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Facts About Germany German History German Recipes |
August
18 in German History August 18, 330 Death of St. Helena.St. Helena was the mother of the Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great. She was born in the eastern part of the Roman Empire, but moved to Trier (modern day Germany) when her son became emperor of the West and ruled from Trier. She became a Christian early on and doubtless had influence on Constantine's favorable disposition to Christianity. She made a pilgrimage to the Holy land late in life and is credited with finding many relics of the life of Christ which now reside in Churches in Germany. The Robe of Christ in Trier, the relics of three wise men in Cologne and the loin cloth in Aachen are all attributed to her activities. Her designation as a saint precedes the practice of canonization by the Pope. The present day cathedral of Trier was a donation by Helena. The origins of the building were as her residence during the time she lived in Trier. August 18, 1750 Birth of the composer Antonio Salieri in
Legnago, Italy. Salieri was brought to the imperial court in
Vienna at age 16. He was a friend of Joseph Hayden and Ludwig
van Beethoven. There is little historic evidence of the
antagonism between him and Mozart as portrayed in the film, Amadeus
. August 18, 1830 Birth of Franz Joseph, Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary, in Schönbrunn Palace near Vienna. It was he who divided the empire into two sections, each having equal status. August 18, 1870 Battle of Gravelotte in the Franco-Prussian War. August 18, 1873 Birth of Leo Slezak in Sumperk, Austria-Hungary (now Czech Republic). Slezak was an opera star known for his Wagnerian roles. Later in life he became a film comedian. His son, Walter Slezak, immigrated to America and became a popular American movie star. August 18, 1890 Birth of Walther Funk in Trakehnen, East Prussia. Funk was the economics minister of the Third Reich from 1938 and president of the Reichsbank from 1939. At the Nürnberg Trials he was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to life in prison. He was released in 1957. August 18, 1944 Death of Günther von Kluge in Metz. Kluge was a WWII German general who fought in Russia from 1941-1943 and replaced von Rundstedt on the Western Front in 1944. Suspected of being involved in the assassination attempt on Hitler, von Kluge was relieved of command on August 17 and commits suicide on August 18, 1944. August 18, 1961 The building of the concrete Berlin Wall is started. August 18, 2005 Pope Benedict VI, Joseph Ratzinger, arrives in Cologne to attend World Youth Day, 2005. Back to Today in German History Calendar |
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