OTIUM Travel
"THE BAMBERG RIDER" AND THE SPIRITUAL CODE OF EUROPE
Advent meeting
When — from Saturday, December 7th to Sunday, December 8th
Where — Bamberg, Germany
Lecturer — Andrey Baumeister
Cost — 700 euros (This price includes the lecture and excursion program, the cost of tickets to the museum, coffee breaks and a joint lunch on December 8th. Participants pay for travel, accommodation and meals at other times themselves).
The workshop consists of lectures, answering questions, joint reading of Hoffmann's fairy tale "The Nutcracker", a visit to the Bamberg Cathedral (Kaiserdom) and the Historical Museum (Historisches Museum).
Please fill out the registration form
Advent is the time of waiting for Christmas. And the time of hope for the inner renewal of the world and personality. We chose the city of Bamberg for the Advent meeting for several reasons.
Firstly, it is an image of old Europe, a pearl of European cultural history. The historic center of Bamberg was not damaged during World War II. In 1993, Bamberg was included in the UNESCO list of "World Heritage Sites of Humanity". With its cathedrals and palaces, quaint medieval streets and unusual landscape, the city is the embodiment of the Europe from which we take our origins. Bamberg is the city of the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire and the city of prince-bishops. In this city, we will discover those sides of the European spirit that are little known or not known at all.
Secondly, it is the city of the Nativity, the city of the "Christ's Manger", the city of joyful hope. The space of this city will allow us to get closer to the mystery of Christmas. And the "Bamberg Horseman" will help us better understand the great message of Gothic.
Thirdly, it is the city of extraordinary personalities. Emperor Henry II the Saint, Empress Kunigunde the Saint, the princely bishop family of von Schonborn, Hegel and Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann. The city was visited by Albrecht Dürer and Doctor Faust. And many other outstanding personalities...
Finally, it is a city devoid of noise and bustle, where you can spend a few days in the company of like-minded people.
In Bamberg, we will talk about the main factors that created the idea of Europe. We will see how European elites arose and developed, what picture of the world they had, and what goals and meanings inspired and motivated them. And we will also talk about the anticipation and miracle of Christmas. And about what we can rely on in a changeable and unpredictable world.
In the workshop we will learn:
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What are the main factors that have shaped Europe as a special and unique cosmos.
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What is the European picture of the world based on.
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What are the main features that distinguish the political, religious and cultural system of Europe from other large systems.
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How political and spiritual power was formed in Europe. The Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and the prince-bishops.
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Why Gothic is the most vivid embodiment of the European picture of the world.
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How to travel from spiritual Rome to heavenly Jerusalem.
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How Christmas forms the ideological core of European self-consciousness.
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How the event of Christmas and the spiritual code of Europe are connected with our pictures of the world and with our worldview.
In the workshop we will learn:
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To identify and create connections between ideas and reality.
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To determine the main spiritual milestones of European history and to see the main contours of historical narratives.
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Understand and analyze the peculiarities of the formation and development of European elites, and reconstruct the foundations of their worldview.
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Together read, discuss and understand one of the best examples of Christmas prose by German romantics – Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann’s “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King”.
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We will learn about the spirit of Bamberg and see deep connections behind the surface of phenomena from the “Bamberg Horseman”.
For homework, it is recommended to read Hoffmann's "The Nutcracker". And also think about the following questions:
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What do you know about the political, religious and cultural history of Europe?
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How could you briefly describe the main stages of European history from Charlemagne to the 20th century?
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What do you know about the Middle Ages?
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What do you know about European elites and their worldview?
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What do you know about Advent and Christmas?
Lecturer — Andrey Baumeister
Ukrainian philosopher, specialist in ancient and medieval philosophy, ontology, metaphysics, philosophy of law and philosophical textual criticism.
Translator of philosophical texts from Latin, ancient Greek, German and French into Ukrainian.
Doctor of Philosophy (2015), until September 3, 2023, Professor of the Department of Theoretical and Practical Philosophy of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv].
Currently, he is a free philosopher.
WORCKSHOP PROGRAM:
First day — Saturday, December 7th from 15:00 to 21:00
15:00–18:30 — The Spiritual Code of Europe and European Elites (lecture and workshop)
19:00–21:00 — Walk through evening Bamberg and dinner together.
WORCKSHOP PROGRAM:
Second day — Sunday, December 8th from 09:30 pm to 8:00 pm
09:30 am to 11:00 am — Advent Spirit and the Event of Christmas (workshop and Q&A)
11:00 am to 11:30 am — Coffee break and socializing
11:30 am to 1:00 pm — Joint reading of Hoffmann’s “The Nutcracker.”
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm — Lunch
2:00 pm to 5:00 pm — Visit to Bamberg Cathedral (Kaiserdom) and the Historical Museum (Historisches Museum). City walk.
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm — Joint dinner and socializing.