plenipotentiary or chargé d'affaires

Doubtless, while the raw rage and violence is a dread and frightening thing inflamed at cultural crossroads the world over, it is in fact a completely understandable reaction. Measured or otherwise, an attack on the sensibilities of others, profaning the sacred, is not something I think the occidental press and public are accustomed to really framing or presenting in a way that’s not even more dismissive or divisive.

Our (Western) not so measured but pretend-sophisticated response rakes the matter over such pedestrian and alienating questions like why even dignify the insult with a response, worse—I think—that these people are riding the swell of revolt from toppling long-seated tyrannies and another, crueler order is managing the chaos. I believe, rather, that Americans, specifically and the their partners and aspirants by extension, are the ones so beaten down by oppressions, castes and the impossibility of mobility, a hundred affronts to personal dignity daily that propagate in subtle, lulling ways and placated by false and empty comforts and assurances, have no limits or standards of respect, not respecting themselves to ever say that that is one infringement too far or to hold anything as sacred or inviolate. Rather than understanding and reconciliation, the security apparatchiks will use this excuse to tighten their grips. Of course, this is not a true or fair characterization of all of Western culture and there are many individuals and group-causes that are passionate and care about justice and healing, just as the Muslim world is not monolithic. That fact, however, is too easily forgot, just as one tends to not remember that aversion is not the sole response to hatefulness but also rage.

franconian churches

Spanning from Schmalkalden in the northeast to Schwabisch Hall in the southwest with a lot of culture and history in between, the Bavarian region of Franconia comprises a distinct part of Germany that’s bound by a shared identity, though it would be an overly-ambitious undertaking to try to give a succint and deserving definition. It would be beyond the scope of this blog to trace the tracks of empire, kingdom and diocese that united and distinguished this broad area, but its churches do remain as landmarks, anchors of communities large and small, as testament of those allegiances and shifting divisions that flowed with the people—the tribe called the Franks.

The first image is of a covered well and modern sculpture depicting the tableau of Calvary hidden in a remote valley by Münnerstadt in the modern district of Bad Kissingen county. The town and its possessions were over the last millennium under control of the Abbot of Fulda, part of a principality of the Holy Roman Empire—afforded the rights and license of immediacy, under the administration of the Teutonic Knights (Deutschritterorden) who helped from their bases of operation, establish a banking network through letters of credit and standardization (developed after the crusading was done from the association of outposts that remained)—a point of contention for the archbishops of Würzburg, held by Swedes and Napoleon’s armies, and finally annexed by the Kingdom of Bavaria.

That’s quite a secret history for such a seemingly small and out-of-the-way place, and they all have similar stories to tell. Both steeples and towers abound, and while there’s no signature style across the region or the ages, there are some renowned architects whose design, like Balthasar Neumann who built the Basilica Minor and pilgrimage church of the Holy Trinity in Gößweinstein. Here are two other impressive treasures in places that also might be regarded as tiny and out of the way: the church of Saint Lampertus rising from the fallow fields near Bergtheim on the road to Würzburg and the gilt interior of the Saint Nicolas church in Strahlungen in the Rhön.

The prime-mover of a refined and fused Baroque style planned many structures throughout the region, still standing as his legacy and all could well be included in this article. The final image is of resplendent interior of the abbey church of the monastery at Ebrach, close to Bamberg. The Trappist monks have moved their order to the highlands above the vineyards, and the cloister is used as a juvenile justice centre today, but the church remains.

For hundreds of years, it was tradition among the archbishops of Würzburg to have their hearts interred here, while their bodies were placed in the crypt at the Cathedral of Saint Kilian—their home church, and the rest was buried in the Fortress of Marienberg that overlooked the city.   This triangle was not shared as broadly as the power and influence of the cities of Fulda, Bamberg and Würzburg in Lower Franconia but it does not seem that the connection was ever far out of reach.

heldentum oder the last star fighter

Der Spiegel has an interesting, if rather critical, article on the State Chancellery of Bavaria’s newest on-line presence that comes in the form of a role-playing game, Aufbruch Bayern—which is difficult to translate without sounding too grandiose but basically means, Bavaria, the Awakening. Government officials are under fire for the costs that went into developing the game (as compared to past initiatives, like social networking avatars that spoke for the free-state) but it’s not such a terrible thing—H tried it—with trivia and geography questions and no overbearing patriotism, though there were some not so subtle marks of environmental (Energie Wende) indoctrination—having the goal to charge one’s electric car, conspicuous rooftop solar cells, or a bright idea represented by an energy efficient light bulb rather than a maligned heat-bulb.

All of these things are good and positive, if not a bit heavy-handed—not the questions, nothing about the hero being Siegfried or Parsifal or integration or multi-culti or anything too Deutsch (though the player is guided by Lady Bavaria throughout), but the game may not keep kids’ attention for too long. Watching H play made me think about that sci-fi movie, The Last Star Fighter (DE), where a besieged alien race tries to find new defenders by sending out arcade games to test the competency of players and potential pilots. An Earthling teenager who was the high-scorer on the test-game was picked up by armada’s recruiter and helped defeat the enemies and save the galaxy. I think every young video-gamer back then secretly hoped they were in training, too, and the US military has tried this same ploy. Maybe the Bavarian government’s investment in a game is also a secret head-hunting scheme to search for talent to rescue the euro-economy or to manage the energy-transition—or to hone the right skills for taking on the challenge. Maybe we should keep playing until we reach the end. If this were the case, then Aufbruch Bayern would certainly have been worth the effort.

data-set or compendium

With the encouragement of the European Commission and the contribution and support of several dozen institutions to seed and sew the collection, the internet gateway, Europeana, has just gone live.

This open-source repository for research and incubation aims through collaboration and a commitment to academic integrity without inviting proprietary restrictions to concentrate the curatorial efforts of an array of museums and special exhibitions into one source, searchable and discoverable and also insatiable. It looks like a very promising platform, multilingual and infinitely accessible, yet nothing rivals being able to explore every well-worn and studied nook and cranny of one’s local institutions. Check out the site to learn not only of something new and undiscovered, presented beautifully, but also the apotheoses—what can be added as well to expand this resource.

munity on the bounty

For the US (and I wonder who were the competent authorities in this decision-making process) to reward a former Swiss banking executive with a king’s ransom (some one hundred million dollars) for disclosing the apparent practices of his employer and the handling American clientele is undoubtedly incendiary and no recompense (should any materialise) can justify the damage being done to dialogue and diplomacy.

The already strained relations regarding reciprocation and transparency are being trounced further, and no caution was heeded though this routine has been well-rehearsed by some desperate (despite intentions) elements of the Germany government, who offered similar bounties for equally ill-gotten intelligence. Swiss banking culture, being what it is, models the integrity, discretion and independence of the confederation and cannot expect to assimilate the heavy-handed and rogue tactics of failed regimes that provoke such flight in the first place. Had the US Internal Revenue Service or the tax-code that governs their work been crafted and enforced in an equitable manner at the onset, there would be no need to try to deputize informants to act as its agents.