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One year ago on Round and Square (27 May 2012)—Primary Sources: Education and Acculturation (g)Two years ago on Round and Square (27 May 2011)—Le Tour de la France (2)
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| [a] Lederpug RF |
What is the use of running when you are on the wrong road?
—Bavarian Proverb
No worries, though—my name is Lederhosen Pug, and I know the way (知道).
And the path to knowledge today runs through outlaw territory.
Grandpa Pug used to tell me stories of Rauber Knießl ("Robber Knießl), and his outlaw ways.
In fact, Mathias Knießl might be the most famous robber in all of Bavarian history. He never could hold down a job for long, and he joined his father and brothers in stock rustling and various robberies along the Bavarian "highways" of his day.
And the path to knowledge today runs through outlaw territory.
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| [b] Highway robbery RF |
In fact, Mathias Knießl might be the most famous robber in all of Bavarian history. He never could hold down a job for long, and he joined his father and brothers in stock rustling and various robberies along the Bavarian "highways" of his day.
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| [c] Not to be outdone...RF |
He robbed, eluded authorities and, in one very sorry turn of events, killed two policemen in a fierce gun battle. It still took time for sixty policemen to capture him three months later, and put him in jail for the final time. He was executed in 1902 for those shootings, which he said were the only part of his spree that he regretted.
The bigger story in my pug-world is the fascination with rebels. I once had an overseas pug from Northfield, Minnesota, (he was named Ole). He told me of the fascination with a robber called "Jesse James" in the decades before Mathias went on his rampage. Northfield still has a "Defeat of Jesse James Days" celebration every September. I then told Olaf about Robber Mathias, and we both wondered why they have almost cult status.
It's a good question, and one worth pondering.
Farmers in Bavaria saw him as a rebel who stood up to authorities. Grandpug was always more careful, saying that nothing ever justifies killing—ever.
And then he told me more Robber Knießl stories.
Puzzled Pug.
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| [d] Highway robbery RF |
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