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| November 2008 Newsletter |
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I WANT TO BE INFORMED OF THE NEXT NEWSLETTER AS SOON AS IT IS ONLINE |
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Our activities for November Gesprächsrunden:Wednesday, 5th November – Frau Dr Rupprecht-Hung will introduce the discussion on the theme “Martin Mosebach – ein moderner Traditionalist”. Wednesday, 19th November – Frau Sabine Amann will introduce the discussion on the theme “Der Lambuka (die Goldmakrele)”. Discussion groups are open to members with a good knowledge of German. Time: 18.30 hours.
Maria Mühlbauer explains the work of an Energy Therapist. Do you need pain relief? Do you suffer with conditions that are holding you back? Maria Mühlbauer will explain how you can treat the cause instead of the symptoms!
German
Film Evening showing “Lichter”
All delicious and typically German items in various sizes, individually wrapped, and in suitable price ranges. Do come early to avoid disappointment for choice!
The Christmas Market Stall will be opened on Monday, 24th
November.
German Language Certificate
Giving Ceremony
Dr Günter
Jacobs
is pleased to announce that he will be again available every
fortnight for his conversation meetings aimed at students with a
good command of the German language. First session will be
Friday, 7th November at 6.30p.m. |
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Falling in Love with Malta – Some Considerations of a “Neophyte“ - By Wolfgang Broy
After landing I took my little daughter Hannah and we left the plane: a gentle breeze took us to the reception area of the Airport, where we were cordially received by Mrs. Kidder, the president of the German-Maltese Circle and Mrs. and Mr. Launer, president of the “Deutsch-Maltesische Gesellschaft“. While driving to the hotel we got first impressions of the country: very busy traffic pulsating through the sunny landscape like a system of arteries. Pretty buildings near gaping construction sites pointing to the process of development of this country, right in front of our eyes. And above all we could notice the deep influence of the historical breath, which passed over Malta. At first we had to solve all questions concerning our concerts, which were to be performed during our stay. After that we went out for a walk. One of the most convenient characteristics of Malta is: whether you turn to the left, or you turn to the right, or you keep walking straight on – you always get to the sea. (What wonder....) The view from Sliema to Valletta is lovely, going by ferry from The Strand to the capital is a marvellous experience as well. After arrival in Valletta we climbed up to the centre. There are many traces of history (conception of the streets, architecture etc.); and by observing the people you may discover one of the secrets of Malta's charm: It is the vitality, which comes out by keeping the historical influences alive. This means you find a life with the heritage of history, not paralysed by it. For example: The building of the German-Maltese Circle, Messina Palace, is more than four hundred years old, and still the centre of all activities of this club. If you enter Messina Palace, you won't be suppressed by the history of this marvellous palace, you live “in“ or rather: “with” it. After our concerts we have met a lot of people: Maltese, naturally, and all the other nationalities, who appreciate this „cultural melting pot“ Malta. The Maltese are very proud of their history and the guest will be informed about it in a very concentrated yet also kind and very polite way. “You must see...“ is one of the most often heard phrases for a Malta “neophyte“. So we followed the most frequent recommendation and visited Mdina. What could one say about it? This is a place, which imposes silence on the visitor - IF he wants to hear, what the old stones whisper... I already mentioned the very kind conversations we have had with the Maltese people. There is also an interest concerning the observations of the guest: What does the guest think about the challenges of the future? What is the concern about the global problems of energy? And the guest will be told that Malta considers the pursuing of education as one of the most important points to address. This corresponds to the fact, that this country is very fond of children. (As father of a three years’ old daughter I know what I am talking about...) Another challenge is to develop a service-oriented „business“, which Malta is already on the way to establish: Malta is apparently becoming a turntable for the relationships between “good old“ Europe and the middle-east. It may be true that there are some improvements waiting to be made: it is annoying to have to sign the bill when still eating... Sometimes a historical element of piracy flashes in the behaviour of some people – but perhaps under certain perspectives – aren’t we all pirates? Malta – it is not only a country, it is a philosophy of life, impossible to describe completely in this limited space. I hope for the chance to come back for another stay. At this point in time I continue to dream about... Wolfgang Broy is the Leader of the VocEns Choir which last month gave performances at Messina Palace in Valletta and at the Church of Devine Mercy in Naxxar. |
“A HEALTHY
MIND CAN ONLY LIVE IN A HEALTHY BODY” - Tuesday, 11th
November at 6.30p.m.
GERMAN BOOK FAIR
Weihnachtsmarkt 2008 Christmas Market
What
are the thoughts in the head of a Central-European, coming to
Malta for the first time? To tell the truth: I have forgotten.
It seems to be a magic touch, which makes forgetting all
trivialness concerning this jewel of the Mediterranean Sea. | Attention all Members!! - Exciting Events for May at Messina Palace |
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Dr.Maria-Iris Felice-Klaumann |
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She studied at the Heinrich-Heine-Universität in nearby Düsseldorf and graduated in the year 2000 as a Medical Doctor. This University was originally founded as a Medical Academy in 1929, and true to the values of the time individual red brick-buildings housing the various institutes were generously scattered over the landscape to the South of Düsseldorf. This prompted the young student Maria-Iris to cover the distances between her lecture halls by bicycle. I smiled about this appearing to me as an early sign of her future (and present!) style of life, namely speed. During her student years she utilised her seemingly endless energies for rather extra-ordinary activities. For example, she founded and consequently managed for six years the company “Messe und Promotion Propagandist”, an agency supplying personnel for fair stands, exhibiting anything from heavy building machinery to Niederegger Marzipan. While still a student, yet having already qualified in certain relevant subjects, she worked in the University Clinic as a tutor for pathology and anaesthetics. Simultaneously she had to complete her thesis with a subject on cardiac-thoracic surgery.
As
part of her academic development, student Maria-Iris had to undergo
a surgical training programme, which she chose to carry out in the
country of her birth. So one fine day in the year 1998 she walked
into Mr. George Felice’s office at St. Luke’s Hospital, and
announced herself with: “I am your new student…” Apparently the
gentleman behind the desk was stunned and it took a while before he
was able to utter some welcoming words. Although the couple and I
had a good laugh about these reminiscences, he could not quite
remember what had left him speechless at the time. Perhaps it
was the swift revelation that this tall young lady would certainly
not require a foot stool at the operating table…? Well, the serious
professional training began, and before the stipulated four weeks
were up, they agreed to get married after her final examination. In September 2000 she graduated as a Medical Doctor, and within a week they got married at the Standesamt (Registrar’s Office) in Pulheim and in October of the same year in the Capucchins Church in Floriana. Dr. Felice-Klaumann then completed her House Officership at St. Luke’s, during which period their first daughter Katrina was born in 2001. In 2002 she was registered with the Malta Medical Council as a Family Practitioner, and was ready to enter the professional medical world as a fully fledged doctor. As from 2002 she was contracted as Resident Medical Officer at St. Phillip’s Hospital, until at the end of 2004 their second daughter Hanna arrived. After the post-natal period she decided not to work for an employer anymore but to open her own clinic in Attard, and after a fairly short time she also joined a pharmacy in Balzan where she sees patients morning and evening six days a week. Once she had moved to Malta she took a course in Maltese language at the German-Maltese Circle. This enabled her to understand her patients and their needs better, and she found it also very useful being a foreigner married to a Maltese and having children growing up in this country, to have at least a notion of the surrounding language. Her advice goes out to all adults in the same position to make use of this opportunity at the Circle.
I
thought having a kind husband and two sweet girls, two shrieking
parrots, colourful fish in the ponds, and some cats, while running a
house often entertaining guests for dinner or lunch, she would be
fully occupied – spinning to capacity. Well, she stunned me with
mentioning a few more items filling any open second on her daily
calendar, and she listed them faster than I could write: |
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Dr.
Felice-Klaumann, known in Malta as a German Family Doctor, was in
fact born in Attard, while her German parents lived at the time in
Bahar ic-Caghaq. She mentions that her father Bernhard Klaumann had
set up the Deutsche Welle, a relay station existing in Malta from
1972 to 1977. Her parents and their two daughters Maria-Iris and
Bettina returned to their home town of Pulheim just North West of
Cologne. It was here that Dr. Felice-Klaumann grew up and attended
school. From an early age she also had piano lessons and vocal
training which she continued for eleven years. “I took great
pleasure in these lessons which were given at our home; they
furthered my sensitivity for sound and music and instilled in me a
very natural urge to learn more. I never had to sit for any musical
examination, which to me meant I learnt for myself and not for any
’good mark’, ” she added. 
