Discover Germany, Issue 30, September 2015

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Issue 30 | September 2015

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER T H E T E R M I N ATO R I S B A C K

PLUS GERMAN CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS ENGINEERING EXPERTS SMART START-UPS FASHION, DESIGN & LIFESTYLE

T H E M AG A Z I N E P R O M OT I N G G E R M A N Y, S W I T Z E R L A N D & A U ST R I A

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Discover Germany | Contents

Contents SEPTEMBER 2015

34

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Lindau’s famous lighthouse

weekend4two

COVER FEATURE 6

Arnold Schwarzenegger

FEATURES 26

Austrian action hero and former Californian governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is back on the big screen. Read what Arnie thinks about being back as the Terminator, how he keeps in such amazing shape and about his great passion for bikes.

SPECIAL THEMES 30

Cultural Highlights in Germany

38

70

Photo: The Rokker Company

elegance above Lake Melchsee, there is much to be discovered in our Wine & Dine section.

26

56

Business All you need to know about stress management, how landscape architecture affects urban space and the benefit of wind energy. Plus our legal expert Gregor Kleinknecht explains how divorce affects parental rights.

REGULARS & COLUMNS 10

Culture This month’s culture section is a treasure chest for travellers. Hello to Hamburg, living it up in Lindau or discovering Dresden is all part of this month’s portfolio.

Design Inspired by the Oktoberfest, we handpicked cool items that are bursting with Alpine charm.

Smart Start-Ups No need to enter the Dragons’ Den and ask for funding, as our impressive array of start-up companies have already prooved that they have what it takes to succeed.

86

The Bauhaus of Germany: A living legacy Hellen Cullen gives us an insight into the iconic Staatliches Bauhaus in Weimar, which was founded by Walter Gropius in 1919; an art school that became one of the most influential centres of modernist art of the 20th century.

Germany’s Legal Experts Discover Germany presents outstanding lawyers specialising in the most diverse legal fields such as sports, media, IT, intellectual rights, property and much more.

Because being in good hands really matters.

14

Hamburg’s legendary harbour warehouse district has made it onto the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Read all about the striking red brick buildings lined by canals and bursting with history.

A wonderful selection of fine museums, enchanting towns, top destinations for art and design as well as magical places to inspire one's mind.

56

Hamburg’s Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District: A World Heritage Site

12

Fashion

German Engineering Expertise Complex and clever solutions from the world of engineering, that have taken German engineering to new heights on the global market.

92

With months of rain and wind ahead it is time to put on an extra layer. See, what is trending for the upcoming autum/winter season.

98 21

Wine & Dine From Gault & Millau starred cuisine in an old monastery, to organic hospitality surrounded by water, to Swiss Alpine

Culture calendar Save the date! Discover Germany’s culture calendar is your perfect guide to what not to miss in September.

Barbara Geier Just in time for the October season, our columnist Barbara Geier shares her very own view about the hype surrounding Steins and Dirndl dresses.

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Dear Reader,

Discover Germany

Sales & Key Account Managers

Issue 30, September 2015

Emma Fabritius Nørregaard

Published 01.09.2014 ISSN 2051-7718

Laura Hummer Antonietta Cutarelli Noura Draoui Stefan Cameron

Published by Scan Magazine Ltd.

Advertising info@discovergermany.com

Design & Print Liquid Graphic Ltd. Executive Editor Thomas Winther

Discover Germany is published by: SCAN GROUP Scan Magazine Ltd. 15B Bell Yard Mews Bermondsey Street London SE1 3TY United Kingdom

Creative Director Mads E. Petersen Editor Tina Awtani Art Director

Phone +44 (0)870 933 0423 info@discovergermany.com

Svetlana Slizova Feature Writer

For further information, please visit www.discovergermany.com

Nane Steinhoff Copy-Editor Isa Hemphrey Contributors

Welcome to the September issue of Discover Germany.The summer holiday season is officially over, the kids are back in school and in stores the winter collections are taking over the shelf space. But there's no reason to be sad, as the beer festival season kicks off.

Not only in Munich is the brewed beverage celebrated with the help of giant Steins, usually accompanied by a giant pretzel or a roasted pork knuckle. Even in remote countries like New Zealand or Brazil girls dress up in Dirndl while guys wear leather pants for the occasion. All a cliché? Well, our columnist Barbara Geier shares her very own thoughts about the Oktoberfest with us in this issue.

This month’s cover is graced by no less than the great Arnold Schwarzenegger. Austrian by origin, the California-based actor talks about his latest movie project and how he effortlessly keeps up with his younger peers when it comes to performance. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest action heroes ever and he looks better than ever on the big screen.

And we have much more to keep you well informed and entertained this month, including a special theme about successful start-up companies, a focus on legal experts as well as a compilation of top-level engineering companies. If you love to travel do not miss out on the German cultural highlights we present this month, as there is certainly something for you to bear in mind when it comes to travelling.

Regarding my plans for September, I will probably not be seen wearing a Dirndl dress, but strolling the stores watching out for the new autumn/winter collections instead.

Emmie Collinge Helen Cullen Elisabeth Doehne Jessica Holzhausen Julika Huether

Enjoy the magazine!

Sonja Irani Gregor Kleinknecht Benedikt Meininger Dorina Reichholdt

Tina Awtani

Marilena Stracke

© All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of Scan Magazine Ltd. This magazine contains advertorials/promotional articles

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SEB voted best Private Bank in German-speaking Europe Over 100 private banks were tested by Fuchsbriefe publishing house with IQF and risk analysis specialists Quanvest. Their conclusion in 2014 noted, “SEB Private Banking Luxembourg stands out in almost every category: in addition to brilliant advice, the competition cannot keep up in terms of either investment proposals or transparency.”

Our international network of private banking offices will look after all aspects of your family finances, from daily transactions to long term investments. Its services cover everything from tailored financial management, through to helping you to optimise the legal and tax structures within which your assets are held.

As one of the world’s strongest banks* and with more than 150 years of experience in private banking, we have just what it takes to ensure your future prosperity.

To find out what SEB can do for your personal wealth, contact us in London or Luxembourg: London Private Banking Team +44 (0) 20 7246 4225 privatebanking@seb.co.uk

Ulrich Graner +352 (0) 2623 2310 kontakt@sebgroup.lu

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A TE B ANK

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*SEB is ranked 9th in the world according to Bloomberg report June 2014

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Discover Germany | Cover Feature | Arnold Schwarzenegger

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER The Terminator is back Arnold Schwarzenegger is back on screens in one of his most famous roles – the Terminator. Terminator: Genisys marks the fifth film in the franchise and is directed by Alan Taylor. Alongside Arnie, the movie also stars Emilia Clarke, Jason Clarke and Jai Courtney. Arnie talks about being back as the Terminator, how he keeps in such amazing shape and more.

TEXT: TIM LOCKWOOD/HOTFEATURE | PHOTO: KEVIN WINTER © EDSTOCK

SO ARE WE GOING TO HEARYOU SAY, ‘HASTA LA VISTA!’IN THIS MOVIE? “Did I say Hasta LaVista during the movie?

No, I don’t think so. ‘I’ll be back!’ I said.

Yeah.”

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT THE TERMINATOR HAS SUCH A LONG LIFE? WHY DOYOU THINK THAT THIS SERIES CAN KEEP BEING REINVENTED AND TOLD AND REINTERPRETED? “I think that the people are fascinated with the idea of time travel. I think people like futuristic movies. I think, in this case, they like it specifically because what used to be considered science fiction now is almost becoming a reality. And also they like… the indestructible kind of a Terminator character; they see that he can be a villain and can be very destructive – like he is in this movie. But he can also be a protector like in this movie, where he is kind of like a fatherly figure to this girl. So they like that.

They see it as a heroic character in a way,

because even when he does something bad, he’s a machine. You know he’s not a human being. So they disregard that it’s bad.”

BUT YOU’RE NOT A MACHINE.YOU’RE A HUMAN BEING. SO OVER THEYEARS, AS THE ACTION HAS CHANGED, HOW DOESYOUR BODY HANDLE THE PHYSICALITY OF THE ROLE OF THE TERMINATOR? “I think that the fortunate thing is that I’ve been training all along. So when I go skiing, I still ski for four or five hours, you know… up and down, up and down, just like I did when I was younger. That’s the same with stunts you. I do it from morning till night. I don’t feel like I have to tell them at four o’clock in the afternoon, ‘Look guys, I am 67. Okay? So let’s cool it now.’That never happens. So I do my work. And I go all out and I have the endurance luckily, because of my training. And then you just have to be careful with the injuries. Because you know when you’re 20, you’re not going to get in-

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Discover Germany | Cover Feature | Arnold Schwarzenegger

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Discover Germany | Cover Feature | Arnold Schwarzenegger

juries as easily as when you are 67. So you just have to think about you know warming up and not just jumping into things like that. But you know it really works. If you’re in shape.”

HAS YOUR PASSION OVER THE YEARS CHANGED? YOUR LOVE OF ACTING? “No. Especially I think what’s great that I interrupted my acting career and did the political career. So that was a great break.

And it was at a great time in my career. And to be a public servant and in such a big State, an important place, it’s like the sixth largest economy in the world – it was absolute heaven. And I don’t regret one second of that. Even though I lost a lot of money because of it, because I didn’t make movies during that time. It didn’t matter because everything that I have achieved in my life is because of America. So to give seven years back and to do all of the other charitable work, I was more than happy to do that.”

SO NOTHING FEELS MORE CHALLENGING AT THIS POINT? OR IS THERE SOMETHING?

1miro | Dreamstime.com

“No… the key thing is, is just to stay focused and that you love what you’re doing.

And you know I think I have a very clear vision of where I go with that character, or whatever the movie is, and then you get very enthusiastic about it. Then you just grind it out and you just have a good time doing it.”

WAS THERE A COOL MOMENT IN THE MOVIE FOR YOU, AN ACTION SEQUENCE? LIKE HANGING FROM A HARNESS OR A HELICOPTER SEQUENCE OR SOMETHING? “I wouldn’t say ‘cool’. I would say tedious.

Because all the stuff that looks cool, to get there is tedious; you’re in a harness, you get

thrown around, you bang into things.Then you get dropped every so often! By accident! It’s always very tough work, these action movies. But then when you see it, you know, it’s fantastic. People always ask me, what was the most fun movie you’ve done?

And what about ‘Terminator’? I said well you know I think you have more fun doing ‘Twins’ or ‘Kindergarten Cop’ than to do a ‘Terminator’movie or a‘True Lies’movie or something like that. They are very tough movies to do, because you work a lot of nights. Because at night, it looks more dangerous and more scary for people. So when we did‘Terminator’, a lot of it was as night.

But night shooting is not that easy. You know so I wouldn’t say they’re fun. I think that the end product is fun, but you’ve got to be very disciplined and you’ve just got to always focus on the end goal.”

FINALLY, WE’RE ALWAYS SEEING YOU OUT AND ABOUT ONYOUR BIKE? “I ride my bike at least 3 times a week. Motorcycling and also bicycle.”

WHAT IS ITYOU LOVE ABOUT CYCLING? “Well, my bicycling it’s like…You know, I do the lifecycle at home and the elliptical and all those things. And then sometimes I like to go out, since we have the great weather and ride in the fresh air and ride down the beach and ride down to Gold’s Gym and work out there and then ride back. Go ride down to my office and ride back. So I actually ride the bike pretty much in every city that I travel to.You know, it doesn’t matter if it’s Paris or London or Vienna or Melbourne… I just came from Melbourne. So I try to ride it everywhere. Because you can see the city in a different way from a bike than from a car or just walking around.”

THANKYOU

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Discover Germany | Design | Dedicated to Design

Dedicated to Design...

2

September has arrived and so has the eagerly anticipated beer festival season. Longed for by many (and not only Germans) we take the opportunity to check out some Bavarian inspired design items which ooze Alpine charm and spread the good mood.

1

EDITOR'S PICKS

Shop in Bavarian style with the Reisenthel special Bavaria edition carrier basket. £42. www.reisenthel.com 2. Doing the dishes with a deer has never been more fun. Looks cute not only in a Swiss mountain chalet.

Set of two. £10. www.min-butik.de

3

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Wooden wall clock with stag. Can it get any better? £33. www.geschenkidee.de

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Too cold to go outside and check the weather? Try the Bavarian weather station. It is mounted outside and if there's rain, the guy shows up, but if there's sun the lady will appear. £11. www.bader.de Spice up your kitchen bench with these super comfy tartan cushions or simply scatter in front of the crackling fire place to create a cosy and chilled corner. £18. www.hock-dich-hin.de

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D É T A I L

www.philippi.com

www.philippi.com

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Discover Germany | Design | Fashion Finds

Fashion Finds Welcome back everyone from the summer holidays. As it is back to business for most of us, we have to take a look at the new autumn/winter collections and prepare to keep warm for the windy and rainy days ahead. Bye bye summer, hello autumn fashion heroes!

EDITOR’S PICKS | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

0039 ITALY celebrates its 15th anniversary. What started with a small trade fair show stall in Paris is now an international fashion empire. Founded by Eysen Bitzer-Bourak, the brand specialises in top quality blouses. Top Albina Stripe £106, skirt Bellina £120. www.0039italy-shop.com

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Discover Germany | Design | Fashion Finds

A cute collar display spices up a plain shirt in no time. Elegant and classy the pearls send just the right message across. £25. www.bevonboch.com

An all time classic and ideal for stormy autumn days is the trenchcoat. It simply goes with everything, from jeans to skirts, and one is shielded in style with this timeless design icon. £163. www.jeanpaul.de

Just like the trenchcoat the classic trousers shouldn’t be missing in any wardrobe. It is simply a safe bet for the office, fine dining and semi-formal. Team with high heels and a tight top for a more glamourous look or wear it casual with flats and a funky shirt. £92. www.jeanpaul.de

Another gorgeous creation from the autumn/winter 2015 0039 ITALY lookbook. Blouse Alisar £128, trousers Elia £85. www.0039italy-shop.com

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Discover Germany | Design | Rokker

Innovative fashion created by bikers

Perfect protection included Swiss biker fashion designer brand THE ROKKER COMPANY specialises in innovative and stylish easy rider apparel that not only looks great and feels comfortable, but also meets the highest safety standards for ultimate protection.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: THE ROKKER COMPANY

In 2006 Swiss hobby motorcyclists Kai Glatt und Michael Kuratli cruised the Swiss Alpine region with their customised bikes.

It would have been a perfect trip if only the clothing would have been better. They wore normal jeans that looked cool, but in case of an accident wouldn’t have been very protective. Standard biker clothing used to be made of black leather or heavy-duty synthetics, sometimes not very practical and heavily lacking style.

Back home the duo sat down over a pint of lager and soon the clothing issue became a matter of heart.“We really tried to buy stylish jeans for motor cycling. But despite intensive search we couldn’t find anything

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we liked. So we decided to create our own and the first two prototypes of the ROKKER jeans were designed and manufactured. When we held the two finished jeans in our hands in December 2006 it

became crystal clear that we were not the only riders who weren’t happy with what’s available on the market. That sparked the idea for THE ROKKER COMPANY,”Glatt recalls. The two Swiss riders invested all their savings, produced the first batch of ROKKER jeans and turned award-winning entrepreneurs by scooping the Heuberger Winterthur young entrepreneurs prize in December 2007. “The prize money of 100,000 CHF helped a lot with our start-up

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Discover Germany | Design | Rokker

REVOLUTION EXTREME model to the lighter sand coloured CHINO, there is something for everyone. Although it started with two pairs of jeans, the Swiss duo soon realised they struck a market niche and the product portfolio was extended to jackets, shirts, boots and accessories. “Our customers are mainly bikers who value style and opt to look good and feel safe on a motorbike. Be it on a long day trip or simply a short ride to their favourite hangout place,” Glatt says. All products are manufactured in Europe to ensure the highest quality and the brand is by no means limited to bikers only.“In 2013 we launched our casual collection, which consists of our classic signature style jeans made of selvage denim plus shirts, jackets and really cool leather accessories. This collection is tailor-made for non-bikers who appreciate high-quality clothing in the ROKKER biker style,”Glatt suggests.

“We did it all ourselves”

as we were able to pursue international growth pretty quickly. Today ROKKER products are available in 30 countries around the globe,”Glatt proudly says.

Looking back, Glatt has no regrets. Together with Michael Kuratli he started from scratch. The duo came up with the company name, developed everything from the logo to each single model of the entire collections as well as taking care of marketing, branding, distribution and much more.“We did it all ourselves and we had to acquire completely new skills on the way. For me,

THE ROKKER COMPANY is more than a business. It offers me the opportunity to combine my passion for motorbikes with my profession and allows me to full thrive in terms of entrepreneurial creativity,”Glatt admits. What started as an idea of two friends over a pint of lager turned into a flourishing international fashion business with 14 employees and the figures are suggesting growth.

2016 will be another milestone for the young label, as functional underwear will be added to the product portfolio. Furthermore stylish leather and denim jackets as well as new models for the biker jeans collection are in the pipeline. The casual collection will also see exciting new creations in the upcoming season. Kuratli and Glatt will be busier than ever developing their authentic biker label. But those who think that their motorcycles will stay locked in the shed catching dust are wrong. Based in Widnau in the canton of St. Gallen, THE ROKKER COMPANY has the perfect offroad terrain literally in its backyard, so even a lunch break occasionally turns into a dirt bike ride in the name of research. www.therokkercompany.com www.rokker.ch

Style meets safety It started with the jeans. Although the ROKKER jeans may look like normal denims, they have a lot more to offer.“Because we use schoeller®-denim-dynatec material, ROKKER jeans are extremely abrasion-proof (80 kilogrammes up to 100 kilometres per hour), water-resistant – two models are 100 per cent waterproof – as well as wind-proof, while still breathable,” Glatt explains. Every single pair of jeans is sold in a luxurious wooden box, while ladies’ jeans come in sleek black totes and a black t-shirt accompanies every single pair of ROKKER jeans. With 15 different models available, customers are spoilt for choice. From the classic comfortable fit, ORIGINAL ROKKER jeans to the durable

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Discover Germany | Design | Simply Wear

Tailored to you Show your outfits some love and get them tailored exactly to your individual requests at Germany-based fashion brand Wiebelhaus - SIMPLY WEAR. Unusual fabric/cut combinations will do the rest to make you stand out.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: WIEBELHAUS - SIMPLY WEAR

Label founder Stefanie Wiebelhaus’ specialty is the combination of extraordinary fabrics with a classic cut as well as exceptional cuts with classic fabrics.“When you cut a classic trench coat out of a raincoat polyester fabric, it immediately creates a whole new look,” Wiebelhaus describes one of her extraordinary blends. Another example is the classic 1950s ‘Jacky O style’coat made into an instant eye catcher thanks to its new wool outer fabric.

Equally characteristic for Wiebelhaus, who has previously worked for such prestigious labels as Comma, Art To Be, Berit Katharina Mohr and Joop, is her exclusive made to measure service for which garments can be created completely from scratch according to her clients’ individual wishes. “I really enjoy the technical implementation of my

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ideas on the computer as well as bringing it to life by draping my designs on an actual model,”the certified clothing technician explains.“When creating these unique pieces, I always look at the personality and life experiences of my client.This helps me to determine, for example, which colour would work best to let this particular client shine.”

The talented tailor’s studio in the Palatine region of Germany offers a relaxed environment in which to discuss such a bespoke creation. While there, you may also encounter some British hospitality traits that the designer has taken on while living inYork for a year.“I found it refreshing and inspiring that the British use the word ‘thank you’at least twice in every sentence,” she smiles. In terms of fashion role models, Wiebelhaus admires Jil Sander and Phoebe

Above: Stefanie Wiebelhaus in her studio.

Photo: Nina Flauaus (left) SIMPLY WHITE range. Photo: Anja Jahn (middle) SIMPLY EVENT range. Photo: Anja Jahn (right) Below: Stefanie Wiebelhaus. Photos: M Kuenzli

Philo.“Both are known for clear, straightforward designs and expressiveness,” she says.“Philo additionally adds subtle feminine elements to her designs, which I find important. More and more women are now discovering the empowering effect of embracing their feminine side in their everyday business wear. I think that’s a great development.” www.simplywear.de

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Your Shortcut to Scandinavia Bergen

NORWAY

Oslo Stockholm Bromma

SWEDEN Aalborg

Gothenburg

Aarhus

UNITED KINGDOM

DENMARK Billund

Manchester

London City

GERMANY Brussels

D端sseldorf

BELGIUM

SWITZERLAND

Munich

Z端rich

S n acks

Me als

Drinks

ba.com

Pap ers

Lounges

Smiles

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Discover Germany | Design | Badeenten

ricated rubber ducks with customised prints.

The classic yellow rubber duck now has brothers, sisters and cousins in quite different shapes. For example, the clearly female duck in Dirndl with the typical deep cleavage called Traudl, the male counterpart in lederhosen or a duck dressed in green as the Statue of Liberty with a torch in hand.

“No one knows why most rubber ducks today are yellow, maybe this is simply an accident of history,”says Broegger. The effect on the other hand is mostly the same all over the world: “The rubber duck might be a hundred years old, but after all these years it still brings happiness, joy and a smile on the face of small and grown-up children.”

Funny ducks with customised prints Rubber ducks are the perfect companion for the bathtub with their bright yellow colour and the big smiles on their faces as they float on the water – not only creating delightful giggles when small children play with them, but also making adults smile. A rubber duck brings joy and that is what makes it perfect for advertising.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

The question of who had the idea to create a swimming rubber duck for the bathtub first cannot be answered. It is clear that in the 1920s rubber, for the first time, could not only be fabricated in black but also in different bright colours. The mate-

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rial began to conquer the world.“During that time the first rubber ducks emerged,” says Matthias Broegger, who works for the merchandising specialist Factotum that runs the website www.badeenten.de. For more than 15 years the specialist has fab-

www.badeenten.de currently has about 300 different ducks on offer – dedicated to professions or sports, from city mascots to season related design. During the Christmas season for example, the rubber duck comes in an angel shape or dressed as Santa, with candy and a funny Christmas hat or as Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer.The Easter duck has bunny ears or hatches out of its egg. Every version can be bought with customised prints in one or more colours and are of great value for marketing purposes.

A special idea for crowdfunding or charity is a rubber duck race: The racing ducks Speedy and Flitzer come in three sizes and are made for floating down rivers and streams. Small weights make them stable against capsizing. When buying 300 ducks or more they also come with serial numbers printed on their breasts. www.badeenten.de

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berall ü t

Is

zu Hause

Mehr als 45 Modelle,

mit & ohne Werbeaufdruck

www.mein-bert.de Mein-Bert® – und ich bin stressfrei!

Factotum Handelshaus GmbH An der Helling 32 55252 Mainz-Kastel Telefon: +49 (0)6134-284 203 Telefax: +49 (0)6134-284 204 E-Mail: info@badeenten.de

seit 1992 Spezialist für Werbeartikel

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Discover Germany | Design | Schmidinger Möbelbau

Schmidinger Möbelbau conveys woodcraft traditions into modern design Awarded with a state and a SME prize, Schmidinger Möbelbau builds wooden furniture giving old design ideas a new flair. Since 1991 the collection has been constantly improved and reinvented, and the company builds tailored furniture with as much passion as interior fittings or church pews.

kraum Bregenzerwald’ cooperation in Andelsbuch which organises for example competitions and exhibitions in a building designed by Swiss architect Peter Zumthor.

Wolfgang Schmidinger is founding and former board member since 1999, supporting and promoting regional handicraft. www.schmidinger-moebelbau.at

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTO: PRESS IMAGE

A simple design with clear lines but with a heart carved into the back of the chair: ”Trix by designer Sabine Bischof is a reinvention of a classic Brettstuhl, a chair typical for the Alpine region,“ says Wolfgang Schmidinger.

Schmidinger Möbelbau – the German word for cabinetry – is a family owned business today in its third generation.The idea was to give the normally flat seating surface a more rounded and body contoured shape, at the same time making it modern and slightly abstract. “The chair fits into an old farmhouse parlour as well as into a contemporary designed loft or hotel room.”

Schmidinger furniture’s main characteristic is simplicity in form and design, orientating on function and true to the used materials. In 1999 Wolfgang Schmidinger and designer Helmut Galler joined to create a series of wooden furniture and laid the foundation for further success. “Time and time again we now work together with international designers and architects, sharing our values,” says Wolfgang Schimdinger.

Schmidinger Möbelbau lies in the Bregenzerwald region, a hotspot for crafts.

About 80 craftspeople founded the ‘Wer-

Wine & Dine:

Haute cuisine in a remarkable setting In the old monastery UND, Charly Teuschl has found a unique home for his new restaurant LATE, which has already been awarded two points by Gault Millau.

Enjoying outstanding food in this special environment is an unforgettable experience for both the palate and the soul.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: LATE GASTRONOMIE Portrait: Charly Teuschl

Located in the UNESCO world heritage site Wachau valley, the restaurant LATE fills the historic walls of the former monastery with style and a true passion for gourmet food.

Owner Charly Teuschl has been a restaurateur for decades and his knowhow shines through every aspect of the restaurant.

The beautiful building has become the perfect match for Teuschl’s ambitions:“We have three different areas. The restaurant, which specialises in international haute cuisine and has 90 seats; then we have our wine bar with an extensive selection of wines and cocktails. Last but not least there is the church nave, featuring a quality sound and lighting system, making it an

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excellent choice for events for up to 250 guests.”

Teuschl’s style does not follow classic cuisine. He merges local with international influences and creates exciting flavours from all corners of the world. Aside from culinary delights, Teuschl wants his guests to feel at home. He and his staff listen carefully and go the extra mile to provide excellent personal service.

When asked what he is particularly proud of, Teuschl replies:“That we are having fun.”Maybe that is the magic ingredient that makes this restaurant so special. www.late.at

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Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | Hotel Zeulenroda

Sustainable and eco-friendly conferences at Bio-Seehotel Zeulenroda Organic food and a close connection to the naturally grown landscape around a former water reservoir invite to conferences of a special – and better – kind at BioSeehotel Zeulenroda. Meeting rooms on the fifth floor offer a spectacular view and the newest conference technology.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

“Bio-Seehotel Zeulenroda is a top conference hotel and location,” says marketing executive Anna-Katharina Frank. Nine light-flooded rooms, 500 square metres in total, can house up to 400 guests – with the great flexibility to combine different rooms according to the conference organiser’s needs. Wi-Fi, projectors, flipcharts, facilitator’s toolbox and sockets are standard in every room. Additional equipment like DVD players, slide-projector, video cameras or television screens can be booked in advance. 158 spacious guest rooms, all of them with a harmonic colour, light and art concept and big windows, invite guests to feel at ease in the evening after conferences or meetings.

While this might be standard in other hotels as well, another aspect distinguishes Bio-Seehotel Zeulenroda: Sustainability

and staying green are important for the hotel. With green meetings, climate neutral conferences and events the hotel does its part to save our environment and climate.

The hotel’s kitchen works with organic and regional ingredients, gently prepared and cooked for a healthy and nourishing dish, perfect before and during long meetings. A nutrition specialist cook will consider special diets needed, the breakfast buffet having, for example, lactose and gluten-free dishes. In short: Bio-Seehotel Zeulenroda’s signature is organic brain food perfect for a business or private gathering.

Anna-Katharina Frank. The Zeulenrodaer Meer in Thuringia, Germany, was created in the 1970s and 1980s as a water reservoir and was an important drinking water source until 2012. Today it is a tourist magnet with hiking and Nordic walking trails along its shore.

The landscape and the offered hotel facilities – among them a high rope course and in the near future a new panorama spa – not only inspire conference guests but also attract those searching for a great destination when planning a short holiday – no matter which season, searching for a calm retreat or a family holiday. www.bio-seehotel-zeulenroda.de

The hotel also organises tailor-made framework programmes and of course the surrounding landscape also plays an important role for guests’ satisfaction. “Situated directly at the Zeulenrodaer Meer, our guests can experience untouched nature,” says

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Peace, space and time Switzerland’s frutt Resort Blended into a landscape of scenic mountains and a glistening lake, the frutt Resort has everything you need to relax, recharge and renew your senses. The Swiss gem offers a peaceful and rejuvenating experience for all guests; single travellers, families with children, and romantic couples. Whether you choose the classic wellness amenities at the Hotel frutt Lodge and Spa or the family-centred Hotel frutt Family Lodge, the experience will be unforgettable.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Treat yourself to a getaway at Europe’s highest 4**** Star Superior Hotel, located in a pristine spot 1,920 metres above sea level in a unique natural environment with stunning views of the lake Melchsee and the Swiss Alps. It is a place where beauty, wellness and nature itself provide a nurturing and comforting stay. Be as active or relaxed, social or private, as you wish.

Built on the high plateau Melchsee-Frutt, about 45 minutes from Lucerne and 90

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minutes from Zurich, the resort is located in the heart of the country. “This mountain oasis in the centre of Switzerland is the perfect place for peace, space and time surrounded by stunning natural settings,” states Thorsten Fink, CEO of the frutt Resort. Christine Kretschmer, assistant general manager adds:“The natural beauty and majestic mountain world offer a wealth of all-year round leisure and pleasure attractions, ranging from sport and adventure activities to rest and relaxation.”

Regional, natural, authentic The resort seeks to truly spoil all guests; through creating sensual and lasting experiences, in an environment of personal, warm hospitality and subtle luxury.“Our credo is that we put the person and their individual needs at the centre of attention. Therefore, the entire wellness, beauty and activity programme is tailored to each individual guest,” explains Melanie Fink, general manager.

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Discover Germany | Wine & Dine | frutt Resort

interior design makes a captivating contrast to the building’s striking and modernistic façade.

December 2015 opening: Hotel frutt Family Lodge The little ones are welcome here too. The hotel offers a wide variety of programmes and services tailored to childrens’and parents’ needs. In December 2015, the Hotel frutt Family Lodge, headed by Christine Kretschmer, will open as part of the hotel and this addition will mark another milestone in the resort’s successful history. With 47 family rooms and its own family restaurant, frutt La Piana, bar and lounge, spa and bowling lanes, among others, it will be a great, family-centred addition. Both hotels, Hotel frutt Lodge & Spa and Hotel frutt Family Lodge, will be connected through a convenient tunnel.

Culinary and regional delights

The Hotel frutt Lodge & Spa is headed by Melanie and Thorsten Fink and embodies a unique dedication to well-being, health and harmony. It is a wellness oasis, stretching over 900 square metres and overlooking the Melchsee and the breathtaking mountain scenery. The Spa’s wooden decor radiates an ambience of authentic comfort, and the comprehensive alpine wellness concept is based on using natural and regional products, such as the powerful Grander water.

Comforting alpine elegance The 58 rooms and three suites with lake or mountain views offer individual, comfortable and tastefully decorated spaces with large window frontages of the surrounding summits. Natural materials, wooden elements and stylish details were used to decorate the rooms. The lodge-style inspired

The comforting hospitality also applies to the hotel’s restaurant, bar and the extensive dining options. An exquisite, regionally influenced and sourced cuisine and wine selection make the hotel stand out from other resorts. In fact, the GaultMillau recognised the hotel’s wonderful wine card for its selection of Swiss wines.

The hotel features two restaurants, including a gourmet restaurant with 14 points in the Gault Millau, a lounge bar and a panoramic terrace.

Perfect winter conditions The hotel is built directly on the slopes (32 kilometres of blue, red and black slopes), and the uniquely elevated location guarantees great skiing conditions throughout the season. In the winter, the resort is accessible only by cable cart, something that accentuates the hotel’s location as a peaceful island in the mountains even more. This means that days are car and carefree, packed with skiing, snowboarding and winter fun, and guests enjoy cosy evenings in front of a fireplace or with an exclusive dinner. www.frutt-resort.ch www.fruttlodge.ch www.frutt-familylodge.ch

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UNESCO declares Hamburg’s Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District a World Heritage Site The UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has approved Hamburg’s application for the 'Speicherstadt and Chilehaus with Kontorhaus District' to be included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list. The decision was made at July’s Committee meeting in Bonn, Germany.

TEXT: HAMBURG TOURISMUS GMBH | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

The Committee, which comprises of 21 UNESCO member states, has acknowledged the outstanding universal value of Hamburg’s urban, maritime warehouse

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complex and office district from the early 20th century. Hamburg now has its first World Heritage Site. Hamburg’s First Mayor Olaf Scholz comments: “I am absolutely

delighted about this success. We, the people of Hamburg, can be proud of our city’s new World Heritage Site 'Speicherstadt and Chilehaus with Kontorhaus District'. We have been able to convince the world’s most high-ranking expert committee of the unique national and international role of the Speicherstadt and the Kontorhaus District. This unique role becomes particularly clear when comparing these sites with maritime warehouse complexes and modern

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Discover Germany | Culture | Feature

human history”. The outstanding universal value of the two monofunctional but complementary areas is reflected in Hamburg’s historic warehouse district with its connecting network of roads, canals and bridges dating from 1885 to 1927 and in the modern red-brick architecture of the office building ensembles for port-related use from the 1920s to 1940s. The Speicherstadt is the world's largest historic warehouse complex.

It extends over 26 hectares in the heart of Hamburg’s port and comprises of 17 building complexes in the style of Gothic redbrick, with more than 300,000 square metres of storage area. High-value goods such as coffee, tea, cocoa, spices, tobacco, and, in recent decades, oriental carpets, have been stored behind the thick walls of these warehouses. In addition to its architectural highlights, tourism venues such as the Hamburg Dungeon, the Speicherstadtmuseum and the Miniatur Wunderland – the world's largest miniature railway – make the Speicherstadt one of Hamburg’s tourism hotspots. In recent years, innovative enterprises such as advertising agencies, a theatre, fashion showrooms and restaurants have also relocated to the Speicherstadt.

Situated just opposite, the Kontorhaus District in the south of Hamburg's old town

went down in architectural history as Continental Europe’s first business district. Built in the 1920s and 1930s under the baton of Fritz Schumacher, the most eminent buildings include the Chilehaus, the Messberghof and the Sprinkenhof. The Chilehaus, which is reminiscent of a ship's bow, represents the most significant artistic and architectural achievement of German Brick Expressionism. It strongly influenced brick architecture of the 1920s and 1930s in Northern Europe and is also one of Germany’s first high-rise buildings. On an area of 250 x 600 metres, the Chilehaus continues to be used mainly for office purposes.

More recently, however, various restaurants, cafés and tourist attractions have also relocated here. www.weltkulturerbe.hamburg.de www.chilehaus.de www.hhla.de/speicherstadt www.hamburg-tourism.de

Main image: Hamburg/Elbe: warehouse district. Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus e.V./ Krüger, Torsten (left) Left: Hamburg/Elbe: façades in the historical warehouse district, warehouses. Photo: Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus e.V. / Kiedrowski, Rainer (right) Below: Hamburg: panorama of HafenCity and the Speicherstadt district. Photos: Deutsche Zentrale für Tourismus e.V./ Knobloch, Jochen

office ensembles of the early 20th century in cities around the world. We are aware of this great honour and we will be happy to assume the responsibility to protect and convey this heritage.”

The World Heritage Committee based its decision on the belief that the Speicherstadt and the Kontorhaus District are “an outstanding example”of buildings and ensembles, which “illustrate significant stages in

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Discover Germany | Culture | oose Innovative Informatik

Translating knowledge into prowess Founded in 1998, oose Innovative Informatik eG offers a rich range of services that allow for your enterprise to develop further. With a motivated and agile team, the organisation aims at empowering you to strive for excellent advancement on a longterm basis, motivating people to break the mould. In regards to solutions for questions in software and system engineering, oose Innovative Informatik eG offers a range of seminars, coaching, workshops and support in the implementation of new methods and the translation from knowledge into prowess to spark your fire.

practice enterprise, their professionalism has won them the 'New Work Award' nomination for the second time last year.

The motivated team will keep publishing, ploughing, coaching and forging the latest solutions in 2016 as a sweeping 250 new clients per annum place their confidence in the growing team’s creativity.

TEXT: BENEDIKT MEININGER | PHOTOS: OOSE INNOVATIVE INFORMATIK EG

www.oose.de Set amid the splendid Hamburg quarter of Schanze, oose Innovative Informatik eG is a vivid training and coaching expert offering concise solutions. At the heart of their expertise ranges the development of excellent systems and software. Knowing from field experience that needs tend to branch out into seemingly unrelated fields of an enterprise, your supporters at oose profess an all-encompassing approach. In the periphery of the core problem, oose meet secondary problems by cushioning the impact of learning through multiple disciplines such as soft skills, organisation improvements, business processes, design thinking and much more.

Their seminars want to provoke new thoughts, new concepts and thus help develop individual ideas while scaffolding their clients’ way into self-reliant imple-

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mentation of the acquired strategies.“What I like about oose Innovative Informatik eG is that we live what we preach. I have the freedom to delve into new ideas and develop them into capabilities from which our clients can profit,” says Kim Duggen, chairwoman and consultant at oose. From face-to-face seminars, e-learning settings to talks in their welcoming facilities as well as impulse meetings, oose stars a variety of learning formats. And, in case the aforementioned does not appeal to your learning needs, the team will come up with the learning design you need. Moreover, you can rent their appealing facilities.

A rich mix of experts of all relevant disciplines constantly forge new approaches and ideas for any arising need. 3,000 clients have thus far gained from oose Innovative Informatik eG solutions and, being a best-

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Homely Hamburg If you are looking for a hotel in Hamburg that is centrally located and is a part of the city rather than a chain, Hotel Baseler Hof is your first choice.

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Hotelcard – hotels at half price

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: HOTEL BASELER HOF

“The Baseler Hof is not only a hotel,” explains managing director Niklaus Kaiser von Rosenburg.“For more than a hundred years, it has been the perfect home away from home. This is true for our guests of course, but also for our employees. Many have been with us for over 30 years. This creates a unique personal atmosphere.”

As one of the last big family-owned hotels remaining in Hamburg, the four-star private hotel has the advantage of being centrally located and yet offers quiet surroundings in which to relax. Unwind in the sauna and fitness room, enjoy modern German cooking in the Kleinhuis restaurant or try one of over 200 wines in the wine cellar.

If you are in Hamburg for business, the hotel offers meeting and conference space for up to 200 people. Elegant festivities will receive the splendid setting they deserve in the hotel’s partner building, the Palais Esplanade.

In addition to free Wi-Fi and a complementary three-day ticket for Hamburg’s public transport, Hotel Baseler Hof also provides several packages tailored to specific interests. Musical fans will love the Schmidts Tivoli special including tickets for Heiße Ecke. Golfers can combine their stay at the Hotel Baseler Hof with a visit to Hamburg’s Golf lounge while the 'Girlfriends on tour' package has some great shopping bargains in store. www.baselerhof.de

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Special Theme

Cultural Highlights in Germany

Dresden The city of art and museums Dresden’s Museumsverband offers an exceptional art and cultural landscape where one is guaranteed to discover the unknown. Combining art and cultural treasures from a courtly, royal collecting tradition and valuable civil collections, Dresden’s museum landscape stands out due to showcasing many exhibitions in unique architectonic ensembles.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: DAVID BRANDT I HL BOEHME I VOLKER KREIDLER I DIETRICH FLECHTNER CARLA ARNOLD I MARCO WENDE I FRANZ ZADNICEK

Portrait: Dr. Gisbert Porstmann, director of Dresden’s Museumsverband. © HL Boehme

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“We are the museums with a wow effect. I continually meet guests in our houses who are enthused about the fact that they would have never imagined to find such treasures in our museums.They make surprising discoveries and learn about the unknown,”Dr. Gisbert Porstmann, director of Dresden’s Museumsverband, explains. Dresden’s Museumsverband unites the city museum, a museum of technology, the municipal art museum and five smaller houses which pose as important remembrance places for

significant people. Through all museums, visitors can vividly reproduce and experience the entire urban development of Dresden. Dr. Porstmann adds: “Dresden’s museums are the cultural memory of the municipality.”

More than 50 museums call Dresden their home. One of them is the Städtische Galerie Dresden. Dedicated to showcasing regional art and exploring the evolution of art from the 20th century to the present, 750 square metres of permanent and regularly changing presentations have attracted many visitors since the museum’s opening in 2005. “The founding vision arose from the knowledge that the best of Dresden’s art evolution is so specific and independent that it needs to be presented and honoured in its own museum. We want to help regional art to become public; independent of

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

tions and have further profiled them, especially with a view to contemporary art.

Guests are continuously thrilled that they are able to discover the unknown and the unimagined high quality in the museum’s exhibitions.“Visitors also love the fact that we’re actually way too small. Thus, we create exhibitions which won’t overwhelm.

The way we display pictures is also greatly appreciated. I put special emphasis on the design of exhibitions. When visitors feel this, I’m more than happy,”Dr. Porstmann notes.

Dresden’s Stadtmuseum

fashions or pressures of commercial markets. Of course we also want to present and process the exciting art history of Dresden in exceptional exhibitions,” Dr. Porstmann smiles. Dresden’s art is anything but provincial as it stands for many developments of European art history. Furthermore, artistic tradition over 200 years old brings about a proficiency in different art practices.“It needs to be remembered that Georg Baselitz, Gerhard Richter, Gotthard Graubner and A.R. Penck all have Saxon roots,”Dr. Porstmann adds.

Celebrating its ten-year anniversary this year, the special exhibition, Das muss man gesehen haben! Schenkungen und Erwerbungen, will showcase presents, acquisitions or donations made to the museum over the years. These items have significantly closed gaps in Dresden’s art collec-

Situated in the same building as the Städtische Galerie is the Stadtmuseum of Dresden. Exploring and presenting the development of this special city in Saxony, it combines Dresden’s heydays, as well as its catastrophic low points. Located in the Landhaus, the Stadtmuseum impresses with an exciting architecture on the outside which is influenced from rococo and classicism. On the inside, a double-barrelled staircase from this period has been preserved. Initially built as a gathering place for Saxon estates, the first Saxon constitution was adopted here in 1831.“The history of the place is therefore also an exhibition piece for the museum. Visitors find themselves at an authentic location of Saxon history,”Dr. Porstmann says. Filled with interesting facts about Dresden’s history, visitors can also gaze at exceptional exhibition pieces, such as the Sophienschatz – a collection of jewellery which has been found as a funerary object in Dresden’s Sophien church. A presentation about the destruction of Dresden on the 13 February 1945 is especially popular with visitors.

books' original vintage prints, but also reconstructs the development history of both books and puts them in the historical context of the primary publication. Through this, visitors learn that both books deal with the horror of the Second World War from two very different perspectives.

Main image: The Landhaus, location of Städtische Galerie Dresden and Stadtmuseum. © David Brandt Left: Städtische Galerie Dresden: One of the city’s most beautiful stairwells with an installation by Veit Hofmann. © David Brandt Städtische Galerie Dresden: A stroll through Dresden’s art of the 20th and 21st century. © David Brandt Stadtmuseum: The ‘depot of the present’ invites visitors to participate in the city debates. © David Brandt Below: Stadtmuseum: View into the early days of the city history: ‘The city of townspeople’. © Volker Kreidler Stadtmuseum: The ‘cosmos of memories’, interviews with Dresden’s citizens. © Dietrich Flechtner Städtische Galerie Dresden: The permanent exhibition of the municipal art collection. © Dietrich Flechtner

A special exhibition in the Stadtmuseum, which will run until the 27 September, is 1945 – Cologne and Dresden. It showcases impressive photographs from Hermann Claasen and Richard Peter which coin our perception of German cities in the Second World War up until this day. The two photographers became famous with two photo books: Hermann Claasen’s book showed the destroyed city of Cologne, while Richard Peter presented Dresden’s past.

The exhibition doesn’t only show the

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

current research from Dresden’s institutes.

This encounter between history and the present happens at a historic and authentic location: the Ernemannbau with its spectacular tower, from which one can enjoy magnificent views across the city, was once the centre of Dresden’s camera industry.

The Technische Sammlungen Another museum of Dresden’s Museumsverband is the Technische Sammlungen which deals with the history of the information era. Dresden has been and still is a European centre of advanced technology.

A hundred years ago optical, fine mechanical products, which set standards throughout the world were developed here. The Technischen Sammlungen preserve and show the testimony of these big traditions in their exhibitions, while also presenting

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Visitors can look forward to historic calculators, cameras or record players – the predecessors of computers, tablets and smartphones. Unlike the current devices, the old ones are mostly shown in a very vivid way how they work and are masterpieces of industrial design. “Technology is playing a more and more crucial role and our culture is coined by technology to a high degree.

Part of an undeceived democracy is that we publicly deal with technology, the opportunities it holds and its consequences. A prerequisite for this is scientific literacy; scientific-technological general knowledge,”

Dr. Porstmann explains. An exhibition not to be missed is Hi Lights!, which is dedicated to the fascinating phenomenon of light and its significance for science, technology and culture. Hi Lights! presents many interactive exhibits from research projects in which new light sources get developed and new applications of the laser get tested. It fascinates young and old visitors alike with various participative experiments, it tells about the history of light since ancient times and it teaches about the development of the laser through historic devices. Visitors can also learn about the most important applications of current photonics research and can look into the future of light technology.

Top: The Technische Sammlungen: The Ernemann building is the landmark for 100 years of photo-cinema industry in Dresden. © Carla Arnold Left: The Technische Sammlungen: View into the exhibition Cool X. Energy in a digital world. © Marco Wende The Technische Sammlungen: The world of calculating machines. © Marco Wende

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

Unparalleled memorial sites Five smaller museums, which belong to Dresden’s Museumsverband, are scattered around Dresden. All of them have one thing in common: they are unparalleled memorial sites full of authenticity and aura which remind us of Dresden’s talented musicians, painters, writers or scientists. The Kügelgenhaus from the 17th century is home to the Museum of Dresden Romanticism.

Painter of portraits and historical scenes, Gerhard von Kügelgen moved here with his family in late summer of 1808. Since 1981 the Kügelgenhaus has housed the Museum of Dresden Romanticism. In nine thematically arranged rooms, a meaningful epoch of Dresden cultural, social and intellectual history of the 18th and 19th centuries comes to life again. Visitors should head to the CarlMaria-von-Weber-Museum in DresdenHosterwitz for an extensive musical walkthrough. The composer Carl Maria von Weber and his family lived here in the summers of 1818, 1819 and 1822 through to 1824. His operas Der Freischütz, Euryanthe or Oberon were composed in this house.

Today, musical notations, as well as pictures and written accounts show the accomplishments and works of the composer.

make the smallest museum of Dresden a special attraction.

Top: The Schillerhäuschen remembers Friedrich Schiller’s stay in Dresden. © Carla Arnold (left)

www.museen-dresden.de www.galerie-dresden.de www.stadtmuseum-dresden.de www.tsd.de

Below: Baroque domestic culture at the former place of residence of painter Gerhard von Kuegelgen. © Carla Arnold (left)

Composer Carl Maria von Weber spent the summer months here. © Carla Arnold (right)

The Palitzsch-Museum is devoted to the discoverer of Halley’s Comet. © Franz Zadnicek (right) Bottom: The Kraszewski Museum reminds visitors of a significant Polish writer. © Carla Arnold

A place for German-Polish dialogue is the Kraszewski-Museum. Germany‘s first binational museum opened in 1960 in the former home of Polish writer Józef Ignacy Kraszewski (1812-1887). It presents various temporary exhibitions which connect the culture and history of both countries, as well as a permanent exhibition about the life and works of the Polish literary figure. Dresden’s Palitzsch-Museum Prohlis invites for an exceptional permanent exhibition: Prohlis, Palitzsch und Planeten.Visitors can learn about the 7,000-year-old town history of Prohlis, about the life and works of Johann Georg Palitzsch, a farmer astronomer who rediscovered Halley’s Comet in 1758, as well as the foundations of astronomy.The main attraction of the museum is a digital planetarium. Composer Friedrich Schiller travelled to Dresden in 1785 and often retracted himself into a small garden house to work on musical manuscripts. Today, this garden house is the Schillerhäuschen in Dresden-Loschwitz.

A permanent exhibition about Schiller’s time in Dresden, his friends, works and admirers

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Lindau Germany’s southern pearl One of Germany’s most beautiful and most visited places is the Bavarian town of Lindau. The historic centre sits on an island that is surrounded by the freshwater Lake Constance, or Bodensee, in German. Characteristic for Lindau’s charm are the historic buildings, magnificent parks and gardens, the harbour and lakeshores – and, of course, the welcoming people.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE PHOTOS: HARI PULKO, WOLFGANG SCHNEIDER, HAJO DIETZ | NÜRNBERGER LUFTBILD & LINDAU TOURISMUS & KONGRESS GMBH.

The town’s atmosphere equals a neverending fascination. Lindau, Bavaria’s most southern city, pairs a distinct maritime flair with alpine scenery and lush gardens. The town’s lighthouse, situated at the tip of the well-known harbour, is a fitting landmark: bright, open, historic, and welcoming – just like the character of the city.

crystal clear lake and a lush countryside.

And the backdrop of this scenery provides the snow-capped mountains.The Lindauer mainland offers even more to see and to explore; with spacious and attractive shore areas, historic parks with the Lindenhof Park and the‘Bavarian Riviera’.

Unique location and gateway

The location is unique: A historic island with unmistakable charm, surrounded by a

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Nestled on Lake Constance at the foot of the Alps, and populated by about 24,500

people, the town is often described as a gateway to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The geographic term‘boarder triangle’ comes into mind. In fact, visitors can hop on to the passenger ferries that operate from Lindau and serve the Austrian festival city of Bregenz, the German Konstanz and other destinations.

Typically, Lindau is mild, sunny, colorful and serene throughout the fall. During the winter, the natural environment changes and days are stormy, mystical, contemplative and quiet. Around Christmas, however, the city’s harbour is transformed into a bright, joyful place. The Lindau Hafenweihnacht (Christmas Harbour) with its atmospheric lighting and festive atmosphere has become a highlight, attracting thousands of visitors each year.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

Cultural history and legacy The history of the town goes back to the Romans. It was once the site of a Roman camp, Tiberii, and of a Benedictine abbey founded in 810. Fortified in the 12th century, it became a free imperial city in 1275. During the Middle Ages, Lindau was a prosperous merchant town and customs station along the Italian trade route. It became part of Bavaria in 1805. Lastly, in 1922, Lindau incorporated the communities of the 'Garden City' on the lake’s northern shore.

Guided tours and excursions The best way to explore Lindau is through a guided tour. Experienced and multilingual city guides will gladly pass on their indepth knowledge and share their personal anecdotes about the city’s vast culture, history and way of life. No registration is required for the regular tours.

Lindau has also a long tradition of welcoming guests and organising conventions.

Since 1951, the city has been host to numerous international events and conferences. In 2014 alone, a quarter of a million tourists arrived and the 757,178 overnight stays show Lindau’s popularity as a vacation and event spot.

Perfect spot for conventions and events Given its unique location, the city hosts many festivals and events each year, on the harbour but also on its mainland. In other words, being a tourist magnet – as well as a popular event spot – is possible. Lindau offers the perfect venue for any conference format, research conferences, corporate events or outing.

The service of the Lindau Tourism and Congress Bureau helps guests and companies to provide tourist information, arranging accommodation services, plan sightseeing tours, group tours and tour guides, and arrange conferences and event locations. www.lindau-tourismus.de info@lindau-tourismus.de

Main image: Lindau Left, from top: City fun and adventure Lindau city hall Old town charm Bottom left: Lindau gardens and parks Below: Lake Constance shores Bottom right: Lindau’s famous lighthouse

Maritime and alpine feeling The pedestrian friendly old town invites visitors to browse the shops or settle in one of the cafes along the Bavarian shores to take in the maritime scenery. Lindau’s architecture showcases the different styles and cultural influences that have shaped the town over time: Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. The dazzling main street, Maximilianstrasse, is particularly inviting with its galleries, cafes, fountains and street art.

The harbour boasts the six-metre high Bavarian lion and the new 33-metre high lighthouse, the Neuer Leuchtturm. Both were built in 1856 and today, they are the town’s landmarks. Other sights include the 13th century Mangturm (the old lighthouse), St. Stephen’s Church (1180) and the old town hall (1422–36; remodeled 1578).

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Because art can move anything The exhibition centre Kunstwerk Carlshütte, in the German town of Büdelsdorf, is not only home to a variety of fabulous exhibitions of contemporary art, but also frequently hosts concerts, readings, theatre performances and film screenings. It is on a truly inspiring mission to give artists from all over the world a voice.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: KUNSTWERK CARLSHÜTTE

Kunstwerk Carlshütte, a non-profit cultural initiative between the ACO Group and the towns of Büdelsdorf and Rendsburg, opened its doors over 16 years ago and has gained an excellent reputation, locally and abroad, ever since. Diversity and contrast can be seen as the pillars of Carlshütte’s concept and philosophy.The hosts and initiators of Kunstwerk Carlshütte are the en-

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various art objects in the sculpture park, which stretches over an impressive 80,000 square metres, brings the sense of enchanted lands of a different world.To round up the experience, the art café invites guests to take a break and discuss what the have seen.

trepreneurial couple Hans-Julius and Johanna Ahlmann.

NordArt, the undisputed highlight

Carlshütte’s is based in an old iron foundry, which was originally built around 1830.The character of the foundry brings about an undeniable charm and contributes to the special atmosphere of the 22,000-squaremetre exhibition space. A walk amongst

The centrepiece of Carlshütte is the special NordArt exhibition, held every summer for four months and brings the world together artistically. It is one of the biggest European exhibitions of contemporary art and attracts approximately 70,000 guests each year.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

Main image: Alexander Taratynov (RUS), Nightwatch, Bronze. Photo: Jorg Wohlfromm Left: Lv Shun (China), Festmahl, Iron casting.

Photo: Jörg Wohlfromm OCHIRBOLD Ayurzana (Mongolia), Der Mensch ist kein Überfluss, Steel. Photo: Jorg Wohlfromm Llinks, Jang Yongsun (South Korea), Darkmatter, Stainless steel. Photo: Inga Aru Right: Hall 1 of the Carlshütte. Photo: Inga Aru Bizarreland, Curator Liang Kegang (China).

Photo: Jörg Wohlfromm Laurentsius (Estonia). Photo: Jörg Wohlfromm

dispensable means of understanding and constructive confrontation.“ A trip around the world through art This year NordArt hosts around 250 selected artists from 50 different nations for the 17th time. After last year's focus on China, Russia and the Baltic states, this summer the NordArt will draw special attention on Mongolia.The Mongolian pavilion will host art projects by 33 artists, telling their country’s story and the hopes and disappointments of its people during the development of democracy. So far this is the most extensive exhibition of Mongolian art in Europe.

many international friendships have been forged right here. Kunstwerk Carlshütte continues to diminish boundaries and encourages those who remain open to innovation and different perspectives.

Gramm summarises:“The closer the world moves together, the more important, if not essential, mutual understanding is. The artist, who was still sitting in his ivory tower yesterday, is today an intermediary between worlds, a nonverbal diplomat. Kunstwerk Carlshütte is proud to be able to provide a stage for this reflecting and visionary thinking ahead.” www.nordart.de

Co-curator of NordArt, Inga Aru explains further:“It’s not only the Mongolian artist that use the past as a reference point for current associations and fresh interpretations, it is also a central theme of this year's NordArt. Classical subjects, translated into the 21st century, can be found in Festmahl (Banquet), a ten-metre wide iron sculpture

by Chinese artist Lv Shun. Another example is the Nachtwache (Night Watch) by Russian sculptor Alexander Taratynov, who reinterpreted Rembrandt’s famous painting into a 22-piece bronze sculpture with life-sized figurines.”

Despite or maybe even because of political differences, for example between China and Russia, NordArt successfully promotes and nurtures the exchange between international artists, both newcomers and established ones alike. Exhibiting at Carlshütte goes beyond showcasing art, it builds strong bonds and reminds artists and guests that we are all just human beings, no matter what our background.

Chief curator of NordArt, Wolfgang Gramm says: “NordArt invites you to an art trip around the world, wanting to familiarise you with new ideas conceived by artists and curators in Europe and America, the Middle and Far East.These artists are no longer concerned about mapping alone – they intervene, impale, expose and shift well-known perspectives and comment in their very own language. Art in this sense is therefore an in-

NordArt 2015 6 June - 4 October 2015 NordArt 2016 4 June - 9 October 2016 Opening times: Tues–Sun 11am- 7pm

As Carlshütte is also home to the international Orchestra Academy of the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, an exciting crossover between music and visual arts happens during NordArt, giving a platform to many different international composers. The rehearsal and concert hall has space for an audience of 1,200 guests and is a fantastic setting for the musical counter piece to the exhibition. As Gramm puts it, NordArt has always been about opening many windows on world affairs and stimulating public reflection and it will remain to do so in the future.

A cultural centre with a special flair Throughout the year Kunstwerk Carlshütte attracts many artists and visitors from all over the world. Exchanges between those who create and those who come to see the results are welcome at Carlshütte. It has become a great melting pot for any kind of art form and

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The Bauhaus of Germany A living legacy Walter Gropius founded the iconic Staatliches Bauhaus in Weimar in 1919; an art school that became one of the most influential centres of modernist art of the 20th century. The unique approach Gropius and his contemporaries adopted in relation to the intersection between art, society and technology has maintained a powerful influence on art forms that continued beyond the closure of the school in 1933 through to the present day.

TEXT: HELEN CULLEN | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

The school is renowned for its incredible faculty of internationally revered artists, architects and designers that it lays claim to; art luminaries such as Wassily Kandinsky, Marianne Brandt, Marcel Breuer, L谩szl贸 Moholy-Nagy, Paul Klee, Josef Albers and Johannes Itten produced some of their finest work there. It is the three architect-directors, Walter Gropius, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Hannes Meyer, however, that the school is most closely

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associated with for the phenomenal impact their work extended on to the world of architectural design. The school existed in three German cities: Weimar from 1919 to 1925 under the leadership of Gropius, Dessau, from 1925 to 1932 with Hanes Meyer at the helm and in Berlin from 1932 to 1933 with Ludwig Mies van der Rohe as the director. Even though the school was officially closed in 1933, the Bauhaus cohort continued to spread its

philosophies throughout the globe ensuring that the mission statement of the art school reached far beyond its original footprint.

The philosophy of the Bauhaus Gropius was motivated to establish the art school by a desire to reunite creative design with manufacturing; he believed that art had lost its place in society and wanted to reintroduce beautiful and innovative design into everyday living. The Bauhaus did not offer a fine art academic education in the tradition of schools that came before. The purpose of the Bauhaus was to focus more on the unification of fine art principles with practical skills and crafts based work that called upon the traditional medieval guild system. By promoting crafts to the equivalent status of

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

important and influential German product designers of the 1950s and 1960s. The Bauhaus Lampe offers a perfect illustration of the school’s philosophy as it offers a perfect unity of everyday functionality with minimalist but beautiful design. Marcel Breuer’s The Wassily Chair is a further example of a piece of design that has endured to present day; a lightweight, easily mass produced but visually striking chair that adopted the name of Breuer’s famous contemporary, the great Wassily Kandinsky.

The Bauhaus building

Iconic works produced

The Bauhaus building itself has become an iconic symbol of the modernist architectural principles that it fostered there. It truly exemplifies the educational ethos of the school through the unique manner in which the master’s houses have been assembled. The building was constructed to meet all practical requirements with an asphalt roof, reinforced concrete bricks and steel frameworks offering protection from adverse weather conditions and limiting noise spillage between rooms. It nonetheless also contained aesthetic features that complimented and completed the functionality of the structure such as glass walls to allow in maximum quantities of natural light. The glass wall is now a permanent element at the heart of modern architecture. In total three wings were constructed in an asymmetrical fashion that allowed workshops and sleeping quarters to be connected. This asymmetrical fusion of functionality with understated, elegant design completely embodies the Bauhaus philosophy.

One of the most famous pieces of art design produced at the Bauhaus came in the form of Wilhelm Wagenfeld’s Bauhaus Lampe. With its timeless design and instantly recognisable appearance, it has become a true Bauhaus classic that embodies the Bauhaus design ethos. Wagenfeld joined the Bauhaus school in 1923 and ultimately became a leading pioneer of industrial design who enjoyed considerable recognition for his innovative designs. His legacy lives on today as he continues to be regarded as one of the most

Today art and design enthusiasts flock to visit the landmark structure and absorb the exciting history of the infamous institution in person. Visitors can sleep overnight in rooms that were once occupied by Anni and Josef Albers, Gertrud and Alfred Arndt or Franz Ehrlich in the 1920s.

The rooms have been adorned with furniture and works of art by the former inhabitants; this creates a truly unique experience for those embarking on an artistic pilgrimage.

painting and sculpture, the Bauhaus established a new philosophy for modern industrial and architectural design that is still adopted by contemporary designers today.

Main image & left: Bauhaus dessau by Tadashi Okochi. © Pen Magazine, 2010, Stiftung Bauhaus Dessau Above: Bauhausler Siegfried Giesenschlag in a typical studio flat, without date,1926-1930. Photo from Bauhaus-Archiv Berlin, Bauhaus Dessau Foundation Below: Personalized studio of Alfred Arndt.

Photo: Yvonne Tenschert, 2013, Bauhaus Dessau Foundation Bottom: Personalized studio of Josef Albers.

Photo: Yvonne Tenschert, 2013, Bauhaus Dessau Foundation

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Main image: Coffee pot and cup, Service 639.

Design: Wilhelm Wagenfeld for Fürstenberg Porzellanmanufaktur, 1934. Photo: Hans Hansen, 1995

Discover the world of Wilhelm Wagenfeld - A Bauhaus icon The Wilhelm Wagenfeld House in Bremen pays homage to one of the Bauhaus era masterminds, who shaped the world of industrial product design forever.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: WILHELM WAGENFELD FOUNDATION

In the design museum and exhibition centre the Bremen born artist’s heritage has been carefully preserved and curated for generations to come under the umbrella of the Wilhelm Wagenfeld Foundation. Since 1998, exciting exhibitions and events are organised here in order to offer visitors an unparalleled insight into daily life culture during the 20th and 21st century through the eyes of Wilhelm Wagenfeld, student of the great Walter Gropius.

“Wilhelm Wagenfeld (1900 – 1990) is one of the most influential creators of German product design. He was the only Bauhaus student who took a successful path into the large industrial corporations. His works for Schott & Gen., Jenaer Glas or the Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik (WMF) are remarkable. Many of the issues Wagenfeld worked on are today more topical than ever. His experiments with new material and techniques were important steps on

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the way to sustainable design,“ Dr. Julia Bulk, chief scientist and managing director at the Wilhelm Wagenfeld Foundation, explains. And she continues: “The foundation’s collection is unique, because it does not only focus on the finished product, but also on drafts, rare models, photos and industrial plans. This allows visitors to truly comprehend the design process as done by the creator. Which thoughts take an important role in a new design? What influences material and shaping and how can detailed solutions improve the functionality of an object of utility? What are the dynamics between social and society related development on the one hand side and the creation of daily use objects on the other hand?“ There is a great deal to discover and grasp a glimpse of the Wagenfeld spirit.

Until 3 April 2016 the exhibition, The discovery of things. Photography and design., offers visitors the great chance to take a

Top: Lufthansa on board tableware. Design: Wilhelm Wagenfeld, 1955 for Deutsche Lufthansa. Completion: Joh. Buchsteiner Plasticwerk, Giengen an der Fils. Photo: Jens Weyers Above: Salt and pepper shakers Max + Moritz. Design: Wilhelm Wagenfeld für Württembergische Metallwarenfabrik, 1954/56) Below: Wilhelm Wagenfeld House, Bremen.

Photo: Jens Weyers Portrait: Wilhelm Wagenfeld in his workshop, around 1954

closer look at the so far undisclosed pictures

by Wilhelm Wagenfeld as well as the works of other photographers such as Dore Barleben, Anna und Bernhard Blume, Hans Hansen, Atelier Louis Held, Adolf Lazi, Willi Moegle, Martin Parr, Albert RengerPatzsch, Wolfgang Siol, Anton Stankowski and Jens Weyers. The exhibition examines the relationship between photography and product design by scrutinising people’s agreement with reality. www.wilhelm-wagenfeld-stiftung.de

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www.städtische-sammlungen-kamenz.de

© Dietmar Träupmann, Augustusburg

© Dietmar Träupmann, Augustusburg

© Anne Hasselbach, Kamenz

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Left: Handel House Top: Festival Handel in Autumn Below: Handel Monument in Halle

Find Handel in Halle – where else?

330 years ago a prodigy was born in Halle to bestow upon humankind the ever so inspiring Baroque music: George Frideric Handel. His mastery continues to move people even today. The Handel House Foundation, who are coming up the annual highlight: the Handel Festival, creates a unique experience of this musical genius that suits visitors of any age.

TEXT: BENEDIKT MEININGER | PHOTOS: THOMAS ZIEGLER

“The most incredible thing about Handel is that we know so little and yet so much about one of the most frequently portrayed composers of his time,” marvels Clemens Birnbaum, director of the Handel House Foundation. However, his birthplace was identified without doubt, which today belongs to a foundation that sees a total of 90,000 interested visitors taking to the museum as well as the Handel Festival annually.

Handel was the composer of the Coronation Anthems that has backed every English monarch’s coronation ceremony since George II.“Handel has managed to put a magic touch to his pieces that continues to have an effect on people,” Birnbaum remarks. Even today everybody knows at least two of his mighty and magnificent

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compositions, just think of the Champions League anthem, or the world famous Hallelujah from Handel’s Messiah.

The authentic place “In Halle alone you can feel the historic shiver, that authentic feeling, of walking where Handel has walked, see and hear the organ on which Handel learnt to play music,” Birnbaum continues. In Handel House a vivid culture of remembering this great son of Halle finds its place as well as sharing music knowledge. Guests may rejoice in the collection of classical music instruments while children can experience sound experiments or watch Handel age in a digital morphing portrait. Regularly, the elderly gather to delve into discussions about the beautiful mind their city has brought forth.

Twice a year the Handel House Foundation goes to great lengths and sets up Handel Festivals. The smaller one, due every November, is called ‘Handel in Autumn’. This year it takes place from 20-22 November and tickets are still available online.The big festival, one of the oldest European baroque music festivals, will cover three weekends in the beginning of June, when you may indulge in a resounding variety of masterpieces by Handel and others. A living Handel culture in an authentic place welcomes you to come and find your Handel in Halle. www.handel-house.com

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

Main image: The facade of the museum.

Photo: Museum From left: Paul Cézanne, Female Nude, ca.

1886/1890, Von der Heydt-Museum Wuppertal Eduard von der Heydt as the ‘Buddha of Monte Verità’, ca. 1930, Photo: private collection Buddha Vairocana, China, Ming Dynasty, 16th/17th century, Museum Rietberg Zürich

Major artworks in Wuppertal The internationally renowned Von der Heydt-Museum Wuppertal owes its conception to the Von der Heydt family, whose name it bears, and in which the father August (1851-1929) and son Eduard von der Heydt (1882-1964) were not just bankers but also significant art collectors in their day. With world famous Dutch artwork, 19th century pieces, and works by Claude Monet, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, Otto Dix, Pablo Picasso and Francis Bacon, the museum is considered one of the most important art institutions within Germany.

TEXT & PHOTOS: VON DER HEYDT-MUSEUM WUPPERTAL | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

Located in the centre of Wuppertal-Elberfeld, the museum’s collection contains works from the 16th century right through to contemporary art, with Impressionism, Expressionism and the 1920s forming the focal point. Around 3,000 impressive paintings, 500 sculptures and 30,000 works on paper are showcased in the museum’s large-scale temporary exhibitions.The neoclassical building, which was the Elberfeld town hall until 1902, will be reopened in September 2015 after a four-month renovation period.

Beginning on 1 September, the Von der Heydt Museum will then host Herzklopfen

(Heartbeats), an exhibition comprised of around 60 masterpieces acquired since the 1960s by the Von der Heydt Foundation.

Courbet, Monet, Degas, Munch, Feininger, Macke, Bonnard, Bacon, Picasso and Neo Rauch will all feature in this exhibition.

The Foundation is the legacy of the rather controversial German-Swiss banker Eduard von der Heydt whose art collection, considered the most important private collection from the first half of the 20th century, will be shown under the title World Art: From Buddha to Picasso from 29 September 2015 until 28 February 2016. With a fine sense for quality he brought together a

world-class art collection. Alongside outstanding European masterpieces from ancient Dutch artists and works of Impressionism and Expressionism right through to Picasso, he was fascinated by non-European art and culture, hailing from Asia, Africa, America and Oceania. For him, the aesthetic impact of the artwork was decisive. Led by his belief in a global art, a universal approach to art, he presented paintings by Van Gogh, Munch, Picasso and Gauguin alongside Buddha statues from China and Cambodia, and medieval and Expressionist sculptures alongside cult statues from Papua New Guinea and the Congo.

After his death, Von der Heydt divided his collection between theVon der Heydt-Museum in Wuppertal and the Museum Rietberg in Zurich. This exhibition brings these pieces together for the first time in an exhibition in Germany, conceived in close cooperation with Museum Rietberg in Zurich. www.von-der-heydt-museum.de

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Discovering the sky through our ancestor’s eyes

Main image: State Museum of Prehistory Halle © LDA Sachsen-Anhalt. Photo: J. Lipták

It was a sensational discovery, found during an illegal dig in 1999: A bronze disc, around 3,600 years old, with fine gold applications picturing the sun, moon and star constellations accurately. While the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle today exhibits the original plate, the Arche Nebra near the finding site takes visitors back in time and to original locations.

landscape invites to explore and discover hidden mysteries on foot. Sites of archaeological findings are marked in the landscape. The most extraordinary is a silver disc on the green grass where the Sky Disc once was buried beneath the surface, not only marking the site, but mirroring the sky above. Just as the Nebra Sky Disc once did.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: JURAJ LIPTÁK

The Nebra Sky Disc might be one of the most important discoveries of the century, showing possibly the oldest ever depiction of the sun, moon and stellar constellations, which proves early and complex astronomic knowledge. And between the horizons a ship crosses the night sky in the first ever depiction of a symbol quite central for European mythology. The Sky Disc was therefore included into the UNESCO’s Memory of the World register in 2013.

The Nebra Sky Disc’s discovery is a story of crime that twists and turns.Two looters had found the Sky Disk with metal detectors, excavated it and tried to sell it illegally on the black market. Authorities got word of an upcoming transfer and intervened. In 2002 the Nebra Sky Disc became part of the State

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Museum of Prehistory’s collection and was restored and examined before being transferred to the permanent exhibition in 2008.

The museum hosts one of the oldest and most important archaeological collections in Germany with more than 15 million pieces.

The permanent exhibition currently covers history from the early Stone Age to the Roman Imperial Period. The museum as well as the Arche Nebra are part of the Sky Paths, a tourism route, leading along the main attractions in a region that was a cultural centre for many ages.

The Arche Nebra lies about three kilometers away from the Sky Disc’s finding site.

While the visitor centre itself explains history and depicts the Bronze Age’s nightly sky in its planetarium, the surrounding

Top: The Nebra Sky Disk and associated finds. © LDA Sachsen-Anhalt. Photo: J. Lipták Above: Bronze Age exhibition at the State Museum of Prehistory Halle. © LDA Sachsen-Anhalt. Photo: J. Lipták Below: Observation tower near the Sky Disc’s discovery site. © Arche Nebra. Photo: J. Lipták

www.himmelsscheibe-erleben.de www.landesmuseum-vorgeschichte.de

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The Bautzen Memorial ‘When you hear Bautzen, you think of prison!’ That was the headline in a regional newspaper a few years ago. More than any other place, Bautzen, a small town in Saxony, has become a synonym for injustice and political persecution in the 20th century.

The building of the former ‘Stasi prison’ Bautzen II is now the site of the Bautzen Memorial. This site commemorates the victims of the two prisons Bautzen I and II. In the prisons were people incarcerated under inhuman conditions during the ‘Third Reich’, under the Soviet occupation and in the GDR. The permanent exhibitions document the victims’ suffering and elucidate the political and historical context. In addition to the exhibitions, visitors may see amongst other things the detention cells, the isolation tract and the exercise yards.

Opening hours

Public guided tours

Contact

Monday – Thursday 10 am – 4 pm Friday 10 am – 8 pm Saturday, Sunday, public holidays 10 am – 8 pm Admission is for free.

Memorial can be visited without guides.

Friday 5 pm Saturday, Sunday, public holidays 2 pm Admission and participation in the public guided tours are for free.

Group tours – also in English – by appointment.

Gedenkstätte Bautzen Weigangstraße 8a 02625 Bautzen Germany Telephone +49 (0) 3591 40474 www.gedenkstaette-bautzen.de

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Domain Dahlem From field to fork In times when one barely knows which ingredients a ready-meal entails, it seems important to think about the origins of food products. Berlin’s Domain Dahlem is a farm and museum for the young and old alike which vividly demonstrates where our food originally comes from.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: KARIN WENDLANDT I DIRK LAUBNER I DOMAIN DAHLEM

“The Domain Dahlem is an organic farm and museum in one and probably the world’s only farm with an underground connection (‘Dahlem-Dorf’). In no other museum, one can experience so authentically and diversely where food comes from,” Dr. Peter Lummel, museum director, explains. The open-air museum is divided into two sections: the farm and the museum. Both present the cohesive food chain from primary production to processing, as well as trade, cooking and consumption.

The farm demonstrates the everyday working life from farming, animal keeping and horticulture to landscaping. “Our fields have an 800-year-old uninterrupted tradition of agricultural use which is unique,”Dr. Lummel notes.

The fields exhibit numerous vegetable and fruit varieties and visitors can see old breeds of farm animals, such as cows, horses, pigs,

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sheep, chickens or bees. Right next to the farm shop, one can look over the shoulder of a blacksmith or a baker. “Last but not least, we have a country inn which serves our own fresh products, as well as a multigeneration playground,”Dr. Lummel adds.

The museum, on the other hand, collects, preserves and presents historical-cultural topics about food history from field to fork.

“Our vision is to holistically teach about food’s history, present and future through our farm, exhibitions and events. We give new impulses and encourage reflection of one’s own eating preferences without finger-wagging,” Dr. Lummel says.

The CULINARIUM is a new attraction in Berlin: a prize-winning experience exhibition about the cultural history of food and drink. 900-square-metres of exhibition space with many hands-on attractions show how staple foods are processed or

Main image: Manor house: museum and Berlin’s oldest residential building. © Domain Dahlem I Photo: Karin Wendlandt Top: Aerial image of the Domain Dahlem. © Domain Dahlem I Photo: Dirk Laubner Above: Hands-on attractions in the CULINARIUM. © Domain Dahlem Below: Harvesting and cooking for children and families. © Domain Dahlem I Photo: Karin Wendlandt

how the supermarket or the history of fast food developed.Visitors can milk a cow or even listen to table talks from a 1968 flat share. One can explore and discover, relax on the fields or visit market festivals throughout the year in a true oasis. No wonder that their visitor-focused educational approach with tours for all age groups has already won numerous national awards.The museum’s information range is available in English and German. www.domaene-dahlem.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

The Hessen State Museum Darmstadt

Diversity under one roof The Hessen State Museum Darmstadt (HLMD) is one of Germany’s largest stately homes, uniting numerous diverse collections from the fields of art, culture and natural history. Given its broad array of exhibits, HLMD possesses its own distinctive character amidst some of the most important museums in Europe.

TEXT & PHOTOS: THE HESSEN STATE MUSEUM DARMSTADT | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

Alongside such breadth in its collection, the museum stands out through the sheer quality of its exhibits, with over 440 paintings on display from Pieter Brueghel and Peter Paul Rubens to Arnold Böcklin, August Macke and Gerhard Richter.The collection of prints and drawings houses works from Albrecht Dürer, Michelangelo and Rembrandt van Rijn amongst others. Equally as impressive are the medieval ivory and alter pieces, which are amongst the most valuable of their kind. Similarly, the Art Nouveau section with its collection of jewellery and Henry van deVelde’s interiors receive global admiration. Besides these internationally renowned pieces, there are a further seven rooms and 290 pieces of works devoted to

the largest complex of work by Joseph Beuys, the Block Beuys. There are innumerable objects held within the natural history collection that are of fascinating scientific importance, and the world-famous zoological dioramas from 1906 are integrated into the architecture of the building itself.

The geological-paleontological department has an impressive array of fossils from the Messel Pit UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as sensational reconstructions of 11 hominid busts.

Conceived in the 18th century, the Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig commissioned the architect Alfred Messel (1853-1909) to build a new museum at the end of the 19th century.

Main image: The Hessen State Museum Darmstadt.

Photo: Steffen Harms, 2014 Above: Section of the biodiversity wall. More than 800 specimens capture a moment of the existing species. (left) Georges Fouquet. Brooch with the portrait of Sarah Bernhardt. Paris, 1895. Gold, enamel, diamonds, ruby, sapphire, pearls. 57 x 40 mm. (middle) Main hall. Photo: Wolfgang Fuhrmannek, HLMD (right)

Completed in 1906 and hailed as a piece of art, each collection was housed in an architecturally apt building, suiting the objects within it and providing the ideal exhibition spaces. The architect Reinhold Kargel extended the Messel building in 1984, and the modern building now houses the entire painting gallery. The extensive renovations that took place between 2007 and 2013 have brought Messel’s architecture back to its former glory, and each collection is now presented in an entirely new way, both in terms of content and structure, with certain objects appearing for the very first time, or reappearing after decades of absence.

With its reopening in the autumn of 2014, the museum has transformed itself into a youthful, forward-thinking museum in which modern technology and styles of curating have as much impact as the history of the museum and its buildings. www.hlmd.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

Hessische Kulturstiftung Promoting art and culture through funding Hessen’s museum landscape is quite a complicated one: The German Federal State emerged from three principalities and their three princely collections, amongst others, exist until today and are kept open to the public. What do they all have in common? Often enough they rely on funding from the Hessische Kulturstiftung to improve their collections.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTO: HESSISCHE KULTURSTIFTUNG

Only recently the famous Städel Museum in Frankfurt was able to purchase two outstanding private photography collections with help from the Hessische Kulturstiftung, a foundation under public law. Even though the museum has a vast art collection, first-class photography was much coveted. By funding the purchase the foundation helped in establishing and exhibiting a meaningful photography collection. “It is our aim to help museums complementing their collection,”says the foundation’s managing director Eva Claudia Scholtz. But only special pieces with great artistic or historic

value are – according to the foundation’s guidelines – worth funding.

The German Federal State of Hessen founded the Hessische Kulturstiftung in 1988 with the intention to promote and preserve the state’s art and culture.The Kulturstiftung relies on donations. Only when people engage – directly or financially – can the foundation keep running its programs.

The foundation not only helps museums, libraries or archives to buy outstanding pieces of great importance, but also funds exhibitions and promotes young, aspiring artists through a scholarship program.

Eight locations, many historical moments International equestrian sports, the famous 'Aachener Printen'-cookies, a World Heritage Site: Aachen, Germany’s westernmost city, possesses a lengthy history dating back 5,000 years that can now be explored in all its facets thanks to the recent launch of a new cultural itinerary, the Route Charlemagne.

TEXT & PHOTOS: ROUTE CHARLEMAGNE | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

Named after Charlemagne, a quick glance at the monumental archaeological showcase in the Elisengarten is testament to Aachen’s long history, which goes as far back as the Romans and even into the Neolithic Age.Visitors can delve into Carolingian times as the mystical silence within Aachen’s cathedral surrounds them, or indulge themselves into the acoustic backdrop of a medieval coronation’s dinner in the historic town hall.

Located between the cathedral and the town hall, the ‘Centre Charlemagne – new city museum’ marks the start of the Route Charlemagne, which leads visitors to eight significant locations that testify to Aachen’s

48 | Issue 30 | September 2015

unique cultural heritage. The museum brings remarkable periods from the city’s history to life: from the Carolingian times, its role in the King’s coronation, and as the sophisticated spa town it was in the Baroque era. In the history lab you can dive into the daily life of the Carolingian times, discovering what everyday people used to wear and find out just how heavy chainmail was.

Once the main draw that brought the nobility flocking to Aachen, the thermal springs at Elisenbrunnen still bubble. In the CouvenMuseum, there are a host of impressive artefacts that reveal how the upper class lived, from rococo right through to Biedermeier.

The International Newspaper Museum pres-

Every year the Hessische Kulturstiftung offers eight different scholarships for postgraduates – from travel grants to an artist in residence program with studios in London, Paris, New York and Istanbul. “We do not only want to support existing art but the creation of new works as well,” says Eva Claudia Scholtz. There is only one restriction: The artist applying for a scholarship must either been born in Hessen or have studied there. www.hkst.de

Lewis Carroll (1832 - 1898) Xie Kitchen as Tea-Merchant, 1873, Albumin 19,8 x 15,2cm

ents the latest perspectives on global media in the 21st century. As the Charlemagne Prize city, Aachen is particularly committed to encouraging young people to engage themselves in the thought-provoking topic of Europe, with these efforts taking place in the Grashaus’‘European Classroom’.

The Route Charlemagne provides yet another brilliant reason to drop by the young imperial city, allowing everyone to experience a spot of history up close. www.route-charlemagne.eu

A guided walk around the historic sites: Central point of the walk, Centre Charlemagne (A), town hall (B), cathedral (C), Grashaus (D), Elisenbrunnen (E), Couven-Museum (F), International Newspaper Museum (G) and the Super C (H) next to the main building of the RWTH Aachen University.

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Emma Charles, „Fragments on Machines“, 2013, Einkanal HD-Video, Filmstill, © Emma Charles

DAS NEUE KUNSTEREIGNIS IM DIGITALEN ZEITALTER

Infosphäre 4.9.2015 – 31.1.2016

Stifter des ZKM

#zkmglobale

www.dieglobale.de

Partner des ZKM

Gefördert durch die

Medienpartner

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Introducing modern art for 25 years Based in Halle (Saale), the art society Kunstverein “Talstraße” e.V., a non-profit organisation, has become a key player in the region’s art and culture scene in the last 25 years since its foundation. Exhibiting modern art in all its facets, the society also organises discussions and publishes exhibition catalogues and books about art in the region.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: KUNSTVEREIN TALSTRASSE

In 1991, shortly after the fall of the Berlin wall, the art association Kunstverein “Talstraße” e.V. was founded. Three years later, in 1994, the society took permanent residence in a late classicistic villa near castle Giebichenstein in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt. It has since then become an art centre with regular exhibitions, readings and discussions about arts and politics. In April 2014 the art society opened an extension building funded by the European Union and, through donations, this has allowed them to present exhibitions on more than 400 square metres today.

Celebrating its jubilee year in 2016, the art club says thank you to the region and its supporters with a high-class programme, also inviting guests visiting the region to experience what the art centre has to offer. The first exhibition will open

50 | Issue 30 | September 2015

its doors in December 2015: Romantic landscapes – Paul Gregory and the Lord of the Rings. Gregory, born in Derby, is well known in the heavy metal music industry for his album covers. But even earlier, during the 1970s, he began to sell and exhibit Tolkien artworks based on the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

From April to July 2016 an exhibition will show Rudolf Schlichter’s work, an important Neue Sachlichkeit (New Objectivity) artist and representative of classic modernism. Late summer and autumn (August to November) will be dedicated to the French textile artist Jean Lurçat (1892-1966), one of the best-known modern French artists, who also inspired artists in central Germany and re-discovered the art of fabricating tapestry in the 1950s.

This is one of the art society’s main achievements: Focussing on regional developments in art but always putting them into an international context, drawing connections between past and present. The art centre displays modern art in all its facets – from photography to paintings, to sculptures and tapestry. Today the independent private agency is an inherent part of central Germany’s cultural landscape. With about 370 members, it is open to everyone interested in art and culture. www.kunstverein-talstrasse.de

Above: Rudolf Schlichter, Margot, Öl auf Leinwand um 1924, 110,5x75cm, Stadtmuseum Berlin (left) Jean Lurcat, Der 15. Mai Tapisserie, 1956, Paul-Stiftung Eppelborn, Detail (right)

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

Main image: Camilo Vergara - Tracking Time.

Documenting America's Post-Industrial Cities Below: Jana Romanova (left) Nicolai Howalt (middle) Sven Johne (right)

Prepare to recognise the future of photography The Museum for Photography in Brunswick explores the history and art of contemporary photography, putting it into historical and social context. It discusses the role photography plays in today’s media, but also seeks to pave the way for unprecedented ways in which artists will contrive in future, creating new concepts and aesthetics.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: MUSEUM FOR PHOTOGRAPHY BRUNSWICK

Photography is not only a medium to share experiences with family and friends, but a form of art that from its very beginning inspired artists and viewers alike.The Museum for Photography founded in 1984 is run as a non-profit, charitable organisation and promotes contemporary photography. “As a place for experiencing and discussing contemporary and twentieth-century photography we present important international positions,” says museum’s director Gisela Parak. In 2014“we have celebrated our 30th anniversary in taking a look at the role photography played in art in the 1980s, the formative years in Germany when photography entered art and museums,”Parak states.

phers Käthe Buchler (1876-1930) and Hans Steffens (1915-1994). Both, even though they have a regional context, are outstanding archives for the history of photography and therefore are of great value. Steffens for example worked as photographer for the Brunswick regional newspaper documenting places and people, art and city life.

Käthe Buchler depicted Brunswick’s home front during WWI, capturing women performing male professions during the war.

Moreover, the collection includes treasures from the early days of photography.“Next to special topics we also discuss photography as a form of visual representation,”says director Gisela Parak.

The museum inherited two major collections, those of the Brunswick photogra-

With changing special exhibitions the museum gives space for excellent photo ex-

hibits.“Our program is quite experimental and open: We focus on aspiring young and international photographers, quite often presenting their first solo shows,” says Gisela Parak. In September for example Birte Hennig’s exhibition follows the traces of German immigrants in America.

Exhibitions like the upcoming Landschaft.Umwelt.Kultur (landscape, environment, culture), are complemented through guided tours, discussions with artists, readings or film screenings. Starting at the end of October the exhibition takes a look into past and present of the New Topographic Movement that had its origin in the 1970s. In 1975 an exhibition at the George Eastman House in Rochester focused on how mankind changed the natural environment, especially suburban landscapes, and as a result inspired a new generation of photographers.

The Brunswick Museum for Photography also invites you to a symposium discussing how this movement influenced the new topic of environmental photography. www.photomuseum.de

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Main image: Students get a personal tutor in program ‘Weichenstellung’. © Frederika Hoffmann Top: Campus of the Bucerius Law School. © Ronald Frommann Above: ZEIT Schülercampus 2012 - ‘More migrants become teachers’. © Frederika Hoffmann

Promoting a liberal-minded civil society Hamburg’s not-for-profit ZEIT-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius (ZEIT Foundation) has been a pioneer of promoting a cosmopolitan, active and civil society since it was founded by sponsor Gerd Bucerius in 1971. While promoting innovation in and access to education, it also advocates art and culture, as well as supports free and independent media in Eastern Europe.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: FREDERIKA HOFFMANN I RONALD FROMMANN

With around 1,250 of them, Hamburg clearly is Germany's centre of foundations and a liberal spirit throughout the populace is omnipresent. The ZEIT Foundation's sponsor, Gerd Bucerius, was a lawyer, politician and publisher who founded the weekly newspaper DIE ZEIT in 1946. Since then, Hamburg’s and Bucerius’ liberality shaped the paper and the foundation. Today, it fosters science, research, art, culture and general education and is known for initiating interesting debates about political and societal topics. ”We need to ask what we ourselves can do to find solutions for present and future challenges,”Dr. Michael Goering, chairman of the executive board, notes. A charitable institution with an entrepreneurial

52 | Issue 30 | September 2015

approach, the ZEIT Foundation created the Bucerius Law School and the Bucerius Kunst Forum. The private law school takes on 115 highly gifted students annually for a fiveyear law education to foster the talents of tomorrow. The Bucerius Kunst Forum impresses with four big annual exhibitions and a rich supporting program. From the 10 October until 17 January 2016, the Kunst Forum will host the exhibition From Poussin to Monet. The Colours of France for example. ”We foster talented students but we also offer programs for children and teenagers from less-educated backgrounds,”Goering explains. One example is the program 'Weichenstellung’ in which students get a per-

sonal tutor in their spare time to awaken interest and help them obtain a school-leaving qualification. Another program addresses young graduates with an immigration background. ”We want to convince more young people to become teachers - whether they're from Iran or Turkey.

We believe that it's important for Germany's educational landscape to have teachers with a similar background as a lot of students today,” Goering says. With an office in New York, the ZEIT Foundation is also active internationally. Many international programs, such as Bucerius Summer School On Global Governance which brings together 30 different nations, are examples for this.

The ZEIT-Stiftung has established itself as an institution which seeks to enrich our society with a clear objective and a smart strategy. Goering concludes: ”We want to inspire, make a difference and achieve long-term effects.” www.zeit-stiftung.de

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Sandro Botticelli (1444/45 – 1510): Bildnis einer Dame, um 1475 (?)

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Italien beginnt in Altenburg

L I N D E N AU - M U S E U M A LT E N B U RG

www.lindenau-museum.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

‘Twixt the green sea and the azured vault Amid the Wadden Sea of Schleswig-Holstein sits Föhr, an extraordinary isle on the lee sides of its sister islands Sylt and Amrum. In the centre of Föhr the gentle visitor may find a gem. Opened in 2009 the Museum Kunst der Westküste fosters high-cultural life that allows visitors to savour the art as it guides children and teenagers into the realms of human cultural capacity. On display are well-known names such as Munch, Nolde, Liebermann and Feddersen. The exhibitions cover art from Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark and Norway and form a veritable Museum of the Art of the West Coast.

TEXT: BENEDIKT MEININGER | PHOTOS: MUSEUM KUNST DER WESTKÜSTE

The first glance at the exhibition of the young museum makes it obvious that numerous artists tried to capture the sea. Thus the museum manages to create an anthology of North Sea west coast art. The topics depicted in the pieces deal with bucolic life and toil ashore and at sea as well as the splendour and dangers of the sea. Furious tantrums of Neptune battering ships off the Norwegian coast are followed by calm sunsets on Danish shores. “Our attractive and

54 | Issue 30 | September 2015

ever-changing exhibitions include works from the period of 1830 to 1930 alongside contemporary international works,”says Prof. Dr. Ulrike Wolff-Thomsen, the director of the Museum Kunst der Westküste. “Our house shows around eight exhibitions annually,” she continues. Currently three special exhibitions present their impressive reach: Until September you may experience Hans Peter Feddersen’s paintings of the playful games of wind and clouds, air and light. Moreover, you

Top: Museum Kunst der Westküste. © Gerhard Kassner Above: Anna Ancher, Mondklarer Abend am Leuchtfeuer von Skagen, 1904 Peder Severin Krøyer, Drei Fischer ziehen ein Boot, 1885 Max Liebermann, Zwei Reiter am Strand nach links, 1910 (cut-out)

can see NewYork born Nan Hoover’s catches of time, nature and light and a solemn photographic appraisal of post-Tsunami Japan

by Denis Rouvre until January 2016.

The exhibitions delve into the intimate relationship of human life at sea in a museum that provides “the personal atmosphere only a foundation museum is able to unfold,” Professor Wolff-Thomsen states. The museum welcomes its younger visitors as a modern pedagogical beacon into the handson creation of art as well as the ability to appraise art. Children may experience one of the many workshops or enjoy the bottle post swap meet in the conceptual ‘BlauRaum’.

To account for gastronomic needs, Professor Wolff-Thomsen recommends the Museum restaurant Grethjens Gasthof as another “must” in this blessed spot. www.mkdw.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Cultural Highlights in Germany

Art in every stone Magdeburg’s Kunstmuseum Kloster Unser Lieben Frauen is an exceptional art museum situated in the rooms of a medieval Premonstratensian monastery. Offering the unique possibility to encounter contemporary art inside Romanesque architecture, it is no wonder the museum is among the most visited venues of the city.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: HANS-WULF KUNZE I LUCAS FOGLIA

In Magdeburg’s city centre, one can find Saxony-Anhalt’s most significant collecting and exhibition venue for contemporary art.

“We are a big art museum situated in an almost entirely preserved Romanic architectural complex – this is unique in Germany,” Judith Mader, museum marketing, explains.

The combination of artworks from all eras, contemporary art in special exhibitions and magnificent architecture of the 11th to 13th century turned the museum into an attraction for tourists and art enthusiasts alike.

The reconstruction and expansion of the former convent building to 2,500 square metres of exhibition space created an impressive interaction of historic substance

and national and international contemporary art. Not only a quiet oasis in the city, the museum is also a place of artistic confrontation where works of internationally renowned artists meet those of upcoming ones in the form of sculptures, paintings, photographs or videos.

Until March 2016, the Kunstmuseum celebrates its 40th anniversary with the exhibition 40 YEARS I 40 ARTISTS I 40 WORKS. An exhibition highlight will be a photography exhibition by American photographer Lucas Foglia from 9 September until 15 November 2015. In Germany, for the first time, the series Front Country traces the dying American myth of Wild West

Top: Cloister with two-storey structure known as the Tonsure. © Hans-Wulf Kunze Above: Tommy Trying to Shoot Coyotes, Big Springs Ranch, Oasis, Nevada 2012, from Frontcountry, 2006-2013. © Lucas Foglia

cowboys through powerful photographic staging. www.kunstmuseum-magdeburg.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Germany’s Legal Experts

Special Theme

Experts in Media, IP, IT and Sports Law FREY Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft, the top-ranked media, IP, IT and sports law firm, provides clients with tailor-made strategies for complex legal matters and cases. The Cologne-based boutique firm is internationally recognised and respected for its wide breadth and depth of German and European litigation and counselling services.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

If you run a business involving sports, intellectual property, television, internet, publishing or other media, the highly specialised team of FREY Rechtsanwälte supports you in finding strategic and resonating solutions tailored to the optimal representation of your interests.

“Providing the highest quality” “Our philosophy and ambition is to be better than the rest – that is why we place a tremendous amount of emphasis on providing the highest quality,” explains a

56 | Issue 30 | September 2015

spokesperson for the firm. Located in the centre of Cologne, the legal firm matches the Rhine metropolis’known reputation for being one of the most established hubs for media, telecommunications and sports in Germany.

FREY Rechtsanwälte has a clearly defined range of activities: traditional and new media, digital industries and sports.This range includes legal fields such as copyright law, broadcasting rights and marketing agreements, advertising, media regulation, li-

Germany’s Legal Experts

censing, press law and reputation management, both in the national and international sector. Their focus on these fields guarantees outstanding advice.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Germany’s Legal Experts

ducing legally well-founded opinions and legal representation towards the media and sports regulatory authorities and competitors in and out of court. We set store by outstanding quality in all these activities,”explains Dr. Dieter Frey, partner of the firm.

wälte in the area of media law. In addition, the renowned ranking 'kanzleimonitor.de' (the German legal firm monitor), conducted by the federal council of business lawyers, recommends FREY Rechtsanwälte as one of the top German media law firms.

Exemplary legal proceedings and expertise

The U.S. expert ranking 'Best Lawyers', which in Germany is conducted with Handelsblatt, has recognised Dr. Dieter Frey as one of 'Germany’s Best Lawyers' in the area of sports law and intellectual property.This marks the third time in a row that FREY Rechtsanwälte has been ranked in the top tier.

FREY Rechtsanwälte also conducts exemplary legal proceedings concerning current media, IP, IT and sports law issues. Recent examples are the arbitration proceedings on the new ancillary right for press publishers in which they represent Germany’s biggest telecommunication company and the proceedings concerning the sale of the 'Nürburgring' before the General Court of the European Union.

Furthermore, FREY’s lawyers deliver lectures at research institutions and draft expert opinions in the framework of legislative procedures. Repeatedly, their partners have been appointed as experts for public hearings of the German Bundestag and parliaments of the German federal states.

Goal-oriented philosophy FREY Rechtsanwälte excels through offering individual and ongoing service for its clients. Stemming from a personal trustbased relationship between the client and the lawyer, they work flexibly and are committed to achieving their clients’objectives.

The firm supports its clients to shape their international presence and success. www.frey.eu Main image: Cologne skyline

Services FREY’s lawyers believe in quality – and in individualised services that stand out. In fact, the eclectic nature of the media, IT and sports field requires lawyers to have both expertise in several areas of law and profound knowledge of the business and technical environment to effectively represent their clients. Their legal counselling and services are flexible, personal, and always custom-tailored to match their clients’ needs. Primarily, FREY Rechtsanwälte advise large and mid-sized companies and the public sector.

Headed by the two partners Dr. Dieter Frey and Dr. Matthias Rudolph, the firm’s team consists of highly specialised and experienced lawyers, who have extensive knowledge of their litigation fields. They know their business. And their vast expertise translates into industry awards.

Top middle: Dr. Dieter Frey, LL.M., Partner of FREY Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft Bottom middle: Dr. Matthias Rudolph, Partner of FREY Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft Below left and right: FREY Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaft’s office in the newly designed, restructured Rheinauhafen waterfront

Rankings and awards The Germany-wide business law ranking 'JUVE Handbook – Wirtschaftskanzleien 2014/2015' recommends FREY Rechtsan-

“We support our clients in developing new business models and use our legal expertise to assist them during the implementation and added value phase. Our comprehensive counselling service includes drawing up and negotiating contracts, pro-

Issue 30 | September 2015 | 57

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Germany’s Legal Experts

One for all Instead of specialising in just one or a few areas of law, Frankfurt-based Kanzlei Sachse deliberately decided to offer almost all legal fields under one roof. Here, owner Fabian Sachse explains the benefits of his rare, but winning, concept.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: DREAMSTIME

“Each member of our large team of lawyers is highly specialised in a different field,” illustrates the legal expert.“Therefore, we can offer legal advice, legal representation, contract reviews and contract set-ups from almost all areas of law. The great advantage for our clients is that they will always receive the legal help they need, tailored to their particular case. Furthermore, if they experience an issue from another area of law, they can conveniently stay with us. We are convinced that most clients wish for one point of contact through one law firm that offers the full range of services.” In terms of business

58 | Issue 30 | September 2015

clients, these services include corporate, trade, labour and insurance law as well as questions regarding commercial tenancy, debt collection, fine proceedings or administrative law. Private clients can seek professional help concerning the law of succession, family, tenancy, traffic, contractual, civil, civil bank and investment, consumer or social law. If an entrepreneur has a question with a civil law background such as company succession or the consequences for the business in case of a divorce, Kanzlei Sachse can continue to represent this client due to their all-encompassing offer.

“An additional element that sets us apart from other law firms is the fact that all our work is processed electronically,”adds Sachse.“Thus, our clients receive important information promptly on the day.”

This modern concept has led to a rapid growth. Within ten years, the company has established four business locations in the region around Frankfurt am Main.

Owner Fabian Sachse is proud of his business’ fast success story. The fact that his team provides legal services to everyone, no matter of which social standing, is just as important though. Future plans comprise an English re-launch of the company’s website as Kanzlei Sachse already represents many English-speaking clients in both commercial law and civil law issues. www.kanzlei-sachse.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Germany’s Legal Experts

Top: KUSS Rechtsanwalte, specialists for international law Portraits: Corinna Kuss (left) & Robert Kuss (right)

Navigating securely through international trade laws KUSS Rechtsanwälte is specialised primarily in the fields of transport and logistics, as well as trade and industry. While contracts always play an important part in a business environment, this becomes quite complicated when more than one country is involved. Specialists like Robert and Corinna Kuss are needed to draw up the right agreements and solve arising problems.

clients’ pilots guiding them through legal banks of fog or shallow sea, showing them ways so their business success is not affected by unnecessary losses,” says KUSS co-founder Robert Kuss.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

KUSS Rechtsanwälte consults on all aspects concerning international trade, transport, marine and aviation law. The main focus lies on clients in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, France, Italy, Spain, the US, North Africa and the Middle East, but all clients work in an international environment.

Trade relies on contracts – and that does not only start when a product is finally sold but far earlier during negotiations: “Often enough during these proceedings sensible data and company secrets are laid open,” says Corinna Kuss. After attending schools in Berlin, Stanford and Princeton and law studies in Germany, France and Italy, she initially worked as an in-house counsel and specialist for international contract law, before founding the law office KUSS Rechtsanwälte together with Robert Kuss. “If a purchase is concluded naturally business people focus on purchase price and delivery costs, but leave seemingly unimportant but actually quite essential questions unattended,” says Corinna Kuss.“According to our experience, that can later lead to significant damage.” KUSS supports clients

with negotiation training and consults not only with drawing up contracts but also advising during all types and stages of negotiations – as experienced experts in negotiation management and techniques.

It is not only when drafting contracts or attempting to avoid risks that things become complicated in an international context. If companies from two countries trade with each other, contracts touch at least two legal systems. The question whether a purchase agreement is interpreted under German or foreign law is quite an important one. Often enough, due to transport, a third legal system becomes involved when the carrier’s headquarters are in a third country, where neither buyer nor seller has a branch or office.“We see ourselves as our

www.kuss-law.com

Issue 30 | September 2015 | 59

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fied mediator and thus, manages to minimise costs and make long-term lawsuits expendable. Inheritance law, internet law or trademark law are other business law areas in which Dirk D. Patra and his team offer advice. The law firm is also no stranger to helping clients with economic debt collections and therefore extrajudicial or judicial credit assessment and foreclosure proceedings.

Always using the most modern means of research to follow the latest jurisdiction and therefore to holistically help clients regionally, nationally and internationally, the Patra law firm doesn’t solely focus on its professional expertise. “We emphasise service, friendliness, availability and problem appreciation,”attorney Patra notes. He adds:“We try to find extrajudicial solutions for all problems. If a juridical trial is needed, we represent our clients at all county, district, social welfare, labour, criminal or Higher Regional courts in Germany.”

Holistically advising clients Law firm Patra, based in the technology hub of Dortmund in Europe’s centre, is a business which impresses with its personal and professional client bonds.

Focussing their work on various juridical fields of law, Dirk D. Patra and his team are perfectly equipped to meet most legal demands and wishes.

Attorney Dirk Patra completed his legal studies at Bayreuth University and Bonn’s Rheinische-Friedrich-Wilhelms-University.

He also completed an additional course in economic sciences and languages.

Constantly available, law firm Patra advises in German, English, French, Russian and Dutch. www.rechtsanwalt-patra.de

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: KANZLEI PATRA

“In today’s hectic times and with more and more complex jurisdiction, it’s barely possible to advise our clients in all fields of law. That’s why we have put our focus on various juridical areas,“ attorney Dirk D. Patra explains. If the company isn’t able to advise on certain areas of law, they are sure to transfer their clients to other qualified firms. Having formed wide-ranging, worldwide cooperation with many law firms, the German law firm always finds a solution to solve the legal problems of their clients.

Known for its expertise in US law, Patra is

60 | Issue 30 | September 2015

also sure to help international clients with legal issues in the USA.

Main image: Attorney Dirk D. Patra Below: Heike M. Kettner, certified mediator (left) Olga Stepanova, Dipl. iur. (right)

With a special focus on covering business law, the law firm extensively helps clients with loan rights, entrepreneurial company issues or labour, contract, brokerage, as well as LLC law. In the latter, they help with Ltd foundation and liability of managers or shareholders for example. Patra’s team represents disputes in trade mark law, competition law and copyright law. Furthermore, it is able to offer expertise as a certi-

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Germany’s Legal Experts

With you all the way

Main image: Dr. Friedrich Klinkert, Partner.

Below from left: Dr. Marijon Kayßer, Partner; Piet Bubenzer, Partner; Philipp Ess, Associate and Johannes Zindel, Partner

German business law firm Klinkert Rechtsanwälte represents and advises in complex disputes ranging from intellectual property and trade secret protection to unfair competition, white collar litigation, media, entertainment, commercial and sport. What’s always included is the personalised service.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI

| PHOTOS: KLINKERT RECHTSANWÄLTE

“Our specialty is that we are of moderate size, but every partner has an in-depth knowledge of his or her subject area gained over many years of work experience in international firms included” explains Dr. Friedrich Klinkert who has been in the industry for 35 years himself.“This enables us to provide our clients with an expertise that you would otherwise find in the really large law firms only. At the same time, we offer a very personal, direct and efficient service. At many larger firms, the person in charge is often changing during a case. We, however, keep the same partner and contact person for our clients throughout the case duration.”

This personal touch is appreciated by national as well as international clients from Europe, the US and Asia.“Regarding litigation, we are highly familiar with the specific demands and expectations of our clients and utilize our experience to deliver supreme solutions, often combining elements of civil and criminal law to fully achieve our clients' objectives,” illustrates the law expert.Their commitment pays off.

After merely five and a half years in the business, the partners of Klinkert Rechtsanwälte find themselves obtaining landmark decisions in front of the Federal Court of Justice or the European Court of Justice:

“It is always great, of course, to win a case which has often been going on for years.

Winning such a large-scale process is of utmost importance to our clients especially when it’s about IP rights being vital for their business.”

This way, Klinkert Rechtsanwälte also gained a wealth of experience in White Collar litigation concerning both individuals and companies. Defence services include fraud, embezzlement, corruption and bankruptcy fraud, administrative offenses or violations of accessory criminal laws.“Aside from defense in actual litigation, we also engage in preventive counseling,” adds Klinkert. “For clients from a variety of industries we have analysed weak points, developed criminal compliance programs and trained management and staff.” www.klinkert.pro

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Germany’s Legal Experts

Portraits: Julia Roglmeier (left) Maria Demirci (middle) Bernhard Schmid (right)

Legal advice for a globalised life Law firm RDS provides legal knowledge in European law concerning inheritance, family and fiscal matters.

TEXT: DORINA REICHHOLD | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Living or working in more than one country opens up various legal questions. With the new European Union inheritance regulation coming into place on 17 August, important changes will occur for everyone living or spending a great deal of time abroad. With regards to inheritance, the law of the country in which the decedent had their last habitual residence automatically takes place if nothing else is declared beforehand. Tricky legal matters like this one are the area of expertise for Munich-based law firm RDS. Lawyers and tax consultants Julia Roglmeier, Maria Demirci and Bernhard Schmid combine their specialised knowledge of inheritance law, family law and fiscal law to find so-

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lutions for asset succession and asset protection. Their ability to pool their different fields of expertise is what makes RDS unique. They provide a highly beneficial support to their clients’ requests which most of the time concern very personal matters.

“Our range of subjects not only demand strong juristic skills but also a very high degree of empathy,“ states Demirci. “Demanding legal matters have to be harmonised with various complex family structures.“ As every person’s life is unique, so are the questions that arise. RDS aims to find individual solutions by working closely with each client and by providing a trusting

work atmosphere. A divorce or questions concerning inheritance become even more multi-layered if the people involved are connected to more than one country.

RDS is highly experienced in international matters and successfully tackles challenges which cross borders.“For a German owning a holiday home in Majorca, an Austrian living in Munich or international couples, the globalisation of life creates new challenges for us lawyers every day,“ explains Roglmeier.

In the case of the new European Union inheritance regulation she advises everyone who is spending a great deal of time abroad to gather sufficient information in due time.

RDS’ expertise will find the solution which best suits everyone’s personal needs and enables their clients to feel protected in one country or more. www.rds-kanzlei.de

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Special Theme | Germany’s Legal Experts

Portraits: Dr. Jochen Weck, partner at Rössner Rechtsanwälte

Banks in Germany: a client‘s friend or foe?

Berlin and Munich-based law office Rössner Rechtsanwälte has specialised in banking and capital market law since 1976. Comprising of a highly competent and skilled team of employees, Rössner exclusively represents institutional and private investors, as well as banking clients who have sustained financial damages.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: SASCHA KLETZSCH

As this article’s headline polarises, many will probably ask themselves if a bank can be seen as an enemy of their clients at all.

Dr. Jochen Weck, partner at law office Rössner Rechtsanwälte, finds a clear answer: “Banks can be seen as enemies – though in a figurative sense of a conflict of interest. The bank wants to make money out of business relationships with their clients. The client seeks to achieve the highest possible return with their investment. Thus, a bank partially acts against customer interests.”

According to him, a bank can only make money when it, for example, pockets a part of the client’s capital investment. Dr. Weck adds: “Since 2003, banks developed un-

transparent products to targetedly disguise this clash of interests.” Because the bank needs to advise a client in his or her interest, a significant problem emerges.“Many clients have trusted their customer consultant even though their recommendations served the bank’s own interest.

Therefore, the bank applied their advantage in knowledge against their clients,” Dr. Weck explains.

Law office Rössner Rechtsanwälte is an expert when it comes to outlining how clients can protect themselves against such unfair business practices.“One shouldn’t blindly trust the bank’s recommendation, but rather try to understand the product. Often, simply questioning how much the bank

earns with the product sale is enough. Initially, the client needs to generate this bank’s revenue to reach the profit zone.

The higher the bank’s revenue, the higher the client’s risk. In the event of loss, compensation claims can be judicially asserted with good prospects of success when wrong advice is given,”Dr. Weck notes.

On the one hand, the best investor protection is higher individual responsibility as a better understanding helps the client to understand the suitability of the offered product.“On the other hand, healthy scepticism is vital when banks make recommendations,” Dr. Weck says. But when is the bank the client’s friend? Dr. Weck has the answer: “Basically, within the normal, transparent business relations. Banks are still interested in granting of credit and in functioning customer relationships. Here, good support is given to clients.”Please refer to website for further details. www.roessner.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Germany’s Legal Experts

B2B-attorney office with a personal touch Offering legal advice for the industry, as well as for small and medium-sized enterprises, Munich’s rbi attorney office impresses with extensive international experience and specific industry knowledge. Delivering practice-oriented solutions in the fastest way and with an outstanding price-performance ratio, established market leaders as well as young start-ups are brought forward.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Since rbi’s foundation three years ago by Sebastian Helmschrott and Arno Lohmanns, the office employs six lawyers. “Our core team has worked together in this composition for around 15 years. Thus, we offer the know-how of an international major law firm and the advantages of a small, strong and agile team,”Lohmanns explains. Helmschrott adds:“We put special emphasis on personal and long-term client connections.”

Focusing their services on high-tech industries’ products and services, rbi’s team has a common enthusiasm for technology, IT, new media and the people behind it.“As a company in the technology and IT in-

dustry, you will find high-quality partners at rbi,”Helmschrott notes.“When I worked in the legal department of Siemens, I noticed the growing market demand for legal consultancy needs in technology and IT. Since then, we are successful with this specialisation,” Lohmanns says.

With special expertise in European and US law, rbi puts great emphasis on international orientation. While representing internationally operating corporate groups, rbi also boasts expertise in international contract design. “We love to support and advise foreign entrepreneurs doing business in Germany. The combination of in-

Lawyers that go the extra mile Berlin-based f200 attorney office has committed itself to quality, respect, teamwork, innovation, quality, engagement, transparency, understanding and responsibility.

The team’s willingness to go the extra mile and their total commitment to clients – even in dead-end situations – makes them stand out.

TEXT:NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Specialising in business law, the law office’s focus lies on intellectual property. In the area of trademark law, f200 is regularly counted among the top ten of German law firms. In this area they are highly experienced in trademark registration in Germany, Europe and worldwide, as well as in the development, the maintenance and defence of companies‘ brand portfolios.“We love to co-design when something new gets developed or to help entrepreneurial personalities in implementing their plans.

In our hearts we are entrepreneurs and have strong affinity towards businesses so that we work within the legal and economical system and infrastructure,“ Sylvio

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Schiller, f200’s specialist attorney for commercial legal protection, notes.

Not only reducing juristic, strategic and economic complexity for their clientele, f200 also apply law in new, innovative ideas.

“Innovation is the key to success and survival in today’s economic life. Our team of

Portraits: Arno Lohmanns (left) & Hans Sebastian Helmschrott (right) Above: The team

ternationality, different cultures, as well as technology topics brings us exceptional joy,” Lohmanns concludes. www.rbi-law.de

legal experts helps companies to protect their innovations and to proactively design their legal implementation,“ Schiller adds.

Some of f200’s services were standardised so that clients can profit from quick, inexpensive and consistent high quality.“Clients especially appreciate our international contacts, our practical knowledge, that we are able to adopt their perspectives and that we constantly focus on their economic success,“ Schiller concludes. www.f-200.com

Below left: Berlin’s Reichstag. © Shutterstock / pisaphotography Portrait: Sylvio Schiller, f200’s specialist attorney for commercial legal protection

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Discover Germany | Business | Solicitor Column

Kiddy in the middle TEXT & PHOTO: GREGOR KLEINKNECHT

A day does not seem to pass at the moment without some celebrity divorce hitting the headlines (now better known as ‘conscious uncouplings’). The trauma which this causes to children normally remains in the shadows of the associated gossip, glitz and glamour. In reality, separation and divorce are painful, particularly for children. What happens to them when their parents separate?

In the last 20 years or so, the trend has been for children to share their time more equally between both parents, moving from one household to the other. English law works on the basic principle that it is usually best for a child's welfare if both parents continue to be involved in their child's upbringing and daily life. On divorce, no court order about shared care is needed unless there is a problem. For some years now, the family courts have instead promoted the use of mediation wherever possible, so that parents can (with the skilled assistance of a neutral intermediary) sort out arrangements for children without the involvement of lawyers. This is often the best process for all concerned.

But what happens when one parent wants to move to a different country, taking the child with him or her? The English courts insist that, in deciding any question over the future home of a child, the paramount principle is the child's welfare. In practice, English law has in the past often favoured the mother who wants to relocate with the children, perhaps because they have had their main home with her. Fathers were often left behind. For separated parents, it could be expensive in those circumstances

to spend much time with their children, particularly if the father did not have any connection with the mother's home country and had to incur travel and hotel expenses. Even with Skype, WhatsApp and other new media, it is hard for children to stay in close and meaningful contact with an absent parent.

celebrity lawyer Hazel Wright for her help with this article.

In August 2015, the Court of Appeal had the opportunity to look again at this problem, and restated the central importance of the welfare of the child. The judges refused permission for a mother (whose marriage had broken down) to return home to Germany with her 12-year-old daughter. The child would have inevitably lost her close relationship with her father, because of geography, even with generous holiday arrangements. The court ruled that earlier case law, which often favoured mothers, was no longer to be followed because it was often guilty of ‘gender bias’. In future, courts must decide applications for permission to relocate a child to another country by balancing the mother's and the father's plans, looking at the reasons for relocation, and at the impact on the child of any change of home.

Each case, of course, has its own individual circumstances, but anyone thinking of relocating or worried that this might happen on divorce, must make careful plans for any child to be able to keep in close contact with the other parent, in addition to other appropriate arrangements for the child's upbringing.

Gregor Kleinknecht LLM MCIArb is a German Rechtsanwalt and English solicitor, and a partner at Hunters Solicitors, a leading law firm in Central London.

Hunters Solicitors, 9 New Square, Lincoln’s Inn, London WC2A 3QN E-mail: gjk@hunters-solicitors.co.uk

I am grateful to my fellow partner, family law specialist and up-and-coming TV

www.hunters-solicitors.co.uk

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Portraits: Katrin Jonas (left) and Dr. Nidal Moughrabi

Tailor-made stress management Resilience++PLUS is an innovative, intensive programme for stress resilience maximisation of professionals under continuous pressure and with explicit demands on their own performance capability. The joint project by Dr. Nidal Moughrabi (Vienna) and Katrin Jonas (London) significantly stands out from conventional stress management.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: VANITYSTUDIOS/PATRICK FORD, LONDON

Dr. Moughrabi and Katrin Jonas form the perfect team for offering highly personalised short-term intervention for peak performance, inner health and resilience to mainly executive stress. Both have many years of experience in working as stress management coaches and have a background as medical health experts too.

From experts to experts Dr. Moughrabi works as a doctor and expert in Medical Hypnosis and Health Coaching and thus is able to undermine the mental aspect of stress. Katrin Jonas, on the other hand, puts emphasis on a bodyoriented approach to major stress, called 'BodyWareness’ which aims at neuromuscular reorganisation, body-mind relaxation and pain dissolution.“We cover various aspects of stress management: the physical, the mental and the organisational. Because there rarely are clients that don’t address

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physical symptoms such as sleeplessness, headaches or overweight, it’s important to combine both,”Dr. Moughrabi explains.

Highly efficient Since the company’s foundation three years ago, the team provides many powerful methods, tools and techniques, such as Medical Hypnosis, Feldenkrais Method, Holistic Breathing Work or active meditation techniques to cover clients’ individual demands. All methods applied aim at the reorganisation of the central nervous system that then gets highly stimulated yet quietened and balanced. Because Moughrabi and Jonas know of the time constraints of their busy clients, they offer the highest temporal and local flexibility 24/7. They also offer stand-by services. Katrin Jonas adds: “Our clients know what they want and we know what they need.”

Resource-orientated With a refreshingly frank, efficient and resource-oriented approach, the team manages to save clients’ time and energy.

“Clients learn how to strengthen their physical and mental capacity with simple means so that self-management can be implemented organically into their demanding work-life,”Katrin Jonas says. Occasionally offering seminars, the team primarily focuses on‘one-to-one’work. “Stress reactions are complex and individual so that we can only find solutions in a specialised way,” Nidal Moughrabi adds.

Their tailor-made and sustainable selfmanagement modules are known to have an instant impact and can also be applied as long-term support in the case of stressrelated disorders. “We accompany our clients in difficult terrain and support them in reaching their individual goals while staying healthy and personally fulfilled,” Katrin Jonas concludes. Clients are sure to leave refreshed, uplifted and highly focussed. welcome@resilienceplus.me www.resilienceplus.me

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Discover Germany | Business | WES

Main image: The ‘Autostadt’ Wolfsburg. © Nils Hendrik Müller Left: New construction of publishing house of ‘Der Spiegel’ in Hamburg. © Juergen Voss

Identity for spaces

Middle: Mediterranean harbour worlds in Hamburg’s Western HafenCity; Magellan Terraces. © ELBE&FLUT, Source: Hafen City GmbH Right: Exclusive living at the Alster; Sophienterrassen in Hamburg. © Martin Kunze

Established in 1969, Hamburg, Oyten and Berlin-based landscape architecture office WES is an expert in planning open spaces with a distinctive identity. Thinking in terms of possibilities, designing differently and constantly paying attention to artistic and content-related quality are the factors which make WES stand out.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF | PHOTOS: NILS HENDRIK MUELLER, JUERGEN VOSS, ELBE&FLUT, MARTIN KUNZE, MARCUS BRENDT

Known for their high aspiration and professionalism at all levels, WES impresses with reliability, the highest quality in planning and realisation, economic efficiency and cost control.Their planned projects are sure to constitute enrichment for their clients, especially in regards to their corporate identity. “We are an interdisciplinary team of professionals with varying characters who can think differently and whose creativity and know-how is combined in our assignments,“ Wolfgang Betz, managing partner, notes.“Identity, distinctiveness and quality coin our thinking and work,“ Peter Schatz, managing partner, adds.

WES landscape architects seek to achieve a higher quality of life for humans through their content-related, spatial and atmos-

pherically intended development of projects. Through a distinctively positive ambience, the thinking and behaviour of all users can be influenced.This also affects societal, political and cultural developments.

“We plan and create for nothing less than the future,“ Betz says. Open for any task, WES know how to integrate the best experts for varying topics.

The landscape architects at WES develop master plans and overall concepts that are future-oriented, profound as regards content, functional and profitable and which represent added value for users and clients.

“The feeling first, then the idea,“ Michael Kaschke, managing partner, notes. Henrike Wehberg-Krafft, another managing partner, adds:“We search for the most pow-

erful picture in our designs.“ Planning public spaces, urban development concepts, residential constructions, private roof terraces, places, pedestrian zones, streets, parks and gardens with special qualities, all projects are sure to be tailor-made for users‘ needs.“We also plan for universities and schools and develop pioneering education locations. We design open spaces for living in all its diversity and plan memorial sites, as well as implement artistic concepts,“ Betz explains.

“We stand for clear concepts, the whole world in the art of constraint,“ Betz adds.

Claus Rödding, managing director, says: “Each one is a true masterpiece.”With a high degree of innovation and curiosity in their landscape architectural approaches, it is no wonder WES has been a laureate of the 2014 International Architecture Award. Hinnerk Wehberg, advisor and representative, says: “After all, not possible is impossible.”WES continuously are open for new tasks. www.wes-la.de

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Axpo – full of energy in Switzerland and in Europe For Axpo, it all began with water from the mountains when electricity began to take the world by storm. Originally the Swiss energy company was mainly specialised in electricity generation from hydropower, and later from nuclear power. Looking ahead, the company is concentrating primarily on wind energy and the origination business, which offers tailored energy solutions to clients – not only in Switzerland, but also in over 20 countries throughout Europe.

TEXT: DANIELA BIEDERMANN | PHOTOS: AXPO

Axpo has its roots in the heart of Europe.

For over 100 years, the Swiss energy company has been at home in the dynamic town of Baden, on the Limmat River in the canton of Aargau, and headquarters to many SME’s, as well as international corporations. Axpo reliably produces, trades and sells energy for millions of people and several thousand companies. For many years, hydroelectric generation was the focus, the alpine country being Europe’s water reservoir. Later with increasing energy

68 | Issue 30 | September 2015

demand, nuclear production was added.

Axpo soon recognised the importance of new business fields and CO2-neutral production. In the future, Axpo will focus on wind power and specialise in individual, tailored energy solutions far beyond the Swiss borders.

this year in Amsterdam. Business partners all over Europe appreciate the company’s Swiss roots that stand for quality, safety, innovation and reliability – proven values on which Axpo can build and from which customers can benefit. Their diverse preferences and requirements call for individual solutions. Highly qualified experts from over 30 nations bring the ideal prerequisites to create a customised, tailored package of

A European network and customer proximity Today, Axpo is established at 20 locations in Europe.The most recent office was opened

City of Baden. Photo: René Rötheli, Baden.

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Discover Germany | Business | Axpo

ical energy volumes and financial products, as well as certificates with brokers on some 20 energy exchanges, as well as directly with counter-parties in the over-thecounter business.

Pioneering wind power Wind energy is becoming more and more important in Europe, and developing into an attractive growth market. Axpo recognised this trend early on. Today the company owns a diversified wind power portfolio. Marketing proprietary and customer wind power production in Europe is an important activity. In recent years, wind power has also been strongly promoted with government subsidisation, making it attractive to investors. Most investors are unfamiliar with the energy sector and its complex mechanisms, so that sound expertise is increasingly important. Axpo expertise: A complete range of innovative solutions from one source, from procurement to marketing, to wind farm risk management. In Spain, the Swiss energy company sells the highest wind electricity volumes in the country. Renewable energy sources are not only being recognised as potential trendsetters on the Iberian Peninsula. Wind energy is gaining importance in Northern and Eastern Europe, and Axpo manages one of the largest client wind power portfolios in Europe.

The Swiss energy company’s diversified portfolio also includes onshore wind power plants in France, Spain, Italy and Northern Europe. Axpo also participates in offshore projects. At the beginning of September, the Global Tech I wind farm went into operation. Here,180 kilometres from Bremerhaven in the German North Sea, 80 wind turbines with a total output of 400 megawatts are now producing electricity.

Axpo holds a 24.1 per cent interest in this innovative project. Recently, Axpo also acquired ‘Volkswind GmbH’. The wind farm developer and operator is a market leader in Germany and France. With this acquisition, Axpo is expanding into a new business field. Shareholdings, marketing, operation and now planning – Axpo can offer the complete range of wind power expertise.

That brings us back to the beginning. At home in Switzerland, Axpo has long since become one of the most important European players in the energy sector. In keeping with the motto: Think global, act local. www.axpo.com Left & below: With individual energy solutions Axpo is close to its customers. Wind energy is becoming more and more important, the company owns a diversified wind power portfolio throughout Europe.

Bottom right: Photo: Global Tech I

energy solutions for every client. Here, cultural diversity, experience from other countries and markets, as well as local presence, offer decisive advantages. Axpo employees speak the language of their customers, and are familiar with the local culture and legal and regulatory conditions, as well the market mechanisms. Axpo continually shares new, innovative solutions that evolve through intensive exchange between the subsidiaries with its customers.

The Swiss company’s venture abroad has been successful. Today Axpo ranks among international, leading energy traders and regularly receives top marks in client surveys. This year, Axpo received the renowned ‘Energy Risk Awar’” and was named the worldwide, leading energy trader. Axpo energy traders cover the entire energy trading spectrum: They trade phys-

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Special Theme

Smart Start-Ups

The perfect getaway for two weekend4two has specialised in choosing solely the best short getaways for two.

With a focus on the highest service quality, the start-up is sure to offer the perfect short holiday deals for a unique experience. Easily bookable in a few clicks, weekend4two impresses with attractive prices and conditions.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Whether one seeks a romantic weekend for two, a relaxing wellness trip, a restful weekend in nature, an exciting city tour or a unique adventure weekend, weekend4two is sure to offer the best short breaks in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and France. Founded in 2008 by three young students, the business has quickly grown into a successful one. Already awarded the Swiss Milestone Tourism Award in 2014, the company stands for the highest quality of their range of offers and service. Carefully selecting their exclusive offers, weekend4two solely works alongside first-rate partners.“Thus, we can stand behind each offer on our website,” Marc Born, Managing Partner, notes. Offering friendly and competent customer service, the company’s customer consultants are al-

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ways there – in German, French, Italian and English.“We ensure that our customer service isn’t outsourced and is entirely conducted by our own team,”Marc Born says.

He adds: “Our customers should be fully satisfied. We don’t charge hidden surcharges, we constantly try to be as accom-

Portrait: Founders and managers Toni Rudolf, Roland Spring and Marc Born (from left to right). © Kassem Belkalem

modating as possible and have favourable cancellation policies.”Working with a small number of selected hotels, customers are able to quickly find what they want and can easily book the offers. Customers can also purchase gift cards which are a popular present idea for weddings, birthdays or Christmas.

The most suitable for everyone Accommodating each price segment, weekend4two offers everything from overnight stays for under 100 Euros up to high-end weekends for over 1,000 Euros, while also offering last-minute offers for the spontaneous bookers. How about a romantic weekend with your partner at a medieval hotel in Bavaria’s Rosenheim? The monastery hotel San Gabriele will ensure a romantic ambience with overnight stays in a canopy bed, as well as a delicious Italian candlelight dinner and a tasty breakfast buffet.

Those who seek relaxation should opt for the four-star superior GAMS gourmet ho-

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Top left: Relaxation on Usedom in the Steigenberger Grandhotel and Spa. © Steigenberger Grandhotel and Spa. Top middle: Explore the elegance of the Kleinwalsertal in the Hotel Travel Charme Ifen. © Hotel Travel Charme Ifen. Top right, clockwise: weekend4two’s city trip to Strasbourg. © iStock.com/g215 (top left). Explore medieval romance in Hotel San Gabriele. © Hotel San Gabriele (top right). Relax in the four-star superior GAMS gourmet hotel in Austria’s Bregenz Forest. © Hotel GAMS (above right). Whisky weekend in St. Moritz’s Hotel Waldhaus am See. © Hotel Waldhaus am See (above left).

tel in Austria’s Bregenz Forest.The alluring, sensual, romantic, as well as stimulating hotel is the perfect place for relaxation. weekend4two’s deal includes a breakfast buffet and nights in the impressive 45square-metre-large suite with canopy bed, whirlpool with a starry sky, open fireplace and terrace. A five-course dinner menu with creative dishes is offered in the evening and free entry to the‘DaVinci Spa’ with its wellness lounges, saunas or indoor and outdoor pools is included too.

Another exceptional offer is the Travel Charme Ifen five-star Hotel in Austria’s beautiful mountain valley, the Kleinwalsertal. An elegant wellness hotel, Travel Charme is home to the PURIA Premium Spa with breathtaking views upon the mountain peaks. 2,300 square metres of indoor and outdoor pools, whirlpools, saunas or fireplace lounges are sure to remove any stress. Guests will sleep in a beautiful double room with balcony or terrace and panoramic mountain or valley views. The breakfast buffet, as well as the four-course

menu in the evening offer the best of the region. weekend4two also offers a wellness and culinary weekend at Europe’s longest seafront promenade on the island of Usedom. Situated amidst a beautiful park, the Steigenberger Grandhotel and Spa is a luxurious wellness resort. weekend4two’s package encompasses two (or more) nights in an elegant superior double room, breakfast, a regionally inspired two-course menu, entry to the BALTIC SEA GRAND SPA with a heated outdoor pool, which are sure to relax you. Smaller treats, such as a free bottle of champagne upon arrival or a wellness voucher are included too.

A perfect treat for whisky enthusiasts is the whisky weekend in Hotel Waldhaus am See in St. Moritz. The beautiful landscape invites for relaxation and refuelling. Guests will stay in an elegant double room, as well as receive entry to the hotel’s sauna landscape, breakfast buffet and a four-course dinner. A special treat is the whisky tasting

in the hotel’s Devil’s Place Bar. With its 2,500 different bottlings, it offers the world’s greatest whisky selection.

One can also explore other cities, such as Strasbourg, with weekend4two. In the heart of Strasbourg’s old town, the fivestar Hotel Régent Petite France & Spa impresses with comfort and exceptional design. Overnight stays in a spacious double room with beautiful views across the canals and the Petite-France quarter are combined with the Strasbourg pass which includes vouchers for free entries to many sights.

The hotel’s restaurant Le Pont Tournant offers a light and modern cuisine and the spa Ô fil de l'eau poses as the perfect backdrop for wellness and sport.

It seems no wonder that 97 per cent of their clients are holistically happy with the services of weekend4two. www.weekend4two.com

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A strong partnership for years to come Switching lights on via one’s mobile phone or operating an emergency call at the touch of a button? A strong partnership between Switzerland’s Smart Home Technology GmbH and intertechno, based in Austria, makes these practical innovations available in an inexpensive way.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: SMART HOME TECHNOLOGY, INTERTECHNO, FOTOLIA, ISTOCK

Usually, technical gadgets with low margins and high quantities come entirely from Asia. One would also think this about the three innovative gadgets for one’s home from intertechno, but the reality is far from it.The concept, technology and design have their origin fully in Switzerland. While Smart Home Technology develops technology for one’s home in Switzerland, intertechno, an Austrian wireless specialist founded in 1970, is responsible for the production, marketing and the products‘ Europe-wide distribution from Turkey to Iceland.

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“We cooperate with intertechno because they are one of the first and best companies in the area of wireless expansion in indoor installation technology,“ Felix Adamczyk, founder of young start-up Smart Home Technology, explains. He adds:“They have a diverse range of goods which has been compatible since 1995, are a family business with a long tradition and are the market leader in home automation for cheap and efficient solutions.“ intertechno’s manager Gerhard Kindermann says: “Felix Adamczyk has initially offered us a print with parts for a Bluetooth wiring of our receivers.

This interested us and we noticed that we found a good and helpful partner for our developments.“ Thus, a successful cooperation was quickly realised. Today, Smart Home Technology is in charge for the entire engineering process for new developments which includes conception, electronics, firmware, server applications and apps. While being an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for intertechno’s products and supporting them with the mass production of their developments which is outsourced to Asia, Smart Home Technology also exclusively travels to China or Taiwan to help with the production. After the development by Smart Home Technology, intertechno then gives the manufacturing order to the mass producer and finances it. The distribution takes place in the name of intertechno.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Smart Start - Ups

and is easily programmable. Up to two telephone numbers can be saved which the device will contact once the customer presses the button on the bracelet. The gadget will then automatically call each of the numbers and play a voice message which the user has saved on the device. Perfect for people who fall off stairs or hurt themselves and can’t reach the telephone, it also enables discreet phone calls in case of a burglary. The SOS Caller will work with all SIMcards with no contract and or running costs.

Innovative little helpers Gerhard Kindermann says:“We try to produce high-quality, cheap products which are easily installed and handled.“ The team‘s newest products are the ‘SOS Caller‘, the‘SMS Switch‘ and the‘Bluetooth Switch‘. The SOS Caller describes an automated emergency call beeper with a handheld transmitter. A low-cost alarm central for one’s home, it transmits voice messages

The SMS Switch enables customers to easily switch their lamps or electric heating on or off with a simple text message, even with an old mobile phone.

The inserted SIM-card makes the gateway accessible from virtually anywhere. Able to connect with intertechno’s entire product range, the SMS Switch is a remote switching device with minimal costs. Even an internet connection isn’t needed, neither for the recipient (SMS Switch) nor the transmitter (smartphone user). For the customer’s comfort, Smart Home Technology have developed Android and iOS apps that are free to use. The built-in timer enables up to 210 autonomous triggers per week.

Using any of the three receiver channels one can be informed about status updates through text messages and emergency power will keep the SMS Switch going to inform about potential power blackouts.

This can be helpful for preventing burglaries. An overarching privacy protection is guaranteed because no data is stored in a cloud and all data stays with the user.

Bluetooth wireless technology so that shutters can be easily closed or lights dimmed with a smartphone. An integrated timer controls any switch devices by the minute even when one’s not at home. Again, no internet or WLAN is needed and any of intertechno’s switches or transmitters can be used together with the Bluetooth Switch.“Due to the extensive reach and the switching capacity of all intertechno receivers, an Android smartphone becomes a home’s control centre,“ Gerhard Kindermann notes.

Corresponding to European standards, a maximum of safety and constant quality is guaranteed. The devices can be bought in construction markets throughout Europe but mostly in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. “More joint projects are already in progress and we hope that we can tread this positive path together for a long time,“ Gerhard Kindermann concludes. www.intertechno.at www.smart-home-technology.ch Main image: The Bluetooth Switch can control all of Intertechno’s modules – Smart Home Technology Top middle: Emergency call in an accident at home © Fotolia & Intertechno Middle: Silent emergency call in case of a burglary © iStock & Intertechno Bottom middle: SMS Switch: Control and supervise devices via text message from all over the world – Smart Home Technology Bottom right: BT Switch: Up to 15 daily timer programmes – Smart Home Technology

The Bluetooth Switch enables comfortable control of one’s home-automation using

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TestingTime AG Thousands of unbiased test users The Swiss start-up TestingTime AG has perfected the art of recruiting people that will test products, websites, apps and more. Their easy, transparent and automated recruiting method finds the perfect test users for usability tests, focus groups, interviews and other market research studies.

methods and allows customers to order test users in less than five minutes and conduct their usability tests a mere 48 hours later – ten times faster than other solutions,”states the start-up.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Lean business model Companies, businesses and market researches need users and feedback in order to test their products, services or ideas. Ideally, they will source this job out to a company that can identify the best possible

candidates from the available pool. In its essence, this is the idea behind the Zurichbased start-up TestingTime. The company recruits participants for a variety of projects and tests, and also offers interested participants to become part of the panel.

Recruiting smarter and faster

Portrait: TestingTime Team: Reto Lämmler, Rahel Vils & Oliver Ganz (from left to right)

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“Companies are increasingly becoming aware of the importance of a great user experience when building products and services. In order to accomplish this, product managers and user experience researchers involve test users in the design and validation process. TestingTime’s automated recruiting service is cheaper than current

Headquartered in Zurich, the TestingTime team consists of six employees and is headed by Reto Lämmler, (Co-Founder & CEO), Rahel Vils (Co-Founder & COO), and Oliver Ganz (Co-Founder & CTO).

The company operates according to lean principles and is a prime example for a 'Lean Start-Up'. The team is a mix of designers and software engineers, and all three founders have previously worked at www.doodle.com. “We wanted to transform an existing service into an international scalable business model,” explains CEO Reto Lämmler. In the past year, more than 60 clients used their recruitment services regularly, among them prominent

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From getting their start in March 2013, to seeing a proof of market return by the end of 2013, the three founders have come a long way. In 2014 they recruited the advisor and information architect Eric Reiss, author of the book Usable Usability. In 2015, they founded Europe’s first reliable 'testing' start-up: TestingTime AG.

want to adapt it to other industries such as food, cosmetics and shopping.” Typical clients include insurance companies, banking institutions, telecommunication companies, public transportation and web agencies. The company’s services are ideal for UX researchers (user experience), interaction designers, product managers and market researchers. Using the recruitment service by TestingTime, clients can easily and efficiently test their hypotheses and prototypes.

Sign up: Become a tester “Every person interested in being a participant can become part of our pool. Participants can earn up to CHF 60 / € 50 per test (www.testingtime.com/r/dg).We want to have a good mix of subjects in the pool. No matter how old, educated or wealthy. Test users are either motivated to earn some side income or simply enjoy a change of pace and give early feedback in the design process of products and services. Others just feel valued and still involved,”explains Reto Lämmler.

Business philosophy

Wide variety of products and services

“Our business philosophy embraces the development from being a gold miner to becoming a gold miner-supplier,”explains Reto Lämmler.“Basically, our model works everywhere that you want to obtain genuine feedback on a product or service from the true target audience quickly and inexpensively. If our business model is sustainable in the digital world (web and app) we

Whether clients are looking to test a website, app, ticket machine or other products, the TestingTime pool includes more than 20,000 unbiased participants who can test and use items. Within 48 hours, an automated mechanism selects the right test participants for the respective client. The same mechanism also handles, schedules and pays the test persons.

There are three easy steps to sign up and become a tester forTestingTime. Firstly, projects will be matched to the test user’s profile. Secondly, selected users will participate in a guided usability test either on-site or via Skype. Once completed, they will get paid within ten days.

companies including Swisscom, SRF, UBS, SBB, Helsana and AXA. Successful launch in 2013

www.testingtime.com

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Premium solutions for Corporate Governance Loomion AG develops high-quality software for Supervisory Boards and Executives to bring Corporate Governance of medium-sized and large companies to the next level. Easily, safely and solidly making solutions for the digital exchange of information available, the company, headquartered in Basel, stands for responsibility, collaboration, as well as excellence since 2013.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: FOTOLIA I MARKUS BOSCH I LOOMION AG

In 2000, the German Code of Corporate Governance (GCCG), the American Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) and other rules and guidance tried to solve the problems with corporate governance structures. Due to many incidences in the various industries, such as the example of Philipp Holzmann AG, many, even the Federal Government, urged to implement new rules of good corporate management. Philipp Holzmann AG had been the biggest German building contractor for decades, but a number of management mistakes led to company in-

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solvency.“The industry decided it was time to impose new rules to do business in a better, fairer and more ethical way,” Markus Bosch, Loomion’s COO, explains.

To achieve good Corporate Governance, communication and collaboration on the highest level of the decision making bodies of companies are required. In today’s world of electronic communication, it is essential that this communication is secure. Markus Bosch, and the other founding members of Loomion, Frank Becker, Martin Taller, Serge

Meyer and Wassilis Karanatsios, each have over ten years of experience in cooperating with and supporting Board of Directors and secretariats of Global Players and mediumsized companies.This insight led to the creation of Loomion to search for solutions to support Board Offices, and top managers with optimised document and meeting preparation and management. Thusly, Loomion has developed twelve Directors' Portal, an IT solution, that simplifies the tasks of Board Offices and Board of Directors, and which combines the three supreme disciplines: business processes, highest security and usability.The company also helps customers with setting up and adapting the Board portals to individual needs.

During the development of their products, a lot of effort and hard work go into an-

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ling,” Markus Bosch notes. Consisting of three modules for the safe exchange of confidential documents, twelve simplifies the communication at the highest level: twelve Admin poses as the Board Office’s administrative tool to plan and create meetings and documents, as well as to manage users of the portal; twelve WebApp is the online access for one’s laptop which facilitates comfortable working from any location; and Loomion’s twelve mobile enables the mobile access to data and documents at any time, and from anywhere, even without an internet connection.

Therefore, the short-term publication of changes in documents is possible without a problem. Markus Bosch says: “Our products are simple and thus very easy to use despite its complexity.” He adds: “We support Supervisory Boards with the realisation of a higher degree of corporate governance which has gained more importance in recent years. With our product twelve Directors’ Portal, we foster important aspects such as centralisation, transparency, traceability, collaboration and comparability in a safe and mobile data space.” Loomion AG has offices in Luxembourg, Karlsruhe, Florham Park (USA), Sao Paulo and Bangalore. www.loomion.com Main image: Board Meeting. © Fotolia Left: Twelve mobile: all information for the next meeting at a glance even on the go. © Loomion AG (top) Twelve WebApp: comfortable handling of the inspection of meeting documents. © Loomion AG (middle) Twelve Admin: The supervisory board secretariat also gets optimal support with twelve Directors Portal. © Loomion AG (bottom) Below: The schematic process of communication of the board of directors: That way, the involved parties work together optimally. © Loomion AG

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twelve Directors’ Portal is based on the industry standard document management system Microsoft SharePoint, and thus easily renders information on multiple platforms, whether on a PC’s browser or in a mobile app on a tablet computer which is available offline. “Board of directors can therefore prepare themselves comfortably and safely for future meetings while travel-

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swering the question: ‘How can one improve the communication, organisation and preparedness a solid Corporate Governance requires, granting their obsession with security?’ The recent US-American and UK bugging scandals have raised the issue of where confidential data can be securely stored. What has been normal previously, like creating and saving even sensitive data on third-party systems such as Cloud, is vehemently questioned by many companies. Especially top managers, who think that the protection of strategic and confidential documents is vital. Nonetheless, the need or wish for exchanging and processing documents in a user-friendly way still exists.

Thus, twelve Directors’ Portal has become Loomion’s showpiece.The innovative software offers safe exchange of information for supervisory boards and boards of directors. It is a platform which entirely maps and supports the complex processes of supervisory boards and company management.

Markus Bosch says: “twelve Directors' Portal is a platform for intuitive use, equipped with collaboration, voting and eSignature features. A must-have when time is scarce and the last documents flutter in the office late at night, shortly before the next board meeting.”

Wassilis Karanatsios, CEO and co-founder, adds:“It’s a safe solution with which the creation, the distribution, the studying and the editing process of strategically decisive and sensitive documents are substantially facilitated.”The data can either be hosted directly at the customer, on-premises, or as Software-as-aService (SaaS) in a high security data centre in Switzerland, where a solid foundation for the storage of digital values was founded due to strict data protection laws.

3 Prof. Schmidt

Rolle: optionale Quelle Zugriff: twelve Admin

Rolle: Verwaltungsratsmitglied Zugriff: twelve mobile for iPad

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Ubique spreading ideas everywhere Ubique Apps & Technology is a soaring start-up bringing together Swiss diligence, cutting-edge know-how, the vigour of nine young and innovative engineers and a designer and a client-oriented approach. Having set up their business in October 2010 the team brings push to shove and has thus far worked with an impressive range of big players. In 2016 the creative crew is bound to go big!

TEXT: BENEDIKT MEININGER I PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Ubique Apps & Technology offers solutions for enterprises of any size. Their products come from their hands only, as all steps from the conceptualisation over the implementation and trial phase down to maintenance and updating the ready-to-use product are taken under one roof. “The team is involved in a process do their job all in-house, thus we can calibrate the single elements perfectly and come up with a consistent product,”promotes Mathias Wellig, CEO at Ubique Apps & Technology.

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Ubique – the name combines substantiated insight into the app design and programming technology while their products remain strictly user-friendly.“Throughout the process we work closely with our clients,” Wellig relates. The process starts with an in-depth analysis of the client’s needs and the profitability of the product.These needs are then met with an operable solution that goes into an accompanied trial at the client’s hands. Their feedback allows the Ubique Apps & Technology team to optimise the product. As soon as the output is considered both perfectly fit for its tasks as well as rich in user-friendliness, it is ready to be used.

Ubique Apps & Technology accompany their clients further and provide maintenance services as well as updates, in this way their products remain up-to-theminute – always and everywhere!

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Innovative and solution-oriented Weather in the Alps can change swiftly.

Two Swiss Federal Agencies have approached Ubique Apps & Technology in order to meet the Swiss peoples’ needs as well as the tourists. The app MeteoSwiss was developed for the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology. The programme keeps its users up-to-date on weather issues and was the most frequently downloaded Swiss-made app in the Swiss AppStore in 2013, plus winner of the Best of Swiss Apps Award in the same year.

“Working together was uncomplicated and professional, which crucially paid into the success of the app. One can sense a team in action that give their blood, sweat and tears and aims but for the best solution,”Markus Aebischer, vice manager in the business development department at MeteoSchweiz, applauds Ubique Apps & Technology. In cooperation with the Agency of Civil Protection Ubique Apps & Technology developed Alertswiss, an app that allows to use terminal devices to communicate a disaster. In an incremental process the app was designed to allow for civilians to easily customise emergency plans.

Usability is key! Ubique Apps & Technology delve into making their apps fit for iOS, Android and Windows alike. Elegant designs in their apps give all necessary information without overwhelming the user with information overkill. Taking blind users into consideration, MeteoSwiss was designed to also allow access to sight-impaired device owners. As basically everybody in Switzerland is in the target group of MeteoSwiss, Ubique Apps & Technology have put a great deal of thought into the infrastructure to keep the programme running. Even when up to three million pushwarnings are sent creating a massive short-term rise in requests, the professional combination of cloud data and optimised data traffic meets this challenge.

Ubique takes Swiss quality everywhere In June 2015 the meteorology app WarnWetter for Germany's National Meteorological Service, the Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD), was launched in Germany, a

smartphone user market of over 45 million and counting.“There are still plenty of other markets that can profit from the added value our approach creates,”Wellig gives a tiny glimpse into their future plans. With apps like Viadi, a rapid route finder that gives out routes within seconds; the user input is a simple point-to-point finger drag on the virtual map. Here Ubique Apps & Technology professed another milestone in app design.

project from the outset – identifying the situations and its crucial elements, designing and tending to requirements, as well as optimising the product in trial runs needs the final users voice, and Ubique Apps & Technology listens carefully! Ubique Apps & Technology would not be Swiss if the highest quality was not ensured – continuous testing and beta-versions make sure that the output is at peak performance! www.ubique.ch

What are the pillars of the self-concept Ubique Apps & Technology has? Communication processes come down to what is under question – situations and needs are addressed directly in order to reach a fantastic outcome in due time. Swiss efficiency couples up with client-oriented flexibility to allow for necessities to be met.To ensure an app performs the tasks a client asks of it in the manner expected the client is part of the

Main image: App Viadi Top middle: App MeteoSwiss – operable on all devices Bottom left: App MeteoSwiss Top right: CEO Mathias Wellig (left) with software engineer Marc Gschwend Bottom right: App AlertSwiss and app WarnWetter

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Far left: The product is a cross-sector solution.

Left: eTermin – more than an online appointment scheduling system

Making appointments the easy way eTermin is an online appointment scheduling system and more. Statistics allow analysing a customer's behaviour, when and what they are booking, and with the included customer management and marketing system, business partners become everything they need out of one hand.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: ETERMIN

Many small scale businesses and family run companies today still make most of their appointments by phone, especially in the service sector.This can become quite stressful when an employee is in the middle of a working process and the telephone is constantly ringing, because people are trying to make an appointment – might it be to get their hair done at a hairdressers or to book a consultation with a lawyer. With eTermin making appointments will become far easier and less stressful for eTermin clients and their customers. Customers can book appointments wherever and whenever and do not even have to stick to business hours. eTermin is a web-based appointment booking assistant that can be used without installation in a web-enabled browser. The

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system takes over the appointment management and therefore saves time and resources. Employees can focus on the core business without further disturbances. eTermin also draws up statistics showing for example which services are well-booked and when most appointment requests are made.

This is how eTermin works: When a customer has booked a service online the appointment automatically appears in the company’s calendar. Of course the system also allows to enter appointments manually, so those made personally or on the phone can also be included. Interfaces allow data transfer with Google or iCloud to synchronise calendars, but also with elec-

tronic cash registers or application software. eTermin clients can therefore still work with the computer programs they have gotten used to. Above that eTermin also offers customer management systems and marketing functions. In short, it's everything companies need for their daily business out of one hand.

When making an appointment with eTermin, customers get a confirmation they can include in their personal calendars and shortly before the set date they get a reminder via email or text message. eTermin also allows customers to pay while booking online or to be put on a waiting list. With the customer web portal, regular bookers can manage their master data or look up booked appointments.

With its partner program eTermin awards customers recommending the system and establishes a network of resellers. www.eTermin.net

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Maya Popcorn Pop goes the flavour Banana, Orange, Provençal and Caramel are just some of the exciting flavours Maya Popcorn is available in. But the Swiss company, priding itself on fresh, hand-made products prepared without the use of artificial ingredients, is not a one-trick pony.

TEXT: JULIKA HÜTHER | PHOTOS: MAYA POPCORN

Instead of banking on new tastes, Marcel Willi, owner and CEO of Maya Popcorn, relies on high quality first and foremost.

“Our passion is producing products with fantastic flavour. This, of course, is done without the use of artificial preservatives, colourings, flavourings, additives or semifinished or finished products,”says Willi.

Not surprising then that Maya Popcorn is the Swiss market leader in terms of turnover. Willi, who previously worked in marketing and as National Sales Manager for a major corporation in the food industry, bought Maya Popcorn in 2007 and quickly built up its reputation as a high quality producer of popcorn.

veloped. The popcorn segment used to consist only of economy products mainly aimed at children. We have turned popcorn into a premium and super premium product for youngsters and adults,”Willi says.

“The popcorn market as opposed to other product categories is completely underde-

Ranging from classic sugar or salt popcorn to chocolate and fruit versions, Maya Pop-

In addition to a staff of ten, the family business employs another 20 people with disabilities through the charity Stiftung Brändi Willisau. Production is carried out in a former cheese dairy, using machines that Willi either built himself or had made according to his specifications. This enables him to use coating techniques rather than spraying used in industrial production, carefully adding the flavor without harming the popcorn itself.

corn creates all their flavours themselves, even using natural spices, a feat no other popcorn producer in Europe has managed to master. When creating new tastes, the team deliberately choose popular options and add trendy new varieties to the range.

“The product then has to pass a consumer test in which at least 80 per cent have to rate it as very good,”Willi says. On average, perfecting the recipe for a new flavor takes about one year.

Recent additions to the product range include popcorn chocolates, which are available in milk chocolate, white chocolate and strawberry and cream flavours. Future product plans are kept well under lock and key,“but you can expect new technologies to be involved,” says Willi. New exciting tastes guaranteed! www.maya-popcorn.ch

Portrait: Marcel Willi

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Hotelcard Luxurious, chic or family friendly hotels for 50 per cent less Booking a hotel room for half the price? That sounds far too good to be actually true. But it is possible with the Hotelcard offering a 50 per cent discount with more than 530 hotels in German-speaking parts of Europe such as Switzerland, Austria, Italy and Germany.

Main image: Villa principe Above: Hotel Wetterhorn (top) Bergbach (middle) Portrait: Beatrix - a happy Hotelcard user

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

A romantic five-star hotel in the middle of the Swiss Alps or a chic design hotel in Locarno or Bern can both be found when booking with Hotelcard, paying only half as much as normal customers do. While some might choose a luxurious golf or spa hotel others might prefer a family run and reasonably priced bed and breakfast. Tourists or business travellers can book them directly at www.hotelcard.com using their previously ordered half-fare card to gain discount on the prize.

There is no minimum stay or any obligation to book additional services or to consume food or drinks. Since the hotels offer rooms for half the price on about 75 per cent of the days, there is always a suitable hotel available, advertises the provider Hotelcard AG. And what is best: Hotelcard guarantees booking to the best available price. If the normal price is cheaper on any other booking platform when choosing the same room and the same date, the Hotelcard price is adjusted accordingly.

A Hotelcard subscription for one year costs 95 CHF, a sum that might amortise with one or two stays in an outstanding hotel.

The card can be used as often as the customer wishes, there is no upper limit. When booking a double room only one of the residents needs to be a Hotelcard holder.

The Hotelcard AG was founded six years ago and is based in Wettingen and Thun, Switzerland. The idea was not only to create the first half-fare card for hotels but also to support hotel businesses in Switzerland and other German-speaking regions in Europe. Both sides profit: Hotels will be

82 | Issue 30 | September 2015

enabled to make use of their room capacities and gain a higher occupancy rate while guests get a better price.

A Company Hotelcard is also available.

Contrary to the personal half-fare card, this one is transferable, so different employees can use them. Every Company Hotelcard comes with a free additional card and costs 199 CHF. www.hotelcard.com/discover

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Portrait: Trudi Schifter

have the resources or the ability to solve.

Whether that’s the government, businesses, academia or organisations like the United Nations. But when I talk to the professionals in various sectors, each individual is passionate about wanting to do something to help.”

The experienced venture capitalist and entrepreneur adds that the original promise of the Internet was neither Facebook nor shopping websites, but to build a better future by leveraging our collective intelligence. Realising the potential behind sharing knowledge via open core technologies, TallyFox was born. Ever since then, Schifter’s enterprise has been changing the business world, for example by solving the worldwide water crisis with AquaSPE. As a Swiss company, TallyFox knows about the diversity of clients and can easily adapt platform widgets to specific language requirements.“For example to Queens English,” the American smiles. “Furthermore, we take data security seriously, none of your data is stored in a public cloud or in any US domicile. Instead, we use a highly secure private cloud, with extra-high security back-up in the famous Swiss Fort Knox for data.” www.tallyfox.com www.thewaternetwork.com

Stronger together Zurich-based start-up TallyFox Social Technologies AG offers a cloud-hosted Business Ecosystem Platform to help businesses share knowledge and work smarter. Here, founder and chairwoman Trudi Schifter explains why this is the future.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: TALLYFOX

“My background is a mix of technology, community service and volunteering,”she explains.“When I look at the world today

through this lens, I see complex business ecosystems that are facing massive challenges that not any one of the stakeholders

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Portrait: Andreas Curiger and Robert Rogenmoser (right).

Swiss cyber security specialist Securosys SA protects corporate communications Ever since Edward Snowden disclosed the inner workings of the NSA, the importance of data security has finally become widely known. Securing data, network and authentication through trustworthy systems is a must in our modern world of information technology. Securosys delivers IT systems without backdoors – removing a key vulnerability.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: SECUROSYS SA

Tapping a head of state’s telephone or corporate espionage is on the daily menu of intelligence services, therefore getting full control over one’s own data and network is key. A hardware security module (HSM) can guarantee that as it provides encryption and authentication services. However, fabrication has to be free from the NSA or other secret services’influence.“Customers need a device they can trust,” says Robert Rogenmoser a Swiss-based IT specialist who founded Securosys in April 2014 together with Andreas Curiger. Curiger has been developing secure communications equipment for over 15 years. Rogenmoser himself has lived and worked in Silicon Valley for 17 years – much longer than the intended two years – and only came back to Switzerland because his wife insisted.

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Together they have dedicated all their energy to a new project: Developing a truly secure and trustworthy HSM device.“Foreign companies – for example in the US – can be forced to insert backdoors,”Rogenmoser explains. Backdoors are secret ways to enter and take control of computer systems by intelligence agencies and even worse by cyber criminals. When a company like Airbus becomes a NSA target it is clear that nobody is secure.“We are Swiss, everything is in Switzerland – including production!“ Rogenmoser highlights. While China would be cheaper for manufacturing, the risk of unwanted features like backdoors being added is too high for security equipment. Switzerland’s legal situation allows building a device free from all these traps.

Securosys is owned by the two founders

and private Swiss investors and – in comparison to competitors – has no connection whatsoever to intelligence services. “Our customers feel that established suppliers like Safenet (Gemalto), founded by former NSA employees, or Thales E-Security, affiliated with a French arms and weapons conglomerate, are not trustworthy alternatives,” says Rogenmoser. Securosys designs secure communication technologies and systems. Specialised on commercial applications this includes Layer-2 encryptors, HSM andVPN appliances.Their first HSM device will ship before Christmas. The product is made in Switzerland, of the highest quality and “will outclass its international competitors”. www.securosys.ch

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Dentistry made smart

interesting for companies who sell root canal instruments in order to show how their instruments work,”adds Mohn.

Combining the two expert fields of engineering science and dental medicine, Zurich-based start-up Smartodont has discovered a smart way to develop groundbreaking dental products.

www.smartodont.ch

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: SMARTODONT

“Smartodont builds a bridge between the fundamental research that is done at universities and the dental industry,”says CEO of Smartodont Dirk Mohn, explaining the concept of his company. “Typically, dental companies lack the capacity to develop game-changing products on their own.This is where we come into play as we are wellconnected within the scientific community.”

As a spin-off from ETH Zurich and the Centre of Dental Medicine at the University of Zurich, Smartodont now aims at partnering up with established dental companies to develop and launch innovative dental products. Ultimately, these help the dentist to help the patient. One example is

a novel root canal filling material that was developed during a research collaboration between the dental centre at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich. “We soon realised that this product and similar socalled smart materials, i.e. materials that are ideally tailored for their application in the oral environment, have a huge commercial potential,”remembers Mohn.

Another of Smartodont’s brand new products is the RepliDens, a 3D replica of an original tooth model. Containing real root canal anatomy, the RepliDens is an ideal tool for the teacher of any education facility to realistically show how to do a root canal treatment.“This product is also

Top: Image of a transparent RepliDens, a lower molar. (left) Micro-computed tomography image illustrating the root canal system of an upper molar. (right) Above: Electron microscopy image of ultrafine particles for smart materials.

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Special Theme

German Engineering Expertise

Safety for professionals Today, more than ever, the safety of operating machines and facilities, as well as guiding operational organisational entities, is an economic success factor for each company. Hamburg’s EAC engineering and consulting firm GmbH is an independent and favoured partner for high-quality and innovative engineering services around the topic of ‘safety for professionals’.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

Those who seek to keep their machines and facilities in the matter of safety, as well as their employees in this respect, should chose the EAC GmbH for extensive support. They are sure to secure long-term operative safety so that risk of liability is significantly reduced. EAC’s service range divides into six business divisions: from offering work safety measures and conformity declarations to support in safety compliance or with safety engineering, EAC is sure to offer a holistic approach to engineering. The company also offers educa-

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tional seminars or courses which deal with the topic of safety in a business context in their EAC Academy.

Founded in 2002 by Dipl.-Ing. Stefan Afsin and Dr. med. Peter Egler (medical specialist in occupational and environmental medicine), the motivation behind EAC was to “offer all interested companies a service which provides everything from safety conception and risk analysis to designing technical solutions – all offered from one team”, Stefan Afsin explains. He adds:“We want to

offer services for companies that are professionally managed and that take safety seriously. These companies have understood that safety is an important part of economic success. Those who see safety as an inevitable evil and appoint us solely for creating paperwork aren’t our customers.”

While specialising in the topics of machine and system security, all services are performed by special teams of experts.

The exceptional composition of EAC’s team plays a crucial role in this as it consists of engineers of the EAC has been awarded the Top Consultant Award 2014/15. specialist areas of © EAC GmbH

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | German Engineering Expertise

mechanical and electrical engineering, hazard and risk control, biology, geology and economics.“We are confronted with issues which require us to bring together different competencies and to make globally holistic observations. In dealing with questions of explosion protection, for example, we have to holistically look at plant technology, electro technology, control engineering, as well as process technology,”Afsin notes.

EAC advises companies and offers potential solutions. For their clients this means that their proposals can be adopted directly into their specification sheet on a one-to-one basis so that much work and time is saved.

EAC can already contribute to the planning and development stage of a machine or a production plant and thus, is able to prevent mistakes from the beginning.“Mistakes which are dragged along from the development up to the shipment process are very expensive to eliminate – it gets approximately ten times more expensive per development stage. Like this, an error correction can cost around 1,000 Euros at an early stage and can swallow up to one million Euros after delivery.Thus, our task is to prevent such scenarios with our know-how and tested analytical tool,” Stefan Afsin says. Not only telling clients where the mistake of a machine or plant can be found or which norms aren’t fulfilled so that a nonconformity exists, EAC already delivers technical solutions on how to solve the problem while considering costs, practicability and safety. Stefan Afsin adds:“Therefore we dive deep into the technical implementation.”

devices from Asia still find their way into European markets without CE conformity standard. Thus, EAC offers an analysis of risk vulnerability and delivers needed documents and instruction manuals in any wished language.

Safety engineering is EAC’s other main focus. In the chemical, industrial pharmaceutical, food or the aviation industry, a systemic analysis and evaluation of risks is essential. Today, more and more machine manufacturers, as well as other industrially producing companies follow suit. The goal is to prevent damage to products, environment and, of course, people. Ensuring safe technical systems and processes are decisive for the appeal of a product and companies which consider this have a substantial competitive advantage. Implementation of a FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) is an effective tool to find failure

modes at an early stage. EAC manages to offer its clients highly effective, temporally optimised results which save valuable corporate resources and highly qualified, experienced and certified FMEA moderation teams. Additionally, EAC is able to conduct HAZOP (hazard and operability) studies specifically for process plants of the chemical, pharmaceutical or food industry, for example. www.eac-gmbh.de

Main image: Stefan Afsin (right) is awarded the Top Consultant Award from former finance minister Hans Eichel (left). © EAC GmbH Below: EACBanner. © EAC GmbH Below left: EAC’s division of workplace safety. © industrieblick/Fotolia EAC’s division of conformity declaration. © fderib/Fotolia Below right: EAC’s division of safety engineering. © industrieblick/Fotolia EAC’s division of safety compliance. © Lev Dolgachov

Experts create safety for experts EAC’s service of offering CE conformity has substantially grown in recent years. EU guidelines note that when machines are put into circulation, the conformity declaration must be present and the device needs to be equipped with a CE label. An instruction manual is a substantial part of each product and needs to be attached.

This doesn’t only concern the commissioning of new or used machines or plants, but is also needed for importing machines as

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | German Engineering Expertise

With several offices across Germany, the competency of BÖGER + JÄCKLE is divided into planning, consulting, inspecting and supervising. “Because the different project phases are interdependent, all our specialised engineers cooperate closely,” Hartmann explains. While having realised great projects in the past, BÖGER + JÄCKLE are not resting themselves on their accomplishments.“We incorporate our experience into our new projects and thus develop modern concepts while finding solutions even for the most difficult tasks,” H. P. Hartmann says. He adds:“Our dedication shows in each of our projects. Some impress with their design; others with their innovative technology.”

Expertise and experience for over 50 years Henstedt-Ulzburg’s BÖGER + JÄCKLE offer engineering services of the highest level. Covering the entire spectrum of modern infrastructure planning, the firm impresses their clients with high-quality, comprehensive planning and consultation.

It's no wonder that BÖGER + JÄCKLE have been able to hold their ground in the industry since 1961.

When Dipl.-Ing. Böger and Dipl.-Ing. Jäckle founded the engineering office BÖGER +

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www.boeger-jaeckle.de Main image: Baakenhafen Bridge in Hamburg’s HafenCity (BÖGER + JÄCKLE: tendering, local site supervision, site management, processing of the static, constructive and welding examination)

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: BÖGER + JÄCKLE

Each day we drive through streets, tunnels and over bridges and don’t notice the numerous engineering structures around us.

Often only architects become publicly recognised. However, the planning, designing, constructing, as well as construction management and supervision of engineers is as important because buildings need to fulfil several demands in regards to safety, usability and economical use of resources.

The award-winning Baakenhafen Bridge in Hamburg’s HafenCity is one example of their magnificent work which produced a creative, sustainable and technically outstanding construction. Especially impressive is the technical solution for an occasional opening: The 30-metre-wide element in the bridge’s middle can be lifted and moved with a pontoon which reacts to tides. The design of the bridge brings together various aspects: all functional demands get fulfilled but at the same time the bridge is attractive and pedestrians are able to cross safely while enjoying magnificent views. This project shows that we should start to open our eyes to engineering solutions surrounding us.

JÄCKLE around 50 years ago, their core competency was to plan, design and build bridges. This has significantly changed as their range of services has grown to include several civil engineering tasks such as tunnels, streets, harbours, parks or buildings.

Today, requirements have become more demanding so that special know-how is increasingly vital.“If something needs to be welded, a special welding engineer is needed. These and other experts are available at BÖGER + JÄCKLE,”Dipl.-Ing. H.P. Hartmann, managing partner, notes.

Below: The Baakenhafen Bridge intended to connect the HafenCity’s South and to combine quick crossing for cars with an abode quality for pedestrians.

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Main image: Experimenta. Photo: Sauerbruch Hutton, Berlin Bottom left: Experimenta (isometric drawing).

Photo: Schlaich Bergermann und Partner

Drees & Sommer Digitalisation on the construction site Digitalisation has reached the world of construction. When buildings are created by bits and bytes, investors and constructors can profit from a high level of planning reliability and an increase in quality. There are few who know as much about the potential that building digitally can offer, and which factors are necessary to consider, than Drees & Sommer. Specialised in project management, real estate consulting and engineering, Drees & Sommer are veritable pioneers when it comes to digitalisation of construction processes.

TEXT & PHOTOS: DREES & SOMMER | TRANSLATION: EMMIE COLLINGE

“Once it’s digitalised, everything runs automatically,” is the common presumption, equally as misplaced when it comes to the construction industry. People assume that all it takes to render the work of planners and project managers obsolete is to install some software, feed it some information and link it with a network. But these new tools, such as impressive 3D visualisations, are just that: tools. Gyro Gearloose recog-

nised this long ago:“The best tool is useless in the hand of a dumb fool.” So that investors, developers and users can fully exploit the potential of digitalisation, professionals need to link the property data sensibly into the entire cycle of life.

This is the exact same viewpoint that Drees & Sommer share. For over 45 years the company has worked alongside private and

public property developers as well as investors on any topic related to real estate.

With 18 German and 20 international offices, Drees & Sommer employ more than 2,000 members of staff to guarantee success for their clients. Although each construction project is entirely unique, their engineers have highlighted seven factors that will be vital for the majority of buildings in the future: they should promote health benefits, be cleverly networked, emission-neutral and self-sufficient in energy needs.The materials should be reusable (C2C compatible) and their usage type flexible. Buildings that resemble shoeboxes are out, as are those that look like energy guzzlers. Ultimately, it is crucial that these properties have a positive effect on the overall economic balance.

The complexity of these requirements hints at the flow of data linked with the various criteria. In order for this symphony of wishes to evolve into profitable properties, new methods are necessary so that all of these requirements can be integrated into the initial stages of planning. And digitalisation brings this comprehensive planning within reach. Using methods like Building Information Modeling, Drees & Sommer first build a digital prototype. For the first time this approach offers the chance to embed all of the requirements right from the outset and through to the subsequent construction, including the realisation costs.

In the process, the engineers unite all of the object’s interior and exterior interfaces and interactions. It might sound easy, but it is a highly complex procedure. It takes years of expertise to recognise which data integrates and cross-links in order to create innovative buildings from a mass of unmanageable data. Drees & Sommer unite this with innovative technologies of the future – for buildings for the future. www.dreso.com

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | German Engineering Expertise

Finding new solutions Munich’s C-I-P GmbH Ingenieure stands for holistic customer orientation and innovative engineering solutions which are sure to impress with only the highest technical standards. With a special focus on structural engineering for building constructions and special civil engineering, C-I-P’s owners and managers always assume project responsibility and actively work as project leaders of selected tasks.

TEXT: NANE STEINHOFF I PHOTOS: ANDREAS BRANDT

An independent, owner-managed engineering company, C-I-P comprises of a team of highly qualified and experienced specialists.“We focus on personal consultation, customer-oriented planning, professional coordination, as well as quality management,“ PetraVachova-Brandt, managing director, explains. Since its foundation in 2002, C-I-P constantly searches for the most optimal solution, which saves their clients’ money immediately or in the future.“We don’t only plan in high quality and on schedule, we also actively support our clients and their teams and are always at their disposal regardless of day or time,” Vachova-Brandt notes.

Their team consists of construction engineers, as well as business economists which professionally supervise quality management, schedule planning and documentation.“This isn’t common in the building industry and thus constantly leads to

90 | Issue 30 | September 2015

problems for planning teams,”VachovaBrandt adds. Not shying away from new tasks, C-I-P works on everything from family homes to big industrial warehouses.The main focus, however, is put on structural engineering for building constructions, such as residential-, commercial- and industrial buildings, as well as on special civil engineering, such as building excavations or foundations.

Main image: New satellite of Munich airport Top: Marriott Hotel in Munich’s Orleanstraße Above: Project in Munich’s Damenstiftstraße Below: Project in Munich’s Haylerstraße

the formation of the apron-sided boarding bridges were planned. The satellite’s supporting structure had to consider the constructive standards and constraints of the existing building, as well as the complex building logistical and the construction process technical parameters from the building site’s location. A composite-steelbridge box system with holorib metal was chosen for the storey ceilings which has contributed to the rapid and on-schedule completion of the shell construction.

Further core areas of C-I-P are the planning of high-rise building, car park or underground garage renovations, as well as object planning for engineering constructions. www.c-i-p-gmbh.com

C-I-P’s know how was successfully implemented into the structural engineering for the new satellite of Terminal 2 in Munich’s airport which will help increase the capacity of the terminal by 11 million passengers annually. Working alongside I-T-S and planning entity SFP, C-I-P managed to guarantee a smooth operation.The satellite is a three to five-storey-high expansion of the existing baggage sorting hall into a passenger terminal. The expansion of the subterranean passenger transport system and

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GÖNNEN SIE SICH WAS! 2 romantische rroma o maantische nt isch e Tage Tage inin Wien Wien iimm W Whirlpoolzimmer Whirlpo hi rlpooolzimmer ol zimmer aabb €€74,50 74,50 ppro r o PPe Person/Nacht eerson/Nacht r ssoo n / N aacc h t iinkl. n k l . Frühstück Fr üh sstüc tück

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Culture Calendar Save the date as there are plenty of great events scheduled for the weeks to come.

From music festivals and exciting exhibitions to fantastic sport events and social highlights, Discover Germany’s Culture Calendar is your perfect guide for unmissable events in September.

Festival Mediaval, Selb (11 - 13 September) A living history and re-enactment festival in Bavaria’s Selb, the Festival Mediaval is sure to lighten up young and old Middle Ages enthusiasts alike. With various medieval music bands, fire shows, performers such as witches or beggars, theatre groups and a medieval market, the festival is sure to take everyone a few centuries back. www.festival-mediaval.com Oktoberfest, Munich (19 September - 4 October) The world’s largest Volksfest will come this year to Munich for the 182nd time. The famous Oktoberfest annually attracts over six million national and international visitors who seek to drink beer, wear their ‘Dirndl’ and ‘Lederhosen’, 92 | Issue 30 | September 2015

eat sausages and sing along to German songs. www.oktoberfest.info Berlin Marathon (27 September) Once again, the fastest marathon course in the world will draw the best runners to Germany’s capital in September. Eliud Kipchoge, Emmanuel Mutai, who is the third-fastest marathon runner of all time, and Geoffrey Mutai, who has won major marathons in Boston and New York, are amongst the participants. www.bmw-berlin-marathon.com/en Duerkheimer Wurstmarkt, Bad Duerkheim (11 – 15 September and 18 – 21 September) Even though this spectacular event is called ‘Wurstmarkt’ (sausage market), it is more

famous for its celebration of fine local wines.

Located in Germany’s largest wine-growing region of Rhineland Palatinate, Bad Duerkheim annually prides itself on becoming the world’s biggest wine festival. Celebrated for almost 600 years, the festival is sure to impress with its funfair, fireworks, live music and of course a full programme that celebrates wine in all of its aspects. www.duerkheimer-wurstmarkt.de

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Discover Germany | Culture | Culture Calendar

International Literature Festival Berlin (9 – 19 September) Since 2001 the International Literature Festival has drawn many visitors to Germany’s capital.

Writers from all over the world are coming to Berlin to present their work to literature fans in various forms and places. Readings, workshops, talks and exhibitions from Arabic poets, American short story writers, South African novelists or Albanian novices present the literary diversity from around the world for young and old literature enthusiasts. www.literaturfestival.com

Rhine in Flames, St. Goar (19 September) Annual impressive firework displays can be found along the most beautiful parts of the Rhine in several different cities. Bengal lights dip the river banks in a magical red, while several ships enjoy the spectacle from the water – simply a romantic and unforgettable experience for the entire family. On the 19 September, St. Goar and St. Goarshausen will host the event. www.rhein-in-flammen.com

Main image: Berlin Marathon. © SCC EVENTS/PHOTORUN Left: Dennis Kipruto Kimetto at the Berlin Marathon. © SCC EVENTS/PHOTORUN Top: Performing arts at Festival Mediaval. © Herrmann (left) Rhine in Flames in St. Goar. © Romantischer Rhein Tourismus GmbH(right) Below: Duerkheimer Wurstmarkt. © Stadtverwaltung Bad Duerkheim

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Knödelfest, St. Johann (18 - 20 September) Tradition, conviviality, music and good food – the annual Knödelfest celebrates Austria’s famous dumplings. A top-class framework programme is sure to impress while the world’s longest dumpling table will thrill visitors’ palates on Saturday. The 300-metre-long table will display around 26,000 delicious dumplings along the St. Johann’s Speckbacherstrasse – simply an exceptional open-air restaurant. www.knoedelfest.at

International Haydn Festival, Eisenstadt (3 – 13 September) The annual event is a high point of Austria’s concert season. Celebrating Joseph Haydn’s music, this focus is framed by works of other composers to show their relationship with Haydn. Tickets for various concerts in many venues are up for grabs. www.haydnfestival.at Vienna Fashion Week (7 – 13 September) Fashionistas, models, bloggers and designers will head to Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier for Vienna’s Fashion Week in September. Fashion shows, exhibitions and many parties provide a chance for international designers to show their latest collections and mingle with Vienna’s incrowd. All in all, 70 designers will present their clothes in 60 shows. www.viennafashionweek.com viennacontemporary, Vienna (24 – 27 Sept) For the first time, Vienna’s viennacontemporary will be held. Collectors, artists, curators, gallery owners and art enthusiasts from all over the world will be travelling to Vienna to have a look at Austria’s newest international art fair which impresses with many interesting objects. www.viennacontemporary.at/en

94 | Issue 30 | September 2015

Above: viennacontemporary. © viennacontemporary, Steve Turner Contemporary / Christian Jungwirth viennacontemporary. © viennacontemporary, Drdova Gallery, Aleksander Murashkin Below left: Dumpling with cabbage salad at the Knoedelfest. © TVB Kitzbueheler Alpen St. Johann in Tirol

Chüefladefäscht (Cow Dung Festival), Riederalp (6 September) Want to experience an unusual Swiss tradition that is far off the mainstream? Visit the annual Cow Dung Festival – the Swiss version of a farmer's golf competition. An old tradition, where farmers smashed the dried up manure each fall and spring so that the cow dung could properly integrate into the ground, is now a fun party for young and old alike. The event is sure to bring one up close with locals and, if that’s not enough, the pristine alpine environment with its incredible view has a lot to offer as well.

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DAS ÄLTESTE RUNDBILD DER WELT 28.3.– 29.11.2015 RUND-UM-BLICKE: WIR BAUEN DIE ZUKUNFT AB 12.9.2015 Ein Kooperations projekt mit der Primarschule Neuenegg

DER KONTINENT MORGENTHALER Eine Künstler familie und ihr Freundeskreis Eine Ausstellung mit Hermann Hesse, Paul Klee, Robert Walser, Adolf Wölfli u.a.

5.9.–22.11.2015 Kunstmuseum Thun Hofstettenstrasse 14, 3602 Thun Dienstag – Sonntag 10–17 Uhr, Mittwoch 10–19 Uhr www.kunstmuseumthun.ch

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Discover Germany | Culture | Culture Calendar

Perskindol Swiss Epic (14 – 19 September) A six-day mountain bike stage race, the Perskindol Swiss Epic leads around 300 two-member teams through Canton Valais from Verbier via Leukerbad and Graechen to Zermatt.

A challenging route for professionals and advanced amateur mountain bikers, the Swiss Epic overcomes 400 kilometres and 15,000 metres of altitude. www.swissepic.com

96 | Issue 30 | September 2015

Above: Perskindol Swiss Epic © apix Alex Buschor / Swissepic AG (above & right)) © sportfotograf.com (below left) © Marius Maasewerd / EGO-PROMOTION (below right)

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Kulinarische Lifestyle-Oase

AURA RESTAURANT Das AURA Restaurant begeistert mit Fleisch- und Fischspezialitäten, die am offenen Grill direkt vor den Augen der Gäste zubereitet werden. Europäische Küche verwöhnt den anspruchsvollen Gaumen.

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Die AURA Bar & Lounge lädt zum Verweilen ein und lässt bezüglich Cocktail- und Zigarrensortiment sowie Ambiente keine Wünsche offen.

AURA | RESTAURANT | BAR & SMOKER’S LOUNGE | EVENTSAAL | CLUB BLEICHERWEG 5, ZURICH | WWW.AURA-ZURICH.CH

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Discover Germany | Culture | Barbara Geier

Oktoberfest madness Have you noticed that the UK has gone Oktoberfest mad? No, I’m not talking about the many British revellers each year descending on Munich’s Oktoberfest which, to the confusion of some, actually takes place in September. I’m actually referring to all the many Oktoberfest copycats in the UK. I have always known about these events and that they’ve been around for some time, but this year seems like a proper Oktoberfest assault taking place on all fronts.

TEXT: BARBARA GEIER

A couple of weeks ago, when perusing London’s Evening Standard, my eyes fell on a huge picture featuring a row of girls in dirndls, each one with a Maßkrug full of beer in hand, or as it’s called in the UK, steins. Never mind that almost all the steins (stein = stone) at Oktoberfest in Munich are made out of glass. But here we go, that’s just me being very German and finicky.

Which brings me to my next topic: the dirndls that I saw in said picture that accompanied an article about the latest addition to London’s Oktoberfest scene, which will hit Tobacco Dock this October. Dirndls are actually very beautiful and tasteful dresses that, at the same time, flatter the female figure. However, the versions proudly presented by the waitresses in the picture solely focused on the ‘flattering the female figure’ aspect, completely ignoring the tasteful bit. And since I’m finicky, let me just say real dirndls are not very, very short; neither are they so very, very revealing.

I’m sure this was no concern for the staring male readers who probably didn’t bother reading the article at all. I did though, and therefore know now that the Tobacco Dock Oktoberfest will be the ‘biggest version of the traditional German festival ever staged in the capital’and takes place‘in a beer hall

98 | Issue 30 | September 2015

constructed especially for the occasion’.

100,000 one-litre‘stein glasses’(not keen on this new word combo you won’t be surprised to hear) are expected to be served to more than 24,000 Londoners.

Munich where you’ll get what the Oktoberfest traditionally is: a fantastic family fun fair with lots of rides, modern and wonderfully nostalgic ones, delicious foods and sweets and – a personal favourite of mine – ‘Bodos Cafézelt’, a tent dedicated to cakes, coffee and massive hot chocolates. And, on this note and with the words ‘hot chocolates’ (very pleased with that), let me end my humble Oktoberfest musings.

In general, it seems that the Oktoberfest, similarly to Christmas markets. has become something of a very successful German export article, and lots of people are keen to jump on the (lucrative) bandwagon.There’s also Oktoberfests in Brixton, Islington and Canary Wharf as well as in Birmingham, Manchester, Nottingham, Leeds, Edinburgh and Glasgow. Or, hey, here’s a completely outrageous idea, why not go Munich to see where it all came from!

I’ve said it before, I’m not very German when it comes to beer (don’t like it), am neither Bavarian nor do I usually seek out places where people, drinking lots of alcohol, congregate in their thousands. However, I really enjoyed all my somewhat alternative Wiesn – as the locals call it – visits.

They were full of sunshine, relaxed al fresco eating and drinking, a bit of silly singing and dancing on benches and – shock, horror – no beer! And while wishing everyone a great Oktoberfest time wherever it might be, I feel inclined to add that it’s only in

Barbara Geier is a London-based freelance writer, translator and communications consultant. She is also the face behind ww.germanyiswunderbar.com, a German travel and tourism guide and blog that was set up together with UK travel writer Andrew Eames in 2010.

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Mein Strandhaus an der Ostsee

Vitalwelt am Aachensee

Übernachtung und Kulinarik geniessen Sie im 3-Sterne Hotel Alpina, sieben Gehminuten von der Therme Vals entfernt.

Verbringen Sie erholsame Tage direkt am Timmerndorfer Strand an der Ostsee im „Mein Strandhaus Friedrichsruh“.

Herrlich klares Wasser und Berge, soweit das Auge reicht. Verbringen Sie erholsame Tage im Hotel St. Georg zum See in Maurach.

Packagepreis: EUR 402.– für 2 Personen

Packagepreis: EUR 142.– für 2 Personen

Packagepreis: EUR 188.– für 2 Personen

Mehr Infos & Buchen: www.weekend4two.com/463

Mehr Infos & Buchen: www.weekend4two.com/668

Mehr Infos & Buchen: www.weekend4two.com/562

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