Burial and Cemeteries in Saudi Arabia

 

Please mind the comment specifications! [1]

I've long been interested in burial rites and cemeteries. If you enter the keyword "burial" here on the blog, you'll find many blog posts. But this post focuses on the Islamic form of burial and cemeteries in Saudi Arabia, which is quite different from other Islamic countries. I was once impressed by the funeral of one of the kings of Saudi Arabia, who was laid to rest in a grave alongside the next deceased, a grave that looked no different and wasn't marked separately – in death, all people are equal. I had just recently looked up a blog post about Muslim cemeteries in Iran for comparison [2]. And something like the Mausoleum of Sheikh Safi ad-Din Is’haq Ardabili (شیخ صفی‌الدین اسحاق اردبیلی) is hardly to be found in Saudi Arabia [3]. Or certainly not The Tomb of Shah Nur-eddin Nematollah Vali in Mahan [4], where we have also touched upon a particularly sensitive issue, as the Sufis are not recognized as Muslims by the Wahhabis. The tombs of the martyrs had structures, and these were destroyed by the Wahhabis because they were used for the veneration as saints; one should only worship Allah and not place any saints as intermediaries between oneself and God.

The cemetery I was able to see best was the historic cemetery below Zabal Castle (قلعة زعبل) [5], which has existed for about 900 years. The cemetery looks rather desolate, but that is by design. The dead are buried, and then the graves are left as they are. While we remove the remains after a while to make room for new graves, the dead are meant to rest here forever. I experienced this in Meerbusch, where a small cemetery has very short lease periods that cannot be extended, so I once searched for a grave in vain. That can't happen here; the graves rest and they aren't marked. But there's another problem. For a nomadic society, the desert, and especially the Saudi Arabian desert, is large enough for all kinds of cemeteries, but cities now grow around cemeteries, which are then separated off. The land belongs to the dead. There's no funerary rites with flowers or communal meals with the dead, as is common in some parts of Asia or Mexico. Well, I admit, that would be unusual in Europe as well.

At the historic cemetery below Zabal Castle, you can clearly see that stone slabs lie flat over the grave to protect the diseased from being gug up by animals, and slabs are raised each at the head and foot to mark the grave as such. The orientation is towards Mecca.

I would have liked to see the Jannat al-Baqī (ٱلْبَقِيْع) or more precisely the Baqi al-Gharqad (بَقِيْع الْغَرْقَد) in Medina [6], but there was no time for that. However, we visited the Masjid Sayed Al Shouhada (جامع سيد الشهداء) and the Archers' Hill Uhud (جبل الرماة), which is right next to The Second Martyrs' Cemetery of Uhud (مقبرة شهداء أحد الثانية). And there is very little to see. The martyrs' graves had structures, and these have been destroyed. Now, only a bare area remains, where doves rest. Not a place for the veneration of martyrs, but a place of permanent rest for their mortal remains.

More information about Islamic burial can be found in a Wikipedia article [7]. For Saudi Arabia, more information can be found in Saudipedia, which reports on burial practices in English [8]. As you can see, there are exceptions to what I have already described, but on the other hand, the state takes the matter very seriously, provides cemeteries, and also covers the costs of the burial.

When we turn to the "lion tombs" of the ancient Nabataean city of Hegra (Al Ula), we return to the topic of funerary rites.

Links and Annotations:
[1] Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia and Islam have become sensitive topics, so I must communicate the conditions for comments more specifically. This travelogue is not the appropriate place for a discussion of human rights. This is something for Amnesty International [1a]. Such comments, including islamophobic ones, disappear in the spam folder.
[1a] https://www.amnesty.de/informieren/laender/saudi-arabien
[2] Muslim cemeteries in Iran
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2018/11/muslim-cemeteries-in-iran.html
[3] Mausoleum of Sheikh Safi ad-Din Is'haq Ardabili (شیخ صفی‌الدین اسحاق اردبیلی)
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2018/11/mausoleum-of-sheikh-safi-ad-din-ishaq.html
[4] The Tomb of Shah Nur-eddin Nematollah Vali in Mahan
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-tomb-of-shah-nur-eddin-nematollah.html
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zabal_Castle
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Baqi_Cemetery
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_funeral
[8] https://saudipedia.com/en/article/2591/government-and-politics/government-affairs/cemeteries-in-saudi-arabia

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Gedichte und Gedanken anläßlich der Reise durch Saudi Arabien im November 2025 – Teil 3

 

Diese Gedichte und Gedanken sind anläßlich einer Reise durch Saudi Arabien im November 2025 entstanden. Sie können etwas mit Land und Leuten zu tun haben, sind aber häufig völlig unabhänging davon.


Der Duft der EisBlumen 
Den Duft der Eisblumen 
Wie konnte ich ihn nur vergessen 
Von einer Sekunde auf die nächste 
Als die schweren SchneeFlocken 
Vor dem dunklen Fenster herUnter fielen 
Denn es war Nacht 
Und die Träume lagen fern im Bett 
Während ich die EisBlumen betrachtete 
So schön waren sie 
Und ich habe ihren Duft vergessen 

Kitt
    die Zeit
Kittet
Mit
Träumen
Die
Am
Leben
ZerBrochenen
Aber
Mit
Den
ZerBrochenen
Herzen
Tut sie
    Sich
Noch schwer

Baum
    nein, der
Baum
Träumt 
Nicht 
Von
Einer
Reise
Als
Rauch
NachDem
Er 
Zum
Heizen
GeSchlagen
Wurde
Er
Wollte
Nur 
Ein Weilchen
    Noch
Weiter wachsen

Fischer
Die Fischer von Capri 
Stachen in See 
Und alle trugen sie 
RingelPullover 
Warum war das nur so? 
Zurück blieben die Frauen 
Die Kinder. die Not 
Aber die Fischer von Capri
Stachen in See 
Brachen sich ein Bein 
Oder fanden den Tod 

Steine
    alle Steine
Die
Du
GeWorfen
Hattest
Waren
Zu
Leicht
Alle
Worte
Im
Zorn geSprochen
    Wogen
Zu schwer


[A first effort of translation:]

The Scent of Ice Flowers
How could I forget 
The scent of ice flowers?
From one second to the next
Then heavy snowflakes were 
Falling outside the dark window
As it was night
And the dreams lay far away in bed
While I looked at the ice flowers
They were so beautiful
And I forgot their scent

Caulking 
    time is
Caulking
With
Dreams
Whom
Life
Has
Broken
But
With
Broken
Hearts
Time herself
    Still 
Got difficulties

Tree
    no, the
Tree
Doesn't 
Dream
Of
A
Journey
As
Smoke
After
It 
Was
Logged
For
Heating
It
Only 
Wanted to
    Grow
A little longer

Fisherman
The fishermen of Capri
Set sail
And everyone wore these
Striped sweaters
Why has it been like that?
The women stayed behind
The children, the need
But the fishermen of Capri
Set sail
Broke a leg
Or found death

Stones 
    all the
Stones
You
Had
Thrown
Were
Too
Light
All
The
Words
Spoken
In anger 
    Weighed
Too heavy

.

Altargesteck für den Ersten Advent

 

Der erste Advent oder Sonntag im Advent markiert auch den Beginn des neuen Kirchenjahres [1]. Wer kennt sie nicht, die Abreißkalender, die Losungen der Brüdergemeine Herrnhut [2] oder Die gute Saat [3], aber alle beginnen mit dem 1. Januar, also dem Sonnenjahr und nicht dem Kirchenjahr. Vielleicht ist das so aber viel praktischer als den Wechsel mit dem Kirchenjahr oder dem Mondkalender durchzuführen, wie etwa traditionell im Fernen Osten. Und noch eine Kuriosität -: die Adventszeit kann 22 bis 28 Tage dauern; es sind immer vier Sonntage, aber der Atzventzkalender beginnt immer am 1. Dezember. So wie übrigens auch „Der Andere Advent 2025/2026“ [4], der am 01.12.2025 beginnt u d am 06.01.2026 endet – auf die Lektüre, die Bilder, die Reflexion freue ich mich schon. Die liturgische Farbe ist übrigens Violett [5] und die Adventszeit gilt als Fastenzeit. Vielleicht wäre der Verzicht auf Dominosteine gar keine so schlechte Idee. 

Aber andererseits hat mein Freund Hans Conrad Zander nachgewiesen, daß Schokolade das Fasten nicht bricht. Es steht in seinem Buch „Warum waren die Mönche so dick?“ [6]. Schokolade geht auf das Getränk "Xocoatl" aus der Frucht des Cacahatl vom Baum Cacahaquahuitl zurück und wurde zunächst kalt getrunken. Das Konzil von Trient (1545) hatte die Fastenregeln verschärft, so daß es unklar war, ob Xocoatl in der Fastenzeit erlaubt wäre. Der Abgesandte der mexikanische Bischöfe Fra Girolamo di San Vincenzo bat Papst Pius V. im Jahr 1569 um eine Entscheidung. Man muß ihm einen besonders bitteren und fetten Trank zugemutet haben oder vielleicht auch einen für damaligen Geschmack  zu süßen, denn er entschied: „Potus iste non frangit ieunium – dieser Trank bricht das Fasten nicht“. Später hat man die Schokolade heiß und süß getrunken. Im 17. Jahrhundert entbrannte ein Streit bei der nunmehr festen Schokolade (Tafel), der vom Kardinal Francesco Brancaccio 1662 geschlichtet wurde, indem er die Schokolade erlaubte.

To fast or not to fast – oder sogar -: to fast or to feast lautet nun die Frage. Bei mir gibt es ein Echo aus dem Buchtitel: „... so dick?“ und so mag ein wenig Zurückhaltung von dem Weihnachtsfest gar keine so schlechte Idee zu sei; huch, ich wiederhole mich. 

Der Wochenspruch lautet: „Siehe, dein König kommt zu dir, ein Gerechter und ein Helfer.“  [7]. Auch die Lesung steht im Alten Testament und behandelt das Thema eines gerechten Herrschers, der dem David als gerechter Spross erweckt werden soll. Und die Israeliten sollen in ihrem Lande wohnen. Der Text steht im 23. Kapitel beim Propheten Jeremia [8].

Gesungen wurde recht viel und durch den Chor von Dieter Weinand, der anstelle des Kantors für die Musik zuständig, war und im Anschluß an den Gottesdienst die Veranstaltung „Singen wie im Himmel“ durchführte. Wir sangen als erstes Lied im neuen Kirchenjahr das Lied Nr. 1 des Evangelischen Gesangbuch mit dem Titel „Macht hoch die Tür“.

Für den Kranz oder die Kränze ist in den nächsten Wochen noch Zeit, denn das wiederholt sich in der Adventszeit. Der Altar über dem Taufstein kam diesmal weniger zur Geltung, da der Raum für die Musik benötigt wurde. Trotzdem gab es ein Altargesteck. Die Aufnahme entstand im stimmungsvollen Mangel an Licht, aber man erkennt ein violettes Parament auf dem Altar; das andere Parament habe ich bei einem anderen Anlaß fotografiert. 

Inspiriert vom täglichen Blumenstrauß
auf einem Fahrrad von Ai Weiwei (艾未未).


Links und Anmerkungen:
[1] https://kirchenjahr-evangelisch.de/1-advent/2025/ 
[2] https://www.losungen.de/die-losungen/ 
[3] https://www.gute-saat.de/ 
[4] https://shop.anderezeiten.de/products/der-andere-advent-2025-26-vorbestellung 
[5] Die liturgische Farbe ist Violett. Violett ist das Sinnbild für Übergang und Verwandlung. Violett gehört zur Adventszeit, die früher und insbesondere in der Ostkirche auch Buß- und Fastenzeit war, was man heute bei den Einladungen zu Weihnachtsfeiern verdrängt.
[6] Hans Conrad Zander: Warum waren die Mönche so dick? Wahre Komödien aus der Geschichte der Religion, Gütersloher Verlagshaus 2005; ISBN: 978-3-579-06928-9. 
[7] Sach. 9,9a
[8] https://www.die-bibel.de/bibel/LU17/JER.23 Jer 23,5–8  

.

Coffee and Hospitality in Saudi Arabia

 

 

Please mind the comment specifications! [1]

My initial interest in oriental coffee preparation methods stems from reading Heimito von Doderer's "The Strudlhof Steps" [2]; I read the book around 2004. I later traveled to Vienna to see the Strudlhof Steps (see picture) for myself. In the novel, Turkish coffee is often served, and I remember frequently drinking coffee prepared this way at this time; that is, placing the coffee on the stove and letting it boil several times. Three years ago, I traveled to Jordan and encountered coffee and cardamom there [3]. Cardamom isn't for everyone, but I love this spice [4]. The coffee in Jordan is just as black as we drink it as a café americano, espresso, or simply as drip coffee. Now, in Saudi Arabia, I encountered a completely different kind of coffee, and this blog post will be about that.

There are various theories about the origin of the name "coffee." One traces it back to a former province, or rather, Kingdom of Ethiopia, called Kaffa [5]. More important, however, is the ancient Arabic term qahwah (َهْوَة). The Semitic root means "dark color"—and that's precisely the color that modern Saudi Arabian coffee lacks. Through the Turkish word kahve and then the Dutch koffie, it evolved into the English "coffee" and the German "Kaffee"; coffee/caffeine in English and Kaffee/Koffein in German.

Coffee conquered the world via Yemen in the mid-15th century, then Mecca and Medina, and finally Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad, and Constantinople. Europe and the rest of the world followed later. As early as 1511, coffee was banned in Mecca because of its stimulating effects.

Is there such a thing as "Arabic coffee"? No! Boiling is typical, but that applies to cowboy coffee brewed over a campfire on the prairie just as much. The roasting varies greatly, from very, very light (Saudi Arabian coffee) to very dark. It is unfiltered and spiced. I had wondered whether the roast level affects the caffeine content, and yes, there is an inverse correlation between the two, but it's negligible. To put it more simply: caffeine is lost during roasting. It could also have been that the roasting process releases caffeine from its formation. It's good that we've cleared it up.

How is Saudi Arabian coffee prepared? First, the purist will insist on Khawlani beans (البن الخولاني) [6]. This is a coffee from the Khawlan Mountains, which stretch from the southwestern part of Saudi Arabia to the northwestern part of Yemen. It's nice if you have coffee like that, but it's irrelevant to the final result, as the coffee will be spiced. It should, however, be Coffea arabica. First, the coffee beans are only lightly roasted; sometimes cardamom is added during the roasting process. Then the coffee is ground. Water is brought to a boil in the traditional pot called a dallah (دَلَّة), and then the coffee is added and simmered for 10 minutes. Next, the spices are added. I've already mentioned cardamom, but cloves, saffron, ginger, and others are also used. Currently, I'm using cardamom and ginger. The coffee is served unfiltered in a small bowl called a finjan (فنجان). It's accompanied by a date.

Etiquette dictates that one holds the dallah in the left hand and pours from it in a high arc into the finjan in the right hand. One stands while doing this. Perhaps "pours" is too strong a word, as the cup is only filled to about a quarter full.

I have witnessed this form of hospitality in many places. Perhaps most impressively in the old city of Al Ula.

Links and Annotations:
[1] Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia and Islam have become sensitive topics, so I must communicate the conditions for comments more specifically. This travelogue is not the appropriate place for a discussion of human rights. This is something for Amnesty International [1a]. Such comments, including Islamophobic ones, will be moved to the spam folder.
[1a] https://www.amnesty.de/informieren/laender/saudi-arabien
[2] Heimito von Doderer: Die Strudlhofstiege: oder Melzer und die Tiefe der Jahre. Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag, München 2003. ISBN: 9783423012546.  The novel was published in 1951 and is set in 1910 (1911 and 1923-25). Thank you for your patience with this digression.
[3] This is the report on it:
Drinking Coffee and Tea in Jordan
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2021/11/drinking-coffee-and-tea-in-jordan.html
[4] Cardamom is very expensive because it is difficult to cultivate. I learned about it in Sikkim: the plant likes it nice and warm, but no direct sunlight, moist, but not waterlogged, and tall, but not too tall. Do you see the principle?
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabic_coffee and:
Ulrike Lowis: Everything about Coffee. Komet Verlag, Cologne 2017. ISBN: 978-3-86941-793-6.
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khawlani_Coffee_Beans 

.

 

The Al-Hutaymah Crater near Tabah (Saudi Arabia)

 

Please mind the comment specifications! [1]

The Al-Hutaymah Crater (Al-Hatima Crater) is part of a dormant volcano near the town of Tabah, both located in the Ha'il region. A track, approximately 6 km long, leads from the road to Tabah to the crater, and jeeps are available for transport [2]. The crater itself is called a maar. The Eifel region also has many maars, which are known as the "eyes of the Eifel." Etymologically, the word "maar" derives from the Latin word "mare," meaning sea. The term originated in the Eifel region and was initially used in the area around Daun. [3] Maars form when hot magma rises and evaporates large amounts of groundwater, resulting in an explosion.
The Al-Hutaymah crater measures approximately 1.2 km in diameter and is 130 m deep [4]. It is one of the five deepest craters in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

In the Eifel region of Germany, the area around the maars is green, but in Saudi Arabia, the landscape around the craters is gray with perhaps a touch of ochre. Although it had rained recently, no green was visible. The barren landscape is a beauty in itself. Beyond the crater, another crater can be seen. Since the lighting conditions made it difficult to discern contours, I used the "impressive" function on my camera. What seems to be withered plants on the crater floor is a reflection of the crater rim in the already low-lying sun. The rain had created reflective surfaces. Salt was once harvested at the bottom of the crater.

Links and Annotations:
[1] Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia and Islam have become sensitive topics, so I must communicate the conditions for comments more specifically. This travelogue is not the appropriate place for a discussion of human rights. This is something for Amnesty International [1a]. Such comments, including Islamophobic ones, go to the spam folder.
[1a] https://www.amnesty.de/informieren/laender/saudi-arabien
[2] https://mindtrip.ai/attraction/saudi-arabia/al-hatima-crater/at-PYKobVre
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maar The article only mentions the Al Wahbah crater near Ta'if for Saudi Arabia. This crater measures 2.3 km [2.0 km] in diameter and 250 m [220 m] in depth.
[4] https://saudipedia.com/en/article/4133/geography/harrat/list-of-the-five-deepest-volcanic-craters-in-saudi-arabia

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Gedichte und Gedanken anläßlich der Reise durch Saudi Arabien im November 2025 – Teil 2

 

Diese Gedichte und Gedanken sind anläßlich einer Reise durch Saudi Arabien im November 2025 entstanden. Sie können etwas mit Land und Leuten zu tun haben, sind aber häufig völlig unabhänging davon.

NovemberVerkehr 
Die Autos fahren heim 
In ihre Garagen 
Die Schatten werden runder und dunkler 
Gesenkten Hauptes eilen wir 
Durch das Dickicht des Verkehrs  
Hier leuchtet ein Licht auf 
Dort leuchtet ein Licht auf 
Aber wir beachten sie nicht
Nur die LightShow einer Ampel
Läßt uns aufSehen
GegenÜber mein SpiegelBild
Bewegt sich noch vor mir
Als wir wieder eins sind
Blicken wir den Autos nach
Und dann wieder zu Boden

Fahnen
Der Krieg verBrannte 
Die Fahnen deines Feindes 
Und der Wind 
Zer/Riss
  ZerFleD/Derte 
    Und 
      VerSt.r.e.u.t.e 
Deine eigenen Fahnen 
Stelle keine neue Fahnen auf  

Zurück
    du steigst 
Zurück 
In 
Die 
ZerBrochene 
Schale 
Des 
Eis 
Und 
Wir 
Kitten 
Die 
Schale 
Zusammen 
Dein Glück 
    Sei 
Unsere Pflicht  

Leere
    in die Leere
Der
Wüste
Folgt
Die
StaubWolke
Dem
Jeep
Wie der
Karawane
In die Leere
Des
WeltAlls
Folgt
Der Rakete
    Ebenso
Eine Wolke

 

 

A translation:

These poems and thoughts were written during a trip through Saudi Arabia in November 2025. They may relate to the country and its people, but are often completely unrelated.

November Traffic
The cars drive home
Into their garages
The shadows grow rounder and darker
Heads bowed, we hurry
Through the thicket of traffic
Here a light flashes up
There a light flashes up
But we pay no attention
Only the light show of a traffic light
Makes us look up
Opposite my reflection
Still moving in front of me
When we are one again
We look after the cars
And then back down at the ground

Flags
The war burned
Your enemy's flags
And the wind
  TorE to shrEDs
    TatT/eRed
      And
        Scat.t.e.r.e.d
Your own flags
Don't put up new flags

Back
    you climb
Back
Into
The
Broken
Shell
Of
Your

Egg 
And
We 

Cement
The
Shell
Your happiness
    Be
Our duty

Emptiness
    into the emptiness

Of

The

Desert 

The 

Dust 

Cloud
Follows 

The 

Jeep
Like 

The Caravan
Into the emptiness
Of 

Space
The 

Rocket

Is followed
    Likewise
By a cloud

 

Travels to Canada and Saudi Arabia and Always Tim Hortons

 

I've just written what I believe is the last blog post for my Canada travelogue for now and want to switch to Saudi Arabia, the trip I've just finished. "For now" means I've written the main blog posts, but I still have some interesting places in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland that I'd like to write about at some point. This also applies to other trips, like my journeys to Iceland, the Baltics, Poland, and Finland—there are still many unwritten posts about those as well. But right now, I want to focus more on my recent trip to Saudi Arabia.

It so happened that I saw a snack bar at a rest stop, or rather, a gas station. Gas stations almost always have shops, snack bars, and a mosque in Saudi Arabia. The snack bar belongs to the Canadian Tim Hortons chain. I was very surprised to discover this snack bar in Saudi Arabia and thought it would be a good segue to Saudi Arabia.

How did I even get onto the topic of Saudi Arabia? I think one of the reasons was that I've always been interested in many things and also studied ethnology / sicial anthropology. When I started my first job as a doctor, I was given the task of looking after the library. The library was in the basement, and as far as I know, nobody ever ventured down there during the years I was in charge; perhaps one of the senior physicians occasionally. Yes, I often took a siesta down there; I can admit that now. And I always received the new books I added, as well as magazines. Interestingly, we were on the mailing list for the Saudi Medical Journal, and I was an avid reader of this publication, which led to me once writing an article for the German Medical Journal [1]. One of my senior physicians at the time said in the midday meeting that his dentures had almost fallen out of his mouth that morning when he read the German Medical Journal. Not only had I written an article, but I had also cited the Saudi Medical Journal.

In the years that followed, travel to Saudi Arabia was impossible; it was only possible for businesspeople or pilgrims. However, one had to be Muslim to go. Recently, tourism has become possible, and that's why I've decided to travel there now, to experience what Hermann Hesse so aptly described in his poem Stufen [Steps]: "And in every beginning dwells a magic."

Unfortunately, Saudi Arabia and Islam have become sensitive topics, so I need to communicate the conditions for comments more specifically. This travelogue is not the appropriate place for a discussion of human rights. That's something for Amnesty International [2]. Such comments, and Islamophobic ones, will be sealed in the spam folder.

Links and Annotations:
[1] Deutsches Ärzteblatt www.aerzteblatt.de/archiv/gesundheitsgefaehrdungen-waehrend-des-fastenmonats-ramadan-ergaenzungen-c5500cae-7062-413c-b015-596a352b8c82
[2] https://www.amnesty.de/informieren/laender/saudi-arabien

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Gedichte und Gedanken anläßlich der Reise durch Saudi Arabien im November 2025 – Teil 1

Diese Gedichte und Gedanken sind anläßlich einer Reise durch Saudi Arabien im November 2025 entstanden. Sie können etwas mit Land und Leuten zu tun haben, sind aber häufig völlig unabhänging davon.

still lingering 
your sandalwood perfume 
and memories

Die Rose & der WüstenWind
Der WüstenWind kam
und der WüstenWind ging
Staub kam mit ihm
Und Staub ging mit ihm
Aber die Rose ließ er zurück
Ohne Staub
Der Wind wüstete hier
Kehrte zurück in die Wüste
Und immer noch trug er
Den Duft der Rose mit sich

In der Wüste werden wieder die verGessenen Geschichten erzählt, an den Feuern, an denen niemand mehr sitzt. Vom Wind dem Wind und die Kinder des Windes und die Kinder des Sandes starren in die Flammen, die emporZüngeln und die Funken, die in der Schwärze der Nacht verGlühen.

Der Sand hat leichtes Spiel mit den Straßen der Wüste.

Kaddisch
Über den rauchenden Dörfern 
Sprechen blinde Engel 
Mit Tränen in der Augen 
Das Kaddisch 

In den brennenden Dörfern 
Haben auch wir Tränen in den Augen 
Rauch oder Kinder 
Tod oder Leben 

Die Wüste wird alles schlucken 

In der Wüste
    unsere Fackeln 
Sind 
Aus 
DornenGebüsch 
Und 
Wir 
Greifen 
In 
Die 
Dornen 
Rauch 
Und 
Blut 
Mischen sich 
    Licht 
Und Schmerz
 
Hälse & Köpfe
Man warnte uns 
Hälse sind gemacht 
Für das Schwert des ScharfRichters 
Doch unsere Hälse sind wie ReetGras 
Der Wind beugt uns 
Aber unsere Köpfe 
Bleiben am Halm  

Nach dem Oktober
Du röcheltest 
Von einem kühlen Blonden 
Und goldenem Oktober 
Aber Sommer und Herbst 
Waren bereits verGangen 
Und der Winter wartete 
Mit dem Schnee 
Bis die Grube zuGeschaufelt war  

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The Fortress of Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island (Canada)

The Fortress of Louisbourg (French: Forteresse de Louisbourg) is a tourist attraction and a National Historic Site [1] located on Cape Breton Island. But wait, I'm getting ahead of myself again. Cape Breton is accented on "bre" and is an island, or rather, was an island, if you want to be really precise [2]. Otherwise, Sylt in Germany wouldn't be an island either. Cape Breton Island has been connected to the Nova Scotia peninsula by a causeway in the Strait of Canso since 1955. Conveniently, we could take a bus to the island. The shortest route is about 170 km; but we took a completely different route, by the way. In French, the island is called Île du Cap-Breton, in Canadian Gaelic it's Eilean Cheap Breatuinn, and in the Mi'kmaw language, it's U'namakika [3]. But let's quickly forget footnote [3], because the Mi'kmaw toponym means Land of Fog. The English toponym refers to the town of Capbreton, a fishing port in Gascony.

Now let's consider what might be so special about the Fortress of Louisbourg. It's the reenacted history, because on the grounds you encounter people in historical costumes whom you can talk to about their roles. This gives you a glimpse into the past. I'm familiar with this from the area where I live, because the Kommern Open Air Museum does something similar; there are about 67 historical buildings on the grounds [4]. I even once offered the combined chicken and pigsty, but they've stopped accepting donations.

Back to Louisbourg. At the beginning of the 18th century, the cod fishing grounds off Cape Breton were particularly productive, and the catch and processing made the small town wealthy. This made Louisbourg an important part of the French overseas possessions. Unfortunately, the French provided insufficient support to Louisbourg, so that in 1745, after a siege and attack from the landward side, it had to be abandoned [5]. Interestingly, Louisbourg was much better protected from the sea than from the landward side. Three years later, Louisbourg was returned to France under the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle [6]. Had they learned from the mistakes of the past? A silly question, of course not. The siege of 1758 [7] ended in the same way. An additional factor, however, was the blockade of the relief fleet that had set sail from Toulon and the Battle of Cartagena [8], which made it impossible for France to come to Louisbourg's aid. The British then demolished the Fortress of Louisbourg in 1860 to eliminate any further threat to their possessions

From 1961 onwards, reconstruction of the historic buildings began, combining archaeological finds with "millions of artifacts" and "750,000 pages of documents and 500 maps and plans" from archives in France [9] to rebuild a quarter of the fortress. This created jobs, then as now.

Entering the site from the parking lot, the hill immediately catches the eye. There stands The King's Bastion, which features a very austere architecture. I would interpret this as reflecting military rigor and necessity. The Governor's Apartments and the King's Bastion Barracks, which housed approximately 500 men, were also located there. We also find the Military Chapel there. The French were Roman Catholic, and there was a priest who, however, never received his own church for the parish, so the faithful had to attend Mass in the Military Chapel.

Let us now enter the site via the road that leads to the large gate in the defensive wall. To the right is the De Gannes Property, and a little further on is the Le Neuf de la Vallière Property. Louis Le Neuf de la Vallière (1708-1787) was a descendant of a governor of Acadia. The Mi'kmaw Interpretive Centre is also located there. At the Mi'kmaw Interpretive Centre, you can get all sorts of information about Mi'kmaw culture. I was particularly interested in the apostrophe, which is used to lengthen the preceding vowel. Thanks, Mi'kmaw Interpretive Centre!

Opposite is the Rodrigue Property. Michel Rodrigue (1710-1777) lived there with his wife Marguerite (Mi'kmaw), their five children, siblings, and Catherine and Laurent, two enslaved people. I had a chat with Catherine.

I won't attempt to describe Louisbourg now, but there are storerooms, an artillery forge and storehouse, taverns, the King's Bakery, the icehouse, stables, animal enclosures, and gardens to explore. The rustic bread was delicious.

Just before the fortress closes, the gunners march through the main street to music (flutes and drums), climb onto the ramparts, and finally fire the cannon.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit, and the cannon firing was definitely better staged than the one in Halifax.

Links and Annotations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortress_of_Louisbourg
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Breton_Island
[3] That sounds Japanese, and 宇う生木か could be translated as "Is it a living tree?"
[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kommern_Open_Air_Museum
[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Louisbourg_(1745)
[6] Aachen isn't very far from my home either.
[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Louisbourg_(1758)
[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Cartagena_(1758)
[9] https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/ns/louisbourg/decouvrir-discover/visite-tour 
 
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