Florists in Kirchen (Sieg) Germany

Southern Germany offers a scenic look at mountainous highs and historic lows - CT Insider

Germany all week) and we didn’t even stop in Munich, where the famous, crowded Oktoberfest was underway. Instead, we headed a short ways south for the combined scenic towns of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, stopping along the way near Oberammergau to see Ettal Abbey. It’s a nicely kept Benedictine monastery where you can buy not only a little ice cream in the gift shop but bottles of their beer. (This is when I first indulged my sophomoric amusement at how German words can mean something different to us, as I bought a bottle of Ettaler Kloster-Hell, or simply Hell for short. Later came Badgasse road, the Schmuck store and “Gute Fahrt!” on a gas station handle.) The Akzent Hotel Schatten (and restaurant) was a good choice in G-P, located on a cobblestone street in a 19th century building with a great view of the nearby mountains. The food was solid. German cuisine can be on the mild side, but the pork cutlet bathed in a mushroom gravy with spaetzle noodles worked for me. (I consider gravy a food group.) Speaking of food, we noticed similarities in breakfast at hotels in Mittenwald nearby, Oberstdorf to the west and our hotel at Lake Konstanz: the bread and rolls are great and abundant in the morning, mostly absent at night. (A good thing.) There are coldcuts for breakfast, as in Italy, but there is also fruit and some great cheese samples, along with eggs. Get a hotel with breakfast included. I expected to eat more sausage but didn’t have to; there were better options (schnitzel and even a nice steak in gravy) although not many green vegetables to be found (then again, the menus were in German). Local attractions include the rushing waters of Partnach Gorge, cable cars up Alpspitze (a lovely mountain in the northern limestone Alps) and even taller Zugspitze (mountaintops we visited included large Christian crosses near their summits), Neuschwanstein Castle (much-visited and known as “The Disney Castle”) and the old-town colorfully painted old houses and incredibly lush flowers in so many window boxes. We actually enjoyed the regular chiming tone of a nearby church bell, and there was a street festival going on for two days nearby that drew us to it with cheers and howls of laughter (I also was drawn into one of the improvised comedy bits by a pair of street performers from the UK). At a traditional dinner place there, two boys in lederhosen entertained with a thigh-slapping hop/dance to accordion music that ended in a clipped yodel. Mittenwald — part way to Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest in Berchtesgaden, which we didn’t get to — offered more gorgeous “alstadt” (old town) architecture and strolling. The Mittenwald Brewery, busy and festive with Bavarian music on a Monday night, sat us in a booth with a German couple who didn’t speak English. But we got along splendidly anyway since everyone knows a few words of another language (I knew “kinder” for children, which helped). When I asked about Oktoberfest, they said...https://www.ctinsider.com/entertainment/ctpost/article/Southern-Germany-offers-a-scenic-look-at-14981609.php

A German village goes it alone on climate protection - DW (English)

Read more: Landslides and less snow. Climate change is altering the Bavarian Alps Florian Diepold (pictured) is the climate protection manager for Garmisch-Partenkirchen, an alpine region in Bavaria There are similar stories across this part of Bavaria, where many communities are trying to make their villages and towns more sustainable. A number of councils are working together to implement eco projects, including a regional green energy transition that would make a number of municipalities in the area fossil-fuel free by 2035. "The small local councils in particular are very keen to take on a pioneering role here," says Florian Diepold, climate protection manager of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, an administrative district near the German Alps. "There are so many small projects happening, like the one in Grafenaschau with its village store and attempt to produce its own energy." Unexpected challenges But getting a project like the community-owned shop off the ground brings its own challenges. Running such a store is a lot more hands-on than managing a big chain where everything arrives with barcodes and all the product information is digitized. "You really have to do much more yourself because you're moving away from the structures that are already there," says Diepold. Hubert Mangold (pictured) explains that Grafenaschau has planted a flower meadow and set up beehives so the village can produce local honey That includes negotiating prices with regional farmers and suppliers for each product. That price then has to be entered into the cash register and the products reordered manually. There is no standard, uniform system across the various organic suppliers. "You have to make sure you get your reorders in, you have to pick things up yourself. It's a lot of work," confirms Mangold. But a group of locals pitches in and they always make sure they are "climate neutral." "We get our fruit from the Gardener Hall in Munich," says the mayor. "We have someone who has to go to Munich anyway and he brings the fruit to us. We don't create any additional CO2 emissions ... that's the idea." Read more: The true cost of Germany's cheap food But then there's the financial risk. The store belongs to the locals, some of whom are shareholders and are at risk if it fails. Mangold believes Germany's federal and state governments could be doing more to support local councils in fighting against climate change and boosting environmental protection. "Big politics has been asleep on the job, without a doubt ... That's what we really need, more financing — that the Bavarian state supports us," says Mangold. Climate protection manager Diepold says that most of what local councils are doing to protect the climate is totally voluntary, and that a lack of support from the federal and regional governments when it comes to laws and finances means they're limited in what they can do. He says his position as climate protection manager, for instance, is based on temporary contracts, which the local council has to vote to extend, although they are not obliged to do so. "It would be really positive for our work if there was some kind of legal basis for climate and nature protection inserted into the Basic Law [Germany's foundational legal document guaranteeing fundamental rights]," says Diepold. Preserving...https://www.dw.com/en/a-german-village-goes-it-alone-on-climate-protection/a-48030126

The Revierderby: the history between Borussia Dortmund and Schalke - Bundesliga - official website

Germany’s industrial heartland.bundesliga.com takes you through the history of the Revierderby…How did it come about?The cities of Dortmund and Gelsenkirchen are separated by less than 20 miles within the Ruhr region, which for generations was the centre for coal and steel production in Germany. Both clubs arose from similar backgrounds with a working-class fan base, standing for heart and passion in football.It makes it different from some of the other famous derbies around the world that are built on religious, economic and political differences. However, it doesn’t mean the rivalry is any less intense. For locals, you are either Black-and-Yellow or Royal Blue – there is no middle ground.Watch: Tifo football looks at the history of the RevierderbySome supporters have vowed never to even step foot in the opposition’s stadium. One Schalke fan even explained that he refuses to travel from Dortmund station and that he holds his breath when passing through. Some of the most fervent fans even refuse to utter the name of the other club, instead referring to them by their relative location from neighbouring towns. Schalke are termed 'Herne-West', while Dortmund are 'Lüdenscheid-Nord'.Despite its reputation now, however, it took the 'mother of all derbies' some time to develop into a fully fledged rivalry ready to galvanise local football fans.https://www.bundesliga.com/en/bundesliga/news/revierderby-history-borussia-dortmund-schalke-3943

Der Komponist, der das Gras wachsen hört

Wenn man ganz genau hinschaut, kann man auf dem Auftritts-Foto der „Waves sogar ein Bild von Richard Wagner erkennen, das an der Wand hängt. „The Waves brachten sich auch ins Kirchenleben ein, gestalteten „rhythmische Messen im Stil der Zeit. Bis irgendwann ein Lehrer, „hochgebildet, seine Wohnung war voller Bücher, aufstand, als wäre er Jesus, der den Tempel von all dem Unrat säubern muss und gegen die „Negermusik wetterte. „Die Nächstenliebe ist mir wichtig. Und dass sie nicht nur ein abstraktes Bekenntnis ist, sondern dass man sie auch lebt. Tag für Tag. Sepp Frank, Musiker und praktizierender Katholik Das war ein Schock. Aber nur für einen Tag. Sie haben dann doch weitergemacht. Auch mit einer neuen Gruppe, „Die Skalden. Mit ihr war Sepp Frank 1972 Finalist des ORF-Musikwettbewerbs „Talente 70. In Salzburg machte er schließlich die Matura. Und dann stürzte er kopfüber ins wirkliche Leben. Er studierte Englisch, Deutsch und Russisch. Aber das wirkliche Leben hörte auf den Namen Denise. Sepp Frank, noch heute mit schauernder Bewunderung: „Sie war sehr klein, nur ein Meter fünfzig, aber atombombenmäßig unterwegs. Man kann sich die Erschütterung des jungen Mannes vorstellen, der noch nach fast einem halben Jahrhundert so von ihr redet. Denise war nicht nur klein und „atombombenmäßig, sondern auch sehr, sehr schön. Mit den bekannten Folgen, von denen schon Marlene Dietrich zu berichten wusste: „Männer umschwirren mich wie Motten das Licht .... Und, verbrannte Sepp Frank? Zunächst musste er sehr „rackern, um sich gegen all die Rivalen und Mitbewerber durchzusetzen. Am Ende aber, da war er gerade im dritten Semester, bekam er seine Denise, heiratete sie und wurde von ihr prompt nach Amerika entführt. Seine zauberhafte Denise hatte eine Stimme wie Joan Baez Das führte zunächst zu einem kleinen Kulturschock. Sepp Frank, der Künstler in spe, landete in einer Fabrik des Autoherstellers Ford. In Detroit? „Nein, in Ypsilanti. Sie haben sich nicht verlesen. Der Ort, in der Weite von Michigan gelegen, heißt tatsächlich so wie die SPD-Politikerin, die einst partout hessische Ministerpräsidentin werden wollte. Dort stand er am Band und hat Stoßdämpfer geschweißt, acht Stunden am Tag, für fünf Dollar die Stunde. Gerettet hat ihn die Öl- und die sich daran anschließende Wirtschaftskrise nach dem Herbst 1973. Ford musste die Produktion einschränken. Es herrschte das „Senioritätsprinzip, Sepp Frank, gerade erst eingestellt, wurde mit als Erster entlassen. „Sie war sehr klein, nur ein Meter fünfzig, aber atombombenmäßig unterwegs. Sepp Frank über seine Denise Aber schon Hölderlin wusste: Wo die Gefahr wächst, wächst das Rettende auch. Oder so ähnlich. Sepp Frank in seiner Not besann sich auf seine Grundkompetenzen. Er spielte Akkordeon und Gitarre und die atombombenmäßige Denise verfügte über ein Goldkehlchen. „Sie hatte eine Stimme wie Joan Baez. Sie tingelten durch die zahllosen deutschen Gastwirtschaften in Michigan und blieben in Fritz Kochendörfers „Old Heidelberg hängen. Statt dem Great American Songbook war hier das Repertoire vom Kien Paule gefragt, d...https://www.mittelbayerische.de/panorama-nachrichten/der-komponist-der-das-gras-wachsen-hoert-21934-art1654356.html

Germany's second-highest traffic bridge opens - DW (English)

The Hochmoselbrücke, or High Mosel Bridge, stretches 1.7 kilometers (1 mile) across and 160 meters (524 feet) above the Mosel River in western Germany. Within Germany, the new bridge in the Rhineland-Palatinate is second only to the 185-meter-high Kochertal bridge in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg. Read more: World's longest pedestrian suspension bridge opens in Germany's Harz region Authorities expect about 25,000 vehicles a day to cross the bridge that now provides a direct link between the regions of Eifel and Hunsrück. Several hundred people gathered for the bridge's opening on Thursday. Over the weekend, thousands of pedestrians crossed the bridge by foot as part of the opening festivities. "Today is a good day for the Rhineland-Palatinate," said State Premier Malu Dreyer. She added that she was convinced "that the bridge will help advance our economically strong state even further and will strengthen ties between the people in Eifel and Hunsrück." Europe's largest construction project The controversial building project kicked off eight years ago. Some critics argued that the massive bridge would destroy the area's idyllic vineyard landscape, while environmentalists argued it would pollute the ground water. Others spoke out against the cost. The building of the bridge was part of a greater road project that included the construction of an additional 25 kilometers (16 mile...https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-second-highest-traffic-bridge-opens/a-51355455

She Believes Trees Will Save Germany — If She Can Save the Trees - OZY

Klöckner’s thesis, therefore, is simple: Save the forests, and they’ll save Germany. Klöckner as German Wine Queen. Blonde and quick to grin, Klöckner, 46, was born in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate and got into politics early, shortly after her yearlong reign as German Wine Queen, a position that’s sort of like Miss America but for German wine. Before the age of 30, she was a member of the Bundestag for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Angela Merkel’s ruling party. In 2012, she was elected as one of the deputy chairpersons of the national party. By 2016, she was running for Minister-President (governor) of Rhineland-Palatinate. Articles touted her as a potential successor to Merkel. And then she lost. she has the difficult job of juggling these different interests and keeping everybody happy.Joachim Curtius, professor of geosciences at Goethe University Klöckner’s more conservative than Merkel in some ways, a trait that hasn’t always served her well electorally. Her opposition to Merkel’s open-door asylum policy is widely blamed as a factor in her losing her 2016 race, and as recently as this year, she called for a burqa ban in Germany. Still, while the ultraconservative AfD party has wholeheartedly embraced climate change denial, Klöckner — as minister of food and agriculture — doesn’t have the luxury of ignoring scientific evidence. “The climate change has hit us much faster than expected,” she said at a forest summit last month, and while the scientific community might argue that it was definitely expected, she’s now gearing up for battle against the conditions that are destroying the forests. “Climate change isn’t German; it isn’t going to be solved in Germany. None of the existing policies around the world are up to the scale of the challenge,” says Britta Fri...https://www.ozy.com/provocateurs/she-believes-trees-will-save-germany-if-she-can-save-the-trees/221908/

Dead gardener left booby traps behind to target his enemies, German police warn - Fox News

Authorities in Germany are warning anyone who may have had a conflict with a recently deceased gardener to be on the lookout, after an apparent set of booby-trapped bombs left one dead and two hurt.Rhineland-Palatinate Police said in a news release that gardener Bernhard Graumann, 59, was found dead in his bed in Mehlinhen, near Kaiserslautern in west Germany, on Friday night.Earlier that day, a 64-year-old doctor in a nearby town was found dead in front of his practice after an explosion. Police believe the bomb may have been in a package that was left in front of the office as part of a "booby trap" which the doctor picked up, triggering the blast.MAN ADMITS KILLING AIRBNB GUEST AT AUSTRALIA HOME OVER UNPAID $149 BILLTwo days later, an "explosive-engineered log" exploded in a wood-burning stove at a home about five miles from where Graumann lived, according to police. A woman and her 4-year-old daughter were injured in that blast. Police in Germany are warning anyone who may have had a conflict with a recently deceased doctor to be on the lookout for booby traps. (iStock)Police said all three had been known to Graumann, who either had a "personal or business" connec...https://www.foxnews.com/world/dead-german-gardener-suspected-of-planting-trail-of-bombs-as-revenge-plot-against-neighbors

German teachers fined for treating wasp sting with heated fork - DW (English)

Hesse were fined for causing bodily harm with their questionable home remedy for a student's wasp sting. The incident occurred during a school trip to a youth hostel in the neighboring state of Rhineland-Palatinate in May 2017, when a 14-year-old student was stung by a wasp. In response, a 39-year-old male teacher heated the handle of a fork with a lighter and pressed it on the boy's hand where he'd been stung. After a blister formed, another 40-year-old female teacher cut it open and treated the wound with cream. The student's lawyer said that as a result of the sting, the boy had to wear a protective glove for a considerable period of time. The German daily Bild reported that the boy's hand became infected and that he wasn't able to attend an internship as a result. A district court in Cochem fined the male teacher €2,700 ($3,160) for causing bodily harm. The female teacher was fined €2,500 ($2,900) for both assisting and causing bodily harm to the student. The decision was made last Thursday, a court spokesperson said, adding that the judgement is not yet final, as a timeline for appealing the decision has not yet passed. All about the birds and the bees... As sweet as honey They are the pollination super stars...https://www.dw.com/en/german-teachers-fined-for-treating-wasp-sting-with-heated-fork/a-45505055