Lorri Brown's Blog
Posted by Lorri Brown
Like the “Weimar Republic,” the “Treaty of Versailles” is another term which is thrown around European History quite a bit, and could use a brief explanation.
There have been several treaties of Versailles over the years, but the Treaty of Versailles usually refers to the one marking the end of World War I, and saddling Germany with all the blame and reparations of the war. In short, without the Treaty of Versailles, which further humiliated and degraded the already war-torn German people, Hitler would not have had a political platform from which to spew his hate mongering, and there would have been no World War II.
The Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles, outside of Paris. The main points of the treaty were reparations and disarmament of Germany. Some historians point out that the treaty was more about punishing Germany, than preventing another war. Looking back at the Treaty through a lens of hindsight, it is a pretty harsh and unrealistic agreement.
Germany agreed to pay heavy reparations for causing the war (a staggering 33 billion dollars!) By 1923 it became obvious that Germany would not be able to keep up with the unrealistic payment plan and payments were deferred for nine years. Many businessmen in the United States loaned Germany money to get back on its feet, but this ultimately caused inflation and the helped to contribute to the Great Depression.
Another part of the treaty called for a drastic reduction in armed forces in Germany, including eliminating their navy and air force. The German army was reduced to 100,000 men. Germany also lost all of its overseas colonies, and had to give up territory to neighboring countries.
Naturally, the treaty did not sit well with the German people, who, up until the very last days of the war, believed victory to be theirs. Military generals who knew Germany was doomed to lose the war, allowed public fury to be directed against the new social democratic government, the Weimar Republic. Later Hitler would use the harsh terms of the Treaty of Versailles to rouse the German people’s indignation over the unfair treatment by the rest of Europe and the United States, and help solidify German Nationalism, leading ultimately to WWII.
Sources:
Facing History and Ourselves: Holocaust and the Human Behavior. Facing History and Ourselves, National Foundation, Inc. Brookline, MA. 1994
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761566689/Treaty_of_Versailles.html
Posted by Lorri Brown
In Italy, celebrating Christmas begins eight days before Christmas Day, during the Novena. The main celebration takes place on Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas Day, and continues until the Epiphany (January 6). Children do not write lists to Santa Clause (in Italy, Santa has been replaced by a flying witch). Instead, children write letters of love to parents, placing them under their father’s dinner plate to be opened after the large Christmas Eve feast.
The earliest Christmas celebrations in Italy took place well before Jesus was born. In Ancient Rome, people celebrated the winter solstice with great feasting and bonfires. During this ancient ritual, called Saturnalia, cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the long winter. For most people, especially peasants, it was the only time of year with an abundance of fresh meat available. With all the extra food and fermented ale, the timing was perfect for a celebration! As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, Church officials thought of a clever way to convert pagans, by celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ at the same time as Saturnalia. Christmas in Italian is called “Il Natale,” which means birthday.
On Christmas Eve, children set their shoes by the fireplace, to be filled with small gifts and candy by a witch called La Befana. According to legend, the three wise men stopped at the home of La Befana, seeking directions. They invited her to go with them and meet Jesus, but she refused. Later that evening she changed her mind. Gathering up toys from her own child, who had died, she flew off to meet Jesus. However, she lost her way, and has been flying ever since. On Christmas Eve, she stops at every child’s house and leaves a gift, just in case Jesus is there.
Posted by Lorri Brown
“Joyeux Noel!”
As Christmas fast approaches, I often wonder how other countries celebrate the holiday. Living in Maine, we always have a fantastic fir tree, filling the house with a pungent pine scent. We spend an entire afternoon decorating it with ornaments collected over the years. Christmas Eve is generally spent visiting various family members. Christmas Day is our day at home, recuperating from the pre-dawn wake up call our kids give us every year. We have a rotating Christmas dinner, since I am of old Maine stock, (meat and potatoes, please) and my husband is a California transplant. (His family ate enchiladas for Christmas dinner!)
As the countdown to December 25 approaches, I will write a short series on Christmas traditions of Western Europe.
In France, Christmas goes by the name of “Noel”. Translated Noel means “the good news.” In this case it is talking about the gospel. Some popular Christmas traditions in France include
Burning a log from Christmas Eve to New Year’s Day. This goes back to the middle ages, when farmers would burn a log for a good harvest the following year.
· Decorating with a nativity scene in the home. These are sometimes family heirlooms.
· Christmas Trees are not popular in France. That’s it! I’m staying home!
· Buche de Noel is a popular log shaped cake that is served during the Christmas season.
· Santa Clause goes by the alias Pere Noel. He places small gifts in children’s shoes on Christmas Eve.
Posted by Lorri Brown
As the new writer for Western European History, I was faced with the dilemma of my first article. What to write about? I choose Marie de Guise (pronounced Geese) because I have long had a fascination with this woman, who history tends to overlook. Being the mother to Mary Queen of Scots, Marie gave up the right to her own happiness, and the chance to return to France, after the death of her husband, James V. Instead she lived in the cold, wet, and sometimes unfriendly Scottish court in order to rule for her daughter, whom she sent to France.
Looking at the glamour and wealth of the Renaissance nobility, it is easy to forget that it comes with a great price. You do not marry for love; you marry to better your family’s fortunes, or your own social standing. And you marry if your king commands it. Marie de Guise knew this all too well. She left a small son, and her birthplace to live in a foreign land because King Francis declared that she was the perfect mate for the grieving James V. Imagine her horror, having just lost her husband and younger son, to be bartered off to the Scots like a brood mare. Had she been a merchant’s daughter she would have been left to grieve in peace, before considering remarriage. True, she would not have been made a queen, or live in a palace, but she would have had far more control over the major decisions of her life.
