Travels in the Orient
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The Oriental adventures of Hermann von Puckler-Muskau
Prussia's favourite dandy
Prince Puckler was one of the principal landowners in 19th century Prussia. Yet, his passion for landscape gardening brought him to the brink of financial ruin. His literary career provided some monetary relief, especially his travelogues, which also led him on a journey to the Egypt of Muhammad Ali Pasha. By Christine Pfeilschifter
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Evelyn Waugh′s ″Labels: A Mediterranean Journal″
Egypt revisited
Evelyn Waugh, the English writer most would associate with his best-selling novel ″Brideshead Revisited″, died fifty years ago this month. Yet Waugh was also a passionate traveller and observer of foreign cultures. In this early work, he transports the reader back to early twentieth century Egypt. Sherif Abdel Samad read the book
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″Simplicissimus″ and the Palestine issue
Satire's timeless appeal
Although the barbed satirical content of ″Simplicissimus″ was widely tolerated by the German Empire, the editors went too far with their ″Palestine issue″ which featured a merciless send-up of Wilhelm II and his pilgrimage to the Holy Land. By Christine Pfeilschifter
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Agatha Christie and the Orient
When murder came to Mesopotamia
Hydrangea hedges, village gossip and high tea form the backdrop for Agatha Christie′s detective stories, which, sold in their millions worldwide, shape our image of England. But many of these typically English stereotypes and settings were actually created in the Middle East. By Christine Pfeilschifter
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"The Crusades: Holy War"
In this three-part documentary by BBC 2, Dr Thomas Asbridge presents a revelatory account of the Crusades, the 200-year war between Christians and Muslims for control of the Holy Land.
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Goethe′s fascination with the "Thousand and One Nights"
Mephistopheles spoke; Scheherazade beguiled
To date, critical studies of Faust have given little consideration to its Oriental elements, in particular the fables from the "Thousand and One Nights". Goethe′s fascination with the famous storyteller Scheherazade, and his adoption of her narrative techniques and themes, has been underestimated. By Melanie Christina Mohr
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Werner Herzog′s epic ″Queen of the Desert″
Hackneyed melodrama
"Queen of the Desert″ tells the life-story of eccentric explorer Gertrude Bell. This well-bred Englishwoman was drawn to the Middle East at the turn of the last century. It’s the first time that Werner Herzog has made a female character the main focus of one of his films. The result is disappointing. By Jochen Kürten
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Goethe and the Orient
Why did the poet's mind wander to far-off climes?
When Goethe compiled over 200 poetic works to create his West-East Divan in 1814 and 1815, the 60-year-old had already been fascinated with the Orient his whole life. But what made the poet's mind wander to far-off climes? By Melanie Christina Mohr
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The German archaeologist and explorer Max von Oppenheim
Enchanted by the Myth of the Orient
Max von Oppenheim was an astute observer of the Near East. He was also captivated by its history, culture and way of life. In fact, Oppenheim's entire adult life is an illustration of how difficult it is to reconcile the captivating dream of the Orient with the sober political reality of the region – a difficulty that remains to this day. By Kersten Knipp
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Women's centre "Bait al Karama"
Nablus is cooking again!
Kanafeh, spices, oils and breads of the finest quality – Nablus has always been renowned for its excellent cuisine. The Bait al Karama initiative seeks to raise the profile of this cuisine and to underline the importance of food for any culture. Ulrike Schleicher visited Bait al Karama and its cookery school, the first organised by women in the West Bank
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The 100th Anniversary of Karl May's Death
Literary Genius or Man of Legendary Hubris?
Karl May is the most widely read of all German writers. This year, which marks the 100th anniversary of his death, a number of new biographies seek to reconsider Karl May's place in German literary history. Andreas Pflitsch read two of them
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The Legend of Lawrence of Arabia
The Recalcitrant Hero
With the benefit of hindsight, there is something superhuman about his character. However, more than almost anyone else, Lawrence embodies the transformation from hero to anti-hero that shaped literature in the twentieth century. By Stefan Weidner