Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Dirty Denglish
Editorial
The German language is threat- influence of Denglish? And is it imported forms of folk dance in cine, which church waited 140
ened by the corrupting influence something that native-English south-west Germany. years for a full-time priest, and
of English. Indeed, Germany’s speakers should also be con- Bang Your Head. No, not how to join the queue in a post
linguistic independence and cerned about? Dirty Denglish exactly a step taught by square office. (Psst, from the side!)
cultural identity will disappear is the title of our feature story, dancers. We’re talking heavy Finally, to all those who
if the mishmash of German and on pages 8-10. metal music. The “Bang Your enjoyed reading our Children’s
English, commonly known as Pass through, bend the line, Head” music festival takes Corner section up until now,
Denglish (or Denglisch) is not square up: if staunch opponents place every June in the town we’d like to apologise: for
eliminated. of Denglish want to get hot of Balingen, in the Swabian Alb. various reasons we have deci-
Well, that’s the way that under the collar they need look It’s a town with plenty of con- ded to close down this section.
some Germans see it. From no further than your average trasts: heavy metal and high However, our “Book Reviews”
cool and comeback to fashion Baden-Württemberg town or culture; beautiful buildings and of books for young readers will
and feedback; from sorry and school hall on a regular Satur- rolling, wooded hills. Balingen continue. You’ll now find them
sale to ticket and teenager; day night. English terms are the features in both our travel in the Arts and Culture section.
there’s no doubt that in all areas norm when it comes to Irish section (pages 14 -15) and in our
of life, Germans are borrowing folkdancing and American folk- Good to Know tips (page 21) accents magazine
English words or using pseudo- dance forms like square and in this edition. editorial team
English words (Wellness, sen- round dancing. In our Arts and In this issue you can also
den, relaxen) in place of their Culture section, we explore the find out who supplies the
own. How widespread is the enormous popularity of these British Queen with her medi-
accents magazine Published by accents media GbR (Bryan Groenjes, Maki Kuwayama, Geoff Rodoreda) Neue Brücke 3, 70173 Stuttgart.
Tel 0711 3102160, Fax 0711 3102161, info@accents-magazine.de Editor Geoff Rodoreda, editor@accents-magazine.de Arts Editor Stuart Marlow
Copy Editor Katharine Schmidt Photographer Chrys Rynearson Contributors Toni Astle, Andreas Fischer, Dagmar Fritz, Liz Gaiser, Anna Gentle,
Helen Klimmek, Melissa Martin, Nichole Martinson, Rebecca Perrin, Simon Rentschler, Steve Trevallion, Harvey Utech, Anastasiya Zagorni
Advertising Enquiries Bryan Groenjes, ads@accents-magazine.de. Webmaster Andrew Golledge, webmaster@accents-magazine.de Website
www.accents-magazine.de Graphic Design Brucklacher Visuelle Kommunikation Reutlingen, www.brucklacher.de Prepress CGS Möhrle,
Vesoulerstraße 4, 70839 Gerlingen Cost free Published every two months Circulation 10,000 Distribution everywhere English is spoken:
subscribing firms, cultural institutions, shops, pubs, clubs, theatres, hotels and selected tourist centres Advertisers and Corporate Subscribers
Adolf Würth GmbH & Co. KG, Biddy Early’s Irish Pub, Celesio AG, Corso Cinema International, George and Dragon English Pub, International
Baptist Church, Deutsch-Amerikanisches Zentrum/James-F.-Byrnes Institut e.V., Ernst & Young AG, Little Giants Early Learning Center,
The Loft Designer Clothing, Piccadilly English Shops, Robert Bosch GmbH, Schiller International University, SEB AG Stuttgart, United States Army
Garrison Stuttgart – Kelley Theatre ISSN 1862-345 X
accents magazine 3
Letters accents magazine
Neue Brücke 3
70173 Stuttgart
Expats learning German ively into German society. It’s probably true that native English
speakers are not the best foreign language learners in the
Dear editor, world, but we don’t see it as our task to test this theory. We are
I just wanted to say that I find accents really interesting and an English-language magazine – we’re not experts in German
informative. I am from New Zealand and have been in Stuttgart and are certainly not experts in conducting any sort of German
for just over one year. For me, it’s great to read interesting test. Interestingly – and surprisingly for us at least – last year’s
articles and news in English, as my German is not yet good accents Readership Survey found that more than 80 % of our
enough to read German magazines. THANK YOU accents. expat readers could speak at least reasonable German. Only
Vanessa Franklin, Stuttgart 17 % rated their German as poor. It was hardly a scientific
language test but it may indicate that the German ability of
Dear editor, native-English speakers living in Baden-Württemberg is not as
I refer to the letter in your last edition “Sprechen Sie bad as many might think. We welcome debate on this and
Deutsch?” by Dr. Cindy Halbert-Seger (accents 10, p. 4). I other issues covered in accents. Please provide your name and
agree with her that English speakers are lazy when it comes to your city of residence whenever you write to us – we cannot
learning foreign languages. But has she thought about why? publish letters by ‘anonymous’ or ‘an occasional reader.’
There are some expats who are only here for a couple of years, Geoff Rodoreda, Stuttgart
and so they don’t bother learning German. Also, many English
speakers are not helped by the fact that so many Germans love World Cup special thanks
to practise their English. As well, native-English speakers have
much less exposure to German in their home countries than Dear editor,
Germans have here to English. Just look at the prevalence of We would like to thank accents magazine for contributing to
Denglish, which I think helps Germans to learn English. the success of the UNESCO World Youth Festival in Stuttgart
David Brookfield, Stuttgart in July. Most of our 2000+ guests are already back in their
home countries, hopefully spreading the festival’s message of
Editor’s note: intercultural friendship, peace and understanding. Your special
Dr. Cindy Halbert-Seger’s letter (accents 10, p. 4), provided a lot edition “World Cup Survival Guide” provided our international
of written and verbal feedback. She challenged accents to con- guests with the chance to discover the beautiful and interesting
duct a survey of how well expats speak German following our sites of Stuttgart. Maybe even their host families were able to
test in accents 08 (Jan/Feb 2006) of Stuttgart’s English ability. learn something new about their hometown through your
“Kudos to Halbert-Seger!” wrote one anonymous postcard magazine. Thanks again for your help in making this festival a
sender, “Looking forward to the survey she suggests.” truly rewarding experience for all participants.
We agree that it’s important for any foreigner living in Ger- Ulrike Weinz, Project Manager,
many to learn German in order to be able to integrate effect- UNESCO World Youth Festival 2006, Stuttgart
My Two Cents
By Katharine A. Schmidt by twenty-somethings to heighten adjectives policy based on pragmatism rather than on
from “boring” to “cool” to “sexy.” For moral or ethical principles. (Isn’t it wonderful
While defenders of the language of Goethe example: “That must be so uber-boring.” that English, the language of breezy inter-
find ever more evidence that their mother Of course, all English speakers know national marketing, has to rely on German
tongue is in danger of losing its soul to some basic German: Kindergarten, Müsli, for these pithy terms?)
international English, they might take heart Sauerkraut, Bratwurst. But with some of My favorite among heavyweight German
at the thought that contemporary English these everyday terms, adoption into English imports is the word Angst, which somehow
speakers don’t shy away from the occasional can cause some confusion. In English-speak- makes me think of a Woody Allen movie,
German word. ing countries, “Kindergarten” refers to a just about any of them. In German, Angst
I’m not just talking about terms like child’s first year of school or their last year refers to common, everyday “fear.” But
Gesundheit (“health”), spoken after some- before first grade. Whereas in Germany, native-English speakers use angst to mean
one sneezes. German has made its way kids spend three years in Kindergarten. “anxiety,” or as my Webster’s dictionary
onto the evening news, into the business A number of polysyllabic German words says: “a gloomy, often neurotic feeling of
press, and has even been picked up by the come in handy if you’re trying to show off generalized anxiety and depression.” Like
young and the hip. how well-read you are, and they more or I said, Woody Allen movies all over.
Uber, spelled without the Umlaut, has less retain the meaning they have in Ger-
trickled into English through Nietzsche’s man. There’s Weltanschauung, to describe a Comments, questions, and suggestions to
term Übermensch. In German, über often person’s view of the world; Schadenfreude, mytwocents@accents-magazine.de
means “over” or “about.” But uber now for that joyful feeling when misfortune or accents magazine, Neue Brücke 3,
pops up a lot in US publications and is used befalls others; and Realpolitik, for a foreign 70173 Stuttgart
Photo: Celesio AG
Oesterle, has been checking up on the way, the British honorary consul in Stutt-
health of the British Queen – indirectly, at gart is, ultimately, the Queen’s pharmacist.
least. At John Bell & Croydon, Premier
Oesterle was part of a delegation of Oettinger inspected the range of health
Baden-Württemberg business and political care services offered at British pharmacies,
leaders, headed by Baden-Württemberg’s including some asthma and blood-sugar-
premier, Günther Oettinger, which visited level tests which are normally carried out
London in June. Oesterle is the chairman by doctors in Germany.
and chief executive officer of the Stuttgart- Oesterle, the Celesio boss and UK rep-
based firm Celesio AG, Europe’s largest resentative in Baden-Württemberg, was
pharmaceutical distribution company. keen to show Baden-Württemberg’s political
Celesio has an especially strong presence leader aspects of British health care pract-
in the UK market – more than half of its ice that could be worthy of mention in the
35,000 employees are British. debate on health care reform in Germany.
Oesterle played host during Premier “Premier Oettinger’s visit to our flagship
Oettinger’s visit to the London pharmacy London pharmacy clearly demonstrates that
John Bell & Croyden. It’s one of Britain’s healthcare policy and the importance of UK Honorary Consul
oldest pharmacies and, as a holder of a healthcare provision has become a central Fritz Oesterle (left)
and B-W Premier
royal warrant to the Queen, delivers medi- theme in German politics,” said Fritz Günther Oettinger
cines to the British royal family. John Bell & Oesterle. “We are committed to intensify- (right) in London
Croyden is the flagship shop of the British ing the dialogue on health reform with
pharmacy chain Lloydspharmacy, which is decision makers in politics.” Photo: Celesio AG, Queen’s birthday celebration in Stuttgart
Tuesdays
Live Jazz music
The UK’s Honorary Consul in Baden- heads, declaring that two things lay close
Württemberg, Fritz Oesterle, has revived to the heart of every English person: the W ednesdays
General Knowledge Quiz
a tradition that hasn’t occurred for many royal family and football.
a year in Stuttgart – celebrating the “It’s a nice coincidence then,” said Saturdays
birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. Oesterle, “that the official 80th birthday Darts tournament
On Friday, June 23, Oesterle invited of the Queen should be celebrated in
more than 300 guests from the world of the same month as the football World
politics and business, and from the UK Cup in Germany.” The George & Dragon English Pub
community in B-W to an outdoor recep- Elizabeth II was actually born on April In Hotel Le Meridien
W illy-Brandt-Stra§e 30
tion in honour of the Queen. Oesterle 21, 1926 but her birthday is always offi- 70173 Stuttgart
welcomed his guests on the lawns and cially celebrated in the United Kingdom 0711 2804969
forecourt of Celesio AG, the company he in June. w w w.gandd.info
How can you tell when lawyers are lying? same hardware but have had completely
By Nichole Martinson the Metropolitan Club. the zoo, the opera, and the Black Forest
On a particularly gray, rainy day in were also on the program.
Smuggling out possessions under hoop August, we wound our way through the The Metropolitan Club Stuttgart was
skirts to avoid detection by the duke’s Alte Postplatz, where the 19th century founded shortly after World War II to
henchmen; highly-charged lovers’ quar- French writer Stendhal once found shel- foster relations between the United
rels fuelled by a high intake of Riesling; ter and horses for Napoleon’s men. In States and Germany. But it’s evolved into
searching for horses and lodging for Rotebühlplatz there’s a furniture store an international club which now aims to
Napoleon’s army – these are the ingred- on the spot where French poet Rimbaud provide foreigners with an understanding
ients of great stories, and some of the may have laid his weary head after a of regional culture and history.
true-life tales of world-renowned authors lovers’ tiff and too much wine. On Bären- New members are eagerly accepted,
who once strolled through Stuttgart’s straße, fair maidens aided the famed but one does not have to be a member
cobblestone streets. womanizer Giacomo Casanova, saving his to attend one of the club’s outings or
Victor Hugo, Samuel Beckett, Hans belongings from repossession by hiding events. For the full schedule of activities,
Christian Andersen and Arthur Rimbaud – them under their skirts. see the Club’s website: www.metclub.de
among many other writers – have all visit- The Writers Tour is just one of a range
ed Stuttgart. You can relive their experi- of social events organized by the Metro- The Writers Tour was conducted by
ences by taking part in a Writers Tour of politan Club in recent months. Wine Literatur-Spaziergänge Hahn & Kusiek
Stuttgart, in English, organized by one of tours, water skiing, bowling, bike riding www.litspaz.de
the city’s most active international clubs, and film night events, as well as trips to
Nearly 140 years after its founding, Stutt- had to ‘share’ priests with other congre- high school was booked out. He applied for
gart’s first English church, St. Catherine’s, gations, so they’re delighted to finally have the Düsseldorf job, went to the interview
has finally received a full-time priest. Father Dimmick, a Texan Episcopalian. in London, but was turned down.
Melissa Martin reports. A year ago, Dimmick was looking for a The very next day, St. Catherine’s
new challenge in his ministry. He thought posted its job advertisement for a full-time
In 1864, a wealthy English woman, Cathe- of going to Japan, or maybe Russia. Then, priest. Dimmick applied, and when St.
rine Masson, travelled all the way from at a funeral in Texas he heard of an opening Catherine’s offer and a Japanese job offer
Liverpool to Bad Cannstatt to luxuriate in in Düsseldorf. Dimmick had served with arrived on the same day, he chose
a health spa. This was the first in a chain the US military in Germany and already Stuttgart.
of events, which included a booked out spoke good German. He’d first studied the Father Dimmick’s full-time position at
Spanish class and a funeral in Texas, that language after the Spanish course at his St. Catherine’s signifies a bold commitment
led to the 51-year-old Reverend Kenneth on the church’s part to increase member-
Dimmick becoming a full-time priest at St. ship. Services are in English and the con-
Catherine’s Anglican Church in Stuttgart. gregation is very international. Additional
St. Catherine’s is a unique institution set children’s activities and a choir are planned.
up for English visitors to south-west Ger- St. Catherine’s is a strongly liturgical
many in the late 19th century. They came church, which means that the congregation,
because of English links to the Württem- including the children, play an active role
berg royal family or, as in the case of in the service. “We aim to appeal to the
Catherine Masson, for health reasons. senses,” says Dimmick. “We want to help
When Masson died in 1865 she bequea- worshippers to experience God with their
thed her dowry to found an Anglican ears, eyes, brain, heart – and even their
church in Stuttgart. It was consecrated in tear ducts from time to time.”
1868. St. Catherine’s was destroyed during
World War II and rebuilt by Stuttgart’s Old Father Dimmick St. Catherine’s Anglican Church
Catholic congregation. Today the building (above) says raising Katharinenplatz 5, Stuttgart
membership at
belongs to the Old Catholic Church and the St. Catherine’s (U-Bahn: Olgaeck or Rathaus)
Anglicans use the premises as guests. “has a lot to do with www.stuttgartanglicans.de
St. Catherine’s Anglicans have always trust”
Sorry, happy, meeting, ticket, manager, character using words like coach, team, Another category of Denglish words
know-how – they’re all words commonly tricks, feeling, favourite, power and con- arises because of differences in German
used in everyday German which have nections instead of their German equiva- and English syntax and grammar. This leads
been borrowed from English. Deutsch lents. For those trying to fight the cultural to the creation of pseudo-English verbs like
is mixed with English to create Denglish battle to keep English terms out of every- relaxen, texten, gemanagt, gedownloadet
– much to the annoyance of some day German, Klinsmann is not the best and gejobt. Other Anglicisms have taken on
Germans. Is the German language being role model. completely different meanings in German.
destroyed by Denglish? Accents investi- Spearheading that cultural battle is the An Oldtimer in Germany refers not to a per-
gates. Verein Deutsche Sprache (Society for the son but to a vintage car, a Shooting refers
German Language), a club set up in 1997 not to a gun battle but to a photo shoot.
Jürgen Klinsmann hasn’t helped at all. The whose mission is to rally against the infil- Germans talk about a Drive-in and mean
national football coach of Germany’s 2006 tration of English into everyday German. what Americans call a drive-through. A
World Cup team lives in Huntington Beach, “Sale, card, highlight, bike, counter, ser- Beamer is the nickname the English give
California, with his American wife and two vice point – these words and many others to a BMW car; Germans are talking about
children. He might have been Germany’s are muscling their way into the German a video projector. And a Handy is known as
football darling this summer but he didn’t language,” argues the Society. “Germany’s a mobile phone or a cell phone in English
win any prizes for his eloquence with the linguistic independence and cultural identity speaking countries.
German language. His thick Swabian accent are at risk.” Denglish owes its existence in part to
was one problem (for the rest of Germany) The Society says it’s not opposed to the predominance of English in the world
but his occasional use of English terms English per se but it’s against a mishmash of pop music, the computer industry and
in spoken German made him the brunt of of English and German. In most cases a international business. But it is the use
much ridicule. SWR 3, a local radio station, perfectly normal German word can be used of Denglish in German advertising and
produced comedy skits with a Klinsmann instead of an English import. marketing that annoys the Society for the
What is your Institute’s view on the sophisticated people sometimes prefer and even that quintessentially American
use of Denglish in the German lang- using English words. Second, lots of company, McDonald’s, dropped its English
uage? people like to demonstrate how well- jingle for ich liebe es – although in Austria,
The expression Denglisch is loaded – it travelled and international-in-outlook McDonald’s uses the English equivalent
implies that English words are already they are by dropping English words and “I’m lovin’ it.”
over-used in German. In fact, a look at expressions into their conversations now The perfumery chain, Douglas, aroused
official listings of German words reveals and again. particular confusion with its English slogan
that between 1880 and 1986 the pro- You also get young people diff- “Come in and find out,” according to one
portion of Anglo-words in the German erentiating themselves from adults, not survey. Many Germans thought this was
language rose from 1.36 to 3.46 per- only through their clothes and their an invitation to enter a maze. It was taken
cent. At first glance, Anglo-terms stand behaviour, but also through the way they to mean: “Come in and find your way out
out in advertising, sport, the computer speak. Using English terms is a part of again.” Douglas has now changed its slo-
industry and in business. But you have that. Sometimes, English terms might gan to Douglas macht das Leben schöner,
to differentiate between words that be used in politics for strategic reasons, which translates roughly as “Douglas
stand out in advertising and the media, to cloud over a controversy – exactly makes life beautiful” – this is the com-
and those that find their way into every- because no one understands them. pany’s slogan in the USA. A Douglas
day usage. Personal observations are Recently, we had the term “Job-Floater” spokesperson, Tanja Stephani, told accents
not necessarily representative of overall – no one had any idea what it really magazine that the slogan “Come in and
trends. meant. At other times, Germans simply
Where the use of foreign words use Anglo terms without even thinking
hinders proper communication it might about them, they are just part of natural
be better to use German alternatives. vocabulary.
However, a lot of foreign words have
found their way into regular German: What are the longer term consequen-
Magazin is Italian, Gitarre is Spanish, ces of the constant use of Denglish, in
Alkohol is Arabic, tapezieren (to wall- your view?
paper) is French, Humor and Sport and So-called Denglish words come and go,
Film are all English. All of these words like any trend. What I view as more
have become part of the German lang- problematic is occurring in the sciences
uage and are no longer seen as foreign nowadays where German is not used
but completely natural. at all. Everything is written down in Eng-
lish. Developing thoughts in your own
At what point then does the natural language is always better than writing
use of English words in German them out in a foreign language. The
become “Denglish” or, if you like, trend away from Latin as the language
unwanted? of science led to a better understanding
When English terms are not used to and involvement of the general popu-
describe something new – in most lation in the sciences. English is now
cases that’s the reason for borrowing becoming the only official language of
foreign words in the first place. Or if an science and, once again, broad sectors
English term causes misunderstandings of the population are being shut out of
and the thing or matter-at-hand can just debate.
as easily be described in German with-
out a loss of meaning. But as I said, the How do you expect the use of
term “Denglish” is, in itself, a loaded Denglish to develop?
expression and can reflect an individual You cannot predict how a language will
impression. Others might draw the line develop, but languages are changing all
elsewhere. Many people feel threat- the time. If the German language – the
ened by change and feel the same way vocabulary, the grammar, the style of its
about the development of language or, use – didn’t change at all, then we might
rather, newness in language. still be speaking a cultivated form of
middle-high German from the year 1200.
By Stuart Marlow How does Halpin see the balance between “It can be daunting at first but once the
tradition and change? basics have been mastered, progress is
Popular touring dance shows like River- “All art forms are continually evolving, more rapid, and a number of dances can be
dance and Lord of the Dance have made and Irish dance is no different in that res- learned without any problems.”
Irish dancing known to a wider public in pect. Riverdance and other shows have
Germany in recent years. That’s one of the brought a whole new demography to Irish American folk dance
reasons that Áine Halpin’s Irish dance dance and had a positive influence. But in
classes, which she started in the Stuttgart Ireland you can still go set-dancing at a ceílí If Irish dancing sounds too energetic, you
region in 1994, have grown steadily in and see hundreds of people dancing in may wish to take up a closely related
popularity. exactly the same way they would have if dance activity with a proven track record
Halpin has remained in touch with the Riverdance had never happened.” in the United States of helping to reduce
rich traditions of Irish dancing. She began Keeping traditions alive means recruiting stress and the risk of heart attacks, and
dancing as a four-year-old in County Clare, young people. What kind of people in of promoting well being – square dancing.
and won dance prizes throughout her child- Baden-Württemberg are interested in Square dance has become an extremely
hood at the local and county level. Since taking up Irish dance? popular pastime in Baden-Württemberg.
arriving in Stuttgart with a marketing “Every type! It is quite surprising how There are 30 square dance, round dance
degree in 1992, she has run a highly pop- varied it is,” says Halpin. “I have children and clogging clubs in the greater Stuttgart
ular dance school, founded a performance from the age of 5, as well as teenagers region, at least 11 in the Mannheim-
group in 1996 called Fáinne (“Ring” in and adults up to the age of 60 who want Heidelberg region, and 15 more clubs in
Gaelic), and has now become an associate to begin learning Irish dance. Some have the Baden region.
member of the Dublin-based World Govern- connections to Ireland, most do not. Most American folk dance originally built up a
ing Body of Irish Dance. have seen the international shows, and that following in south-west Germany with the
One of the reasons the tradition of Irish is what has sparked their interest. help of Americans linked to the US military
folk dance is still alive and strong, says but the clubs have flourished locally under
Halpin, is because of competitions. They German management despite the closing
are a driving force behind the popularity of More popular than of many American bases and the loss of
Irish dance in Germany. ever: square dancing many U.S. dancers and callers. People from
clubs in B-W now
“From my own school, I have noticed number more than a wide range of backgrounds are attracted
that some of the dancers have really upped fifty to square dancing. The Vaihingen-based
their game when they saw what the com-
petition was like here, and worked hard to
Writers often use classic works of lite- bestow, elegance, grace and style are istic and insightful book, which has won
rature as a basis for new stories. The infinitely more democratic.”) Tessaro’s a Pulitzer Prize. March is a man riddled
following two novels draw on two very novel is really a romantic comedy, but with self doubt; he has high ideals but he
different, especially-revered books to one with a serious message: you will not is naive in his approach to human nature.
create entertaining stories in each case. achieve your goals without a lot of hard The character was developed as a result
work and discipline. By the way, Madame of the author’s extensive research into
Elegance by Kathleen Tessaro Dariaux’s book has been updated to in- Louisa May Alcott’s own father. Later on
Harper Collins, 390 pages clude references to Princess Diana and in the story, Brooks writes from the per-
cell phones. The author’s wry comments spective of “Marmee”, the mother. She
Louise is browsing in a second-hand make for entertaining reading, although brilliantly portrays the character’s aware-
bookshop when she discovers a book the degree of elegance demanded requi- ness of their weaknesses, as well as
that becomes her personal Bible, helping res the discipline of a top athlete. their resolve to overcome them.
her to come to terms with her own life as
well as the consequences of her actions. March by Geraldine Brooks
The ‘discovery’ is Genevieve Antoine Harper Perennial, 280 pages
Dariaux’s (real) 1964 classic on style,
A Guide to Elegance. Tessaro’s story Ever read a novel and wondered what
realistically captures the insecurities of might have happened to a character who
modern-day women who have a predilec- wasn’t the focus of the story? Mr. March
tion for self-help books. She has cleverly is the missing patriarch in Louisa May
used the skeletal framework of Madame Alcott’s classic 19th-century novel Little
Dariaux’s book, with alphabetical chapter Women, a story about a mother and her
headings – ‘Accessories’, ‘Beauty’, four daughters struggling to survive in
‘Comfort’ etc. – while underneath each New England while the father is away
heading she quotes from Dariaux. with Union troops during the American
(Beauty: “… While beauty, in its purest Civil War. The shadowy figure of March
physical form is nature’s gift alone to takes center stage in Brooks’ deeply real-
accents magazine
accent on…
Balingen
Quiet charms and loud surprises
Sixty kilometres south of Stuttgart, great fire, in 1809, was the worst, causing sulphurous baths. Unfortunately, it seems
Balingen is nestled into the Swabian Alps the town’s walls to collapse. What we to have little connection to the Balingen
in what is known as one of the sunniest see of Balingen today stems mostly from of today, so you just take note of it and
regions in Germany. Steve Trevallion rebuilding since 1809. move on. A well hidden gem, however,
discovers the town’s attractions. The visitor information centre on the cor- is the Siechenkapelle (Lepers’ Chapel),
ner of Friedrich- and Färberstraße is simple situated next to the present hospital on
The sun blesses Balingen, so they say, but there’s plenty to read about the town Tübinger Straße. The chapel was intended
and they are right. My shirt clung to my in English. Make sure you pick up a copy of for ‘special invalids’ (lepers) who, isolated
back as the train pulled into the station. “A Walk Round Historic Balingen” which from the inhabitants of the town, lived
Balingen’s quiet hills sloped around the will tell you all you need to know about this there in an infirmary.
edges of the town like a rolling green table compact Swabian town. I made my way towards a bend in the
cloth. Before the end of the day I was to Across the street from the information river to get a look at Balingen’s picture-
treat myself to the charms of both town centre, looming above the market stalls, postcard attraction: the Zollern Castle. A
and country. is the tower of the main Protestant church, majestic stone tower at the water’s edge is
In 2005, Balingen celebrated its 750th the Stadtkirche. It’s the most visible and, the only remaining tower of the four corner
anniversary but the town is actually around because of its sonorous peal of six bells, towers which once fortified the town walls.
1500 years old. It was given a town charter the most widely heard symbol of the town. Today, the castle houses a unique collect-
by the Counts of Zollern in 1255 which Visitors can climb to the viewing platform ion of weights and scales. Those interested
basically meant they could have a market. for a panoramic view of the town and the in the history of the area can also pop into
The new town became established on the countryside. Wandering along Friedrich- the Zehntscheuer (an old tithe barn) next
left bank of the River Eyach. However, the straße I found a “sulphur water well” I’d door. It houses exhibitions and displays on
original timbered town was destroyed by read about. It serves as a reminder of a Balingen’s past. (“Animals of the Ice Age”
fires down through the centuries. The last medieval tradition in Balingen of taking is the current exhibition, running until early
Events
In the region
Oct 21- 28, www.jazzklassiktage.de
One World Native Americans
Presentation with Guillermo Chavez
Sep 26, Turmtheater Regensburg,
www.dombrolit.de
Heidelberg
Stage I’m Ready Tour, rock.
Sep 9, 9 pm, die halle,
Kanalstraße 10, www.diehalle.de
Children of Eden Boo Boo Davis Blues Band
Oct 1 and 2, performance time Sep 16, 9 pm, die halle,
TBA, special family matinee, see address above
Roadside Theater, Patton Barracks, Charlie A’Court
06221 175020, Canada, Bring on the Storm Tour.
www.roadsidetheater.com Oct 2, 9 pm, die halle,
US Army Festival of One Act Plays see address above
Europe-wide event with workshops, Schorndorf
guest performances, and awards Amusement Parks on Fire
ceremony, all free to the public. Sep 16, 9 pm, Manufaktur,
Oct 6 - 8, performance time TBA, Hammerschlag 8,
Roadside Theater, www.club-manufaktur.de
see address above Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
Everyone misses Richard! & The Dead Science
Oct 6 - 8, performance time TBA, Sep 17, 9 pm, Manufaktur
Roadside Theater, Peaches & Planning to Rock
see address above Sep 19, 9 pm, Manufaktur
84 Charing Cross Road Stuttgart
Award-winning Readers Theater European Music Festival:
production. Oct 20 - Nov 4, Ways to Mozart
performance time TBA, Sep 3 -17, www.bachakademie.de
Roadside Theater, Mogwai, pop
see address above Sep 5, 8 pm, LKA Longhorn,
Stuttgart Heiligenwiesen 6, 0711 4098290,
Les Misérables www.Lka-Longhorn.de
The beautifully renovated Kelley Blind Guardian, rock
Theatre re-opens with this “Broad- A Twist in the Myth Tour,
way in Concert“ production! special guest: Astral Doors.
Opening night is Oct 13, please Sep 9, 8 pm, Messe Congress
check www.kelleytheatre.de Centrum B Stuttgart-Killesberg,
for additional dates and times, www.messe-stuttgart.de
Stuttgart Theatre Center – The Slackers + Argies
Kelley Theatre, Kelley Barracks, Sep 13, 9 pm, Landespavillon,
Vaihingen, 0711 7292825, Schillerstraße
general public welcome Arlo Guthrie &
Heidelberg
Work accents
For native and non-native speakers,
all ages. Dates and times:
www.celstuttgart.de
Workshops at the
German-American Institut (d.a.i) magazine CEL Halloween Party
Frightfully fun for families, folks,
Visit the website for a list of and fairies! Food, games, and
current workshops on TOEFL tombola. Oct 21, 2 - 5 pm, CEL,
exams, conversation, job hunting, www.danceirish.de see address above
Children’s English Library
and orientation for newcomers. Tübingen Sunday Stories: Autumn Tales
Halloween Party
www.dai-heidelberg.de Quilting Bees: Actress Greta Redmond (NEAT
Spooks, goblins, and fairies
Stuttgart A Forum for Patchwork Quilters New English American Theater)
will have their say again at
Workshops at the German- 3rd Thursday of month, 3 - 5 pm, tells stories for kids, 4 and up.
the CEL’s annual fundraising
American Center (DAZ) d.a.i., see address above Oct 22, 3 pm, kkt,
event. Food, fun, and games,
Visit the website for a list of Next dates: Sep 21, Oct 19, Kissinger Straße 66a, 0711 563034,
Oct 21, 2- 5 pm,
current workshops on writing, Nov 16, Dec 14 www.neat-theater.de
www.celstuttgart.de
quilting and dances. www.DAZ.org Halloween for Kids
The Society of Children’s Book Celebrate with spine-chilling stories
Writers and Illustrators Kids and many other activities. Oct 31,
Mini-conference with writers, 3 - 5 pm, DAZ, see address above ,
illustrators, editors. Sep 23, 10 am -
5 pm, Stuttgart International
School, info cjmcnanie@yahoo.com Freiburg
Kids Karlsruhe
Storytime in English!
Children aged 2 - 5 years. Every 2nd
register by Oct 26 at 0711 228180
Tübingen
English Story Time
Irish Ceílí Tell Me a Story! and 4th Wednesday of the month for kids ages 4-6 with Anne
Halpin School of Irish Dance. Reading by Bill Wilson (USA) at 4 pm, American Library, Crutchfield, 1st Wednesday of the
Irish dancing taught every 3rd Check carl-schurz-haus.de for dates, www.american-library.de month, Next dates: Oct 4, Nov 8,
Saturday of the month from 4 -7 pm, 5 - 6 pm, Carl-Schurz-Haus, Stories for Kids ages 6 and up Dec 6, 4 - 5 pm, d.a.i.,
Saal, Bürgerhaus Botnang, see address above Sep 29, 4 pm, The Klondike cat, see address above
Emergency
ools
www.is-ulm.de
English for preschoolers
and first graders in Freiburg
Clubs &
Deutsch-Amerikanisches Zentrum /
Police 110
Emerg International School
of Stuttgart e.V.
0711 7696000, Sigmaringer Straße
0761 1378177 Cathy Plog,
plogs@t-online.de
Little English House
James-F.-Byrnes-Institut e.V.
0711 228180, Charlottenplatz 17,
Stuttgart, www.daz.org
Fire Department 112 257, Stuttgart, www.international- English and art for kids 3 and up 70173: English Spoken Stammtisch
Ambulance & Emergency school-stuttgart.de www.littleenglishhouse.de 12:00 pm at Restaurant Plenum in
Medical 19222 Botnanger Kinderbetreuung Helen Doron Early English the B-W Landtag Building, contact
Poison Hotline 0761 19240 Bilingual Kindergarden Learning English with fun and Andrea.Krueger@wm.bwl.de for
English Speaking Poison 0711 6993404 Gina Kussi, gamens, www.hdee.de dates. Open participation. Founders:
Control 06131 232466 Griegstraße 18, Stuttgart Andrea Krueger & Dr. Peter Mendler
Doctor for House Calls Internationaler Montessori (both of the B-W Ministry of Eco-
0711 2628012 Kindergarten e.V. Libraries nomic Affairs) and Rainer Wieland
0711 93150510, Sulzgrieser (Member of the European Parliament)
Consulates/Embassies
Straße 114, Esslingen,
www.montessori-esslingen.de
EducCare Bilingual Kindergarden
Librari
Children’s English Library e.V.
Stammtisch TRANSATLANTIK
Once a month at Plenum Restaurant
Stuttgart, info at DAZ 0711 228180
sulates
Australia
0711 6581447, Hasenbergstraße
31/2, Stuttgart, www.educcare.de
English for Kids!
0711 3582215, Etzelstraße 25-27,
Stuttgart, Tue 4-6 pm, Fri 3-6 pm,
Sat 2-5 pm, www.celstuttgart.de
Metropolitan Club e.V.
Social, educational & cultural events
for all nationalities, www.metclub.de
030 8800880, Wallstraße 76-79, 0711 6491537 Conny von Scholley, Deutsch-Amerikanisches Zentrum Stuttgart Conversation Club
Berlin www.spielendsprachenlernen.de Charlottenplatz 17, Stuttgart, 0711 8892252 Ed Wilson,
Canada European School Karlsruhe Tue-Thu 2-6 pm 35 years and up, www.metclub.de
0711 2239678, Lange Straße 51, 0721 680090, Albert-Schweitzer- Deutsch-Amerikanisches Conversation Group Stuttgart
Stuttgart Straße 1, Karlsruhe Institut Tübingen For native and non-native speakers,
Ireland English Garden Karlstraße 3, Tue-Fri 1-6 pm, Pádraic Ó Leanacháin 0711 2737740,
030 220720, Friedrichstraße 200, English and music lessons, 0761 Thursdays 1- 8 pm www.englishcom.de
Berlin 8866181, Hasenweg 34, Freiburg Karlsruhe American Library Baltimore Beauties
New Zealand Oberlin Kinderuniversität 0721 72752, Kanalweg 52, Quilting bee at the DAZ, Stuttgart,
030 206210, Friedrichstraße 60, 0761 85648, Tue-Fri 2-6 pm, Wed 10-12 am, every 3rd Fri of the month,
Berlin Am Mühlbach 13, Freiburg, Sat 10 am-2 pm, 9 -12 am, 0711 243242 Judy Ehmer
South Africa www.oberlinkinderuniversitaet.de www.amerikanische-bibliothek.de
Personal ads
Native speakers wanted Price for three lines E4
with financial/technical/business Each additional line E 0.90
experience and excellent inter- Frame around ad E5
personal and language skills.
Freelance work. Contact: Commercial text ads
andrina.rout@fokussprachen.com Price for three lines E 15
Each additional line E2
CleverKids English Frame around ad E7
Teachers and District Managers
needed for the greater Heidelberg/ Commercial designed ads
Mannheim and Stuttgart areas Black and white or colour.
as well as Baden-Württemberg Column width 45.5 mm
in general. Freelance positions. or 95 mm for two columns.
Advertising accents media GbR
is seeking a part-time advertising
Training and curriculum provided.
www.cleverkidsenglish.de,
Price for 30 mm
Additional millimeter
E 49
E 1.35
Sales sales representative for the
acquisition of ads and business
07159 408221
For 3 placements save 5%
Representative promotions. A firm command of
the German language is required. Opportunities
for 6 placements save 10%
Add 16% VAT to all prices
Payment on a commission basis.
accents Please contact Children’s book writer?
Classified ads must be paid
in advance by direct debit or
magazine ads@accents-magazine.de Illustrator? Published or aspiring,
come to the Society of Child-
bank transfer:
accents media GbR
ren’s Book Writers and Illustra- SEB AG Stuttgart
tors September miniconference. bank code 60010111
Meet writers/illustrators. Talks account no. 2398600700
by guest editors. Chance to
network, form critique groups. The deadline for the Nov/ Dec
23 Sept. from 10 am - 5 pm at 2006 issue is Oct 13th
the Stuttgart International School.
10 euros members, 12 euros
non-members. E-mail for info:
cjmcnanie@yahoo.com
Money Matters
Holiday spending
The summer holidays are over, but it’s stolen cheques will be replaced, as long
always a concern whenever you travel: as you remembered to sign them when Send your
Do I take plastic or cash with me? Are tra- you first bought them. Of course, travellers comments and
questions to:
vellers cheques all that useful nowadays? cheques require a counter signature and Günther Spieth,
Regardless of where you’re travelling, proof of identity. Director,
the best rule of thumb is not to rely on just Credit cards are accepted the world SEB Bank Stuttgart.
one form of money. over and are a fuss-free option for holiday- Email:
Guenther.Spieth
It’s advisable to take at least a small makers. Make sure you save your receipts @seb.de
amount of cash with you – euros, as well so you can account for everything on your
as the currency of your country-of-destina- monthly bill when you return home. With-
tion – although the general rule of thumb is drawing cash with a credit card is subject
not to take more than a third of your holi- to a fee levied by the card-issuer. Within
day spending money as cash. If it’s stolen, the European Union, however, this fee to a 15% reduction on transatlantic flights
cash cannot be refunded. It’s often better should not exceed the standard rate you with American Airlines, 20% off Sixt car
value to withdraw money from a local pay for using the card in Germany. hire, cheaper stays at Kempinski Hotels &
ATM once you’re on holidays. Most ATM A handy advantage of credit cards is that Resorts and half-price green fees at 1,800
cards are accepted all over the world. there are often attractive perks attached golf courses worldwide. Happy travelling!
Travellers cheques remain a safe and to their use. The SEB Bank, for instance,
secure alternative to cash. They can be offers its Master Card Gold customers legal Written by Günther Spieth, SEB Bank, for
exchanged at banks and currency exchange protection for the use of rental cars, inter- accents magazine. With over five million
dealerships and can be used as legal tender national health insurance coverage, and lia- customers and 20,000 employees, SEB is
in many hotels, shops and restaurants. bility insurance, all for a yearly fee of 70 one of the biggest financial service provid-
A big advantage over cash is that lost or euros. Holders of this card are also entitled ers in northern Europe. www.seb.de
Balingen, in the Swabian Alb highlands, gather for a packed program of concerts al soloists, the Academia Sinfonica and
60 kilometres south of Stuttgart, is worth featuring regional variations on the rich the Balinger Opera Choir. And on Decem-
a visit at any time of the year. But this tradition of European bagpipe music. ber 2 and 3, don’t miss out on Balingen’s
autumn you can plan your visit around No visitor to Balingen this autumn traditional Christmas Market. It features
one of the many cultural highlights on should miss the Animals of the Ice Age more than 140 stands and small huts in
offer in the coming months. exhibition, which runs until November 5. the city centre, offering a variety of gift
An exhibition of works by well- It’s a trip back in time to the world of our ideas, a special program for children, and
known Alsatian artist Tomi Ungerer will Stone-Age ancestors, featuring around 50 Christmas entertainment on the stage in
take place in the Rathaus-Galerie, in different life-sized models of animals, big front of the town hall.
Balingen’s town hall, from September 25 and small. Featured among them is the
until November 5. mammoth (3.5 x 6 metres). A great Further info
An extra special highlight in the attraction for both children and adults. Tourist Information
coming weeks will be the International On the occasion of its 25th anniver- Färberstraße 2, 72336 Balingen
Bagpipe Festival, to be held from sary, the Stadthalle Balingen presents the Tel 07433 170261, Fax 07433 2701004
October 12 -16. Bagpipe musicians and opera Carmen (November 24, 25 and 26). E-mail stadt@balingen.de
groups from 20 European countries A home-made production with internation- Internet www.balingen.de
Photo: www.photocase.com
might be asked: “Do you want it sent as a
er just a place for mailing letters. It’s a sta- letter, a small package or a package?” The
tionery shop and a bank as well. Customer- question is often confounding because
friendly counters have replaced the glass- you’re not a postal clerk. But if you’re send-
window-with-a-hole through which you had ing anything bigger than a normal letter,
to shout your order of stamps. Most post make sure you ask for the price of each
offices now have ropes and moveable poles postal option.
for people to form an orderly, single queue. Note that anything heavier than two kilo-
In the last few years, German Post (Deut- grams – which will be defined as a “pack-
sche Post) has smartened up its customer age” – is no longer sent overseas by ship.
service act to prepare for the more or less All “packages” are now flown to their coun-
full deregulation of postal services at the try of destination and then delivered by sur-
end of next year. But all of this doesn’t face or air mail within the country. The for-
make some of its postal bureaucracy any mer option (air/surface) is not much slower
easier to comprehend. but considerably cheaper than the latter
Posting a normal letter anywhere in (air/air) option. So if you’re sending a Christ-
Germany costs a minimum of 55 cents, mas parcel back home enquire about price
or up to 2.20 euros for a larger letter. If it and delivery-time differences. If you are only
weighs between 1,000 and 2,000 grams (1- Germany’s postal sending newspapers, magazines or books
2 kg) it gets classified as a “small package” system is to be within Germany or overseas, mention this to
further deregulated
(Päckchen) and costs 4.30 euros. Beyond at the end of 2007 the postal clerk as your postage may be
two kilograms, it becomes a “package” cheaper.
(Paket) and is more expensive. This seems Deutsche Post offers an efficient service
straightforward enough. However, when it by European standards but it’s not the only
comes to international postage, the correct name you give to the thing you’re posting – postal company in Germany. Other compa-
category – letter, small package or package, a letter, a box, a package – is often irrele- nies which deliver letters and parcels can be
air mail or surface mail – can make a big vant in terms of cost. Not so in the German found in the Yellow Pages phone directory
difference in price. postal system. under Kurierdienst or Paketdienst.
In most English-speaking countries the If you dump your mail on the counter you
By Liz Gaiser tion to generation. An experienced cutter my adorable children that I had to pack it
stands next to you, never behind you. He in a large, padded envelope.
I don’t care what anyone says about the or she inches closer to the counter with- It turned out that sending my parcel
modern, new-age Deutsche Post; it’s out looking at you. (You have to inch for- “as a letter” would have cost 14 euros,
always a nerve-wracking experience ward in sync with them. If they take the while the same parcel magically renamed
waiting “in line” at my local post office. lead, you need to cut them off in their a “small package” would cost only 12.90
Today there wasn’t really a line, more tracks without using words.) When the euros. Both options would take 6 - 8
a congested group of people all looking at person working behind the counter asks weeks. I’m still mystified as to why one
each other suspiciously. They were all who’s next, you’d better be quicker than letter can have two different names and
thinking the same thing. I was here first. a kangaroo on hot desert sand. At times two different prices.
Realistically they couldn’t ALL have been like this I release the good old New Someone who once visited New York
there first, but an awful lot of people Yorker in me. I walk right in front of the told me how confused he was when he
seem to morph into chaotic, illogical thin- cutter as if they’re not there and asserti- tried to order fried eggs for breakfast in a
kers when it comes to forming a post- vely shout out my order. street-side café. He was hit with so many
office queue. Worse than the post office However, waiting among the mass of confusing questions about having them
is the bakery before closing time, when people in the post office today did have easy-over, over-hard, sunny-side-up (or)-
some bakeries sell what’s left for half its advantages. It gave me time to decide down and so on, that he just walked
price. There’s no hope of a line then. whether I was going to send my parcel away, a nervous wreck. Did he need a
Cutting in line is actually an art, possi- as a letter or as a package. Technically it special guide book just to order eggs?
bly offered as a course at German univer- was a letter. But I’d written so many I guess that every culture has ways
sities or just handed down from genera- pages and included so many photos of and means of mystifying foreigners.