TODAY - FEBRUARY 11

 

NIELS’ MORNING GREETINGS

ON: FEBRUARY 11

New 2021 edition

TODAY’s PERSON:

I have chosen the Danish building and furniture architect ARNE JACOBSEN.  See more about him and his famous production on Wikipedia.

TODAY’s LENGTH:

This day is in Belgium 1 hour and 52 minutes longer than December 21. Its length is 9 hours and 50 minutes – from 08.02 to 17.52.

See more – also in English on:  www.dagenslaengde.dk

TODAY’s NAME:

This day’s name is EUPHROSYNES DAY. She was a Christian woman in Egypt, who refused to marry a non-Christian. To avoid that she dressed like a monk and was hiding in a monastery. When the abbot found out that she was a woman she was locked up in a room, where she died 36 years later. She died around 412 AC.

In Belgium the day’s name is:  NOTRE-DAME DE LOURDES (Our Lady of Lourdes). It refers to a town in the south-west of France, where it is believed that Virgin Mary has appeared several times near a special cave. The place is, therefore, very important for Catholics.

 

TODAY’s EVENT:

1929:  The Vatican becomes an independent state.

TODAY’s QUESTION:

A Dutch treat – what’s the origin? 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:

A black sheep – where does the expression come from? And it means what?

 

47 QUESTIONS & ANSWERS ABOUT EUROPE:

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

 

TODAY’s QUOTE & FAMOUS PEOPLE :

1.  Yesterday’s quote:

I think the best definition of man is: an ungrateful two-legged creature!

This was said by the Russian author Fjodor Dostojevski

2.  Today’s quote:

Culture is habits.

Who has said that?

3.  Famous people born on this day:

1638:  Niels Steensen  ( died 1686 )

1847:  Thomas Edison  ( died 1931 )

1902:  Arne Jacobsen  ( died 1971 )  - see above and below.

1920:  King Faruk  ( died 1965 )

1934:  Mary Quant

1936:  Bert Reynolds  ( died 2018 )

 

4.  Famous people died on this day:

1650:  René Descartes  ( 54 years )

1795:  Carl Michael Bellmann  ( 55 years )

1950:  Hartvig Frisch ( 57 years )

2000:  Roger Vadim  ( 72 years )

 

Niels Jørgen Thøgersen

niels4europe@gmail.com  

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



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