Do you sometimes have the feeling, no matter where you go, Goethe was already there, many, many years ago? 🙂 Lately we hiked the Goethe path in Rheingau and in Harz we climbed in the footsteps of Goethe to the Schnarcherklippen and we are sure you can add many more places to our list.
When we went to visit our dear friend Per Magnus in Weimar, Goethe was celebrated there at nearly every corner. The Ginkgo tree next to the Fürstenhaus in Weimar is probably the tree with the most visitors in Germany, but this Ginkgo is not famous because of Goethe’s botanical interest, it’s because of this poem Goethe wrote:
Es ist zum Mäusemelken, wo immer wir hinkommen, Goethe war schon da (Masterchen fährt so gern in die Arktis, um Goethe zu entkommen 😉 ). Im Rheingau wanderten wir auf Goethes Spuren wie auch zu den Schnarcherklippen im Harz, und ihr kennt sicher noch viel mehr Orte, wo dieser deutsche Superdichter sich herumgetrieben hat.
Als wir unseren lieben Freund Per Magnus im schönen Weimar besuchten, fanden wir Goethe dort an fast jeder Ecke zelebriert. Speziell der Ginkgo am Fürstenhaus ist wohl Deutschlands meist besuchtester Baum und das nicht wegen Goethes ausgeprägten botanischen Interesses, sondern wegen eines seiner bekanntesten Gedichte:
The heart-shaped ginkgo leaf gives symbolic interpretation to Goethe’s theme “one and double”.
Have you been to Heidelberg? The specific ginkgo tree that inspired Goethe to write this poem in 1815, grew on the castles grounds in Heidelberg (and not in Weimar) – but it no longer exists. Goethe sent Marianne von Willemer a Ginkgo leaf on September 15, 1815. He read his draft of the poem to her and friends in Frankfurt/Main (Gerbermühle). On September 23, 1815 he saw Marianna for the last time. Then he showed her the Ginkgo tree in the garden of the castle in Heidelberg from which tree he took the two leaves pasted by him on the poem. He wrote the poem shown above and sent it to his great love Marianne on September 27, 1815.
The poem was published in ‘West-östlicher Divan’ (Book ‘Suleika’). Suleika is Marianne. She was Goethe’s greatest love but a love that came too late for him, as he was 35 years senior to her. Experiencing this love symbolised by the Ginkgo leaf Goethe called “the most beautiful time of my life”. The poem was set to music by Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Schubert, and Schumann. Like the whole “West-östlicher Divan” this poem is quite up-to-date as a deep reflection of islam.
Das herzförmige Ginkgoblatt symbolisierte für Goethe Getrenntsein und Einssein.
Im Garten des Heidelberger Schlosses stand der Ginkgo, der Goethe zu seinem Liebesgedicht 1815 inspirierte. Leider existiert er nicht mehr. Goethe sandte ein Blatt dieses Baums seiner Liebe Marianne von Willemer am 15. September 1815. Er las ihr und Freunden einen Entwurf dieses Gedichtes in der Gerbermühle vor. Als das Liebespaar sich zum letzten Mal 8 Tage später sah, zeigte er ihr den Ginkgo im Garten des Heidelberger Schlosses, von dem er die beiden Blätter nahm, die er auf die Reinschrift des Gedichtes geklebt hatte, die er Marianne ein paar Tage später sandte.
Das Gedicht gehört zu dem Zyklus “West-östlicher Divan” (Buch `Suleika´). Suleika ist der Deckname von Marianne. Sie war Goethes große Liebe, die für ihn zu spät kam, da sie 35 Jahre jünger als er war. Das Gingkoblatt symbolisierte für Goethe die schönsten Tage seines Lebens, die Zeit mit Marianne. Dieses berührende Zeugnis großer Liebe wurde später von Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Schumann und Schubert vertont.
Dieses Gedicht wie der gesamte Zyklus ist auch als tiefe Auseinandersetzung mit dem Islam noch heute aktuell.
The trees did not reach not more than ten feet at Goethe’s lifetime as they were introduced to Germany not before the 18th c. Originally the Ginkgo tree is from China. Goethe shared with the duke of Weimar Carl August his love for parks. The duke’s chief gardener was send to England where he got to know the ginkgo. He tried to propagate it successfully in Weimar. A ginkgo was planted south of the duke’s palace in 1820. Most visitors to Weimar think that this tree inspired Goethe. That’s not true as Goethe was travelling around Frankfurt and Heidelberg when he was inspired writing his most famous poem. Nevertheless a lot of visitors to Weimar – like us 😉 – take a leaf home from this tree.
Zur Goethezeit erreichten Ginkgobäume nur Höhen von drei bis vier Metern, da sie erst im 18. Jh. in Deutschland angezüchtet wurden. Der Ginkgo ist nämlich ursprünglich ein in China heimischer Baum. Goethe liebte Parks und Gärten, eine Leidenschaft die er mit dem Weimarer Herzog Carl August teilte. Ein Hofgärtner war vom Herzog zur Ausbildung nach England gesandt worden, lernte dort den Ginkgo kennen und machte die ersten Vermehrungsversuche. Seine Bemühungen waren von Erfolg gekrönt. Um 1820 wurde der Ginkgo südlich des Fürstenhauses gepflanzt.Viele Weimarbesucher denken, Goethe wurde durch den Ginkgo am Weimarer Fürstenhaus zu seinem Gedicht angeregt. Dem ist nicht so. Goethe befand sich zur Entstehungszeit des Gedichtes auf einer Reise nach Frankfurt und Heidelberg. Viele Weimarbesucher (wie auch wir! 🙂 ) nehmen sich trotzdem ein Ginkgoblatt mit und trocknen es.
The 300 million years old ginkgo is the only surviver of the spermathophyte, a group of seed plants. He is seen as a living fossil. As the turn of the millennium it was declared as “tree of the millennium” in Germany and is seen as a memorial for ecology and peace.
Der Ginkgo ist der einzige lebende Vertreter einer ausgestorbenen Gruppe von Samenpflanzen. Daher wird er auch als lebendes Fossil bezeichnet. Zum Jahrtausendwechsel erklärte das deutsche „Kuratorium Baum des Jahres“ Ginkgo biloba zum Mahnmal für Umweltschutz und Frieden und zum Baum des Jahrtausends.
Lots of Love and remember the ginkgo, may you find your great love before you are too old
Macht’s gut und möget ihr eure große Liebe finden, bevor ihr zu alt für sie seid
The Fab Four of Cley
P.S.
Max Frisch wrote in his autobiographical novel “Montauk” about the love that came too late in his life as well.
Über die Liebe, die zu spät in seinem Leben kam, schrieb auch Max Frisch in seinem autobiographischen Roman “Montauk”.
© text and illustrations by H. Siebers und Kb. Vollmar, Cley next the Sea 2015
Lovely to learn more about Goethe and the gingko.
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Dear Gallivanta,
thank you very much 🙂
Well, Goethe is for the German speaking world the equivalent to Shakespeare for the English speaking world or Dante for the Italian speaking people.
We wish you a sunny and relaxing weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
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Ihr Lieben!
Das war mal wieder ein Beitrag, der mich begeisterte – wohl auch, weil Eure Schilderungen über Weimar und den Ginkgo mir so nahe waren, weil selbst letztes Jahr gesehen. Leider hatte ich keine Karten für die “Anna Amalia Bibliothek”.
Danke Euch, LG Juergen
(ab nächste Woche auf “Buchalovs Freunde Tour”, vielleicht “sehen” wir uns)
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Guten Tag, lieber Jürgen,
puh, ist das heute wieder heiß …
Schön, dass dir unser Blog so gut gefallen hat 🙂 Wir waren vor fast zwei Jahren zum ersten Mal in Weimar, wo wir uns sehr wohl fühlten. Wir waren dort vom Goethe-Haus zu Masterchens Geburtstag eingeladen und blieben gleich eine ganze Woche dort.
Wir sind auf deine Freunde Tour gespannt; see you when we see you 🙂
Mach’s gut, schönes Wochenende und liebe Grüße
The Fab Four of Cley
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Hei, my lovely ones!
Aren’t we blessed that we found Love ❤ before it was too late. 🙂
Love, hugs and kisses to you all from sunny Fredikstad,
Tone og gutta x
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Hei, dear Toni,
yes, indeed we are! 🙂
Thank you and lots of love, hugs and klem, kyss and kisses from sunny Cley
Klausbernd 🙂 xx
Greetings to my beloved one xx
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Thank you for introducing me to this poem. We have a glnkgo we keep in a pot because we don’t have room for a fully grown one.
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Hi, dear Derrick,
we didn’t know that one can keep a ginkgo in a pot, maybe as a kind of bonsai?
We wouldn’t have space for a ginkgo in our garden neither. We have a huge eucalyptus tree (but no koalas 😉 ) gorwing in our garden, that’s enough.
We wish you a happy, sunny weekend
the Fab Four
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It has survived for a couple of years – it is acting like a bonsai. We have a eucalyptus too. Good wishes reciprocated.
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You seem to have a big garden. Do you collect trees?
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We inherited a pretty magical garden – we just had to unearth it. We think the plot is one third of an acre.
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Allein das Grün! Und dann auch noch in Herzform….
Am Sonntag Abend werde ich alles in Ruhe studieren, was ihr da wieder Tolles über Goethe und den Baum herausgefunden habt.
Umarmung von Pia
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Guten Tag, liebe Pia,
während meines Studiums studierte ich eingehend den “Westöstlichen Diwan” Goethes, von dem dieses Gedicht stammt. Neben Bert Brechts “Die Liebenden” finde ich dieses Goethegedicht eines der schönsten der deutschen Literatur. Es ist ja ziemlich schwierig, ein unkitschiges Liebesgedicht zu schreiben. Im “Westöstlichen Diwan” gibt es in dem Wechselgesang von Hatem (Goethe) und Suleika (Marianne) wunderschöne Gedichte von Marianne. Sehr rührend finde ich “Hochbeglückt in deiner Liebe” und das Gedicht “Was bedeutet die Bewegung” (beide von Marianne und nicht von Goethe!). Und nach “Ginkgo Biloba” folgt “Ach, um deine feuchten Schwingen”, auch ein wunderbares Liebesgedicht.
Also viel Spaß beim Goethestudium denn 🙂
Bis dann, liebe Grüße
Klausbernd
die anderen lassen aus Fredrikstad lieb grüßen
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My dearest friends in Cley and Hvaler, Fredrikstad, Norway,
this is a lovely post in every respect. And it was so good to talk to you last week! 🙂
Ah, romantic love … the eternal myth. Was Goethe a womanizer or just romantic? Today Goethe appaears a bit old fashioned to me, but nevertheless he is iconic and to me one of the greatest Germans of all time.
I honestly can’t say that I’ve seen a Gingko tree in Sweden, I wonder if there’s one here? I’ve to ask Per Magnus if he knows it from Norway, he certainly will be familiar with the tree as he has happily lived in Weimar for almost three years now. (I have to go and visit him there one day, I always say I will and now it’s time to make a date.)
Tone, if you should read me; have you seen a Gingko?
Love and a big summerhug to you all from Stockholm,
Annalena x
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Hi, my dear friend,
I have no idea if ginkgos grown in Scandinavia but I know that these trees can easily survive temperatures down to minus 30 C and it is written that grow worlwide nowadays.
Those poems of Hatem and Suleika from “Westöstliche Diwan” are one of my favourites of German poetry.
Lots of love to you
Ha en fin dag
KLEM
Klausbernd from sunny Cley
the rest of the gang is Norway now, oh dear, and I had to stay home …
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Sorry I forgot to answer your question. It’s too hot, oh dear!
Yes, Goethe was a womanizer, he fell in love easily because he loved women.
The history of literature quite often speaks about Goethe’s romantic phase, especialy when he wrote “Die Leiden des jungen Werther” but Goethe resisted adamantly being a romantic. Well, Goethe was Goethe and it is maybe more correct to speak of the Weimar Classic.
On the other hand Goethe’s love was typically romantic: a longing that couldn’t be fulfilled. But I wouldn’t see those poems of the “Westöstliche Diwan” romantic as they follow Islamic technics especially of Hafis.
By the do you know that the original manuscript of this cycle is declared World Heritage of Documents?
Lots of love from Cley to Stockholm
Kb 🙂 xx
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I once had a Gingko, I bought it after I had visited a friend with a huge Gingko. Unfortuneately it died wthin 6 months. I tried a second time, but even this little tree died on me, I have no idea what I did wrong.
A pity true love cam too late for the great Goethe!
Best regards, John
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Dear John,
we tried to grow a ginkgo as well but also in vain. I have no idea neither what we did wrong and we couldn’t find an instruction how to grow a ginkgo. So we gave it up and we don’t have space for such a big tree in our garden anyway.
Goethe and Max Frisch fell in love when they were too old for their loved one, it’s a pity isn’t it?! Maybe that’s typical for writers, I don’t know …
All the best and thank you
Klausbernd
and the rest of the gang from Norway
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So Goethe and Max Frisch fell in love at an age when they were too old for their loved ones. A pity and still quite romantic in a way. Today so many famous people, politicans, actors marry women 20-40 years younger … no tabu any longer?
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Dear John,
it wasn’t such a problem at Goethe’s and even less at Frisch’s time, but both men were aware how problematic it is for either side. This problem was written about in the Celtic mythology about Merlin and Viviane for the first time. A couple of years ago the Jungian therapist Verena Kast wrote about this Merlin-Viviane-Archetype meaning when men are falling in love to much younger women. Following her analysis it’s always the older man who is loosing.Of course you constantly ask yourself how long can I stay attractive for my partner, will I be able to satisfy her in the future etc. Whereas following Kast the the younger female partner will profit a lot. She will learn and will not have such a problem of splitting later.
Kb
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Fab Four of Cley ___
I don’t believe I ever read this poem before. Thank you for teaching me something new today.
GP Cox
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Dear GP Cox
you are very welcome 🙂 and we are happy that we could give you some new infos.
Enjoy the weekend
The Fab Four from sunny Cley and hot Norway
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Gingko is calles Tempeltre in Norway, (Tempelbaum)? I can’t say that I have seen one, but obviously there are tempektrees in botanical gardens in the south of Norway.
This is wahat I found: Det finnes tempeltrær i botaniske hager i Sør-Norge.
Avtrykk av ginkgo-blad finnes i lag fra kritt og tertiær på Svalbard. Slektninger av ginkgo finnes også i lag fra jura på Andøya.
Well, I have never been to a botanical garden in Norway, so maybe that’s why this is my first encounter this unusual tree and it’s tragic love story.
Ha en fin helg!
Klem fra
Hjerter ❤
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Hi, dear Hjerter
thank you so much for sharing your research. I only know it’s called temple tree because it was grown near temples in Japan because something of the Ginkgo has healing powers, sorry, I don’t know what. I only know that the Ginkgo seeds smell horribly because they contain butyric acid.
Lots of love
Klausbernd, Dina, Siri and Selma
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Reblogged this on Buchdames Blog and commented:
This is great blog for everyone who likes poems and especially love poems.
Have fun and a nice weekend
ha en fin dag
klem
Annalena from sunny Stockholm
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Thanks a lot, dear Annalena 🙂 we feel honoured!
Lots of love xxx
The Fabs
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Tusen takk skal du ha, Annalena ! Vi setter alltid stor pris på din støtte.
Klem fra oss alle! 🙂 x
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Ein schöner Beitrag. Da staunte ich. Freundliche Grüße, Wolfgang
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Lieber Wolgang,
DANKE. Einstein sagte einst, dass mit Staunen jede tiefere Erkenntnis beginnt.
Herzliche Grüße von hochsommerlichen Meer
The Fab Four of Cley
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Für mich ist die Liebe zu unserem jetzt circa 30 Meter hohen Ginkgo zur rechten Zeit gekommen. Der Baum gibt uns Schatten in diesen heissen Sommermonaten und seine natürliche Effizienz ist besser als jede Klimaanlage! Wir schätzen uns glücklich einen solchen Baum zu besitzen. (Übrigens wir hätten noch eine ganz kleine Ausgabe zu verschenken) Euer Beitrag ist wunderschön:) und ich habe zum ersten Mal von diesem Gedicht gehört, obwohl ich im Park des Heidelberger Schlosses war!. 🙂 Liebe Grüsse Martina
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Guten Tag, liebe Martina,
schade, dass wir so weit von dir entfernt wohnen, so einen Ginkgo-Bonsai hätten wir ja gerne.
30 Meter hoch, wow, das ist schon mächtig, und ich kann mir gut vorstellen, dass der viel Schatten spendet. Da musst du ja viel Platz in deinem Garten haben.
Dann erfreue dich fein am Ginkgo bei dieser anhaltenden Hitze!
Dankeschön und liebe Grüße vom Meer
The Fab Four of Cley
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Der kleine Ginkgo ist nur 2 Meter hoch! Ich weiss auch gar nicht, ob so etwas importiert werden darf. Arbeite nicht zu viel , lieber Klausbernd. Cari saluti
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Naja, liebe Martina, zwei Meter ist doch schon etwas!
Grundsätzlich darf man Pflanzen innerhalb der EU im- und exportieren. Aber es ist natürlich die Frage, wie macht man das mit einem zwei Meter hohen Baum.
Hast du diesen Ginkgo selbst aus dessen Samen gezogen?
Wir wünschen dir ein rundum schönes Wochenende
The Fab Four
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Mit dem Auto wäre das z.B. gut zu machen! Es scheint, lieber Klausbernd, dass wir für diesen Baum die ideale Umgebung haben, denn aus den Samen wachsen immer neue Bäume, die wir dann leider entsorgen müssen. Ganz liebe Grüsse an alle.:)
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Guten Morgen, liebe Martina,
das scheint mir auch so, dass ihr das ideale Ginkgo-Klima habt.
Mit dem Auto kann man Pflanzen über die europäischen Grenzen bringen, allerdings für einige Länder wie z.B. England benötigt man ein Gesundheitszeugnis, das bestätigt, das die Pflanze schädlingsfrei und gesund ist. Ganz unproblematisch kannst du Samen in andere Länder bringen oder sie auch verschicken.
Dann hab noch einen feinen Sonntag und ein tolle kommende Woche
wünschen dir
Klausbernd und Dina, Siri und Selma
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Ihr Lieben,
da wir in Frankfurt leben haben wir ein achtsames Auge für Goetheanische Wege. Vor vielen Jahren sind wir den ehemals sehr mühsamen Goetheweg zum Brocken im Harz gewandert, heute geht es recht mühelos, wie ich gehört habe. Oben aug dem Gipfel habe wir ausser einr Nebelwand fast nichts gesehen.
Als wir mit unserem Wohnwagen in Italien viel unterwegs waren sind wir ebenfall Goethe oft begegnet, jedoch nicht so plakativ wie in Deutschland.
Das Gedicht “Gingko Biloba” finden wir beide schön.
Schönes Wochenende,
U & H
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Hallihallo, ihr beiden aus der Goethe-Stadt,
ihr sitzt ja an der Quelle, an Meisters Geburtsort und dem Goethe-Museum.
Ja, Goethe kann man schwer entgehen, neben den Frauen liebte er das Reisen, eigentlich war er immer unterwegs. Das war er ja auch, als er Marianne in der Gerbermühle (bei Frankfurt) traf. Gibt es die eigentlich noch?
Genießt den feinen Sommer, habt’s fein!
Liebe Grüße
The Fab Four of Cley
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I had no idea of this history of the Ginko in Germany, but we are traveling impromtu all over Germany in September and I will be on the lookout. Thanks for posting~
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Dear Cindy,
if you will come to Weimar – worthwhile visiting – you will find there quite a lot of ginkgo trees and if you will visit the romantic Heidelberg castle (mega touristy!) you will see a plaque at the well in the castle garden telling you about that ginkgo – but unfortunately it’s gone.
So enjoy your tour all over Germany
Warm greetings from the small village at the huge sea
The Fab Four of Cley
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My dear friends, this start line here makes me smile – as late as ealier this friday I was in Strasbourg again again – exactly Strasbourg was the hometown of Goethe in a period of his student life – so well yes I feel that Goethe has been here before me – at the University of Strasbourg where he got his law degree and where he again again met unrequited love – maybe in a way unhappy love was the fuel for Goethe – at that point I often compares Goethe with danish Hans Christian Andersen who often was unhappy in love too.
Thanks a lot for this fascinating story – an inspiring post as always… 🙂
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Oh dear oh dear, Andrikken, Goethe and H.C.Andersen is an interesting topic on its own. H.C.Andersen visited Goethe in Weimar, the pleasure was, well, not exactly mutual. 😉 What is your impression of your great national poet?
Ha en god helg!
Hilsen oss i Norge og Norfolk, Dina & co
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Hans Christian Andersen was an amazing storyteller no doubt about that – but the best story was HCA himself – both brilliant and “weird” personality – very interesting to read about his tours around the danish manors as (un)invited guest – very hard to please and very demanding in terms of attention – HCA was bored if others were main character in the a dinner party – so he pretended a stomachache or other things to get attention back – but a brilliant storyteller… 😀
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Hi, dear Andrikken and dearest Dina,
like William Turner H.C. Andersen was not very much liked, not only because he looked quite ugly but more so because he deploited everybody. He didn’t even had his own house but lived on other people’s costs. When he visited Goethe in Weimar Goethe pretended not having heard of him and didn’t receive him. But on the other hand I agree with you, dear Andrikken, Andersen had a great talent telling stories and I love his fairy tales. Actually I prefer H.C. Andersen’s artistic fairy tales to those of the Grimm brothers.
Thanks and have a happy weekend
Klausbernd
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‘hehehe’ – yes dear Klausbernd we agree a lot about HCA – and that was the reason why I wrote (un)invited – I guess HCA was awful as table-mate for those diners or as visitor at all – but no doubt about he’s talent as an amazing storyteller – I myself prefer HCA to Grimm too.
The genius is a balancing on a knife edge – there’s a world of difference depending on which side they step down… 😀
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But of course there is a big difference between the Grimms and HCA: The Grimms wanted to document (but the nervertheless changed the texts they found) whereas Andersen was a poet writing these fairy tales. He did write literature and the Grimm brothers documented old tales.
I prefer the artistic fairy tales of the romantic poets, even as a child I did. Andersen, Musäus, Bechstein, Tieck and Goethe I like, although I never understood Goethe’s alchemist fairy tale of the green snake.
Cheers and thanks
Klausbernd and the rest of the gang
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You are right about the difference between HCA and Grimm – story-creater vs story-collector – the last one is absolutly just as important as telling new stories – about Goethe so I guess I was and still is too pragmatic to some kind of fiction and it isn’t lack of imagination… 😀
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I agree, in the end Goethe was realistic. I just answered John some comments above about the Merlin-Viviane-Archetype, how the older man will loose in such a relationship. Intelligent men as Goethe and Frisch know this, of course – and they have the willpower to withstand this seduction.
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Oh, fascinating …I have learnt something new today!
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Dear Sue,
thanks a lot 🙂
Well, our dear Master once lectured about the Islamic influences on Goethe’s lyrics. One of the agents was the German poet Rückert, a very crazy fellow who expressed everything – and we mean EVERYTHING even his shopping list – in rhyme shemes used by the Sufi poets like Hafis, Nizami, Attar etc. He gave Goethe the idea of writing these poems like “Ginkgo Biloba” and call himself Hatem and his beloved Marianne Suleika.
We wish you a relaxing weekend, lots of sun and fun
The Fab Four
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And have a great weekend yourselves! 😀
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This is an awesome post ~ so much information I never knew and I am both a Goethe and Ginkgo Biloba fan, and now understand how their fates were intertwined. As always, a woman is to blame 🙂 It is a romantic thought, the poem and Marianne, and agree with your final thoughts: “may you find your great love before you are too old.”
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Hi, dear Dalo,
I suppose we are blessed when we find our great love before we are too old. Maybe the problemis to recognize it before and give yourself in to it. Goethe was very much influenced by Hafis when he wrote this poem. And Hafis was a poet of the surroundings of the Sufis. For them one of the highest aims was to surrender – every surrender if it was carnal or platonic was to give yourself to god (whatever they understood what god is). But I suppose the problem is you need some time to learn to surrender or I would say to learn to love. But if you need too much time to learn it could be easy too late.
All the best, dear Dalo, and have a happy weekend
Klausbernd
greetings from Dina, Siri & Selma as well
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Ahhh, Goethe!! Wundervoll.
Und meine große Liebe ist mit mir…was für ein Geschenk…mir “anvertraut” ( Ich liebe diesen Ausdruck :-))
Habt eine feine Zeit und tausend Dank für diesen schönen Beitrag mit herrlichen Fotos!
Sonnige Grüße ❤
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Liebe Vera,
oh wie schön, dass dir dieses Liebesgedicht auch so gut gefällt. Ja, “mir anvertraut” hat etwas Liebes, so einfühlend Zartes …
Dir herzlichen Dank für deinen lieben Kommentar 🙂
Sonnige Grüße von Meer xxx
The Fab Four
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Very interesting. The herbal tablets are supposed to be excellent for my particular autoimmune condition which involves circulation and thickening of collagen. I’ve never been able to afford to take it for long enough to test out its efficacy. Thank you sharing.
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Thank you! 🙂
Are these herbal tablets so expensive? I only read somewhere that this tree was grown near temples because it provides these herbal medicines, therefore it’s called temple tree in Norwegian (as I learned from one commentary here).
With greetings from the small village next the huge sea
Klausbernd
and the rest of the gang from Norway
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Not appreciably more expensive than any other herbal medicine but it’s difficult if you’re reliant on disability benefits and odd sales from your artwork!
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More inspired knowledge, and wonderful images too.
As for love coming late, that is the best love. The calm love, the love tempered by experience, and the love that shows patience, understanding, and reason.
Love and best wishes from Beetley as always. Pete and Ollie. X
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Hi, dear Pete,
what great weather!
I agree with what you say about love coming late – but there it comes. Goethe experienced with Marianne a love that came too late, they couldn’t live this love (as Max Frisch in “Montauk” as well). Goethe and Marianne didn’t see each other afterwards again, they had no more contact.
Enjoy the sunshine.
The Cley Reserve has it’s open day today and I am now off for a guided walk through the marches and a guided birdwatching walk afterwards.
Lots of love
Klausbernd
Dina, Siri and Selma are in Norway right now
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One of my favorite trees: the leaves are seductive and have such symbolism. The tree’s longevity inspires.
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Dear Sally,
thank you very much for commenting.It’s an extraordinary tree, isn’t it!
And connected with such a symbolism …
Warm greetings from the little village next the big sea
Klausbernd
and the rest of the gang 🙂
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Beautiful post! Thank you for introducing the poem to us.
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Dear Amy,
you are very welcome.
Lots of love from the sunny sea
The Fab Four of Cley
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Beautiful poem for a beautiful tree. In Japan it represents ‘longevity.’ My 150-yr.old engagement ring is two gingko leaves wrapped around a diamond. It is a family heirloom that I treasure! Happy weekend to you all. 🙂
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Dear Eliza,
thanks for your comment.
The ginkgo is a classic symbol for a huge length of time as it is a kind of fossil that’s 270 million years old and we read that a ginkgo tree can live up to 2500 years.
We can imagine that you are proud of your engagement ring. You have every reason to be.
We wish you an easy going weekend
The Fab Four
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Hallo. Ich liebe das Format ihrer Posts: mein Deutsch ist noch nicht so flüssig, deshalb ist es mir viel leichter beide Texte zu lesen, auf Deutsch und auf Englisch, um mich zu vergewissern, dass ich alles verstanden habe.
Und der Inhalt (Posts und Kommentare) ist wirklich beeindruckend. Ich habe hier viel gelernt.
In einen Komentar habt ihr gesagt, “Es ist ja ziemlich schwierig, ein unkitschiges Liebesgedicht zu schreiben.” Das erinnert mich an Fernando Pessoa, der geschrieben hat, “Alle Liebesbriefe sind lächerlich” oder so.
Und dann denke ich an Camões, der viel früher als Pessoa kam, und vielleicht viel passender mit Goethe verglichen werden kann. Aber Pessoa ist wahrscheinlich wichtiger als Camões, genau deswegen. Ich kann Pessoa besser verstehen, da er moderner ist.
Jetzt bin ich neugierig: wie vergleichet ihr Goethe mit neuern Dichtern, z.B. Rilke?
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Habe herzlichen Dank für deinen deutschen Kommentar. Dein Deutsch ist doch perfekt. Gratulation!
Goethe ist schwer mit anderen Dichtern zu vergleichen, da er sich in seinem Schaffen so sehr wandelte. Dieses Gedicht hier, das aus dem Zyklus “Westöstlicher Diwan” stammt, ist wie alle Gedichte des Diwans Hafis nachempfunden und diese Tiefe der Gefühlshingabe haben Goethe und Marianne bestens kopiert. Goethe mit Rilke zu vergleichen, fällt uns sehr schwer. Die beiden großen deutschen Dichter sind so unterschiedlich, was unter anderem auch daran liegt, dass Rilke etwa 50 Jahre nach Goethes Tod geboren wurde. Beide Dichter waren auch zwei völlig unterschiedliche Persönlichkeiten, der extravertierte, hoch erfolgreiche Goethe und der übersensibele, eher introvertierte Rilke, der zu seinen Lenzeiten nicht so erfolgreich war. Rilke schreibt einen viel esoterischeren Stil. Obwohl er uns zeitlich näher steht, ist er über Stellen wie z.B. in “Malte Laurids Brigge” schwerer verständlich. Goethe schreibt eingänglicher. Und kommen wir auf die Verliebtheiten der Dichter zu sprechen: Rilke hatte ja sein eigenartiges Verhältnis zu Lou Andreas Salomé, die ihm den Beinamen Maria verpasste und mit ihm zu Tolstoi fuhr, der Rilke gar nicht leiden konnte.
Das fällt mir so spontan zu Goethe und Rilke ein.
Herzliche Grüße vom kleinen Dorf am großen Meer
Klausbernd
und der Rest der Fab Four aus Norwegen
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Great poem, I don’t have a ginkgo tree and so I have never seen the beautiful leaves before. But I do love the vitamins I take it daily.
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Thank you 🙂
We don’t have a ginkgo tree neither – and actually we don’t want to have one as its seeds stink and it is a kind of messy tree. But we love its leaves.
Have a happy weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
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Dear friends,
what a surprise, I feel almost at home, seeing the Gingko and reading about your much to short visit to Weimar! 🙂
I’m in rush now, sorry, we have a group of visitors in Longyearbyen I have to take care of, but I have to show you the connection between the Gingko and Longyearbyen, amazing isn’t it?
Paleocene, Longyearbyen, Spitsbergen, Norway
More tomorrow, I’ll give you a call.
God natt,
Per Magnus
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Thank you very, very much, my dear friend 🙂 for the this info!
What a surprise that there is a connection between the Ginkgo and Spitsbergen. Well that dates back about 60 million years ago.
Lots of love from us
Klausbernd and Dina, Siri and Selma
we are looking foreward to your call, we are in tonight
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I always associtate Ginkgo Biloba as suplement to help your memory. This post just gives me a differnt perspective of the plant.
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A tree which is that old has many sides to it …
Thanks and cheers
The Fab Four of Cley
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I love the focus on colors. Nicely done, Dina.
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Thank, dear Jacqui 🙂
All the best
The Fab Four
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My neighbor has a ginkgo tree and it produces a fruit that smells so unpleasant. In the autumn when the fruit falls to the ground and gets mashed by birds you are greeted with such an unpleasant odor. Now that you wrote this post I have a lovely and different way to think about this tree, so thank you for that. 🙂
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Dear Jackie,
one reason that we don’t have a ginkgo growing in our garden is because it is such a messy and stinking tree. The fruits contain butyric acid!
But we love the symbolic and inspiring side of the ginkgo.
We wish you a happy weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
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As a child, I was told by my parents that we would be visiting the Ginkgo Petrified Forest in the morning. I slept restlessly, envisioning a stand of crystalline trees with leaves like wind chimes. When we arrived, I was disappointed to see a stretch of sagebrush and desert no different than the previous 100 miles of the Columbia River Basin we had just traveled. Only then was it explained to me how these large rocks that looked like logs were actually once trees that lived millions of years ago. This reality was even more intriguing than the fantasy that I felt I had been cheated out of. Lesson learned.
There is a vista overlooking the Columbia River where there is Ginkgo growing, Ginkgo (petrified) laying on the ground and ancient petroglyphs surrounding the entire scene. In places like this, time seems to fold into itself like the gray matter in our brain. Perhaps there is a reason for that.
Amazing post. I think the Fab Four is becoming my muse. 🙂
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Dear Thorsaurus,
we feel honoured to become your muse 😉 “Oh dear, quite demanding”, is Selma’s commentary.
Thanks a lot for telling us about the petrified Ginkgos in the Columbia River Basin. The oldest Ginkgo fossils are about 270 million years old – amazing, isn’t it! Especially Siri and Selma would really like to see these petrified trees. They just looked at pictures in the net of the petrified ginkgo forest near Wanapum. We suppose that’s where you have been.
Have a happy weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
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You can see more info here, little fairies. I don’t how you little ones do in bright sunshine. Wear lots of sunscreen if you visit the Ginkgo. The Wanapum were the local natives that inhabited this area for centuries before Europeans came. A town and dam are named after them near the park. https://wordpress.com/post/10586656/568/
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Thank you very, vry much.
We will cover us in sun protection and take lots and lots of water with us. You are right, we are not at all used to a desert climate. Thanks for your warnings!
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So very interesting!
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THANK YOU 🙂
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I must admit, I have no idea if I traveled on Goethe’s paths, did he visit England? I love the work of your great poet and your absolutely right to compare him with Shakepeare. I didn’t know that the Gingko is the tree of the millenium. Now I’d like to think of Goethe as the man of the millenium, I quite lke the thought. 🙂
What a beautiful, moving poem – thank you for the history behind it , unbeknown to me.
Another favourite of mine is the moving lyric poetry of “Welcome and Farewell” (“Willkommen und Abschied”).
Amazing post indeed. I feeld deeply moved, so grateful for the love , all the love, in my life.
I quote Thorsaurus and say “the Fab Four is becoming my muse”! 🙂
Sarah
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Dear Sara,
Goethe didn’t make it to England although his contemporary Count Pückler travelled through the whole of England studying English parks. Goethe was interested in landscape architecture as well and he dealt with Capability Brown in his alchemist novel “Wahlverwandtschaften”. But he rejected the English way dealing with nature and maybe that’s why he didn’t visit England.
Goethe as the man of the millenium, we like this idea. He was quite a liberal politician as well for his time. And was well read in science and art.
“Willkommen und Abschied” another of Goethe’s love poems. It’s part of the Sesenheimer Lieder in the time when he fell in love with Friederike Brion. Goethe was best when he was in love – but aren’t we all?!
Thank you very much for your comment.
We wish you a great weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
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Me again. I just have to tell you that we (my husband and myself) just decided to go to Weimar in September! 🙂
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You will love it there. By the way you have to stay in the Elephant where Thomas Mann’s “Lotte in Weimar” is set. Ideal place to discover Weimar.
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Thank you for this helpful advice, Klausbernd! I looked it up and now we’re booked there and very much looking forward to our cultural trip. What is a must in Weimar, according to your experince?
Love, Sarah
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Dear Sarah,
what is a must in Weimar?
Goethe’s garden house and Goethe’s Haus
The Bauhaus Museum
The Park around Goethe’s garden house
The Herzogin Anna Amalia library
Herder church with Cranach painting
And then just walking around in the city and collecting leaves of the Ginkgo 😉
And look at the exhibition in the hotel on the first floor.
Have fun in Weimar
The Fab Four
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Thank you for the Ginko story and Goethe’s connection
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Dear John, good morning,
you are very welcome.
Greetings from the sunny sea
The Fab Four
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🙂
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Hello you both Lovers of Gingko and old literature. I can’t tell you how much I loved your post. It brought me back to my own literature culture , back in Germany. As back than there, I was a professional bookseller and sold all those treasured books for so many years. As well I am big lover of Gingko trees, which I find here a lot in my chosen country , USA in California. I often collect their leaves. Just so wonderful to see your admiration for Gingko and Goethe, what a wonderful contribute.
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Dear Cornelia,
thank you very much for your kind words.
We didn’t know that there are much Ginkgos growing in California. Here at the English east coast we never saw them. Maybe it’s too dry.
We experience that since we lived abroad – for more than 35 years now – we get more and more connected to our German and Norwegian culture. Being an expat makes you turn to your primary culture,we suppose. Of course, it helps that in England the German and the Norwegian culture is highly praised.
All the best and happy weekend
The Fab Four of Cley
(we are partly German, Norwegian and Fairyish)
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I love ancient plants, and the Gingko is one of the most amazing.
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Yes, it really is, a kind of fossil.
Thanks and cheers
The Fab Four of Cley
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Haha, I learned a new expression today – habe einen neuen Ausdruck gelernt: Zum Maeusemelken! Impossible to translate but so funny.
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We didn’t know neither how to translate “zum Mäusemelken”, but you wouldn’t believe it, you find it as a well known expression in the Duden. Unfortunately it is used less and less today, an expression out of fashion. But we find it so funny that we had to use it.
We wish you a great Sunday
The Fab Four of Cley
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I’ll have to use that expression the next time I’ll talk with German relatives 🙂
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They will like it, we are sure
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Und wenn nicht, naja, dann isses halt zum Maeusemelken 🙂
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Such a beautiful tree and I love the leaves. I am sure if Goethe was here and reading this, he would have been very impressed. Your stunning captures doesn’t need any words. 😀 ♥
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Dear Sonel,
wow, thank you very, very much! 🙂
We wish you an easy and happy week to come
The Fab Four of Cley
P.S.
We already met Goethe in our night’s dream …
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An absolutely fascinating post. I really enjoyed this one, I’ve learnt so much. I hope you’re all having a great weekend! 🙂
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We wish you a GREAT weekend as well and thanks for your kind words
The Fab Four of Cley 🙂
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Eine Frau kann heute bei “La Negra” auf dem Stadtfest nicht mittanzen, sie ist mit ihrem Sohn in Weimar, er wird dort Hornist und braucht eine Wohnung, mal sehen, ob sie mir ein Blatt mitbringt. Es ist bestellt.
Ohrwürmer des Tages: Alexandra “Mein Freund der Baum”, Swayze “She´s like the Wind” und Puhdys “Alt (und ) wie ein Baum”.
Ein Toast auf Goethe und die Fab4!
Schönen Tag beim Dorffest!
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Hi, liebe Pia,
das Dorffest war super! Zunächst einmal war das Wetter ideal, sonnig und nicht zu heiß. So kamen ganz viele Leute von Kindern bis zu den Uralten, was so ein Dorffest ja lebendig macht. Wenn man sich Festwiese vor der mittelalterlichen Kirche betrachtete, konnte man denken, man sei in Zeiten Victorias – naja, seitdem hat sich eh nicht viel hier verändert. Die Stimmung war bestens und ich bin dort mehrere Stunden gewesen, habe mit allen gequatscht und dazu ein, zwei Pint getrunken. Es war ein voller Erfolg.
Wir hatte riesiges Glück, denn heute hat sich das Wetter eingetrübt, eben gab’s auch einen kleinen Schauer.
Also, liebe Pia, Goethe und die Fab Four lassen herzlich grüßen 🙂
Mach’s gut, habe eine schöne Woche
Wie viele Lieder es über den Baum gibt … huch und ich kenne keins davon
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Noch eine Schülerin konnte nicht mittanzen, warum nicht, sie war auf Klassenfahrt in Weimar, sie heißt Noelle….gestern hat sie ihrer Tanzgruppe ein wenig über Weimar erzählt: 9 Vorträge in 3 Tagen und so viele Ginkobäume…Wir haben zusammen auf euren Blog geschaut, Noelle hat das Gedicht vorgelesen, sehr herunter geleiert. Hatte nichts verstanden. Sie hat dann das Gedicht nochmal leise für sich gelesen und meinte dann: Jetzt!
Danach haben wir noch die Computeranimation über die Reise zum Pluto geschaut. Erstaunlich, was Menschen schaffen und was nicht!
Herzliche Grüße von Pia
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Hi, liebe Pia,
naja, das Gedicht ist wahrscheinlich etwas für Ältere. Goethe war bereits fortgeschrittenen Alters, als er es schrieb. Als wir jung waren, stellte sich für uns die Liebe sich auch nicht so philosophisch dar – oder?
Ganz liebe Grüße aus dem sommerlichen Cley
Klausbernd
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Doch, für mich war das schon immer ein höchst philosophisches Thema, was dir da so als “Liebe” angeboten wurde……höchst suspekt!
… sehr schönes Baumgedicht…heute morgen sollten die Frauen eine Baumpose einnehmen und einfach mal leise vor sich hinsprechen, was sie als Baum gerade so wahrnehmen, ich bin durch den Wald geschlendert und habe sie ein wenig belauscht, interessant….Elena war ein Gingko, muss sie fragen, ob sie schon den aktuellen Blog-Beitrag gelesen hat……
Schönen Tag!
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Sophia, 14 Jahre: Also bei uns auf dem Schulhof steht ein Gingko-Baum, wer den gepflanzt hat, will uns Schüler ärgern, der stinkt sooooooo, wir gehen immer auf den andern Schulhof….Goethe war wahrscheinlich verwirrt von dem Gestank, als er das Gedicht schrieb…….
Ja, es gibt sie die Kunstbanausen! Davon lassen wir uns aber doch nicht verwirren, Siri und Selma, oder?
Sophia bringt mir jedenfalls ein Gingkoblatt mit und das werde ich im “Faust” trocknen…..hm.
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Liebe Pia,
du erwähnst Baumposen. Naja, wir sind ja hier ein Blog, der dem Nordischen verpflichtet ist, und da muss unbedingt erwähnt werden, dass es Runenübungen gibt, quasi nordisches Yoga, die letztlich auf die Gestalt der Bäume zurückgehen. klug schrieb mein Freund Klaus Würthner in seinem “Arbeitsbuch der Runen” darüber.
Ja, die stinkenden Ginkgo-Früchte sind schon fürchterlich. Sie sind für mich Grund genug, keinen Ginkgo im Garten haben zu wollen.
Liebe Grüße dir aus dem heute bedeckt regnerischen Cley
Klausbernd
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O, super, Runengymnastik, also doch “Thorntherapie” (Dorn-Breuss…) alles für ein starkes Rückgrat und gute Energie!
Aha, beim Ginkgo hatte ich einen Buchstabendreher….kein Wunder, sind hier wirklich Ferien-Reif!
Danke für den Runen-Tipp, werde ich in der Hängematte studieren…..im Odenwald…erst mal zur Ruh(n)e kommen…
Leibdrücker und Grüße an alle….
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Hi, liebe Pia,
da ist mir gerade noch ein Literaturtipp eingefallen zu den Bäumen, der aus einem speziell frauenfreundlichem Werk stammt:
Robert Graves: The White Goddess
In der Erstauflage auf S. 165 ff.
Kapitel X und XI “The Tree-Alphabet 1” and “The Tree-Alphabet 2”
Dort kommt aber der Ginkgo nicht vor. Die Kelten kannten ihn wohl nicht.
Liebe Grüße und erhol dich gut im Odenwald
Klausbernd
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Danke, Hihi, Nachbar von Agatha Christ…lese ich ernsthaft im August….
so ich fülle jetzt wiieder die Sprühflasche mit klarem Wasser, wir machen jetzt nämlich immer Wellness-Behandlungen zwischen den Übungen….
2. Versuch : L I E B D R Ü C K E R
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Das Buch gibt es online, da schlägt mein vegetatives Nervensystem voll Alarm und schreit nach der Hängematte, schön in den Schatten und lesen….
Einen Beitrag über Cromer hatten wir schon oder?
Herzliche Grüße an die Vogelküste, jetzt muss wieder getanzt werden, Improvisationen mit Band, Seil, Ball und Tuch….alles in Schwingung
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Nee, liebe Pia, ich glaube einen Beitrag über Cromer, den Ort, wo der Blüten Bach wirkte, hatten wir noch nicht. Zumindest kann ich mich nicht erinnern.
Hier haben wir Sommerwetter vom Feinsten, das wünschen wir dir auch
The Fabs 🙂
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I am no expert on Goethe, and was not familiar with this poem, but I loved his writings on his journey to Italy. Such an inspiring man!
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Dear Mary,
thanks a lot.
This poem was written about 28 years after Goethe’s journey to Italy. Travelling around Italy Goethe wrote a lot of scientific notes and afterwards his poems were highly influenced by the classic. When he wrote the cycle of the “Westöstlicher Diwan” he was influenced by Hafis and the Islamic poetry.
Goethe was very inspiring and in so many fields: science as well as arts and as a minister of state even in politics.
Have a happy week
The Fab Four of Cley
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Ginkgobäume und vor allem natürlich die Blätter finde ich faszinierend, Sie sind irgendwie was Besonderes, allein schon durch die ungewöhnliche Blattform und dieses frische Grün. Liebe Grüße und habt einen schöne Woche! 😀
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Ja, wir konnten uns auch nicht zurückhalten, viele Blätter zu sammeln und zu trocknen, die nun verstreut in unserer Goetheausgabe liegen (und schlafen).
Auch dir wünschen wir eine wunderschön leichte und fröhliche Woche
The Fab Four of Cley 🙂
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We have a small ginkgo growing in a pot in the back yard. I think it would be happier planted in the soil but we don’t have room. A very ancient and primitive tree – similar to fossils seen in coal from the Carboniferous Period. I didn’t know about the Goethe connection. All the best, Laurence
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Good afternoon, dear Laurence,
well, I suppose it’s much better having the ginkgo potted than in the soil of the garden. It just takes too much space in the open and then the masses of fruits it’s producing stink horribly.
Goethe was very much interested in biology and in fossils that is one background besides the Hafis-connection of this poem.
Siri and Selma had to learn this poem by heart in their Faery-School.
Have a happy week
Klausbernd from Cley
Dina, Siri and Selma from Hvaler
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This must be one of the most educational WP sites there are! Even when I don’t come here to learn something, I do! 🙂 🙂 And I do like those leaves (and the fossil).
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Dear Jo,
thank you very much 🙂
Oh dear, are we like teachers? We hope not too much and decided to see your comment as a compliment 🙂
Lots of love
The Fab Four of Cley
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No cap and gowns! You may be excused 🙂 Hugs to all!
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🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
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Very interesting! Shared on Twitter. 🙂
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Dear Bette,
thank you very much! 🙂
We wish you a happy day
The Fab Four of Cley
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Ihr Lieben, so, jetzt komme ich endlich zu euch rein (mein Netz hakt und öst), zum Gingko gibt es noch so einiges mehr zu erzählen, dass er im Osten gerne als Tempelbaum dient und in der Phythotherapie bei Tinitus gute Erfolge hat …
ein feiner Artikel ist das und wieder sehr schöne Fotos- wir haben hier in Rheinfelden ein ganz besonderes Exemplar an der Burg stehen, er ist 130 Jahre alt und wirklich beeindrcukend, leider habe ich gerade das Bild nicht parat …
herzliche Grüsse an die englische Küste vom Sommerberg
Ulli
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Guten Tag, lieben Ulli,
habe herzlichen Dank für deinen Kommentar. Uns scheint, dass es Ginkgos zumindest in Deutschland hauptsächlich in Süddeutschland gibt, den Norden scheint er weniger zu lieben. In englischen Landschaftsparks gibt es oft große und auch alte umfangreiche Baumsammlungen, aber da ist mir nie ein Ginkgo begegnet. Dina kann sich von Norwegen auch nicht an Ginkgos erinnern, obwohl es sie dort in botanischen Gärten geben soll,
Ja, über den Ginkgo als Tempelbaum besonders in Japan, aber auch in China schrieben wir weiter oben. Er heißt ja sogar in Norwegisch Tempelbaum. Oh, schade, dass du das Bild des alten Ginkgo an der Burg nicht parat hast.
Dass er gegen Tinitus eingesetzt wird, das wussten wir nicht (wir glauben, Goethe auch nicht 😉 ). Danke für den Hinweis.
Liebe Grüße von dem heute bedecktenund regnerischen Cley
Klausbernd
Grüße auch von Dina, Siri und Selma heute aus Schweden
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oh Regen … den hättenw ir auch mal wieder gerne, unser Rasen hat ein spanisches Gesicht bekommen, sehr ungewöhnlich für hier oben, aber irgendwie geniesse ich es auch!
herzliche Grüsse zurück an euch lieben Vier, ob nun in Schweden oder in England …
Ulli
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Ja, dieser Regen war auch hier bitternötig. Nun scheint allerdings schon wieder die Sonne und es sind 25 Grad C.
Liebe Grüße aus Norwegen, Schweden und England – ja, wir sind gerade überall
The Fab Four of Cley
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This is a most remarkable tree – and as usual well defined and described here. You are masters of education and beauty!
I longed to see the Ginko trees the first time I went to Beijing in the 1980’s, and I was lucky. Early in the morning we found an avenue, lined with golden ginkos. Autumn colours, autumn chill in the air and people everywhere doing their silent dance with swords and sticks. Music seeping through the leaves and down to us spectators. Not one of us moved. Magic.
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Dear Leya,
thanks for your great comment. We would like to have seen this as well!
All the best and have an easy week
The Fab Four of Cley
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Can one be too old for love? I hope not. The Ginkho is a gorgeous tree.
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Dear Brenda,
we agree.
The problem was the big difference in age.
Have a happy week
The Fab Four of Cley
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Fab Four of Cley, Ah, that explains it. It’s difficult to have a marriage of equals with a huge age difference. You also have a great week! Warmly, Brenda
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The ginkgo is indeed a magical tree. Think of the eons it survived. There is nothing else like it on earth. I planted one at my house last year, and I love to see all the people who stare at it as they go by. Kids especially seem drawn to it – the primal shape draws them in. I tell them the leaves used to be dinosaur snack food!
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Thanks a lot! We love your tale of ginkgo leaves have been dinosaur snack food, GREAT! 🙂
Lots of love
The Fab Four of Cley
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Beautiful poem by Goethe (that I had not heard before).
Although I had heard of ‘ginko biloba’…. as everyone is now saying that taking ginko helps improve thought and memory.
I don’t know if that is true or not.
The ginko certainly caused Goethe to pause and ponder how two can be perceived as one, and one can be perceived as two.
Rather like the story of the 3 leaf clover by St. Patrick….explaining how three can be part of the one.
Very interesting!
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Dear Mary,
thanks a lot for commenting 🙂
We read this as well that taking ginkgo helps to improve memory. But we don’t know anybody who takes ginkgo and we could ask if that’s true.
Thank for mentioning this parallel to St. Patrick and his 3 leaf clover story. You are right it’s quite similar. The big difference: Goethe was not religious at all, we would call him a agnostic, whereas St. Patrick was of course a highly religious man.
All the best
The Fab Four of Cley
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To The Fabulous Four!
Hoch interessanter Beitrag und so schoene Aufnahmen dazu. Vielen herzlichen Dank! Hugs! Veraiconica
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Ganz herzlichen Dank, liebe Veronica,
schön, dass dir unser Goethe-Blog gefiel. Wir müssen dir nämlich verraten, dass unser Masterchen ein geheimer Goethe-Fan ist 😉
Hab’ eine schöne Woche, mach’s gut
The Fab Four of Cley
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I love the Ginkgo biloba!
I think it is a beautiful tree.
Kind regards,
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THANKS :-).
… we as well
The Fab Four of Cley
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The Gingko has been a totem tree for me ever since I fist saw them, in New York City, where I was a student “a few” years ago. Then I learned about them and was even more entranced. When I was in my 20’s I did a small needlepoint of a simple gingko leaf as a present for a man I was in love with. And yes, he appreciated it. Beautiful photos and post, thank you!
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Thank you for sharing your personal Ginkgo story! When you did this needlepoint did you know this poem?
We wish you a great week
the Fab Four of Cley
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No, this is the first time I’ve seen the poem. It was the leaf shape, and the endless variations of divided and undivided leaves, that attracted me at first. When I learned the history of the tree I liked it even more – the legend that no more of them are left in the wild, and that Chinese Buddhist monasteries kept them, was very appealing – I am very sympathetic to Buddhism and also to the idea of the monastery garden, etc. I like the way Goethe zeroed in on the idea of one and twain – such a good theme. Both – and, not either – or, right? Such nice, clean photos, too, with a lot of joy in them.
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Thank you! I have a neighbour who has a tree in his front yard that sheds these leaves in autumn. I’ve though about finding another specimen to photograph for my project but until now, I didn’t know the name of the species.
So much appreciated!
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Great that you like our Ginkgo-Blog.
All the best
The Fab Four of Cley
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Today I treated myself to “An Artist of the Floating World” by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Let me share the first sentence with you:
“If on a sunny day you climb the steep path leading up from the little wooden bridge still referred to around here as ‘the Bridge of Hesitation’, you will not have to walk far before the roof of my house becomes visible between the tops of two gingko trees.” 🙂
Love, Dina x
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“Doch ich fühle schon Erbarmen
Im Karfunkel deines Blicks
Und erfreu in deinen Armen
Mich erneuerten Geschicks…”
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