Currents Magazine Sept/Oct 2013 by ShawnKlug

COVER PAGE

EDITORIAL Contents Currents Vol.XXIX No.4

EDITORIAL

2 President’s Message Message from the Content Editor 3 Letter from the next Content Editor 4 Contributors FEATURES

A European Expats of All Sorts - Unite! 6 Dual Citizenship and the Mayor’s Letter 7 International Children’s Relations 8 A Late Gift

ACTIVITY REVIEWS 9 10 11 12 13 21

A Two-Wheeled Tour... New Members Event Insight into the Art of Brewing... Opera Club... The Savoy - Don’t Miss It International Garden Show (IGS) Photography Workshop... The International Building Exhibit The Vertical Village... Can You Canoe? Yes We Can! Photography Course

MEMBERSHIP 14-15 Activity Calendar 16 On-going Activities 17 Membership/Congratulations

REVIEWS 21 22 23 24

The Globalisation of Love... Bold Heroes... R.B. Kitaj, The Retrospective Richard Long, Prints 1970-2013 Dionysus, The Power... Steve McCurry, Overwhelmed... Cairo, New Testimonies... Visual Leader 2013...

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 25-26 At the Movies

INFO 27 Danke! Danke! Danke! AWCH Contacts The AWC Hamburg e.V. is not responsible for inconveniences and/or expenses incurred due to misinformation in Currents. All rights reserved. The articles contained herein are written by members about their individual experiences and opinions. Material printed in Currents does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editor, the Currents staff, or the AWC Hamburg. The editors and the Board have the right to edit and/or reject articles for publication that do not reflect the positive spirit and overall goals of our organization.

Currents September/October 2013

Letter from the Next Content Editor Kara Wahn

Holiday Help: Tips to Help Save Money and Sanity Let’s face it, the holidays can be full of happy memories and fun moments, but there are also times when your wallet is screaming for mercy and you find yourself eyeballing the eggnog a bit early in the morning to help take the edge off of the stress. Everyone seems to have a party every day between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. How do you cope? Please send in any stories, tips, guidelines, or funny anecdotes to help fellow club members keep the holidays fun and focused on the true meaning, spending time with loved ones without all the extra chaos. Please submit to Kara Wahn by Friday, September 27 at karawahn@gmail.com. Watch the email newsletter for proofreading dates, times and locations.

AWCH Board of Directors 2013-2014 President Shawn Klug pres@awchamburg.org

Membership Jess Mancuso membership@awchamburg.org

Vice President Denise Stone vpres@awchamburg.org

Activities Coordinator Tina Grieben activities@awchamburg.org

Secretary Karen Malinowski secretary@awchamburg.org

FAWCO Representative Tracy Moede fawcorep@awchamburg.org

Treasurer Brooke Viertel treasurer@awchamburg.org

Webgineer Catherine Conner cat@floppysheep.com

Currents Magazine © 2013 American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V., Postfach 13 03 44, 20103 Hamburg, Tel +49 (0) 176 22 18 07 91, Fax +49 (0) 40 559 48 60, www.awchamburg.org Banking: Sparda Bank Hamburg e.V., ABC-Straße 38, 20354 Hamburg BLZ 206 905 00 Konto-Nr 0000 911 771 Executive Editor: Sus Ewing Bölke Deputy Executive Editor: Allison Marseille September/October 2013 Issue Content Editor: Rose Finlay September/October 2013 Issue Layout Editor: Allison Marseille FAWCO Section Editor: Tracy Moede Advertising Manager: Tina Grieben, ads@awchamburg.org Circulation Manager: Allison Marseille September/October 2013 Issue Contributors: Carola Amsinck, Regina Daumann, Rose Finlay, Pat Frickey, Ulrike Henn, Jenny Mather, Tracy Moede, Elizabeth Reifke, Christine Riney, Birgit Schrumpf, Anna Sizorina, Carol Strametz, Becky Tan, Ann Gebauer-Thompson, Katia Trost, Brooke Viertel Photography/Illustrations: Regina Daumann, Rose Finlay, Tina Grieben, Ulrike Henn, Allison Marseille, Tracy Moede, Elizabeth Reifke, Shelly Schoeneshoefer, Denise Stone, Carol Strametz, Becky Tan September/October 2013 Issue Proofreaders: Carola Amsinck, Sus Ewing Bölke, Rose Finlay, Pat Frickey, Ulrike Henn, Mary Frances Ludolph, Allison Marseille, Jenny Mather, Kalee and Brinae Shook, Carol Strametz, Becky Tan September/October 2013 Issue Cover: Rose Finlay Printing: Thomas Meier, Print & Copyhaus, Grindelallee 32, Tel 41 29 84

CONTRIBUTORS

Elizabeth Reifke Tracy Moede

Carol Strametz

Kara Wahn

Ann Gebauer-Thompson

Rose Finlay

Regina Daumann Ulrike Henn

Becky Tan

Birgit Schrumpf

Shawn Klug Tina Grieben

Anna Sizorina Jenny Mather Pat Frickey

American Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Club of Hamburg e.V.

FEATURE

A European by Pat Frickey

She is not with us anymore, so to speak, having been born in 1909. So I cannot ask her if I may use her name, and out of respect will call her Johanna Schmidt. Berlitz is the salvation for many impoverished ex-pats when living abroad. In the early ‘70s my husband and I came to Hamburg (for one year). He had received a scholarship to support him while writing his doctoral dissertation. Notice I said support him. As it turned out, the scholarship was a meager amount, and I dutifully set out to pad the coffers. I was initially thrilled to get a job at Berlitz teaching English not realizing that my English boss was a weasel-eyed racist who complained American blacks “could not even speak their own language.” Also, the hourly rate we were paid turned out to be less than that of the cleaning ladies. But what did that really matter; it paid the bills. It was at Berlitz I met Johanna Schmidt, the evening secretary. Her husband, a Gymnasium teacher, had recently died, leaving her, in her early sixties, with the quandary of what to do with the rest of her life. She had survived the war and told riveting stories about her black market negotiations (in the winter on a sled across the border) to barter for food for her four children. She missed her husband, but had determinedly forged her way forward to find a new life. Frau Schmidt’s misfortune was that only one of her children had much time for her, her son Rolf. One of her daughters was estranged and exactly my age, and somehow Frau Schmidt decided I would do, which was fine with me. While I worked at Berlitz we became close. What I learned over the years was that Johanna Schmidt was a zealot—for Europe. She didn’t talk much about the war but

mostly about her hopes for the future. She travelled extensively, took language courses initially Esperanto, then later English and French up into her nineties. She once admitted she had as a young girl seen Hitler in person and had, as though in a trance, ecstatically cheered for him. However, now her fervor was for a United Europe. She was optimistic about the future where there would be no more war, everyone would get along, and goodness would triumph. She was quite dismayed that one of her grandsons started developing what she considered rightwing tendencies. She spoke glowingly about a granddaughter who worked with handicapped children; her granddaughter had invited all the children to attend her wedding when she married her handsome (doctor) husband. Then there were her stories about Wernher von Braun, the icon of America’s space program. One of the last conversations I had with Frau Schmidt was when, in her mid-nineties, she phoned me from her retirement home Rosenhof thrilled she had finally found the letter which had been missing since the ‘70s. The renowned Wernher von Braun had written her a letter of condolence after her husband had died attesting to what a fine man he had been. They had worked together developing rockets in Peenemünde during the war. The Americans had tried to swoop up Herr Schmidt in Operation Paperclip along with von Braun in 1945, but he declined, deciding instead to settle in Hamburg where he taught in a local school. Frau Schmidt sometimes wondered what life would have been like if they had emigrated to the States. Yet, she confided in me more than once that she was quite content living in a peaceful and prosperous Europe.

Expats of All S or ts - Unite! by Elizabeth Reifke

When I first arrived in Germany in 2002, I took an intensive German course with a group of other international students. I quickly discovered the fun and ease of making friends with this varied, colorful group of people who were very curious and open to new contacts. My foreign classmates infinitely eased my transition to life in Hamburg. Nowadays, I have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances who come not just from the U.S. or Germany, but also from countries such as Russia, Finland, Cuba, Japan and Iran. This is very enriching and likely never would have happened back in America. I enjoy the opportunity to find out more about their homelands, and I am always fascinated by the differences and the similarities between us. It is also helpful to compare how we all deal with the ups and downs of life abroad. There are so many questions that we all face: how do I deal with my strange grouchy German neighbor; how do I make the family back home understand our Hamburg way of life; what are the best language strategies with our kids? Although the Russian or Japanese or whatever approaches to these kinds of issues may not be the same as my own, they often give me new insights.

Currents September/October 2013

As many of us have discovered, it can be very challenging to settle in and make close connections with the people who have lived their entire lives in this area. This does tend to improve over the years, but it can take a very long time. My advice to newcomers looking to find new friends and connections is not just to sit around and wait for the natives to seek you out or respond to your efforts. Look for interesting fellow foreigners or out-of-towners, and you will likely discover other women who are open to new friendships or even just a good chat. There are a lot of us out there, and together we can make our Hamburg days smoother, friendlier, and more inspiring.

FEATURE

Dual Citizenship and the Mayor ’s Letter by Ann Gebauer-Thompson

I’d like to share a question with our AWC Hamburg members who live in Hamburg and who don’t have German citizenship. As many of you know, there was a popular campaign started by the Hamburg mayor last fall to write personally to long-term foreign residents and ask them to consider taking on German citizenship. I received my letter last September, and many of my friends received their letters around that time as well. Unfortunately, citizens of non-EU countries would be required to relinquish their current citizenship if they decided to take up this offer. An amendment to this requirement was proposed in the Bundesrat on July 5 by the SPD and Green parties, but will not be debated until after the elections in the fall. There is no majority at the moment for this initiative of the opposition parties, but this may change depending on the outcome of the fall elections. The government coalition parties currently see no need to change the rules on citizenship. I have written the office of the mayor (letter enclosed) to request

clarification of the question whether or not our situation would be changed even with this amendment, if it went forward in the fall. We do not have two passports and have to give one up, we have one passport and would like to acquire another without giving up the first. This is a question of acceptance of our complex and multi-faceted identities. Last week I received an answer from the mayor’s office: my letter has been forwarded to the director’s office of the Ministry of the Interior (Innenbehörde), who will be sending me a clarification on the subject at some time in the future. Hmm. At this point I would like to encourage any of you fellow AWC members who, like me, would like to finally be able to vote in their country of residence, to write the mayor’s office and ask for appreciation of our situation and help going forward. If enough of us write we might at least raise some awareness in our own city of the paradoxical laws and the state of legal ‘unrepresentation’ many of us long-term residents are in.

EINBÜRGERUNGSINITIATIVE und ZWEITPASS Hamburg, 25.06.2013 Sehr geehrter Herr Bürgermeister, ich möchte mich für den schönen Brief bedanken, den Sie mir in September 2012 geschickt haben. In diesem Brief schlagen Sie vor, dass ich überlege, ob ich die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft annehme. Nun lebe ich seit 40 Jahren glücklich in Deutschland. Ich habe (nach meinem amerikanischen B.A. ) hier studiert, geheiratet, gearbeitet, ein Haus gekauft. Nach dem Tod meines (deutschen) Mannes habe ich unserem Sohn auch das Studium in Karlsruhe ermöglicht. Ich habe als Informatiker immer gearbeitet und viele Steuern bezahlt, alle Sozialabgaben bezahlt, vorgesorgt. Das Leben in Deutschland ist angenehm und ich werde voraussichtlich hier bleiben. Es war mir in all den Jahren immer ein Anliegen, nach Möglichkeit die deutsche Staatsangehörigkeit anzunehmen, damit ich dazugehöre und eine Wahlstimme in allen wichtigen Anliegen habe. Bislang ist mir das nicht gelungen, und das tut mir sehr weh. Das Problem ist, dass ich nach derzeitigem Recht den US-Pass abgeben müsste. Das ist für mich eine unüberwindliche Hürde, denn meine engsten Familienbindungen sind nach wie vor in New York, und ich gebe unumwunden zu, eine starke emotionelle Bindung an die landschaftliche Weite und emotionale Großzügigkeit der USA zu haben. Das ist auch meine Identität. Für mich wäre die Passabgabe eine Absage an einen Teil meiner selbst. Als 60-jährige alleinstehende Witwe bin ich in meiner Lage doch nicht so stark, dass ich das tun könnte. Hinzu kommt, dass alle möglichen Kombinationen des Doppelpasses bereits hier erlaubt sind, was ich als ungerecht empfinde. Ein Deutscher darf Amerikaner werden und beide Pässe behalten. Die EU-Ausländer können Deutsche werden und beide Pässe behalten. Und Prominente (wie John Neumeier, der ungefähr so lange in Deutschland lebt wie ich!) haben auch beide Pässe. Die Regel scheint mir in der Anwendung häufig willkürlich. Gibt es überhaupt eine Chance, in nächster Zeit zu erleben, dass die Behörde für Inneres zulässt, auch für nicht-EU Ausländer auf die Aufgabe des ersten Passes zu verzichten? Wie sehen Sie hier überhaupt die Perspektive? Ich weiß, es gibt eine Anfrage im Bundesrat Anfang Juli aus Hamburg. Betrifft diese (SPD)- Anfrage auch eine Situation wie meine, oder betrifft diese Anfrage ‚nur‘ die Jugendlichen die hier geboren wurden, mit ausländischen Eltern. Auf eine Klärung dieser Frage würde ich mich freuen. Vielen Dank jedenfalls für Ihre fortschrittliche Initiative. Mit freundlichen Grüßen Ann Gebauer-Thompson 6

American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V.

FEATURE

I nter national Children’s R elations by Jenny Mather

One mild December evening a year or two ago I asked a stranger for directions to a house in Othmarschen. We fell into step together as the stranger was going past the street I was looking for. She was a Lutheran pastor and I told her that I taught at the International School. “How do you celebrate Christmas there, with so many different nationalities?” she asked. “Well,” I said, “first we celebrate Hannukah because we have lots of students from Israel. Then we anticipate the arrival of Sinterklaas with the Dutch children. After that the German department tells us the Nativity story in German and then the Swedish children lead a candlelit procession on Santa Lucia Day.” Having an international mix of children at the school is a perfect opportunity for learning about the different cultures we come from. The children enjoy these celebrations not least because they know that food is usually involved. On Japanese Children’s Day, for example, some Japanese mothers taught my six-yearolds to make sushi, which was devoured in a flash. Then they showed us how to make origami fish with pretty Japanese paper. These had paper clips attached to their fins, were spread out on a crumpled blue paper sea and were fished out with bamboo poles with magnets attached. We were given some silk carp streamers to hang in the classroom to bring the children good luck throughout the year. Korean mothers helped us make origami hats from Korean newspapers which at home would be given to boys to celebrate Boys’ Day. In our democratic classroom the girls wore them too. Wearing a symbolic Samurai helmet on this special day is said to bring good health for the rest of the year. Thanksgiving Day isn’t forgotten and, if we`re lucky, some kind and enthusiastic American mums might provide a complete Thanksgiving dinner and the children will wear Puritan hats and American Indian headdresses while they tuck in to the turkey. Sometimes we have made do with pumpkin cookies while listening to the story of Squanto and his tribe who saved the pilgrims from starvation. When it’s time to celebrate Hannukah the Israeli children take turns each morning to light a Hannukah candle but all the children participate in making a menorah using painted kitchen rolls for the candles, red and orange tissue paper for the flame and modelling clay for the candelabra. Then we play the dreidel game, sing the dreidel song and learn how to write the Jewish words on each side of the dreidel. Chocolate money is handed

out while we play and sing and usually disappears long before home time. One of the memorable things about the Nativity play is that the parents watching it are asked to sing Stille Nacht (Silent Night) at the end of the performance in German or in their own language. The music is so lovely that all the different languages blend into one calm, harmonious sound. The music which the children sing for the Lucia Festival is lovely too. When the lights are turned off and the light shines from the candles which the Swedish girls wear in their crowns and the others hold in their hands, the effect is magical. Santa Lucia gave bread to hungry people in Sweden and our children are given sweet rolls by the Swedish mums, just in time for morning snack. The arrival of Sinterklaas is eagerly anticipated because his assistant, Zwarte Piet (Black Peter) showers everyone with tiny pfeffernuss cookies and jelly sweets. Sinterklaas lives not at the North Pole but much more sensibly in Spain and he sails into Holland on a large boat. He wears a bishop’s mitre but Zwarte Piet has a blackened face, gold hoop earrings, gaudy satin breeches and a purple bonnet with a feather stuck in it. He isn’t at all politically correct, but who cares when he throws sweeties at you? The most colourful festival is Divali, the Indian Festival of Light. Indian mothers decorate the entrance to our classroom with tiny candles and vivid patterns made from flower petals. Then bags of sweeties are handed out. One memorable year a little boy told us the story of the elephant god and showed us the pictures of him in his treasured story book. He read first in Hindi and then in English and glowed with pride as he did so. The school year passes with the children learning about their classmates’ different celebrations. For one special day a spotlight is shone on a particular group of children, reminding them of the culture they have left for a while. The rest of the class, in turn, learns something new and important about the children they share their school day with. In a small way these experiences contribute towards an understanding of international relations in the outside world. Add to these the International Fair, when children are encouraged to wear their national costumes; Book Week, when they and their parents read their favourite books in their own languages; and a United Nations Assembly. You may be wondering if and when there is time to teach the ‘three Rs’. In fact everything adds to and enhances both the school curriculum and the children’s awareness of others.

YOUR HOUSE PAINTER PETER ESCH Recommendations from members of AWC Hamburg

Currents September/October 2013

Tel (04106) 38 82 FIRST CLASS WORK ON SHORT NOTICE Free Consultations

FEATURE

A Late Gif t by Katia Trost

It was my 17th birthday when I got a letter telling me I had been granted a scholarship allowing me to attend a prestigious private school in the USA for two semesters. I was ecstatic! The letter said they didn’t know where I would be placed yet, whether with a family or in boarding school, and, above all, in which state (requests were not welcome). At this point, I wasn’t picky about the location—I just for some reason didn’t want to go to Texas. Also if I could have chosen: no single-sex school and a host family. Well, guess what? I was placed at an all-girls boarding school called Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas. Yet, I was still very much looking forward to my adventure. A half year later, life in the USA was…not what I expected. I might also add that I had fallen madly in love in Germany before I left, which kept my heart bleeding for the whole time I was away (yup, we did get back together, but it didn’t last long). But even without my personal drama, boarding school was something of a shock to me. In Germany, I was basically a grown-up at seventeen. It wasn’t even the drinking, which had lost its appeal long before I turned 17, or smoking (yuck), or the lack of boys (obviously), it was more the general feeling of being my own person. I had no curfew at home (I did like to party, I am not that boring) and my parents let me make my own decisions as long as my grades didn’t suffer, not at the Hockaday School, though! There were other things, too. At first, I had an Asian roommate. She was sweet, but she stayed up all night, whereas I needed my sleep after basically doing nothing but studying during the day. I got a new roommate shortly after. Still, not having privacy was quite demanding on me. The food was quite junky, and I realized that my mom is not only a health nut, but also a gourmet chef! On the other hand, there were a few things academically that I could never have experienced in Germany. I took AP Biology which I loved. I still rely on what I learned there in my naturopathic practice today. I am able to understand

scientific texts in German and English, and my training as a health practitioner was probably easier then for others. I didn’t get the whole high school party/binge drinking experience, but I still remember many English vocab words and learned about wonderful little things like e-mail, 10-finger typing and the internet (in the lower school language lab, no comment). And yes, let’s face it: studying for a law exam was not as much of a shock after going through the prep school experience. Finally, the most important thing: I got to take photography. Not only did I literally live in the darkroom on weekends, but I met Frances Thompson, an artist and my teacher at Hockaday back then. Frances and her husband Eric made all the bad things better. They took me out on weekends and trips, bought me a whole carrot cake for my 18th birthday and showed me that boarding school life wasn’t all there was. They acquainted me with Mexican food (not TexMex), art movies, Santa Fé and some extravagant taste for life. While many students also invited me into their homes, Frances and Eric have stayed in my life ever since. I was a bit weary of the USA when I first left boarding school, but I went back to visit the people I now consider family several times, which changed my perspective on the USA a lot. I discovered that the USA is many countries in one nation, some of which I like better than others. Frances and Eric lived in Cambridge and Winchester, MA, before they moved to the suburbs of Philadelphia, PA. I have not only felt at home in all those places, but also in Maine, where I repeatedly spent Christmas by the fireside in their beautiful old farmhouse. Even years later, I would not say I had a pleasant experience at boarding school, but I met incredible people who showed me all there is to like about the USA and influenced me in more ways they will ever know.

David Opperman Certified Public Accountant Specializing in U.S. income tax preparation for Americans abroad I am an American CPA located in Hamburg, Germany Telephone: 040 5500 8170 E Mail: David@DavidOppermanCPA.de

American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V.

AC TIVIT Y RE VIE W

A Two -Wheeled Tour Through Hamburg by Brooke Viertel

Despite a forecast calling for rain (i.e., a typical Hamburg day!), a group of ten women braved the weather to take a bike tour through Hamburg on an afternoon in late June. We soon discovered that this tour would not follow the typical tour route of Hamburg – our guide, Bernd, had more in store for us! We were lucky enough to enjoy a narrated tour of the lesser-known sights in Hamburg. Our tour began at the University of Hamburg and then cut over along the walking paths around the Alster. Although I see the Alster almost every day, viewing it from the footpaths with the Hamburg skyline as a background made the lake seem somehow even more beautiful. We then rode to Jungfernstieg, the Chilehaus, around the Hafen and to the newly opened HafenCity Universität U-Bahn stop, all with narration from our guide, a native of Hamburg who provided many interesting details of the history of the city. Not to be confined by the Elbe, we rode over the Freihafenbrücke and soon realized that there are many interesting things to see on the other side of the port. Once across the river, we rode behind the Internationales Martimes Museum Hamburg, which is filled with surprisingly good smells of various spices, and then to my favorite stop – the Argentinenbrücke. This ferry stop is hidden, but decorated with Hamburg-inspired graffiti art and nearby is a golden cow, which was placed there by a local artist (there is an interesting story in the Abendblatt if you would like to know more). Unfortunately, during our stop at the Argentinienbrücke, our luck with the weather ran out, and it began to rain. Braving the elements, we pushed forward and sought some cover during our ride through the Elbtunnel. This was my first time in the Elbtunnel, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit of nostalgia from the early 1900’s, when the tunnel was built. However, I also learned an important lesson: If you are in the tunnel by bike, do not stop once you are in it! Despite the pouring rain after exiting the tunnel, we continued our bike tour through the Portuguese Quarter and shortly returned back to our starting point. Although thoroughly soaked, I felt that I gained a new perspective of my new city, had a lot of fun with the other women on the tour, and certainly found some interesting places to take visitors in Hamburg that are off the beaten path!

Currents September/October 2013

AC TIVIT Y RE VIE W

New and Prospective Members’ Event by Regina Daumann

The New and Prospective Members’ Event took place on June 5 at Restaurant Blockbräu, directly at Landungsbrücken. Eleven AWCH long-term members were delighted to meet the new members Anna, Christine (who was so kind to write the report below) and Mireille. We also had the pleasure to welcome Erika, Johanna and Tiana as guests. After a tour of the small brewery, we enjoyed the Blockbräu beer or “Alsterwasser,” a delicious dinner and a wonderful view of Hamburg harbour.

Insight into the Ar t of Brewing at the Blockbräu by Christine Riney

The German beer purity law of 1516 states that only water, malt, hops and yeast may be used for making beer. According to Thomas Hundt, Master of the Blockbräu brewery, and our tour guide, beer also tastes of fruit, particularly banana. This eyebrow raising fact was the beginning of an interesting tour of the Brauhaus. Herr Hundt took us through the brewing process while showing us the brewing tubs and fermentation tanks. Not only did we learn that all the beer brewed at the Blockbräu is consumed at the Blockbräu, approx. 450,000 liters per year, but also that it is rich in vitamins, stimulates the metabolism, increases blood circulation, strengthens bones and is good for the skin. Armed with this knowledge we made our way up to the terrace to enjoy a magnificent view of the Elbe as well as a healthy brew.

Opera Club: Our Fantastic Spring Finale and New Puccini Season by Elizabeth Reifke

We finished out our spring Donizetti/L'Elisir d'Amore season with an exquisite May evening out at the Hamburger Staatsoper. Top tenor (and Ohio native) Lawrence Brownlee was in town for a series of performances, and we had the good fortune to hear him sing the role of Nemorino. We could not help but be won over by Lawrence's masterful bel canto technique and fine sense of comedic timing. But that wasn't the end of it. After the opera, as always, we went out to the elegant Ristorante Opéra for a late dinner, and discovered that most of the Elisir cast was dining there as well. As closing time approached, we had a delightful chat with Lawrence (see photo). What a pleasant, friendly, and affable gentleman he is! We look forward to his next performance in Hamburg and will certainly make a point of being there. Now, as the summer is winding down, the Opera Club's new fall season is just getting started! The music of Giacomo Puccini is our current topic of choice with a special emphasis on the opera Tosca. We are getting to know the composer, the music, and the story behind the lovely, lush melodies. Everything will then come together when we attend a performance of the opera on November 9. Puccini is one of the best-loved composers of opera. His most famous works include La Bohème, Madame Butterfly and Turandot. Tosca is also high on this list of celebrated operas with its gorgeous music and unforgettable heroine (not to mention the villain!). Love, lust, politics, beauty, danger, history - Tosca has it all. Join us for our latest operatic expedition. Beginners are very welcome! We meet once a month on Friday mornings at Elizabeth R's home in Hamburg-Poppenbüttel. Contact information: Elizabeth R. at opera@awchamburg.org

American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V.

AC TIVIT Y RE VIE W

The Savoy – Don’t Miss it by Tracy Moede

Many of us were worried that after Streit’s closed in March, there would be no more theaters in Hamburg that offered movies in English. There really was no need – the Savoy is now open! I went with my family, club member Monika, her daughter and two friends to the afternoon showing of Monster University in 3D on a gray day in June, shortly after the grand opening. We love Pixar movies and this time we were not disappointed. There was also a sweet short film, The Blue Umbrella shown before the main feature.

The Savoy, which is only a five minute walk from the Hamburg Hauptbahnhof, has been newly renovated and the effort was well worth every penny spent. Luxurious carpeting, reclining seats with extra space for long legs, lounges in the first rows of the Parkett and Loge sections and a large screen with a heavy gold curtain that opens and shuts with each showing. (Beat that, Cinemaxx….). We certainly felt spoiled in the plush theater. Guests can enjoy tasty snacks and drinks offered at the bar, a coat check, and reduced parking costs at nearby parking garages. The Savoy also offers gift box sets and gift certificates. Subscribe to their newsletter and get weekly updates on what films are currently showing and which films are coming soon. You will be glad you did. The Savoy Kino, Steindamm 54, 20099 Hamburg www.savoy-filmtheater.de

International Garden Show (IGS) by Becky Tan

IGS sounds like “eeek” or “iggitt” and that’s what the press has been saying about the International Garden Show since it opened the end of April. There aren’t enough visitors. The entrance fee is too high. It’s divided into too many sections. There are no flowers, no free HVV transportation. The monorail costs extra; a guided tour costs extra; food costs extra. My, my. Let’s stop the moaning and enjoy something while it’s still there (until October 13). I was fortunate to go with three friends: Shelly, Thelma and Birgit. We got a special rate of Euro 9, for checking in after 17:00. Having arrived early, we had coffee in the fine Wilhelms Restaurant just to the left of the entrance, part of the Wälderhaus wooden building (which also houses a hotel and an exhibit about the environment). After entering the park, we went straight to the monorail. A 20-minute ride costs Euro 7.50. It’s fun and gives you an overall view of the lay of the land, so that you can decide where to spend more time. The park is divided into seven sections or “Worlds” such as World of Religions, Cultural Diversity, etc. There are two open-air stages. We stopped to listen to the Buchholz City Orchestra, featuring a really cute solo trumpet player. If my grandchild were visiting, I would spend the whole day in the World of Activity. Here you find a skateboard arena, a wonderful playground, and high-wire climbing in the trees. You can also go into the area’s newest Nordwandhalle for climbing, bouldering, etc. (However, the gym costs extra.) Check out the swimming pool. The roses were beautiful and now the dahlias are in full bloom. Just keep walking and read the signs. Find out which flower beds were planted by school children, which represent various countries. Big flower halls have special exhibits. Perhaps some of us thought that a giant ketchup bottle was a poor choice to represent the U.S. Currents September/October 2013

We probably saw 20% of the whole layout – definitely a reason to return soon. Since we liked the Wilhelms so much, we left the actual park (you get a stamp on your hand so that you can re-enter, like in the disco) and had supper. Both sessions were reasonably priced. From Hauptbahnhof or Jungfernstieg (or wherever is convenient for you) take the S1 or S31 to the stop called Wilhelmsburg (third stop after Hauptbahnhof ). Signs lead you to the main entrance of the park, just a five-minute walk. Open from 9:00 to dusk. The ticket office is open from 9:00 to 19:00. Guided tours are available in English (as well as about 20 more languages including Persian and Plattdeutsch). Adults pay Euro 21, but there are various special offers, including arrival after 17:00, other prices for grandparents, for children, or a season ticket (Euro 50). See more information under www. igs-hamburg.de (in English!)

AC TIVIT Y RE VIE W

Photography Workshop with Ulrike Henn by Carol Strametz

Our award-winning, professional photographer and co-member Ulrike Henn was gracious enough for the second time to offer a three-part photography workshop. The first session was all about getting to know your camera and the basics of photography. Ulrike is a natural and effective teacher, and she knows how to motivate one to learn and how to have fun doing it. It was amazing how she seemed to know so much about everyone’s camera, but the point is everyone has the responsibility to get to know their own camera. She introduced us to the basics – e.g., the magic three (ISO, aperture, and shutter speed), the rule of thirds, the story line – and followed up with lots of great visual examples. We had plenty of time to study and get familiar with our cameras until the next session--our field trip to the St. Pauli harbor. The theme of our field trip was “street photography”, which, following Ulrike, “features candid situations in public places, objects with human characteristics, or environments that are decidedly human.” Since it took place the day before the start of the Hamburg Harbor’s 824th birthday celebration there was peak Photo by Carol Strametz activity in setting up the carnival and in the docking of ships. Our group met briefly and then took off alone, or in pairs. Ulrike was faithfully in the background to guide and help us, as we tried to implement our newly obtained knowledge. Our last session featured the individual presentations of each one’s best ten edited images with discussion. As in the first course I took with Ulrike, I found it so amazing and interesting how different and individual the perspectives of six people at the same location at the same time can be. Ulrike’s professional evaluation and the group comments about what was special and what could have been done better were received enthusiastically. We all agreed that it was a rewarding and valuable learning experience to share our photos and suggested that we continue with field trips and mutual presentations, keeping in mind that we still need to work with camera functionality and the basics. Good news is that Ulrike wants to offer an all-day workshop in October! Photo by Denise Stone

American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V.

AC TIVIT Y RE VIE W

A Visit at The International Building Exhibit (IBA), Hamburg (through November 3, 2013) by Carola Amsinck

Although Wilhelmsburg is the largest district of the city of Hamburg, most likely few of us have visited; many of us may have heard of it only through Fatih Akin’s film, Soul Kitchen (2009); Wilhelmsburg lies in the Elbe River and is supposedly the largest settled river island, next to Manhattan. Low-income families, many of them immigrants, have moved here because of reasonable rents. For decades it has been neglected by urban planners: its location is central but main traffic cuts merciless through neighborhoods. The International Garden Exhibition (IGA) and the International Building Exhibition (IBA) have made Wilhelmsburg an inviting destination this year. From Hauptbahnhof it’s a short 8-minute S-Bahn ride (S31) to the new Wilhelmsburg station. As you get out of the station you find yourself right at the IGA entrance and IBA office.

across the Elbe” (€8) not knowing what to expect—and loved it! First, the guide took us on a 1-hour walking tour to introduce about 10 buildings. She spoke German, but the detailed info boards explaining the features of each building are in English as well. This was followed by 1-hour boat trip through canals, passing by several new building projects as well as travelling right through a Schrebergarten neighborhood. Schrebergarten describes small parcels of land that city dwellers lease from the city to build summer cottages on and to garden. Before the boat could proceed to the Elbe, it had to pass through a lock gate. We disembarked at the ever changing, still developing Hafencity where our adventure ended after another informative 1-hour walking tour.

International Building Exhibitions/ Ausstellungen have a long tradition in Germany; the first was organized in 1901. This 8th IBA was started in 2007 and has its final presentation this year. The title ‘Exhibition’ might be a little confusing, because we witness an entire district being reinvented, with buildings that are here to stay. Buildings had to be developed with their impact on climate and scarce natural resources in mind, to name a few criteria, and IBA has therefore been described as a “laboratory of research & development”. At iba-hamburg.de you will find information (in German and English) on all projects and tours offered (it takes some patience!) There are tours on foot, by bike or bus; you can reserve your space online. Unfortunately the tours are not very well described; I decided on a 3-hour tour called “IBA by boat – leap

Soft House, Architektenführung, Mai 2013 Photo Credit: IBA Hamburg GmbH, Bente Stachowske

The Ver tical Village – A Radical Urban Vision The Hamburg Museum (Holstenwall 24) through September 29th, 2013 by Carola Amsinck

This exhibition has been shown in Taipei in 2011 / 2012 and is now – concurrent with IBA – shown in Europe for the first time. It gives a taste of how forward-thinking architects, designers and planners are trying to tackle urban problems elsewhere, namely new ideas for a sustainable urban growth of cities in Southeast Asia. Rapidly, tall monotonous and anonymous high-rises are being erected to keep up with the ever-growing demand for apartments, but offer little else in regard to quality-of-life. They destroy the so-called ‘urban villages’ that for centuries have been the key elements of East Asian cities. They consisted of small, informal architecture, maintained strong individual characteristics and afforded a strong sense of community. They tend to sprawl horizontally; for various reasons – the rapid population growth being one of them – this is not sustainable. The “vertical village” offers an attractive fusion of both concepts. The exhibition is interactive; explanatory boards and the accompanying catalogue are in English and German. Bring enough time, you can’t rely on the visual alone, but need to read the extensive texts that are provided, or listen to individual interviews with key players. It may take some extra concentration to get into the ‘lingo’ of the professionals that contributed to this exhibition. Currents September/October 2013

ACTIVITY CALENDAR SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013

his isn’t all! Sometimes special events come up after the Currents deadline. In this case we will use evites and our e-Newsletter to notify members. Check your email and our online calendar for the most up-to-date event information.

Stitch ’n’ Bitch

GNO (Girls’ Night Out)

Tuesday, September 3, 17 anytime after 19:00 Tuesday, October 1, 15, 29 anytime after 19:00 Where: September 3 at Jess’s house, September 17 at Beth’s house, October 1, 15, and 29 at Jana’s house Contact: Beth G. at snb@awchamburg.org Otherwise known as Portable Hobby Night, and yes, wine tasting counts as a hobby. Come join us for lots of laughs and snacks, a glass of wine (or two), and maybe some crafting.

Thursday, October 24, 19:00 Where: TBD RSVP via eVite or to Tina at ads@awchamburg.org Let’s meet up, have dinner, some drinks and just a good time with fun and laughter among friends!

New Members Event: Meet-and-Greet

Thursday, September 5, 2013, 18:00 Where: Restaurant -Café Bobby Reich, Fernsicht 2, 22301 Hamburg http://www.bobbyreich.de RSVP to: hhelpers@awchamburg.org by Sunday, September 1, 2013 Please join us for coffee or tea and a piece of cake or a small meal at a lovely location at the Outer Alster Lake and meet and greet the new and long-term members of the American Women’s Club of Hamburg. Guests are very welcome! Please reply if you wish to attend. Cost: What you order (coffee or tea and a piece of cake: 8,20 Euros)

Books and Brunch: Halloween Sunday, October 27, 11:00 Where: Elbe 76, Bismarckstr. 60, HH Cost: €12,60 per person RSVP to Kara Wahn at karawahn@gmail.com by Friday,October 18

Celebration of Membership at the U.S. Consulate of Hamburg Wednesday November 6th, time TBD Where: U.S. Consulate Please join us to celebrate our many members with an evening at the U.S. Consulate featuring a performance by the celebrated Wendy Williams, author of the book The Globalisation of Love. A scrumptious selection of appetizers, snacks, desserts, and wine, juice, coffee, and water will be served.

Lunch with the Board

Tuesday, September 10, 12:30 Where: Gasthaus Möhrchen, Spritzenplatz 4 RSVP via eVite or to Tina at ads@awchamburg.org by May 25 This place on the “fire fighters square” in Ottensen has simple but adventurous regional meals, including a great vegetarian choice. Cost: what you order

Segway Tour in Ohlsdorf Cemetery

Thursday September 26, 16:00 Where: we meet at the Tennis Club Bramfeld, Witthöft, Eichenlohweg 26 RSVP via eVite or to Tina at ads@awchamburg.org by May 25 We will each get a Segway and practice on the little parcour course first before we take the Segways on the tour. The beautiful cemetery has great paved streets so a tour can be easily taken. Cost €28 for one hour

Coffee and Cake Tuesday October, 15, 15:00 Where: Die Rösterei, Mönckebergstr. 7 RSVP via eVite or to Tina at ads@awchamburg.org by May 25 This cosy, great place in the Levante Haus makes it own coffee and also serves great food-yes even cake! It features a Kaffeehaus atmosphere. Cost: what you order 14

Your first address in Hamburg for international moving • Moves from and to Germany • To any destination in the world • Moving you within your world Full service – top quality – fair rates

Krumpf in Hamburg – Your gateway to the world Please contact John Dakin @ 040 548876-35 or j.dakin@krumpf.de Transport Krumpf GmbH Ottensener Str. 10 • 22525 Hamburg, Germany +49 (0) 40 - 548876-54 • www.krumpf.de American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V.

ACTIVITY CALENDAR SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2013 *Please check with activity leaders to confirm meeting times and places. More details on all meetings can be found in the membership section and on our AWC website: www.awchamburg.org/activitycalendar

September Sunday 1

Monday

Tuesday 3

Wednesday

Thursday

Stitch’n Bitch 8

New Members’ Event

Lunch with the Board 15

Friday

Saturday

Opera Club Meeting 18

Stitch’n Bitch 22

Cemetery Tour 29

October Sunday

Monday

Tuesday 1

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Stitch’n Bitch 6

15 Coffee and Cake Stitch’n Bitch

Opera Club Meeting 24

Girls’ Night Out 27

Books and Brunch Currents September/October 2013

Stitch’n Bitch

ONGOING AC TIVITIES Cancer Support Group For confidential information about cancer and/or cancer support groups in Hamburg, you can call Allene Pistorius at Tel (04181) 29 18 82 or csupport@awchamburg.org

Couples and Family Outings Couples and families convene on a monthly basis to do everything from finding the best pizza in town to sitting on Santa’s lap at Christmas. This is open to all AWCH members, their partners and children. Contact Tina at familyfunctions@awchamburg.org

Cultural Subsidy These events take place several times a year, and are designed to fulfill your desire to experience Hamburg’s vital and varied cultural offerings as well as one of the benefits of membership in the AWCH. We offer small discounts on tickets to major cultural events, e.g., opera, musical, or theater. Check our website for such offers or keep an eye on the activities calendar. If you have an idea about an event to offer with the cultural subsidy, contact activities@awchamburg.org

Broads for Books and Brunch

...is a new book club that meets every odd month. For more information please contact Kara at bookstoo@awchamburg.org

Film Reviewers’ Group The film group attends free press showings of films slated to open in Hamburg and writes reviews for Currents and other media. Communication is via email or fax. For more information, contact Becky Tan at filmgroup@awchamburg. org

Girls’ Night Out Seeking women thirsty for cultural exchange and a refreshing adult drink, meeting up at hot spots around Hamburg. Contact activities@awchamburg.org

HH Helpers This group helps new AWCH Club Members to live the good life in Hamburg! If you have recently joined our club and need some assistance, you are encouraged to contact Regina Daumann. She will not only give you details about the next New Members’ Event but also refer you to the HH Helper in your area and to the groups and committees that might interest you. If you have already been a club member for some time and are interested in assisting new members in your area, please let us know. We are looking for more HH Helpers – especially in the western and southern parts of Hamburg. Contact Regina at hhelpers@awchamburg.org

Mutti-Kind Group

We are looking for moms and kids who like to get out and about! If you are interested in getting together, not just for playgroups, but for mother/child-friendly activities, please contact Liz E. at muttikind@awchamburg.org

The Hamburg Explorers

The adventurous Number 5 Bus Group has a new name and email address! This year The Hamburg Explorers will spice up their activities by changing to the U1. This will allow members the chance to explore the many others parts of Hamburg that are worth discovering. The Hamburg Explorers can be contacted at hexplorers@awchamburg.org

Proofreading Group

Proofreaders meet twice per issue to proofread Currents. It’s a lot of fun! For dates for the next issue, see the note from the next Content Editor on page 2 or contact currents@awchamburg.org.

Stitch ‘n’ Bitch

A handicrafts group that gathers to, well, stitch and bitch. That is, we get together to share projects, company and conversation. Contact Beth at snb@awchamburg.org

Scrapbooking/Paper Crafting Group

This group is open to all levels of scrapbookers and paper crafters from beginners to advanced levels. We will get together to “scrap,“ share techniques and tools, and inspire others with our ideas as we work on our own projects. We have an Englishspeaking contact with acid-free supplies in Hamburg to help with your projects. Meetings are held monthly and locations vary. Contact: scrapbook@awchamburg.org

Opera Club

At the monthly meetings of the Opera Club, we are discovering opera one masterwork at a time. We meet several times to get to know a selected opera and then attend a performance together. Beginners are particularly welcome! Meetings are held Friday mornings in Hamburg-Poppenbüttel. Contact Elizabeth R. at opera@awchamburg.org

BUY T-SHIRTS

Classic T-Shirt € 13 Long Sleeved Hoodie € 15 Scoop-neck Stretch T-Shirt € 15

AWC Cancellation Policy: All events for which participants must reserve in advance and pay at the door must be paid for whether or not the person attends the event. However, if the cancellation is called in before the sign-up deadline, there will be no charge. If a person cancels after the sign-up deadline, she need not pay if a confirmed substitute can be found.

American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V.

MEMBERSHIP/CONGR ATULATIONS

I nvitation: New M embers Event

Meet-and-Greet Event

Change in Membership Renewal Policy Although we are saddened to lose anyone, every year we have those who go home to the US, or face changes in their lives that makes membership cancellation necessary. Up until now, our policy has been that “Membership in the AWCH terminates through resignation or non-renewal of membership”. The problem has been that “nonrenewal of membership” is often vague and we find ourselves at the end of the year having to call or write to dozens of people asking whether they have cancelled or simply forgotten to pay membership dues. For this reason, we would like to ask that you please notify us of your resignation or non-renewal of membership in writing, by email or post, at least 30 days prior to the new calendar year. This would help us avoid a lot of extra work and confusion, and for that we are truly grateful! The AWC Board

Please join us for coffee or tea and a piece of cake or a small meal at a lovely location at the Outer Alster Lake and meet and greet the new and long-term members of the American Women’s Club of Hamburg. Guests are very welcome! Please reply if you wish to attend.

Thursday, September 5, 2013, 18:00 Restaurant-Café Bobby Reich Fernsicht 2, 22301 Hamburg www.bobbyreich.de

Cost: What you order (coffee or tea and a piece of cake: 8,20 Euros)

Please reply to: hhelpers@awchamburg.org by Sunday, September 1, 2013 Nearest public transport: Bus 109, Stop: Harvestehuder Weg, or U1: Stop: Klosterstern

Congratulations! Birthday Girls

Currents September/October 2013

SEPTEMBER Beth G. Carol S. Stella K-R. Jana F. Birgit S. Irmingard Z. Doreen H. Kimberley K. Heike S. Freda P. Vivian Y-G.

3rd 7th 8th 9th 9th 20th 21st 21st 21st 28th 30th

OCTOBER Ann Gr-T. Eugenia S. Nancy F. Katherine B. Sigrid M. Cynthia H. Emilia J. Beate M. Marinell H. Brooke V. Sarah W.

1st 6th 9th 9th 13th 14th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st

FAWCO NE WS S eptember /O c tober by Tracy Moede

FAWCO R egion 5 M eeting in Cologne This year’s regional meeting is being hosted by the American International Women’s Club of Cologne on the weekend of November 10, 2013. As always in Region 5, we divide our time between FAWCO topics specific to our region of Germany and Austria, and FUN activities! Planned is a private tour of the Kölner Dom and a city tour of Cologne. Topics for this year’s meeting are: Charities – Who do we support as individual clubs? How do we fundraise? Should there be a common Region 5 Fundraiser? Communications – How do you manage your club’s website, e-newsletters, traditional mailings? Membership - How do you mobilize your members to become more active in club activities? If you have ever been curious about FAWCO, this is your opportunity to participate. Costs involved are transportation (train), hotel (special FAWCO rate at the Art’otel - with a roomie, if you wish) and conference fees (usually under €200, including meals). If you are interested, please contact Tracy Moede at mcmoede@arcor.de for more information. I look forward to seeing you in Cologne!

FAC TA Bank ing News Once again Lucy Laederich, the FAWCO US Issues & Committees Chair, has a message for the US citizens and Green Card holders in the AWC Hamburg. This is important information concerning banking, a topic that affects us all. Please help if you can. Thank you. -Tracy FATCA and FBAR (Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts) comprise a set of rules that are disproportionately hurting middle class U.S. citizens and green card holders who happen to reside abroad or maintain accounts outside the US. The European Parliament has begun to take a serious look at FATCA and its repercussions. They held a hearing on May 28 which is certainly only the first of many. FAWCO’s position in this regard (see the article on the home page and the letter sent to two of the Members of the European Parliament on the relevant committee) is focused, this time, not on the impact of FATCA on Americans living abroad, but on EU citizens, particularly of two categories: - EU citizens with American spouses or domestic/business partners: having problems with bank accounts, finding it difficult to plan for retirement/death due to issues with joint accounts and powers of attorney, etc. - “Accidental” Americans: born in the US but brought up abroad or with an American parent, many of whom may never have even realized they are, or could be considered to be, US citizens. We are asked (and are uniquely in a position) to provide information on this kind of banking or financial problem, on issues of privacy, data protection, and discrimination that directly affect EU citizens. This is an urgent call to all those with EU citizen spouses, partners or children who may be able to give us concrete examples of the problems they are facing or are worried about facing. Please write to USLiaison@fawco.org. 18

American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V.

FAWCO Fr iendship Quilt FAWCO Friendship Quilts have been a tradition for over 15 years and have raised thousands of dollars for FAWCO Foundation Philanthropic Projects. Interested in donating a square? Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a message from Roberta Zollner, AWC Munich about how you can contribute to the 2014 FAWCO Friendship Quilt:

1. Cut a strip of medium or dark fabric 3" x 19". Cut a strip of light fabric 2" x 19". Seam together on the long edge to make a strip 4.5" x 19". Press the seam toward the dark side. Check that your strip really is exactly 4.5" wide!

You know that we have a new Target Program: Women's Rights. The rights we enjoy in developed countries open to us "a world of possibilities" - choices of all we care to achieve. Our foremothers in the 19th century, deprived of a political presence, often used quilts to express their aspirations for social change, and raise money to support what they believed in. The names of many traditional blocks (Temperance T, 54-40 or Fight, Tippecanoe and Tyler Too) illustrate causes they supported. What rights would you fight to protect?

3. Lay out the squares in 2 rows of 2 with the light strip towards the top. Rotate the top right and lower left ones a quarter turn so the light strip is to the left.

Here's an extremely simple block, Endless Stairs, which reminds us that we can never stop working for women's rights and for positive change. http://quilting.about.com/od/blockofthemonth/ss/endlessstairs-quiltblock.htm This makes a block 8.5" square with seam allowance (8" finished size). In case the link doesn't work, here's what you do:

Currents September/October 2013

2. Cut from this strip 4 squares, each 4.5".

4. Sew the squares together. The resulting block should measure exactly 8.5". 5. Using an archive-quality permanent pen (I use Pigma 0.5mm, please DON'T use Sharpies), sign your name and the cause you think is worth a fight. Put it in one of the light strips so we can see it! The name of your club would be nice too. Please use 100% cotton fabric, batik fabric if you're feeling generous, and your favorite color. Deadline: October 10, 2013 Questions? rl.zollner@gmx.net Thanks for participating!

A Hear tfelt Thank You from India by Ulrike C. Henn

The land lies bare and burnt. For hours Father Robert de Costa, S.J. and I have been driving to visit “our” village. Finally in the middle of nowhere I see people and a sign reading: Raincatcher’s Watershed Development Programme, ParegaonKhurd, Total Area: 70 Hector, Funded by: American Women’s Club, Germany. Two women and a little girl, who shyly hands me a small bouquet of flowers, greet me. In 2010, during FAWCO’s target project “Water”, AWCs Hamburg, Düsseldorf and Cologne made donations to ITWDP (Integrated Tribal Watershed Development Programme), an organization that initiates and supports watershed projects for tribal groups in Maharashtra, India. With our help, 17 families started transforming their land and lives in Feb 2011. Now nine of the 70 hectares have been treated through hard labor with ground improvements and terracing, so that the rate erosion is decreased and the stone desert is transformed into agricultural land. By working up to two days a week for free, the villagers defray 20% of the costs: digging trenches, drilling and constructing a well to supply water for drinking and irrigation.

Even so the area has been suffering from a severe drought all through the past 3 years. Thanks to the land preparation the little rain that fell could be well utilized. When I visited in December 2012 our village still had enough water supplies that, if used carefully, will last till the next monsoon season. The villagers still had some 10 sacks of lentils and cereals, reaped from their own land to last them till the next harvest. The stockpile is safely kept in the one house which they were able to build with our help. However, there is still so much more work to be done. To my great relief, Father Robert was able to get some government funding for the work to be continued. And, since the villagers are paid by ITWDP fair wages for treating their own land, they no longer have to migrate in order to find work; their children can go to school. As it is, with the help of our donation ITWDP with its watershed programme acted as a point of entry. Many other related programs such as health care, education both for adults and children, and women empowerment now have a chance to follow and help the villagers of Paregaon-Khurd to autonomously better their future.

American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V.

BOOK RE VIE W

The Globalisation of Love by Wendy Williams Reviewed by Becky Tan

You didn’t know it, but you are a true GloLo. You are in an intercultural relationship, trying to live Hamburg-style, all for that cute German guy you followed to the ends of the earth, like maybe Schnelsen or Bahrenfeld.

Canadian author Wendy Williams married a man from Austria and lives in Vienna. Her experiences led her to write this book, a serious analysis of mixed-culture couples around the world. We can relate. In fact, we could have been in this one. Whether we could have written it, is another matter. Williams held hundreds of interviews, consulted similar books (22 titles on the reference list), and compiled statistics. She makes logical conclusions based on hard facts. There are many categories of intercultural relationships, which she calls GloLo couples. With 195 countries in the world there could be, for example, 18,915 possible intercultural partnerships, but individuals from the same country can also be “intercultural.” She divides them into Same Same, Different Different and Same but Different. Same Same could be two Germans, one from Buxtehude and one from a village in Bavaria or my second-generation, IndonesianChinese niece Imelda who married second-generation Indian Sameer, but both were both born and raised in Canada. Different Different would be many of us: American with a German partner. We have different cultural backgrounds and languages, perhaps different religions. Same but Different could be a second-generation Turkish man

who grows up more or less German and goes to Turkey for a Turkish wife who has never been out of the country. My Chinese friend grew up in Indonesia, studied and lived 40 years in Hamburg and is now married to a girl he met in China. They have the same language and profession but different cultural experiences. (Maybe we could have written this book.) In 306 pages Williams discusses how people meet (vacation, work, study), how they agree to tie the knot, how to meet the parents, how the actual wedding takes place (your country or my country, both countries, or secretly in the Las Vegas Graceland Chapel?). She includes mail order brides. GloLos have a good education. Often they are not mainstream, i.e., they were the “odd” ones in high school or in their home towns who always seemed out of place or were dissatisfied with the situation (e.g., gender bias) in their home country. Therefore it wasn’t surprising for them to leave. She discusses the impact of religion, colors (her term for race), language, children, food, and holidays. The Gobalisation of Love is quite interesting and definitely very pertinent for all of us. I especially liked the individual personal histories by GloLos themselves, as they described their situations. That made it up close and personal. I first met Wendy Williams at the FAWCO regional meeting in Augsburg last fall. She read from her book (and I bought five copies!) and we all discussed the topic with her. Luckily, you will have the opportunity to meet her yourself in Hamburg on November 6th (see the activity calendar, page 14, for more details.)

Bold Heroes - Trees on the Streets of Hamburg (German: Kühne Helden - Stadtbäume in Hamburg) By Ulrike Cameron Henn ISBN 978-3-00-038607-7 Reviewed by Carol Strametz

In her introduction, Ulrike Cameron Henn cites the medieval proverb “to measure the wealth of a city, just count the trees” and notes that Hamburg is a wealthy city with over 250,000 cadastral (boundary marking) trees along its streets. Ulrike presents her elegant compilation of 36 photographs of solitary trees at home in their urban environments. The black-and-white winter portraits, show the beauty and character of the naked trees with their bare branches and limbs in an architectural context. The oldest tree included, a common oak (Quercus robur), planted in 1755, towers proudly before tiny row houses in the Herschredderstraße. One of my favorite portraits, of a false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia), which was planted in 1900 and has grown sovereignly between two art nouveau apartment buildings in the Klopstockstrasse and now leans protectively over the street. I wonder, how did the London plane tree (Plantanus x acerfolia, 1848) on Sievekingplatz survive the bombings of Hamburg during the war? How could I have passed the daring chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum, 1900) in the Koppel, St. Georg, without paying it homage?

Currents September/October 2013

This book is an aesthetic gem honoring the remarkable nature of the “bold heroes on the streets of Hamburg.”

AR T RE VIE W

ART IN THE CIT Y Exhibitions selected and descriptions compiled byUlrike Henn

R.B. Kitaj, The Retrospective Through Oct. 27 at Hamburger Kunsthalle, Galerie der Gegenwart “Utterly American, longingly Jewish, School of London, I spin my years away from both my heartlands (...) in the diaspora I discovered that one is free to dare anything; in many other places this is not possible.” That is how American artist R.B. Kitaj (1932-2007) described himself. Around 130 paintings, prints and drawings have been gathered for this exhibit, with loans from leading international museums and private collections such as the MOMA and the Tate Collection. In this impressive display – the first comprehensive retrospective of the American artist’s work since his death five years ago – many of the elements, sources and stimuli that make up his compositions are revealed and illuminated. This was made possible by exclusive access to Kitaj’s extensive personal archive of texts and images, which served as a great source of inspiration for his paintings and collages, and was opened up for the first time for this exhibition. Works from every period – and hence every genre – of Kitaj’s consistently surprising oeuvre is represented: from the first paintings of the late 1950s to the largely forgotten material collages (created in collaboration with Eduardo Paolozzi) and screen prints of the 1960s, right through to the late Los Angeles pictures.

Richard Long, Prints 1970 – 2013 Through Oct. 20 at Hamburger Kunsthalle, Hamburger Gang Richard Long (* 1945) is a leading exponent of Land Art. For over 40 years he has been creating outdoor artworks throughout the world, using the movement of his own body, the act of walking through different landscapes, as the scale and medium for his art. Richard Long creates temporary sculptures in the landscape which he then photographs before leaving them exposed to the elements or the tides. The materials used, such as stones, pebbles or driftwood, are found in situ and assembled by him into distinct geometric forms such as circles, lines or ellipses. Long’s artistic oeuvre – encompassing sculpture, painting, photography and printmaking – is characterized by a direct integration of the landscape, his own physical presence and movement, and the incorporation of time as a fourth dimension. In this display all the prints created by Richard Long between 1970 and 2013 are being exhibited together for the first time.

Richard Long (*1945) Wind Stones, 1986 Offsetlithographie und Siebdruck auf weißem Karton, 60 x 80 cm © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2012 Photo: Museum Kurhaus Kleve, Annegret Gossens

Richard Long (*1945) Raumansicht Hamburger Kunsthalle: Im Vordergrund: Mountain Circle, Frankfurt, 1991; im Hintergrund: Rock Drawings, 1995 © VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn 2013 Photo: Hamburger Kunsthalle American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V.

AR T RE VIE W

Dionysus, The Power of Transformation Oct. 3 – Jan. 12, 2014 at Bucerius Kunstforum Dionysus remains the most fascinating of all the Greek and Roman gods. His allure is based on the mystery and abandon found in the Dionysian ritual as well as the way it liberates from social constraints. Since classical times, the god of joy, intoxication and fertility has been depicted in victory processions with his retinue of ecstatic dancing satyrs and maenads. Worshiped in religious mystery cults by the Greeks and the Romans, who knew him as Bacchus, Dionysus symbolized the triumph of life in Renaissance art. For Baroque painters, he represented the joy of life; he embodied a natural sensuousness and he and his bride Ariadne are among the most frequently depicted lovers in paintings. In works from classical antiquity to the 20th century, the exhibition draws attention to the lively, boisterous world of Dionysus. Translation of captions: (left) Bacchus and Ariadne, circa 1650, Old Masters Painting Gallery, Dresden State Art Collection, Caesar Boëtius van Everdingen (1617-1678): Bacchus und Ariadne, (right) The Little Bacchus, circa um 1650, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen 1623. Dresden

STEVE McCURRY, Over whelmed by Life through Sept. 29 at Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe

Women huddled to protect themselves during a dust storm, India, Rajasthan, 1983, © Steve McCurry / Magnum Photos / Agentur Focus

Photographer Steve McCurry sees himself as a traveller who contemplates the facets of human existence in his work. McCurry takes photos in crisis areas, aiming his lens not only at scenes he observes on the fringes of the actual conflict, but also at the people and landscapes war leaves in its wake. In breathtaking images, McCurry documents the wounds of war, disappearing cultures and their traditions, the consequences of globalization, and changes to the fabric of life. The exhibit comprises some 120 photographs taken between 1980 and 2012 in countries such as Afghanistan, the United States, Pakistan, India, Tibet, Kashmir, Cambodia, Indonesia, Burma and Kuwait. In addition, ten selected articles from Geo, National Geographic, Stern and Need magazines are displayed, which demonstrate how the work of a photojournalist is applied.

Guido Reni (1575-1642): Der kleine Bacchus, um 1623, Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden

BlackBerry, Kairo, 2012, Foto: Myriam Abdelaziz Currents September/October 2013

AR T RE VIE W

CAIRO, NEW TESTIMONIES FROM AN ONGOING REVOLUTION Through Nov. 17 at Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe The exhibition revolves around the political and social awakening of a generation in Egypt. That process became visible to the public when the mass protests began in Tahrir Square in Cairo on January 25, 2011, and is presently manifested in a new wave of protests and Mohamed Mursi’s overthrow. At the same time, the show examines the role of images and the new digital networks which played a part in initiating the rebellion as well as in recording it and spreading it around the world. Egyptian artists, photographers, activists and curators were involved in planning the exhibition, which features shots by foreign and Egyptian news agency photographers—the classic protagonists of journalistic coverage. A Twitter wall, video portraits of eyewitnesses, video recordings and photos made by activists and “civilian journalists” published on media portals such as Flickr, and documents Woman wearing burka at polling booth during election, Yemen, collected by artists, Sanaa, 1997, © Steve McCurry / Magnum Photos / Agentur Focus have been created as a means of expressing opinions, influencing the course of events, preserving memories, commemorating victims and bearing testimony. The exhibition sheds light on the omnipresence of digital observation, the live stream of the revolution, and the new forms of dissemination and alternative news reporting by way of communication platforms and social media such as Facebook and Twitter. The exhibit provides insights into the liberation movements taking place in the Arab world and accompanies a new chapter in the history of imagery. Translation of caption to the right: Women March in Protest in Cairo.

Protestmarsch von Frauen zum Pressesyndikat, Kairo, 20.12.2011, Foto: Ali Hazza

VISUAL LEADER 2013, THE BEST OF MAGAZINES AND INTERNET through Oct. 13 at Haus der Photographie, Deichtorhallen For the 11th time, the nominees and winners of the Lead Awards are being presented in an exhibition, Visual Leader 2013. Photographic series, magazine photos, advertising ideas and websites – the best of what German magazines, newspapers and the internet had to offer in 2012. For the first time there will also be an award for tablet magazines. This year, the exhibit has been divided up into two phases, with the public being offered the opportunity to participate interactively. In the first phase, through September 10, all the entries will be treated equally and visitors will be able to rank the entries for themselves and decide on their own prizewinners as part of a public vote. In the second phase, from September 13 through October 13, after the Lead Awards have been allocated, it will be announced which pieces the independent jury of experts has chosen to receive gold, silver and bronze prizes. These will be compared Manish Swarup Die letzten 50 Meter Erschienen in Der Spiegel with the visitors’ votes, which may be completely different or, indeed, exactly the same. Nr. 26 Translation of captions: (above) The Last 50 Meters of Manish Swarup, which appeared in Spiegel Magazine Nr.26, (right) Daniel Josefsohn: Are You Still Afraid of Turning Out Like Your Father? Zeit Magazine Nr. 38

Daniel Josefsohn Habt Ihr immer noch Angst, so zu werden wie Euer Vater? Erschienen in Zeit Magazin Nr. 38

American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V.

AR TS & ENTER TAINMENT

At the Movies compiled by Becky Tan

For a complete list of reviews, consult our on-line reports: www.awchamburg.org or www.KinoCritics.com MOVIE RATING SYSTEM

* * * * * Excellent flick! Don’t miss it! * * * * Good movie, worth going to see * * * Not a bad way to spend a few hours ** OK, but read the review to understand my reservations * Bad,butwe’vegottogivethemcreditformakingamovie!

The World’s End **

UK 2013 Starts September 12 Directed by Edgar Wright Writing credits: Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Eddie Marsan, Rosamund Pike Length: 109 minutes It is particularly disappointing when a cast and crew who have previously made some positively great films come together and make something so bland and frankly sad. Considering The World’s End is a movie about a group of men on a pub crawl realizing that alien space invaders have taken over their home town, it is pretty boring. The concept makes it seem like it has the potential for hilarity, but in fact, it borders on being bleakly tragic. Simon Pegg’s character is a man-child who peaked in high school and is desperately trying to bring back his former glory days by finishing the pub crawl he and his friends had started over twenty years before. The Currents September/October 2013

ALL FILM REVIEWS AND MORE CAN BE FOUND ON

other characters are not much better off than him, aside from having successful careers. So when Pegg’s character guilts them into going on the pub crawl, they all grudgingly go. It is a story about how friendships can be ruined by time and immaturity and about the problems inherent with living in the past. The first half of the movie consists of this tension between all of the characters. Just when things get a little too heavy, the alien/ robot plot begins, and things become a little more like the typical Pegg and Wright film. However, there is constantly a dark cloud looming over the whole affair, the realization that things did not work out the way they had all hoped. Even the ending is considerably bleak considering it’s supposed to be a comedy, and it was not very satisfying. In fact, it feels rather like a cop-out and doesn’t seem to fit the rest of the movie at all. The World’s End is like the poor relation of Pegg and Wright’s previous films Shaun of the Dead (2004) and Hot Fuzz (2007). There are many similarities between the films – having to make it to the pub for salvation, small town England filled with creepy townspeople with an “it’s for the greater good” mentality – but where previous films managed to bring comedy even in tragedy, The World’s End just falls flat almost every time. It feels tired and unimaginative, and considering that these filmmakers used to feel so fresh just makes this fact all the more sad. With its boring first half, tragic characters and lack of overall tension, The World’s End is not a particularly great film. There are small moments where the creative genius of Pegg and Wright’s previous films shines through, but these are too few and far between to make any lasting impression on the viewer. Save some money and rent Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz instead, you will enjoy the experience much more (Rose Finlay)

AR TS & ENTER TAINMENT Zum Geburtstag, geschenkt ist geschenkt **** Internship (prakti.com) *** (Happy Birthday: a present is a present forever) USA 2013 Germany 2013 Starts September 19 Directed by Denis Dercourt Writing credits: Denis Dercourt Cast: Mark Waschke, Marie Bäumer, Sylvester Groth, Sophie Rois, Johannes Zeiler, Saskia Rosendahl, Markus Quentin, Annette Lober Length: 96 minutes

“Now she is mine,” says Paul proudly. It is the year 1980 and it is his 18th birthday. His friend Georg and his girlfriend Anna spend the day at a picturesque lake in East Germany. After Paul plays a dirty trick on his school friend, Georg unceremoniously leaves Anna behind as a birthday present to Paul. Instead George picks up a “strange” black-haired girl and drives off with her. His parting words are, “I want her back whenever I return.” Thirty years later Paul (Mark Waschke) and Anna (Marie Bäumer) are still together. They have a beautiful teenage daughter Emelie (Saskia Rosendahl) and son Lukas (Markus Quentin). No one suspects that their happiness is built on Paul’s lie. Then Georg (Sylvester Groth) reappears. He is now Paul’s new boss. Their encounter is frosty as Georg seems to be acting mysteriously. He, too, is still together with the “strange” girl from the lake. Paul invites them to their country house and Yvonne (Sophie Rois) arrives with loud, provocative music, dressed in black like in her teenage years. At the table, she casually talks about how Georg got rid of her ex-boyfriend by telling the police of forbidden western music for which he was sent to prison. The atmosphere gets eerie and everyone feels uncomfortable. Back at the office, the successful financier Paul starts having problems. The mail arrives with fake photos showing him and his secretary in a compromising situation. Anna is suspicious and tension builds up between the couple. Paul feels helpless and threatened. Does Georg want Anna back? Or is he after their daughter? Has the past finally caught up with him? Paul’s best friend Daniel (Johannes Zeiler) is always there to help. What role is he playing in their lives? Zum Geburtstag is a psychological thriller with crisp, short dialog and an excellent German cast, using only subtle gestures and body language to convey few emotions. Sophie Rois with her typical rough voice is particularly well placed opposite the softly spoken Marie Bäumer. Apart from their numerous theater performances they will also be familiar to TV viewers. The young Saskia Rosendahl made a name for herself as Lore (2011) and was awarded European Shootingstar at the Berlinale 2013. Director Denis Dercourt (also script) was born in Paris, studied philosophy, is a music professor and started his film career in 1997 with a comedy Le déménagement! (The Move). Since then all his films were screened at the Cannes Film Festival’s section “Un certain Regard” where they were well received by the public and critics alike. This is his first German film. (Birgit Schrumpf)

Starts September 19 Directed by Shawn Levy Writing credits: Vince Vaughn, Jared Stern Cast: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, Asif Mandvi, Rose Byrne, Josh Brener Length: 119 minutes. Have you ever played a video game with your kids? If yes, than you can imagine two middle-aged salesmen competing with the generation “Harry Potter,” two forty-year-olds surrounded by a bunch of high-tech freaks, whose life experience is limited to virtual imagination, who only pretend as if they knew. They have many differences and only one thing in common: they are all unpaid interns at Google. Do they have any chance to win? When Billy McMahon (Vince Vaughn) and Nick Campbell (Owen Wilson) lose their jobs, they both have grave prospects for the future. “But future is not later,” one of the buddies says, when they decide to apply for a highly competitive internship at Google that might lead to permanent employment. With only limited knowledge of computer and internet, in a team of other “leftovers”, Nick and Billy stumble and fall at the beginning. Nevertheless they manage to show the young that there is life behind the computer walls, and the real ideas can’t be born without the connection to each other and to the real world. Though doomed to fail, they manage to build up a team and win the competition. Billy is ahead of his fellow trainees, not only physically, but also in the height of his experience. He feels himself lost in the internet jungle. Nick, played in Owen Wilson’s nonchalant manner, is more gentle and romantic. His relation with manager Dana (Rose Byrne) helps him to understand the Google side of life. Google is young, dynamically introverted, colourful, friendly, but somehow immature with no traces of private time and life. Its set is constructed as a huge adventure park, a mixture of baby playground and a high-tech Harry Potter attraction. The team manager Lyle (Josh Brener) is a 24-year-old copy of Harry: the same hairstyle, eyeglasses and shy look. One of the challenges is a wizarding sport of Quidditch, where the teams on broomsticks chase an alien-like man, named Golden Snitch. Numerous ordeals of two middle-aged buddies competing with high-tech nerds half their age provide for a number of humorous situations. The only person who falls out of the Google stream, is Mr. Chetty (Aasif Mandvi) director of the interns’ program, an ambiguous personality, performing a one-man show on himself. The end of the movie is very predictable: Billy and Nick have to fall before they rise. And these partly numerous, partly too obvious, obstacles lead to disappointment and annoyance, rather than to suspense. The experience and real life take the lead over the virtual one. Unfortunately, this real-life experience is limited to a wild night club party, romantic strolls through night San Francisco and a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge. There could have been so much more to that. If you want to have easy entertainment in the company of Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, and the Ghost of Harry Potter, and you are ready to accept the rising star of Google as another fictional character, go watch this film. (Anna Sizorina)

American Women’s Club of Hamburg e.V.

Currents September/October 2013