Danube-Networkers
Does the EURO become a bridge which connects all Danube countries?
Text / Picture(s): Hanns Hanagarth
Working group: Euro-bank notes with bridges
(Doris Becker, Marlene Faul, Rosemarie Müller, Lilo Nold, Hanns Hanagarth)
„Ulm money governs the world" is the end of a known poem which pointed out the meaning of the money for trade already in the 18th century.
At that time, Danube was the most important traffic route and commercial way in the middle and eastern Europe, far more important than roads and rail. This bridge-function exists still today. With the so called "Ulmer Schachteln" all sort of goods were shipped downstream passing under all bridges that existed at that time.
We do not know how many bridges are crossing the Danube today, but only in Ulm we count 12 of them including two pedestrian bridges.
The Ulm bridges connect two federal states (Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria) and also further down the Danube they often serve as a connection between the two states. That way they make the contacts between the countries easier or even re-establish connections that were broken-down.
Not always were those countries which had the Danube as a common border friends with each other. On the contrary. They led wars with each other and destroyed their common bridges. And by doing that they destroyed the spiritual, social and emotional bridges as well.
The Danube bridges are special symbols of peace because they connect what was separated. The creators of the common European currency (EURO) recognised this symbolism by illustrating a stylised bridge at the back of every euro-bank note. The elements show in each case a typical architectural example of the 7 style ages of the European cultural history (Classical period, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque / Rococo, Iron and glass, Modern age). We can find almost all these style ages in the Danube countries.
This is a peculiarity because on no bank note of the currencies of the different Danube countries (except EURO ) a bridge is illustrated.
Will the EURO in future be another bridge between the states along the Danube?
