Ten interesting facts about Hamburg

[CorkedHat]

Hamburg's official name is the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg (German: Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg).

It has become a media and industrial center, with factories such as Airbus, Blohm + Voss and Aurubis

The city takes its name from the first permanent building on the site, a castle ordered built by Emperor Charlemagne in 808 AD

Hamburg had several great fires, the most notable ones in 1284 and 1842.

During World War II Hamburg suffered a series of air raids, which killed 42,000 civilians

Hamburg surrendered without a fight to British Forces on May 3, 1945

On February 16, 1962 the North Sea flood of that year caused the Elbe to rise to an all-time high, inundating one-fifth of Hamburg and killing more than 300 people.

Hamburg offers more than 40 theatres, 60 museums and 100 music venues and clubs

There is also a quite big alternative and punk scene, which gathers around the Rote Flora, a squatted former theatre

Fulham, the greatest team in Europe will thrash the pants off Hamburg when they meet later this month

[jarv]

The Beatles played there before they became the beatles as we know them. I think they were there for about a year....in that club scene.

[grimmynz]

I lived there in 1979 and even went to watch Kevin Keegan play for HSV. Still have fond memories of the place - and not just the Reeperbahn!
Wish I could get over there for the semi or the final but sadly its just not a possibility (unless I win Lotto next week).
Still, we'll all be there in spirit.

[Chopper]

and I've just added a new word to my vocabulary ...

hanse  (hns) n.
A medieval merchant guild or trade association. [Middle English, from Old French, from Middle Low German, from Old High German hansa, military troop.]

Hanseatic [ˌhænsɪˈætɪk] adj.
(Historical Terms) of or relating to the Hanseatic League
(Historical Terms) a member of the Hanseatic League


Not sure when I'm gonna get to use it though!  :003:

[HatterDon]

The Hanseatic League had a pretty high level of play at one point, but when the maximum wage was introduced, most of their great players transfered to either The Lombard League, The 20,000 League, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, or the League of Women Voters.

[VicHalomsLovechild]

Fulhams official name is Fulham

It has become quite famous recently due to the exploits of one Roy Hodgson and his band of merry men. It has many factories all of which have been converted into luxury appartments.

Fulham takes it's name from the Anglo Saxon words Ful and Ham I forget why but it's got something to do with Hamlets and mud. The first permanent building on the site was probaly a pub built by Youngs.

Fulham has also had several great fires, most notable the gaint bin fires in Clem Atlee Court around Guy Fawkes night.

During World War II Fulham suffered a series of air raids, Unfortunatly the Luftwaffa missed Stamford Bridge even though Fulham fans kept a bonfire going there most nights.

Fulham surrendered without a fight to the Yanks for several cases of chocolate and nylons. We gave them our young women in exchange. The juries still out as to who got the best deal.

In March 1974 the Thames flooded dozens of basements in the Sands End and Hurlingham wards. The Fire Brigade were called, lots of cups of tea were made and people talked about the War and the "Dunkirk Spirit.

Fulham has several dusty church halls and a couple iffy youth clubs

There is a piano in the Wilton Arms and occasionally some old duffer knocks out a couple of Vera Lynn numbers. You'll often spot the occasional Japanese Punk on the New Kings Road wondering where all the other punks are!

Fulham, the greatest team in Europe will thrash the pants off Hamburg when they meet later this month

[The Equalizer]

Vic, that just had my crying into my pint!

I remember those giant bin fires all too well. They were usually under Manny Shinwell House directly below where I lived at the time.

[VicHalomsLovechild]

I lived closer to Sullivan Court and we had them there too. The Pub with the piano is the one opposite the Wilton but I've forgotten its name.

[HatterDon]

VHL, love the post, but since I'm older than Roy, I'm not so sure about your signature.

Funny stuff, pard.

[The Equalizer]

I lived closer to Sullivan Court and we had them there too. The Pub with the piano is the one opposite the Wilton but I've forgotten its name.

That's The Bedford mate.

[SuffolkWhite]

Excellent VHL  :011:

[finnster01]

Outstanding stuff Mr Vic.

I am still laughing at that.

You did however actually leave out the fact that Fulham was formerly the seat of the diocese of "Fulham and Gibraltar", now better known as Blingo  size]

[CorkedHat]

Yes VHL - that was excellent

[GoldCoastWhite]

Excellent work from Mr C Hat and a brilliant response VHLC ! Had a good chuckle at that.

And as for "During World War II Fulham suffered a series of air raids, Unfortunately the Luftwaffe missed Stamford Bridge even though Fulham fans kept a bonfire going there most nights " - I wonder if Finnster senior was the chief fire starter, aided and abetted by a young and urchin like Corked Hat ??? Just   thought  :048:

[VicHalomsLovechild]

The Bedford, that's the one. When I was at college I used to work for E Nash removals in the holidays and all the old soaks used to drink in the Bedford. There was a fella who drank there who had had a pace maker fitted and when he got too close to the telly it used to change channels so they barred him from the Saloon and he had to drink in the Public bar.

[finnster01]

The Bedford, that's the one. When I was at college I used to work for E Nash removals in the holidays and all the old soaks used to drink in the Bedford. There was a fella who drank there who had had a pace maker fitted and when he got too close to the telly it used to change channels so they barred him from the Saloon and he had to drink in the Public bar.

Ha ha, that made me chuckle.

Once knew a lad who was working in a crematorium/funeral parlour and he was in charge of the oven. He was an old gent and I once asked him what was the biggest bastard in his job and he said that when they got bodies back from the hospital and they had a pacemaker in them (which they were not supposed to have, hospital supposed to remove it), the body would blow up in the oven just like an egg in a microwave and made a mess he had to clean out.  :020: