River Cruise Diary – Cochem, Germany

Another day. Another town.

We woke up Saturday morning in Cochem, Germany…the last port-of-call on the Mosel River. Another modest town whose main industries are wine and tourism. The day started gloomy with a low ceiling that certainly made for a good shot of the main attraction framed by the morning mist. Thankfully, things would brighten up by afternoon and become the best sunny day of the trip.

Reichsburg Castle, Cochem, Germany (16 November 2019)

The Reichsburg Castle dates to at least 1130. At various times during the Middle Ages, it held high Imperial rank but was long a ruin until 1868 when a Berlin businessman bought it for a pittance.

 

Reichsburg Castle Interior (16 November 2019) 

His name was Louis Frederic Jacques Ravené and he restored some of it in fine Gothic Revival style to become the family’s summer home. The town now owns the castle which is Cochem’s main tourist attraction, brimming with period furnishings, antlers, armor and other Germania.

View of Cochem and the Mosel River from 

Reichsburg Castle (16 November 2019) 

Ancient castle-builders were most concerned about security when they chose their high defensible locations. Needless to say, the views are pretty good.

 Cochem Cemetery (16 November 2019)

After touring the castle and grounds, we walked down through the town’s streets and alleys to learn more about the area. We stopped at this cemetery on the edge of town where there is a special section for World War I graves. The castle adds an impressive medieval background.

Bakery, Cochem, Germany (16 November 2019) 

We Exceptional Americans have gotten used to supermarkets and superstores where you can buy every kind of item that, at one time, used to have dedicated stores of their own. My old Bronx neighborhood had a main commercial street with a modest A&P market but it also had a bakery and a butcher and a fish store and a green grocer. It’s still that way in these charming old European towns. The stores are popular and have spectacular selections.

Leaving the Haunted Castle (16 November 2019) 

As we returned to the boat after some free time, we were told to look for this weather vane on the roof of a building near the river…because when we descend the stairs to the riverfront, an interesting decoration on top of the vane can be seen with the castle.

A Sunny Afternoon on the Mosel River (16 November 2019)

As noted earlier, we finally lucked out with a blue-sky afternoon to appreciate the Mosel valley in the Autumn light. This is the opposite of open-ocean, big-boat cruising with nothing but the sea to see. I’d much rather slowly float downstream with vivid scenes of the countryside just a stone’s throw from either side of the boat. The day ended as we sailed back to the Rhine and the next port-of-call, the former German capital of Bonn.

 

 

 

River Cruise Diary – Trier, Germany

We sailed as far upstream on the Mosel as we would on this voyage, docked outside of Trier and took buses into the old quarter of town.

‘Porta Nigra’, Trier, Germany (14 November 2019) 

Before this visit, I knew nothing about this city. Trier is the oldest city in Germany. There were 70,000 inhabitants when it was one of the four capitals of the Roman Empire (along with Rome, Constantinople and Alexandria). The ‘Porta Nigra’ (black gate) is the surviving portion of the passage through the Roman wall that surrounded the ancient city. During the Middle Ages, a number of church buildings were incorporated into the gate. When Napoleon controlled the region, given his dicey relationship with the church, he had the churches removed and restored the structure to its original Roman form. It remains the largest Roman edifice north of the Alps.

Trier Cathedral (14 November 2019) 

The High Cathedral of St. Peter in believed to be the oldest church in Germany. It is classic Romanesque architecture that was completed in 1270. However, the site has had a Christian edifice since Emperor Constantine converted to the faith in the 3rd century. Behind that person on the lower right of the picture is a Roman wall that dates to Constantine’s time. The Emperor lived in Trier for some time and his mother, St. Helena, another revered early Christian, has a shrine inside the cathedral. While she was buried in Rome, they claim it is her skull that is on display here in a crypt named for her.

Baroque Chapel, East Choir, Trier Cathedral (14 November 2019) 

There have been additions to the church over the centuries. This Baroque chapel was added in the late 1600’s to contain the Seamless Robe of Jesus, said to be the garment Christ wore right before the crucifixion. The ceiling reliefs are classic Baroque excess…which I chose to present here in black and white.

Inside Trier Cathedral (14 November 2019)

As with many old cathedrals, time, prevailing politics and availability of funds have seen burials and memorials added to the interior spaces. On the left is the All Saints Altar which is also the tomb of Lothar von Metternich, an Archbishop who has resided under this ornate decoration since 1623.

The Church of Our Lady, Trier, Germany (14 November 2019) 

The Marianist movement and the veneration of the Mother of Christ has led to the construction of many dedicated churches. This exquisite round chapel was added to the cathedral in the 1200’s. French architects were hired to compliment the old Romanesque structure next door by attaching this soaring space to create room for stained glass and light. The Church of Our Lady is the oldest Gothic church in Germany.

The Basilica, Trier, Germany (14 November 2019) 

Our walking tour took us to the Basilica. It has been a Protestant church since 1856 but was built in 310 as a Roman Imperial hall where no one was allowed to sit but the Emperor. It remains the largest extant hall from antiquity. Allied bombs during the Second World War blew the roof off the hall but the sturdy Roman walls held and a new roof/ceiling was added. Romans built things to last.

Karl Marx Statue, Trier, Germany (14 November 2019) 

Another claim to fame…Trier is the birthplace of Karl Marx. On the 200th anniversary of his birth (2018), the Chinese government gave the town an 18-foot statue of the guy. Naturally, there was controversy.

According to our guide, some people said, “How can you celebrate a man whose philosophy led to so much death and misery? We’ll vandalize the statue every day.” Others said, “His philosophy was bastardized and misinterpreted by the Communists. We’ll clean the statue every day.”

On the day we were there, neither activity was observed.

As noted earlier, the next morning, we sailed back to Bernkastel and tied up there for the night. Our cruise diary will resume in the Mosel River town of Cochem.

Confederate Memorials – On Manhood

You can’t throw a rock in the Deep South without hitting a Confederate memorial. Georgetown, South Carolina is on the main road between Myrtle Beach and Charleston. In the Old Baptist Cemetery, you will find one of those standard ‘soldier-on-a-pillar’ memorials with the usual flowery tribute to the ‘Lost Cause.’

Company A, 10th South Carolina Infantry Regiment Memorial [1891], 

Old Baptist Cemetery, Georgetown, SC (28 February 2010) 

ERECTED BY THE WOMEN OF GEORGETOWN, 

ASSISTED BY FRIENDS ELSEWHERE, 

AND DEDICATED TO THE MEN WHO DIED, 

OR FACED DEATH, IN THE WAR THAT 

ASSERTED CONSTITUTIONAL LIBERTY 

AND AFFIRMED OUR MANHOOD. 

A.D, 1891. 

It’s so often the ‘Women of’ or the ‘Daughters of’ doing the erecting. The men do the manly things like fight wars, defend honor and beat slaves. The women take care of the erections. The Georgetown women erected their monument and singled out those qualities that matter to them in that heroic, valiant, gallant time – death, liberty and manhood. What is it about manhood?

South Carolina Monument to the Confederate Dead [1879] 

State Capitol Grounds, Columbia (26 June 2008) 

Let’s get real here. So many prefer to remember the facts of American slavery differently…often to protect our politics and delicate sensibilities. One example I believe should be understood better is about when the whole “Middle Passage” era ended…for the United States, anyway. We stopped importing Africans in 1808 when federal law finally prohibited it…over a half-century before the actual practice of slavery ended. Imagine that.

Yet, this country’s population of enslaved people grew from 894,000 in 1800 to 3.95 million by 1860. These human beings (though the proponents of slavery didn’t consider them as such) were just another commodity, like livestock. Selling off children and breaking up families was part of the deal…”Nothin’ personal, Darlin’ it’s just bid-ness.” The country was expanding and we wanted that cheap labor so entrepreneurs grew it…and moved to end competition from the importers. What looks like a fine step toward moral decency was probably just a cold economic protectionist decision.

“Buy our home-grown slaves. They’re used to it here. They already know your language.”

Tell me when I get to that ‘Heritage’ thing that’s so important to preserve.

Confederate Memorial Monument [1898], 

Alabama State Capitol Grounds, Montgomery (18 October 2008) 

“WHEN THIS HISTORIC SHAFT SHALL CRUMBLING LIE 

IN AGES HENCE, IN WOMAN’S HEART WILL BE, 

A FOLDED FLAG, A THRILLING PAGE UNROLLED, 

A DEATHLESS SONG OF SOUTHERN CHIVALRY.” 

We shouldn’t sugar-coat it anymore. The population of enslaved people grew because they were bred and encouraged to reproduce…and one of the primary stud services in that regard were the plantation owners, their sons and overseers. Why do you think modern-day African-American people have such a range of skin tones? It’s because their great grandmothers were routinely and systematically raped by white men on the plantation. And since their system was pretty absolute about what made you officially Black, the child that resulted was enslaved from birth. A half or a quarter or an eighth white heritage didn’t matter. “One Drop” was all you needed to be certified ‘Black’…with all the ‘benefits’ attendant thereto.

We don’t talk about that part much because our Puritan WASP-y heritage discourages discussion of anything that relates to (‘s-e-x’). Check out the history of slave breeding in this country. There are hundreds of ‘slave narratives,’ personal accounts written by freed slaves. Then think about all those monuments to Southern Womanhood…those pure, stalwart defenders of the culture, heritage and propriety. They were so understanding knowing their men were regularly ‘shtupping’ the help.

So, this is the ‘Southern manhood’ part. Not Thomas Jefferson taking Sally Hemmings along to Paris for a few months of dress-up escort duty. This is assaulting one of your slaves and terrorizing everyone else. Sometimes, these rapes occurred in the open to impress upon the rest of the staff who’s in charge. So many benefits after all…increase the stock; control the herd and get your rocks off.

Maybe now we’re at the proud ‘Heritage’ part, yes?

Women of the Confederacy Monument [1917] 

Mississippi State Capitol, Jackson (16 May 2012) 

(I’ve taken some liberty with the original intent of the sculpture)

The scene is the pending death of Captain Rhett Whiteman, mortally wounded while defending the states’ rights to enslave people. To the left, Miss Scarlett Whitebottom, the picture of Southern Womanhood, presents Rhett with the palm of glory (instead of medical aid) to show he’s triumphant even in death. Between the two, ‘Fame’ recognizes Miss Scarlett with a laurel wreath, acknowledging her contribution to the righteous Rebel cause.

Confederate Women’s Monument [1914], 

North Carolina Capitol Grounds, Raleigh (28 June 2008) 

(Removed June 2020) 

Inscribed -                                                          

TO THE 

NORTH CAROLINA 

WOMEN OF THE CONFEDERACY 

Translation -                  

Young (white) boy holds sword and wistfully thinks 

ahead to manhood as the wise mature (white) woman 

reads to him the glorious history of whiteness 

Like so much of what we prefer to believe ended when it legally ended, white men didn’t stop screwing black women because they were no longer slaves. A famous example is the venerated late Senator Strom Thurmond. The segregationist icon has his own monument on the South Carolina capitol grounds and it was dedicated while Strom was still dozing off at his Senate desk at age 96. However, after he died, they had to update his family info upon the revelation that he impregnated a 16-year old servant. At least he was kind and supported her…in secret of course.

Inscription on Strom Thurmond Memorial [1999], 

South Carolina Capitol, Columbia (26 June 2008) 

Four children became five as daughter Essie Mae’s name was added in 2004. I guess there wasn’t enough room to add ‘FORNICATOR’ to the top line.

Maybe we’re at that ‘Proud Heritage’ part now… 

On Tearing Down the Wrong Statues

If there is a bright side to the brutal, senseless killing of George Floyd, it was that more of America woke up to our systemic racism, ill-placed reverence for the Confederate traitors and the blight of hundreds of monuments dedicated to their memory. But I’m sorry we have to deal with the sad, typical over-reaction of some who want to tear down statues of everybody. A few examples are noted below. 

Statue of Hans Christian Heg [1925] 

Wisconsin Capitol, Madison (18 June 2009) 

Hans Christian Heg was the highest-ranking Wisconsin officer killed in the Civil War. He was an ardent abolitionist who led a militia that hunted down slave-catchers. Let’s agree he knew that Black Lives Mattered. He recruited a regiment of fellow Scandinavian settlers to fight for the Union…and the ignorant protesters in Madison tore down his memorial, beheaded the figure and tossed it into Lake Mendota. The best reason I can find for the vandalism was that they wanted the government leaders to be there to hear their demands and they weren’t so, a-rampaging they went. I’m ashamed that citizens in a state I respect more than most have sunk to this level.

Ulysses S. Grant Memorial [1922], Washington, D.C. (29 October 2007) 

This is not the statue in question but 

one in front of our Nation’s Capitol 

Ulysses S. Grant was given a slave once and freed him. Never mind that he was more responsible than Lincoln for defeating the Confederacy and freeing the enslaved. Never mind that he fought the Klan and no president did more for African-Americans until LBJ signed the Civil and Voting Rights Acts. Never mind that it was Black people who led the drive to create the largest mausoleum in America to bury their savior…in Harlem no less. The idiots in San Francisco who tore down his statue did not know what they were doing.

Yes, John McDonogh was a slaveholder. Show me a rich, New Orleanian in the 19th century who wasn’t. Show me another rich New Orleanian who sent some of their slaves to college and donated their estate to the city for the sole purpose of educating poor public-school children. Dozens of schools were named after him. If it weren’t for McDonogh’s bequest, who knows what that racist society would have done to avoid educating Black kids. Two of his busts were torn down and one was tossed into the Mississippi River.

Robert Gould Shaw Memorial [1897], 

Boston, MA (9 October 2009) 

Then there’s the Shaw Memorial in Boston. As soon as the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, Col. Robert Gould Shaw recruited and trained the famous Massachusetts 54th Regiment, the first all-Black unit to join the fight against the rebellion. Shaw died with his men at the Battle for Fort Wagner in South Carolina and they were buried together in a mass grave. The memorial, by August Saint-Gaudens is considered one of the finest public art works in the nation and was vandalized before in 2012, 2015, 2017 and again during the recent protests.

Like the beef directed at the Theodore Roosevelt statue in front of the Museum of Natural History in New York, some object to the white guy on the horse while the people of color are on their feet. Give me a break. Throughout history, there were foot soldiers and officers. This is how they looked. Please stop ignoring important history to make trivialities significant.

Theodore Roosevelt Memorial [1940] 

American Museum of Natural History, 

New York, NY (17 October 2016) 

The Roosevelt statue, with its “hierarchical composition,” is now viewed as a symbol of colonial expansion and racial discrimination. The New York mayor said the statue “explicitly depicts Black and Indigenous people as subjugated and racially inferior” …because the White man is high on his horse and the non-White guys are not. Despite Teddy’s exemplary record as a progressive and conservationist and the fact that the two guides on foot are armed with rifles, the men are on foot and must be viewed as less than the guy on the horse.

Emancipation Memorial [1876] 

Washington, D.C. (17 July 2020) 

So far, they haven’t destroyed the ‘Emancipation Memorial’ in Washington, D.C….yet. I got there recently to find this important monument behind new fencing to prevent vandalism. Also known as the Freedman’s Memorial, it was funded by donations from freed slaves and dedicated on the anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination with one of the most notable speeches Frederick Douglass ever gave. The complaint now is that it shows Lincoln dominantly standing over the kneeling slave and although his shackles are broken, he’s still on his knees. I guess some would prefer the two subjects exchanging high fives.

I’ll admit to cultural insensitivity. That comes with my White upbringing and cluelessness. I’ve tried to explain why I believe directing all this revisionist attention to certain historic figures and some fine public works of art is inappropriate. Our politics have become so polarized, I fear more energies in the future will be spent on issues a reasonable middle would have once thought unimportant.