The Passenger ⋆ Page 140 of 320 ⋆ Memories and hints of a travelling IT professional.

September 28, 2019September 29, 2019

Goldener Löwe

The Goldener Löwe at Eisenach, Germany was once an ordinary restaurant (first mentioned in 1533). But on August 7th, 1869 an important event happened here: August Bebel and Wilhelm Liebknecht founded the Sozialdemokratische Arbeiterpartei (SDAP) during a congress. It was later merged with the Allgemeiner Deutscher Arbeiterverein (ADAV) founded by Ferdinand Lassalle. The organization created is today known as the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD) – the oldest still existing political party in Germany.

September 28, 2019February 25, 2024

Delphi

I don‘t know why but Eisenach, Germany has a high density of Greek restaurants. The restaurant Delphi is located in the city center opposite to the Theaterplatz. They serve the well-known traditional Greek dishes in very good quality and a nice atmosphere.

September 28, 2019September 29, 2019

Automobile Welt Eisenach

Eisenach, Germany has a long tradition in car manufacturing. In 1896 the Fahrzeugfabrik Eisenach was founded which was in 1928 became part of the well-known Bayrischen Motoren Werke (BMW). After World War II and the establishment of the GDR it became a state-owned company, the VEB Automobilwerk Eisenach (AWE). It produced a famous car called Wartburg.

September 28, 2019September 29, 2019

Wartburg

High above Eisenach, Germany you can find a wonderful castle that played an important role in German history: the Wartburg. It was created in the year 1067 CE and is today a UNESCO world heritage site. The castle is well known as the place where Martin Luther translated the New Testament of the bible from Latin to German between 1521-1522 (using the pseudonym ‘Junker Jörg‘ to hide away).

September 28, 2019September 29, 2019

Martin Luther

When walking through Eisenach, Germany it is impossible to overlook its connection to Martin Luther. You can see a big statue of him on the Karlsplatz, you can visit a house where he was once living (Lutherhaus) and you can visit the Wartburg castle where he translated the Bible from Latin to German.

September 22, 2019September 29, 2019

Helfensteine

It’s a bizarre landscape. A vast area without bushes and trees, strangely formed rocks on one of the surrounding mountains, many people walking around and climbing these rocks and gliders starting on an airfield in between. That is what you can all find close to Zierenberg, Germany (15 kilometers northwest of Kassel). The strangely shaped rocks are called Helfensteine and are visible because of the erosion of the surrounding area over a very long time.

September 21, 2019July 16, 2023

Unused waterfall

Neuer Wasserfall, Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, Kassel

It is a lost place within the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe at Kassel, Germany: the Neuer Wasserfall (new waterfall). During the ancient water show the water runs from down from the Herkules monument to the Steinhöfer Wasserfall. It passes the Teufelsbrücke and the Aquädukt ruin before a large fountain starts. But there was another section that was added in 1826 – another waterfall. It was last in operation in 1943 before it was hit by bombs. It hasn’t been destroyed much but it can’t be used until today and most people don’t know about it.

September 20, 2019April 19, 2022

Up and down

View from the northern tower of the Martinskirche, Kassel

The city center of Kassel, Germany was largely destroyed during World War II (80 %). Before 1943 it must have been a wonderful place with many half-timbered houses. Today it feels like there is not much to show on a guided tour; tourists normally book art tours during documenta times or visit the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe with guides. But yet there are some hidden gems and fortunately a club of history enthusiasts offers special tours.

September 14, 2019January 31, 2020

Aschrottpark

The Tannenkuppe (fir summit) is a hill in the city quarter Vorderer Westen (fore west) of Kassel, Germany – not far away from the railway station Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe. It consists of limestone (like nearby Kratzenberg) which was gathered and until the mid of the 19th century also burned there to receive Calcium oxide; a material needed for buildings and industry. In the 1880s local industrial Sigmund Aschrott bought this place and converted it into a landscape garden.

September 11, 2019April 19, 2022

Partially accepted

Kosovo is a stabilized de-facto regime accepted by 114 of the 193 member states of the United Nations – in addition to Serbia (which claims this country to be part of Serbia as the region ‘KosMet’, Kosovo i Metohija) and its close friends many states with regions that want to be independent don’t support Kosovo. It is an incredibly young country with young citizens and old ethnic conflicts. It isn’t really prepared for tourism, but it is a good place for travelers. Many of them seem to come from the United States of America; a country that is still beloved by the locals because the 42nd president (Bill Clinton) took side for the country and forced NATO to attack the Serbian army on Kosovan grounds until they left. Kosovo declared independence on February 17th, 2008.