Fotoeins Fotografie

location bifurcation, place vs. home

Posts tagged ‘Confoederatio Helvetica’

24T81 Basel observations, part 2

(E80)

The sun stayed out for the most part on my third and final day in Basel. I had followed some of the traces of the Bernoulli family in the city, but that’ll be the makings for another post at another time.

720am, in front of Basel SBB central station.
On the morning tram.
Dreiländereck (3-nations corner), from the Basel side. 18-metre high pylon by Wilhelm Münger, 1957.
From the pylon about 150 metres to the northwest (left-centre) in the river waters of the Rhine is the geographical triple-point: France 🇫🇷 to the left, Germany 🇩🇪 to the right, and Switzerland 🇨🇭 where I’m standing.
“Soli Deo Gloria: zur St. Ursula.” Plus morning coffee, and a curious figure on the balcony.
Morning sun on the west bank of the Rhine.
“Sitzende Helvetia” (Helvetia sitting), by Bettina Eichen, 1942. Visible are her cloak, spear, suitcase, and shield with the Swiss cross.
Totengässlein.
Augustinergasse, towards the Münster.
So long, Basel. That’s also the band’s name: “So Long”; they’re good.

I made all photos above with an iPhone15 on 27 Jul 2024. I received no support from an external organization. This post composed with Jetpack for iOS appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com.

24T80 Basel observations

E79

It’s easy to forget how it’s at least 20% more expensive in Basel compared to other locations I’ve stayed and visited so far in Germany and Austria. However, Basel SBB is sizeable, and Migros’ own eatery has many many choices; also, fresh flowers! But to buy, not to eat. A big positive is that the coffee is very good. Here are some other things I saw in Basel, earlier today on travel day 80.

And by the way, yesterday I passed the 1-million number in walking steps for this entire trip.

Basel SBB / Basel central station.
Zum Spalenbrunnen, towards Spalentor in the distance at right.
Door-knocker at Gailingen Synagogue, 1836; saved from destruction during the 1938 Pogrom. (Jewish Museum of Switzerland.)
1901 image, Theodor Herzl on the balcony of Basel’s Three Kings hotel, overlooking the Mittlerebrücke (Middle Bridge) and the Rhine river. Reproduction in Berlin, 1927. (Jewish Museum of Switzerland.)
A modest memorial plaque, on a building in Riehen, north from Basel.
“Leonard Euler (1707-1783): mathematician, physicist, engineer, astronomer, and philosopher, spent his youth here in Riehen. He was a great teacher and a kind person.” The building isn’t an original, but his family home was in the vicinity.
The laughing/joking king, 1914.
Les Trois Rois / The Three Kings hotel.
Promenade below various room-balconies at The Three Kings hotel, next to the Rhine river and the Mittlerebrücke (middle bridge).
Rathaus clock, renovated 1901.
A very red Rathaus (City Hall) in late-afternoon light.

I made all photos above with an iPhone15 on 26 Jul 2024. I received no support from an external organization. This post composed with Jetpack for iOS appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com.

24T79 Basel Birsfelden: Otto Frank at rest

E78

I travelled thousands of kilometres to reach the city of Basel in northwest Switzerland. Upon arrival, I went a little further to Birsfelden for a specific stop to say “hello” and “thank you”.

Otto Frank survived Auschwitz and learned soon after liberation that his wife and two daughters hadn’t survived. Otto made his way to Basel, remarried, and spent the remainder of his life telling his family’s story.

Birsfelden Friedhof (Birsfelden cemetery).
Grave plot number 61.
The names Otto and his 2nd wife, Elfriede appear at the front of the headstone, including a quote from Anne: “Dad is my everything.”
Additional names appear on the side of the headstone.
Otto’s 1st wife, Edith, and their 2 daughters, Margot and Anne, perished in the concentration camps.

I made all photos above with an iPhone15 on 25 Jul 2024. I received no support from an external organization. This post composed with Jetpack for iOS appears on Fotoeins Fotografie at fotoeins DOT com.