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RJNorton · 02-12-2016, 05:19 AM

I was so fascinated by Willy Brandt's speech and 1959 visit to Springfield that I tried to find a newspaper clipping. I found this in the Daily Illini (February 12, 1959).

Here is a photo of Willy Brandt at the dinner. The lady to his side is Illinois First Lady Shirley Stratton, wife of then Governor William Stratton.

LincolnMan · 02-12-2016, 06:32 AM

Happy 207th birthday Mr. Lincoln (speaking of Lincoln Day)!

Gene C · 02-12-2016, 07:21 AM

This calls for cake and ice cream
Big Grin

Eva Elisabeth · (This post was last modified: 02-12-2016 07:45 AM by Eva Elisabeth.)

(02-12-2016 05:19 AM)RJNorton Wrote: I was so fascinated by Willy Brandt's speech and 1959 visit to Springfield that I tried to find a newspaper clipping. I found this in the Daily Illini (February 12, 1959).

Here is a photo of Willy Brandt at the dinner. The lady to his side is Illinois First Lady Shirley Stratton, wife of then Governor William Stratton.

Thank you so much for the article, Roger - this is so interesting to me! I am glad you like the speech. I think it quite significant as for showing Lincoln's meaning beyond the US.

RJNorton · 02-12-2016, 08:18 AM

(02-12-2016 07:40 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: Thank you so much for the article, Roger - this is so interesting to me! I am glad you like the speech. I think it quite significant as for showing Lincoln's meaning beyond the US.

Thanks, Eva. Willy Brandt also visited the Lincoln Tomb when he was in Springfield in 1959. Here is a photo:

Eva Elisabeth · (This post was last modified: 02-12-2016 09:02 AM by Eva Elisabeth.)

Thanks, Roger - you are a wizard to find these newspaper clippings!!! I have tried to find such to no avail!

David Lockmiller · 02-12-2016, 02:53 PM

On this anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday, I pay tribute to the true character of Mr. Lincoln with this passage quoted from Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book “Team of Rivals” at page 483:

When Vice President Hannibal Hamlin wrote that the [Emancipation] proclamation would “be enthusiastically approved and sustained” and would “stand as the great act of the age,” Lincoln replied that “while commendation in newspapers and by distinguished individuals is all that a vain man could wish, the stocks have declined, and troops come forward more slowly than ever. This, looked soberly in the face, is not very satisfactory.”

maharba · 02-12-2016, 09:12 PM

Brandt's speech brings out several nuggets from Lincoln, some are familiar to me but some are obscure, but cause me to want to research them. Ike was still a strong president and Kennedy would falter into office nearly losing everything including a free West Berlin. So in light of 'a house divided', Brandt's speech is related to the split East and West Germanies. It may be (incorrectly?) brought forward as relating now to a United Europe but which appears to be splintering. Today is Abraham Lincoln's birthday but not any longer a holiday in much of the States. There are a good article or two if you Bing search term "How Lincoln lost his day" or birthday.

LincolnMan · 02-13-2016, 07:24 AM

When I came home from work yesterday the family had a birthday cake on the table inscribed with: "Happy Birthday Mr. Lincoln" and a pencil sketch of Lincoln on canvas waiting for me. Needless to say, I was delighted. So I had my cake- and ate it too!

Eva Elisabeth · (This post was last modified: 02-13-2016 05:48 PM by Eva Elisabeth.)

(02-12-2016 09:12 PM)maharba Wrote: Ike was still a strong president and Kennedy would falter into office nearly losing everything including a free West Berlin. So in light of 'a house divided', Brandt's speech is related to the split East and West Germanies. It may be (incorrectly?) brought forward as relating now to a United Europe but which appears to be splintering.

I agree on Eisenhower and Kennedy. From my humble knowledge and understanding of politics (please educate me if wrong) I would place Eisenhower as a president way above Kennedy. To my understanding the latter's main political accomplishment was the conduct of the Cuban crisis. I wonder what difference his assassination made to his status/ranking in the people's minds.

As for the EU seeming to be splintering - I would like to learn Kees' and Angela's opinions, but mine is that it's v.v. Several challenges (Spain's, Italy's and Greece's financial issues, the refugee crisis now, as well as further minor issues) have proven this so far. When the debates about Greece (which I felt reminded of when the topic "does a state have the right to secede" was discussed on the forum) peaked, it became clear how difficult it would be and which disadvantages it would probably bring to dissolve the Union, or even drop a member.

I feel probably more European than German, and as close to the fellow Europeans as to the fellow Germans. I have always lived at the border, to the Netherlands and Belgium, and to Denmark now, cannot imagine borders to be put up again. I appreciate the common currency (not all share though), and that I can work and live wherever I like (wish it was likewise easy in the US). And the peace - Europe has seen more than enough wars and bloodshed.

We have a motto btw - "united in diversity", a flag and an anthem, Beethoven's "Ode to Joy".

LincolnMan · 02-13-2016, 08:11 AM

I didn't that Beethoven's Ode to Joy is Germany's anthem. The 9th Symphony is my all-time favorite. I was very blessed to attend a playing of it by the Detroit Symphony a few years ago. The things one learns at this site!

Eva Elisabeth · (This post was last modified: 02-13-2016 08:16 AM by Eva Elisabeth.)

Bill - it's not Germany's anthem (alone), it's the anthem of the European Union. The German anthem was composed by Joseph Hayden.

LincolnMan · 02-13-2016, 08:15 AM

Obviously I didn't know that- thank you for the correction. Now I'm even more impressed!

Thomas Kearney · 02-13-2016, 10:16 AM

I went to the Lincoln Memorial and Ford's Theater and tweeted my experience. Enjoy:

https://twitter.com/Tek2012Tek

RJNorton · 02-13-2016, 10:46 AM

Thanks for sharing, Thomas. Your comment about the sofa in the box being original made me think back to an email I received from Richard Sloan recently. It contained information I did not know. I do not think Richard will mind my sharing his email with the forum:

"Are you all aware that the engraving of Washington hanging on the front of the Pres. box in the restored thea. is not the original that was hanging there on the night of the assassination? This past August, it was removed out of fear that it was fading. A reproduction was made, which is what is seen since then. I don’t know if the frame is the same and that the orig. engraving was removed from it."