The Ulm Sparrow (Ger. ''Ulmer Spatz'') is a landmark in, and symbol of, the

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

city of

Ulm Ulm () is a city in the German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Danube on the border with Bavaria. The city, which has an estimated population of more than 126,000 (2018), forms an urban district of its own (german: link=no, ...

. According to legend, the inhabitants of Ulm needed a particularly large beam for the construction of

Ulm Minster Ulm Minster (german: Ulmer Münster) is a Lutheran church located in Ulm, State of Baden-Württemberg (Germany). It is currently the tallest church in the world. The church is the fifth-tallest structure built before the 20th century, with a ...

, but could not get it through the city gate. As they were about to tear the gate down, they noticed a sparrow carrying a straw for its nest; which turned it from crosswise to lengthwise in its beak. A realization descended on the people of Ulm. Since that epiphany, they have placed long loads along rather than across their carts and were able to enter the city without rebuilding their gate. The legend is first recorded in an 1842 poem by Carl Hertzog. This legend has given rise to the Ulm Sparrow Award. The award tends to be an image of the Ulmer Spatz, usually a figurine in metal, ceramic, plastic, or recyclable paper, with a title along the lines of "The Ulm Sparrow Award". It is awarded to a person who brings forward a seemingly important idea or concept, possibly seeking undeserved recognition, isn't at all important, is superfluous, or is rather obvious. It is generally awarded in jest, or not, but the message is clear: let's not waste effort on the trivial and non-contributing, let's focus on what truly matters. The Ulm Sparrow Award has entered our culture in a number of disciplines and gatherings including medicine, engineering, and law to mention a few. It is likely to enter the political arena quite soon.

The legend's origin

The figure on the nave of Ulm Minster was donated by wealthy citizens. It is not a sparrow, but a dove carrying an

olive branch The olive branch is a symbol of peace and victory associated with customs of ancient Greece and connected with supplication to gods and persons in power. It is found in most cultures of the Mediterranean basin and became associated with peace ...

in its beak, as in the biblical story of

Noah's Ark Noah's Ark ( he, תיבת נח; Biblical Hebrew: ''Tevat Noaḥ'')The word "ark" in modern English comes from Old English ''aerca'', meaning a chest or box. (See Cresswell 2010, p.22) The Hebrew word for the vessel, ''teva'', occurs twice in t ...

. It is small in relation to the building, and only easily visible from the tower. Over time, the inhabitants came to refer to it mockingly as a sparrow, and the legend grew from there.

Cultural and other references

* ''Ulmer Spatz'' is a nickname both for inhabitants of Ulm and for players in the sports club

SSV Ulm 1846 SSV Ulm 1846 is a German football club from Ulm, Baden-Württemberg. The modern-day football department, officially playing as SSV Ulm 1846 Fussball, was formed on 9 March 2009 when the department separated from SSV Ulm 1846. The club's great ...

. * ''Ulmer Spatz'' is a glazed bread roll, similar to a

pretzel A pretzel (), from German pronunciation, standard german: Breze(l) ( and French / Alsatian: ''Bretzel'') is a type of baked bread made from dough that is commonly shaped into a knot. The traditional pretzel shape is a distinctive symmetrical ...

. * A children's and youth's choir is named ''Die Ulmer Spatzen''. * A tramcar called ''Ulmer Spatz'' operates at weekends from Ulm through the

Swabian Jura The Swabian Jura (german: Schwäbische Alb , more rarely ), sometimes also named Swabian Alps in English, is a mountain range in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, extending from southwest to northeast and in width. It is named after the region of ...

. * A restored cruise ship on the Upper

Danube The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...

is named ''Ulmer Spatz''. *

Asteroid An asteroid is a minor planet of the inner Solar System. Sizes and shapes of asteroids vary significantly, ranging from 1-meter rocks to a dwarf planet almost 1000 km in diameter; they are rocky, metallic or icy bodies with no atmosphere. ...

8345 Ulmerspatz is named after the Ulm Sparrow.

References

{{reflist

Gallery

File:Ulm-UlmerSpatz-Musikschule.JPG, at the music school File:Ulm-UlmerSpatz-Modegeschaeft.JPG, on a fashion shop File:Ulm-UlmerSpatz-Juwelier.JPG, at a jewelry store File:Ulm-UlmerSpatz-Gaststaette.JPG, at the restaurant ''Ulmer Spatz'' File:Ulm Münster 12.JPG, The sparrow on the roof (in the centre of the picture) Ulm