S07 → N400
The Spike of Fascinating & Unexpected
SPIKE 33
→ BELL.
© 1. unknown / 2. Archives Le Républicain Lorrain/Collection Antoine Keller — Requisition of the bells from Vahl-Ebersing for Prussian foundries (1914) / 3. Archives Le Républicain Lorrain/Collection Roger Houpert — Baptism of the bells in Léning on March 18 (1923) / 4. Archives Le Républicain Lorrain/Collection Le Bouquiniste à Ham-sous-Varsberg — Requisition of the bells in Baronville on August 16 (1917) / 5. Archives Le Républicain Lorrain/Collection Jean-Claude Charlut — The return of the bells in the 1920s / 6. “Le Petit Journal” — A bell ringer struck by lightning (1910) / 7. Archives Le Républicain Lorrain/Collection M. Bour — Old bells of Landange before their requisition to be melted down (1917) / 8. Archives Le Républicain Lorrain/Collection Jean-Michel Mutz — The bells of Arzviller destroyed to make cannons (1917) / 9. Le Dauphiné — The bell “La Savoyarde” was the official contribution of Savoy to France, for the National Vow, but also for its attachment to France in 1860. The Paccard brothers posing in front of their work. After five days of travel from Annecy, La Savoyarde was laboriously hoisted up the hill of Montmartre, pulled by about thirty Percheron horses. The streets taken were sanded to facilitate their work. / 10. St. Wenceslaus Cemetery — The first line from Schiller’s “The Lay of the Bell”: vivos voco mortuos plango, fulgura frango / 11. Schaffhausen Stadt Schweiz — Schillerglocke, Fulgura frango / 12. unknown — Tsar Kolokol (Tsar Bell), Moscow Kremlin.
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The belief in the protective power of ringing bells against lightning, storms, and other natural phenomena was widespread in Europe during the Middle Ages and into the early modern period. Church bells, in particular, were often rung during storms to invoke divine intervention and protect the community from harm. It was believed that the sound of the bells would disperse the storm clouds, drive away evil spirits, and prevent lightning strikes. The inscription “Fulgura Frango” (“I break lightning”) found on many bells reflects this belief in their protective power against lightning strikes. People thought that the vibrations produced by the ringing bells could disrupt the electrical charge in the atmosphere, thereby reducing the risk of lightning strikes and other storm-related dangers.
Before the advent of modern navigational technology, sailors relied on the sound of bells to help them navigate in foggy or low-visibility conditions. Lighthouses and buoy markers were equipped with bells that rang at specific intervals, providing audible signals to indicate the location of hazards or navigational aids. These “bell buoys” helped sailors determine their position and avoid running aground or colliding with obstacles.
To date, the world’s largest functioning bell is the Tsar Bell, located in Moscow, Russia, named Tsar Kolokol. Cast in 1735-1737 by Ivan Motorin and his son Mikhail, the Tsar Bell is a massive bronze bell that stands over 6 metres (20 feet) tall and weighs approximately 200 tons. However, despite its impressive size, the Tsar Bell has never been rung due to a large piece breaking off during a fire in 1737 while it was still in the casting pit.
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