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Easter & May Stammtisch

April 27, 2011 by lexicatalk

I hope you all enjoyed a lovely Easter break – and those of you who were in Germany probably had to ‘endure’ the tropical climate there. And if you feel you had too many chocolate Easter eggs and are looking to watch future sugar intake, you might like this article in Stern on ‘Süssmacher’. It shows just how much sugar is in various (sometimes unsuspecting) products.

With Easter, Royal Weddings and so on, we thought April is just too busy for a Stammtisch. But in less than two weeks’ time – on Tuesday, 10 May – we will meet again. Ralph Sälzer, the managing director of the Liebherr factory in Sunderland has invited us to a factory tour, which will start at 6pm. From 7pm onwards, we will then be in the Irish pub TJ Doyles just up the road for German food (eg Schnitzel and Potato Salad) and German/Austrian beers. Dermot, who runs the Irish pub/restaurant, lived in Austria for a while and will make sure we have authentic food & drink. Please let me know if you will join us – either for the factory tour/for food & drink/or both – so that we can cater for this accordingly and I will also send directions to those who will come along.

Liebherr is one of the largest German family owned companies and employs around 32,000 people worldwide. It is not the only family owned company (Familienunternehmen) here in the North East, there is also Aldi, Lidl, Heraeus, Makro (Metro Group), Freudenberg and, of course, across the UK well-known brands such as BMW, Porsche, Dr Oetker, Bosch, Otto (they own Freemans/Grattan here), Würth, Haniel, Merck etc. Of Germany’s 1,500 world leaders (ie they are the number 1,2 or 3 in their particular sector), 70% are family owned and 51% of the largest listed 250 companies in Germany are also under one family’s control.

Just like anywhere else, family-owned companies in Germany face numerous challenges and a key one is to find a suitable and willing successor. The Handelsblatt has established a portal for business owners who are looking to sell their company. To see what type of businesses are available, visit the website Deutsche Unternehmerbörse.

Japan has dominated the news in recent months following the earth quake and subsequent impact on its nuclear industry. On a happier note, this year Germany celebrates 150 years’ friendship with Japan. Back in 1861 Prussia and Japan signed its first friendship and trade treaty, the foundation for this relationship. If you want to find out more about the background, activities and events that are taking place in Germany and Japan, visit the website. And do you know which German city is called ‘Klein-Tokio am Rhein’? In this German city, over 7,000 Japanese have found a new home and around 450 Japanese companies established a base in the region. The city on the Rhein will also be a focus for the 150 Year Celebrations with a traditional Japan Week from 21 to 28 May.

The Tyneside Cinema currently shows a new film directed by Wim Wenders. Pina is a tribute to the choreographer Pina Bausch and was filmed in Wuppertal. Click here to get to the film’s website. In the trailer you can see a famous train (Schwebebahn) and it’s safety was demonstrated in a very unique way. Does anybody know how and what happened next???

I would like to wish you all a great time on Friday whatever you’re doing and look forward to seeing you again soon.

Posted in Business, Film, Food & Drink, Stammtisch | Leave a Comment »

Spring News

March 22, 2011 by lexicatalk

On Monday, we had another successful evening at the Mansion House and I would like thank Gunther for the lovely meal and Councillor David Faulkner for his interesting talk on the Ruhr, which celebrated Capital of Culture in 2010. One of the acts that David mentioned was an American singer called Bobby McFerrin – who, I must admit, I wasn’t familiar with. But apparently everybody in Germany knew him and I thought I share his appearance at the Sing! Day of Song event at the Gelsenkirchener Schalke stadium with you, which is on YouTube – click here.

Stammtisch member Sylvia Graham is the honorary librarian of the Meissen Library at Durham Cathedral. This is a specialised collection of mainly protestant theology in German and does contain books not available anywhere else in Britain. There is a website www.meissenlibrarydurham.co.uk and Sylvia would be happy to reply to emails from anyone interested – jms.graham@btinternet.com.

From 1 April, our Stammtisch member Kim di Rollo will also be responsible not only for Brussel Airlines, but also Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines here in the region. She has also passed on an interesting website for small to medium sized businesses, where they can find out more about the Star Alliance Company Plus programme. This can cut company’s travel costs as member companies earn PlusPoints whenever their employees fly with one of the alliance’s 13 participating airlines– click here to get to the website.

And if you’re travelling to Germany and you’re not quite sure yet where to go and what to do – the ‘Germany is Wunderbar’ website might just give you a few ideas – http://germanyiswunderbar.com. Last week, the Guardian also had a very insightful series on Germany and you can still get this online – http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/germany.

This week Germany is also mourning the loss of Knut – the four-year old polar bear from Berlin Zoo, who passed away last Saturday. Happier news come from Nuremberg. Their star Flocke (snow flake), moved successfully to France last year with her Russian companion Rasputin and lives now at a sea water enclosure in Antibes. And her mother Vera just had two polar bear twins in December, who are doing very well. For photographs – click here.

Posted in Books, Culture, Stammtisch, Travel | Leave a Comment »

Helau Stammtisch!

March 8, 2011 by lexicatalk

It’s the final hours of this year’s carnival and maybe you had a chance to join in the festivities somewhere around the world (apparently they even have a pet carnival in Rio)? I was wondering if some of our Stammtisch members fancy doing something for Fasching 2012? This could be activities with local schools or even a carnival ball with lots of fancy dress. It would be interesting to see if there’s some interest in this. Or maybe we’ll just join in the UK traditions and have some pancake instead? To give you 2012 Fasching dates, their will be ‘Weiberfastnacht’ on 16 February, ‘Rosenmontag’ is 20 February and finally Faschingsdienstag on 21 February. And maybe it’s not a good idea to tell the kids that in Germany the women cut off men’s ties….

We’ve already had quite a number of acceptances for our next Stammtisch on Monday, 21 March at the Mansion House in Jesmond. Please let me know by latest Thursday, 17 March if you’ll join us to make sure we have enough food for all. David Faulkner, the leader of Newcastle City Council, will talk about the Ruhr Capital of Culture from 6.30pm onwards, followed by our usual informal get-together and German Linseneintopf mit Bockwurst at £7.95 per person.

The other dates for your diary are Tuesday, 10 May for the Liebherr factory visit in Sunderland followed by Schnitzel & Bier Dinner and Tuesday, 21 June back at the Mansion House for an evening all about wine.

Posted in Culture, Food & Drink, Stammtisch | Leave a Comment »

Organ Recital at Martin Luther Church on 25 March

March 8, 2011 by lexicatalk

On Friday, 25 March 2011 there will also be an Organ Recital at the German speaking Martin Luther Church in Newcastle (Clarence Street/Copland Terrace – close to the Biscuit Factory). This is a rare opportunity to listen to this Rowntree & Brennan organ of 1976 as the church is only used for worships twice a month and meet up with German speaking people at the same time. The evening will start at 6.30pm and Moira Flanagain will play Buxtehude, Bach, Elgar, Grainger, Brahms and others. Admission fee is £5, which includes interval drinks.

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Congratulations to WEST in Glasgow

March 8, 2011 by lexicatalk

I would also like to send congratulations to the West Brewery in Glasgow. The brewery and restaurant, which looks like a proper Munich Bierkeller, not only brews beer according to the German Reinheitsgebot, but also has lots of tasty German dishes on its menu. The Scots seem to really appreciate it as West has just been voted ‘The Best Family Restaurant in Scotland’. But that’s not all – the West brewing team also received three medals at January’s UK keg beer competition – for further details see www.westbeer.com.

Posted in Food & Drink, Restaurants | Leave a Comment »

Books & Pennies

March 8, 2011 by lexicatalk

If you want to see what Germans are reading right now – the Stern had a review of popular novels earlier this year. Click here for details. One of our Stammtisch members also suggested a small book fair of German books. Maybe more of you have books you no longer want to keep, or language books you no longer need, but obviously it might be a bit pointless to just give them to a charity shop. Let me know your thoughts!

A few years ago Alexander von Schönburg, the younger brother of Gloria von Thurn und Taxis, described himself as being from an aristocratic family that had to get used to social decline over the past five centuries. At the beginning of the last decade, the journalist and his young family hit harder times after he lost his job. Drawing from this experience he wrote ‘Die Kunst des stilvollen Verarmens – wie man ohne Geld reich wird’ (the art of becoming poor stylishly – how to become rich without money’, which questions our pursuit of consumerism vs quality of life. You can order the book in German and French, but unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be an English version.

So if you’re looking after the pennies, there might just be a site for you when travelling: www.airbnb.com. Instead of staying in hotels, this offers you places to stay in people’s homes. The website, which started around three years ago, now offers accommodation in 9,299 cities in 172 countries around the world and has already arranged more than 1 million bookings.

Posted in Books, Travel | Leave a Comment »

Stammtisch Dates for March, May and June

February 17, 2011 by lexicatalk

Just a quick reminder about our first Stammtisch of the year, which will take place on Monday, 21 March at the Mansion House in Jesmond.

The evening will start at 6.30pm with a presentation by David Faulkner, the leader of Newcastle City Council, about the Ruhr Capital of Culture. Gunther then has a Linseneintopf mit Bockwurst (lentil stew) ready, which will be £7.95 per person.

Please let me know if you’re coming – payment for the dinner will be again on the night.

On Tuesday, 10 May, we will take the Stammtisch south of the river to Sunderland. Stammtisch member Ralph Sälzer, who has been in charge of the Liebherr manufacturing facility for the past nine years, has invited us to a factory visit. Liebherr, a wholly family owned business, produces marine cranes for a worldwide market and employs around 200 staff at the Sunderland facility.

Afterwards we will head to TJ Doyles, an Irish pub just next door, which has Schnitzel and various Austrian/German beers on the menu. We will meet at 6pm for the factory visit, followed by dinner at the pub from around 7pm.

In June, the Mansion House will then host our next Stammtisch on Tuesday, 21, which will include a talk about wine, some samples plus German food. More details will follow in due course.

Posted in Food & Drink, Stammtisch | Leave a Comment »

Kindergruppe in Newcastle

February 17, 2011 by lexicatalk

Every Tuesday between 10.30 and 12.30, a German speaking children’s group (Kindergruppe) meets at the Martin-Luther-Kirche in Shieldfield, Newcastle. The German speaking parents and their children (between 0 and 4 years) meet to play, sing, do crafts etc and celebrate together birthdays, carnival, Easter, Christmas and organise trips together.

If you would like further information, please contact Angela Rau-Pokorny directly: Tel. 07769 731 259 or email angelarau@hotmail.com.

Posted in Events organised by Others, Languages & Communications | Leave a Comment »

Branding & Advertising

February 17, 2011 by lexicatalk

Why do companies choose foreign sounding names for their brands? Did you know that Berghaus is actually a North East brand? It was started in 1966 by climbers and moutaineers Peter Lockey and Gordon Davison of the LD Mountain Centre in Newcastle. Mountain centre became the German word ‘Berghaus’.

The founders of Jack Wolfskin, Germany’s leading outdoor brand, however used an English sounding name for their brand. According to the company, the founders came up with it during a camp fire in Canada – inspired by the howls of wolves and with a bit of Jack London’s ‘Call of the Wild’ spirit in mind.

VW, another German company had a YouTube hit worldwide with its new advertisement for its Passat, which was first shown during the Super Bowl. To date the VW clip alone has had more than 30 million views.

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Clothes Manufacturing in Germany and the UK

February 17, 2011 by lexicatalk

With inflation increasing, it’s not just food, petrol and utility bills that are going up. Sky News had an article (click here to view) that questioned if this will now be the end of cheap clothes due to the rises in raw materials, wages and VAT.

With our growing export deficit and the government hoping that manufacturing and private sector development will provide more of the jobs of the future, we ask if this presents again opportunities for clothes made in the UK?

This Friday at 7.30pm, Channel 4 will feature a Manchester based family business, Cooper and Stollbrand which is the last remaining manufacturer of premium outerware in the UK.

In Germany, another family firm Trigema is well-known for exclusively producing t-shirts, tennis and other clothing in its home market. It provides employment for around 1,200 staff and the company is proud that it has not had any redundancies or shorter working weeks since 1969. The company website features a short corporate film (click Kino) and the Handelsblatt also carried a feature about the man in charge, Wolfgang Grupp, who it named Germany’s most famous medium sized entrepreneur – click here for the article.

 

 

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