Stump the German

[RJNorton]

John Watt, the White House gardener? Nanko, the goat, dug up the bulbs he planted.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Good guess, Roger, but it is not John Watt.

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Hint #1: For some time, he served as a brigadier general in the CW.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Hint #2: In civilian life, he was a journalist, lawyer, and judge in Illinois.

[Houmes]

(06-15-2014 09:28 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Hint #2: In civilian life, he was a journalist, lawyer, and judge in Illinois.

Stump the German is trying to stump us with a German.

Gustav Koerner?

[Eva Elisabeth]

(06-15-2014 10:35 AM)Houmes Wrote:  Stump the German is trying to stump us with a German.

Very smart indeed, Mr. Sherlock Ho...er...Dr. Houmes. Actually I first wanted to post this on the "Who is this person"-thread, but considered that too mean.

Brilliant, it is Gustav Körner. He also preceded John Parker Hale as US minister to Spain, and was an ardent abolitionist, since he, like Carl Schurz, and Henry and Julius Ulke, was a "Forty-Eighter", and like many Forty-Eighters he opposed nativism and slavery, in keeping with the liberal ideals that had led them to flee Germany. Just to remind - according to James McPherson ("What They Fought For, 1861‐1865") of the approximately 2.2 million Union soldiers were 516,000 (23.4% of all Union soldiers) Germans; about 216,000 were born in Germany (whereas of the Confederate army only 9% soldiers were foreign-born at all).

Strangely several places he lived at coincided with places where Mary Lincoln lived, though not always at the same time. He was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1809, died in Batavia, Illinois, in 1896 (and in between had nine children with his wife Sophie). But the two indeed met as well:

Gustav Körner attended the Alton Lincoln- Douglas debate. When Lincoln met him in the hotel, he invited him to go to their room to see Mary. In his memoirs, Körner wrote: "I had not seen Mrs. Lincoln...since meeting her at the Lexington parties when she was Miss Todd...Most of the parties were very elegant...splendid supper at midnight...At one party at the Todds I met Mary Todd, who became Lincoln's wife."

G. Körner had studied law in Lexington. He also wrote about Lexington: "My American guidebook calls it perhaps the finest spot on the globe...It is the richest city in Kentucky and hence there's much show and luxury here...I must confess that with us - in Frankfort-on-the-Main - the wealthiest do not live as elegantly and comfortably...Most of the ladies were highly accomplished to the fashion of the country. Some of them played very well on the piano, and some sang remarkably as well. They played for me German melodies and songs...I may say towards the end of the season...the walz mania had spread...".

I hope, Dr. Houmes, you will like your prize (I would): you win tickets for the soccer world cup game USA vs. Germany in Recife on June 26.

[L Verge]

I just have to say this -- as most of you know by now, I am not well-read in general Lincoln studies. By the time I leave this forum in the next 25 years or so, however, I will likely be an expert just from reading the wealth of information that is posted on this marvelous site. Thank you all.

[Eva Elisabeth]

I second that. I wouldn't have mentioned and payed attention to the Ulke brothers if I hadn't learned so much on the assassination (as well as on all other topics) through the forum. Thanks all.

[Eva Elisabeth]

What are you going to do at noon EST? I hope you already have the TV ready to watch USA vs. Germany!!! The excitement that is in the air here reminds somewhat of the last days of Pompeii... So my today's question at last minute - what result will you guess?

Since I want both teams to advance (yes, I'm a Klinsmann fan) I hope that if the round thing gets into the rectangle thing tonight it will do so equally on both sides! Even if not, chances look pretty well both will, and beating whichever of the group H teams in the round of 16 should be a mission possible for both...

[RJNorton]

Eva, you know where I will be. Even Vicki, who is not a big sports fan, will be glued to the TV at noon. And Ghana has just announced the suspensions of two of its best players. This could possibly help the USA if it loses to Germany.

As for my guess: a tie!

I hope both Germany and the USA will advance.

Hopefully there will be no biting in this game!

[Rogerm]

As I write this, Germany is ahead 1 to 0.

[RJNorton]

Roger, the good news is that the USA advances anyway! Eva, kudos to Germany - there is no doubt in my mind Germany was better than USA as they controlled the ball the vast majority of the game. But I am so happy both teams advance.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Sorry, Roger, no prize today - hope Vicki wasn't too disappointed (or bored...)! Though both teams have already seen more exciting matches in this contest, from my point of view there's nothing to complain about - both teams advanced (congrats, USA!), one goal for honor's sake (sorry for you), and at least no reason for rumors about a prior "tie deal"...

[Eva Elisabeth]

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is currently the supreme civilian decoration in precedence. It was established by JFK in 1963 and replaced the earlier Medal of Freedom that was established by President Harry S Truman in 1945.

One recipient was a man who was born in the same German city I was born, and died in an American city which is one of the most important cities in "Lincoln history".

In his laudatio, the president explained this gentleman "has conceived soaring structures of glass, steel and concrete which at once embody and evoke the distinctive qualities of our age".

1. Who was this gentleman?
2. Who was the president?

[RJNorton]

I have no idea - wild guess - Dankmar Adler?

[Eva Elisabeth]

Wow, you stumped me with this excellent guess, Roger - it's not correct, but the gentleman was indeed an architect and died in Chicago!