Holy Monday

To the memory of Father Ulrich Schiegg OSB 1775 - 1810  at Ottobeuren. The maker of the first German balloon 22.01.1784. Founder of the Bavarian land surveying.

Born  3 May 1752 near Augsburg, into a poor farming family, Joseph Schiekh entered Ottobeuren's Benedictine monastry in 1770 and on taking his religious vows in 1771, the name of Ulrich Schiegg. In 1775 he became a priest and teacher at the monastry school. In 1784 during the valuation of the monastry's land holdings, he became interested in Geodetics and Cartography. At the same time he heard of the first success of the Montgolfier brothers and on 22 January 1784 launched the first, unmanned, hot air balloon from the monastry. It rose and disappeared out of sight, later found on a nearby hill.

From 1791 to 1800, he moved to Salzburg University and taught Maths, Astronomy, Physics and Agriculture as well as equipping 140 private houses there with lightning rods/conductors. In 1800 he was in the expedition which climbed the Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain (3,798m / 12,461ft). He returned to Ottobeuren that year but with the secularisation and dissolution of the monastry he moved to Munich and was the Bavrian Courts Astronomer. He also became involved in land surveying for the state until badly injured in a horse coach accident from which he never really recovered and died three years later in 1810.

A positive side of religion we often forget, is what it has done to improve society. Nogbad would tell you that without the monks, employees and shareholders of the likes of Carlsberg, Heineken, Millers and Anheuser-Busch would be somewhat poorer.

Ulrich Schiegg does not get the recognition due to him in Ottobeuren because of the better known Father Sebastian Kneipp another priest from the monastry who worked to improve the lives of others.

I can claim three connections to the above story:
     My father was a chartered surveyor
     I was taught at a Bendectine Monastry (13-18)
     My son has a balloon pilot's licence & a balloon
However they won't be erecting any memorials to me.

We had fled to Ottobeuren to try and find a walk out of the bitingly cold wind. Although now turned 180° and coming from the British Isles it's still "cool". We went up to the observatory thinking it would be on the leeward side. After 500m we turned back, even Luna eager to seek the shelter of the car (never ever happened before). We then drove over to the otherside and did the normal Bannwald walk.

It's 4:00am on Tuesday as I write. Shortly after 1:00am Luna had woken me, fast asleep on the sofa. She wanted to go out so I waited the usual 5 mins and then called her. No sign but then every 5 minutes barking but as soon as I opened the door silence. Went out with torch and searched twice. Not to be found. This went on for a good 2 hours before she finally returned wagging her tail. They say regardless of what has gone on, when they eventually respond to your call, you have to praise them. With my patience tested beyond that which could be expected from any reasonable holy person or even saint, I only managed a very subdued and mumbled "good girl".

Sure she was doing what she thought was duty - Angie says the marten  is super active, we know the deer are coming right up to the house and there may well be the odd fox looking for food. I did check the henhouse at 3:00am as one of the cocks was shouting his head off.

I had been looking forward to the "Tractor Tuesday Challenge" today but somewhat subdued thinking about the words I will get to hear from Angie about the nights barking and crowing!