Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Lavisse, Ernest

(Encyclopedia)Lavisse, Ernest ĕrnĕstˈ lävēsˈ [key], 1842–1922, French historian. He was for many years a professor at the Sorbonne. His early works deal chiefly with the history of Prussia, particularly Fre...

La Mettrie, Julien Offray de

(Encyclopedia)La Mettrie, Julien Offray de zhülyăNˈ ôfrāˈ də lä mĕtrēˈ [key], 1709–51, French physician and philosopher. On the basis of personal observation he claimed that psychical activity is purel...

Dithmarschen

(Encyclopedia)Dithmarschen dĭtˈmärshən [key], region, SW Schleswig-Holstein, N Germany, between the Elbe and Eider rivers. It is chiefly an agricultural region, with extensive cattle raising in the west. The ea...

Altenburg

(Encyclopedia)Altenburg älˈtənbo͝ork [key], city, Thuringia, E Germany, on the Pleisse River. Manufactures include sewing machines, apparel, and cigars. Lignite is mined nearby. “...

Kaiserslautern

(Encyclopedia)Kaiserslautern kīˌzərslouˈtərn [key], city (1994 pop. 102,370), Rhineland-Palatinate, W Germany, on the Lauter River. It is a commercial, industrial, and cultural center, and a center for banking...

National Ballet of Canada

(Encyclopedia)National Ballet of Canada, the leading Canadian ballet company. Based in Toronto, it was founded (1951) by Celia Franca (1921–2007) and modeled on Sadler's Wells (now the Royal Ballet). Its repertoi...

Ottocar I

(Encyclopedia)Ottocar I pərzhĕmˈĭsəl ôtˈôkär [key], d. 1230, duke (1197–98) and king (1198–1230) of Bohemia. The struggle within the Holy Roman Empire for the imperial crown enabled Ottocar to obtain (...

Mwanawasa, Levy Patrick

(Encyclopedia)Mwanawasa, Levy Patrick lĕvˈē ĕmwäˌnəwäˈsə [key], 1948–2008, Zambian political leader, president of Zambia (2002–8). A lawyer opposed to Kenneth Kaunda's rule, he gained prominence in 19...

Menzel, Adolph Friedrich Erdmann von

(Encyclopedia)Menzel, Adolph Friedrich Erdmann von äˈdôlf frēˈdrĭkh ĕrtˈmän fən mĕnˈtsəl [key], 1815–1905, German painter and illustrator. Self-taught, Menzel made lithographic illustrations for Goet...

Conrad the Red

(Encyclopedia)Conrad the Red, d. 955, duke of Lotharingia (Lorraine; 944–53). A Franconian adherent of the German king Otto I (later Holy Roman emperor), he was made duke of Lotharingia and married Otto's daughte...
 

Browse by Subject