Leitfragen zum Lesetext
German for Reading Knowledge, Seventh Edition
Kapitel 5
Erzbistumsstadt Magdeburg (pp. 57-58)
Getting Ready
1. Magdeburg:
a. Where is the city of Magdeburg located? You'll find it on google maps at
http://maps.google.com/maps?oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefoxa&q=magdeburg&um=1&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=0x47a5f5ff55daea5b:0x4236659f8071060,Magdeburg,+Germany&gl=us
&sa=X&ei=fIXwT9vxA6Ty0gH2opD7Ag&ved=0CKoBELYD
b. Magdeburg (population = @230,000 in 2008) is the capital city of the German
state of Saxony-Anhalt in central Germany on the Elbe River. Neighboring cities are
Halle to the south and Potsdam to the east.
2. Magdeburg's Early history
805
968
13th Century:
1524
1525
1551
1618-1648
1630
1631
1648
first historical references to Magdeburg
Magdeburg named an Archbishopric
as a port city with prosperous shipping industry, M becomes a "Free
City", important member of "Hanseatic League"
Magdeburg accepts the Reformation
Peasants' War
Conversion of the Archbishop to Protestantism
Thirty Years War consumes all of Europe
Imperial (Catholic) troops siege of Magdeburg
"Sack of Magdeburg" with 85% of the population killed in fires
Peace of Westphalia; Magdeburg becomes a Duchy under supervision of
the Elector of Brandenburg
3. In the text, Magdeburg is referred to at one point as a "weeping city." What sort of
image does this call up. What might have lead to the signifier "Weinende Magdeburg"?
Getting Set
1. Take a first look at the text and note dates that are cited in each paragraph.
Paragraph
1
2
Date(s)
German for Reading Knowledge, Seventh Edition / ©2014
Richard Alan Korb
3
4
5
German for Reading Knowledge, Seventh Edition / ©2014
Richard Alan Korb
2. Locate references to the following important players in this brief history of early
Magdeburg, and indicate which of the time periods noted above are associated with these
players:
o Otto
o Der Magdeburger Dom
o Albrecht
Read!
A. Based on your reading of the text, which of the following are "true" and which are
"false" statements. What in the text leads you to these conclusions?
1.
Emperor Otto I and "Otto the Great" are one and the same person. (See below!)
Information found line(s)
2.
Magdeburg became an Archbishopric in the year 937.
Information found line(s)
3.
The founder of the Holy Roman Empire is buried in Magdeburg.
Information found line(s)
4.
The Magdeburg Cathedral replaced an Ottonian church that was built in 1207.
Information found line(s)
5.
The main building of the Magdeburg Cathedral and its towers were completed in
about 150 years.
Information found line(s)
6.
The Archbishop of Magdeburg at the time of the Cathedral's completion was
Albrecht von Brandenburg.
Information found line(s)
7.
Albrecht had money problems because he bought letters of indulgence for the
Pope in Rome.
Information found line(s)
8.
The Magdeburg Cathedral became a evangelical church as soon as Albrecht left
Magdeburg.
Information found line(s)
9.
The conversion of Magdeburg to the evangelical faith was not to be the end of
religious strife in Magdeburg.
Information found line(s)
German for Reading Knowledge, Seventh Edition / ©2014
Richard Alan Korb
10.
Magdeburg took on symbolic significance during the Thirty Years War.
Information found line(s)
German for Reading Knowledge, Seventh Edition / ©2014
Richard Alan Korb
B. Read the following excerpt from Wikipedia.de and ascertain which bits of
information you have already read from the reading "Erzbistumsstadt Magdeburg" and
which are new information.
Otto I., der Große wurde am 23. November 912 geboren und am 7. Mai 973 in
Memleben gestorben. Ab 936 war Otto I. Herzog von Sachsen und König des
Ostfrankenreiches (regnum francorum orientalium), ab 951 König von Italien und ab 962
römisch-deutscher Kaiser.
Im Jahr 968 gründete er ein Erzbistum in Magdeburg. Das Erzbistum war für Otto
der entscheidende1 Moment für die Christianisierung der Slawen.
Schon in Texten von mittelalterlichen Geschichtsschreibern fand man den Titel "der
Große" als festes Namensattribut. Schon Widukind von Corvey nannte ihn totius orbis
caput, das „Haupt der Welt“.2
Information from previous text:
New Information in this text:
1. Otto I or "Otto the Great" (912-973) reigned as German King from 936 and as Holy
Roman Emperor from 962 until his death in 973. Otto I is regarded as founder of the
Holy Roman Empire.
Detailed information on the long life of Otto the Great can be found at Wikepedia.de:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_I._%28HRR%29
with highlights of the Holy Roman Emperor's time in Magdeburg:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_I._%28HRR%29#Rom_und_Magdeburg:_Die_letzten_
Jahre
2. Magdeburg's "St. Katharina und Mauritius" Cathedral is the oldest gothic religious
structure in Germany. Read about its long history at the cathedral's homepage
http://www.magdeburgerdom.de/domgemeinde/geschichte.html
To read more about contemporary Magdeburg, visit the city's official tourist site at:
http://www.magdeburg-tourist.de/
3. Albrecht von Brandenburg (1490-1545) was a German churchman, cardinal of the
Roman Catholic Church. When he became Archbishop (1514), Albrecht required a papal
dispensation and in repayment received papal authorization to sell letters of indulgence
for eight-years, leading Martin Luther to preach against the letters. After 1525, Albrecht
actively opposed the Reformation.
1
2
entscheiden (entschied, entschieden) to decide
Data extracted from http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otto_I._%28HRR%29
German for Reading Knowledge, Seventh Edition / ©2014
Richard Alan Korb
To read more: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrecht_%28Preu%C3%9Fen%29
4. Das weinende Magdeburg: You can view an image of the allegoric statue in the
Luther Memorial in Worms at:
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lutherdenkmal_Worms_12_Magdeburg.jpg
German for Reading Knowledge, Seventh Edition / ©2014
Richard Alan Korb