Back to Normal in Ludwig Van Beethoven's Hometown ; Has Bonn, Germany, Turned into a Sleepy Little City Now That Berlin's the Capital?

Bross, Tom, The Christian Science Monitor

Let's pretend. Washington's stature as our nation's capital comes to an end. The cumbersome workings of governmental power get moved to Manhattan, or Los Angeles.

Ten years ago, Bonn lost that kind of prestige, as Berlin took its place as Germany's center of geopolitical influence.

Backtracking to 1949, Chancellor Konrad Adenauer looms large in this placid city's postwar history. His regional clout (he lived just across the river and had been mayor of neighboring Cologne) resulted in Ludwig van Beethoven's hometown being named the new federal republic's provisional capital.

"Provisional" meant "temporary." Bonn was regarded as safely …

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Publication information: Article title: Back to Normal in Ludwig Van Beethoven's Hometown ; Has Bonn, Germany, Turned into a Sleepy Little City Now That Berlin's the Capital?. Contributors: Bross, Tom - Author. Newspaper title: The Christian Science Monitor. Publication date: June 27, 2001. Page number: 19. © 2009 The Christian Science Publishing Society. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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