Wir suchen Deutschland – Frankfurt and Trier

Wir suchen Deutschland - Frankfurt and Trier

Last month Peter and Sabine visited the Black Forest and Heidelberg, this month they’re off to explore Frankfurt and Trier.

Frankfurt

Der Himmel ist blau, die Sonne lacht.
In Frankfurt wird nun Halt gemacht. –
Du kannst, Sabine, es noch nicht verstehen,
was hier für große Dinge einst geschehen.
Es war vor nunmehr hundert Jahren,
daß deutsche Männer hier versammelt waren.
Sie wollten ein geeintes Deutschland sehn,
ein Deutschland, blühend, schaffend, schön.
Die Kirche da war ihr Versammlungsraum.
Die Einheit Deutschlands aber blieb ein Traum.

The poem mentions ‘big things’ that happened in 1848. Wikipedia mentions a bit more “After the ill-fated revolution of 1848, Frankfurt was the seat of the first democratically elected German parliament, the Frankfurt Parliament, which met in the Frankfurter Paulskirche (St. Paul’s Church) and was opened on 18 May 1848. The institution failed in 1849 when the Prussian king declared that he would not accept “a crown from the gutter”. In the year of its existence, the assembly developed a common constitution for a unified Germany, with the Prussian king as its monarch.” Read more here in English or here in German.

I found a video about the revolution and the first parliament, It requires quite a good German understanding but have a go and watch it:

How about a day trip to Frankfurt?  If you can’t go for real, maybe this video will give you a little flavour (all in English):

Their next stop was Trier.

Trier

Nun geht’s im Moseltal entlang
mit Rebenpflanzen Hang an Hang.
Sind wir in Trier angekommen,
wird gleich der Skizzenblock genommen. –
In einem Buch hab’ ich gelesen,
daß hier die Römer einst gewesen. –
Die Porta Nigra, würdig, alt,
voll Ehrfurcht wird sie abgemalt.

The following video shows you how beautiful the Porta Nigra, the Roman ‘black gate’ is:

Another video shows you other interesting sites as well, and you can practise your German!

Next month they will visit the Rhine and the Ruhr.

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