An Introduction

I am Elijah Wallace and I am returning to school after almost a decade's hiatus in order to complete my BA in History. From 2005 to 2013, I had the pleasure of serving in the United States Army and getting see many parts of our world that I would not have otherwise. One of these is the Rhine-Main region (in German, Frankfurt/Rhein-Main) of Germany; where I lived for four years of my service. Now one might say what's the big deal about a river valley in the middle of a relatively flat region of Europe. 

The Rhine forms the classical border of Germany and at this confluence of rivers lies one of historical heartlands of the nation. For example, Mainz and Trier were founded by Rome, on occasion themselves Imperial capitals, seats of the mighty medieval Prince-Archbishops, and sites of grand Gothic and Baroque architecture. Cities like Frankfurt am Main and Darmstadt even today help keep Germany's status high in the fields of economics and engineering. The area has seen millennia of bloodshed as various peoples have vied to control the farmland, commerce, and boundaries of the region (see France's never ending quest to make the Rhine her frontier). My intent in this blog is share the nature and beauty of this landscape as well as how that has effected the history of Germany and Europe as a whole.