| Cuckoo Clocks and Madmen: The Blackest of Forests and the Man who named Amerika |
Martin Waldseemüller of Wolfenweiler near Freiburg was born around 1470 and later studied
theology at the University at Freiburg. He was recruited into a group to prepare a definitive map of
the New Worlds in 1505. Studying the discoveries of Vespucci, the group prepared a new map and
published a treatise on map-making and geography called 'Cosmographiae Introductio' in 1507.
theology at the University at Freiburg. He was recruited into a group to prepare a definitive map of
the New Worlds in 1505. Studying the discoveries of Vespucci, the group prepared a new map and
published a treatise on map-making and geography called 'Cosmographiae Introductio' in 1507.
Waldseemüller later produced a version of Ptolemy's 'Geographia' in 1513. He died in 1522. The
map was lost for a long time, but a copy was found in a castle at Wolfegg in southern Germany by
Joseph Fischer in 1901. It's still the only copy known in existence. In late May 2003 the U.S. Library
of Congress bought the map.
map was lost for a long time, but a copy was found in a castle at Wolfegg in southern Germany by
Joseph Fischer in 1901. It's still the only copy known in existence. In late May 2003 the U.S. Library
of Congress bought the map.
Waldseemüller's map, the 'First New Map of the World', was printed. The massive map needed
twelve separate wood-blocks for printing and was the beginning of modern map-making. It was the
first map printed separately and not as part of a book, and the first finely detailed map in which the
Earth is shown as being round and covering 360 degrees of longitude. The North and South
American continents were labeled 'America' in honor of Amerigo Vespucci. Printed six years before
Balboa discovered the Pacific, and fifteen years before Magellan gave an accurate description of the
ocean, the map showed the Pacific Ocean and even pin-pointed the exact location of Japan before
Europeans actually sighted Japan in 1507. The map also showed the entire coastline of Africa.
twelve separate wood-blocks for printing and was the beginning of modern map-making. It was the
first map printed separately and not as part of a book, and the first finely detailed map in which the
Earth is shown as being round and covering 360 degrees of longitude. The North and South
American continents were labeled 'America' in honor of Amerigo Vespucci. Printed six years before
Balboa discovered the Pacific, and fifteen years before Magellan gave an accurate description of the
ocean, the map showed the Pacific Ocean and even pin-pointed the exact location of Japan before
Europeans actually sighted Japan in 1507. The map also showed the entire coastline of Africa.
Another figure Freiburg is famous for is Berthold Schwarz, sometimes
known as Berthold der Schwarze or Black Bart. He was a Franciscan
monk and alchemist in Freiburg who, according to legend, was the first
European to discover gunpowder somewhere between 1313 and 1353,
which led directly to the creation of the first firearms. It is sometimes also
claimed that he built or developed the first guns or cannon. The old statue
in Freiburg of the monk Schwartz, left, was damaged in war (as described
below) but was repaired and amazingly stands today. However, true to
popular "German-guilt", Schwartz is now officially described as "a man
whose invention led people and individuals to ruin taking millions of
human lives as victims" rather than as an inventor.
known as Berthold der Schwarze or Black Bart. He was a Franciscan
monk and alchemist in Freiburg who, according to legend, was the first
European to discover gunpowder somewhere between 1313 and 1353,
which led directly to the creation of the first firearms. It is sometimes also
claimed that he built or developed the first guns or cannon. The old statue
in Freiburg of the monk Schwartz, left, was damaged in war (as described
below) but was repaired and amazingly stands today. However, true to
popular "German-guilt", Schwartz is now officially described as "a man
whose invention led people and individuals to ruin taking millions of
human lives as victims" rather than as an inventor.
The great cathedral Münster of Freiburg was built across a span of several centuries, and exhibited a
range of architecture from late Romanesque to Late Gothic and even a tad of Rococo. Its single
tower with a lacy spire was the first of its kind. The building remained mostly unchanged since its
completion in 1513. Miraculously, unlike so many great cathedrals and churches in Germany, it was
not destroyed during the severe Allied bombing of Freiburg although the whole area around it was
reduced to rubble. Its ancient stained glass windows had even been taken to safety beforehand. Its
only remaining original bell, the oldest Angelus bell in Germany, called the Hosannaglocke was cast
in 1258 and weighs a hefty 5.5 tons.
range of architecture from late Romanesque to Late Gothic and even a tad of Rococo. Its single
tower with a lacy spire was the first of its kind. The building remained mostly unchanged since its
completion in 1513. Miraculously, unlike so many great cathedrals and churches in Germany, it was
not destroyed during the severe Allied bombing of Freiburg although the whole area around it was
reduced to rubble. Its ancient stained glass windows had even been taken to safety beforehand. Its
only remaining original bell, the oldest Angelus bell in Germany, called the Hosannaglocke was cast
in 1258 and weighs a hefty 5.5 tons.