SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2022 - SATURDAY STORY.

 SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2022 - SATURDAY STORY.

I’m traveling this weekend.  I need to do more research for Gottfried Quaas.  The story I am telling is not quite true.  My great-great-grandfather came from Germany in 1848.  He was Gottfried Quaas.  Some parts of my story are reasonably similar but some parts (like going into the Army) are totally made up.  (Actually, my great-great-grandfather left Germany because he was going to be drafted into the army - and he didn’t want to fight against fellow Germans!!)

Putting a spin and perspective on the story.  Germany was a divided country of independent states.  France was united (for a long time - under the Kings - up to Louis XVI), England was united, and Spain was united.  Italy and Germany were the “red-headed stepchildren” of Europe.  

There were two factions - Prussia and Austria that seemed to lead in the unification of Germany.  Austria had been established for years in various formats (like the Holy Roman Empire - which was not all that Holy, or Roman, or an Empire).  Prussia was on the Baltic Sea and Austria was landlocked.  Prussia seemed the most logical as it has a navy.  The various states were being wooed by Prussia and Austin to form an alliance with one of these powers.  The states liked being independent, but with the success of the United States and the results of the French Revolution (and the aftermath of Napoleon), the people could see aspects of unification.  

They had a “common” language, although there were dialects - “high German” and “low German”.  Low German was the language in the north German areas - next to what is sometimes known as the “Low Countries” (Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark).  High German is named for the mountainous region - the Alps and southern area.  

There were some regional dialects.  Think about American English.  The dialects are disappearing. But there are still some strong Southern Dialects, New York dialects, and Boston area dialects.  My bias is that television is wiping out most of the regional differences.  

Germany, although not unified until 1871, did have some great composers.  Beethoven died in 1827, Bruckner in 1890, Wagner in 1883, Brahms in 1893, Bruckner in 1896, and Mahler in 1911 - but all were German.  These followed in the steps of Bach, Mozart, Haydn, and others.  

*****

So my story (which I hope I’ll have time to advance next Saturday) is set against a background of growing nationalism and unification.  Gottfried in the story comes from the Thuringia state (and did my great-great grandfather).  So this story is a minor historical novel about the unification of Germany.

*****

More (I hope) next week!!

LOVE WINS!!

Karen White, October 8, 2022, ©