Tuesday 1 September 2015

Stuttgart – cars, philosophers and fountains



I was impressed in Seattle when I discovered that the city was the home of Microsoft, Boeing, Amazon and Starbucks, but Stuttgart has a much more impressive record.  Home of Porsche, Daimler and Benz, and Bosch, it claims to be the birth place of the international motor industry, and while others may dispute it, if the evidence of the Mercedes Benz museum is to be taken on face value, the first car, bus, motorbike, motorboat and powered airship all had their beginnings here.  Importantly, the basic framework of the car and the key components of the internal combustion engine emerge from the mechanical engineering brilliance of Wilhelm Maybach, who worked as Daimler’s chief engineer and was responsible for the spray carburetor, the honeycomb radiator, the general concept of the chassis used in every car since and the first four cylinder petrol engine.  Not a bad résumé for someone orphaned at the age of 10. 

Stuttgart is of course more than cars and the motor industry.  The wealth created from that industry allowed culture and civic development to flourish.  For example, it was the birthplace of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, one of the prominent Romantic Philosophers.

Fountain outside Stattsgalerie

Our first day was devoted to sampling some of that culture, including the local wine, beer and food.  We tried the cultural walk around Stuttgart recommended by the tourist bureau, starting at the Stattsgalerie, which houses the best selection of Swabian altar panels from the 1350 to 1550.  I don’t think there are too many other competitors for this title, but it was impressive – including the fountain outside.  





Then we found ourselves at the very creative and well curated Baden-Württemberg House of History.  This museum shocked us from the outset, with a bust of Napoleon Bonaparte taking pride of place at the entrance.  It seems that the locals had little time for the Prussians, and were happy to rush into the arms of anyone else but them.  The museum covered all aspects of life – unfortunately all in German – including the local timber industry, a fascinating set of photographs of weddings and families for every year from the present to as far back as the technology would allow; a close examination of the world wars; a segment on the religious life of the state which has been at the centre of mainstream Christian religion from almost the beginning; local wine making and the development of the region.  Unfortunately, no photos allowed.

After lunch and a quick stroll past the major buildings – including the new library which by all reports is wonderful inside, but closed on Saturday afternoons in September – we examined the Saturday afternoon café society of Stuttgart. It is more of a beer society really, but a good one nonetheless.  Dominique went native, and is now speaking German almost continuously, even to me. The result of her efforts to order a small beer is illustrated below.



We noticed throughout the day that much of the excess capital generated by the good burghers of Stuttgart has been devoted to the construction and operation of fountains.  They are everywhere, and here are just a few.  Sydneysiders will recognise the design of at least one of them.





Sunday afternoon brought another beer, and entertainment by the jazz society at the local bandstand – they broke into rock and roll and in English, country and western in German and 50s French songs in French – and they recorded it all on video.  Look out for the next You-Tube viral video.  



Dominique again ordered two small beers.  I think she has nailed this German thing.

Small beer means half a litre



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