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Nobile Nicoletta Farace de Grundland and Nobile Fiammetta Farace de Zanelli, visited Holy Trinity Monastery, Jordanville, New York for the first time on June 15, 2017. Their grandfather Prince Ioann Konstantinovich Romanov was a son of a granddaughter of Duke Bernhard II of Saxe-Meiningen in whose Hunting Lodge at Marienthal Friedrich Froebel was invited to train women as Kindergarten teachers.

Also in attendance was Johannes Froebel Parker, author of The First Kindergarten,

Johannes Froebel Parker visited Nicoletta and her mother Princess Ekaterina in Uruguay. They often talked about how Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna Romanowa of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach supported Kindergarten. Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna Romanowa of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach was a granddaughter of Catherine the Great and sister of Alexander I and Nicholas I, from whom the Nobile Farace sisters are descended.

The two sisters were close to their mother’s aunt, Princess Vera, who lived the last part of her life near New York City and who bequeathed to the Museum of Russian History at Holy Trinity Monastery, many articles belonging to her branch of the Romanov family, the Konstantovichi.  It was the wish of the community for many years that these two sisters would visit the monastery and view these important relics of Russia’s glorious and tragic imperial family.  Igumen Theophylact, during his trips to Argentina, made the acquaintance of Nicoletta and was overjoyed at their arrival.

Nicoletta and Fiammetta were impressed with the care and honor with which the relics are preserved.  Portraits, letters, photographs, family items, such as a Faberge family tree, sparked the interest and admiration of the two sisters. They were especially satisfied that they are in the right place and are being preserved for future generations. Quite poignant and sad was their viewing of the results of the investigation of the massacre of the Romanovs, which took place on July 17 and 18, 1918.

On July 18 (N.S.), 1918, the day after the murder of the Russian Imperial family, the sister of the Empress, Grand Duchess Elizaveta Feodorovna, and other relatives of theirs, including the brothers, Princes Igor, Konstantin and Ioann Konstantinovich, were likewise killed by communist henchmen in Alpaevsk in the Ural Mountains area.

The two sisters are daughters of the late Princess Ekaterina of Russia, one of the two children of Prince Ioann and his wife, Princess Elena Petrovna of Serbia.  Their father was a diplomat in service of the government of Italy. They were born and raised in countries around the world.  Nicoletta married and settled in Montevideo, Uruguay. Fiammetta lives in Long Island, New York.

Source: A Visit from the Nobile Farace Sisters

Called Der Ententanz (The Duck Dance), by its Swiss born composer Werner Thomas, the song was written in 1969 and first recorded as a folksy fun tune in 1973. However, it was the remake in 1981 by the Dutch band Electonica that became an instant hit on the European charts

Then, taking a cue from the musical charts, the Heilbronn oompah band from Germany brought the ‘Chicken Dance’ to the Tulsa, Oklahoma Oktoberfest complete with tubas and trumpets. Success was instant and today Der Ententanz has sold 40 million copies in 42 countries and is a “must have” at every Oktoberfest around the world.

The original song never had lyrics, but the German pop artist Frank Zander added some shortly after the song’s rise into stardom, and called the song Ja, wenn wir alle Englein wären (Yes, if we all were angels).

So, wherever you are in the world, if you are in the mood to celebrate Oktoberfest at home, then broil yourself a crispy Brathendl, pour some Hofbräu, Salvator or Augustiner beer, get a pretzel from the bread basket and start dancing.

Source: Oktoberfest Brathendl, and the Chicken Dance

(Shh, seid doch mal ruhig, Onkel Fred hat uns was wichtiges zu erzählen…)

Gestern Abend im Verein
Trank ich zu viel roten Wein
(Hättst du das bloß nicht gemacht hahahaha)
Das Theater das war groß,
viel der Wirtin auf den Schoß
(doch der Wirt hat nicht gelacht hohohoho)
Mann, ich war total im Tran,
und kam nie zu Hause an
(und wo warst du über Nacht-Nacht-Nacht-Nacht-Nacht?)
Wachte auf im fremden Bett,
doch das fand man gar nicht nett
(wer hätte das von dir gedacht hahahaha)

Ja, wenn wir alle Englein wären,
dann wär die Welt nur halb so schön.
Wenn wir nur auf die Tugend schwören,
dann könnten wir doch gleich schlafen gehn.

Mit Diät und Dauertrab
Nahm ich sieben Kilo ab.
(Hättst du das bloß nicht gemacht hahahaha)
Ich trank nur noch Selta pur,
kannte jede Schlankheitskur
(was hast du dir dabei gedacht? Hohohoho)
Doch dann kam Besuch aus Bonn,
ich träum heute noch davon
(hättst du bloß nicht aufgemacht hahahaha)
Jeden Abend Riesenschmaus,
keinen Nachtisch ließ ich aus
und der Bauch kam wieder raus
(hahahaha) Ja

Ja, wenn wir alle Englein wären,
dann wär die Welt nur halb so schön.
Wenn wir nur auf die Tugend schwören,
dann könnten wir doch gleich schlafen gehn.

Auf der Reise nach Paris
ging es mir im Flugzeug mies.
(hättst du bloß auf mich gehört! Hihihihi)
Und die Blonde Stewardess
hatte meinetwegen Stress
(und bestimmt auch umgekehrt. Hohohoho)
ich war so dankbar und galant
und bat sie um ihre Hand
(das war ganz und gar verkehrt hahahaha)
doch dann vor dem Traualtar
war sie plötzlich nicht mehr da
nahm den ersten besten Flug nach Kanada

Ja, wenn wir alle Englein wären,
dann wär die Welt nur halb so schön.
Wenn wir nur auf die Tugend schwören,
dann könnten wir doch gleich schlafen gehn.

Ja, wenn wir alle Englein wären,
dann wär die Welt nur halb so schön.
Wenn wir nur auf die Tugend schwören,
dann könnten wir doch gleich schlafen gehn.

Theodoric grew up as a hostage in Constantinople, received a privileged education.

Emperor Zeno subsequently gave him the title of Patrician and the office of Magister militum (master of the soldiers), and even appointed him as Roman Consul. In 488, Emperor Zeno ordered Theoderic to overthrow the German Foederatus Odoacer, who had likewise been made patrician and even King of Italy, but who had since betrayed Zeno. After a victorious three-year war, Theoderic killed Odoacer with his own hands, settled his 200,000 to 250,000 people in Italy, and founded an Ostrogothic Kingdom based in Ravenna.

While he promoted separation between the Arian Ostrogoths and the Roman population, Theoderic stressed the importance of racial harmony, though intermarriage was outlawed. Seeking to restore the glory of Ancient Rome, he ruled Italy in its most peaceful and prosperous period since Valentinian, until his death in 526.

Theodoric is remembered as a patron of learning. His court fostered such scholars as Cassiodorus, whose diplomatic correspondence in the name of the king is marked by ornate Latin and contains letters addressed to all variety of officials, from low-level military and bureaucratic functionaries to Emperors and kings such as Clovis. The philosopher Boethius was also a court treasure and friend of the king.

Throughout his reign, Theodoric put much effort into building and restoration throughout Italy, but particularly in Ravenna, his capital. Several buildings built by Theodoric, including the church of San Apollinaire, famed for its mosaics, stand to this day.