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Our activities for March

Wednesday, 3^rd March at  6.30p.m. at Messina Palace

Gesprächsrunde:  "Denkmal - Denk mal! Gedächtnisstätten"
Diskussionsleiterin:  Brigitte Ohk

Friday, 5^th March at 6.30p.m. at Messina Palace

Last session of the season of the Dr Jacobs conversation group.
Dr Gunter Jacobs has been offering his voluntary services for spracherhaltenden Unterricht at the German-Maltese Circle since 1990.

Friday, 5th March at 7.00p.m. at Messina Palace

Screening of a selection of short films from Germany which participated in the Golden Knight Malta International Film Festival. 
Event is being organised in collaboration with the Malta Cine Circle. 

Click here to see the Evening's programme

Tuesday, 9^th till Friday, 12^th March at the Hilton Malta between 9.00a.m. and 2.30p.m.

The German-Maltese Circle and the German Academic Exchange Service will be participating in the National Learning Expo 2010 organised by the Ministry of Education, Employment & the Family.

The main aim of this event is to increase awareness of the need of continuous education and training to all age groups, with particular reference to fifth formers.

Wednesday, 10^th March at 7.00p.m. at Messina Palace

Launching of the book “Fra Jean – eine Vermutung” by Austrian writer Dorothea Macheiner. 
Introduction of the book and its historical background by historian, Mr Michael Galea. 
The author will read excerpts concerning the main characters – Theoderich the Great and Jean de la Valette. 
H.E. the Austrian Ambassador, Dr Caroline Gudenus will welcome the guests.  Refreshments will be served after the event.
 

Friday, 12^th March at 7.00p.m. at Messina Palace – DEFA Film Series

German Film Evening:  Spur der Steine (Traces of Stone) directed by Frank Beyer, 1966 
Film in German and with subtitles in English.  Introduction by Sirka Vella-Facklam.

Synopsis: Foreman Balla is the swaggering, self-proclaimed king of a massive construction site, and his co-workers stick close to him like musketeers. But when a new Party Secretary is sent in to bring the site under control, along with a beautiful young engineer named Kati, a love triangle ensues. Originally banned for its perceived anti-establishment message, this DEFA masterpiece was shown to great acclaim after the unification of Germany.

Wednesday, 17^th March at 6.30p.m. at Messina Palace

Gesprächsrunde:  "Warum verreist der Mensch so gerne?"
Diskussionsleiter:  Klaus Koch
 

Ostereier - Malen         Painting of Easter Eggs
Saturday morning, 20th March from 10.00 to 14.00 hours at Messina Palace

In many families in Germany, Easter Eggs are painted every year with much love and care. The German-Maltese Circle wishes to show this tradition by inviting you and your older children also this year to this Easter Egg Painting Session.

So, if you intend to come, please bring the number of white hard boiled eggs you wish to paint, preferably in the plastic containers in which you purchased them. Or if you wish to keep your artworks for the years to come, you would bring raw eggs to be blown out. Blowing out eggs is a rather special craft, the tricks of which we will gladly show you. In this case you will also need a container with lid in which to take the yokes and whites of your eggs home. For the actual painting you need to supply your own non-toxic water colours (like children use at school), a fine paint brush and 1 or 2 egg cups to be used as supports while painting. 
 

Oster - Verkaufsstand          Easter Stall at Messina Palace

Saturday, 20th March, 10.00 to 14.00 h,
& subject to availability of stocks also on
Monday, 22nd March 10.00 to 14.00 h and 17.00 to 19.00 h and
Tuesday, 23rd March 10.00 to 14.00 h and 17.00 to 19.00 h 

In order to acquaint you also with the traditional gourmet’s pleasures of the Easter Season in Germany, we are setting up an Easter Stall on the ground floor of Messina Palace. Lots of Easter Eggs and Easter Bunnies – Osterhasen –   made of fine chocolate and marzipan are eaten during the Easter week. These are delicacies in their own right, enhanced with aromas of various fruit, coffee and liqueurs. Colourful Marienkäfer (ladybirds) and the yellow Maikäfer (may-bug) of chocolate or marzipan decorate every Easter table as signs of warmer spring weather and joy of living.   

We will offer you the best of European Chocolatiers and Niederegger Marzipan in various sizes, individually wrapped, and in suitable price ranges. Do come early to avoid disappointment for choice! 

Should you require any further information, kindly phone us during our normal office hours.
 

Tour to Angermünde in der Uckermark

On Wednesday, 24th March at 19.00 hours, a presentation and information evening will be held during which Frau Ingrid Kidder, who is the organiser of this tour, will give full details and present illustrations on this trip taking place end of August / beginning of September 2010 to all those present.  The exact dates (at the time of going to print) are still depending on scheduled direct flights Malta - Berlin – Malta, which will would have been sorted out by then.

A detailed programme through the beautiful landscape of the Uckermark and the “Land der tausend Seen” to be explored by various means of transport, as well as the total price will be available on the presentation evening.

Interested members are invited to attend this meeting at which time also binding bookings can be made. The total number of participants is limited to 30 persons.

Attention all Students

No classes will be held on Friday, 19^th March (Public Holiday) and Friday, 26^th March (Our Lady of Sorrows). Last lesson for the second term will be Tuesday, 30^th March.  First lessons after the Easter holidays start on Wednesday, 7^th April. 

Applications for ALL Goethe Institute examinations can be collected from the office or downloaded from our website.  The examination timetable can also be viewed on our website.  Closing date for applications is Tuesday, 30^th March.

Mitten im Meer  (Wibke Seifert)

Sie wollen wissen:
-          wie lange sich die Malteser auf eine Hochzeit vorbereiten,
-          ob auf den felsigen Inseln vielleicht doch ein Wald wächst,
-          in welchem Alter sich die Malteser für eine politische Partei entscheiden müssen,
-          ob es auf Malta ein „Tor zu einer anderen Welt“ gibt,
-          wann und wie die Malteser Feste feiern,
-          welche Jahreszeit auf Malta die schönste ist? 

Die Antworten hierauf und viele andere merkwürdige, amüsante und nachdenklich Stimmende Dinge erfahren Sie in diesem Buch.  Kommen Sie mit nach Malta, dem kleinsten Staat der Europäischen Union, und lernen Sie seine Menschen kennen: einen pensionierten Lehrer, der einfach alles über sein Land weiß, einen Kunstmaler, der Ihnen die verborgenen Schönheiten der Inseln enthüllt, einen Fischer, der sein Boot über alles liebt, eine Kneipenbesitzerin, die freigiebig Lollis verschenkt, einen übereifrigen Polizisten, etliche schießwütige Jäger, einen kauzigen Busfahrer, gerissene Pferdekutscher und einen Mann, der sich kreuzigen ließ.

Sie können das Buch in der Bibliothek des Deutsch-Maltesischen Zirkels ausleihen.

German Surname Origins (Kathi Reid)

It is thought that Germans began to use surnames in the 1400s. Occupational names are the most common, but nicknames and location names are also used. Every village had similar trades from which people took their surnames, so people of different German villages who had the same trade and therefore the same surname are not necessarily related to each other.

Today German surnames have undergone many spelling changes, especially as Germans have immigrated to the United States. For example; Meyer, Mayer, Maier, Meier all have the same meaning - a tenant farmer. Suffixes which can indicate a German occupational name are: -er (meaning "one who"), -hauer  (meaning "cutter"), -macher (meaning "maker").  

These prefixes do not necessarily indicate a noble origin: von  (meaning "of")  and/or an  (meaning "on").  While the nobility surnames did have a prefix of “von” to indicate their main castle or estate,  it is just as true than a person not of the nobility could also have the surname with a prefix signifying that he was originally from a different town. Some German surnames are derived from locations, a place near the person who adopted the surname. -berg (meaning "mountain"), -bruck (meaning "bridge"), -burg (meaning "castle"), -furt (meaning "ford"), -holz (meaning "wood"), -rode (clearing in woods), -wald (meaning "forest" or "woods").  Some German towns and villages have names ending in -heim (meaning "home"),  or -dorf (meaning "village") .  Some of family surnames with these suffixes may include a clue to an ancestral village of long ago.

Deutsche Schlager: German Hit Songs

German popular songs are a great way to expand your vocabulary and learn something about the culture as well - while you enjoy the music! 

Do you know who these people are? - Roy Black, Lale Andersen, Freddy Quinn, Peter Alexander, Heintje, Peggy March, Udo Jürgens, Reinhard Mey, Nana Mouskouri, Rex Gildo, Heino, and Katja Ebstein. If those names sound familiar, you were probably in Germany during the 1960s (or early '70s). Each of those people had one or more hit songs in German during that era, and some of them are still musically active today!  

It's true that deutsche Schlager are not really “in” these days, especially the old, sentimental ones from the '60s and '70s sung by the people mentioned above and other German pop stars. But despite their lack of coolness and the distain of today's music generation in Germany, such German golden oldies are actually ideal for German-learners in many ways.   First, they usually have simple, uncomplicated lyrics suited for beginners and many folk ballads are not that difficult to follow. German songs can be a very enjoyable way to learn German - both vocabulary and grammar.  

By 1967, American and British rock and pop was already edging German Schlager out, but besides "Penny Lane" (Beatles), "Let's Spend the Night Together" (Rolling Stones), and "Good Vibrations (Beach Boys), you could still hear German hits on the radio (unlike today!). “Memories of Heidelberg” (Peggy March), “Meine Liebe zu dir” (Roy Black) and “Verbotene Träume” (Peter Alexander) are just a few oldies from 1967.  

(Extract from the website about.com)

On a lighter note

Ein Tourist auf der Suche zum langersehnten Konzert der Wiener Philharmoniker: "Entschuldigen Sie bitte! Wie komme ich zu den Philharmonikern?"
Antwort des Passanten: "Üben, üben, üben!" 

Die Kleine Julia darf zu Ostern das erste mal mit in die Kirche.
Nach der Messe fragt der Vater die kleine Julia "Was hat dir am besten gefallen?"
Darauf Julia: "Das alle ‚Hallo Julia' gesungen haben!!!" 

Der 6-jaehrige Peter entdeckt auf dem Speicher einen Laufstall und läuft aufgeregt zu seiner Mutter: "Du, bald kriegen wir wieder ein Baby. Papa hat eine Falle aufgestellt." 

Ober: "Wie fanden Sie das Filetsteak, mein Herr?"
Gast: "Ganz zufällig, als ich das Gemüse beiseite schob." 

Friseur: "Ihr Haar wird langsam grau!"
Kunde: "Kein Wunder bei Ihrem Arbeitstempo!"

Zur Information

Die Telefonnummer der Deutschen Botschaft in Valletta hat sich geändert.
Neue Nummer: 2260 4000.  Die neue Fax-Nummer der Botschaft: 2260 4115
Die alten Direkt-Durchwahlnummern werden automatisch an die Telefonzentrale weitergeleitet.  Bitte fragen Sie dort nach den neuen Direkt-Durchwahlnummern.

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