Catalan donkey
The Catalonian donkey is a breed of donkey house in Catalonia. It is believed that this is a very old breed. With the diminishing importance of this domestic animal in agriculture stocks declined threatening. From once 50,000 animals remain still around 500 copies, of which about 100 outside Catalonia.
With a shoulder height of up to 1.65 meters and a weight of around half a ton of the Catalan donkey is the largest and heaviest of its kind In summer he has all over his body a short black coat with the exception of the white areas around the mouth, eyes and on the abdomen. The winter coat is much longer and dark brown. A special feature are the ears that keeps the animal upright at any age. You never fall to the side.
Unofficial national symbol of Catalonia
The Catalonian donkey ( Catalan: El Burro Català Català Ruc or El ) is an extremely popular, unofficial national symbol of Catalonia, which can be understood only in its genesis as a Spanish Osborne bull opposite symbol.
The created by the Spanish Osborne Group for marketing purposes for the brandy Veterano in 1956 Osborne bull evolved over time from an advertising character become a national symbol of Spain. In conjunction with the Spanish flag of the Osborne bull is often used as a distinguishing feature of the Spanish political rights. The Catalan nationalism and the aforementioned "political charge " of the Osborne bull, have resulted in Catalonia for the dissemination of its own, the Osborne bull diametrically opposed symbol, the " Catalan donkey ". The bandwidth of this symbolic opposition ranges from the ironic analogy of your own donkey - symbol at the Spanish bull to the polemical rejection and combating distinctive bull. The " Catalan donkey " is spread on stickers, t-shirts, slippers, and similar items.
The original design of the stylized donkey was designed in 2000 by graphic designer Eloi Alegre from Sant Cugat del Vallès. A second, slightly modified version of the figure is from Jaume Sala and Àlex Ferreiro, who had 2004 Alegre concluded an agreement on the use of the symbol. A legal dispute over the authorship of the character - and thus to the growing revenues from the marketing of the figure - in 2007, decided in that Alegre on the one hand and Sala / Ferreiro other hand, can market their particular version of the donkey free, damage claims of both parties were not recognized.
Similar icons emerged in other provinces of the Spanish state with strongly developed its own national character such as the Basque country with its " Basque sheep " and Galicia, with its " Galician cow ".
Bedwarmers
In Catalonia, a special Bettvorwärmer El Burro is ( " donkey " ), or El Ruc ( also " the donkey " ) called. This bed warmer consists of a slide-shaped wooden frame, which together with a metal plate - is provided for preheating the bed under the covers - filled with Kaminglut. The actual wooden Burro here prevents the glow contact gets to the bed. Such Bettvorwärmtechnik is still in Catalan farmhouses in application. Functionally similar to such a " Burro " formerly in Germany usual, filled with coal bed pan that was set before going to bed under the covers.