TODAY - June 15


NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS
ON: JUNE 15

New edition
TODAY’s LENGTH:

This day is here in Belgium 8 hours and 30 minutes longer than December 21. Its length is 16 hours and 28 minutes – from 05.29 to 21.57.

See more – also in English – about where you are on:  www.dagenslaengde.dk

TODAY’s NAME:

This day is called VITUS DAY.  He was a Roman boy, who was made a Christian by his teacher. He was known for curing sick people. When he refused to serve non-Christian gods, he was as 12 year old tortured together with his mother, while his non-Christian father was watching.  When his pains were at their maximum the legend tells that he and his mother was taken away by an angel.

Vitus was in the Middle Ages one of the 14 emergency helpers – with epilepsy and cramps as his special fields.

Today is also Waldemar’s Day.  It was on this day in 1219 that the Danish flag Dannebrog according to the legend fell from heaven during the Danish king Waldemar’s battle near Lyndanes outside Tallinn in Estonia.  That’s why Waldemar won the battle J  A Scottish bar in the centre of Tallinn has today put up a sign saying that the flag actually fell where the bar is.  It takes a lot of good whisky to believe that !

I Belgium the day’s name is SAINT LANDELIN.  He was originally a brigand – a robber – who then became a monk. He lived in the years 625-86.  He founded the monastery in Lobbes in Hainaut in Belgium. And he was also involved in the construction of a number of churches in the area.

TODAY’s EVENT:

1920:  This is called the Re-Unification Day, because on this day Southern Jutland was reunited with Denmark after 56 years under German rule.


TODAY’s QUESTION:

Dutch treat – where does that expression come from? And what does it mean?

This expression comes originally from the rivalry between the English and the Dutch in the 17th century. The two nations and their people did not always talk nicely about each other. The English was of the opinion that the Dutch were always trying to avoid paying their share. They wanted to save their money.

This is perhaps not totally surprising.  The Calvinist religion – to which many Dutch belonged and still belong – encourages people to save as much money as possible. The more money you have when you die, the greater your chance is to get to heaven. So why take the risk and use the money during one’s lifetime ?!

Nowadays the expression a Dutch treat often means, that everyone pays for himself, when you go together to a restaurant or a bar.  You can also say: going Dutch. This has the same meaning.

In some cases Dutch people get offended, when they hear the expression. In other cases they use it themselves to make a bit of fun.

QUESTION FOR TOMORROW:

Blue blood – where does that expression come from? And what does it mean?
47 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT EUROPE:

EUROPE AT WORK     www.europe-at-work.be

TODAY’s QUOTE & FAMOUS PEOPLE :

1.  Yesterday’s quote:

Humour is the salt of any story-telling. The means making any report – even the most cruel one – readable, relevant, unforgettable.

            This has been said by the Danish author Lise Nørgaard.

2.  Today’s quote:

Moral is to fight for what you think is right and against what you think is wrong. Politics is about the same.

Who among today’s persons has said that?

3.  Famous people born on this day:

1843:  Edvard Grieg  ( died 1907 )
1914:  Jurij Andropov  ( died 1984 )
1943:  Johnny Hallyday   ( died 2017 )

4.  Famous people died on this day:

1996:  Ella Fitzgerald  ( 78 years )
1997:  Frode Jakobsen  ( 91 years )

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

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