark in Landstuhl and the surrounding area) - into a dominating fortress. From this base he moved to expand his domains by conquering other parts of southwestern Germany.

Ater several defeats, v. Sickingen withdrew to his castle and was besieged by the Archbishop of Trier and the Counts of the Rhine and Hesse. During the bombardment of Nanstein, Franz v. Sickingen was killed. The castle was later expanded by von Sickingen’s descendants, but it was destroyed by the French in 1689.

Landstuhl is the seat of the Verbandsgemeinde ("collective municipality") Landstuhl.

Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Germany

This is where my village Hohenfels belong in Neumarkt i.d. Opf. Last Jan. 08, '08, we visited this small city in Bayern. Since me and my friend, can't think of any place to go, we decided quickly to drive there. I drove everyday to this city before when I was still attending the German language course.

We went a little bit shopping. The Winter Sale is already starting, that's why we bought some clothes which are off until 75%. That was not a bad idea. Before I buy clothes in it's regular price. Since I already know about Summer and Winter Sales in Germany, I usually buy during this time wherein you can buy clothes in its cheapest prices. But anyway, I really don't shop for clothes now since I already have enough. As usual, I also took some photos.



monument designed by Lothar Fischer in front of the Rathaus (Municipal Hall)


back of the Cathedral..


colorful buildings/stores in Neumarkt





in front of the New Rathaus


inside the coffe shop


Below are some information regarding Neumarkt and its facts and figures.

Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)


Administration
Country Germany
State Bavaria
Admin. region Oberpfalz
District Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz
Lord Mayor Thomas Thumann (FW)

Basic statistics
Area 79.03 km² (30.5 sq mi)
Elevation 424 m (1391 ft)
Population 39,463 (30/09/2006)
- Density 499 /km² (1,293 /sq mi)

Other information
Time zone CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate NM
Postal code 92318
Area code 09181
Website www.neumarkt.de
Coordinates: 49°17′″N 11°28′″E / Expression error: Unexpected / operator, Expression error: Unexpected / operator

Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz is the capital of the Neumarkt district in the administrative region of the Upper Palatinate, in Bavaria, Germany. With a population of about 40,000, Neumarkt is the seat of various projects, and acts as the economic and cultural center of the western Upper Palatinate, along with Nürnberg, Ingolstadt, and Regensburg.

Geography

Neumarkt lies on the western edge of the Franconian Jura, nestled in a valley. The municipal region reaches as far as the Bavarian Jura to the east. The Neumarkt valley drains to the north through the Schwarzach River, a tributary of the Regnitz, eventually flowing into the Main, and to the south through the Sulz, a tributary of the Altmühl, which eventually flows into the Danube. The Ludwig Canal cuts through the area from North to South, bridging the European water divide. The elevation varies from 406 meters on the Beckenmühle River to the north, to 595 meters in the vicinity of Fuchsberg; as a reference, the elevation of city hall is given as 423 meters.

The municipal region has an area of 73.09 km². The following municipalities, all of which belong to the Neumarkt district, border the district capital. They are named clockwise, beginning in the north: Berg, Pilsach, Velburg, Deining, Sengenthal, Berngau and Postbauer-Heng.


Geology

Neumarkt is located on the western edge of a former Coral Reef (now called the Franconian Jura) of the Tethys Ocean during the Jurassic. The floor of the valley is predominately sandy, whence came the earlier name Neumarkt auf dem Sand (Neumarkt on the Sand), on the sides are isolated regions of loam. The mountains are formed of hard Limestone containing numerous springs, including, for example, the source of the White Laber River near Voggenthal.


Municipal subdivision

The core of the municipal area is the Old City and its still-recognized borders. The first housing developments built outside the city walls began in 1850 to the east, along Mühlstraße, Mariahilfstraße, and Badstraße. To the south, the Industrial area developed beginning around 1920. After 1945, the city expanded to the north and west, and eventually grew together with the municipalities of Woffenbach and Holzheim. Numerous other settlements developed around the city center, named, going clockwise from the north: Altenhof, Koppenmühle, Kohlenbrunnermühle, Mühlen, Wolfstein (at the site of the former Prison Work Camp), Weinberg, Schlosserhügel, and Hasenheide.

During the 1972 Municipality Reforms, nine municipalities were merged with the city, substantially increasing the municipal area.


History

Traces of the earliest settlement at Neumarkt go back as far as the Neolithic period. Around Neumarkt there are numerous burial mounds and multiple Celtic embankments. The town is assumed to have been first founded by the Bavarii in the 6th or 7th century, for example, the quarter of the city now named Pölling.

The precise date of the city's founding is unknown, but its founding as "neuer Markt" is assumed to have happened in the beginning of the 12th century, on the trade route between Nuremberg and Regensburg. The city was first mentioned in a document in 1135, and city fortifications were mentioned for the first time in 1315. In the 13th century Emperor Frederick II granted Neumarkt Reichsfreiheit, and with it, the right to collect customs on trade between Nuremberg and Regensburg and itself. However, the city never enforced this status, because the city fell to the Wittelsbachs in 1329 through the Treaty of Pavia.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, Neumarkt was the residence of the rulers of the Palatinate. Count Johann von Pfalz-Neumarkt established the seat of his government here, and began to develop the city into a residency. Included in his work are the church of St. Johannes, the Court Chapel, and the castle of the counts of the Palatinate. Johann was succeeded by Counts Otto I, his son Otto II, and Frederick II, who later became an Elector, and moved to Heidelberg.

After the Palatinate Counts left, Neumarkt lost much of its importance. Subsequently, the city played a part in political and economic life only for the surrounding area, and the growth of the city stopped almost entirely. The next perceptible period of growth did not occur until the middle of the 19th century. In the Thirty Years' War, Neumarkt was occupied by Swedish troops from 1633 to 1635 and from 1646 to 1649. Both times the city was plundered and partially destroyed.

During the war of the First Coalition a dramatic encounter between the French and Austria troops occurred in Neumarkt in the Summer of 1796. The French barricaded themselves in the city and the Austrians began its complete destruction. Only through the intervention of a smith from Neumarkt, who single-handedly opened the upper gate, was something worse averted. Neumarkt attained the status of Bavarian imperial city, and was the seat of a district court after the Kingdom of Bavaria was formed by Napoleon in 1806.

In the 19th century Neumarkt gradually developed into an industrial center. Beginning in 1830, thousands of laborers worked on the Ludwigskanal in the vicinity of Neumarkt, the completion of which, in 1846, made Neumarkt a port city. The Express-Werken, established in Neumarkt in 1884, were continental Europe's first bicycle factory.

The economic and political results of World War I were quickly noticeable in Neumarkt. Over 300 of its young men fell on the battlefield.

In September 1923 one of the first local chapters of the NSDAP was founded in Neumarkt, which appeared publicly on September 23 for "German Day". The removal of active party members, however, led to its quick disintegration. The party was not reorganized in Neumarkt until 1928.

Wuerzburg Sightseeing

Last Wednesday me and my friend made a trip to Germany's University City, Wuerzburg. I just find this city very interesting. As we go around walking, we saw a lot of historical buildings which I also want to share with you. Below are some information of this ancient seat of powerful princebishop's city.

Würzburg (Wuerzburg in English spelling) is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany. Located on the Main River, it is the capital of the Regierungsbezirk Unterfranken. The regional dialect is Franconian.

Würzburg is approximately 80 minutes train journey from Frankfurt, and almost an hour from Nuremberg. Distances to the nearest cities by motorway: Frankfurt 115 km, Nuremberg 115 km, Stuttgart 150 km, Kassel 215 km.

The city of Würzburg is not included in district of Würzburg, but is its administrative seat.

Fountain In Wuerzburg

view to the Castle of Wuerzburg

The Market Square with the Chapel of Our Lady

inside the Cathedral

entrance of the Cathedral

By 1000 BC a Celtic fortification stood the site of the Fortress Marienberg. It was Christianized in 686 by the Irish missionaries Kilian, Colman and Totnan. The city is first mentioned as Vurteburch in 704. The first diocese was founded by St. Bonifatius in 742. He appointed the first bishop of Würzburg, St. Burkhard. The bishops eventually created a duchy with its center in the city, which extended in the 12th century to Eastern Franconia. The city was the seat of several Imperial diets, including the one of 1180, in which Henry the Lion was banned from the Empire and his duchy was handed over to Otto of Wittelsbach.

Trip to Trier, Germany

As we visited last time our friend in Ramstein, we happened to have a trip in Trier, Germany. I wanted to share with you a short history of Germany's oldest city. That was really a great trip. I also attached here some photos for you to enjoy viewing.

Steipe, Trier

Fachwerkhaueser, Trier

Madonna Altar in Trier's cathedral

Trier Cathedral

Market Square, Trier

variety of sausages in a Meat store in Trier

historical Porta Nigra

the big foot near Porta Nigra..another foot is found near the Bahnhof (train station)

"Trier stood one thousand and three hundred years before Rome." An inscription on the "Red House" on the main market makes this claim. Naturally it is a Medieval invention, but the statement has a historical background. Indeed, there were settlements in the Trier valley as early as the third century B.C. and Trier was the first city north of the Alps which rightly bore the designation city.

Augusta Treverorum, later Trier, was founded around 16 B.C. by the Romans under Emperor Augustus near a tribal sanctuary of the Celtic Treveri. Towards the end of the third century A.D., Emperor Diocleatian made Trier now called Treviri, a Roman imperial residence and capital of the West Roman Empire. At about the same time, Trier developed into a centre of early Christianity. Conquered in the 5th Century by the Franks, Trier was seeded to the East Frankish/German Empire when the Carolingian Empire was divided in 870. In 958, the Market Cross was erected, making the present day Main Market the centre of the Medieval City.

In the 14th Century are Archbishops became Electoral Princes of the Holy Roman Empire. They made Trier the capital of their Electoral State, a city which experienced great flowering and profound decline up to the dissolution of the Empire at the turn of the 18th to the 19th century. Trier was briefly annexed to France and became a part of Prussia in 1815. After 1945 it became a part of the state of Rhineland/Palatinate in the Federal Republic of Germany.

TRIER TODAY

Trier is a Bishop's seat, a cultural, traffic and economic hub of the state; it is a University City with a harbor on the Mosele water way, site of well-known industrial companies, a wine cultivation and wine trading centre, a shopping, tourist and conference city. Trier has around 100,000 inhabitants.

What Happened on my Birthdate? Part III

This Day in History, August 4

On August 4th, 1902, the Greenwich Foot Tunnel under the River Thames opened.

What Happened on my Birthdate? Part II

Other Notable Events, August 4

In 1735, freedom of the media was established in the American colonies when John Peter Zenger, publisher of a New York City newspaper, was acquitted of libel charges.

In 1914, Britain declared war on Germany, touching off World War I. The United States initially declared itself neutral.

In 1944, acting on a tip from a Dutch informer, the Nazi Gestapo captured 15-year-old Jewish diarist Anne Frank and her family in a sealed-off area of an Amsterdam warehouse.

In 1949, more than 6,000 people were killed when an earthquake leveled 50 towns in Ecuador.

In 1958, Billboard magazine introduced its "Hot 100" chart, covering the 100 most popular pop singles in the country. The first No. 1 was Ricky Nelson's "Poor Little Fool."

In 1964, the remains of three slain civil rights workers whose disappearance on June 21 garnered national attention were found buried in an earthen dam near Philadelphia, Miss.

In 1972, Arthur Bremer was found guilty of shooting and severely wounding Alabama Gov. George Wallace who was campaigning for president. Bremer was sentenced to 63 years in prison.

In 1984, the African Republic of Upper Volta changed its named to Burkina Faso, which means "the land of upright men."

In 1991, the PLO agreed to attend a regional peace conference and offered to compromise with Israel on the make-up of the Palestinian delegation.

Also in 1991, the Greek liner Oceanos sank off the South Africa coast in heavy seas. All 571 on board were rescued but the captain and crew were reported to have abandoned ship.

In 2003, The Los Angeles Times reported it had evidence that Iran was close to possessing a nuclear bomb.

In 2004, opponents of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., launched a lengthy attack on his war record with a TV ad blitz that Republican Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called "dishonest and dishonorable."

In 2004, three former detainees at the U.S. Guantanamo Bay prison claimed they were beaten until they finally gave false confessions.

In 2005, in a videotape broadcast, al-Qaida threatened Britain and the United States with attacks if their armies did not quit "the land of Islam," in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Also in 2005, a news report says some of the most sophisticated roadside bombs being used against coalition forces in Iraq were supplied by Iran.


adapted from Arcamax

What happened on my birthdate? Part I

Notable Birthdays for August 4

Those born on this date include:
- English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley in 1792
- Scottish comedian Harry Lauder in 1870
- Queen Elizabeth, mother of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, in 1900
- Legendary jazz musician Louis Armstrong in 1901
- Swedish architect Raoul Wallenberg, credited with saving 100,000 Jews from the Nazis during World War II, in 1912
- Former UPI White House reporter Helen Thomas, in 1920 (age 86)
- Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in 1929
- And actors Richard Belzer in 1944 (age 62) and Billy Bob Thornton in 1955 (age 51).

adapted from Arcamax