|
|
 |
| June 2002 Newsletter |
|
|
GERMAN LANGUAGE COURSES - GRUNDSTUFE EXAMINATIONS TIMETABLE |
|
Grundstufe IB (Second Year)
Grundstufe II (Third Year) |
|
|
|
|
| HIGHLIGHTS FOR JUNE |
|
|
|
HOLZ - MÖBEL - MALTA? Erlebnisreiche und interessante Fachexkursion der Freiburger Akademie für Betriebsmanagement, Möbelbau und Innenraumgestaltung |
|
|
|
Trade Fairs Germany is number one |
|
Trade Fairs are flourishing in Germany. The numbers of exhibitors and visitors are on the rise, and interest continues to grow. Trade fairs and exhibitions are once again in demand because they have a clear advantage over the virtual: they provide contact. This article is being reproduced to mark the German-Maltese Circle’s involvement, also this year in the organisation of the German Pavilion in the Malta International Trade Fair which will open on the 26th June. |
|
As a location for trade fairs and exhibitions, Germany does not just boast a number of great names. It also ranks at the top internationally. CeBit and the International Auto Exhibition (IAA) are at the top of the itinerary for IT and automotive specialists the world over. The Frankfurt Book Fair and the Berlin Radio & TV Fair regularly attract hundreds of thousands of literary and broadcasting types from all over the world. Two-thirds of the leading trade fairs in any given field take place in Germany. Three of the four largest trade fair/exhibition locations in the world are located in Germany. Six of the ten strongest trade fair companies in the world have their headquarters here. More than 10 million visitors flock annually to the almost 150 international trade fairs and exhibitions that the country hosts. 175,000 exhibitors a year make use of Germany’s facilities to market their products. Germany’s cosmopolitanism is its trump card when it comes to such events. More than 45% of the exhibitors come from outside Germany, a third of those from outside Europe. Almost a fifth of the visitors come from abroad. Furthermore, German organizers arrange some 160 events a year in growth areas outside of Germany, especially in central and eastern Europe, Asia and South America. Trade fairs: an important economic factor The trade fair and exhibition business is a key industry in Germany’s service sector economy. On the international level it is considered the best performing and most innovative of all trade fair locations. German trade fair companies have an annual turnover of almost a 5 billion marks. Exhibitors and visitors spend over 17 billion marks a year on trade fairs in Germany. Some 100,000 people in Germany are employed by trade fair activity. All of this comes to a total contribution of 41 billion marks to the country’s economy. And it supplies jobs for some 230,000 people overall. The latest figures from the Exhibition and Trade Fair Committee of the Association of German Industry (AUMA) bear witness to the sector’s dynamism. Despite the growing competition provided by other forms of communication, trade fair organizers saw considerable increases in their turnover last year. By comparison with the events of the147 international trade fairs in 2000, rented space increased by an average of 5.2% to a total of 7.2 million square metres. This is the highest growth rate of the last ten years. The increase in exhibition space is also reflected in the rise of exhibitors. On average the trade fairs in the year 2000 showed a gain of 5.1% to 175,000 exhibitors. The number of exhibitors from abroad grew at an even higher rate, by 7.5%, totalling 82,000 exhibitors, representing 47% of the total. The number of visitors to international trade fairs grew slightly, by 1.5%. The reason behind this was the boom in the IT trade fairs, whereas the number of visitors to other fairs remained relatively constant. Today, some 10 million visitors a year make their way to trade fairs in Germany, of whom two million are from abroad. The growth of trade fairs throughout Germany is being spurred predominantly by capital goods fairs. According to an AUMA survey German companies are coming to rely more heavily on trade fairs as a way to do business. For the period 2001-2002 they intend to spend almost 14% more for domestic and overseas events than they did in the previous two years. Using these projections as a starting point, AUMA is counting on a rise of 3% to 4% in the number of exhibitors and rented space for the year 2001. Trade fairs have histories Like no other place at all, the new Leipzig Messe stands as a witness to the centuries-old tradition of trade fairs in Germany. The 1.35-billion-mark trade fair grounds, with the glass palace standing as a landmark, was opened in 1996. The origins of the Leipzig trade fairs go back to the 13th century. In a declaration of escort privilege from 1268, merchants, no matter where they came from, were assured protection and promotion while in the city going about their business. It remains unclear when the spring and fall fairs came into being. But the proof reveals that the fair in Leipzig was being mentioned at the same time as those in Champagne and Frankfurt am Main. The beginnings of the industrial era in the 18th century changed life for the trade fairs. In the spring of 1895 the first “sample” fair was held in Leipzig. No goods were for sale, merely samples of various things that could then be ordered. Such sample fairs shaped the trade fair and exhibition landscape in Germany and Europe until well into the 20th century. Even during the days of the German Democratic Republic, Leipzig was able to maintain its reputation as a leading trade fair centre. After the GDR collapsed, the last sample trade fair took place in Leipzig in 1991. Today Leipzig once again has one of the most modern trade fair and exhibition centres in the world, with 100,000 square metres of covered space. The Leipzig Book Fair is a particular attraction for international participants. Fairs are happenings The most telling characteristic of the German trade fair and exhibition landscape is its diversity. Of the 150 internationally leading trade fairs, 100 of them take place in Germany. Two of the most popular include the International Automobile Exhibition (IAA) in Frankfurt and CeBit, the computer and telecommunic-ations fair in Hanover. But even a specialist fair such as the Dupa (printing and paper) in Dusseldorf brings out half a million visitors every five years. Cologne is the number one meeting point for people from 25 industries, and Photokina is one of its best-known events. With Equitana, the fair centre at Essen hosts the world’s leading get-together in all things equine. Berlin shows the way with both the International Radio & TV Fair and the International Tourism Exchange, ITB. The International Air and Space Exhibition takes place in Berlin-Brandenburg every two years. In the north of the country, Hamburg attracts visitors and exhibitors from 50 countries with its biannual SMM, the trade fair for the shipbuilding industry. At the other end of the country, Munich is the place to be for the international sports article fair, Ispo. Nuremberg is famous for holding the toy fair every year. Even behind such enigmatic anagrams as Bauma, K, and Anuga world market leaders are hidden. Hosted by Munich, Bauma is the largest and most famous trade fair for engineering equipment and machinery. K is the magic letter behind “Kautschuk” and “Kunststoff,” the international fair for rubber and synthetics in Dusseldorf. And in Anuga in Cologne is the world’s top event in the field of nutrition. The unique nature of this fair is not only found in its size, but in the fact that this industry brings everything from bread to milk, fruit and vegetables, fish and meat all to one place. The trend is towards these major fairs also making themselves the number one in their fields even outside of Germany. This allows the event organizer to demonstrate a truly global competence in a particular branch and strengthen its ties to customers. The trendsetter in this regard is the Messe Frankfurt, which now stages its “Automechanica” fair for the automotive supply industry in nine additional locations, from Singapore to Mexico. Trade fairs on the Internet “Trade fairs and exhibitions can no longer be much admired white elephants. They increasingly have to live up to another media. This is especially true when it comes to the internet,” says Dr. Hermann Kresse, managing director of the Exhibition and Trade Fair Committee of the Association of German Industry (AUMA). The German Trade Fair and Exhibition Council is now present in a big way on the internet. The site, at www.auma.de provides a wealth of important information on trade fairs and exhibitions in Germany and other countries. Nevertheless, the world wide web cannot replace direct contact. German trade fair organizers have also increased their internet presence in a very big way over the past few years. They use it to provide information about their events and to help promote business contacts. The Frankfurt Trade Fair and Exhibition Centre – the largest in Germany when it comes to the number of exhibitors and visitors – now offers online services between events, at www.messefrankfurt.de. They want to make use of this service to expand the entire exhibition business by providing specific industry information, marketing services, and forums. Such online access will also allow visitors to be better prepared than ever before. The Deutsche Messe AG in Hanover, which stages the computer and telecommunications trade fair, “CeBIT”, as well as the Hanover Messe, is on the internet in a special way with its Global Online Business Information System. www.globis.de has become a treasure trove of information, providing 20,000 entries on businesses and 40,000 on products. Since 1998 they have been selling tickets, catalogues, and product information over the net. And in future they will offer CeBIT exhibitors a new option: The Fair will be carried live over the internet! Source: Deutschland – Article written by Martin Ort
|
|
How does the hour feel when we change to summer time? Die vergessene Stunde zwei von Gerlinde Kupp |
|
Was passierte, als in der Nacht zum 27. März auf Sommerzeit umgestellt wurde. Eines Tages Ende März wachte die Stunde aus ihrem Dreiundzwanzig-Stunden-Schlaf auf und erschrak. “Oh, du liebe Kuckucksuhr”, rief sie entsetzt. “Habe ich verschlafen?” Verstört starrte sie auf die Uhr am Hauptbahnhof. Der große Zeiger stand auf “Zwölf”, der kleine auf der “Drei”. “Drei Uhr?” fragte die Stunde. “Wieso drei Uhr? Ich bin doch nun an der Reihe. Nach ‘Eins’ kommt ‘Zwei’, und das bin ich.” Die Stunde kletterte zur Bahnhofsuhr hinauf und setzte sich auf den kleinen Uhr-Zeiger. “Du gehst falsch”, rief sie erregt. “Du musst auf die ‘Zwei’ zurück!”. “Noch nie bin ich falsch gegangen”, brummte die Uhr. “Aber jetzt gehst du falsch!” rief die Stunde verzweifelt. “Du hast einen Fehler gemacht!” “Ich mach niemals einen Fehler!” Die Stunde heulte los. “Du hast mich übersehen. Nach ‘Eins’ kommt ‘Zwei’ und nicht ‘Drei’. Du bist eine Stunde weit vorgerückt. Halt an!” Der ‘Drei’ wurde es zuviel. “Jetzt halte endlich die Schnauze, damit ich meine Arbeit tun kann”, meckerte sie. “Aber was wird mit mir?” Die Stunde wusste nicht ein noch aus. “Ihr könnt mich doch nicht einfach vergessen!” “Dann pass’ nächstes Mal besser auf! Und jetzt geh zum Kuckuck und lass mich in Ruhe meine Arbeit machen!” Die Bahnhofsuhr tat, als sei die Stunde nicht mehr da, und tickte weiter. Die Stunde jammerte. “Du stiehlst mir nicht mehr meine Zeit! Ich werde aufpassen wie ein Luchs.” Und das tat sie auch. Die ganze Nacht und den ganzen Tag starrte sie zur Bahnhofsuhr hinauf. Gleimäßig rückte der kleine Zeiger vor, von einer Stunde zur anderen. Es wurde wieder Nacht. Zehn Uhr, elf, zwölf, ein Uhr – und als der kleine Zeiger kurz vor der ‘Zwei’ stand, sprang die Stunde mit einem Satz auf die ‘Zwei’ und klammerte sich an ihr fest. Und dieses Mal blieb der kleine Zeiger auf der ‘Zwei’ stehen, so wie er es immer tut. Tag für Tag und Nacht für Nacht. Die Stunde aber wunderte sich noch immer. “Verrückt”, dachte sie. “Ich bin vielleicht eine verrückte Stunde!” Na, wie wird sie sich in einem vier Monaten, so etwa Ende September, erst wundern?
|
| Olaf Rieck’s corner: |
|
Neue Bücher Im Mai ist ein neues Buch mit dem Titel “Malta – Kunst und Kultur” erschienen. Aufgrund der hohen Anzahl großformatiger schöner Fotografien könnte man geneigt sein, es als Bildband zu bezeichnen. Dafür allerdings hat es dann wieder zuviel an Information. Insgesamt eine wirklich sehens- und lesenswerte Kombination. Ab sofort ausleihbar. Neue Videos “Literatur der 90er Jahre” ist eines der Themen von KUBUS 46. Die Literaturkritikerin Sigrid Löffler geht der Frage nach, wie sich die Literatur nach der Wiedervereinigung entwickelt hat. Zwei Autoren aus Ost- und Westdeutschland beschreiben die Gegensätze, die es zwischen beiden Literaturen weiterhin gibt. Möchten Sie wissen, was diskrete Mathematik ist und wie man Wissenschaft, Geschichte und zeitgenössische Kultur verbinden kann? Dann sehen Sie sich den zweiten Beitrag des Videos mit dem Titel “Mathematik + Kunst = Arithmeum” an. Internet The correct website of “The Gateway to Germany” should be www.ixpos.de/en/en.html and not as shown in the last Newsletter. Landeskunde 6. June 1875 - * Thomas Mann, writer, Nobel Prize winner
(www.buddenbrookhaus.de) |
|
DER EURO – EINE bewegende Geschichte von Guenter Schlichte |
|
This article is about the acceptance of the Euro and, according to the author, a tendency of price increases. He thinks that official data does not reflect the real situation. |
|
Der Euro hat sich in kurzer Zeit fest etabliert. Weder Scheine noch Münzen bereiten der Mehrheit noch größere Schwierigkeiten. Es ist sicher verständlich, dass es noch viele Bürger gibt, die seinen Wert bei Einkäufen mit dem der DM vergleichen, doch das wird im Laufe der Zeit abnehmen.- Wäre da nicht die Macht der Gewohnheit, der Vergleich von “alt” zu “neu”, der harten, beliebten deutschen Mark zum noch etwas ungewissen EURO, fiele es gar nicht auf, dass der Wert des EURO in der Praxis dem festgelegten Umtauschwert von 2:1 oft nicht entspricht. Preiserhöhungen von 20 – 50% sind gar nicht so selten. Besonders auffällig sind Lebensmittel, Restaurants und Energiekosten. Offenbar wurde der EURO von einem Bazillus angefallen, der den Namen “Teurositis” haben soll. Die mit der Einführung der neuen Währung verbundene Teuerung hat dem EURO in Deutschland schon den “nickname TEURO” eingebracht (teuer = more expensive). Der Bürger ist nicht besonders glücklich darüber, weil sich die Realeinkommen nicht in gleichem Maße erhöhen. Der Einzelne merkt es spürbar, viele Preise laufen ihm ganz einfach davon. Nun könnte “König Kunde” ja seine Gewohnheiten ändern, z.B. Restaurantbesuche einschränken, doch dazu ist es bisher anscheinend kaum gekommen. Im allgemeinen merken die Geschäftsleute schon eine gewisse Kaufzurückhaltung, da das verfügbare Einkommen ihrer Kunden abgenommen hat. Vielleicht kann das auf Dauer dazu führen, dass die bisher beobachteten, saftigen Aufschläge wieder auf ein vernünftiges Maß zurückgeführt werden. Der Weg zurück ist bekanntlich immer schwerer, wenn er noch so vernünftig ist. Bei der Vernunft gibt es den manchmal unüberbrückbaren Gegensatz von Theorie und Praxis. Das Problem haben wir z.B. auch bei der Anschaffung eines neuen Autos. Es soll wirtschaftlich sein und sich leicht einparken lassen, trotzdem zeigt die Tendenz die Liebe zu größeren, durstigeren Motoren, mehr Innenraum, Komfort und größeren Außenmaßen. Vernunft hat eben nicht immer einen hohen Stellenwert. Das statistische Bundesamt, das für die monatliche Veröffentlichung des Lebenshaltungskosten-Index zuständig ist, zeigt die starken Ausschläge nach oben noch nicht, die vom Amt erstellte Kostenanalyse beruht auf einem theoretischen “Warenkorb”, dieser ist so vielfältig und bunt, dass man nicht davon ausgehen kann, dass er der Geldentwertung zuverlässig entspricht. Besonders nach der Währungsumstellung darf das bezweifelt werden. Der EURO hat wenige Monate nach seinem Erscheinen die Feuerprobe bestanden. Er ist als neue Währung voll akzeptiert. Ob die Akzeptanz und das Vertrauen der guten “alten Deutschmark” auf Dauer erreicht wird, lässt sich erst im Laufe der nächsten Jahre beurteilen. Die neue Internationalität bringt Unsicherheiten mit sich, die sich noch nicht einschätzen lassen. So wissen wir noch nicht, wie ernst die Auflagen zur Wahrung der Währungsstabilität von den beteiligten Regierungen in Europa berücksichtigt werden, ob aus der neuen Gemeinschaftswährung tatsächlich die wünschenswerte feste Währung entsteht. Die Vorteile im grenzüberschreitenden Waren- und Personenverkehr sind beträchtlich. Reisende merken es schon jetzt, dass Kontrolle und Verwaltung der Urlaubskasse erheblich leichter geworden sind. Umtauschgebühren entfallen im Euro-Land und der Vergleich der Preise zwischen der Heimat und dem Urlaubsland ist kein Problem mehr. Der EURO müsste nicht zwangsläufig zum TEURO werden, aber es ist schwer, das Rad zurück zu drehen.
|
| Trier |
|
Augusta Treverorum was founded in the year 16 BC by the Romans under Emperor Augustus. In 1984 the city celebrated its claim to be “Germany's oldest” city (Augsburg is a competitor for this epithet). The name Trier derives from a site holy to the Treven tribe, a Celtic people who lived in the Moselle valley. In contrast to the Roman cities founded along the Rhine and the Danube, Trier was not a garrison city, but a trading centre for goods supplied for the legions, a production site for weapons and armour and the headquarters of the Roman tax-collectors. Now Trier is a UNESCO world heritage site. Trier is a city where classical antiquity lives on. The Roman bridge across the Moselle still stands, supported by seven pillars, and today even bears the weight of lorries. One of the city gates has remained intact, the Porta Nigra, blackened by the soot of the centuries. Around the year 100, the rich citizens built themselves an amphitheatre. Today it serves in summer as the venue for a festival of classical theatre. In the second century, the Barbara thermal baths were built, where the Roman civil servants could take a sauna befitting their status, could bathe and do gymnastics. In the fourth century, the imperial thermal baths were added. In the third century, Trier rose once again, to become the capital of the western part of the Roman Empire. At the same time, it developed as a centre of the Early Church: the late Romanesque parts of the cathedral bear witness to the first church building. Tribal migration led the city to fall into insignificance. It was not until the first market cross was erected on the main marketplace in 958 that Trier made a comeback. In the 12" century, the archbishops of Trier became electoral princes – they were among those allowed to elect the Emperor. While that brought money into the city, it also attracted thieves. The rich merchants built themselves tower blocks. The door was high up and could only be reached via a wooden staircase that was easy to remove in case of danger. This is a feature that can still be clearly seen today on the House of the Three Magi, a residential building dating back to the 13th century (Simeonstrasse 19). The city’s more recent history is soon told: In 1803 the glory of the electoral state came to an end. By that time it had already been under French rule for ten years. The revolutionary armies occupied Trier. The Prussians pushed them back in the wars of liberation, making Trier the capital of the Prussian Rhine province in 1815. The city fell into disrepair, and was badly damaged in the Second World War. Not until it became the seat of the regional government of the newly-formed Federal Land of Rhineland-Palatinate in 1949 did it experience a new upswing. With a population of just over 100,000 inhabitants, it is today a centre for shopping, a university city, a wine metropolis and a tourist attraction. Trier offers unique walks down the centuries: The basilica on Konstantinstrasse (in the city centre) is the hall of a Roman palace dating back to the 4th century. It was the throne room of Emperor Constantine. Even today, one can imagine what a powerful impression the high walls must have made on a Celtic farmer who had to come here to pay his dues. The fact that Trier’s best-known son was Karl Marx has nothing to do with the fact that it is a world heritage site (or does it?). Nevertheless, a visit would not be complete without taking a look inside Karl Marx’s house. “How wonderfully comforting that Germany is capable of honouring old Marx in such a way“ wrote an unknown person in the visitors’ book. Marx (1818 to 1883) only lived in this house for a few years. In 1820 his family moved to Simeonstrasse 8 (there is a brass plate on the optician’s shop). Marx attended the Prussian Friedrich-Wilhelm Grammar School (formerly a Jesuit college) and took his school-leaving certificate in 1835. He became acquainted with the dire poverty and unemployment in the Trier region at that time; it was the subject of his first reports in the “Rheinische Zeitung“ in Cologne in 1842. Internet: http://www.trier.de
|
| The German National Team |
|
Three times world and European cup winners Three times world cup winner, three times vice world champion, two third places in a World Cup, three times European championship, two times runner up in a European championship, since 1954 participating in all World Cups and since 1972 playing in all European championships: This is the list of success which brought the German national team to the top of the international rankings, and it is an important basis for the international reputation that German soccer has gained worldwide. The history of the national team began eight years after the DFB was founded. In 1908, the German and the Swiss soccer associations arranged for a first "friendly international match" - as they called it then - to take place on April 5 of that year. It was in Basel where the Swiss team won 5-3 against a select team of the best German players that had been invited by the DFB game committee. In those days there wasn’t a coach yet. During this international match debut nobody would ever have guessed how strong, if not even outstanding, the institution of the national team would become, not only in a sportive sense, but also for the socio-political life of the entire country. Never had this become more evident than in 1954 when the German team won the world cup final in Switzerland. The 3:2 score vs. Hungary that up to then had been considered undefeatable made a whole nation happy which was still suffering from the after-effects of the war and gave it a new self-esteem. The "Heroes of Bern" had already become legends during their lifetime. This also applies to their successors of the following generations who were eager to continue the glorious heritage. The successor of Fritz Walter was Uwe Seeler who was followed by Franz Beckenbauer. After the "Kaiser" followed Berti Vogts, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Lothar Matthäus and Jürgen Klinsmann. All these names stand for top performances. The lost world cup final in 1966 which will always stay in our memory for what is known as the "Wembley goal" as well as the defeat against Italy in the so-called "match of the century" of the world cup in Mexico 1970 were further examples of the fair play of the DFB team.
|
| Stop Press: The Library will remain open for use by our members during the Summer months. Make good use of this service. Free internet is also available for our members. Conversation meetings for all levels will be held during the Summer months. These are free of charge for our members. More info in the next Newsletter. |
|
BY POPULAR REQUEST THE GERMAN-MALTESE CIRCLE WILL BE HOLDING AGAIN ITS SUMMER GERMAN LANGUAGE REVISION COURSES FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN WHO ARE IN FORMS 1 TO 4 LESSONS WILL BE HELD TWICE WEEKLY (Morning) Fee for the whole course of 20 sessions is LM20 Also: “LEARNING GERMAN IS EASY & FUN” Introducing German through games to SCHOOLCHILDREN IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS YEARS 5 AND 6 A course of 10 sessions to be held in the morning Fee for the whole course is of LM10 FOR MORE INFORMATION AND ENROLMENT CALL AT: THE GERMAN-MALTESE CIRCLE, MESSINA PALACE, 141, ST CHRISTOPHER STREET, VALLETTA Phone: 21246967 Email: gmc@germanmaltesecircle.org Office opening hours: Weekdays from 8.30a.m. till 12.30p.m. and from 4.30p.m. till 8.30p.m.
|
|
© 2006 German-Maltese Circle. All rights reserved. Terms of Use - Disclaimer
|
Zweitens eine Betriebsbesichtigung der Joinwell Furniture Ltd in Qormi. Hier führte uns der Production Manager Mr Farrugia durch die Produktionsstätten von hochwertigen Möbeln und informierte uns ausführlich über Arbeitsmethoden, Arbeitsbedingungen und Marketing. Für die Schreinergruppe war diese Besichtigung ein Höhepunkt. Uns begeisterten die handwerklich perfekten Möbelstücke mit ihren Feinheiten, die wir am Abend desselben Tages auch noch im Joinwell-Showroom in Sliema begutachten konnten. Drittens: Wie bei unserer Exkursion im Jahr 2000 wurden wir auch dieses Mal von Mr Donald Friggieri, dem Schulleiter des Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology / Institute of Art and Design, herzlichst empfangen. Seine Schule wurde vor kurzem von Valletta nach Mosta verlegt und liegt nun auf einem Gelände am Targa Gap mit herrlichem Blick über den Nordwesten Maltas. Wir besichtigten die Werkstätten (Holz, Stein, Metall, Druck) und die eindrucksvollen Schülerprojekte und hatten Gelegenheit, uns einen Überblick über das maltesische Berufsschulwesen zu verschaffen. Es wäre schön, wenn in einem der nächsten Jahre ein Austausch zwischen dem Institute of Art and Design und der Friedrich-Weinbrenner-Gewerbeschule zustande käme!