Post photo: Enjoying coffee | © Pixabay
Heinrich Seidels poems are always worth reading. The following poem by him, which can be found in the "Neues Glockenspiel" from 1894, I'll list here as an appetizer.
Do it like Mr. Asmus
Follow the star in your chest
And let the others talk
Because you never know what you have to do
If you want to listen to everyone.Or do as Mr. Asmus did,
Heinrich Seidel, 1894
Who knew what to do;
He asked everyone for advice
And yet did what he wanted.
The special thing Heinrich Seidel is probably that he was a very successful civil engineer who only devoted himself fully to writing from 1880 onwards. Even today he is known to all engineers through the following statement:
"Nothing is too difficult for the engineer"
Heinrich Seidel, Engineer Song (1871)
I have also remembered this saying since my early youth, as my father always used it whenever he succeeded in something, e.g. B. repairing a radio, a scooter or even a washing machine.
All those who do not even have an engineer among their circle of acquaintances can also find the engineer song here:
Nothing is too difficult for the engineer
He laughs and says: "If you can't do this, you can do that!"
He bridges the rivers and the seas,
Boldly piercing the mountains is fun for him.
He piles the bows in the air,
He digs like a mole in the crypt,
No obstacle is too big for him
He goes for it!
He makes the giant his servant,
Dess' wild courage, freed from the flood of water by fiery embers,
The human race becomes a blessing
And restless works with enormous power at the work of the new age.
He catches the lightning and sends it away
With quick word from place to place,
From pole to pole at the moment
On the iron rope!
What moves today with a hundred thousand wheels,
Floating in the air, digging and stamping and steaming and glowing in crypts,
What moves with straps and with springs,
And lifts loads without resting, weaves and punches and throbs and sprays,
What thunders through the countries
And roars through the distant seas,
It does all that and much more
The engineer!
The engineers shall live!
The true spirit of the very latest times circulates in them!
Her heart is devoted to progress,
Their strength and time is dedicated to peace here below!
The blessing of work on and on,
It spreads from place to place,
From country to country, from sea to sea
The engineer!
Heinrich Seidel
Detlef Stern will now certainly want to add that these words actually Gyro Gearloose are attributable to: "Nothing is too sworn for the engineer." But it was quite obvious Erica Fuchs helped a little — at least with the German translation of this well-known comic series.
Incidentally, I think that we would all be better off if, above all, our current decision-makers had more courage and, from time to time, also followed Mr Asmuse's advice; but this also includes a whole lot of sense of responsibility.
And since it is slowly but surely becoming apparent that we will have to reckon with exit and other restrictions at least until most people no longer even know how one can live without major paternalism, it makes sense here too on Heinrich Seidel to fall back. I refer you to reading Leberecht Huhn, a book that was written between 1880 and 1893 and makes the art of happiness clearly understandable - particularly appropriate in the current situation - and ultimately just as disturbing.
Liver Chicken was among the favourites, instilled in the art of happiness by a benevolent fairy; he had the gift of sucking honey from all flowers, even the poisonous ones.
Heinrich Seidel, Liver Chicken (2017: 4)
