German Holidays and Customs in May

The first day in the lovely month of May (Camelot) is a national holiday in Germany, Austria, and most of Europe. International Workers Day is observed in many countries around the globe on May 1. But there are other German May customs that reflect the end of winter and the arrival of warmer days. Tag der Arbeit - 1. Mai Oddly, the widespread custom of celebrating Labor Day on the first of May (am ersten Mai) was inspired by events in the United States, one of the few countries that do not observe Labor Day in May! In 1889, a congress of world socialist parties was held in Paris. The attendees, sympathizing with striking workers in Chicago in 1886, voted to support the United States labor movements demands for an 8-hour day. They selected May 1, 1890, as a day of commemoration for the Chicago strikers. In many countries around the world May 1 became an official holiday called Labor Day—but not in the U.S., where that holiday is observed on the first Monday in September. Historically the holiday has had special importance in socialist and communist countries, which is one reason it is not observed in May in America. The U.S. federal holiday was first observed in 1894. Canadians also have observed their Labor Day since September 1894. In Germany, May Day (erster Mai, May 1st) is a national holiday and an important day, partly because of Blutmai (bloody May) in 1929. That year in Berlin the ruling Social Democratic (SPD) party had banned the traditional workers demonstrations. But the KPD (Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands) called for demonstrations anyway. The resulting bloodbath left 32 people dead and at least 80 seriously injured. It also left a big split between the two workers parties (KPD and SPD), which the Nazis soon used to their advantage. The National Socialists named the holiday Tag der Arbeit (Day of Labor), the name still used in Germany today. Unlike the U.S. observance, which cuts across all classes, Germanys Tag der Arbeit and most European Labor Day observances are primarily a working-class holiday. In recent years Germanys chronic high unemployment (Arbeitslosigkeit, over 5 million in 2004) also comes into focus each May. The holiday also tends to be a day of Demos that often turn into clashes between the demonstrators (more like hooligans) and the police in Berlin and other large cities. If the weather allows, nice, law-abiding people use the day for picnicking or relaxing with the family. Der Maibaum In Austria and many parts of Germany, especially in Bavaria, the tradition of raising a Maypole (Maibaum) on May 1 still serves to welcome spring—as it has since ancient times. Similar Maypole festivities also can be found in England, Finland, Sweden, and the Czech Republic. A Maypole is a tall wooden pole made from a tree trunk (pine or birch), with colorful ribbons, flowers, carved figures, and various other decorations adorning it, depending on the location. In Germany, the name Maibaum (May tree) reflects the custom of placing a small pine tree atop the Maypole, which is usually set up in a towns public square or village green. Traditional dances, music, and folk customs are often associated with the Maypole. In small towns virtually the entire population turns out for the ceremonial raising of the Maypole and the festivities that follow, with Bier und Wurst of course. In Munich, a permanent Maibaum stands at the Viktualienmarkt. Muttertag Mothers Day is not celebrated at the same time around the world, but Germans and Austrians observe Muttertag on the second Sunday in May, just as in the U.S. Learn more on our Mothers Day page. Walpurgis Walpurgis Night  (Walpurgisnacht), the night before May Day, is similar to  Halloween  in that it has to do with supernatural spirits. And like Halloween, Walpurgisnacht is of pagan origin. The bonfires seen in todays celebration reflect those pagan origins and the human desire to drive away the winter cold and welcome spring. Celebrated mainly in Sweden, Finnland, Estonia, Latvia, and Germany,  Walpurgisnacht  gets its name from Saint Walburga (or Walpurga), a woman born in what is now England in 710.  Die  Heilige  Walpurga  traveled to Germany and became a nun at the convent of Heidenheim in Wà ¼rttemberg. Following her death in 778 (or 779), she was made a saint, with May 1 as her saint day. In Germany, the  Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains, is considered the focal point of  Walpurgisnacht. Also known as the  Blocksberg, the 1142-meter peak is often shrouded in mist and clouds, lending it a mysterious atmosphere that has contributed to its legendary status as the home of witches (Hexen) and devils (Teufel). That tradition predates the mention of the witches gathering on the Brocken in Goethes: To the Brocken the witches ride... (Die Hexen  zu  dem Brocken  ziehn...) In its Christian version, the former pagan festival in May became Walpurgis, a time to drive out evil spirits—usually with loud noises. In Bavaria Walpurgisnacht is known as  Freinacht  and resembles Halloween, complete with youthful pranks.

The Conquests Of Alexander The Great - 1341 Words

Introduction The conquests of Alexander the Great ushered in a new era in the political and cultural history of the Near East. In their wake, both the Jews of Judaea and their brethren in a rapidly expanding diaspora were subjected to radical forces of social and cultural change. These changes, effected by the introduction of Greek culture into the lands of the Near East that led to the emergence of the phenomenon commonly known as Hellenism, greatly transcended the purely political vicissitudes that were destined to envelop this part of the inhabited world. One of the striking features of Second Temple history is the fact that most Jews, not only in the Diaspora but in Palestine as well, never experienced complete Jewish sovereignty. The†¦show more content†¦A Jewish diaspora was already in existence from the late seventh century: Jews had been deported to the Babylonian area at least as early as 597, and Jeremiah 52 speaks of two more deportations, in 587/586 and about 582 BCE. As for Egypt, at least one colony existed ay Elephantine, probably from the seventh century. This continued, with Jews emigrating or being forcibly taken to Egypt in the period of the Diadochi. The result is that by the early Hellenistic period a considerable Jewish diaspora existed, with Jews living in Egypt and Mesopotamia and later in Asia Minor, as well as Syria and Palestine. The people bore the name of ‘Jews’ (Greek) after their ancestral homeland of Judah. The Ptolemaic Period 320 - 198 BC The 40 years of fighting after Alexander’s death finally came to an end with the death of the main protagonists by the year 280 BCE. Much of the third century BCE was dominated by the Syrian wars. These constituted an ongoing conflict between the Ptolemaic and Seleucid empires over Syro-Palestine. As noted in the previous chapter, the council of visitors after the battle of Ipsus (301 BCE) had awarded this region to Seleucus because Ptolemy had not participated in the battle; however, Ptolemy occupied the area up to the Eleutherus river, north of Tripolis, and refused to concede the territory. In 301 BCE Ptolemy took Palestine once more and this time Egypt retained it for the nextShow MoreRelatedAlexander the Great Conquest848 Words   |  4 Pages Alexander the Greats Distribution of Culture Someone who has abilities above the normal or average person is considered great. In this case, were talking about Alexander the infamous Greek invader. Alexander the Great was a man of conquest and curiosity. By the age of twenty he had already conquered many of his local Grecian city states and had established himself as a leader. His desire to conquer and explore grew as he aged. As he travelled he took along with him the morals and customs ofRead MoreThe Conquests and Legacy of Alexander the Great Essay860 Words   |  4 PagesAlexander III of Macedon, more commonly known as Alexander the Great, is one of the most legendary figures in our history and in the history of the world. His conquests and endeavors echoed far and wide, bringing about new eras and ideas to the world. Alexander earned his place in the world’s history and is worthy of the title ‘The Great’ because of his military prowess, his idealism and his legacy. During the course of his life and reign, Alexander had fought and won many battles and wars, defeatingRead MoreAlexander the Great (his relationship with his father; how he came to power; his conquests)1733 Words   |  7 PagesAlexander the Great, king of Macedonia, accomplished much in his lifetime. He added many new lands to his vast empire including Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Sogdiana, and part of India. He became the conqueror of the world he knew. Alexander the Great was the son of Princess Olympias of Epirus (Cinderella) and King Philip II of Macedonia (Popovic). His parents hated each other and had an unstable marriage (Cinderella). Philips relationship with Alexander was also poor. He onceRead MoreAn Accurate Historical Account of Alexander the Great in Flavius Arrianus Xenophons The Campaigns of Alexander704 Words   |  3 PagesFlavius Arrianus Xenophon, also known as Arrian, author of â€Å"The Campaigns of Alexander,† is also well known throughout history for his educational connection with philosopher Epictetus. This book was meant to be Arrian’s master piece; his claim to fame. Arrian created â€Å"The Campaigns of Alexander,† to depict the life and times of Alexander the Great (July 20, 356-June 10, 323 BC). Today Arrian’s â€Å"The Campaigns of Alexander,† is considered one of his greatest pieces of work and is recognized historicallyRead MoreAlexander The Great Of The Russian E mpire969 Words   |  4 PagesThere are few topics in history that garner more attention and study than Alexander the Great. Almost everyone in the western world has heard of Alexander in school, books, or in other cultural depictions. However, his effect on the history of the world cannot be overstated. Alexander’s empire had an effect on people from the Balkans to Egypt, and from Babylon to India. His empire resolved the long standing conflict between the Persians and Greeks, established multiple cities across the Middle EastRead MoreAlexander The Great : Alexander The Great And The Persian Empire930 Words   |  4 PagesAlexander the Great was skilled and respected military leader. After inheriting the throne from his father, King Philip II, Alexander would go on to conquer the Persian Empire, unite Greece and spread Hellenistic views across Greece. Alexander being the son of a king was born into royalty. In fact, he had the pleasure of having the great Aristotle as his teacher. It was Aristotle’s job to teach Alexander what he need to know in order to later conquer the Persian Empire and to teach him the importanceRead MoreAlexander the Great 1370 Words   |  6 PagesAlexander was born around 356 B.C. His mother was of royal lineage, as was his father, Philip II. When Alexander was fourteen, he studied under the Athenian philosopher, Aristotle. Perhaps no culture has ever produced a greater mind than Aristotle’s. So searching and profound was Aristotle’s work that in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries A.D. much of the Christian church regarded his teachings as being divinely inspired. No subject was untouched by his contemplation. Philosophy, botany, geographyRead MoreAlexander the Great Summary 16861 Words   |  4 PagesAlexander the Great Alexander the Great was the king of Macedonia, conqueror of the Persian Empire, and one of the greatest military geniuses of all times. Even at an early age, Alexander had the promise to become a great leader. Through all his victories and conquests, he has become a great hero and has had a large impact on history. That is why I chose he book Alexander the Great, by J.R. Hamilton for my review. Hamilton does a very good job with the story of Alexander the Great. The bookRead MoreAlexander The Great : The Characters Of Alexander The Great1222 Words   |  5 PagesFrom the beginning of his short-lived life in Pella, the capital of Macedonia, Alexander the Great was immensely affected by the traits of his mother, father, and tutor. Philip II, king of Macedonia and Alexander’s father, was a man of great strategic ability, and gave Alexander practice in military leadership. This experience and knowledge passed down from his father became useful during his conquest across Europe. Olympias, one of Philip II’s wives and Alexander’s mother, had incredibly strongRead MoreHayden Hawkinson . Mrs. Heflin. English 6 - 6. March 2,1143 Words   |  5 PagesEnglish 6 - 6 March 2, 2017 Alexander the Great â€Å"I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.† Alexander the Great is the smartest and fiercest military leader that has ever lived. His military wisdom and fierceness led him to being a great leader of Greece, conquering all of Asia Minor, conquering the Persian empire, and ruling the biggest empire the world had ever seen before 334 BC. This led him to being a great Greek leader, being a fierce

ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students

Question: Discuss about the ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students. Answer: Introduction: IT has been able to bring a change in the field like the internet, e-commerce and helps in processing the data management. This will also help in bringing a change to the life of an individuals, where there is computer programmer, software developers and the other experts in different technology to work towards the development. (Dell et al., 2016). For the business, IT is able to cover a proper understanding where there are own unique set of equipment to handle the economy, small business with proper usage of the office tools. Here, the marketing standards are set to improve the productivity of the system. The emergency with the computing load on LAN helps in connecting the different people. With growth, it is seen that companies find simple and cheap methods to move towards the better copy versions of software. Some of the emerging technologies are based on the competitive advantage which includes the closed ecological systems, precision agriculture with proper research and development. In IT, it is seen that they are for the data productivity applications and creating new efficiencies. The competitive advantage with the inter connection helps in emerging with the technological change and offering the hope for the human conditions. (Dahlstrom et al., 2016). What is Enterprise Architecture? This is related to the conceptual blueprints which includes the structure and the operation of the organisation management. The focus is mainly on how the organisation is able to effectively handle and achieve the different objectives. The major advantage of this is the improved decision making and improved adaptability to the changing needs and the demands of the market conditions. The elimination of any insufficient and the redundant processes, with optimisation leads to proper use of the organisational assets and also minimise the turnover of the employee. The proper analysis through the business, information, and the process where the technology changes are important for proper execution of the strategies. (Lloyd, 2017). Through this, there are other business structure which includes the effectiveness, efficiency, agility and the durability. The risks include the hardware and the software failure, human error, spam, virus and the malicious attacks or any form of the natural disaster. Hence, it is very important to manage the data so that all the risks could be reduced with the development of the response plan under the event of the IT crisis. Reference Dahlstrom, E., Bichsel, J. (2016).ECAR study of undergraduate students and information technology. Research report. Louisville, CO: ECAR, October 2014. Disponvel em https://www. educause. edu/ecar Acesso em: 22 fev. Dell, A. G., Newton, D. A., Petroff, J. G. (2016).Assistive technology in the classroom: Enhancing the school experiences of students with disabilities management. Pearson. Lloyd, I. (2017).Information technology law. Oxford University Press.

My Stage free essay sample

Ladies and gentlemen, the first place in the speech contest goes to Alice Tzou, the principal announced. I saw my entire class celebrating and hugging one another. Again, I had won, just like other speech, debate, and essay contests. As a ninth grader in Taiwan, I had delivered the best speech to six thousand people in an auditorium. I was a leader, a star, receiving the applause of those who knew me, swaggering upon my shining stage. Suddenly, in September 1994, I was dropped into the U.S. where I could not speak to even six people at a time, since I did not know much English. I was not even able to go to a fast-food restaurant because I did not know what and how to order. Having lost my spotlight, I entered tenth grade silently, no longer a star but a frustrated member of the audience, clapping for other people. We will write a custom essay sample on My Stage or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page One day in a dance class in my new school in this new country, I was grouped by the teacher with two other girls. As I was introducing myself, one of the girls said to me, Go away! You wouldnt know what we are saying. How I managed to get away from them without losing face I cannot recall. All I remember is that in those days, as soon as the bell rang I would run home and cry. I was made fun of and ostracized. I did not want to talk; I did not dare. With my self-confidence drowned, my social skills lost, and my sense of humor gone, I could not breathe. But I knew I could not give up. I absorbed as much English as I could. Two years later, as a senior in high school, I find myself backstage already a substantial move from being in the audience. I write for my high school newspaper, I participate in Forensics, Drama, and the Select Choir, speaking and singing as loudly as everyone else. Being a competitive student with a built-in momentum and a thirst of learning, I am encouraged, yet not completely satisfied with the book award given to me by The 21st Century for the most improvement in English, nor with a perfect score in voice solo by New York School Music Association. I am getting ready to perform on stage again. The most important step on my way toward the footlights was the Harvard Summer Session I attended in 1996. The atmosphere allowed me to meet students from all over the world. I learned that as long as my heart is open to anything and anyone, I will be happy. I made good friends through whom I rediscovered my sense of humor; I was able to laugh again and to make others laugh. I proved to myself as well as to others that I found my old self the confident, the victorious. College, I hope, will be another dazzling stage for me to strut upon.