Germany
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Ludwig the Mad King
The Wittelsbachs ruled Bavaria and in a landscape of mentally unstable royals, they were a special breed. Ludwig was born into a family rife with eccentricities if not downright psychosis. His aunt Alexandra was convinced she had swallowed an entire grand piano made of glass. That just lets you know what we are dealing with. Ludwig was born to Maximilian II and his wife Princess Marie of Prussia at Nymphenburg Palace. They were a mismatch pair even though they were cousins as Maximilian was Catholic and Marie was Protestant. Marrying cousins is never a great idea, however, in a family rife with mental illness it’s a disaster. When both Ludwig and…
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On This Day in History, September 9th AD 9 | Teutoburg Forest
You’ve heard of the “Teutoburg disaster”, right? It’s kinda infamous if you like brushing up on your history stuff, particularly so if you are pro- or anti- Roman. It’s so touted as an example of anti-Roman rule, that it can be somewhat overdone. Or, to quote one Roman-o-phile I know; “I’m sick of hearing about bloody Teutoburg.” And I kind of understand that, particularly the tendency to then fall into college schoolboy speak: “yeah, boyeee, we kicked yo asses right outta Germany, bitch! YEAH!” *chestbump* But let’s tell the true story here, let’s take ourselves back to Ancient Rome and the newly acquired province of Germania. Yes, “Germania.” This was…
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Anne of Cleves- The Ugly Wife
When we discuss Henry VIII, we talk about his six wives- the faithful one, the coquette, the mother, the ugly one, the flirt and the nurse. Anne of Cleves was famously called by Henry VIII “the Flander’s Mare” and claimed that he was incapacitated by her “slack breasts” and “evil smells”. But what do we know of this woman, who was defamed throughout England as too unattractive to marry? Anne was born September 22, 1515 to Duke Johann III the late Duke of Juliers-Cleves. She was the second daughter, and had a brother William, who became the Duke after her father’s death, and a sister Amalia. Sybille was an older…
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Krampus
“You better watch out, You better not cry, You better not pout, I’m telling you why: He’s making a list, And checking it twice, Gonna find out who’s naughty or nice. He sees you when you’re sleeping, He knows when you’re awake. He knows when you’ve been bad or good, So be good for goodness sake!” Krampus does not come to reward, but to punish. The word “Krampus” is derived from the Old High German word krampen, meaning “claw.” According to Norse mythology, Krampus is the son of Hel, the goddess ruler of the underworld. There are also a few physical similarities between Krampus and Greek mythical creatures like the…
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The Kobold
Originating from Germanic mythology, legends of kobolds have survived into modern times in German folklore. They are usually invisible, but can materialize in the form of an animal, fire, a human being, and a candle. Common depictions show them as humanlike figures, the size of small children. They are depicted as living in human homes and wearing clothing of peasants. These kobolds perform domestic chores or play malicious tricks, if insulted or neglected. Famous kobolds of this type include King Goldemar, Heinzelmann, Hödekin. In some regions, kobolds are known by local names, such as the Galgenmännlein of southern Germany and the Heinzelmännchen of Cologne. Some live in mines and are…
