city, Baden-Württemberg Land (state), southern Germany, on the Kocher River, at the northern foot of the Schwäbische Alb (Swabian Alps), 30 miles (48 km) north of Ulm. It originated around a large Roman fort, much of which remains; nearby are the remains of the Roman limes (frontier wall). It became a free imperial city in 1360 and was severely damaged by fire in 1634. It passed to Württemberg in 1802. The old city hall dates from 1636 and the church of Sankt Nikolaus from 1765. The Limesmuseum of Roman relics was opened in 1964. In 1975 the adjoining city of Wasseralfingen was annexed to Aalen, enlarging it by nearly a third. A communications center, Aalen also has metal, textile, and chemical industries. Pop. (1989 est.) 62,812.
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born Sept. 10, 1866, Aakjær, Den.
died April 22, 1930, Jenle
poet and novelist, leading exponent of Danish regional literature and of the literature of social consciousness.
Aakjær grew up in the Jutland farming area and so was well aware of the harsh conditions endured by farm labourers in his country. His early novels deal primarily with this theme. As a young man he went to study in Copenhagen, earning his living as a proofreader and later as a journalist. Vredens born, et tyendes saga (1904; “Children of Wrath: A Hired Man's Saga”), which is considered to be his most powerful novel, was a strong plea for the betterment of the farm laborer's lot. The book initiated much public discussion and helped lead the way to some minimal reforms. He was best-known, however, for his poems, especially those collected in Fri felt (1905; “Free Fields”) and Rugens sange (1906; “Songs of the Rye”). A number of modern Danish composers have set Aakjær's poems to music; his “Jens Vejmand” (music by Carl Nielsen) is virtually a modern folk song. Only a few of his poems have been translated into English.
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French: Aix-la-Chapelle, Dutch: Aken,
city, North Rhine-Westphalia Land (state), western Germany. Its municipal boundaries coincide on the west with the frontiers of Belgium and The Netherlands. It was the favorite residence of the emperor Charlemagne, and it served as the principal coronation site of Holy Roman emperors and of German kings from the Middle Ages to the Reformation. The Palatine Chapel, a masterpiece of Carolingian architecture, is incorporated within Aachen Cathedral, which was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List in 1978.
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