Rolls Royce Factory Museum, Oberursel

The city of Oberursel/Taunus, the second production site for Rolls-Royce Germany, is the oldest existing aircraft production site in the world. Its museum, housed in the Dr. Günter-Kappler-Haus, displays an overview of the history of motor production in Oberursel, beginning with its founding at the Oberursel Motor Factory in 1892. Among the various exhibits of the museum are rotary engines, cooling fans, as well as a turbo fan engine, which is part of our modern long-haul aircraft.

Rolls Royce Oberursel

Museum hours of operation:

The Rolls-Royce-Museum is open every last Friday of the month from 3pm – 6pm, and by prior arrangement. Entry is free. (Last update: February 2009)

Motorenfabrik Oberursel

Address: Hohemarkstraße 60–70, 61440 Oberursel

More here: Historical District Motorenfabrik Oberursel eV

Zitat der Woche

„Forsche gründlich, rede wahr, schreibe bündig, lehre klar.“

Carl Remigius Fresenius
(German scientist)

Research thoroughly, speak truly, write concisely, teach intelligibly.

snow

 

A German Christmas Tradition – Barbarazweige

While growing up in a small village in northern Bavaria, I always saw my mom putting Barbarazweige on top of the kitchen cabinet in early December. These otherwise brown barren twigs would come into full bloom by Christmas.

Traditionally, these twigs are cut on 4 December, also known as St. Barbara Day (Catholic church). After cutting, they should experience a slight frost by either putting them in the fridge or leaving them outside overnight. Then put them in warm water for the first night. This will cause them to bloom later as the change from frosty temperature to a warm room makes it seem like spring is coming.

After the first night of warm water, fresh cold water should be given every three days.

Barbarazweige, a German Christmas tradition

Barbarazweige, a German Christmas tradition

Short list of trees or bush which are best:

Kirsche/cherry    Apfel/apple    Forsythien/forsythia    Haselnuss/hazelnut    Zierjohannisbeer/currant    Birke/birch   Weide/willow   Schlehe/blackthorn   Goldregen/laburnum    Ginster/broom (gorse)

Origin

This tradition is based on St. Barbara (Heilige Barbara), a shopkeeper’s daughter, who was put in jail. On her way there, her dress got caught on a cherry twig. While she was in her jail cell, she watered the little twig every day. On the day of her execution, the twig blossomed.

Blossoming Twigs bring Good Fortune

Bringing Barbarazweige to blossom is an old, but almost forgotten Christmas tradition. If everything is timed properly, the blossoms come to full bloom at Christmas and this means good fortune for the coming year, and shriveled ones brings back luck.

In the old days, a young woman would write her suitors’ names on pieces of paper and hang them onto the twigs. The one, whose twig blossomed first, should be the one chosen for marriage.

This tradition is mostly forgotten. Yesterday morning, I called my neighbor, a nice elderly woman in her late 70s, and asked her for some Barbarazweige from her garden. She said I was welcome to cut some, but she was not sure if they had such a tree or bush named Barbara. I did not bother to explain this tradition over the phone, but went right over to her garden.

I believe I have twigs from an apple tree, but we shall see.

9 Interesting Facts about the English Language

For students and teachers of English:

* The longest word with only one vowel is ‘strengths’ (a nine-letter word).

* There are only four words ending with -dous are tremendous, stupendous, hazardous and horrendous.

* The oldest word is ‘town’.

* The longest one-syllable word is ‘screeched’.

* The longest word with all the letters in alphabetical order is ‘almost’.

* The only two words ending with -gry are hungry and angry.

* The longest word without the main vowels is ‘rhythms’.

* The dot on the top of the letter ‘i’ is called a tittle.

* The most commonly-used word in conversation is ‘I’.

Quote of the Day

If we do not know what port we are steering for, no wind is favourable.

(German: Solange wir nicht wissen, welchen Hafen wir anlaufen wollen, gibt es keinen günstigen Wind)

– Seneca –

Maasholm in Germany

Maasholm in Germany

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