Cologne Germany

Reportedly the original Eau de Cologne developed in 1792 in Koln, Germany and it was based on a formula and that is was made by a French ?migr? friar. The Carthusian monk was a member of a contemplative order of the Roman Catholic Church, founded during the 11th century by Saint Bruno. Because of religious persecution, he had taken refuge with one of Cologne's wealthiest families, the Mulhenses. The holy man gave the secret recipe for "Miracle Water" (because of its supposed healing powers) to their son Wilhelm as a wedding gift. Wilhelm whipped up a batch and was so impressed (and so were his friends) by the refreshing citrus tonic that he set up shop in the family home and started taking orders. The scent got its name from the address number of the Mulhens family perfume shop. Cologne is the French name for the German city, and during the 1974 French occupation of Cologne, Napoleon used to bathe in a dilution of this scent. The French introduced it to the rest of the world and it's still a popular scent today. Not very many people know about this little bit of history of cologne or that it does have a small foundation in Germany. When people think of cologne in Germany they only think of the city. Too bad that nobody has really thought about where the cities name came from. Primitive perfumery began with burning of gums and resins for incense used in religious rites of ancient China, Palestine, and Egypt. Then scented plants were incorporated into animal and vegetable oils to anoint the body for ceremonies. By 3000 BC Egyptians were importing large quantities of Myrrh. Ever since the days when people began using the odors of frankincense and sandalwood, they have been a part of the perfume industry. Many of these scents are still used in colognes today.

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