Hello and welcome to the History of the Germans, Episode 127, the art and culture of the Hanse.

Now, our history of the Hanse has come to an end, not with a bang, but with a whimper.

Of the things that have remained, we've already talked a lot, the ideal of an honorable

Hanseatic merchant, the cultural and the political links to Scandinavia, and the stories.

The stories of the famous pirates, Klaus Sturtebecker and Hans Beineke, the heroics of

the wars fought with Denmark and the antics of Juergen Wollenweaver. But there is something that reminds us of the days when traders speaking low German fed Europe fish,

beer and grain. And that are the cultural achievements. The town halls, the weighing houses and

stores that became the symbols of civic pride, the artists whose work adorn churches and palaces across

the Baltic Sea, and last but not least, the brick churches that shaped the way these cities

still appear. So, let's have a look. Now, and since podcasting is one of the most unsuitable

mediums to talk about visual art, I have added a few images to the episode webpage,

which you can find at historyof the Germans.com slash 1-7-2.

But before we start, it is my privilege to thank all the patrons

have signed up on patreon.com slash history of the Germans

or on my website, historyof the Germans.com. Your help is much, much appreciated. And for

those of you who are still on the sidelines, come on and join. You can become a

knight of the realm for the price of a cappuccino per month,

equally stimulating, less caloric and much more prestigious.

And here are the names of the four amongst your number who've already taken the plunge.

John C., Oleres, Louis Filippe M and Edward B.

Thanks you guys very much.

Now back to the show.

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