TODAY - December 30

 

NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS

ON: DECEMBER 30

New edition

TODAY’s LENGTH:

This day is here in Belgium 4 minutes longer than December 21. Its length is 8 hours and 1 minute – from 08.44 to 16.46.

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

TODAY’s NAME:

This day’s name is DAVID’s DAY.  He was a Jewish king in The Old Testament. He is known for killing the giant Goliath by throwing a stone at him with a sling. It was also king David who selected Jerusalem as the royal residence.

The day’s name in Belgium is SAINTE FAMILLE.  This was introduced by a Canadian Christian leader, Francois de Laval,  in the 17th century.  It refers to the family Mary, Joseph and their child Jesus.

TODAY’s EVENT:

1922:  The Soviet Union is established.

TODAY’s QUESTION:

Köpenick event  -  what’s the history behind that?

This expression comes from an event in 1906.  A shoemaker in Berlin, Wilhelm Voigt (1849-1922) – former prisoner and a poor guy to look at – took in the German town of Köpenick outside Berlin the uniform of a military officer and behaved like a captain in the imperial guard. He commanded a group of soldiers to follow him to the City Hall, where they arrested the authorities and took the city’s money box with 4000 Mark. After that he disappeared. But he was caught quite quickly afterwards.

After two years he was pardoned by emperor Wilhelm and was freed from prison. He became a popular hero in Germany. Now he wrote a book about the event. It was later also made into a film. The event was used by Voigt and many others to make the Prussian authorities look like fools with their obedience to military uniforms.

When the expression a Köpenick event or affair is used now and then today it means that somebody makes fun of the authorities.

QUESTION FOR TOMORROW:

Neandertal Man  -  what is the history behind it? And why is it called so?

47 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ABOUT EUROPE:

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

 

TODAY’s QUOTE & FAMOUS PEOPLE :

1.  Yesterday’s quote:

Politicians think about the next elections. Statesmen about the next generation.

            This was said by the liberal British politician and prime minister William

            Gladstone.

2.  Today’s quote:

A woman is just a woman.  But a good cigar – that’s tobacco.

Who among today’s persons has said that?

3.  Famous people born on this day:

39:      Emperor Titus  ( died 81 )

1865:  Rudyard Kipling  ( died 1936 )  - see photo

1946:  Berti Vogts

1975:  Tiger Woods

 

4.  Famous people died on this day:

1937:  H.N. Andersen  ( 85 years )

1968:  Trygve Lie  ( 72 years )

2006:  Saddam Hussein  ( 69 years )

 

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

niels4europe@gmail.com  

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



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