The Fool at Freiburg's Minster Church in his Context

or "On the Resilience of Stupidity" was the title of Professor Werner Mezger's lecture.

Oh, those gargoyles. Red Baron took some close-up photos of a few of them. 

Prof. Mezger started his lecture with the motto of Freiburg's medieval Collegium Sapientiae:

"The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord." This verse from Psalm 111.10 and the spolia is all that remains of the former student burse.

Furthermore, we read in Proverbs 10:14, "Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction," and, even stronger, in Proverbs 1:7, "Fools despise wisdom and instruction."

To make his point, Prof. Mezger inverted the Collegium's motto to Initium insipientitiae contemptus: "The beginning of folly is contempt for God."

Showing a fool with his marotte and a bread:
Dei Stultitia aversio a Deo

A fool in his foolishness turns away from God, as can be read in Psalm 14.1: "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God."

Dixit insipiens in corde suo: non est Deus

It must have been a sensual fool that misguided King David, for as is said in Proverbs 10:23: "It is as sport to a fool to do mischief."

A fool in traditional costume (yellow and red) with his face reflected in his marotte.

Around 1540, woodcut by Heinrich Vogtherr the Younger

Toward the end of the Middle Ages, three authors made the figure of the fool a central element of their works.

Around 1540, woodcut by Heinrich Vogtherr the Younger

Sebastian Brant published his Ship of Fools in Basel in 1494. The work became a major bestseller of the pre-Reformation era and laid the foundation for European fool literature.

The work by Erasmus of Rotterdam, which he recently revised himself,
is available for purchase at the Ascensius printing shop

Erasmus of Rotterdam followed with his Moriae Encomium (Praise of Folly) in 1509, first published in Paris and Strasbourg in 1511.

The personified Folly Moria* lectures its followers.

*A pun on the name of Thomas More to whom Erasmus dedicated his book.

Quare valete, plaudite, vivite, bibite, Moriae celeberrimi Mystae.

At the end, Folly dismisses its astonished and displeased listeners with a festive blessing:
Therefore farewell, applaud, live, drink, you most renowned initiates of Folly.

Of the Great Lutheran Fool, as Described by Dr. Murner

In 1522, Thomas Murner published the third "folly" book, "On the Great Lutheran Fool," as a polemical satire against Martin Luther and the Reformation.

The clergy still generates the greatest fools ...

... but the greatest folly of all was the bite into the apple which ...

 

... as is well known, led to the mortality of men and women. 

Death as a fool

The fool becomes a messenger of death.

Omnem in homine venustatem mors abolet

In 1540, the "godless" Hans Sebald Beham engraved "The Fool and the Girl" on copper. In 1541, when his beloved younger brother Barthel died in Italy, Beham revised the engraving, added the text "Death destroys all beauty in human beings," and gave the fool the grimace of death.

The Mother of Fools and Her Seven Sons
https://www.schlossambras-innsbruck.at/object/90962

Toward the end of his lecture, Prof. Mezger gave a detailed description of the "Fools' Plate," which Jörg de Breu the Elder painted in Augsburg in 1528. The plate is on display at Ambras Castle near Innsbruck.

The season of fools is not over.

 

Let the "Mappa Mundi of the Fool," created in the Paris workshop of Jean de Gourmont in the late 15th century, serve as a reminder: "The number of fools is infinite."

Stultorum infinitus est numerus

Therefore, let us heed this insight and follow Ephesians 5:15: "Walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise." 

**

The UN Security Council

At the UN Headquarters in New York: The foreign ministers of Portugal, Austria, and Germany:
We are all good friends (©Der Spiegel)

Last Tuesday, Germany's bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council failed spectacularly.

   

Annalena Baerbock is presiding over the UN General Assembly (©ZDF)

Nervously, German foreign minister Johann Wadephul is awaiting the result of the vote (©ZDF)

Annalena announces the result: Portugal 134, Austria 131, Germany 104 votes (©ZDF)

A mistaken soccer fan:
Damn UN. The World Cup hasn't even started yet, and we've already lost to Austria and Portugal.

Commentators were scrambling to find reasons for the "disaster":

- A classic excuse: The UN General Assembly punishes those who campaign too late and with too little intensity

- The European war: Russia is to blame because it stirred up sentiment over Germany's support for Ukraine

- Our special solidarity with Israel: Germany's "reason of state" due to our particular guilt to the Jewish people

- Germany's - or isn't it rather Europe's - wavering course in dealing with DonaldTrump's America

All of this culminated in one journalist's claim that the outcome of the vote, in which Austria and Portugal secured the two European seats on the Security Council, was a major embarrassment: "The vote in New York is a barometer of the Federal Republic's standing in the world. It has been damaged."

It would have been so nice to sit in the Council Chamber (©ZDF)

Soon, the German political landscape joined the chorus:

- Germany has squandered its reputation and responsibility in the world

- the failure to be elected is not a mere mishap, but a warning sign

- German foreign policy has become too closely tied to the disastrous and amoral policies of Netanyahu and Trump, or perhaps

- in the future, Germany must seek consensus within the European group in a timely manner so that we can avoid potentially competing bids for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council

All bullshit!

Instead, congratulations to Portugal, the still-young democracy, and the drifting-to-the-right Republic of Austria. They will represent "European values" well on the UN Security Council.

But what good is it to these two EU member states when the Council is a toothless tiger and has degenerated into a Schwatzbude (talking shop)?

Just to name the three largest unresolved flashpoints:

-Putin's Russia is mercilessly attacking Ukraine with no regard for civilian casualties. The country is fighting back with drone-based counterattacks on military targets and supply facilities (fuel depots), which the Russian government brands as Ukrainian terrorism.

-Netanyahu's Israel is committing war crimes with impunity in Gaza and, more recently, in southern Lebanon, although it is crystal clear that neither Hamas nor Hezbollah will ever disappear.

- Senseless fratricidal wars in Africa, waged by petty dictators for personal power, are leading to mass displacements in which entire populations are starving, and then the world is asked to spend money to end the misery of newborn children.

What good is the UN Security Council anymore?

Don't cry, Johann! (©Der Spiegel).

Johann commented on the vote, "I personally have nothing to reproach myself for. The result is a real disappointment and a bitter defeat. But we should not withdraw out* of disappointment, although my ability to persuade in Berlin will naturally not be enhanced by this result."
*After the US, Germany is the second-largest financial contributor to the UN 

Diplomatically well said.

**

Moi non plus

The subtitle of Professor Stefan Pfänder's lecture was, "It was a cultural shock for me!" That is what a French lady felt when, as a student, she met her future German husband in a Wohngemeinschaft (shared apartment).

In his sociological research, Prof. Pfänder has been documenting German-French couples on audio and video for years. With the examples he showed, his lecture was extremely colorful and lively. 

The novel "Hirishima mon amour" unfolds as a literary drama. By this I do not mean the amour fou between the Frenchwoman Elle and the Japanese man Lui, but rather her wartime experience as a girl.

In her youth, she had fallen in love with a German occupation soldier in Nevers. The two lovers had planned to leave France and get married in Germany. But then she had to watch as her lover was shot by a Résistance fighter in the street right in front of her house and saw him bleed to death before her eyes.

Red Baron still vividly remembers the filmic scene when the German, with blood pouring from his mouth, breathed his last. The girl was branded a collaborator, had her head shaved, was locked in a cellar, and finally sent to Paris for further treatment.

First impression of the Germans

In Franco-German zwischenleiblichen (interpersonal) relationships, painful, traumatic memories cannot be suppressed, as evidenced by the statement of a French woman: "And everything that was unpleasant, uncomfortable, or dangerous - that was always the German."

In 1946, when French troops occupied Baden, German girls fell for the men in uniforms and formed interlingual couples.

Here is a slide from Prof. Pfänder's lecture.

 

How does bilingualism change how people see themselves in the eyes of their partners?

Bilingual individuals develop a heightened metalinguistic sensitivity and experience identity as dynamic and negotiable.

Living between multiple languages promotes flexibility and reduces rigid national stereotypes.

And he continued, "How do bilingual, intercultural couples communicate?" How do they share stories - separately or together? What are the challenges of such a partnership? And what are its potential benefits? His answers were:

Intercultural couples more frequently report stress caused by differences in values, religion, and communication.

Intercultural couples develop new shared routines, forms of communication, and identities beyond their respective cultures of origin.

Acceptance or rejection by their families depends on language skills, cultural expectations, and migration experiences.

In fact, differing language skills generate feelings of exclusion, frustration, isolation, and cultural alienation. On the other hand, bilingualism changes self-perceptions and strengthens the ability to adopt multiple cultural perspectives simultaneously.

Red Baron found all these facts interesting, but since he's never had a French girlfriend, he can't contribute to the experience.

However, some of Prof. Pfänder's observations can generally be applied to multilingual environments, such as that of Red Baron, who has been working at CERN and communicating in Franglais for 32 years.

Here, somewhat out of context, I add some photos of the couple Franco-Allemand:

A historic embrace between two old men in Reims Cathedral.
Where's the champagne?

De Gaulle's pathetic speech: "My heart is overflowing, and my spirit is filled with gratitude now that I have just signed the Treaty on Cooperation between Germany and France with the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. No one in the world can fail to recognize the immense significance of this act. Not only does it mark a turning point after a long and bloody history of struggle and war, but it also opens the door to a new future for Germany, France, Europe, and thus the world."

Chancellor Kohl and President Mitterrand, holding hands, stand over the graves at Verdun.

Chancellor Angela Merkel cuddles up to President François Hollande.

An embracing armistice between President Sarkozy and Merkel

French and Germans: a history full of "I love you" and "Not me anymore."

NB: As in previous years, Red Baron has again booked the French Summer University.

Entente cordiale between President Macron and Angela.
Merkel's husband, Professor Sauer, doesn't he look a little sour?

A couple enjoying a romantic moment in the Compiègne Forest.

In the Compiègne Forest, the armistice between the French Republic and the German Empire, which ended the First World War, was signed in a Wagon-Lits (?) on November 11, 1918.

On the occasion of the 100th anniversary, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, and the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Angela Merkel, reaffirmed the value of Franco-German reconciliation in the service of Europe and peace.

Back to the lecture. A man from Cognac gave his reasoning in nearly perfect German as to why his girlfriend moved to be with him:

That's just love - it does that kind of thing!

It wasn't only the director of the Freiburg Adult Education Center, Dr. Philine Weyrauch-Herrmann (holding the mic), who thanked Prof. Pfänder for his engaging lecture.

**

Stephen Colbert

CBS announced on July 17, 2025, that The Late Show with Stephen Colbert would end in May 2026 and would be retired rather than continued with a new host.

Stephen informed the studio audience himself about the cancellation during a taping that same day.

CBS publicly stated that the cancellation was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night," emphasizing that it was not related to ratings, content, or Colbert personally, even though the show had been the No. 1 late-night program for years.

The timing, however, triggered speculation about political motives, since the announcement came only days after Colbert sharply criticized CBS's parent company, Paramount, on air for settling a lawsuit brought by Donald Trump for $16 million. At the same time, Paramount was seeking regulatory approval for its merger with Skydance Media, which only POTUS could grant. Critics - including politicians, media commentators, and former host of Late Night David Letterman - questioned whether the cancellation was connected to pressure surrounding that merger and Colbert's anti-Trump commentary.

One day later, POTUS rejoiced and was right with his prediction, for on September 17, 2025, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was suspended "indefinitely" after controversy surrounding comments Jimmy had made on his show about the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Massive protests followed. The decisive factor, however, in Disney/ABC's reinstatement of the show on September 23, 2025, was financial pressure, as many Disney Channel subscribers had canceled their subscriptions.

On Christmas 2025. the season of giving, POTUS rubbed it in. 

May 21, 2026, approached fast, and Stephen invited his friends Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, John Oliver, and Jimmy Fallon to reminisce with him.

 

Stephen showed the photo (©CBS)

In 2023, when the Hollywood writers were on strike, the five hosts joined for a podcast called Strike Force Five to raise money for their unemployed staff members.

©CBS

On May 13, 2024, to celebrate Stephen's 60th birthday, "The Five" got together again for dinner in Manhattan.

©CBS

Here, Stephen's former boss and mentor, Jon Stewart (The Daily Show), shows a photo of those good old times.

©CBS

Stephen took a selfie with the veteran and former host of The Late Show, David Letterman.

©CBS

The two carried a birthday cake up to the rooftop of the venerable Ed Sullivan Theater, where David laid hands on it...

©CBS

...dropped it and had it explode into the backyard.

 

©ZDF

The cancellation of The Late Show made it on German national television on May 22.

©ZDF

Stephen's last show on May 21 was full of surprises. A Green Hole appeared.

©CBS

Stephen's and my favorite astrophysicist, Neil de Grasse Tyson, explains the green sucking light as a wormhole that had already swallowed Stephen's Apple Watch.

©CBS

Suddenly, a smile lit up Stephen's face, and he exclaimed, "Strike Force Five, Oliver, Seth, Jimmy, handsome Jimmy!" For a moment, hope flared that The Late Show would continue ...

©CBS

... but the whole setup in the Ed Sullivan Theater, the audience, and finally Stephen Colbert were sucked in ...

©CBS

... only to reappear for the grand finale with Paul McCartney performing "Hello, Goodbye" together with Louis Cato and his "Great Big Joy Machine", the former Late Show band leader Jon Batiste in white, and guest guitarist Elvis Costello in red jackets.

A KI-generated video from the White House was immediate:

A grinning POTUS dumps Stephen in a garbage container.

Special guest Paul McCartney reflected on the final show in his way: "America has always been the land of freedom and the greatest democracy - hopefully it still is."

Red Baron keeps the memory of The Late Show in Freiburg alive by walking around in the appropriate T-shirt.

**