Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Anthroposophy Research

Anthroposophy
is a human oriented spiritual philosophy that reflects and speaks to the deep spiritual questions of humanity, to our basic artistic needs, to the need to relate to the world out of a scientific attitude of mind, and to the need to develop a relation to the world in complete freedom and based on completely individual judgments and decisions.

Quote by Rudolf Steiner:

"Anthroposophy is a path of knowledge, to guide the Spiritual in the human being to the Spiritual in the universe. It arises in man as a need of the heart, of the life of feeling; and it can be be justified only inasmuch as it can satisfy this inner need. He alone can acknowledge anthroposophy, who finds in it what he himself in his own inner life feels impelled to seek. Hence only they can be anthroposophists who feel certain questions on the nature of man and the universe as an elemental need of life, just as one feels hunger and thirst."

The main organization for Anthroposophy is now known as the national Anthroposophical Societies.

Developed by Rudolf Steiner at the end of the 19th century

It is also an impulse to nurture the life of the soul in the individual and in human society.

Steiner designed thirteen building that were very unique using organic-expressionistic architectural style.

Here are two of his designs for the two Goetheanum buildings in Dornach, Switzerland. 


 image

resources

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Paul Baumer


I am Paul Baumer. I am no war hero, I am just an ordinary guy who likes to drink beer and think about girls. While occasionally writing plays on the side; known as Saul.  Over my time of being a soldier, I have transitioned into a great judge of character and “a force for gentle kindness in a world engulfed by brutality.” I was a family man before, but after many terrifying experiences in the war, I feel like I don’t belong anywhere else but the war. I have lost all feelings. After killing Gerard Duval, I realized that the people we are fighting are the same as us. I felt guilty for killing him although it was my duty and I will have to live with it for the rest of my life.

Chapter 4: Summary


The men are sent on a mission to lay barbed wire at the front before they approach the enemies. They are embraced by the front and fear is no longer a feeling; only to rookies.  Three shells land near them and the earth feels like its quaking. On there way to the front, they pass shell holes on their walk, and shortly have to put cigarettes and pipes out because they were close to the enemies. Out of nowhere, the sky lights up with bombs and fire and the bombardment begins.  While the soldiers are crawling under heavy fire, they pass bodies; some dead, some terrified and alive. Paul discovers that one of the rookies had went to the bathroom in their pants and kindly tells him to throw them out and not to worry. Paul was not going to be uptight and obnoxious like the other soldiers such as Himmelstoss. The men come across a loose coffin lid and throw out the body and hide in the coffin for protection. The shelling had stopped Later on, Paul sees a rookie walking around without a mask and tears his off too. The men find a wounded soldier who was the rookie that had went to the bathroom in his pants earlier.  They come to realize that this soldier will more than likely not make it through the night, so they decided together to take him out of his misery. They were just about to shoot and then other soldiers arrived on the scene. They know he will now die a long and painful death. They think about those who have fallen before them as they carefully drive home through the wired areas for defense.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

The Deutsche Hansa



Going to be going over what the Deutsche Hansa was and alittle of its history.The Deutsche Hansa is related to the Hanseatic League, also known as the Hansa. This was a commercial and defensive confederation of merchant guilds and the market towns that controlled trade along the cost of Northern Europe. It was created to protect the diplomatic privileges and economic interests in the cities, countries, and along the trading routes. The Hanseatic cities made their own legal system and had their own armies for protection/aid. They began trading course woolen fabrics and when the business began booming, they started trading finer woolen and linen fabrics; including silk. It was established in the year 1358, most of the Hansa cities started as independent cities or gained independence through the power of collective bargaining. Alliances formed through the Holy Roman Empire; growing from 70 cities to 170. They owed alligiance to the Holy Roman Emperor; had no intermediate tie to the local nobility. The league began to fall in the 16th century; the rise of the Swedish Empire took over much of the Baltic which was part of the trading routes. Denmark regained control, and the Kontor in Novgorod had closed. The league finally ended in 1862.

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Group 5 Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia


                                                 Final Group 5 Presenation Above^^^^^

Group Members: Abby Charlson 
                             Chanae Peterson 
                             Ryan Christopherson 
                             Felicia Dieterman 
                             Brittany Bahr

My part of the presentation:

Which UNESCO World heritage sites are in the State? 

Saxony-Anhalt has the most World Heritage Sites of all states in Germany which include:
  -Luther Memorials in Wittenberg
  -Bauhaus Dessau
  -Collegiate Church, Castle, and Old Town of Quedlinburg

  -Dessau-Worlitz Garden Realm
Details...
Luther Memorials in Wittenburg-listed 1996; several buildings in Wittenburg were associated with Martin Luther and some events in his life
Bauhaus Dessau-college constructed on designs by Walter Gropius; german architect and founder of bauhaus school; widely known as one of the pioneering masters of modern architecture; built in 1925
Continued..

Collegiate Church, Castle, and Old Town of Quedlinburg-listed 1994; known as one of the best preserved medieval and renaissance towns in Europe-having minor damage in WWII; cathedral is German Romanesque style; also contains ancient Christian religious artifacts and book
Dessau-Worlitz Garden Realm; created in late 18th century; Duke Leopold III had architect Friedrich Wilhelm von Erdmannsdorff developed a landscape influenced by The Enlightenment and concept of the Baroque Era
  -The Age of Enlightenment-a cultural movement of intellectuals beginning in late 17th century Europe emphasizing reason and individualism rather than tradition
  -Baroque Era-a style of architecture and art that originated in Italy in the early 17th century


Which industries are worth noting today- in the past?
Chemical Industry-in 2010, 25,500 employees worked in a total of 214 plants; industry attracts more foreign direct investments than any other eastern Germany state
Wind-turbine energy due to location; many wind farms
Due to good soil, food industry thrives with nearly 20,000 employees across 190 plants recorded in 2010 (according to Wikipedia)
Any famous Germans you came across researching the State?

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759); British Baroque composer famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems, and organ concertos
Martin Luther (1483-1546); Catholic priest;  important figure of the 16th century movement in Christianity which was later known as the Protestant Reformation
Sven Thiele (1969-); former wrestler who competed in 1996, 2000, and 2004 Olympics
Sources:

All images include sources next to them
**images are included on final presentation**
Thanks & Enjoy!

Thursday, September 4, 2014

What I Want To Learn This Semester

Throughout this semester, I would like to learn more about everything dealing with Germany. The culture, landmarks, traditions, languages, famous dishes, social norms, and etc. I look forward to hearing some of your experiences in Germany, I had a teacher from the Czech Republic, and he told us many stories about growing up there. It'd be fun to hear some of yours! The main reason why I mainly wanted to take this course is because I am a little over 25% German and I would like to become more familiar with Germany and possibly visit there someday! Just to let you know also, I noticed that I did not include Fall 2014 in my blogspot name. I hope that isn't a huge problem. Please let me know if I can change that if needed! Thanks!