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| July 2003 Newsletter |
| SUMMER CONVERSATION MEETINGS & OTHER LANGUAGE COURSES NEWS |
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All
sessions are of two hours and commence at 6.30p.m. Members
having completed the Grundstufe IA or IB: Members with a more advanced level in German are welcome to attend the conversation meetings which are currently being conducted by Dr Jacobs every Wednesday from 6.30p.m. (until the 23rd July). The German-Maltese Circle is again offering German language Summer Revision Courses for students who are in Forms 1 to 4. These courses consist of 20 lessons of one and a half hours each and will start on Monday, 7th July. For more information visit our internet site www.germanmaltesecircle.org or kindly contact the office immediately. Another course being offered for the Summer months is German is Easy & Fun – an introductory course in the German language for children in Years 5 and 6 in Primary Schools. No more applications can be accepted for this course which is fully booked. The
Grundstufe examination results will be on display on the Noticeboard
at the Circle as from Wednesday, 16th July. The results of the Goethe
Institute central examinations (ZD/ZMP) will be mailed to all candidates
during the month of July. |
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From Anthony Schembri, Vice-President of the FC Bayern München Fan Club Malta |
The visit of a small contingent from the local FC Bayern München Fan Club – Malta was the highlight of the second year since the set up of our Fan Club. The small contingent included members of the committee as well as local followers of the German team. The visit took place between 1st and 3rd May and the highlight was the match which FC Bayern München played at home against Kaiserslautern. In Munich, we had very useful discussions with Raimond Aumann (President of the FC Bayern Fan Clubs worldwide). We were given a warm welcome by Aumann’s administrative team and we were also presented with an official signed shirt of the club. Later
on we had the opportunity to meet other top officials of the club
including Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Uli Hoeneß. Our group
was invited to a tour through the club’s official dressing
rooms, high-tech fitness centre, the trophy show case and the official
training grounds. The Maltese contingent was also the guest of the
club to watch the league match Bayern vs Kaiserslautern. This was
the first match since FC Bayern became champions for the season
2002/2003. One can only imagine the fantastic experience and sensational
feeling which everyone in our group felt in the packed Olympic stadium
with 63,000 spectators who produce such an explosive and exciting
atmosphere. |
Die St. Barbara Kirche (Nachdruck aus der St.Barbara Stimme) |
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Die Heilige Barbara, Jungfrau und Märtyrerin des 4. Jahrhunderts, wird gewöhlich bei Gewittern und Bränden angerufen. Sie ist auch die Schutzpatronin der Artillerie. Im Jahre 1573 wurde im Auftrag der Bruderschaft der Bombenschützen eine Kirche gebaut und der heiligen Barbara geweiht. Der päpstliche Legat, Monsignore Duzzina, besuchte diese Kirche, eine der drei in der neu erbaute Stadt Valletta, im Jahr 1575. Restauriert wurde diese Kirche 1601 und 1739 auf den Grundmauern nach den Plänen von Giuseppe Bonnici neu errichtet. Finanziert wurde das Projekt von der Langue de Provence. Die Einweihung erfolgte 1740 durch Monsignore Rull, den Prior des Ordens. Der Grundriss der Kirche ist ein Oval, Apsis und Chor sind halbrund, die Fassade fügt sich gut in die Barocharchitektur des Straßenzuges ein. Die Kirche hatte drei Gemälde und drei Altäre. Heute kann man nur noch das Werk des Ordensmalers Antoine de Favray (spätes 18. Jahrhundert) über dem Hauptaltar bewundern. Darauf ist die Apotheosis der Heiligen Barbara dargestellt. Gemälde aus der Schule von Siena befinden sich in der Sakristei. Eine Reliquie, die man für den Arm der Kirchenpatronin hält, ist ebenfalls in der Kirche. In der Krypta sind die Gebeine der Schützen der Bruderschaft beigesetzt. Anlässlich des ersten Jubiläums des Dogma der Unbefleckten Empfängnis wurde am 29.11.1904 über dem Portal der Kirche eine vergoldete Statue der Jungfrau Maria aufgestellt.
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According to legend, Saint Barbara was the extremely beautiful daughter of a wealthy heathen named Dioscorus, who lived near Nicomedia in Asia Minor. Because of her singular beauty and fearful that she be demanded in marriage and taken away from him, he jealously shut her up in a tower to protect her from the outside world. Shortly before embarking on a journey, he commissioned a sumptuous bathhouse to be built for her, approving the design before he departed. Barbara had heard of the teachings of Christ, and while her father was gone spent much time in contemplation. From the windows of her tower she looked out upon the surrounding countryside and marveled at the growing things; the trees, the animals and the people. She decided that all these must be part of a master plan, and that the idols of wood and stone worshipped by her parents must be condemned as false. Gradually she came to accept the Christian faith. As her belief became firm, she directed that the builders redesign the bathhouse her father had planned, adding another window so that the three windows might symbolize the Holy Trinity. When her father returned, he was enraged at the changes and infuriated when Barbara acknowledged that she was a Christian. He dragged her before the perfect of the province, who decreed that she be tortured and put to death by beheading. Dioscorus himself carried out the death sentence. On his way home he was struck by lightening and his body consumed. Saint Barbara lived and died about the year 300 A.D. She was venerated as early as the seventh century. |
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| Busy schedule for the Embassy of Malta in Berlin |
In collaboration with the Malta Tourism Authority in Frankfurt, the Embassy of Malta in Berlin has been actively participating in a number of promotional activities aimed at publicizing Malta’s manifold attractions as a tourist resort centre and the study of the English language in Malta. Malta’s Ambassador in Berlin is Mr William C. Spiteri. On 9th May, the Embassy took part in the “Avanti” Fair held at the historic red town hall in Berlin, an event organised for about 8,000 students and young people. The Malta information and tourist stand, which had as a background a number of attractive tourist posters, attracted a good audience. On 28th May, the Embassy took part in a very big event and mounted a stand at Unter den Linden (opposite to Adlon Hotel) on the occasion of the opening of the Ecumenical Church Day. This event attracted about 150,000 visitors to Berlin. The Embassy staff was very busy handing out tourist/information brochures and replying to queries. A young student dressed as a Maltese Knight, and one of the staff attired in Maltese woman country costume, served Kinnie to the many visitors. On the 20th June, the Embassy of Malta participated with a publicity stand in the Saarland Summer Festival held in the extensive grounds of the Saarland representative office in Berlin and which attracted a large number of invitees, mainly Saarland ‘expatriates’ in the Federal Capital, but including members of the Diplomatic Corps and business people. The 26th June was the turn of the “Potsdam Summer Fest” which was held at the idyllic Krongut Bornstedt castle in Potsdam, and in which over 6000 visitors attended. At the “Potsdam Summer Fest”, Malta was again the guest country for the third consecutive year. The Embassy offered a number of interesting prizes to the many guests. The prizes, which were made available through the generous sponsorship of the Malta Tourism Authority, Air Malta, Aero Lloyd, language schools and many four and five star hotels in Malta, were drawn up in the course of a Lottery whose proceeds went to a philanthropic cause. The 5th July will be the “All Nations Festival”, when the Embassy will open its doors to about 3000 visitors who will have the opportunity to visit the Embassy, see a short documentary on Malta and participate in the “Best Malta Slogan” competition, the winners of which will receive a voucher for a stay of one week for two persons in a five-star hotel in Malta plus two air tickets. During these
events guests are always invited to sample Maltese Kinnie, Maltese
Wines, “galletti” and “gbejniet tal-bzar”.
The last two planned promotional events for the summer season will
be the “Brandenburg Day” on 6th September, and the “Discovery
Days Hannover”, due to be held on 14th September. |
| Olaf Rieck reviews new Videos from the Circle’s Library: |
Der Spielfilm “Der Felsen” von Dominik Graf war auf der Berlinale 2002 heftig umstritten, obwohl mit dem Preis für den besten Schnitt ausgezeichnet. Die Geschichte dreht sich um Katrin, die sich während eines Kurzurlaubs von ihrem verheirateten Freund Jürgen, der auch ihr Chef ist, trennt. Nach Jürgens Abreise ist Katrin sehr deprimiert und sie fängt zu trinken an. Ihr Flirt mit einem jungen Deutschen, der dort in einem Resozialisierungslager lebt, hat böse Folgen. Um die Authenzität eines Urlaubsvideos zu erreichen, hat der Regisseur mit einer digitalen Kamera gedreht. Dem steht jedoch die Kunstfertigkeit der optischen Gestaltung entgegen. Außerdem wird die Geschichte von einer Erzählstimme aus dem Off geleitet. Nach Ansicht von Graf ist das Kino zu einer großbürgerlichen Kunst verkommen: “Man will sich im Kino wohlfühlen wie in einem Konzertsaal. Dadurch werden aber die Chancen des Erzählens reduziert”. (Deutsch mit englischen Untertiteln). At the Berlinale 2002 the film “A Map of the Heart”, although winning an award was very controversial. In the story, Katrin is on Corsica with her married boyfriend, who is also her boss, for a short-holiday. She splits up with him but after he leaves she feels depressed and starts drinking. She begins an affair with a young German who lives in a resocialization camp – a relationship which has bad consequences. The film was shot with a digital camera to keep the authenticity of a holiday video. In contrast we end up with highly technical pictures and an innovative narration technique. In the opinion of the director of this film, cinema has degenerated to an upper-middle-class form of art. He says that people want to be entertained like in a concert hall but this reduces the narration qualities. (German with English subtitles) Fünf Filmpreise hatte der Film “Halbe Treppe” bereits vor seinem Start im Kino gewonnen, darunter den Silbernen Bären von Berlin und den Deutschen Filmpreis in Silber. Der Film wurde mit nur 12 Mitarbeitern und ohne Drehbuch gedreht. Zwei befreundete Paare, Ende 30, haben sich in ihrem Alltag in Frankfurt an der Oder eingerichtet. Doch dann passiert es auf einmal, zwei von Ihnen beginnen ein Verhältnis miteinander. Bei Kaffee und Kuchen gibt es selbstverständlich eine Aussprache. Doch am Ende trennt sich eines der Paare. (Deutsch mit englischen Untertiteln). The film “Grill Point” had already won five awards before it was released in the cinema. It was shot with only 12 employees and without script. It depicts the everyday life of two acquainted couples. At one point in time, for no apparent reason, one of the husbands falls in love with the other’s wife. The betrayed partners are furious but helpless and hurt. The new couple is already looking for a new flat, when the man ultimately returns to his wife. The other woman on the other hand prefers to be free again. (German with English subtitles) Der
Film “Die Polizistin” wurde ausgezeichnet
mit den Grimme-Preisen in Gold für Regie, Buch und Darsteller,
dem Deutschen Kamerapreis und dem Schnittpreis 2001. Eine junge
Polizistin wird direkt nach Abschluss der Polizeischule nach Rostock
versetzt. Dort wird sie mit großen sozialen und menschlichen
Problemen konfrontiert. Bei ihren Bemühungen, den Menschen
zu helfen, gerät auch sie in Schwierigkeiten. The
“Policewoman”, which also received
several prestigious German Awards, is a film by director Andreas
Dresen. A young policewoman is sent straight from the Police Academy
to the not so calm city of Rostock where she is soon confronted
with major social and human problems. Her efforts to help the people
create difficulties for herself often in conflict with her duties.
(German with English subtitles) |
| Walter
Höhmann Committee Member of the GMC |
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Apart from setting
up and managing the company when he came to Malta, Walter was also
looking around to find other German connections: soon he came across
the German-Maltese Circle, which he joined well over 25 years ago.
In the eighties he was a committee member for a few years, and after
his retirement from his managerial position with the company, he
was re-elected in 2000. He has been serving on the GMC committee
ever since. He was also chosen to act as link between the newly
established German-Maltese Chamber of Commerce and the GMC, attending
meetings and reporting on matters of mutual interest. In his younger
days Walter was a keen participant in all social events of the GMC,
and it was in fact in 1981 at one of those gatherings at a Sliema
hotel, that he met his Maltese wife-to-be, Miriam, who at the time
was taking a course in German at the GMC. Where did Walter
Höhmann come from in Germany? Well, he grew up in the ‘Oldenburger
Land’, which is the region west of Bremen, a mainly flat landscape
with moors and forests and lots of agriculture, - and its own dialect,
as is often the case in German provinces. I like to draw special
attention to this German linguistic peculiarity, because in Germany
it could and might still affect people’s lives. Walter wanted
to try his luck as an insurance broker in Ostfriesland, (East Frisia)
– the area including Wilhelmshaven and Bremerhaven. But he
remembers that he experienced difficulties due to his language.
He spoke the dialect of Oldenburg, and barely 50 km north the ostfriesische
dialect was predominantly used, and people preferred to buy their
insurance policies from a person who spoke their own language! After this interlude
he remembered his original craftsman training as a Schumachermeister
– having obtained his master craftsman’s diploma after
many years of being a journeyman. He furthered his education continuously,
joining the shoe manufacturing industry in 1961, working his way
up through all segments of manufacturing and administration until
he finally was offered the leading position in Malta. This opportunity
he accepted with great pleasure, and looks back at it and his company’s
achievements in Malta with pride and satisfaction. Walter told
me he pursues two hobbies: one is drawing in colour the nature around
him, especially flowers and birds. The other sounds much more physically
demanding. Before he settled here in Malta, he was a Wanderfreund
der Naturfreunde, meaning a hiker in a club of friends of nature,
taking his pastime very seriously. Walter and his Wanderfreunde
used to walk with their knapsacks for many kilometres in the hilly
forest regions of the entire (then) West-Germany. Once in Malta
he ‘climbed’ every mountain and hill on the island,
however, I understand, today Walter is somewhat more reluctant to
walk for hours under our typical Maltese summer sun and rather prefers
to dive into the blue waters of the Mediterranean. |
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As early as 1976 Walter Höhmann was sent by his German employer,
Lloyd Shoes, to Malta, in order to become General Manager of a newly
established manufacturing plant. After opening an additional factory
on Gozo, this company, producers of quality shoes for men, was one
of the largest on the Maltese islands, at one time providing work
for over 500 people.