Winter 2014 - Saskatchewan German Council

POSTILLION
Der Rundbrief des Saskatchewan German Councils
Volume 29, Issue 4
Winter 2014
Table of Contents
16
Aus dem Büro/From the Office 03
Grüße von der Präsidentin 04
Greetings from the President 04
25th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
06
When the Wall Came Tumbling Down...
07
SGC Recipe Corner: Paprikagulasch
08
SGC Library Corner 08
Mennonite Village celebrate 100-year-old Church building
09
Rolling Calendar of Events
10
Festival Of Trees
11
History of the Germans from Russia, part 19
12
9
15
19
News from SGC Member Groups
German Cultural Centre
13
Concordia Brass Band
13
German Canadian Society Harmonie
14
German Junior Folk Dancers
14
Kochlöffel & Nudelholz
15
German Heritage Society of Humboldt and District 15
Karnevalsgesellschaft Harmonie
16
Das Schulhaus
16
Concordia Junior Alpenrose Dancers
17
Volksliederchor Harmonie
17
Melville & District German Heritage Club
18
Concordia Alpenrose Schuhplattler Verein
18
Hansel and Gretel Preschool 19
Skat Club 19
Volksliederchor Concordia
20
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church
20
The Postillion is a quarterly newsletter published by
the Saskatchewan German Council Inc.
Submissions to: [email protected]
Deadlines 2015: Autumn - October 6
Winter - December 1
Spring - March 9
Summer - June 29
Inquieries to: Sabine Doebel-Atchison, Editor
[email protected]
Articles may be reprinted with permission.
Saskatchewan German Council Inc.
510 Cynthia Street, Saskatoon, SK S7L 7K7
phone: 306-975-0845 fax: 306-242-8007
e-mail: [email protected] website: www.saskgermancouncil.org
Cover image: Cultural Incent Smokers Fotolia_27853633_Subscription_XL
Scherenschitt illustrations in this issue are taken from originals
by Waltraude Stehwien, courtesy of the artist. Reproduction
without permission is strictly prohibited. © W. Stehwien
Aus dem Büro
FROM THE OFFICE
Sabine Doebel-Atchison Board of Directors
President
Josephin Dick, Saskatoon
Vice President
Katharina Ulbrich, Estevan
Past President
Ilona Beck, Rouleau
Treasurer
Rod Gellner, Regina
Secretary,
Ulrike Hecker, Saskatoon
Directors
Marita Bray, Regina
Janet Jost, Regina
Dr. Michael Oelck, Saskatoon
Uwe Reinkens, Star City
Amanda Stehwien, Saskatoon
Dr. Michael Zimmermann, Regina
Staff
Sabine Doebel-Atchison,
Executive Director
Franziska Davies,
Office & Program Assistant
Anastasiya Baranova,
Immigrant Settlement Advisor
The fall has been incredibly busy with planning and preparation for the Fall of the Berlin Wall event
that was held on November 9, but now everything is slowing down a bit as the year comes to an end.
The documentary that was shown at the German Cultural Centre for the Berlin Wall event was so well
received that some attendees had to stand! We would like to thank everyone that was involved in
making this event a great success!
Before the November 9 celebration took place, the 100th anniversary of Canada’s first national
internment commemorative project took place. The day was a bit cold but that did not stop people
from coming and supporting the project.
Once again, just a quick reminder that there are new advertising rates for the Postillion. They are
available from the SGC office upon request. Please contact us if you would like to advertise in our
newsletter. We are happy to help with any artwork required for your ad at no additional charge.
It is also time to mention that the SGC is still looking for a member group to host the 2015 Treffpunkt, if
your group is interested please contact the office for further information.
Wishing you Happy Holidays and a great start to the New Year from the office!
Der Herbst war unglaublich arbeitsreich mit der Planung und Vorbereitung für die Veranstaltung Der
Berliner Mauerfall, die am 9. November stattfand, jetzt wird es jedoch ruhiger da das Jahr zur Neige
geht. Der Dokumentarfilm die im German Cultural Centre für die Veranstaltung des Mauerfalls gezeigt
wurde, war so gut besucht, dass einige Besucher stehen mussten! Wir möchten allen danken, die dazu
beigetragen haben, dass die Veranstaltung so ein großer Erfolg geworden ist!
Bevor der Veranstaltung zum 9. November, fand der 100ste Jahrestag des ersten kanadischen
nationalen Internierungsprojekt des Erinnerns statt. Der Tag war etwas kalt, dies hielt jedoch die Leute
nicht ab teilzunehmen und ihre Unterstützung für das Projekt zu zeigen.
Wir möchten nochmals darauf hinweisen, dass es neue Preisraten für Werbeplätze im Postillion gibt.
Die Raten sind auf Anfrage vom SGC Büro erhältlich. Bitte kontaktieren Sie uns wenn Sie im Newsletter
Werbung schalten möchten. Wir helfen gerne mit jedwedem Design, dass Sie eventuell dafür
benötigen ohne Zusatzkosten.
Es ist auch wieder Zeit daran zu erinnern, dass das SGC noch immer nach einer Mitgliedsgruppe sucht,
die den 2015 Treffpunkt ausrichten möchte. Sollte ihre Gruppe daran Interesse haben, melden Sie sich
bei uns im Büro für nähere Informationen.
Wir wünschen Ihnen Frohe Festtage und einen guten Start ins neue Jahr!
3
Greetings from the president
GrüSSe von der Präsidentin
Josephin Dick
It seems winter is now here to stay. As much
as I enjoy the beautiful sight, the roads are just
awful. But at least we will have white Christmas.
The last months were very busy for the
Saskatchewan German Council. On October
17th, Sabine and I were invited by the German
Heritage Society Humboldt & District for supper and a fashion show to celebrate the SGC’s
30th Anniversary. Almost 200 people attended
this wonderful evening. Regretfully we were a
little late, since we were delayed in leaving Saskatoon, so we missed most of the Little Brass
Band’s music. On the bright side, we managed
to hear some, which we very much enjoyed.
After a superb dinner, we saw the fashion show
by a local store. They showed some amazing
pieces. Thanks to the Humboldt group for organizing this great event for SGC’s anniversary.
On October 28th we took part at the unveiling of the commemorative plaque at the
Eaton site. During and after World War First,
about 8000 enemy aliens were interned by
the Canadian government. From 1914 to 1920
people, mostly men with Ukrainian or German
background were put in internment camps,
without being charged with an actual crime,
but just because they came from the Ukraine
or Germany, or other countries, Great Britain
and Canada were at war with. In some cases
even women and children were imprisoned.
The men were put to forced labor, often in the
new national parks, or for the railway. At the
Eaton site, now the site of the Railway Museum
here in Saskatoon, prisoners were only here
for about three weeks, and were later moved
east. Together with our Ukrainian friends we
unveiled a plaque to remember this injustice,
to help events like these never to be allowed
again. Next spring this temporary plaque will
be replaced by a permanent one. We will also
try to create an exhibit inside one of the buildings at the Eaton site, so visitors can learn more
about this difficult time.
This year we had a difficult choice to make,
either celebrate the 30th anniversary of the
4
SGC in a big event, or combine with the 25th
anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. We
did choose to combine the celebration of the
fall of the Berlin Wall and our 30th anniversary.
On November 9th, we invited the public to a
free movie. Just watching the movie about the
last 50 hours before the wall fell, was amazing.
And to be honest some old fears came to my
mind again. I remember vividly how anxious I
had been at that time, wishing for the events
to stay peaceful, which luckily they did. If you
are interested in watching the movie, you can
contact the office, and we will be happy to
lend it out. After the free movie we had invited
people to join us for a banquet and exhibition.
We had the honor of greeting the honorable
Minister of Education, Labor Relations, and
Workplace Safety Don Morgan, the honorable Minister of state Lynn Yellich, his worship
our mayor Don Atchison, Rob Norris former
Minister of Advanced Education, Employment
and Immigration, currently Vice-Chair of the
Public Sector Bargaining Committee, and Peter
England, former President of SaskCulture. Thank
you for coming to this event.
Last I would like to mention we have decorated another Christmas tree at the Western
Development Museum Festival of Trees. This
year we choose the fairy tale “Sterntaler” (The
Star Talers). It is about a little girl who lost her
parents, but has such a good heart she gives
away all her possessions as well. Of course she
is rewarded in the fairy tale by the stars falling
down from the sky and turning into golden
coins. So our tree was full of golden ornaments,
angel hair and golden stars.
Have a merry Christmas, and all the best for the
coming year 2015!
Offensichtlich hat der Winter nun endgültig
Einzug gehalten. So sehr ich die weiße Pracht
genieße, die Straßen sind einfach schreicklich.
Immerhin werden wir sicher weiße Weihnachten haben.
Die letzten Monate waren für den SGC sehr
ereignissreich. Am 17. Oktober waren Sabine
und ich bei der German Heritage Society Humboldt & District Gruppe zu einem Bankett und
einer Modeschau eingeladen, um das 30jährige
Jubiläum des SGCs zu feiern. Beinahe 200 Gäste
nahmen an dieser wunderbaren Veranstaltung
teil. Bedauerlicherweise kamen Sabine und
ich ein wenig zu spät und verpassten damit
einen Teil der Aufführung der Little Brass Band.
Immerhin konnten wir noch ein paar Lieder
genießen. Nach einem sehr guten Essen sahen
wir eine Modeschau, organisiert von einem
Lokalen Geschäft. Sie zeigten wirklich wunderbare Stücke. Vielen Dank and die Gruppe aus
Humboldt, dass sie diese großartige Veranstaltung zum Jubiläum des SGC organiesiert
haben.
Am 28. Oktober nahmen wir an einer Enthüllung einer Gedenktafel bei Eaton teil. Während
und nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg wurden etwa
8000 feindliche Ausländer von der kanadischen
Regierung interniert. Von 1914 bis 1920 wurden Personen, meist Männer ukrainischer und
deutscher Herkunft, ohne eines Verbrechens
angeklagt zu sein, eingesperrt. Nur weil sie aus
der Ukraine, Deutschland oder aus anderen
Ländern kamen, mit denen Großbritanien, und
damit auch Kanada, im Kriegszustand waren.
In wenigen Fällen wurden sogar Frauen und
Kinder eingesperrt. Die Männer wurden zur
Zwangsarbeit verpflichtet. Meist für die neue
entstehenden Nationalparks, oder auch für die
Eisenbahn. Auf dem Gelände bei Eaton, dem
heutigen Eisenbahnmuseum bei Saskatoon,
waren die Gefangen nur etwa drei Wochen
lang, und wurden anschließend in den Osten
gebracht. Zusammen mit unseren ukrainischen
Freunden enthüllten wir eine Gedenktafel
um an diese Ungerechtigkeit zu erinnern,
damit Vorkommnisse wie diese nicht wieder
geschehen mögen. Im kommenden Frühling
soll anstelle der temporären eine permanete
Gedenktafel errichtet werden. Wir werden auch
versuchen im Museum selbst eine Ausstellung zu diesem Thema aufzubauen, so dass
die Besucher mehr über diese schwierige Zeit
erfahren können.
In diesem Jahr mussten wir auch eine schwierige Entscheidung treffen. Feiern wir das
30jährige Jubiläum des SGC, oder 25 Jahre
nach dem Fall der Berliner Mauer. Wir entschieden uns schließlich für eine Feier zum Jahrestag
des Falles der Mauer. Am 9. November luden
wir die Öffentlichkeit zu einer kostenlosen
Filmaufführung ein. Einfach die letzten 50
Stunden vor dem Fall der Mauer in diesem Film
1
noch einmal nachzuerleben, war erstaunlich.
Ich habe mich daran erinnert, welche Sorgen
ich mir damals machte, dass diese Ereignisse
friedlich blieben. Was dann ja auch zum Glück
eingetroffen war. Wenn Sie Interesse an diesem
Film haben, melden Sie sich bitte bei uns im
Büro. Wir leihen Ihnen diesen Film gerne aus.
Nach dem Film luden wir zu einem Banquett
und zu einer Ausstellung ein. Wir hatten die
Ehre Minister Don Morgan, Ministerin Lynn Yellich, Bürgermeister Don Atchison, den ehemaligen Minister Rob Norris und den ehemaligen
Präsidenten von SaskCulture Peter England
begrüßen zu dürfen. Herzlichen Dank, dass Sie
uns mit Ihrer Anwesenheit geehrt haben.
haben. Diesmal haben wir zum Thema das
Märchen „Sterntaler“ gewählt. Es handelt von
einem kleinen Mädchen, das nachdem es
beide Eltern verloren hatte, immer noch so
ein gutes Herz hatte, dass es alles verschenkte,
was es hatte. Natürlich wurde sie am Ende
des Märchens belohnt. Die Sterne am Himmel
verwandelten sich in goldene Taler und sie
lebte glücklich uns zufrieden bis ans Ende ihres
Lebens. Unser Baum war daher geschmückt
mit Engelshaar, vielen goldenen Sternen und
goldenen Chrisbaumkugeln.
Ich wünsche Ihnen allen ein frohes und gesegnetes Weihnachtsfest und alles Gute für das
neue Jahr 2015.
Zuletzt möchte ich noch erwähnen, dass wir
auch in diesem Jahr einen Weihnachtsbaum
beim WDM zum Festival of Trees geschmückt
2
3
1. Josephin Dick addressing attendees of the November
9 celebration of the Fall of the Berlin Wall 2. Minister
Don Morgan and Josephin Dick at the unveiling of
the internment plaque 3. Celebration of the Fall of the
Berlin Wall at the German Cultural C entre 4. Photo Exhibition “Local Time” by Stegan Koppelkamm 5. SGC’s
Christmas tree at the Festival of Trees in Saskatoon
4
5
5
SGC 30th Anniversary Event
Celebration of the 25th Anniversary
of the Fall of the Berlin Wall
Sabine Doebel-Atchison
November 9, 1989 marks a special date in the history of Germany. It
was on this day that the Berlin Wall – a symbol of division between two
conflicting ideologies – came down. The fall of the Berlin Wall paved
the way for German Unity, which was formerly concluded on October
3, 1990.Demonstrations against the government and the system in
East Germany began at the end of September and lasted until November 1989. Erich Honecker, East Germany’s head of state, resigned on
October 18, 1989. A new government prepared a law to lift the travel
restrictions for East Germans. At a press conference in the early evening
hours of November 9, 1989 a member of the new East German government made the announcement and was asked when the new regulations would come into effect. He answered: “As far as I know -- effective immediately, without delay.” Crowds of East Germans crossed and
climbed onto the wall, joined by West Germans on the other side in
a celebratory atmosphere. Over the following weeks, people chipped
away parts of the wall. Twenty-five years later, we celebrate the fall of
the Berlin Wall as it led to the end of the Cold War and to Germany’s
reunification. Lessons of this time period are those of diplomacy, courage, and conflict resolution, which are still valid in this day and time.
Pictures of the Berlin Wall supplied by Barbara Stehwien, reprinted
with persmission.
6
SGC 30th Anniversary Event
When the Wall Came Tumbling down...
50 hours that changed the world
Following is a short summary on the documentary that was shown at the Fall
of the Berlin Wall event:
1
2
Berlin, November 9th, 1989. Thousands of people break through the border
checkpoints of the divided city. The “death strip” has lost its horror. East and
West Berliners are dancing on the Wall and chip it away with hammers and
chisels throughout the night. The most famous symbol of the Cold War is
crumbling as the world watches on live television. It was a party on very explosive ground. Behind the scenes, at all levels of power, frantic diplomatic
and military maneuvers were taking place. The East German government and
its ministries for national defense and state security; the headquarters of the
Soviet forces in East Germany; the Allied forces in West Berlin and the governments in Moscow, London, Paris, Washington, as well as in Bonn - all were
caught off-guard by the events that unfolded that day.
Using some never-before-seen footage, this compelling documentary shows
what really happened during those perilous, pivotal hours. General Secretary Gorbachev and President Bush; the French and the British governments;
Chancellor Kohl and General Secretary Krenz; foreign secretaries, ministers, and
high-ranking officers from both sides (some heard speaking out for the first
time), along with journalists such as NBC correspondent Tom Brokaw, describe
what happened behind the scenes. This unfolding historical drama is counterbalanced by the celebration in the streets as Berliners from East and West tell
of moving experiences - sometimes amusing, sometimes painful - that shaped
their destiny. All perspectives are joined beautifully in this remarkable film detailing those 50 momentous hours that changed the world.
Thoroughly researched, beautifully crafted, this is one of the best documentaries on the fall of the Berlin Wall yet to emerge.
Article taken from: https://ecommerce.umass.edu/defa/film/5734
1. Banquet at the German Cultural Centre. 2. Children’s activity. 3. Showing of the
documentary “When the Wall Came Tumbling Down... 50 Hours that Changed the
World”. 4. Honourable Lynn Yellich addressing guests 5. Enjoying the menu and
company.
2
3
3
4
5
7
LIBRARY corner
Andrea MaCleod
Das Kreuz der Kinder
by: Peter Berling
German, 487 pages
Ten thousand teenagers and children left
Germany and France to go on a crusade to the
holy land. Most of
them didn’t make it
that far and died on
the way. Many end
up as slaves in the
orient.
recipe corner
Andrea MacLeod
Paprikagulasch
Gulasch with Bell peppers
But things turn out different than planned in a
swirl of power interests and religious confusion.
Ingredients:
Zutaten:
•
200g Rindfleisch
•
200g beef
•
200g Schweinefleisch
•
200g pork
•
Bratfett
•
Butter or oil
•
3 Zwiebeln (mittelgroß)
•
3 onions (middle sized)
•
2 Esslöffel Mehl
•
2 tbs. flour
•
Salz
•
Salt
•
Paprika
•
Paprika
•
3/8 Liter Brühe oder Wasser
•
3/8 liter broth or water
•
2 bis 3 Tomaten
•
2 to 3 tomatoes
•
250g Paprika
•
250g bell peppers (red, orange or yellow)
Fleisch in Würfel schneiden und im Fett
kräftig anbraten. Zwiebel klein hacken
und unter das Fleisch mischen. Mehl mit
Salz und Paprika vermischen und über die
Mischung stäuben. Brühe oder Wasser zum
kochen bringen, dann ¼ Liter langsam
zum Fleisch geben. Tomaten häuten (kurz
abbrühen um das Häuten zu erleichtern),
dann würfeln. Paprika säubern und in
Streifen schneiden. Beides zur Fleischmischung hinzugeben. Dann mit der Restlichen
Brühe ablöschen und zugedeckt fertig gar
schmoren. Mit Paprika und Salz abschmecken, wahlweise Sahne hinzugeben zum
verfeinern.
8
The Emir of Mahdia
calls together the
survivors of the
Children’s Crusade
of 1212. His goal is to compile chronicles about
the crusades because Melusine, mother of his
beloved son Karim was part of the crusades
before entering the harem of the Emir.
Cut the meat into cubes and sear in butter
or oil. Dice onions and mix into meat. Combine flour, salt and paprika and sprinkle over
meat mix. Boil the water or broth and slowly
add ¼ liter to the meat. Peel tomatoes
(blanch to make peeling easier) and cut into
cubes. Clean the bell pepper and cut into
strips. Add both to the meat mixture. Pour
the rest of the broth or water over the meat
mixture, cover with a lid and let it simmer
until fully cooked. Add salt and paprika to
taste. You might add some cream for a finer
taste.
Goethe!
DVD
100 min, Language German, Subtitles German
When the young Goethe fails his law exam, his
father sends him to Wetzlar, where is helping
the jurist Kestner. Soon, he meets Charlotte
Buff and falls in love.
Charlotte returns his feeling. However, Kestner is
asking Charlotte’s father
for permission to marry
her, who is very glad that
his daughter will be taken
care of.
While hesitant, Charlotte
soon sees the point her
father makes, but she still doesn’t like to let go
of Goethe. Meanwhile, Goethe helps Kestner
with his marriage proposal unknowingly who
the fiancé might be. At the engagement
party the truth is reveal and Goethe greatly
dismayed.
Mennonite Village celebrate 100-yearold church buidling
By Matthew Liebenberg
[email protected]
always painted white on the outside instead of
the present unpainted cedar siding.
A gathering took place at the Mennonite
Heritage Village in Swift Current on Aug. 17 to
celebrate the 100-year-old Sommerfeld Church
building.
“I remember us painting it,” she said. “We helped
paint.”
The former Gouldtown Sommerfeld Church
building was relocated to the Heritage Village
in 2003, where it has become an integral feature of this living museum site.
Quite a few people at the event have been in
the building when it still stood at its original
location in a farming community north of
Herbert.
Tena Siemens came from Fiske, near Rosetown,
to attend the celebration. She lived half a mile
from the church at its former location.
“This church was in the country,” she told the
Prairie Post. “In fact, my brothers owned the
land and the church was right in the corner of
my brothers’ quarter section and the cemetery
is still there.”
She did not attend this church, but occasionally
went there for a baptism, wedding or funeral.
She recalled how she and other children sheltered inside the building when it started to rain
while they were walking home from school.
“We would go into the entrance,” she said. “The
church was never locked. ... That’s the very
inside as it was then.”
While the church interior is still the same, the
seating arrangement during sermons was quite
different in earlier years.
“A big difference was when we came in, the
ladies and the children would all sit on the right
hand side, and the men sat on the left,” she said.
“Today was a little different.”
Herbert resident Susie Dyck also attended the
celebration. Her father, Frank Dueck, was a
minister at this church.
“My father was the minister there, and myself
and my first husband got married in there, and
we were baptized in there,” she said. “That was
not our closest home church when I grew up,
but that was where my father went to preach
quite a bit and I had to come along with him for
company.”
The building’s interior is still the same as then,
but she remembers a different exterior. It was
Agathy Dyck, a long-time member of the Swift
Current Mennonite Heritage Village Committee,
spoke about the history of the building during
the celebration. The simplicity of the building is
the result of a practice from the 1700s in Prussia, when churches were built in a plain style
during a time of religious intolerance.
Henry Thiessen was the song leader during
the celebration and the group sang hymns in
English and German. There was an opportunity
for people to share their memories about the
church and afterwards they enjoyed supper in
the main building.
“If you didn’t get invited to somebody’s house
for high tea on a Sunday somebody else would
be invited to your house,” she said. “There was
never hardly a household left without company
on a Sunday, but every other day they worked
from dawn until dusk.”
The house at the Mennonite Heritage Village
was built in 1911 and the barn in 1915. These
buildings were constructed by the settlers
through house-raising bees.
“They’re all early homesteader buildings
built with muscle power,” she said. “It’s almost
unbelievable and I’m told that they did have
pretty good distribution of labour. Some guys
would be really good at doing windows, others
would be really good at doing the doors. ... They
worked together, helped each other out and
got established.”
The church was built in 1914 and was used until
1974. There were no regular Sunday services in
the building between 1974 and 2003.
According to Agatha Dyck the Mennonite
Heritage Village in Swift Current was looking
for homesteader buildings and requested the
relocation of the church.
Former and current members of the church
passed a majority vote in favour of donating the
building to the Mennonite Heritage Village, but
it was not a unanimous decision.
1
“There were a few members in that community
who were not convinced it was the right move
for the building,” she said. “It took it right out of
the community.”
After the relocation the exterior was restored
with new cedar shingles and siding, but there
was no need for interior upgrades.
2
“Nothing was done on the inside,” she said. “The
inside of the church is original.”
The building was an important acquisition
for the Mennonite Heritage Village because a
church was a central feature in a Mennonite
community.
“It was always built in the middle of the villages
and across the road from the church was the
school,” she said. “They were both very much
part of the social milieu of the day.”
The social activities in a community centred
around the school and church buildings. Sunday was a day of rest and people visited each
other.
3
1. Agatha Dyck talks about the history of the
Gouldtown Sommerfeld Mennonite Church. 2. The
historic Sommerfeld Church in Swift Current. 3.
Henry Thiessen leads the singing.
Article and pictures reprinted with permission and
obtained from the Prarie Post.
9
Rolling Calendar of Events
every Wednesday
Skat at the German Cultural Centre in Saskatoon at 7 p.m.
every FRIDAY
Classical Connection on CFCR 90.5 FM from 1-2 p.m. with Sigrid Kirmse
every SunDAY
Treffpunkt Deutschland on CFCR 90.5 FM from 1-3 p.m.
Sunday Brunch at the German Cultural Centre, Saskatoon, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
German Buffet at the German Cultural Centre, Saskatoon, 5:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.
December
8 Kochlöffel & NUdelholz Class
Kochlöffel & Nudelholz - German Canadian Koch- und Backstudio
Call 306-292-2117 or e-mail kochlö[email protected]
15 Kochlöffel & NUdelholz Class
Kochlöffel & Nudelholz - German Canadian Koch- und Backstudio
Call 306-292-2117 or e-mail kochlö[email protected]
31 New Years Eve Dance German Cultural Centre Saskatoon Call 306-244-6869 for more information
January
12
Kochlöffel & NUdelholz Class
Kochlöffel & Nudelholz - German Canadian Koch- und Backstudio
Call 306-292-2117 or e-mail kochlö[email protected]
28 Open House and Registration
Hansel and Gretel Preschool
Call 306-651-0436 or visit www.hanselandgretelpreschool.ca
February
9
Kochlöffel & NUdelholz Class
Kochlöffel & Nudelholz - German Canadian Koch- und Backstudio
Call 306-292-2117 or e-mail kochlö[email protected]
10
SGC at the Festival of Trees
This year SGC once again had the opportunity to participate in the annual Festival of
Trees event in Saskatoon at the Western Development Museum. The theme of this
year’s event was a fair tale Christmas.
The idea behind the Festival of Trees is to come together as a community in the holiday season to not only celebrate but also help in raising funds to support the Saskatoon City Hostpial Foundation.
It was decided that the Sterntaler fairy tale would be used in decoration the tree from
SGC. Below is the story of the Brothers Grimm that SGC choose as a theme for the
Christmas tree at the event.
1
1. SGC’s Christmas Tree
The Star Thalers by the Brothers Grimm
Die Sterntaler der Brüder Grimm
There was once upon a time a little girl whose father and mother were
dead, and she was so poor that she no longer had a room to live in, or
bed to sleep in, and at last she had nothing else but the clothes she was
wearing and a little bit of bread in her hand which some charitable soul
had given her. She was good and pious, however. And as she was thus
forsaken by all the world, she went forth into the open country, trusting
in the good God.
Es war einmal ein kleines Mädchen, dem war Vater und Mutter gestorben, und es war so arm, daß es kein Kämmerchen mehr hatte, darin zu
wohnen, und kein Bettchen mehr hatte, darin zu schlafen, und endlich
gar nichts mehr als die Kleider auf dem Leib und ein Stückchen Brot in
der Hand, das ihm ein mitleidiges Herz geschenkt hatte. Es war aber
gut und fromm. Und weil es so von aller Welt verlassen war, ging es im
Vertrauen auf den lieben Gott hinaus ins Feld.
Then a poor man met her, who said, “Ah, give me something to eat, I am
so hungry.”
Da begegnete ihm ein armer Mann, der sprach: “Ach, gib mir etwas zu
essen, ich bin so hungerig.”
She handed him the whole of her piece of bread, and said, “May God
bless you,” and went onwards.
Es reichte ihm das ganze Stückchen Brot und sagte: “Gott segne dir’s”, und
ging weiter. Da kam ein Kind, das jammerte und sprach: “Es friert mich so
an meinem Kopfe, schenk mir etwas, womit ich ihn bedecken kann.”
Then came a child who moaned and said, “My head is so cold, give me
something to cover it with.”
So she took off her hood and gave it to him. And when she had walked
a little farther, she met another child who had no jacket and was frozen
with cold. Then she gave it her own, and a little farther on one begged for
a frock, and she gave away that also.
At length she got into a forest and it had already become dark, and there
came yet another child, and asked for a shirt, and the good little girl
thought to herself, “It is a dark night and no one sees you, you can very
well give your shirt away,” and took it off, and gave away that also.
And as she so stood, and had not one single thing left, suddenly some
stars from heaven fell down, and they were nothing else but hard smooth
pieces of money, and although she had just given her shirt away, she had
a new one which was of the very finest linen. Then she put the money
into it, and was rich all the days of her life.
Da tat es seine Mütze ab und gab sie ihm. Und als es noch eine Weile
gegangen war, kam wieder ein Kind und hatte kein Leibchen an und fror:
da gab es ihm seins; und noch weiter, da bat eins um ein Röcklein, das
gab es auch von sich hin.
Endlich gelangte es in einen Wald, und es war schon dunkel geworden,
da kam noch eins und bat um ein Hemdlein, und das fromme Mädchen
dachte: “Es ist dunkle Nacht, da sieht dich niemand, du kannst wohl dein
Hemd weggeben”, und zog das Hemd ab und gab es auch noch hin.
Und wie es so stand und gar nichts mehr hatte, fielen auf einmal die
Sterne vom Himmel, und waren lauter blanke Taler; und ob es gleich
sein Hemdlein weggegeben, so hatte es ein neues an, und das war vom
allerfeinsten Linnen. Da sammelte es sich die Taler hinein und war reich
für sein Lebtag.
11
History of Germans from Russia, Part 19
The year was 1915 and Russia was at war with Germany. Just
ten years earlier the Russians had signed the embarrassing
Treaty of Portsmouth to end the Russo-Japanese War. This new
war, a war with Germany, was very hard on the German colonists. Although they knew their allegiance was to the Czar, it
was with heavy hearts that the colonists sent their sons to fight
on behalf of their adopted country. Many still had family ties
to the old country and the majority still practiced their German
language and culture.
This new war with Germany was not going well. The Tsar’s
armies were poorly led and proved to be no match for the
Kaiser’s army. With Germany gaining ground on Russia’s western front, the incompetent government of the Tsar looked for
someone to blame. The Russian Chief of Staff felt there were
too many soldiers of German descent on the western front
and that these German soldiers, although fighting for the Czar,
were to blame for the poor performance of the Russian army.
They were thought to be saboteurs and spies for the Kaiser.
Of course nothing was further from the truth. Again Russian
propaganda was used to throw doubt on the soldiers as well as
the common German citizen. As a result some 250,000 of these
German soldiers, all sons of German colonists, were removed
from the western front and shipped east to the Caucasus
where they distinguished themselves in a major battle with the
Turks at Erzerum.
Back on the western front defeat followed defeat. Now it was
the turn of the German farmers living on the front; surely they
were to blame. In February 1915, the Russian government
passed a law, the Expropriation Decree, which was to liquidate
all lands of Russian subjects of German descent in Volhynia
(Wolhynien).* The Decree stated that all land owned by Germans in Volhynia had to be sold off within 10 months and if
not sold it would be auctioned off by the Russian Peasant Land
Bank. The government went so far as to allow the Land Bank to
set its own land prices. The Russian government by this move
hoped to eliminate once and for all the presence of German
landowners.
At this time there were over 200,000 Germans living in Volhynia. All German families were to leave Volhynia by June
1915. The exodus started with 150,000 German farmers and
their families. The farmers were allowed to take only a wagon
filled with their possessions; they left behind everything they
could not carry, their homes as well as the beautiful crops in
the fields. At the end of the wagon trek, they had to sell their
horses and wagons, take what they could carry and board
trains that would take them east, east to Siberia and Central
Asia. The stories of hunger, death and deprivation on this
exodus are well documented. Many people and especially new
born babies dying on this trek were buried along roadsides
with no proper burials.**
The Russian government was not yet done with its law making
and on December 13, 1915 it passed another imperial decree
whereby all lands owned by Germans should follow the course
of their Volhynian cousins. Unknown at the time the Czar’s days
were numbered and this new law did not come to pass.
12
Alvin knoll
The war with Germany dragged on, and by the end of 1916
the incompetency in the army, disastrous defeats and lack of
ammunition and supplies had demoralized the Russian army.
In January 1917, Petrograd experienced a very cold month
and food shipments were delayed to the capital. The Russian
people had had enough and some 80,000 metal workers took
to the streets in a major strike. They were joined by thousands
of others and later by the soldiers who were sent to control
them. On March 12, 1917 the Czar was convinced to abdicate.
The rule of the Czars’ had come to an end.
On March 16 a provisional government was put in place. This
new government promised much, freedom of speech, of the
press, workers right to strike, abolition of discrimination on social, religious and ethnic grounds and an elected government.
One could compare this to the peaceful transition of 1906
to 1908; an era of freedom and justice had become law. The
German colonists were happy that order and safety had been
reestablished and the soldiers who had fought in the faraway
Caucasus returned home.
This new Provisional Government had the support of the
middle and upper classes. However, there was one segment,
the Petrograd Soviet of Workers and Soldiers Deputies, which
was supported by the working classes. This group had hoped
to work with the Provisional government and found it could
not. For a few months these two entities worked side by side
but in September of 1917 a faction named the Bolsheviks arose
in the Social Democratic Party.
This party was led by a man named Lenin. He later changed
the Social Democratic Party name to the Communist Party.
A driven man he was openly hostile towards the provisional
government. He had won control over the Soviet and now
was looking for a way to seize power. The opportunity came
in late October when the Bolshevik commissars took over all
key garrisons in Petrograd. On November 7, a coup took place
and Lenin assumed power. He promised the people equality,
justice, bread and work.
The German colonists welcomed this news, but again I must
say this was Russia, and in the immediate future the war with
Germany would end and the way of life as the colonists knew it
would be shattered. The new word introduced was Nationalization and this would have dire consequences to all peoples of
Russia.
*Germans had settled Volhynia since 1800 but the largest
settlements occurred in the 1830’s. Volhynia was the territory in
the northwestern part of modern day Ukraine just west of Kiev
next to the Polish border.
**There are several members in our local Chapter of the
Germans from Russia who have family history with relation to
this exodus. I would also suggest researching The Wandering
Volhynians by Ewald Wutschke.
News from Member Groups
The Saskatchewan German Council Inc. has 39 member groups throughout Saskatchewan. Those groups include
cultural clubs, language schools, dance groups, choirs, genealogical groups, and many more. The following pages
contain articles by SGC member groups.
Hello from the German Cultural Centre
German Cultural Centre, Saskatoon — Adeline Vogelgesang
Oktoberfest held on October 18th truly was a “FUN NIGHT”. The well
decorated hall welcomed over 300 revelers. The DJ provided lively music
which enticed the crowd to fill the dance floor. Much singing, dancing,
laughter and food defined this as a most successful event.
November 9th - Celebrating the Fall of the Berlin Wall featured a very
interesting and emotional documentary. It was well attended, and we
had the pleasure of having many guests from Regina and other out of
towners. Many thanks to Sabine and her assistants from the Saskatchewan German Council, who arranged the many aspects of the evening,
and the well-organized program.
The Christkindl Markt held on November 16th welcomed many vendors,
who showcased a variety of crafts. Many indicated they would be back
next year. Due to the lack of snow, we had wagon rides instead of sleigh
rides.
Santa Claus made an appearance twice during the afternoon. He surely
delighted all the young people- passing out candy canes, dancing with
the very young dancers, and chatting with everyone. He was not in a
hurry to leave and certainly was a most welcome guest.
Two large Christmas trees are decorated in the large hall. As well we have
decorated trees and mantels in the lounge, dining room and culture
room. We have a very festive facility so do come and see us!
The upcoming New Year’s Eve Gala will be held on December 31st. It will
be a 1950’s and 1960’s theme, with good music, good food, and much
fun.
Call (306)244-6869 for more information and to buy your tickets.
Greetings from the Concordia Brass Band
Concordia Brass Band, Saskatoon — Arnold Back
The Concordia Brass Band has been very busy in 2014. We played at 17 events and were
rained out for one. Most of the events were in the summer and fall. If you wish to have the
Concordia Brass Band play for your event please contact us early to avoid disappointment as
we had to turn down many requests this fall. Here are a few pictures of some of the events
we played for. The pictures are of playing for the commemoration of fall of the Berlin Wall,
the Christkindl Market and playing at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Octoberfest.
1
1. Playing at the Christkindl Market.
2. At Octoberfest. 3. Celebrating the
Fall of the Berlin Wall
2
3
13
N e w s f r om S G C M e m b e r G r o u p s
Christmas Time in Regina
German Canadian Society Harmonie, Regina — Patrick Kossmann
Despite incredibly cold weather people lined up down the street to get
into this year’s Christkindl Markt! Crowds started gathering at 11 am even
though doors didn’t open until 2:00 pm. This shows how eager people
were for the event, and how hardy the people of Regina are. Once those
doors opened people flooded into the hall and began warming up with
Glühwein. The hall at the Regina German Club was decorated with real
trees and the forestry smell made for a very special day.
Stalls were set up selling crafts and baking, allowing people to work on
their Christmas shopping with homemade items, or just pick up a snack
or three for the holidays. A new event this year was the children’s baking
table where the little ones could roll, cut out, and bake cookies. After the
cookies were baked the children got to decorate them and, my favourite
part, eat them.
The many who attended kept the stalls and staff busy throughout the
afternoon. Wandering around the club sampling wares and making
purchases the afternoon passed quickly. The Glühwein flowed, the Gulaschsuppe was gobbled up, and people left full and happy, laden down
with trinkets and baking after their afternoon at the club.
Our Christmas activities will continue with our annual Weihnachtsfeier,
and a Weihnachtkonzert. For more information please go to our website
www.reginagermanclub.ca
Pre Christmas Season of the German Junior Folk Dancers
German Junior Folk Dancers — Barbara Stehwien
As every year, the ‘Vorweihnachtszeit’, the
pre-Christmas season is a busy one for performances and Lebkuchen sales. A vacancy
at the Market Mall kiosk we had in 2012, has
allowed us to set-up our Mini Christmas Market
fundraiser there again. Complete with changes
to the toy display from summer fun, to Trick or
Treat and now the winter activities and a mini,
snowy Christmas market.
Our recent performances included dancing
for the Symphony Oktoberfest at TCU place
and the annual Festival of Trees (our 12th year
there!) at the WDM. We also visited a senior’s
home and put on our multi-cultural dance
afternoon at the mall. This latter event was
supported by SGC and Mall administrators, and
is very popular with other folk dance groups,
giving them a chance to show off their new
dances.
Schottische, a dance from Finland, that we first
learned on our trip to southern Germany. We
have also traced the history of the Schustertanz
to France in Alsace. These last two are favorites
that we added to our repertoire after our Germany/Austria trip, so in a way, we are carrying
on the age old tradition of travel and bringing
home dances from other countries.
A fun addition to our junior junior’s performance is having one of our two German speaking (and singing!) dancers say the sometimes
hard to pronounce German name of the dance
into the microphone. This adds a wonderful
touch to the dancing, and lately, when asking
3 year old Katharina to do so, she didn’t only
say the name of the dance, but continued to
sing the entire song in a clear and very angelic
voice. Apparently, this did more than charm
the audience, it completely melted her parents
away.
Our new show for this year puts the focus on
the multicultural aspects of German folk dance.
Over the years of research in not only costuming, but also the origins of the dances we like
best, we have come across the very interesting
fact of folk dances being like a commodity that
travellers would ‘carry’ with them on their return
home.
Examples of the dances we’re presenting are
the Varsouvienne: one we first learned when
teaching the Norwegian children many years
ago. It is a dance that originates in Poland – the
dance from Warsaw. Then there is the Finsk
14
1
22
1
1. Almost everyone at the retirement home Dec
2014, photo by J. Lovering 2. Black & White dance
in Boomtown, screenshot from video by A. Despins
3. Junior junior dancers at Market Mall, photo by
B. Stehwien
3
Lots of exciting news from Kochlöffel and Nudelholz!
Kochlöffel & Nudelholz, Saskatoon — Franziska Davies
For December there is a big change, there was even
more interest than the November class that there
will be a second cooking class. Both classes are
almost full, we currently have 28 registered participants! There is also a tour booked at the LB Distillery
in Saskatoon, hopefully one of many field trips with
the club.
The November class had everything to do with
potatoes. There were so many recipes to choose
from but it came down to making Schupfnudeln,
Kartoffelpuffer, and Marillenknödel.
This was also the first time the club tried out the
kitchen at the German Cultural Centre. Everyone
enjoyed the space of the new kitchen since there
were 18 students, our biggest class yet!
We wish everyone Frohe Weihnachten und einen
guten Rutsch ins neue Jahr!
The students were divided into groups with a specific recipes. We also went over a few safety items
since this was a new kitchen and there were going
to be many more people. The recipes were made
wonderfully and there was plenty of food left over.
1
For more information contact Franziska Davies at
(306) 292-2117 or email: kochloeffelandnudelholz@
gmail.com
New items for the club are our business cards, rack
and postcards - make sure to look out for them! Our
next project was to order aprons with the Kochlöffel
and Nudelholz logo, they should be arriving early
December, we can’t wait! We’re also currently working on a cookbook that will be printed some time
in 2015 and will contain the recipes that have been
taught since the club started.
1. Marillenknödel ready to be cooked. 2. Finished
product and ready to eat!
2
Was ist los in Humboldt?
German Heritage Society of Humboldt and District — Ursula Klassen
On October 17, 2014 we had our first German
Supper as a fund raiser for the club to honour
SGC’s 30th anniversary. It was held at the Bella
Vista Inn and attended by 180 people. Our
master chef was Ruth Wilson’s son, Alex, who
prepared a scrumptious meal with a “Nachtish”
of “Bienenstich”. Well done Alex! The evening
included an hour of music performed by the
Little German Band. Supper was followed with
a fashion show presented by our local Cottage
Boutique ladies clothing store. To end the evening, a number of door prizes were drawn for.
Several representatives from the Saskatchewan
German Council attended.
For a fall project, the Folkart Co-op Humboldt
created several bistro tables, in different patterns, done in stained glass. All beautifully
done under the guidance of our glass specialist
Elaina Adams.
Every year the Folkart Co-op Humboldt donates
an article to the “Festival of Wreaths” which will
be held on December 4, 2014 at our new Gallery. The German Heritage Society’s president,
John Saxinger presents a wreath each year at
the Remembrance Day celebration.
And then there is St. Nikolaus who will be arriving on December 6th at St. Augustine parish
hall to speak to the youngsters and present
them with a bag of goodies. This year the
children were given a picture of St. Nikolaus to
colour which the they will hand to St. Nikolaus
and in turn they will receive a gold (chocolate) coin as was the tradition many years ago,
when the saints dropped a bag of gold coins
into a poor family’s window to provide a dowry
for their daughter.
1
A number of our members attended the documentary and supper at the
German Club Concordia, celebrating the 25th
year of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. They were
most impressed with the documentary.
The Ursuline and Elizabethan sisters who have
resided in Humboldt for many years have recently moved to Trinity Manor in Saskatoon.
The former Wilkommen Centre has been
renovated and is now a Gallery – a good asset
to our city. More murals have been added to
down town, depicting pioneer days in this area.
2
1. Supper at the Bella Vista Inn 2. Painting bistro
tables
15
N e w s f r om S G C M e m b e r G r o u p s
Guten Tag! Greetings from Prince Albert
Karnevalsgesellschaft Harmonie, Regina — Darlene Rubrecht
In September our dance groups started up with Cheryl and Sheila Aldous
continuing as our dance instructors. The dancers learned new dances which
were performed at Crowning. Crowning took place this year on November
7. We crowned Prince Les 1 and Princess Karen 1. Our MC this year was Carey
Smith from CTV weather. He learned what Crowning and Karneval was about.
We tried a different format this year with a lunch of cold cuts and buns being
served. The skit introduced us to the history and coming together of two
families. Carey met Milly Willy one of the Princes girlfriends (ex). During her
speech she received the gong and was escorted out by the Prince and his
entourage. But the Prince then ran after Milly to give her some flowers and a
gift. After the Crowning and speeches, ROCAPULCO played into the wee hours
of the night.
Karneval Christmas Party for the children and adults was on Dec. 6th at 6:30
PM. Before the party the dancers were practising for the performance at a
Christmas Party.
KG Harmonie Regina is hosting Western Canada Mardi Gras January 23, 24,
and 25, 2015. Following are some postures featuring the events open to the
public. To purchase packages, which gives you the meal tickets and entrance
to all events, or individual tickets and/or hotel information please contact
Darlene Rubrecht @ 306 545-8873 or email me at [email protected].
1
2
1. Prince and Princess dancing 2. Getting ready to perform.
… unto us a time has come
Das Schulhaus German Language School Inc., Regina — Sabine Zagoricnik-Wecker
That time, when it is already beginning to get dark in the late afternoon,
when our senses seem to draw inward, when we seek warmth and light,
when we bundle up inhaling crisp fresh air, is always that time of the year
where we get excited, brewing a cup of hot tea, seeking for flavors like
orange and cinnamon, instead of getting a beer out of the fridge. Those
times are the magical ones and they are especially filled with cultural
pieces, that help us focus on the Staade Zeit (quiet time) of the year.
For me, those times begin with the lighting up of the evening darkness
when taking the Lantern walk along Wascana Park around the day of St.
Martin (November 11th). The songs the German School sung in German
were also sung in English by our guests from the Regina community.
Around 50 people, adults and children gathered, all equipped with Lanterns mainly self-made. We had spare ones, but didn’t need them. Singing
Lantern songs combined with the experience of carrying a light into the
dark creates memories and connects the language learning experience
authentically to a living culture.
As every year, and this was our 4th annual Lantern Walk, a warm fire and
hot punch and the very first Lebkuchen awaited us. We are already looking forward to next year’s walk and I encourage you all, to come join us,
to experience this beautiful piece of the German culture.
After our Lantern Walk, language learning for our children’s classes becomes embedded into the topic of Adventszeit and Christmas.
While board members and parents are crafting Adventskränze (advents
wreath) and Adventsgestecke (candle-arrangements), angels and pixies
to be sold at the Regina Christkindl’ Markt at Das Schulhaus’ table, students use songs, poems, and stories to expand their vocabulary and open
the door into the German Christmas world, with St. Nikolaus, Adventskalender and Adventskranz,
16
St. Nikolaus came to visit the school again this year, bringing Apfel Nuss
und Mandelkern, because das haben alle Kinder gern.
By the way, Christmas songs were sung around a fire pit, with Plätzchen
(Christmas-cookies) and punch in-between sleigh rides through the
winter wonder-prairie.
We left you in awe? Join us! Meanwhile Das Schulhaus wishes you,
Frohe Weihnachten! Registration is now open for the adult classes winter
semester and German language proficiency exam!
Contact: [email protected]
1
1. Sankt Nikolaus came
for a visit in his sleigh.
2. Das Schulhaus at
the German Canadian
Society Harmonie for
their annual Weihnachts
Markt
2
Hello from the new Group!
Concordia Junior Alpenrose Dancers — Brenda Booker
This fall has been a whirlwind of activity for our new
young group. We ended the summer & started the fall
with an afternoon of Fun & Ice cream at Crickle Creek.
We were happy to welcome 3 new families to the
German Cultural Centre and 5 new dancers to our
group. Thanks to Danielle for getting our new dancers
‘Performance Ready’ in just seven practices. A special
thanks to Karla Blumrich for sewing the dirndls for our
new dancers, in time for our performances.
The Concordia Junior Alpenrose Dancers were
excited to be part of the GCC’s first annual Halloween
Howl. We thank all who helped in our fundraising
efforts, by purchasing candy at our ‘Witches Cauldron’.
It was a Howl!
We had 3 performances at Christkindlmarkt and
Danielle still made sure the children managed to fit
in a Sleigh Ride. The dancers did great, we were so
proud of them. Thanks to our dance parents for selling Gingerbread Men at our fundraising table and to
Penny, Marian & Brenda for baking Gingerbread Men.
The dancers had as much fun decorating them as
they did eating them. We next performed at Festival
of Trees. What a great venue for our final performance
before our Christmas break. “You can’t beat getting
paid in Gingerbread!”
Regular Tuesday practices will begin again on Tuesday, January 6th at 6:15pm for older dancers & at 6:45
pm for the younger dancers.
If you know of a child that may be interested, feel free
to bring them by to check us out or contact Brenda
Booker at 306-373-7973
‘All the best to you during this Holiday Season!’
from The Concordia Junior Alpenrose Dancers.
SGC Member
Organizations
American Historical Society of Germans
From Russia, Regina
Austrian Canadian Edelweiss Club, Regina
Austrian Edelweiss Dance Association, Regina
Community Radio Society of Saskatoon Inc.
Concordia Alpenrose Schuhplattler Verein
Concordia Brass Band
Concordia Junior Alpenrose Dancers
1
Das Schulhaus - Regina German
Language School Inc.
Department of International Language, U of R
Estevan & District German Freundschaft Society
Folkart Co-op Humboldt
German Cultural Centre, Saskatoon
German Canadian Society Harmonie, Regina
German Heritage Society of Humboldt &
District Inc.
2
German Junior Folk Dancers, Saskatoon
German Language School Saskatoon Inc.
German Language School of Regina
German Russian Cultural Group, Leader
German Students’ Association - U of S
Hansel & Gretel Preschool Inc.
Imhoff Heritage Society, St. Walburg
Jagd- und Fischverein “Waidmann’s Lust”, Regina
Karnevalsgesellschaft Harmonie, Regina
Kochlöffel & Nudelholz: German-Canadian
Koch- und Backstudio
3
1. Performing at the Festival of Trees 2. New costumes 3. Dancers dressed up in costume for their
fundraiser night.
Events from the choir in Regina
Volksliederchor Harmonie — Mary Kondzielewski
Members of the Volksliederchor Harmonie took part in the Christkindl Markt held on November 29,
2014 at the Regina German Club. The choir sang at the Rotary Carol Festival on Tuesday, December 2,
2014, and we presented our annual Christmas Concert to a large and appreciative crowd on Sunday,
December 2, 2014.
Upcoming singing engagements in 2015 include: a Regina Public Library (Main branch downtown)
concert on March 24th , our Spring Concert on May 3rd , and the bi-annual Sängerfest Concert in
Edmonton (occurring on May 17 – the May long-weekend Sunday).
Our first practice in the New Year will be on Tuesday, January 20, 2015, at 7:00 pm at the Regina German
Club (1727 St. John Street). New members are always welcome!
Lloydminster German Heritage Society Inc.
Melville & District German Heritage Club
Mennonite Heritage Village, Swift Current
Parents Association of German
Language School, Saskatoon
Prince Albert German Canadian Club Waldhorn
Regina German Film Club
Saskatchewan Association of Teachers
of German, Saskatoon
Saskatchewan German Culture Assistance
Fund Inc.
Saskatoon German Days
Skat Club Saskatoon
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Regina
Village of Edenwold
Volksliederchor Concordia, Saskatoon
Volksliederchor Harmonie Inc., Regina
17
N e w s f r om S G C M e m b e r G r o u p s
Hello from Melville
Melville & District German Heritage Club — Carol Ferleyko
Community working bees are going strong in Melville. It took only one day to get folks to come together to be part of an apple peeling bee. Apples
were donated by Sheron and Grant Schmidt. The Ed Millers set up a station in their home and soon volunteers showed up to begin work. With Ed
Miller at the crank, the peeling of apples soon began. In no time pails of apples were ready for strudel. Irene Wirth and her daughter were ready with
all the preparations to begin making strudel. These strudels were then sold in Yorkton at their Multicultural Mosaic held on November 16.
Our club is busy all year long with month card parties. During the summer we man a booth serving sauerkraut and smokies at Melville’s Railroad
Days. October we held an Oktoberfest dance. Come Christmas we celebrate St. Nicholas Day with a pot luck supper.
From our club members we wish all of you a blessed holiday season and may 2015 be good to everyone.
Update from the Dance group
Concordia Alpenrose Schuhplattler Verein — Amanda Marien
The Concordia Alpenrose Schuhplattler Verein
kept busy this fall with a variety of events at the
German Cultural Centre and in the community.
The Halloween Howl at the Centre, on October
28th, was a huge success. We made quite a few
batches of ‘Witches Brew’ for the adults and
kids, complete with a floating hand and lots
of creepy crawlers. It was a great fundraiser for
us, and fun to see all of the children dressed
up in costume! A few of us attended the ‘Fall
of the Berlin Wall’ event, commemorating the
25th anniversary of that day in history. It was a
lovely evening put on by the SGC and hosted
at the Centre. On November 16th we worked
at the Christkindlmarkt, selling Gluhwein and
apple cider. There were many skilled vendors,
selling everything from honey to quilts. A big
thank you to all of the members and associated groups who entertained that day, as well
as Don Swanson for dressing up as Santa. The
sleigh rides were fun too, except for the cold
weather! Our final performance of 2014 took
place on November 22nd at the Elks club for
their ‘Bavarian Night’. In a few weeks, we will
gather together for our annual Christmas party
and then enjoy some rest and relaxation, spent
with friends and family.
From us to you,
Merry Christmas!
1
1. Selling Glühwein at the Christkindlmarkt
Update from Saskatoon
German Language School, Saskatoon — Gabi Harrison
Before we know it the first 3 months of German School are over and we are still getting new students joining our programs. One family drives in from Davidson which is
a great commitment!
A highlight of the fall was our Sankt Martin’s Celebration. It was an evening full of
treats as we had a potluck dessert buffet which was just wonderful! After that, the
students performed different songs, we saw a Sankt Martin’s play and heard a poem.
One student drew a big picture of what Sankt Martin means to him. At the end of the
evening, the children went outside for the lantern parade. We hope that everyone
took home some good memories of our German cultural event!
Starting this school year, the Ministry of Education requires all students of Heritage
Language Schools in Saskatchewan to do self-assessments to assess student skills and
learning progress. The focus is on what students can do, rather than what they cannot
do. Our classes are well underway with the self-assessments.
If you are interested in learning German, please contact Gabi Harrison, p.382-8158,
email [email protected] or check www.germanschoolsaskatoon.ca
We are also on Twitter: @yxegermanschool
18
News from the preschool
Hansel & Gretel Preschool, Saskatoon — Ulrike Hecker
As winter is approaching we are well into the school year 2014/15 with our three classes. The
last few months had been busy for us and had bee filled with various fun activities.
On October 27th and Oct 30st we took our children on a field trip to Dutch Growers. Our
students enjoyed running through the Hay Maze and playing hide and seek.
1
We celebrated our annual St. Martin Fest on November 5/6 with our children and many
parents joined us for the lantern parade at the end of class.
As part of our winter unit we had a special “hibernation day” in November and all kids showed
up with their Pj’s and teddy bears. There was a lot of snoring going on in our many caves that
we had set up for our little bears.
On December 4/5 we had a special visitor coming to our school. Nikolaus came and was
very impressed by how much German our students have learned over the last few months.
The children were so excited when they found their boots filled with candies and fruits in the
hallway.
On December 11th all of our classes participated in the Brevoort Park School Winter Concert.
Hansel and Gretel Preschool opened the concert with a German Dance and German songs and
rhymes.
2
Open House and Registration for the 2015/16 School Year: January 28th 6:30 -8:00 p.m.
Registration (in person registration) for the next school year will start on the day of our
Open House! If you are interesting in registering your child in our German-English bilingual
preschool, please register early. Classes usually fill up fast!!!
You will find more information on our website: www.hanselandgretelpreschool.ca.
On behalf of our board and all staff members, Hansel and Gretel Preschool wishes “Frohe
Weihnachten” und ein “Gesundes Neues Jahr”
3
1. Hibernation day at the preschool. 2. Getting ready to see St. Nikolaus. 3. Performing for St.
Nikolaus
Skat News
Skat Club, Saskatoon — Barry Neufeld
The Skat Club Saskatoon has had another successful season of
recruitment, and is working diligently to enlist new recruits, not only to
learn the game, but to have them remain as full time card players. Our
goal was to expand, and we have done so by a small number. It is exciting
to see some of our newer members taking an active role in mentoring
the new players. The experience of learning the sometimes mindwarping game of Skat is put to good use while training the newcomers.
We hope that other clubs are having good luck in finding and keeping
also new members.
Our Canadian national Skat team managed to come in 3rd (bronze
medal) from 9 teams after a very slow start during the World
Championship in Asuncion, Paraguay. This event was played on October
27th over 4 rounds.
All World Championship results are posted on the ISPA World Homepage:
http://www.ispaworld.org
While some of our members have attended tournaments in such places
as Las Vegas, Seattle, Kelowna, Vancouver, Calgary, Red Deer, Edmonton,
Winnipeg and Montreal, we look forward to having members from those
clubs return the favor by attending our tournament in 2015. It will be
held May 29, 30, & 31. As well, we will be holding an Easter Tourney – April
11 and a Christmas Tourney December 12th in 2015.
This year’s Skat season will end on December 13th followed by our
annual meeting and awards presentation for the year 2014 on December
17th.
As always, The Skat Club Saskatoon meets regularly each Wednesday
evening, at the German Culture Centre, 7:00pm., and is open to anyone
who wishes to come and have a look at what SKAT is all about.
“Playing Skat is fun and an excellent memory game”
More information about our club can be found on our home page:
http://www.skatcanada.ca/canada/clubs/saskatoon/index.html
The Skat Club Saskatoon is wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a
happy healthy New Year.
19
N e w s f r om S G C M e m b e r G r o u p s
Greetings From the Choir
Volksliederchor Concordia, Saskatoon — Margot Hasner
After weeks of practicing for our Christmas concert, the day finally arrived. Our concert was held a bit early than usual on Sunday, November 23 at the
GCC. The day turned out in our favour! Despite a cold, snowy and windy day, people kept on coming.
The Concordia Brass Band played for about half hour, prior to our performance. Their contribution sure added to the festive atmosphere of the afternoon. We sang old, familiar German Christmas songs, with the audience joining us for a couple of them.
We also had solo performances and I am very happy to report that we recruited 3 new members. That will bring our membership up to 20. After the
concert, we visited with the audience and as always served coffee and cake.
It was a wonderful afternoon and we parted by wishing everyone a wonderful advent season and a Merry Christmas.
Many people helped to make an afternoon like this possible. There are too many to thank, a special thank you goes to SGC for their financial support
and the friendly help from the office staff.
Merry Christmas to everyone!
update from Trinity
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, Regina — Frieda Koenig
The cold weather has come into Saskatchewan with vengeance letting us
know winter is here. No sooner are the Halloween decorations down - up
comes the Christmas décor. It seems the commercialization of Christmas
comes earlier and earlier every year. In the Christian faith we celebrate
the Advent season with an Advent wreath with four candles on it. Every
Sunday a new candle is lit until December 24 for the birth of Christ. Das
Christkindl and Santa Claus leave gifts on December 25. Sankt Nicholaus
comes on December 6th with gifts for children who have been “good”
during the past year.
tion we wish all the members of SGC the serenity of peace and joy during
this festive season. May you adore the Christmas tree through the eyes of
a youngster and be transformed, even if just for a moment, into the world
of angelic dreams, hope and great anticipation.
Frohe Weihnachten und ein gesegnetes Neue Jahr.
Christmas Eve, December 24, Candlelight service at 7:30 p.m.
Christmas Day, December 25, German service 09:30 and English at 11 a.m.
Every Sunday Services at 09:30 German, 11 o’clock English.
No services on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day.
Trinity has been blessed in continuation of our German heritage. Our
choir performs every Sunday morning in both the German Service at 9:30
and English at 11 a.m. We thank our dedicated members who attend the
every Wednesday choir practices, our organist Hertha Pfeifer as well as
the talented choir directors Dr. David Dick and his wife Lara Janzen.
A long-time member of Trinity and a great promoter of the German
culture in Regina and surrounding area, Winfried Schlosser, passed away
on July 29th. Our deepest sympathy to his wife Stephanie, his children
Carmen and Michael and their families. Winfried will be greatly missed in
the German community.
On November 2nd over 200 people enjoyed a festive meal of turkey
with all the trimmings as well as a variety of pies for dessert. The day before a group of enthusiastic members young and old made 600 cabbage
rolls. We thank the many hard working volunteers who made this event
such a success.
On November 16 the Anglican Church Archbishop Robert Hardwick was
the guest speaker at our combined English and German Service at 11
a.m. This was followed by a pot luck luncheon. He had an inspiring, positive message encouraging members to be optimistic and hard working in
keeping our churches active. This is getting harder in the secular world
we now live in.
On behalf of Pastor Lindsay Hognestad and all members of our congrega20
1
1. Getting ready to
serve meals. 2. Sitting down to enjoy
all the delicious
food.
2
K i n de r - & Jugendseiten
Weih-
Suchbild
These two pictures may look the same, but they are not! Find 12 differences:
nachtsgedicht
Knecht Ruprecht
Von drauß vom Walde komm’ ich her;
Ich muß euch sagen, es weihnachtet sehr!
Allüberall auf den Tannenspitzen
Sah ich goldene Lichtlein sitzen;
Und droben aus dem Himmelstor
Sah mit großen Augen das Christkind
hervor,
Und wie ich so strolcht’ durch den finstern
Tann,
Da rief’s mich mit heller Stimme an:
“Knecht Ruprecht”, rief es, “alter Gesell,
Hebe die Beine und spute dich schnell!
Die Kerzen fangen zu brennen an,
Das Himmelstor ist aufgetan,
Alt’ und Junge sollen nun
Von der Jagd des Lebens ruhn;
Und morgen flieg’ ich hinab zur Erden,
Denn es soll wieder Weihnachten
werden!”
http://gs-eversten.de/advent2010/08.html
Ausmalen
Ich sprach: “O lieber Herre Christ,
Meine Reise fast zu Ende ist;
Ich soll nur noch in diese Stadt,
Wo’s eitel gute Kinder hat.” “Hast denn das Säcklein auch bei dir?”
Ich sprach: “Das Säcklein, das ist hier;
Denn Äpfel, Nuß und Mandelkern
Essen fromme Kinder gern.” “Hast denn die Rute auch bei dir?”
Ich sprach: “Die Rute, die ist hier;
Doch für die Kinder nur, die schlechten,
Die trifft sie auf den Teil, den rechten.”
Christkindlein sprach: “So ist es recht;
So geh mit Gott, mein treuer Knecht!”
Von drauß vom Walde komm’ ich her;
Ich muß euch sagen, es weihnachtet sehr!
Nun sprecht, wie ich’s hierinnen find’!
Sind’s gute Kind, sind’s böse Kind?
www.aduis.com
(Theodor Storm)
21
Basteln
Dicke Eisbären
Um diese beiden dicken Gesellen zu basteln braucht man: Watte,
Wackelaugen, ein Stückchen schwarzes Papier für das Schnäuzchen, Büchsen, leere Puddingbecher oder leere Getränkekartons, Kleber und vielleicht, für die Beine und Ohren, Verpackungsstäbchen oder Korken.
Zwei Puddingbecher dienen dem großen Eisbären als Schnauze.
Sie werden aneinander geklebt.
Dann klebt man hinten eine kleine Büchse an die Becher.
Nun sollte der Unterbau einige Stunden trocknen.
Den Trocknungsvorgang kann man sich sparen, wenn man mit einer Klebepistole arbeitet.
Ist der Unterbau getrocknet, streicht man ihn mit Kleber ein und umhüllt ihn mit Watte.
Nun den Bären in Form drücken und Ohren aus Verpackungsstäbchen schnei
den und ankleben. Das Schnäuzchen wir aus einem Stückchen schwarzem Papier geschnitten. Fertig, ist Eisbär Nummer 1.
Eisbär Nummer 2 kann mit Nüssen oder Bonbons gefüllt werden. Dazu klebt man
einen etwa 10 Zentimeter hohen Getränkekarton auf einen Pudding oder Jogurtbecher.
Als Beine werden an den Getränkekarton Verpackungsstäbchen geklebt. Ist der Unterbau
getrocknet, wird er mit Kleber eingestrichen und wie oben beschrieben weiter bearbeitet.
http://www.kidsweb.de/winter/eisbaer_buechse/eisbaer_aus_bechern_basteln.html
22
23
Publication Mail Agreement # 42086521
Please return unclaimed copies to:
Saskatchewan German Council Inc.
John V. Remai Center
510 Cynthia Street
Saskatoon, SK S7L 7K7
ADVERTISEMENT