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Jan 25, 2025 | 
herald-zeitung.com | Harvey H. Wetz |New Braunfels
On Jan. 29, 1886, Karl Benz received the patent # 37435. In the fall of 1885, the world’s first water-cooled gasoline engine automobile (horseless carriage) rolled down the streets in Mannheim, Germany. An effective gasoline motor engine, a four-stroke internal combustion engine, the first engine to efficiently burn fuel directly in a piston chamber was invented by Nikolaus August Otto in 1876 in Germany. Benz developed his own design.
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Jan 4, 2025 | 
herald-zeitung.com | Harvey H. Wetz |New Braunfels
The origin of the Christmas tree began, as the story goes, in 1536 by the German Protestant Reformation founder Martin Luther. Walking through a pine forest near his home in Wittenberg, he saw stars twinkling among the branches of the trees. He set up a candle-lit fir tree in his home to remind his children of the starry heavens from whence their Savior came. The Christmas tree was brought to England in 1800 by Queen Charlotte, the German born wife of George III.
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Nov 16, 2024 | 
herald-zeitung.com | Harvey H. Wetz |New Braunfels
The Nov. 7 edition of the New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung featured Herr (Mr.) Richard A. Odorfer’s concerns that a celebration on Oct.6 designated by Pres. Ronald Reagan in honoring German-Americans for their contributions to the U.S. and world has been lost. Herr Odorfer listed a number of important contributions. I would like to add to his list. 1455 — Johannes Gutenberg printed first book, the Bible, with movable type in Europe.
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Oct 26, 2024 | 
herald-zeitung.com | Harvey H. Wetz |New Braunfels
If you are unfamiliar with the process of the Electoral College, I urge you to learn about this important part of our election process.
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Aug 10, 2024 | 
herald-zeitung.com | Harvey H. Wetz |New Braunfels
In 1817, German Baron Karl von Drais (1785-1851), an aristocrat and inventor, built the world’s 1st two-wheeled bicycle (Laufmaschine/running machine) that had a wooden frame beam and two wooden wheels with iron rims and leather-covered tires. His bicycle had no gears or pedals. Riders pushed the bicycle forward with their feet. The Laufmaschine was steered with a set of rudimentary set of wooden handlebars.
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Jun 29, 2024 | 
herald-zeitung.com | Harvey H. Wetz |New Braunfels
Our country celebrates the day of independence on July 4, but few Americans are aware that the Declaration of Independence (Unabhängigkeitserklärung) was first announced in a German newspaper on July 5, 1776. However, John Dunlap, a local Philadelphia printer, printed an English broadside copy in the late afternoon on Thursday, July 4. Broadsides were a large sheet of paper printed on one side that, historically, were posters.
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Jun 1, 2024 | 
herald-zeitung.com | Harvey H. Wetz |New Braunfels
Tuesday, May 28 is recognized as National Hamburger Day in the U.S. according to a TV station in San Antonio. The history of hamburger meat can be traced to during the 13th century in Mongolia where the Tartars were known to eat raw, spiced mutton. During the next few centuries, the meat made its way to the Baltic countries in northern Europe where sailors ate minced beef tartare eventually reaching the German port of Hamburg where local preference meant the meat was cooked.
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Apr 13, 2024 | 
herald-zeitung.com | Harvey H. Wetz |New Braunfels
The name “America,” first appeared 517 years ago on a map in April of 1507 that would introduce Europe to this new idea of a four-part world by Martin Waldseemüller (1470-1520), a 16th century cartographer. It is known as the first map to use the name “America” and was placed on South America of the main map. The name was bestowed in honor of the Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci.
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Apr 6, 2024 | 
herald-zeitung.com | Harvey H. Wetz |New Braunfels
The Easter hare, or Osterhase, as an Easter symbol seems to have its origins in Germany. Many historical records suggest that the Easter bunny originated in Germany where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. By 1680, the first story about a rabbit laying eggs and hiding them in a garden was published. A legend holds that a poor woman in a village decorated colorful eggs for children to find in her garden.
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Mar 2, 2024 | 
herald-zeitung.com | Harvey H. Wetz |New Braunfels
The Feb. 10-11, 2024 Herald-Zeitung article by Erica Wilson entitled, “NB Retired Teachers and Associates get history lesson at CHS” focused on the history of early old-school education in Comal County, as well as the local schools’ unique German and English roots presented my Christine Taylor, president of the NBRTA. Education was, according to Sophienburg Museum curator Carolyn Fey-Phelan, very important to the early German immigrants.
