TODAY - November 28

 

NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS

 

ON: NOVEMBER 28

 

New edition

 

TODAY’s LENGTH:

 

This day is here in Belgium 8 hours and 5 minutes shorter than June 21. Its length is 8 hours and 24 minutes – from 08.19 to 16.43.

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

 

TODAY’s NAME:

Today is called SOPHIA MAGDALENE’s DAY.  She was the Danish king Christian VI’s queen – born on this day. Unlike the tradition at the time Christian’s dad, king Frederik IV, allowed his son to find his wife himself.  He travelled through Europe to try to find her.  He chose the German princess Sophia Magdalene of Brandenburg-Kulmbach. She lived from 1700-1770.  She belonged to the well-known Hohenzollern family ( which the last German emperor Wilhelm II also belonged to ). She was very religious ( Pietism ). And at the same time she lived in a very extravagant way. The contemporary French king Louis XIV ( “the Sun King” ) and his court had made his influence.  She started a still existing monastery for unmarried women from noble families. But she was not a popular queen. Still this day has its name from her.

The day’s name in Belgium is SAINT BERTHUIN – after an Anglo-Saxon born bishop, who started the monastery in Malonne near Namur in Belgium. He died in 698.

 

TODAY’s EVENT:

1520:  The Portuguese seaman Ferdinand Magellan reaches the Pacific Ocean through the strait, which later got his name.

 

TODAY’s QUESTION:

Fifth column  -  what is the background for that expression?

It comes from the Spanish civil war 1936-39. General Franco was about to attack Madrid with 4 military columns – attacking from north, east, south and west. At the same time he organized that fascist supporters inside the city were ready for fight and at the right moment go into action and attack the government forces from inside. They got the name the fifth column. 

 

Later the expression was used about German spies, who under the cover of being journalists, scientists or business people were German spies in Germany’s neighbouring countries – ready to help, if and when German troops attacked the country they were in.

During the Cold War the expression the fifth column was used to describe the traitors, who for ideological reasons felt more attached to another country than to their own – and therefore were willing to give confidential information to the other country. The Soviet Union was very active in using citizens of other countries in this role.

 

QUESTION FOR TOMORROW:

Black Friday – what is it? And what is the history behind it?

 

47 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT EUROPE:

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

 

 

TODAY’s QUOTE & FAMOUS PEOPLE :

 

1.  Yesterday’s quote:

 

    A diplomat is a person, who can change the drumming of the politicians to

    soft harp music.

                This was said by the American playwright Eugene O’Neill.

 

2.  Today’s quote:

 

    To generalise is the same as being an idiot!

 

    Who has said that?

 

3.  Famous people born on this day:

    1647:  Constantin Marselis  ( died 1699 )

    1700:  Sophie Magdalene  ( died 1770 )

    1757:  William Blake  ( died 1827 )

    1820:  Friedrich Engels  ( died 1895 )

    1881:  Stefan Zweig  ( died 1942 )

 

 

4.  Famous people died on this day:

    1680:  Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini  ( 81 years )

    1954:  Enrico Fermi  ( 53 years )

    1968:  Enid Blyton  ( 71 years )

 

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

niels4europe@gmail.com   

www.simplesite.com/kimbrer   + EUROPE AT WORK:  www.europe-at-work.be