“Planlosigkeit erreicht spielend Ziele – andrer.” In English: “A lack of plan easily achieves goals – of others.”
Manfred Hinrich (1926 – 2015) – German philosopher, philologist, teacher, journalist, author of children’s songs, aphorist and writer.
Eltz Castle
Luxury, romance and a fairytale atmosphere — that’s how we imagine life at the medieval Eltz Castle. But what is it really like to live there? Spoiler: there are 80 rooms, all of which require a little maintenance.
DW’s Hannah Hummel asks owner Jakob Graf zu Eltz about life at the castle back then and now. The castle resident has even set up his home office there. Would that be something for you, too?
“also forgiven”
“Entworfen bloß, ists ein gemeiner Frevel, Vollführt, ists ein unsterblich Unternehmen; Und wenn es glückt, so ist es auch verziehn.”
Translation: “Just designed, it’s a common sacrilege. Completed, it’s an immortal enterprise. And if it succeeds, then it is also forgiven.”
Friedrich von Schiller (1759 – 1805), German physician, poet, philosopher and historian; is considered one of the most important German-speaking playwrights and poets.
Burg Eltz – Castle Eltz
Burg Eltz is a hilltop castle from the 12th century and one of the most famous of its kind in Germany. It is located in the Elz valley, a left tributary of the Moselle, in the district of Wierschem in Rhineland-Palatinate.
Owned by the noble Eltz family for more than 800 years, the building has been largely preserved. Like Bürresheim Castle and Lissingen Castle, it is one of the fortifications in the Eifel that were never conquered by force. The castle is open to the public and a popular destination.
Bismarck on planning
“Ich gewöhne mich nachgerade, nicht Pläne über acht Tage hinaus zu machen, denn der liebe Gott lässt mich doch nicht in seine Karte sehen, und tut ohne Zweifel gut daran.”
“I’m getting used to not making plans for more than eight days, because the good Lord doesn’t let me look at his map, and it’s no doubt a good idea to do so.”
Otto von Bismarck (1815 – 1898)
Medieval Erfurt
Time travel to the Middle Ages: Explore Erfurt’s Old Town with DW reporter Lukas Stege! Next to the famous cathedral, he takes a stroll around the historic Krämerbrücke.
The Merchant’s Bridge is the longest inhabited bridge in the world. Then, Lukas takes on a special culinary quest: trying to get hold of a vegetarian Thuringian bratwurst in Erfurt. Find out whether he is successful in the video!
“small minds whine”
“Kleine Geister jammern über mißlungene Pläne, große eilen zu neuer Tätigkeit. Doch wenn das Ziel, worauf man losstrebt, der Menschenvernunft nicht würdig ist, so sinkt der große Geist zum kleinen herab. Er wandelt mit Kraft, aber nicht im Lichte; er ist der Verschwender seines Vermögens, wenn er nicht Menschenwohl damit einlöset.”
“Small minds whine about failed plans, great ones rush to new activities. But if the goal towards which one is striving is not worthy of human reason, then the great mind sinks down to the small. He walks with power, but not in the light. He is the squanderer of his wealth if he does not redeem it for the good of mankind.”
Sebastian Mutschelle (1749 – 1800), Roman Catholic priest from Germany and writer during the Enlightenment.
The Romans in Germany
Salvete! DW Travel host Lukas Stege follows in the Romans’ footsteps through Germany. Accompany him on his journey along the līmes – the border between the Roman Empire and Germany – from Cologne to the Saalburg, a reconstructed Roman fort close to Frankfurt.
Julius Caesar on the Germans
This is an extract from Julius Caesar’s ‘Commentaries on the Gallic Wars’, first published between 58 and 49 BC. In 60 BC Rome was not yet an empire, but soon it would be. The momentous events of the next decades, many of which were put into motion by the famed politician Julius Caesar, were some of the most important and formative of the Western World.
We tell this story directly from the words of Caesar himself. Starting with his masterpiece ‘Commentaries on the Gallic Wars’ – first published over two thousand years ago yet still widely read all over the world today.
Long-term planning
The Technical University of Dortmund in Germany:
What will the city look like in the future? How do we deal with climate change? What will tomorrow’s transportation look like? How do we use the limited space we have? Spatial planning is an interdisciplinary engineering and social science field that deals with spatial developments in living, working and environmental conditions.
The different spatial levels range from the living environment and residential quarter to the urban district, the city as a whole, the region, the state and federal levels, and even the European and international levels. On all spatial levels, different technical orientations, such as urban development, housing, traffic, landscape, are considered in their interdependent relationships and effects.