Revamp will also 'create space for important investments'
Heidelberg aims to save more than €100m (£83m) by reducing the size of the workforce at its biggest site in Germany by 11.25%
The plans were announced this morning (9 December)
and similar measures are likely at other facilities
and central administration and service management
Heidelberg describes it as “the largest and most modern printing press factory in the world”
Around 4,000 people currently work at the campus
also the location of Heidelberg’s Print Media Center customer demonstration facility
As part of the growth strategy being implemented by new CEO Jürgen Otto – who said Heidelberg’s personnel costs were too high soon after taking over the top job – 450 jobs will go via “socially responsible reduction” including early retirement
The plans have been agreed by the works council and trade union IG Metall and include a guaranteed minimum workforce at the site of 3,500 until the end of 2028
Heidelberg expects to make personnel cost savings of more than €100m over three years as a result
but will also book an exceptional charge of €30m in its current financial year due to the measures
The reduction in roles is scheduled to be completed by the end of March 2028
The measures include manufacturing jobs as well as admin and management positions
Otto commented: “The future plan for the Wiesloch-Walldorf site is an important step for Heidelberg in laying the foundations for future growth within the group.”
the agreement would also “create space for important investments”
“We are convinced that we will be able to manufacture further industrial and highly complex products at the Wiesloch-Walldorf site
Otto believes the growth plans can bring in €300m in additional sales by its 2028/29 financial year
“Heidelberg has enormous expertise and potential
We are also demonstrating this with the future plan
and a driver of innovation beyond the printing industry,” he added
The Wiesloch-Walldorf site is some 840,000sqm in total. Back in 2020 Heidelberg sold around 130,000sqm to specialist developer VGP Group, to create a new industrial and commercial park
Heidelberg occupies more than 600,000sqm of the site currently.
Heidelberg said the headcount reduction would serve as a “a pilot” for other sites in Germany
The group’s other facilities are: Amstetten
which makes small hardware parts; Heidelberg Postpress in Ludwigsburg where folders and mailing systems are made; the Gallus site at Langgöns-Oberkleen; flexo web carton converting at Weiden in der Oberpfalz; workflow and CTP systems development in Kiel
the manufacturer confirmed its forecasts for the current financial year
with sales of just under €2.4bn and an adjusted EBITDA margin of 7.2% — on a par with the prior year
Heidelberg’s share price slipped by just under 1% on the news
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This year’s Sturgis Wiesloch student exchange is in full swing
Eleven students and two teachers from Ottheinrich Gymnasium Wiesloch arrived last weekend in Chicago and were greeted by their partners at the airport
Students and teachers remained in Chicago until the following Monday for some sightseeing and bonding with their host/exchange partners
The student exchange has been a Sturgis tradition for more than 40 years
Students and teachers from Wiesloch visit Sturgis for three weeks
Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary and Western Michigan University
Living with families in Sturgis and attending classes at the high school give the German students a glimpse of what life is like for an American high school student
Students from Sturgis will travel to Germany after the school year has ended and experience the life of a German high school student
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Tottenham Hotspur will travel to Germany to take on Hoffenheim in the Europa League
Spurs have had a mixed record in Europe this season
meaning they are 26th in the Europa League table
For the travelling Spurs fans, this will be the first time they have seen their team play at the PreZero Arena
For all key information relating to the Hoffenheim away section and what to expect from Sinsheim
Sinsheim has no specific designated airport
meaning the majority of Spurs fans will land at Stuttgart Airport – approximately 40 miles away from PreZero Arena
From Stuttgart Airport to Sinsheim it is around a two-and-a-half-hour journey
supporters should head towards Flughafen/Messe and go on the S2 route of the S-Bahn to Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof (tief)
take the two-minute walk to Stuttgart Central Station and get on the ICE560 to Bruchscal
From here it is a seven-minute walk that will see you end up at Wiesloch
Two more buses are then required – first the 799 into Sinsheim itself and then the 771
a nine-minute walk will see you arrive at the PreZero Arena
Hoffenheim were promoted to the Bundesliga in 2008 and have since established themselves as a regular member of the German top flight
Ten years after their promotion to the Bundesliga
qualifying for the group stages of the UEFA Champions League for the first time
Domestically, Die Kraichgauer have struggled this season, though. After 17 matches, they sit 16th, only five points ahead of bottom side VfL Bochum. In the Europa League
The Hoffenheim away section is located in the northeast corner of the ground
with visiting supporters taking up blocks G1-G2 and H1-H2
This includes a mixture of seated and standing tickets
the views inside the stadium from all four sides of the ground are impressive
A notable aspect of Hoffenheim’s home stadium is the elevated stands
providing supporters with an excellent view of the action
In the north-east section of the PreZero Arena
just over 9% of the allocation has restricted views
It can be hard to see the action at the south-west corner of the ground from the away end
but it is also the perfect location to celebrate if the visiting team scores a goal at the northern end
Sinsheim is a small town with a population of just over 36,000
there are not too many pre-match bar and restaurant options in and around the PreZero Arena
Spurs have been given an allocation of 2,866 for this Europa League match
The breakdown of the allocation is as follows:
FootballGroundGuide » Latest Football Stadium and Fan News » Hoffenheim away section: Guide for Spurs fans at PreZero Arena
It has been 50 years since Sturgis became a sister city to Wiesloch
the two communities are planning celebrations
an estimated 1,000 Sturgis residents have traveled to Germany or hosted Wiesloch visitors in Sturgis
It started from the national program “People to People”
the exchange program has done more than heal old animosity
The program was initially designed for adults
a group from Germany traveled to Sturgis and the next year
Five years later the visits occurred again
an annual two-week student exchange program began
a dozen students travel from Germany and stay in the homes of Sturgis students
“The beauty of the whole thing is people have truly made friends,” Rhodes said
the Sister City committee enlisted Mike Mort of Equity Studios
Mort accepted the project with his usual exuberance and for a year has gathered photos
archived news clips and filmed memories from both sides of the Atlantic
The results of Mort’s efforts is a film “Sisters: 50 Years of Friendship,” which will premiere June 21 during Sturgis Fest
22 Wiesloch residents will arrive in Sturgis for the week to star as honored guests at Sturgis Fest
“There are 969 seats in Sturges-Young and I would like them all filled,” Rhodes said
Filling it wouldn’t be too difficult if Sturgis residents involved in the program all came out
www.facebook.com/SturgisWieslochSisterCity
“I want everyone to come back for it,” Rhodes said
Although “Sisters: 50 years of friendship” will premiere in June
Mort will continue documenting Sturgis Fest activities
such as the unveiling of “Wiesloch Weg,” an area behind Wings Etc.
Mort will travel to Germany with the Sturgis group to document the trip
filming “Winzerfest,” Wiesloch’s wine festival
It is Wiesloch’s annual festival similar to Sturgis Fest at which Sturgis visitors will be guests
Later this year he will wrap up the project
Because the documentary is for both cities
it is filmed in both English and German with subtitles
80 percent is spoken in English with English subtitles for German interviews
and vice versa for the German version of the film
Rhodes asks all residents to mention the film premiere to any sister city exchange participants
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Heatmaster was founded in 2002 and is a leading supplier of heating systems on-board ships
used to heat cargo and HFO380 fuel for main engines
By Mike Knowles2017-11-03T14:47:27+00:00
German retailer Rewe Group’s fresh produce sourcing subsidiary Eurogroup is reportedly pushing ahead with an ambitious plan to establish a network of distribution hubs that will enable it to acquire fruit and vegetables and deliver them to market more quickly and directly
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Lebensmittel Zeitung
Eurogroup’s chief executive Eugenio Guidoccio said a major and widespread reorganisation of sourcing and logistics over the past four years had been a “quantum leap” for Rewe and its discount chain Penny
That leap has seen it build new central distribution centres for produce in Leipzig
Berkhof near Hannover and Eitting near Munich over the past three and a half years; now it plans to complete two more of these hubs including one in Wiesloch
that will also serve as an entry point for Spanish and French produce
competition in this volume business is increasingly playing out at the level of supply chain management,' Guidoccio told the newspaper
'The more complete trucks that go directly to the hubs
the greater the effect for our merchants.'
Similar networks for southern and eastern Europe
apparently designed to perform similar sourcing and logistics functions for stores in Austria
with pilot projects already underway in Verona and Prague
Eurogroup itself currently has offices in Italy (Verona)
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Heidelberg is selling off a chunk of its main Wiesloch-Walldorf site in Germany and will make around €50m (£45m) from its latest asset sale
with more space at the facility earmarked for future disposal
The Wiesloch-Walldorf site is some 840,000sqm in total
Heidelberg is initially selling around 130,000sqm to specialist developer VGP Group
which will turn it into a new industrial and commercial park
A further 140,000sqm is slated for future sale
meaning Heidelberg’s occupation of the site will eventually shrink by some 32%
CEO of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen said the manufacturer would reduce its costs
and would be able to use the remaining space more efficiently
we will use the funds this frees up to strengthen our liquidity in times of the Covid-19 pandemic and to press ahead with strategic investments for the future on the path of our digital transformation," he stated
The deal is the latest in a string of Heidelberg sell-offs as the group retrenches and focuses on its core business
It has brought in nearly €200m through asset sales this year
Wiesloch-Walldorf is about nine miles south of the town of Heidelberg
It incorporates the “largest and most modern printing press factory in the world” as well as Heidelberg’s corporate HQ
It also includes the customer demonstration centre for commercial and packaging printing
A company spokesman explained that the sale involved some of the older buildings at the facility
The space left for further sales also contains old halls as well as some area of the current parking lots," he said
Around 5,000 Heidelberg employees work at the site
“We are concentrating the Heidelberg business in the newer halls on the site
VGP intends to rapidly implement its concept for a modern industrial and commercial park and will probably already start partial demolition of the buildings during the coming year,” the spokesman added
VGP is headquartered in Belgium and operates 76 industrial parks on the continent
Heidelberg made the announcement after the close of trading yesterday evening (23 December)
The German DAX stock exchange is closed today
New signs identifying “Wieslochweg” along the sidewalk behind the north 100 block of US-12 in Sturgis recently were installed.
The sign includes a monument sign near the entrance to the parking lot behind Wings Etc
and four information signs running the length of the block.
The Wieslochweg designation commemorates the Sister City relationship between Sturgis and Wiesloch
Germany and the signs are rmeant to celebrate this relationship while educating residents and visitors about its history.
Installation of the signs were completed in part thanks to a $10,000 grant from the Newell A
Franks Fund at the Sturgis Area Community Foundation
Heidelberg has taken the wraps off the new Speedmaster CX 104 at its Showtime livestream event which also coincides with the China Print show in Beijing
Product manager Florian Franken said the press had been developed to deliver “outstanding price performance”
“We see that it’s not always the survival of the fittest or the fastest
but the rather of the one that is adapting best to the situation
And this is exactly where the Speedmaster CX 104 plays to its strengths in terms of scalability and flexibility,” he said
“We come from a base model that can be configured as a packaging machine
but also as a commercial configuration or even special applications.”
and Franken said that Heidelberg already had two orders in the pipeline with that configuration
Standard speed is 15,000sph with a maximum speed of 16,500sph
It can handle stock thicknesses from 0.03mm – 1mm
with optional card and thin substrate packages
Heidelberg highlighted the “completely redesigned” coating unit with improved ergonomics
The changeover of anilox rollers has been made much simpler
and it can be carried out easily by one operator
“We have reduced the time from about five minutes 30 seconds to one minute 20 seconds – that’s a 75% time reduction,” said Jens Kalbantner
Heidelberg showed a female press operator switching out the coating roller with ease
Speaking to Printweek after the Showtime event
Heidelberg UK product manager Matt Rockley said: “I’ve got to say the coating unit is absolutely bloody brilliant
because I worked and sweated on those type of units myself for years
“This has really opened things up for commercial printers looking at getting into packaging.”
Rockley said there was already interest in the CX 104 from UK customers based on conversations that had taken place since the Heidelberg team were briefed on the new model
The CX 104 is driven by Prinect Press Centre XL 3 with a new Speedmaster operating system described as being “like a smartphone”
IntelliStart 3.0 guides the operator through every operation “up to the level of autonomous printing”
while the new Intelliline function uses LED lights to provide a colour status visualisation on all printing
coating and drying units “on the operator and drive sides”
Heidelberg is pitching the device as being suitable for a range of customers
from “firms that prefer flexibility and high automation… to those requiring sturdiness and reliability as well as special applications,” said Franken
The press has been field tested at Belgian printer Buroform
Chief print officer Jesse Marynen said: ‘We were looking for a machine that combines small and big orders
We print a lot of uncoated paper and our customers want the highest quality and the highest image control
and that’s the advantages we found in the new CX 104.”
Other features include WashAssistant for optimised wash-ups and a standby function to reduce electricity consumption
This is a true all-rounder and a very flexible platform
I actually think there’s no comparable machine in its class,” Kalbantner stated
The CX 104 will supersede the CX 102 model
Heidelberg also showed a new AutoProtect system that filters ink mist
cutting emissions and resulting in cleaner air in the press room
Also new is an in-mould label (IML) performance package on its Speedmaster XL 106 for IML and wet glue labels
which uses aerodynamic engineering techniques to handle challenging substrates at higher speeds
Showtime included a debut for the XL 106-D rotary die-cutter
now in a single unit configuration that reduces its footprint and power consumption compared with the previous twin-unit device
A new folding roller – PerfectGrip – combines the benefits of hard and soft PU by using a new roller geometry
Polar showed its new DCC-12 cutting system that increases productivity by up to 25%
It also showed the new AirGo jogging system that automates the preparation process
13.11.2024 09:09:15 CET | Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG | Press release
Thanks to a high order backlog of € 953 million
Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (HEIDELBERG) anticipates that the second half of financial year 2024/2025 will be strong
while current developments over the quarters reflect the pronounced seasonality that is to be expected
This positive outlook is based on strong incoming orders in the first half of the year
which are 7.4 percent up on the previous year
Sales of € 915 million were within expectations
due to purchasing restraint ahead of the drupa trade show (previous year: € 1,092 million)
“"HEIDELBERG is starting a very strong second half of the year
We are now ramping up the utilization of our production capacities so we can work through our order backlog in the third and fourth quarters quickly and profitably,” says HEIDELBERG CEO Jürgen Otto
“The forecast sales volume for new machines has already been almost entirely met with orders and our production operations are running at full capacity
We can be confident that we will achieve our targets for the year.”
HEIDELBERG is still particularly strong in and around China
Incoming orders in the Asia Pacific region recorded the clearest growth in the first six months of the current financial year
increasing by approximately 10 percent
the company anticipates a clear increase in sales in the second half of the current financial year in particular
EBITDA margin in the first six months of financial year 2024/2025 was 3.4 percent (same period of previous year: 9.2 percent) and was impacted in particular by lower sales in Q1 and by expenses related to drupa
Strict cost discipline had a positive impact in the reporting period
This is another reason why EBITDA improved significantly compared to the first quarter from € -9 million to € 40 million
there were no special items that require adjustment
Compared to the same period of the previous year (€ 33 million)
the result after taxes after six months dropped in line with the lower adjusted EBITDA to € -35 million
at € 7 million (same quarter of previous year: € 23 million)
€ -102 million (same period of previous year: € -28 million)
It improved significantly in the second quarter
“Our active cost management is increasingly bearing fruit by considerably improving free cashflow over the course of the year,” reports HEIDELBERG CFO Tania von der Goltz
“Consistent cost control over the coming months will play a big part in the success of the current financial year
the anticipated improvements in results in the second half of the year will have a positive impact on the free cash flow.”
Packaging solutions segment remains growth driver – annual forecast confirmed
Compared to the same period of the previous year
the packaging solutions segment was able to increase incoming orders in the first half of the year by around 9.7 percent to € 675 million
thereby contributing approximately 53 percent to the total volume
Megatrends in the packaging market are first and foremost the growing demand for packaging that is both sustainable and high-quality
This is where the positioning of HEIDELBERG as a systems integrator and total solution provider has a positive impact
helping to further expand its very strong position in the packaging market
The company also anticipates further growth opportunities in China due to its location benefits
incoming orders rose in the same period by around 5.5 percent to € 594 million
HEIDELBERG wants to capitalize on other strengths
The company is characterized by a high export ratio
as over 80 percent of its business is generated outside of Germany
the company sees further growth opportunities in China and the Asia-Pacific region thanks to local production and a very strong market position
HEIDELBERG benefits globally in the service business from a large installed base of machines that are connected to HEIDELBERG via a cloud
Networking allows the efficiency of the systems to be improved
preventive maintenance to be planned and software updates to be installed
Taking into account the expectations and assumptions published and presented in the 2023/2024 management report
the Company continues to expect sales for financial year 2024/2025 to be in line with the previous year’s figure (previous year: € 2,395 million)
The adjusted EBITDA margin is also expected to be similar to the previous year’s figure (previous year: 7.2 percent)
The high order backlog resulting from the successful drupa trade fair and the continuous focus on margins and costs will provide a sound basis for the achievement of the targets
the focus will primarily be on strategic growth measures in the Packaging
Image material and further information about the company are available in the Investor Relations portal and Press Lounge of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG at www.heidelberg.com
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG by registering your e-mail address below
Sales and adjusted EBITDA margin at previous year's level according to preliminary figures Free cash flow excluding special items clearly positive at around € 50 million Rising order intake compared to previous year lays the foundation for a good start to FY 2025/26 Additional
positive order impetus expected from China Print trade fair in May Adjusted EBITDA margin to rise to around 8 percent in FY 2025/26
From bell foundry to global player In its anniversary year
HEIDELBERG heads into the future with a clear growth strategy Speedmaster series perpetuates success story started by legendary “Original Heidelberger Tiegel” – the 1921 springboard to a world-leading position Milestones in the history of HEIDELBERG
Growth strategy: medium-term sales potential of more than € 300 million Growth drivers in the core business: packaging
digital printing Software and lifecycle business Industrial business: focus on further expansion 175 years: the company has been shaping the printing industry for decades with technological innovations
quality and reliability Numerous anniversary activities throughout the year
Targets for financial year 2023/2024 achieved – sales and adjusted EBITDA margin stable at € 2.4 billion and 7.2 percent respectively Free cash flow excluding special items at highest level for over ten years Incoming orders recover thanks to drupa printing trade show Collaboration with Canon in growing industrial inkjet printing sector Outlook for FY 2024/2025 – sales and EBITDA to match previous year’s level despite economic policy uncertainties
Customers from around the world visited HEIDELBERG stand Packed shows covered full range of solutions Integrated offset and digital technologies becoming increasingly important International sales contracts underline success of trade show participation
Heidelberg has unveiled its latest B2 Speedmaster
a hybrid press that combines elements from its XL 75 B2 flagship and the SX 74
The machine was shown at a Heidelberg open house at its Wiesloch-Walldorf factory last week
where it also unveiled its first beta customer
and will be given its debut at China Print
Although the press is technically still in beta testing
Heidelberg said it was available for order immediately as it comprises established technologies
The first commercial deliveries are slated for November
Pricing will sit somewhere between the XL 75 and SX 74
The CX 75 shown at last week's Wiesloch event
is in the process of being dismantled and shipped to German commercial printer Werbedruck Petzold
which was also a beta site for the Speedmaster SM 52 in 1995
Heidelberg senior product manager Frank Suesser said the development phase for the machine was around a year
which he described as “a fast project to get it quickly to the market"
Suesser said: “The thing I like most about it is that it’s a very small [footprint] machine
our smallest machine in the widths we have
This is ideal because space is always an issue
maybe not so much in Europe but if we look in other countries the width of the machine is of big appeal.”
Suesser added that the machine is based on the XL 75 platform
to minimise footprint and keep its price down
Intended for both the commercial and packaging markets
Due to its double diameter impression cylinders
the CX 75 can take substrates ranging from 0.03mm to 0.6mm in thickness
It comes in either four, five or six colours with coating unit, printing at a top speed of 15,000sph, and, at 2.8x2.1m is Heidelberg’s narrowest B2 press. It has a fully automated wash programme as standard, but Suesser said the machine cannot be configured with full automation as with Heidelberg’s Push to Stop-specified XL 106 machines
it can be fully integrated with Heidelberg’s Prinect Press Centre 2 digital workflow
allowing for makereadies of less than five minutes and easy data transfer
Suesser anticipates the machine will do well in the UK market
“The UK market is an excellent market for the SX 74 and there is a huge [potential] install base for this machine
especially if customers want to grow and go to different markets
where packaging is more involved,” he said
A four-colour CX 75 will be debuted at China Print running Heidelberg’s DryStar LED technology.
Earlier this year, Heidelberg’s new chief executive Rainer Hundsdörfer announced plans to revamp its organisational structure to align it with “the digital future”
with a number of potential acquisitions in sight
Heidelberg recently announced a €50m (£43m) investment to fund a new development centre at the Wiesloch site
dynamic state reforms along individualist capitalist lines
which he sees as stemming from a more 'Calvinist' approach to society
need to be counter-balanced with the greater solidarity and mutual respect evinced by Lutheran societies
Dr. Põder's comment comes in the light of calls for a reformation, not in religion but in the workings of the Estonian state and its organs, particularly with the emergence of a new think tank 'The Foundation for State Reform'. He writes also in response to an opinion piece by former Estonian ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
who stated that Estonia did not need such wide-ranging reforms as the think tank were proposing
Marten Kokk pointed to the Nordic countries such as neighbouring Finland
all of whose public sectors are far larger and more costly than Estonia's without being detrimental to those countries' economies
Dr Põder's opinion piece originally ran on ERR here (in Estonian) and is directly quoted as follows:
''Marten Kokk recently pointed out a number of factors behind the success of the Nordic countries. He highlighted a successful entrepreneurship, which is balanced adequately with the public sector, a reforming streak, high levels of public trust, an openness and egalitarianism, and an investment in people. Against this background, Kokk says, higher levels of government spending have not been an impediment to social progress.
In this article, I would like to further these points through one particular perspective, which sheds light on the importance of values and world view in explaining economic conditions. The most prominent proponent of this view was the economist and sociologist Max Weber, who complemented more materialistic theories (such as Marxism) with an emphasis on the role of ideas in economic progress.
But what was Weber's main observation here? He noticed that, statistically-speaking, nominally or culturally Protestant societies and states were often wealthier than nominally or culturally Roman Catholic ones (in Weber's own time). In seeking an explanation for why this was so, Weber noted in his classic work 'The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism' (1905) the overlap between Protestant, or more specifically Calvinist ethics, and the propagation of capitalism.
Weber attempted to demonstrate how the teachings of Swiss reformer Jean Calvin (1509-1564) could engender a feeling of insecurity and even fear in believers in regions where Calvinism predominated, in particular the idea of predestination [actually double predestination – ed.] in which all people were foreordained either to go to either heaven or hell.
This fear in turn expressed itself in a rather harsh and ascetic approach to the work ethic. Efficiency, discipline and success in the workplace was supposedly confirmation of the fact that the individual believer was indeed predestined for bliss, and the more successful a business was, the greater the certainty of eternal salvation, in this mindset (it should be noted that such a viewpoint may not be a majority opinion amongst present-day Calvinists).
This puritanical work ethic was characterized by endless and rather joyless rationalizing processes and procedures interfering in employer-employee relations, for instance as found in the operations of the great 'Calvinist' business tycoon John D. Rockefeller.
For Weber, such a stance was essential to functioning capitalist development, though it shouldn't have been taken as an absolute dogma. Weber also noted toward the end of his great work on the topic, that he did not champion the wholesale replacement of materialist theories with his more 'spiritualist' approach.
Nonetheless, his ideas have sparked many subsequent discussions and social critiques on the relationship between culture and economics. Weber asked critically and pointedly what characterized contemporary (for him) 'iron-caged' capitalist societies and what differed from the religious core of earlier societies.
If there is any truth to Max Weber's analysis, then we in Estonia are also in some sense a part of the legacy of the 'Calvinist' work ethic.
The rational nature and systematic force of capitalism has spread worldwide and forms the basis of many societies. Moreover, whilst most of us cannot consciously equate work success with salvation or otherwise, many of us nonetheless seek satisfaction and fulfillment at work. Whilst Calvinism may at best be consigned to history for many people, we still reflect in an indirect and secular way the heart of Calvinism, according to Weber's view.
But more than that, here in Estonia the question arises as to what effect our own Lutheran legacy has left us with. Has the idea of a 'Lutheran work ethic' any credence and if so has it made any impact? We could in fact couch the question in this way: is Calvinism to capitalism what Lutheranism is to the Nordic welfare society model?
This is actually the thesis of a recent book by American economist Robert H Nelson called 'Lutheranism and the Nordic Sprit of Social Democracy' (2017). Nelson isn't the first person to propound such a theory but the title of the book speaks for itself and helps it stand out from the pack.
Nelson underlines how a strong social welfare society has developed in those nations with a nominally Lutheran background. All of these countries, he says, are characterized by a strong work ethic, mutual public trust, equality and solidarity and experience low levels of corruption.
How, then, can Martin Luther (1483-1546), the guiding light of the German Reformation be seen in relation to today's welfare society and social democracy?
Generally speaking, the 'Lutheran work ethic' is particularly vigorous in relation to the well-being of one's companion. Luther had a clear picture of the workplace as a secular sphere where every believer can best live a life pleasing to God and loving and serving their companions.
Luther left no doubt about his support for rulers having their say in matters of social welfare - so, in his interpretation of the Fourth Commandment in the Large Catechism, * he sees care of the poor and vulnerable as being the task of the ruler.
With the emergence of the modern welfare society the form of governance may have changed, but the general underlying attitude remained, however, much the same.
The well-formed and progressive nature of the Nordic mentality can thus be seen against a Lutheran backdrop even at a time when most people do not conflate the organization of societal welfare with religious beliefs. Hard-working, caring, generous people who respect the dignity and equality of others are also all distinct hallmarks of the Nordics; It's no surprise, then, that Nelson has also dubbed the Nordic welfare society 'a secular Lutheranism'.
If the ghosts of religious beliefs now largely dormant or deceased are still haunting us, we could at the very least try to be decent 'Lutherans' in addition to being decent 'Calvinists'. The 'Calvinistic' zeal of free-market inspired state reforms ought to be balanced out by a profound solidarity and mutual respect as idealised by Lutheran folk.
There is of course a natural tendency to be sceptical about the implementation of the Nordic model in countries where there is no deep-seated Lutheran tradition. In Estonia, however, we are in a different situation. We have had a capitalist boom in recent years, but our roots lie in a spiritual soil similar to those of the Nordic countries.
The problems that dog socially-democratic or welfare state-oriented societies today - a demographic shift and the so-called nanny state for instance - should not make us turn our backs on our Lutheran past nor away from the Nordic countries, but rather encourage the design of the best possible form of commonality''.
Johann-Christian Põder is an Estonian theologian, ethicist and clergyman in the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELK).
*Luther's Large Catechism (1529) is a document addressing primarily clergymen, where Luther gives instruction for the teaching of congregations.
The fourth (in the Lutheran understanding) of the ten commandments is: 'You shall honour your father and your mother that it may be well with you and you may live long upon the earth'. Luther considered the secular ruler as "father" of an entire state, and he was emphasising the "social duty" of this father.
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Germany--Florian Mehler last saw his girlfriend in late January
when she left Germany for her native Brazil
His plans to join Renata Alves in late March were scuttled when the borders slammed shut as the coronavirus pandemic spread worldwide
said in an interview at home in Wiesloch near Frankfurt
go into town together." After meeting online a year ago
She has the necessary documents to move to Germany and look for a job
Brazil last week reopened international air travel to all foreign tourists with health insurance for the duration of their trip
even as the country's coronavirus outbreak ranks as the world's second worst
Germany has a travel warning in place for most countries
which may mean health and cancellation insurance are invalid for trips there
And most European Union borders are closed to non-EU travellers
unless they are essential workers or married to an EU resident
So Alves blows Mehler kisses on her tablet screen
they sometimes take virtual walks outdoors together
"The worst thing is that we don't know when we will see each other because the borders are still closed," Mehler said
separated couples have been lobbying under the hashtags #LoveIsEssential and #LoveIsNotTourism for governments to allow them to reunite
A few European countries including Austria
introducing "sweetheart visas" that exempt couples from the travel ban
organised by the association of binational families and partnerships
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer prefers a common European solution
given that Germany just assumed the EU presidency last month
said it was unfair that Germans can travel abroad for fun at the risk of catching COVID-19
while she is barred from entering Germany when she has more compelling reasons
my family is totally healthy," she said in Recife
noting that she would take a coronavirus test and undergo quarantine for love
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Startup-Jobs: Auf der Suche nach einer neuen Herausforderung? In der unserer Jobbörse findet Ihr Stellenanzeigen von Startups und Unternehmen
is widely regarded as the world’s first automobile; that is
a vehicle designed to be propelled by an internal combustion engine
The original cost of the vehicle in 1885 was $1,000 (equivalent to $26,337 in 2015)
chose to publicize the Patent-Motorwagen in a unique manner: She took the Patent-Motorwagen No
supposedly without her husband’s knowledge
and drove it on the first long-distance automobile road trip to demonstrate its feasibility as a means to travel long distances
as the entrepreneurial lady took her sons Eugen and Richard
on a ride from Mannheim through Heidelberg
and Wiesloch (where she took on ligroin as a fuel at the city pharmacy
making it the first filling station in history)
cleaning the carburetor with her hat pin and using a garter to insulate a wire
She refueled at the local pharmacy in Wiesloch and as the brakes wore down
Benz asked a local shoemaker to nail leather on the brake blocks
After sending a telegram to her husband of the arrival in Pforzheim
she spent the night at her mother’s house and returned home three days later
After developing a successful gasoline-powered two-stroke piston engine in 1873
Benz focused on developing a motorized vehicle while maintaining a career as a designer and manufacturer of stationary engines and their associated parts
The Benz Patent-Motorwagen was a three-wheeled automobile with a rear-mounted engine
It was constructed of steel tubing with woodwork panels
The steel-spoked wheels and solid rubber tires were Benz’s own design
a parade of antique automobiles celebrates this historic trip of Bertha Benz every two years
the Bertha Benz Memorial Route was officially approved as a route of industrial heritage of mankind
because it follows Bertha Benz’s tracks of the world’s first long-distance journey by automobile in 1888
Now everybody can follow the 194 km (121 mi) of signposted route from Mannheim via Heidelberg to Pforzheim (Black Forest) and back
Neil Patrick is one of the authors writing for The Vintage News
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