SALZ/SALT/SALE

Our trips to the Hanseatic city Lubeck, the Dead Sea, Indonesia or China and my further researches about salt or thanks to the highly interesting book SALT, written by Mark Kurlanski – the only rock we eat- , which takes us on a world tour, are responsible that this subject has become more and more fascinating to me.
Unsere Reisen in die Hansestadt Lübeck, an das Tote Meer, nach Indonesien und China oder meine weiteren Recherchen über Salz, auch Dank dem spannenden Buch SALZ von Mark Kurlanski, – der einzige Felsen, den wir essen- das uns auf eine Weltreise nimmt, wurde dieses Thema für mich immer interessanter.
Il nostro viaggio nella città anseatica Lubecca oppure al Mar Morto, Indonesia e Cina come anche le mie ulteriori ricerche sul sale o grazie al libro molto interessante di Mark Kurlanski “SALE” – l’unica roccia che mangiamo- e che ci porta intorno al mondo, questo argomento è diventato sempre più interessante per me.

Salt was one of the world’s most sought-after commodities until about a 100 years ago. It was such a precious substance that it was used as a currency like gold. Salt influenced the establishment of trade routes and cities and provoked financed wars, secured empires and inspired revolutions.
In the mid-eleventh century, while King Harold was unsuccessfully defending England from the Normans, the salt producers of Sichuan (China) were developing percussion drilling, the most advanced drilling technique in the world for the next seven or eight centuries.

Salz war die meist gesuchte Handelsware bis vor circa 100 Jahren. Es war ein so wertvolles Produkt, dass man es als Währung, wie das Gold verwendete. Salz hat die Unternehmen auf den Handelsrouten und der Städte beeinflusst und es hat Kriege hervorgerufen, finanziert, Herrschaften gesichert und Revolutionen angestachelt.
In der Mitte des 11. Jahrhunderts, während König Harold England erfolgslos vor den Normannen beschützte, entwickelten die Salzproduzenten in Sechuan (China) einen Schlagbohrer, die höchstentwickelte Technologie in der Welt während der kommenden sieben oder acht Jahrhunderten.
Il sale è stato la merce commerciale fino a circa 100 anni fa. Era un prodotto prezioso che si usava come valuta, come l’oro. Il sale ha influenzato non solo le imprese sulle vie commerciali e le città, ma ha anche provocato delle guerre e finanziato le stesse, assicurato dei regni e incitato delle rivoluzioni.
Nella meta dell’undicesimo secolo, mentre che il re Harold di Inghilterra ha cercato invano di difendere il suo paese dai normanni, a Sechuan (China) i produttori di sale hanno sviluppato un trappano a percussione, la tecnologia più avanzata del mondo per i prossimi 7 oppure 8 secoli!

Salt was considered to be needed by all human beings for good health or even survival and therefore thought to make a good tax generator. Everybody had to buy it and the state would be supported by this tax.
Laozi, a contemporary of Confucius said as far as state revenues were concerned: “A COUNTRY IS NEVER AS POOR AS WHEN IT SEEMS FILLED WITH RICHES”.
Man betrachtete Salz als absolut notwendig für alle Menschen und für ihre Gesundheit und um zu überleben. Deshalb dachte man, dass es ein guter Steuergenerator sei.
Laozi, ein Zeitgenosse von Confuzius sagte zu den Staatssteuern: “EIN LAND IST NIEMALS SO ARM, WIE WENN ES GEFUELLT IST MIT REICHTUM ”.
Il sale è stato considerato necessario per tutte gli esseri umani, per la loro salute o sopravvivenza. Per questo motivo si pensava anche che fosse un ottimo generatore delle tasse. Tutti dovevano comprarlo e lo stato sarebbe mantenuto con i soldi incassati.
Laozi, un contemporaneo di Confucio disse in merito alle imposte dello stato: “UN PAESE NON E’ MAI COSÌ POVERO COME QUANDO È PIENO DI SOLDI”.

There were big debates going on about the salt tax, which had roots in Confucius, China’s first philosophers of morality who wanted to increase the standard of human behaviour and who was against such a tax. He lived from 551-479 B.C. In 1930 it was Mahatma Gandhi who also fought very much against the salt monopole of the British, which finally led to India’s independence.
Es gab grosse Diskussionen wegen der Salzsteuer, von Konfuzius, Chinas erstem grossen Philosophen der Moral hervorgerufen,. Er wollte das Niveau des menschlichen Verhaltens heben und war gegen eine solche Salzsteuer. Er lebte von 551-479 v. Chr. 1930 war es Mahatma Gandhi, der auch gegen das Salzmonopol der Engländer kämpfte. Dies führte schlussendlich zur Unabhängigkeit Indiens.
Ci sono state delle lunghe discussioni per via dell’imposta del sale, provocate da Confucio, il primo filosofo del morale che è stato contro una tale imposta dello stato. Egli ha voluto alzare il comportamento morale degli esseri umani. Egli ha vissuto da 552-479 a.C. Nel 1930 è stato, per contro Mahatma Gandhi a battersi contro il monopolio del sale instaurato dagli inglesi. La sua battaglia ha in fine condotto all’indipendenza dell’India.

The ancient Egyptians may probably have been the first to cure meat and fish with salt. The earliest Chinese record of preserving fish in salt dated from around 2000 B.C. Whether the Egyptians discovered the process first or not, they were certainly the first civilization to preserve food on a large scale. The Egyptians also discovered that by putting the olives into brine they became delicious.
The cadavers discovered at the earliest Egyptian burial sites, before any marks of Egyptian civilization, still have flesh and skin. The dry, salty desert protected them.
Die alten Ägypter sind vielleicht die ersten gewesen, die Fleisch und Fisch mit Salz geräuchert haben. Die älteste chinesische Aufzeichnung über das Aufbewahren von Fisch in Salz ist von ungefähr 2000 v.C. Unabhängig davon, ob die Ägypter als erste den Vorgang entdeckt haben oder nicht, sie waren sicherlich die erste Zivilisation die das Haltbarmachen von Esswaren im grossen Stil entwickelt haben. Sie haben auch herausgefunden, dass die Oliven einfach schmackhaft wurden, wenn man sie in Salzwasser einlegte.
Die Kadaver, die an der ältesten Grabstätte Ägyptens gefunden wurden, vor jeglicher Zeichen Ägyptischer Zivilisation, haben noch immer Fleisch und Haut. Man sagt, dass die trockene und salzige Wüste sie beschützte.
I vecchi egiziani sono magari stati i primi ad affumicare la carne e pesci con sale. Le annotazioni cinesi sulla conservazione di pesci in sale data, più o meno, agli anni 2000 a.C. Indipendentemente del fatto, se gli egiziani sono stati i primi a scoprire il processo, loro sono sicuramente stati la prima civilizzazione a conservare cibo in grande stile. Gli egiziani hanno anche scoperto che mettendo le olive in acqua salata quest’ultime venivano deliziose.

Thanks to salt and herring Lubeck succeeded in satisfying the citizens’ requests due to population growth and because of the fish commandment on holidays in the course of the 12th century and to gain in this way more importance. Lubeck, therefore, became the central marketplace for agricultural products and for the trading of herring and salt for the east tangent. The salt trade in Nowgorod by businessmen from Lesser Germany was the reason why tradesmen started to deal with the much desired furs in Western Europe. The merchants from Lesser Germany were more established in the West than those from „Gotland“ (Island in Sweden). This led again to a loss of influence of Visby.
Did you knwo that the wealth from the white gold gave Salzburg its independence?

Das Lüneburger Salz, welches über Lübeck seinen Weg nach Nowgorod fand, sorgte für die gestiegene Einflussnahme der Travestadt im Osten.Durch das Salz und den Hering gelang es Lübeck im Zuge des Bevölkerungswachstums im 12. Jahrhundert und dem christlichen Fischgebot an Frei- und Feiertagen, die hohe Nachfrage zu bedienen und dadurch an Bedeutung zu gewinnen. Folglich wurde Lübeck zum zentralen Handelsplatz des Landhandels und des Handelns für Hering und Salz für die Ost-West-Tangente. Der Handel niederdeutscher Kaufleute mit Salz in Nowgorod führte dazu, dass diese Händler, die in Westeuropa so begehrte Pelzware zu handeln begannen. Die niederdeutschen Kaufleute waren im Westen etablierter als die Gotländer, was erneut zu einer Einflussabnahme Visbys führte.
Oder habe ihr gewusst, dass der Reichtum vom weissen Gold Salzburg die Unabhängigkeit gab.?
Il sale della brughiera di Luneburgo è riuscito a soddisfare le tante richieste della cittadinanza aumentata nel 12. secolo e per via del comandamento cristiano del pesce per i giorni festivi. La città è così diventata molto più importante, ossia il luogo di commercio centrale dei prodotti agricoli, delle acciughe e sale per la tangente est-ovest. Il commercio dei mercanti della Germania Bassa con sale a Nowgorod ha fatto che quest’ultimi hanno cominciato a vendere le pellicce molto richieste in Europa dell’occidentale. I mercanti della Germania Bassa erano più a casa in Europa occidentale che la gente di “Gotland “(isola in Svezia) Questo ha ulteriormente condotto ad una diminuzione d’influenza di Visby.
Avete saputo che Salisburgo doveva la sua indipendenza alla richezza ottenuta grazie all’oro bianco?

Thousands of people flock to the Dead Sea, found along Israel’s border with Jordan, each year because it is renowned for its health-giving properties, especially for skin problems.
Containing up to eight times more minerals than most sea water, the Dead Sea is the saltiest in the world. It’s believed that this, combined with the unique atmosphere in the area, is the secret of its success.
AUDIO to the text in English:
Tausende Menschen gehen jedes Jahr ans Tote Meer, das zwischen Israel und Jordanien liegt, hauptsächlich um ihre Hautprobleme zu kurieren und von den gesundheitsfördernden Eigenschaften des Wassers zu profitieren. Dieses enthält nämlich achtmal soviel Mineralien, wie die meisten Meerwasser. Das Tote Meer ist das salzigste weltweit. Man glaubt, dass dieses, gemeinsam mit der einzigartigen Atmosphäre der Region für den Erfolg verantwortlich ist.
Migliaia di persone si recano annualmente al Mar Morte, che si trova fra Israele e Giordania, perché vogliano farsi curare, maggiormente, da problemi di pelle e per approfittare delle caratteristiche salutari dell’acqua. Lo stesso contiene in fatti otto volte la quantità di minerali delle altre acque marine. Il Mar Morto è il mare più salato nel mondo. Si crede che lo stesso è, assieme all’ambiente straordinario della regione, responsabile per il successo.
Mein Betrag zu Indonesien für Deutschlerner:
https://rivella49.wordpress.com/2011/08/27/fruchtehandwerk-auch-aus-indonesien/
COPYRIGHT©2015 MARTINA RAMSAUER’S BLOG:rivella49.wordpress.com
Guten Morgen. Schöne Fotos + das Geschriebene. War eine schöne Reise. Das Foto mit den Fleisch kennen wir auch von besuchten Ländern. Ist bei uns undenkbar. L.G. Wolfgang
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Ganz lieben Dank für deinen Beitrag zum Salzartikel. Was as Fleisch anbelangt so kann ich nur sagen: “Aller Anfang ist schwer!:) L.G. Martina
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Buongiorno cara! il tuo prezioso articolo del sale mi ha portato ad una città che adoro Sltzsburg! e non solo! mi stai sfidando ha ha! allora ti ricordo non tanto le miniere di sale Di SantaMargherita di Savoia, in Puglia, o le tante siciliane, ma la nostra pisana Saline di Volterra, ebbene la miniera di purissimo salgemma fu una delle ragioni che convinsero i romani ad occupare ( pacificamente perché gli etruschi si lasciarono integrare nel grande impero)la bellissima Volterra.Tuttora si estrae il sale, a Saline, ma lontano dalla città che le miniere erodevano da sotto le Balze tutt’ora in perenne movimento.Credo di avere aggiunto un tessera al tuo puzzle sulla stiria del sale, No?
oggi è una quieta giornata autunnale, il giardino, rinfrescato dalle piogge è pieno di fiori, ed io sono lieta di parlare di sale con una cara amica
Olé
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Carissima, che contributo che hai fatto a questa discussione in merito al sale!! Ti ringrazio tantissimo.:) E’ vero che non ho, fra altro, scritto delle famose saline italiane e soprattutto di quella della stupenda Volterra, ma non ho più trovato le nostre foto!! Ho anche letto che Spina, nella Pianura Pedana,che non è stata conquistata dei celtici, con il suo porto è stata coinvolta in modo importante nel commercio del sale e che Venezia divenne più tardi così riccha a causa del sale.Sicuramente si potrebbe anche scrivere centinaia di pagine sul sale. Con tutto il mio cuore di auguro di godere la tua bellissima giornata d’autunno. Un grande abbraccio Martina
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Molto bello e interessante! Grazie per aver condiviso. Ciao, Piero
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Mi hanno fatto molto piacere, Piero,le tue parole e ti auguro una bella giornata. Cari saluti
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Grazie a te Marina. Carissimi saluti e buona giornata. Piero
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wunderschöne Fotos und ich habe heute ganz viel über ‘Salz’ und seine Bedeutung gelernt 🙂 herzlichen Dank dafür und liebe Grüße Suzy
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Das freut mich doch sehr, liebe Suzy. Ich habe nämlich dasselbe Geühl!:) Cari saluti Martina
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I add the following comment by Otto von Münchow, which was cancelled on my blog:
You have done a story I always wanted to do. I love it. A very interesting post.
Thank you very much Otto for your comment and I am sure that there is still a lot for you to say about SALT!! All the best Martina
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Otto said it all. A wonderful post, Martina. Salt ist great, with such an interesting powerful history. I’m so sorry I had no time to visit Die alte Saline, the old salt museum in Bad Reichenhall.
All the best,
Dina, Klausbernd, Siri & Selma
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In my book Salt by Mark Kurlanski I marked on page 163 the following sentences: ” Next to Reichenhall was a mountain of salt. On the Bavarian side was Berchtesgaden, and across the border, on the opposite side of the same steep wooded mountain known as Dürnberg, was the ancient Celtic salt mining site of Hallein. A medieval conflict between the archbishops of Salzburg and the Bavarians over control of the salt mines continued for centuries! Du hast ja wundervolle Ferien verbracht in dieser Region, liebe Dina, und alles zu sehen schafft man einfach nie. Dein Beitrag zum Thema Salz hat mich sehr gefreut. Cari saluti Martina
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Wow, herzlichen liebdank für diese Zitat aus dem Buch, liebe Martina. Das habe ich gleich abgespeichert. Wenn man in Bad Reichenhall ist wird die Machtvolle Vergangenheit spürbar. Und ebenso, die leicht heruntergekommene Gegenwart. Nochmals vielen Dank, ich werde das Buch gleich bestellen. 👍🏻
Gute Nacht nach Tessin, liebe Grüsse aus dem Rheinland,
Dina
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Das ist ein wunderbares Buch von Mark Kurlansky über die Weltgeschichte des Salz und hat mich auch zu diesem Beitrag inspieriert.Ich wünsche euch ein schönes Wochenende im Rheinland und in Cley. L.G. Martina
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Vielen Dank für diesen informativen und wieder einmal toll bebilderten Beitrag, liebe Martina! Mein Favorit ist der Mann mit dem goldenen Lächeln. Ein großartiges Foto!
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Mir gefällt dieser Herr mit den vielen Golzähnen auch sehr! Ganz lieben Dank für deinen Besuch und die ermutigenden Worte. Cari saluti Martina
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Wonderful feature… Very informative and stunning photographs as per usual. A most interesting read about Salt, *the only rock we eat as you have well said!… I like to learn with you!. I appreciate the post!. Love and best wishes, dear Martina. Aquileana ✨🐱🐶✨
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Wau, yesterday I thought of you, dear Aquileana:):):):) and today you surprise me with such encouraging words! Learning together in this way, by exchanging our interests, is really very special and I thank you for this sharing. I also send you love and wish you all the best. Martina
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A few years ago, we had to chose between travelling to Berlin or Lubeck. We chose Lubeck, which means that we must return to Germany one day. I love Lubeck, for its quaintness, its generosity, its marvelous bakeries but most of all for its amazing history. Thank you for sharing the story of salt.
“For a time, the Hanseatics were well appreciated as honorable merchants who ensured quality and fought against unscrupulous practices. They were known as Easterlings because they came from the east, and this is the origin of the word sterling, which meant “of assured value.” Mark Kurlansky, Salt: A World History
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Yes, Rebecca, their cakes and sweets in general makes my mouth start watering.
On page 141 it is also written that after the time mentioned by you, the Hanseatics were seen as ruthless aggressors who wanted to monopolize all economic activity and the merchant class rebelled against them. To controll herring and salt was to controll northern economies. For this reason the Danes went to war with them over the controll of herring and lost. Mark Kurlanski’s book is highly interesting and I thank you for having it recommended. Salt: A World History
PS Very interesting is also the derivation of the word STERLING:)
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Se è vero che un pizzico di sale contribuisce a dar gioia alla vita con il tuo post hai sicuramente dato un grande contributo alla conoscenza. Ho letto con vivo interesse e ancor più ho ammirato le fotografie.
Grazie per la condivisione Martina, un forte abbraccio 😉
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Cara Affy, credo anch’io che questa materia prima è molto preziosa e ho letto recentemente che più di 10’ooo prodotti consistono di sale. Ti ringrazio tantissimo per le tue care parole e un grande abbraccio anche da parte mia:)
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Salt is something we take for granted. I visited the Dead Sea a few years ago. Floating in it is such a strange sensation. I remember you said you want to visit Poland. If you do, you should definitely visit Wieliczka Salt Mines near Krakow. It is an astonishing place.
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I also remember the floating in the Dead Sea and I felt at it’s mercy! You are right about Poland, what a memory, and I also read in Mark Kurlanski’s book about Wieliczka’s Salt Mines and really hope to visit it as long as I am in the autumn of my life.:) I wish you a very good day and thank you for your good suggestion.
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Hallo Martina,
Salz ist schon etwas Besonderes, finde ich. Nur ein paar Gedanken:
In Lebensmitteln finden wir es viel zu viel, einfach weil es (fuer die Lebensmittelhersteller) der billigste Geschmacksverstaerker ist.
Weil es frueher so enorm kostbar war, gibt es heute noch das Sprichwort, dass Salz verschuetten Streit bringt.
Das Tote Meer werden wir nicht mehr lange haben, wenn die Anrainerstaaten weiter das Wasser aus dem Jordan so ruecksichtslos abzapfen.
Liebe Gruesse und danke fuer den hochinteressanten und aufschlussreichen Artikel,
Pit
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Wie schön ist es doch Menschen zu kennen, die sich mit desnselben Argumenten befassen. Ich bin sehr mit deinem Punkt 1 einverstanden, Punkt 2 werde ich zu Herzen nehmen und der 3. Punkt macht mich traurig. Deine Punkte bewegen mich! Grazie mille und lieben Gruss Martina
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Danke! 🙂
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Intressante Anmerkungen, lieber Pit!
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Beautiful pictures, I miss going to Germany and its small towns
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You are right their small cities, like Nürnberg are beautiful. I like it too in Germany, if the weather is fine. Thank you very much for visiting my sandhouse. Best regards Martina
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