-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 In case you haven't read it, here's a partial synopsis of Heinrich von Kleist's "Michael Kohlhaas", written in 1810.... *** In Michael Kohlhaas, Heinrich von Kleist tells the grim story of how a relatively small injustice escalates almost into civic insurrection. It is the story of the wealthy horse trader Michael Kohlhaas. The strange and unhappy story of this man takes it beginning one day when he is travelling to Saxony with a couple of well-fed young horses. Crossing the border he is asked to show his travel permit. Michael Kohlhaas has never heard that such permit is necessary, and does not have money available to pay for one. Instead he leaves behind as security two black horses together with a boy who is told to care well for them. They are all placed in the care of the castle bailiff, Junker Wenzel von Tronka. When Michael Kohlhaas later arrives in Dresden he finds out that a travel permit was not necessary. He succeeds in selling the rest of his horses and returns to collect his two black horses and the boy. He finds the horses in miserable condition in a stable, while the boy has been chased away for disobedience. Kohlhaas is incensed and refuses to accept the horses as they are. Instead he carries his case to the court, but his complaint is turned down, apparently because the bailiff, Junker Tronka, is related to the officials of the court. His wife goes to Berlin to deliver a petition in person. Guards hinder her in delivering the petition and by accident one of them wounds her fatally. Kohlhaas swears revenge. He rides to the castle of Junker Wenzel von Tronka, and burns down everything.The Junker has already fled to Wittenberg. Kohlhaas follows him, torches part of the town, and threatens to continue until the Junker is delivered to him. The Junker flees to Leipzig with Kohlhaas at his heels. A growing number of people is following Kohlhaas. What began as a personal vendetta has grown into a small but dangerous insurrection. *** I won't spoil the ending...a great story! ~Faustine. *** He that would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself. - -Thomas Paine -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGPsdk version 1.7.1 (C) 1997-1999 Network Associates, Inc. and its affiliated companies. (Diffie-Helman/DSS-only version) iQA/AwUBPBVqbPg5Tuca7bfvEQK34QCghbuiHMQ3wdvdUQHKzg7CGgLTfcYAoPmW qOOI4h1PAHS/5ZwBTEAOSFb+ =TALZ -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----