New Post
Search
Help[Opinions] Re: Edelweiss
in reply to a message by Felie
Whew, the Edelweiß has a rather varied and tangled history when it comes to its use as a symbol (and I'm a bit short on time right now...).
The Edelweiß is the national flower of Austria (well, both the Edelweiß and the Enzian (gentian in English) are).
Due to it growing mainly higher up in the mountains, it has become a symbol of courage (as in, you have to be courageous to climb up to pick them, I guess), especially in Romanticism.
During the Third Reich, it was used by both the Nazis ("Edelweiß-Division" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Mountain_Division_(Wehrmacht)) and antifascist groups ("Edelweißpiraten" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edelweiss_Pirates).
And those are just a few of the symbolic uses of this flower...
The Edelweiß is the national flower of Austria (well, both the Edelweiß and the Enzian (gentian in English) are).
Due to it growing mainly higher up in the mountains, it has become a symbol of courage (as in, you have to be courageous to climb up to pick them, I guess), especially in Romanticism.
During the Third Reich, it was used by both the Nazis ("Edelweiß-Division" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Mountain_Division_(Wehrmacht)) and antifascist groups ("Edelweißpiraten" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edelweiss_Pirates).
And those are just a few of the symbolic uses of this flower...
Archived Thread - replies disabled
1
Replies
oh, i forgot about the Edelweiss pirates! thank you for reminding me, and giving more information in general. my personal association with it may have clouded my knowledge of it.
1