Where Father and Son Died


The remains of the monastery, 10th century. Photo: Wikipedia.

The Ottonian dynasty succeeded in stabilizing the realm under the rule of King Henry I (876/936) and Emperor Otto I (912-973). The union between the different tribes living in the kingdom of East Francia was growing. After his father’s death, Emperor Otto II (955-983) and his wife the Byzantine princess Theophanu (956-991) founded a Benedictine … Read more » “Where Father and Son Died”

Art Deco in Hamburg


René Vincent (1879–1936), Peugeot, 1928, Plakat, Lithografie, 117,5 × 157,5 cm, Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg

The term Art Deco is used to describe a style of decorative art popular between the heyday of Art Nouveau and the emergence of the International Style in the 1950s, roughly contemporaneous with the radical forms of avant-garde artistic expression exemplified by De Stijl, the Russian avant-garde, and the Bauhaus. The origins can be traced … Read more » “Art Deco in Hamburg”

Winston and Clementine


Chartwell, Sir Winston Churchill’s home in Kent, has opened a new exhibition ‘Clementine Churchill: Speaking for Herself’, focusing on the extraordinary life of Clementine, Ogilvy Hozier Spencer (1885-1977) Winston’s devoted wife for more than fifty-six years. Displays will feature over sixty objects, including personal mementoes such as her photos and private letters, along with several gifts that she received … Read more » “Winston and Clementine”

Living Apart Together


South Tyrol was part of Austria until 1918, but this German-speaking territory was occupied in November 1918 and subsequently annexed by Italy in 1919. The Italian name for this region is Alte Adigo, named after the river Adigo, Etsch in German. The forced Italianization started with the rise of fascism in 1922. Nowadays, only a … Read more » “Living Apart Together”

One Century De Stijl


The year 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of the magazine De Stijl. Place of birth was Laren, a small town in the Dutch province Noord-Holland, date of birth (the first official announcement): 25 November 1917. De Stijl became an icon of modernity throughout Europe and the world. Its timing and place, amidst a destructive European … Read more » “One Century De Stijl”