German Blog

As I was sitting and reading your comments and suggestions. I came across a site where people recounted their experiences with Santa Claus. The question was of course is he real or just our human illusions. Maybe a tale that brings us all together as a reminder of the joys and warmhearted family and friends, that in fact it’s a season of giving and loving.

Then of course I started reading more and suddenly found great interest at a total different subject. Where did this legend first start out with Santa and his reindeer I wondered? Why did my mother always tell me to put carrots into my shoes on Christmas eve for Santa when I was little?

And most importantly do you believe in him? Of course not!! Or maybe?

If you do, I’d like to know you’re encounters if any and of course childhood memories of this.

However here is the interesting part, The modern figure of Santa actually derived from the Dutch figure of Sinterklaas, which, in turn, may have part of its basis in hagiographical tales concerning the historical figure of gift giver Saint Nicholas.

But did you know there is another theory?

In fact there is and his name is Odin! Numerous parallels have been drawn between Santa Claus and the figure of Odin, a major god amongst the Germanic peoples prior to their Christianization. Since many of these elements are unrelated to Christianity, there are theories regarding the pagan origins of various customs of the holiday stemming from areas where the Germanic peoples were Christianized and retained elements of their indigenous traditions. Odin was sometimes recorded, at the native Germanic holiday of Yule, as leading a great hunting party through the sky.

Odin is actually described as riding an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir that could leap great distances, giving rise to comparisons to Santa Claus’s reindeer. Furthermore, Odin was referred to by many names in Skaldic poetry, some of which describe his appearance or functions. These include Síðgrani-Síðskeggr- Langbarðr (all meaning “long beard”) and Jólnir (“Yule figure”).

According to traditions, children would place their boots, filled with carrots, straw, or sugar, near the chimney for Odin’s flying horse, Sleipnir, to eat. Odin would then reward those children for their kindness by replacing Sleipnir’s food with gifts or candy. This practice still survives in Germany and rather made me understand as to why I filled my shoes with carrots as a child in Germany.

Of course I would experience the different aspect culturally spoken with Sinterklaas en de zwarte Pieten ( Saint Nicholas ) in the Netherlands where he’d throw candy through the window only to find out it was my own father’s doing..

But nonetheless a sweet memory for any child..

Klimaschutz- Climate protection.

In southern town of Germany with a population of no more then 2,600 People.

A small place certainly has hit the agenda of what it means on going green.

With heavy debt and prolonged issues such as dependency on the Electricity and rather becoming frustrated with the expenses. A village took matter into their own hands.

The initiatives first started in 1997 when the village council decided that it should build new industries, keep initiatives local, bring in new revenue, and create no debt. Over the past 14 years however, the community has equipped nine new community buildings with solar panels, built four biogas digesters (with a fifth in construction now) and installed seven windmills with two more on the way. In the village itself, 190 private households have solar panels while the district also benefits from three small hydro power plants, ecological flood control, and a natural waste water system.

As a result of the village’s success, Wildpoldsried has received numerous national and international awards for its conservation and renewable energy initiatives known as Klimaschutz (climate protection). The council even hosts tours for other village councils on how to start their own Klimaschutz program.

And since the Fukushima disaster the major of the town has been leading world tours promoting on going green!! Wildpoldsried itself produces 321 percent more energy than it needs – and its generating 4.0 million Euro (US $5.7 million) in annual revenue by selling it back to the national grid. It is no surprise to learn that small businesses have developed in the village specifically to provide services to the renewable energy installations.

The interesting part is how everything from solar panels to windmills are incorporated into the landscape without destroying anything. If this is being done in such a small town, why not everywhere? Nonetheless it should be intriguing, inspiring as well as motivating for many nations and communities!! What are you’re initiatives for the New Year? And what changes would you make to you’re own lifestyle for the benefit of the environment?

All too often I’ve been to NYC and anyone who’s been in this city likewise would agree ( zustimmen) it’s one of the most lively and diverse cities in the world. A mixture of culture, flamboyance and intermixed cultures. But under the cover of high rises, Sushi bars and the hustle of cars and fire sirens there lies as secret, a forgotten past.

Little Germany as some would remember this or in German as Klein Deutschland.

Was actually a German immigrant neighborhood on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in New York City.

Beginning in the 1840s, large numbers of German immigrants entering the United States provided a constant population influx for this area. In the 1850s alone, 800,000 Germans passed through New York. By 1855 New York had the third largest German population of any city in the world, outranked only by Berlin and Vienna. The German immigrants differed from others in that they usually were educated and had marketable skills in crafts. Educated Germans such as Joseph Wedemeyer, Oswald Ottendorfer and Friedrich Sorge were important players ( wichtige spieler)  in the creation and growth of trade unions. Avenue A was the street for beer halls,( Bier Halle)  oyster saloons and groceries. The Bowery was the western border (anything further west was totally foreign), but it was also the amusement and loafing district. There all the artistic treats, from classical drama to puppet comedies, were available.

The development of Yorktown began after the Civil War as the city expanded northward. The empty lots on the Upper East Side were turned into factories and slaughterhouses. Grand villas were built by the well to do and generated many jobs since upkeep of the villas required cooks, housecleaners, washing people, serving and grounds people. Many of the workers came from Klein Deutschland, (Little Germany), the German ghetto on the Lower East Side.

Then, in 1904 the General Slocum steamship accident occurred on the East River, in which over 1000 people were killed, mostly women and children ( Frauen und Kinder) from the LES German community. ( Deutsche Gemeinde) Hoping to make a new beginning and escape their empty hearths, the men moved uptown to where the jobs were on 1st, 2nd & 3rd avenues in the 70’s and 80’s. 86th Street, or “Sauerkraut Boulevard” was Germantown’s heart.

The peak of Germantown was from the 1930s-1960s when the streets were filled ( Straßen waren gefüllt) with the sound of the German language spoken by Eastern European/Prussian immigrants from Hungary, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Russia. An abundance of newspapers, societies, sports clubs, shops, restaurants, movie theatres, bakeries grew to accommodate this diverse gathering of Europeans who, because of wars and their countries’ political situations, came to call New York City’s Germantown home.

After the Slocum incident, many moved away either to Yorkville or elsewhere and much was replaced with newcomers from Russia, Irish among others..