For Alain: I always think that Saint Damien of Molokai definitely qualifies as "De Grootste Belg". Whenever we visit Hawaii (we do that somewhat regularly, still have lots of friends there), I make it a point to visit his statue next to the State Capitol. And I'm completely not religious, and not even from a catholic family.
For Beastie: In my opinion, Adolphe Sax' greatest invention is actually the tuba. It is a contrabass or bass saxhorn. Did you know that the Flugelhorn (another great-sounding piece of brass) is actually a soprano tuba?
An awful lot of people, but I'm not sure who really belongs
That is a difficult question. The person who was most influential? I'd like to remind people that Hitler was Time Magazine's "man of the year" in 1938. At the same time, Churchill was deeply in the dog house.
like Friedrich 2, who was Prussian, thus not German.
Ah, a very fine flute player, great composer, and one of the most enlightened of all monarchs ever. Yet nearly got killed by his father (and predecessor), because of some "irregularities" in his sex life.
But one indeed wonders what it means to be "German", and whether Bavarians, Prussians and Friesians really qualify. Austrians? Right out! (sarcasm)
Today I learned that the Bavarian-language Wikipedia (there is such a thing!) caters to people in Bavaria, Austria, and South Tirol. Which is funny, because South Tirolians are also Italians. Or perhaps they aren't. Anyway they are funny. Famous quote: "Die Tiroler sind lustig..."
Another good question. He was educated, a fine general (who made on big and bad decision), he had made Germany his adopted home, administered it well, he had the good taste and decency to react correctly to losing the battle. He should be a honorary German.
Was Hermann (a.k.a. Armin)? He was Cheruskian, not German. But to Germans he was long considered a hero. Along the same lines: Emperor Claudius (best known for his very pretty wife Messalina, she stars in many bad movies) was actually French, while General Germanicus (brother of Claudius, father of Caligula, also depicted in even worse movies) was actually Italian inspite of his name.
Of course Bertha Benz, Siemens & Halske, Konrad Zuse, Euler, ...
How about Einstein? Was he German? This is a politically and emotionally loaded question, which is hard to discuss, and harder to answer correctly.
I just looked it up: The greatest Californian is supposed to be John Muir, a naturalist who created the National Park movement. Not a totally bad choice. But I wouldn't have thought of him first.
tedium.co
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