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| November 2004 Newsletter | |
Weihnachten
in Deutschland a short course conducted by Marianne Azzopardi |
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This short course will be conducted in German and is ideal for all those who had completed their Zertifikat Deutsch, ZMP or ZOP courses and wish to keep in touch with the language besides learning more of the rich German culture and traditions. Music on CD’s throughout the series. Handouts will be distributed. Course
days: Other
short courses: |
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15 YEARS SINCE THE FALL OF THE WALL |
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It is well known that most major previously state-owned corporations had to be closed down, massive unemployment was a natural consequence. Even if the closures would have been less forceful most of them, for a number of reasons, could not have been avoided as many companies were no longer competitive. There was growing emphasis on the need to build up a competitive tourism industry, this has worked out well. I have been in Eastern Germany periodically from the early days of the communist regime’s collapse until today. Comparing today´s world with that of 1989, Eastern Germany has made tremendous progress, to my mind mainly in the areas of infrastructure, tourist industry, service and private building. The sad side is continued unemployment. There is little consolation that there are some regions in the West with similar problems. Quite a number of younger Eastern Germans have managed to find employment in Western Germany. It is not really solving the manifold problems but it is helping those who are flexible and willing to re-orientate themselves. 15
years is not a long time - although we sometimes seem to forget. |
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| Malta at the German National Day Festival in Erfurt | |
 Malta, along with the other nine new European Union member countries, was represented in the Festival held in Thuringian capital Erfurt on the occasion of the Day of German Unity. The festival was held in the city’s large cathedral square and attracted some 200,000 people in the two days it was staged. The Embassy of Malta in Germany set up a Malta stand in the ‘Europazelt’ where tourist and other information brochures were distributed. The Embassy staff was kept extremely busy answering the many questions about all aspects on Malta and Gozo made by visitors, a considerable number of whom had already visited Malta. There was great interest in English-language courses in Malta. In addition to stands from the new EU members, there were stands by the different German states, which highlighted regional culture and traditions. Malta’s
Ambassador to Germany Mr William C. Spiteri took part in the official
celebration of the German national day, which is officially commemorated
in a different state capital every year. Germany’s President
Horst Köhler presided over the celebration, which commenced
with an interdenominational service in the Cathedral, and was followed
by a commemorative ceremony and a reception. Representatives of
political parties, of the cultural and business sectors, and other
organisations were present at the event. |
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| Neu in der Bibliothek | |
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| Prof.
Dr. Anthony Bonanno Head of the Department of Classics and Archaeology at the University of Malta Former Member of the Committee of the GMC Interviewed by Ingrid B. Kidder |
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 Near
the new entrance to the University there stands an old and modest
farmhouse. Today it is surrounded by a car park, while some aged carob
trees near the courtyard remind of the once fertile fields. In this
very befitting location I visited Prof. Bonanno, who told me that
in 1990 he had asked for the then very dilapidated yet typical Maltese
farmhouse of the nineteenth century to be restored for the purpose
of accommodating the archaeological sector of the department. His
request was granted and today staff and students enjoy a singularly
serene studying ambience.
Prof. Anthony Bonanno was born and educated in Malta, completed his post-graduate studies in Palermo, where he obtained an Italian doctorate in Classics (the languages and literatures of ancient Greece and Rome: 1000 BC – 500 AD), majoring in archaeology. Thereafter he pursued his studies for a PhD at the Institute of Archaeology, London University. On returning to Malta in 1971 he was employed as Assistant Lecturer in Archaeology at the University of Malta, eventually promoted to lecturer, associate professor and professor. He became Head of the Department of Classics and Archaeology in 1989. While studying in Italy and England he had focussed on ancient Roman portrait sculpture. These ‘portraits’ consist of full-length statues, normally in marble, or just heads of individuals – like rulers, members of their families, or private persons. These are found on still standing monuments or during excavations mainly in Italy, but also in the rest of the Roman empire, including Malta. Here, just outside Mdina, excavations carried out at the Roman Domus (town house) yielded a beautiful portrait of Emperor Claudius and another of a pretty young girl, very likely his daughter. However, returning to Malta it was necessary for him to diversify his research interest to Maltese archaeology of different periods, including prehistory. As co-director he was involved in important excavations during the years 1987 to 1994, which brought to light the Gozitan prehistoric hypogeum at Xaghra. Since 1996 his department is engaged in another excavation at the multi-period site of Tas-Silg, where there are strata ranging from prehistory (a typical Tarxien-phase temple of 3000 – 2500 BC) through the Phoenician (750 – 218 BC) and Roman (218 BC – AD 535) periods, down to early Christian, namely the remains of a church dating to the fifth century. During his studies abroad he had also taken part in excavations of the residential quarters of the ancient Greek city of Himera in Sicily, and later in excavations at Sidi Khrebish (ancient Berenike, modern Benghazi) in Libya, dated between third century BC and fifth century AD. I asked Prof. Bonanno what his most rewarding experience would be when standing in a hot and dusty excavation field, and his answer: “My greatest joy and thrill is being able to touch figurative objects coming to light, may they be an unusual stone statue of whatever size, or even a tiny terracotta figurine”. - A joy easy to imagine. Prof. Bonanno has lectured in many European cities (including London, Stockholm, Bonn, Duisburg, Cagliari, Genoa, and Naples), as well as in the United States (New York, Long Island, Clarion and Tampa) and Egypt (Cairo and Alexandria). He has written several books, the first one being a study of portraits and other heads on Roman historical relief. The others mostly concern Maltese archaeology, including two in the Maltese language, in which he manages successfully to aim individually for certain reader groups ranging from learned colleagues to the travelling layman. Yet, what has this interesting and very rewarding profession to do with the German language, I wanted to know. It appeared that Anthony Bonanno was one of the early students of the German-Maltese Circle who eventually benefited throughout his career from the German he had learned there. “As soon as I embarked on my post-graduate studies, I realised the need for a working knowledge in the German language, because a good proportion of fundamental texts on archaeology are published in German,” he told me. And as a result of this insight he initially tried self-teaching of German. However, he soon realised that this type of study was not sufficient, so he joined the GMC, taking German lessons there for five years. He was a hard-working student, gaining within this period a reading and understanding knowledge of the language which allowed him to comprehend books by German authors in his special subjects. Apologetically he added that while reading professional texts with some ease, he never attained speaking fluency in German. Although
I had the feeling that his profession is also his hobby, enjoying
research and discovery, he mentioned photography as a pastime, adding
quickly that also this is channelled to his professional work by
illustrating his finds. He strikes me as a born teacher and promoter
of knowledge. “My main mission as an educator has been over
the last thirty years to train Maltese archaeologists to render
the country self-sufficient in this field”, Anthony Bonanno
says with satisfaction and well deserved pride. And I might add
that virtually all practising archaeologists on this island graduated
in his department. However, his modesty shows in his more or less
last sentence of the interview: “I have already achieved what
the ultimate aim of a teacher should be, namely to render himself
dispensable.” Well, Anthony Bonanno might think so, but I
dare say, for Malta - and any other country for that matter –
persons of such professional dedication and teaching vocation are
never dispensable. |
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Weihnachten
in Deutschland is a series of four talks of ninety minutes
each which Marianne Azzopardi has prepared to introduce Christmas
in Germany with its colourful and remarkable customs and practices.
An experience of Advent and Christmas as sung by locals, as lived
by the Buddenbrooks (Thomas Mann), Hermann Hesse and made mystical
in stories by Karl-Heinrich Waggerl, among others.
15
years is a long time or is it perhaps a short time? When the peaceful
revolution gained momentum, it came down like a cascade, taking
with it a lot of pillars which were believed to be in place for
a long, long time. It took with it concrete walls, reinforced iron
fences and stubborn minds. The shock waves which accompanied the
events came as a surprise to politicians and people in East and
West, an unbelievable process which no one had anticipated. It was
"die Gunst der Stunde", (the opportunity not to be missed)
which accelerated the collapse of the Hönecker government in
East Germany. There was a wave of optimism, an unexpected opportunity
to move freely and to re-unite what belonged together. Inherrent
difficulties were underestimated, emotion was stronger than the
brain. Under the circumstances, this was to be expected but it took
long for those in charge to realise, that there were uncalculated
risks, which had escaped timely attention.