Template:Did you know nominations/Principality of Erfurt


 * The following is an archived discussion of the DYK nomination of the article below. Please do not modify this page. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as |this nomination's talk page, the article's talk page or Wikipedia talk:Did you know), unless there is consensus to re-open the discussion at this page. No further edits should be made to this page.

The result was: promoted by Allen3 talk 15:23, 27 January 2016 (UTC)

Principality of Erfurt

 * ... that during the Napoleonic occupation of the Principality of Erfurt, the French introduced street lighting and a tax on foreign horses to pay for maintaining the road surface?
 * ALT1:... that during Napoleon's occupation of the Principality of Erfurt, the French auctioned off the inventory of the Peterskirche—including the organ, bells and even the tower of the Corpus Christi chapel?
 * ALT2:... that a 70-foot (21-metre) column was built in Napoleon's Principality of Erfurt to commemorate the birth of the Prince Imperial—only to be destroyed within 3 years when the Sixth Coalition recaptured the city?
 * ALT3:... that rioting after the French decreed 1,000 men from their Principality of Erfurt would be conscripted into the Grande Armée led the French to order the closure of all inns and alehouses?
 * ALT4:... that during the Napoleonic occupation of the Principality of Erfurt, the French dismantled part of one of the fortresses protected the city, looking for imaginary treasure that couldn't possibly exist?
 * Reviewed: Exempt (3 credits), but will review one or more shortly

5x expanded by OwenBlacker (talk). Self-nominated at 00:43, 11 January 2016 (UTC).


 * Thank you Jolly Janner (also, say hi to Plymouth for me; I grew up in Ivybridge :o) ). I was meaning to fix the cn I forgot that I'd left about the destruction of the Cyriaksburg Fortress this evening, so I shall find a suitable reference for that first background paragraph as well.
 * The destruction of the Napoleonsäule is referenced in citation 8 (, which has an image of Beck's painting of the column all aflame). The relevant passage reads, which Google translates to
 * I've also added an inline citation pointing to reference 5 where it reads 1811 (20. März) ... Die ca. 20 m hohe Säule wird beim Einmarsch der verbündeten Truppen 1814 durch Bürger der Stadt zerstört., which Google translates to The 20 m high column is destroyed by citizens of the city during the invasion of the allied troops 1814th. Both machine translations are clearly imperfect, but both should give you enough detail not to need to assume my good faith, I would hope? :o)  I've also added clearer citations to both of those pages for the detail of the Napoleonshöhe as well, fwiw.
 * Does that resolve your concerns with ALT2 ? Do you still need me to sort out a reference for the first paragraph of the background section or can that be taken in good faith for the DYKnom? (Like I say, I should be able to look at that this evening, I would hope.) — OwenBlacker (Talk) 07:56, 13 January 2016 (UTC)
 * Does that resolve your concerns with ALT2 ? Do you still need me to sort out a reference for the first paragraph of the background section or can that be taken in good faith for the DYKnom? (Like I say, I should be able to look at that this evening, I would hope.) — OwenBlacker (Talk) 07:56, 13 January 2016 (UTC)


 * Symbol voting keep.svg Thank you for the translations, although all that was needed was an inline citation for the sentence. I can now see you have done so for the column's construction (and destruction). Based on the overall exceptionally high quality of referencing, and the fact that the background paragraph isn't very disputable, I will pass the overall referencing quality on the article. I would advise a closing editor to use ALT2 for Wikipedia's 15th Birthday and trim away the second phrase about its destruction. PS I've actually never lived in Plymouth. I spent the first 18 years of my life growing up in Ivybridge, however. I've now moved far away and cannot say hello for you :(  Jolly  Ω   Janner  23:17, 13 January 2016 (UTC)
 * Hah, what a small world :o)
 * Out of interest, what's your concern about the destruction? I thought the reference for that was ok (and that's what I thought made the hook more interesting). If you don'think it's adequately referenced, I'd like to improve that... — OwenBlacker (Talk) 11:29, 15 January 2016 (UTC)


 * The referencing on its destruction is/was perfect. It is merely that I was searching for potential hooks to celebrate Wikipedia's 15th Birthday and felt that would be ideal, however mentioning its destruction put a damper on the theme. The Birthday has since passed, so any closing reviewer can select whichever hook they prefer (in full). Just a side-note (and I have fixed this in the aritcle), the 70-foot column was rounded and converted from 20 m, so don't convert backwards and end up with 21 m!  Jolly  Ω   Janner  21:13, 15 January 2016 (UTC)
 * Aaah, I see. I thought that it was destroyed so soon after was an amusing part of the hook, personally, but them humour is subjective, after all, and I can see what you mean if you were looking for a birthday-specific hook. I've reverted your size change, though — while the first source says "ca. 20m", but the second source says Die Säule hatte eine Höhe von 70 Fuß, also etwa 21 m. ("The pillar had a height of 70 foot, thus about 21 m"). I had originally put exactly what you changed it to, but then amended it to be 70-foot once I found the second source. Good spot, though; it's nice to know people actually check the references properly! — OwenBlacker (Talk) 09:39, 21 January 2016 (UTC)
 * That's quite alright. My final recommendation would therefore be to add a conversion in metres to the hook, as some of our readers will be unfamiliar with feet as a measurement, especially since the article is now in Germany. All the hooks are great, but I have a slight liking to ALT2. I will leave them all unstruck and up to the promoter to chose.  Jolly  Ω   Janner  09:45, 21 January 2016 (UTC)
 * I've added that conversion, as you recommend, plus I've added an ALT4, now that I've found a reference for it. — OwenBlacker (Talk) 19:50, 23 January 2016 (UTC)
 * It just occurs to me; could I ask you repeat the DYK checklist review please, so it's clear that all issues have been resolved (assuming you're happy with everything, of course). Thank you so much for helping me get there! — OwenBlacker (Talk) 19:58, 23 January 2016 (UTC)