sisterMAG 29 – Cotton Candy & Prussian Blue – Section 1 by sisterMAG

COTTON CANDY & PRUSSIAN BLUE »No colour without glamour.« Peter Wolf

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Even after Easter, sisterMAG stays colourful – and starts with two new dominant colours into issue 29. All the romantics and water enthusiasts among us will be especially happy: We dive deep into pink and blue. The starting point are the colours »candyfloss and Berlin blue« that take us into the world of pastel fair dreams and artificially produced blue tones. If you love thrills you will be excited about an international guide to the best roller coasters of the world – and if that’s not enough, you will get a broad overview over the amusement parks that are most worth seeing. The calmer people among us make a historico-cultural trip into the Kingdom of Prussia – and get to know the surprisingly positive aspects of the controversial state of Prussia better. The warmer it gets outside, the more we like to walk in the fresh air. And there is nothing more important that convenient shoes! Our partner ara and its new sneaker model Fusion4 show that shoes can not only be comfortable but also stylish and chic. We invited eight influencers to test the Fusion4 with us. And during the pastelcoloured fashion shooting, every step was light as a feather for us.

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This section has a lot to offer on the culinary side as well – and is a highlight for sweet teeth: Together with Pinterest, we examine the online food trend »freakshakes« and transform our sisterMAG photo studio into a Mecca for candyfloss fans. Be it with iced sparkling wine or crunchy butter biscuits: Candyfloss is always a treat. As always, you find all recipes for download. If you are keen on fresh flowers in spring, you are lucky: Our floral expert Hürriyet Bulan who is on our cover this time as well shows us the most beautiful flatlays with pink flowers – and gets us in the mood for the feminine colour. By the way: The wonderful and huge flowers on the cover picture were made by the illustrator @jackieillustrated who we will visit at home for one of our next sections. So, off to a new round! Sit back and get to know the colours pink and blue in a very special way.

Yours, sisterMAG SISTER-MAG.COM

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Get in touch

Follow our colour stories, daily news from the sisterMAG office on Instagram! You can find pictures from the magazine, many Behind-TheScenes peeks and snapshots from our contributors. Furthermore we share give-aways, invitations and other exclusive activities on Instagram. Click here to follow: @SISTER_MAG

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SEITE 56

TABLE OF CONTENTS 29 SECTION 1 03 09

S E I T E 76

EDITORIAL

CONTRIBUTORS & TEAM

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OUR WISHLIST Cotton candy coloured things we would like to buy right now

TRADE, GOSSIP & FUN A Cultural History of the Fair by Alex Kords

FIND YOUR FANTASY! 7 magical theme parks to discover around the world

MAMAN – SUPERHERO A very special idea for Mother's Day from our Friends of »My Little Box« SISTERMAG FLOWER GUIDE WITH HÜRRIYET BULAN Our cover model and floral artist shows the sweetest rosé flowers FITS. SIMPLY. ALWAYS. Our sneaker special with eleven (!) blogger ladies who show us the new shoe from our partner ara

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THE ULTIMATE THRILL 7 record-setting roller coasters around the world

132 WHAT IS PRUSSIAN BLUE?

WE WANT CANDY! Favourite recipes of the sisterMAG team featuring this issue's hero: Cotton Candy!!

140 THE BIRDS THEY

FREAKSHAKES A colourful and very sweet trend – we talk to FreakShake expert Caro from blog Madmoisell

We find out more about a synthetic colour!

PUT IN CAGES Is it really something to wish for to be a (Prussian) princess? SISTERMAG 29 | 04 / 2017

#29

S E I T E 32

148 LO AND BEHOLD

Glad tidings from Prussia

154 IMPRINT

155 OUTLOOK TO OUR NEXT SECTION OF #SISTERMAG29

OUR COVER PHOTOS Zoë Noble MAKEUP & HAIR Aennikin Hair & Makeup

MODEL Hürriyet Bullan DRESS Evi Neubauer I L L U S T R AT I O N Jackie Diedam

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TEAM

MARKETING & ADMIN

TONI Marketing & Finance

PA R T N E R S

ALEX Vermarktung

O P E R AT I O N S

THEA Chefredaktion & Design

K R E AT I O N

SOPHIE MARIE Design & Kreation

LALE

Content Management

Video & Design

CHRISTINA Content Management

EVI Fashion

SONGIE Design

FRANZISKA Content Management

MEDEINE Video & Kreation

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CONTRIBUTORS TEXT Alex Kords kords.net

Christian Näthler @iamvolta

PROOF Christina Rücker @chrissi_rckr

Alex Kords kords.net

Sophie Siekmann @_sophiezucker

Christian Naethler @iamvolta

Ira Häussler @goldblackandi sisterMAG Team

Antje Ritter das-korrektiv.de Dr. Michael Neubauer

TRANSLATION

HAIR & MAKEUP

STYLING

Tanja Timmer @tanjastweets

Patricia Heck patriciaheck.de

Evi Neubauer pinterest.com/evin

Alex Kords kords.net

Aennikin aennikin.de

Cesco Spadaro cescospadaro.com

Christian Naethler @iamvolta Franziska Winterling @franziefliegt

SET DESIGN Bastian Altendorfer altendorfer-studios.com

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PHOTO & VIDEO

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ILLUSTRATION

Lale Tütüncübaşı @lale.yla

Jackie Diedam jackiediedam.com

Zoë Noble zoenoble.com

Songie Yoon @_sy.92

Hürriyet Bulan botanic-art.de

Emma Block emmablock.co.uk

Robin Kater robinkater.com

Beth Walrond bethwalrond.com

Fidelis Fuchs fidelisfuchs.com

FOOD Caroline Preuss madmoisell.com Thea Neubauer @thneu

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Trade, & n u f p i s gos A C U LT U R A L H I S TO R Y O F T H E FA I R

Fairs have evolved during the course of their long history from necessary endeavours of commerce to recreational events. We look at how incredibly important fairs were for the emergence of cities and how significantly they differ from today's national festivals.

Text | Alexander Kords Illustrations | Songie Yoon SISTER-MAG.COM

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(sometimes even with real ponies), a ferris wheel – this is how we picture a contemporary fair. Tightrope walkers, jugglers, and market hawkers – these are the personalities one used to encounter at these places. Every now and then, a tooth was pulled or a criminal lined up before the audience. No wonder, as the fair was the heart of a medieval city, even if only for a short time of the year. TO H O N O U R A S A I N T Most fairs were held for the first time in the context of ecclesiastical holidays such as Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost, or on days when a specially revered saint was remembered. »PÜTZCHENS MARKT« in Bonn, for example, is held every year on the second weekend of September because during this time, since the fourteenth century, believers would pilgrimage to the grave of the Holy Adelheid of Villich. Such events quickly developed into firm institutions which in turn caused settlements to eventually transform into cities. The right

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to establish a fair in the Middle Ages was given by the king of the territory on which the settlement was situated. He became the market leader and implemented special rights for the location where the market took place. All disputes that would arise on these grounds would be negotiated before a special market court which ruled in the absence of federal law. In the eleventh century, market law became so entrenched that it became the basis for municipal law. Since the population in the settlements became increasingly dependent on being supplied with food by farmers, markets became all the more indispensable. THOUSAND-YEAR-OLD MARKETS In GERMANY, there are several cities that can thank their development on the spur of fairs. In MAGDEBURG, for example, the first men's fair was held around the YEAR 1006 which is regarded as the oldest annual fair in the country. It still takes place every year, more than 1,000 years later, under the name MAGDEBURGER 15

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HERBSTMESSE .

Even events like the FREIMARKT in Bremen, the STOPPELMARKT in Vechta, and the LULLUSFEST in Bad Hersfeld look back on centuries-old traditions. Regular markets also played an important role in early urban planning. A strategic, central location would be established in larger towns where the market could be hosted. Even today, these marketplaces are the center of life in many cities. DY N A M I C T R A D E While annual fairs today are used primarily to entertain visitors, they were given various functions in the MIDDLE AGES. This is where people could offer the fruits of their fields, sell their livestock and their metal works or craft goods. Traders who would travel between cities and sell their goods regionally offered an interesting economic dynamism. There were also manufacturers from distant cities who would travel for days to reap the favourable sales opportunities in specialised markets. These foreigners brought money and goods into circulation and contributed SISTER-MAG.COM

towards the wealth of the local economy. A P L AC E FO R G O S S I P Local artisans who produced their products for the very limited market of their respective cities had found a wider customer base through the travelling traders. This also ensured that some regions specialised in certain commodities for which they are mostly known to this day. A fairâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s function as a gathering place was therefore highly regarded. Because many citizens were out and about with foreign traders mixed among them, a lively exchange of news took place which went far beyond the city walls. Regular markets also attracted travelling showmen who wanted to elicit a bit of flair through art pieces and demonstrations. For instance, FORTUNE-TELLERS, MUSICIANS, ARTISTS and ANIMAL KEEPERS all thrived in the fairytale setting of markets. Fairs in the Middle Ages even featured dancing bears. Scam artists who were not trained in healing promised interested passersby to cure them of diseases and 16

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exercised their dubious practice publicly. The most macabre demonstrations, however, included executions carried out at the market for the sake of entertainment. FA I R S TO D AY As it became no longer necessary to hold temporary markets for utilitarian reasons, fairs became more and more popular for people who took interest in their ability to entertain. The BREMEN FREIMARKT, for example, which was an annual fair in the first 700 YEARS of its existence, saw increasingly more attractions and rides built from the beginning of the nineteenth century. Cotton candy and bratwurst became staples. As in other locations, INDUSTRIALIZATION also played a key role in the evolution of fairs. Railways and cars made it

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easier to transport carousels and similarly heavy equipment, and the switch from electricity to steam power drastically reduced travel time. A fair’s function as a sales event, as it once was, can now be primarily observed at convention centres. Gossip is no longer seen in the marketplace, either, but in social media. However, weekly farmers’ markets are becoming more and more relevant with the increasingly popular trend towards healthy living. That, and the blessing that we don’t have to wait a whole year for fresh cheese, sausage and eggs.

Alexander Kords Alexander Kords grew up in Erfurt – the city with the most beautiful Christmas market in Germany. He currently lives with his wife and children in Wiener Neustadt. SISTERMAG 29 | 04 / 2017

Find your fantasy! 7 MAGICAL THEME PARKS TO DISCOVER AROUND THE WORLD There are hundreds of world-class theme parks around the world, but it takes something special to create a utopia of fun and fantasy worth telling your kids about one day. We explore 7 of our favourite spots that have achieved exactly that, offering a unique familyfriendly experience for your next holiday.

If this were a popularity contest, Disney properties would dominate our list from top to bottom. But since we know that the biggest isn’t always the best, we gave special consideration to theme parks that offer guests something truly special. From spectacular worlds of adventure dedicated to film, nature, fairy tales, the sea, and everything in between, here are 7 THEME PARKS AROUND THE WORLD WORTH PLANNING YOUR NEXT TRIP AROUND…

TEXT: CHRISTIAN NÄTHLER

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1. Walt Disney World O R L A N D O , U . S . A .

Perhaps this is a case where bigger really is better. The Disney brothers’ sprawling masterpiece in the heart of Florida truly is a kingdom, covering an area the size of San Francisco and welcoming almost 20 million guests per year. Walt Disney World boasts the

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MAGIC KINGDOM, EPCOT CENTER,

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»That's the real trouble with the world. Too many people grow up.«

ANIMAL KINGDOM, AND HOLLYWOOD

under its umbrella, each offering a unique, fully immersive escape from the real world. But be prepared: you’ll have to share the magic with over 50,000 visitors on any given day. STUDIOS

- Walt Disney

the Mir Space Station. Grimm’s Enchanted Forest, which lets you explore replica settings of Hansel & Gretel, Rapunzel and Little Red Riding Hood, among others, is an especially notable treasure.

2. Europa-Park R U S T , G E R M A N Y

3. Canada’s Wonderland

The second-most visited theme park in Europe after Disneyland Paris, Europa-Park near the city of Freiburg, sees around 5.5 million visitors pass through its gates every year. What makes this park unique are 14 INDIVIDUALLY THEMED SECTIONS that each capture the spirit of a European country. In »SWITZERLAND« , for example, you’ll find the Matterhorn Blitz rollercoaster, while »RUSSIA« boasts attractions based on

T O R O N T O , C A N A D A

Simply put: there is no better place on earth for ROLLERCOASTER AFICIONADOS . The park’s main draw is the 91-METRE LEVIATHAN , which roars at speeds up to 150 km/h. Canada’s Wonderland is also home to BEHEMOTH , a snaking

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coaster that drops at a 75-degree angle, the thrilling inverted coaster FLIGHT DECK and two bone-rattling wooden coasters that could very well be older than you are. save your appetite for a funnel cake, a deep-fried serving of batter topped with powdered sugar, fruit, chocolate, ice cream and pretty much anything your heart desires. INSIDER TIP:

opening. Highlights of the 176acre park include a re-creation of a bustling MEDITERRANEAN HARBOUR , the city of VENICE , the ARABIAN COAST , NEW YORK CITY HARBOR , and the LOST RIVER DELTA of Indiana Jones fame. A walk through Mysterious Island, based on narratives by author Jules Verne, takes you both on a »JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH«

and

»20,000

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UNDER THE SEA«.

4. DisneySea TOKYO, JAPAN

5. Tivoli Gardens

C O P E N H A G E N , D E N M A R K

How fitting that the brand that introduced us to The Little Mermaid’s catchy »UNDER THE SEA« also boasts an entire amusement park dedicated to the theme. DisneySea opened with an astonishing price tag of around three billion euros, which certainly paid off – it welcomed 10 million visitors in its first 307 days after SISTER-MAG.COM

In case the name wasn’t implicit enough, Tivoli Gardens is a blooming oasis of natural wonder with a plethora of attractions sprinkled throughout that range from thrill to chill. Bumper cars from the mid-1920s, a 63-metre

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drop tower, a scenic railway, fireworks and virtual reality experiences are just some of the activities that await within Tivoli’s green walls. That the park has been open for 173 YEARS is testament to its excellence.

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beloved.

7. Efteling KAATSHEUVEL, NETHERLANDS

6. Universal Studios HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA

No trip to Hollywood is complete without a stop at Universal Studios. The ultimate playground for MOVIE BUFFS , this 102-yearold movie studio and theme park really does live up to its billing as »THE ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF

Over six million guests a year take in Universal Studios’ life-size odes to big screen entertainment, including FILM-INSPIRED RIDES , SET TOURS, STUNT SHOWS , celebrity likenesses and kitschy souvenirs. The Simpsons, Jurassic Park and Transformers rides are especially LA«.

Calling all fans of fairytales, myths, legends, folklore and fables: this is your FANTASYLAND . Efteling is one of the OLDEST THEME PARKS IN THE WORLD and is twice as large as the original Disneyland in California, though its appeal is decidedly more niche. It stands out in the world of theme parks for its outstanding architecture and quality of attractions, the marvel of which is a doubleloop rollercoaster by the name of Python. FUN FACT: In 1971, Efteling was the first theme park to receive Europe’s highest tourism award, the POMME D’OR.

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Text: Christian NĂ¤thler

Seven record-setting roller coasters around the world

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing quite like the thrill of a roller coaster. We explore how these rides developed from 17th Century ice slides to become the behemoth attractions they are today. We also introduce you to seven record-setting coasters around the world.

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Who doesn’t remember the thrill of riding their first roller coaster? These days, theme parks around the world are abound with twisting, roaring, looping, and sometimes terrifying coasters with equally creative names to match – Apollo’s Chariot, Alpengeist, or California Screamin’, to name a few. Perhaps even more impressive is that these marvels of engineering have been around for more than two centuries.

About the Autor Christian Näthler is a content creator whose work spans all aspects of digital media. He grew up and studied in Canada, and currently lives in Berlin.

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http://bit.ly/2o3Zaag

Montagnes de Belleville The inspiration for roller coasters can be traced as far back as the 17th Century, when riders on wooden sleds would careen down ice slides in Russia. When a French businessman wanted to replicate these »Russian Mountains« in his native country, he quickly faced a logistical nightmare: it simply wasn’t cold enough to maintain the ice. So in 1817, the world’s first ride that saw sleds with wheels locked to a track was built – Les Montagues Russes a Bellevilles (The Russian Mountains of Belleville). In the United States, meanwhile, operators of the Mauch Chunk coal railway turned their track into a novelty attraction SISTER-MAG.COM

for passengers in 1829. It wasn’t until 1884 that American inventor and businessman LaMarcus Thompson developed what is considered the world’s first roller coaster purely for the purpose of recreation, the Gravity Pleasure Switchback Railway, on Coney Island. Today, of course, we have roller coasters that loop dozens of times, break highway speed limits, and warn the less brave that maybe this ride isn’t for them. Here are seven recordsetting roller coasters that have played a significant historical role and continue to shape the future of thrill rides…

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Switchback Railway The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first amusement roller coaster Coney Island, USA

descending a 13-metre drop on one side before ascending to the top of the other. The vehicle would then be switched back to return on the other side of the track, hence the name.

http://bit.ly/2o3USjp

Thompsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s masterpiece reached a top speed of 10 km/h when it was completed in 1884, and cost just five cents to ride. It featured a 183-metre track that spanned two towers, with bench-like cars

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Photo: Stevage

Scenic Railway The world's oldest continuallyoperating roller coaster Luna Park, Australia First opened in 1912, this foremost classic is still attracting visitors to this day. It was originally built from 65,000 metres of Canadian Oregon pine and offers stunning views of Port Phillip Bay. Despite its age, the Scenic Railway is capable of reaching speeds up to 60 km/h.

Photo: Sarah Ackerman

Formula Rossa The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest roller coaster United Arab Emirates

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Kingda Ka The world’s tallest roller coaster

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From the world’s fastest to the tallest, a title Kingda Ka is likely to retain for a while. This coaster shoots riders up a 139-metre tower before a mid-air U-turn sets them

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on course to drop back towards the earth. Oh, and it speeds along at over 200 km/h on top of that. Check out front seat videos of Kingda Ka on YouTube for a taste of what you can expect.

Photo: Martin Lewison

Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey, USA

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If you were impressed by the above, you’ll be blown away by the fact that Abu Dhabi’s Formula Rossa boasts a top speed of 239 km/h. Even more astonishing is that reaches that apex in just four seconds. Fun fact: the ride

is a major hit with Formula One riders, with Sebastian Vettel, Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, and Kimi Räikkönen all having added their names to the guest list.

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Photo: BenBowser

The Smiler The roller coaster with the most inversions Staffordshire, U.K.

This is the ultimate choice for thrill-seekers. The Smiler winds its way through a mesmerizing 14 inversions, so be sure to leave some time between hopping aboard and your last meal. There are other factors that make it one of the craziest rides on the planet, too, including a 4.5 G-force, 30-metre drop, and â&#x20AC;&#x201C; perhaps nothing to boast about â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a series of technical issues and incidents leading to injury since its opening.

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Photo: Alpsdake

Photo: Jared

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Expedition Everest The world’s most expensive roller coaster Walt Disney World, Florida, USA Walt Disney World went all-in to build Expedition Everest, which opened in 2006 with an astonishing 94-million euro price tag. What makes it so special? The track spans 1.3 kilometres, for one, and winds its way through a mountain at speeds up to 80 km/h. The ride is supposed to replicate a trip though the Himalayas to the base of Mount Everest, so if you’ve been toying with the idea of visiting Nepal, this might be your next best bet.

Steel Dragon 2000 The world’s longest roller coaster Nagashima Spa Land, Nagashima, Japan This mammoth coaster takes you on a fourminute journey over 2,500 metres of track, which is longer than most people can commit to sitting down and watching a video. Two tunnels and top speed of 153 km/h do their part in keeping riders interested, not to mention a drop of almost 100 metres in height. 29

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Text & Recipes: Christina RÃ¼cker Photos: Theresa Neubauer

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When coming up with the plan for developing cotton candy recipes, it was immediately clear to us that one thing was essential: We need a cotton candy machine! The setup was fairly easy, however, you’ll need a few test rounds to get the swing of it. Alternatively, you can always use ready-made cotton candy. Do splurge in the sweets and candy aisle, though! If the cashier doesn’t think you’re hosting a kid’s birthday party, it’s not enough!

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Cotton Candy Fizz

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FOR ADULTS ONLY

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Fetch your favourite CrÃ©mant, Prosecco, or Champagne (all brut), a nice glass and a small ball of cotton candy (1/2 the size of your palm). Put the ball into your glass and pour over the cold fizz. Cin Cin! SISTERMAG 29 | 04 / 2017

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FOR COFFEE LOVERS

Those tired of Caramel lattes will love this one. Get a glass or mug, (aprox.) 150ml of hot milk, a double shot of Espresso and a cotton candy ball the size of your palm. Hang it across your glass and pour over the fresh espresso. Use as much as you can handle!

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Goodness Sweet

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FOR COOKIE MONSTERS

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For our fancy version, lay out butter biscuits on a tray and put the marshmallows on top. Grill at 200Â° for 6-8mins. When soft and lightbrown, retrieve from the oven, add small balls of cotton candy and put a second biscuit on top. Dip in sprinkles for the glow.

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FOR EVERYONE SISTER-MAG.COM

A success at every (kids') party: Design your own cotton candy! Get ice cream cones or easily make some from paper. Fill the cone with cotton candy balls the size of the cone opening. Garnish the sugar out of it and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to party!

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Bon a

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s u o i c i l e d y l s Tremendou

S E K A H S K A E R F

COOKIE MILKSHAKES ROUNDUP by Salty CANARY

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Currently, there’s no way of coming past them online. They are sticky, huge, creative and colourful. They even replace a whole meal! On top of that, they look plain gorgeous: freakshakes! These milkshakes which look like works of art are decorated with various delicacies: donuts, marshmallows, brownies, pretzels, crumbles, even crisps… there’s no limit to your fantasy!

PHOTOS & INTERVIEW | MADMOISELL.COM

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Pioneers for the massive shakes are Australia and the USA. After freakshakes were invented in a small café named »PATISSEZ« in Canberra and rapidly spread over the social networks soon after, New Yorkers have been enjoying monster milkshakes in opulent dimensions in the restaurant

Of course, the most fun is the decorating itself since you can use chocolate cream that works like glue to stick almost everything to the milkshake glass or to pile

»BLACK TAP«.

Thanks to Pinterest, sisterMAG was able to test the delicious trend – and we created our very own pieces of art at the official PINTEREST FREAKSHAKE WORKSHOP. That was a lot of fun and showed us that milkshakes don’t have to be as sweet as they look: Only the garnish has a lot to offer. If you like your milk drink to be lighter, you can create a »light version« of the colourful sweetness with ingredients like skim milk, low-fat milk yoghurt and lots of berries and fruits. At least as delicious is the sugared version: pieces of brownies, milk, cream, peanut butter and a lot of cocoa make thes unsuitable to a slender shape – but definitely worth a sip.

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» For me, a freakshake is almost like art. When chocolate runs down the glass and popcorn recklessly holds on to the shake, you see how elaborately the shakes are draped nowadays. You see the high craftsmanship

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Follow our Freak Shake Board on Pinterest!

it up. Cream, donuts, cookies, cotton candy – we had everything the heart of a gourmand desires.

CAROLINE OF »MADMOISELL«

is an absolute freakshake expert and not only lead the Pinterest workshop but also talked to sisterMAG afterwards – about what freakshakes are about and why they are so bloody delicious. You read her TIPS AND TRICKS in this interview.



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h t i w w e i v r I nt e

E N I L O R A C

bigger and crazier the better.

Yes, they really grow higher and crazier. Where does the trend come from?

What exactly is a freakshake?

It’s pretty simple like that: It’s just a milkshake that looks freaky. You have a »conventional« shake and decorate it with extraordinary toppings. For example, you coat the glass rim with Nutella, then dip it in colourful crumbles, and when you put a donut on top of that you garnish it with cream or cotton candy. What’s more, you can add elements like chocolate-coated strawberries, marshmallows or popcorn. The SISTER-MAG.COM

It comes from Australia. That’s at least where I found them first and the most. The Australian blogger HELLO MS. MAY has a food network including an inspirational Instagram community where freakshakes have been posted for a long time. As a creator, she’s on a very different level. For her, freakshakes are almost passé again. The trend then went from Australia to New York. By now, the colourful creations have finally arrived in Germany. That’s what I recognize in the interest in my projects. The interactions and follows on freakshake pins have increased – also from Germany.

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Do people use the function on your Pinterest where they can mark that they tried out the freakshakes?

Not really. On my Pinterest, this is used for very simple DIYs, like creating Easter eggs. Simple things that can be done faster. For me, freakshakes seem to be an inspiration for people. They save them for a children’s birthday party but for many Germans it’s too crazy and too unhealthy. But possibly, the shakes are wrongfully ill-reputed.

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you see how elaborately the shakes are draped nowadays. You see the high craftsmanship in the colouring as well – be it blue or pink or a different colour. Every component has to fit in. It’s not so much about the drink or the taste of the shake but about the entire work in a visual way. Maybe that’s what keeps Germans away from freakshakes. Where did you come across freakshakes first?

Originally on Instagram, then on Pinterest. On the latter, I

Yes, that’s what I thought as well during our Pinterest workshop that you lead. Everybody asked me afterwards if it’s especially sweet and if they get sick from it. I didn’t perceive it as being so bad. After all, the milkshake in the glass is

Waffle Brothers Kantstraße 118 10625 Berlin, Germany sun-thu 11:00-23:00 fri-sat 11:00-00:00

as sweet as you want it to be.

For me it’s like eating a donut with a milkshake. And if you want to, you can drop the donut. For me, a freakshake is almost like art. When chocolate runs down the glass and popcorn recklessly holds on to the shake, 49

Pignut BBQ Arminiusstr. 2-4, 10551 Berlin, Deutschland mon-thu 6pm-10pm fri-sat 12pm-10pm

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Patissez 21 Bougainville St Griffith, Australia mon-sun 7.30am-4.30pm

madmoisellcom madmoisellcom

rather found recipes while I find the inspiration on how cool a freakshake can look on Instagram. On the other hand, the practical tips and »more normal« designs can be found on Pinterest. There are good milkshake recipes but they shouldn’t be as freaky. On Instagram, the rule applies: The freakier the shake the more likes the picture gets. This matches the focus of the platforms as well: Pinterest is rather a platform for ideas and the actual realization while you go to Instagram to look for inspiration. Did you just start then or did you watch tutorials first?

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To be honest, I thought about how it could work in a logical way. Actually, it’s not that hard. You dip the glass in chocolate, put a milkshake into the glass and a donut on top. Then I just thought about what could look cool as well. Are there more tutorials by now?

There are more videos now because the content looks great and food always works in videos. I love the trick with Nutella and chocolate as well as the one on how you can make chocolate run down the glass. This also works with honey and caramel sauce. But you can use your creativity as you wish. It always succeeds!

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Black Tap Craft Burgers & Beer 529 Broome St, New York, NY 10013, USA mon-sun 11am-01am

Do you have a favourite recipe?

I always take what’s in the fridge. I like the combination of banana, peanut butter and coconut. Fresh strawberries or frozen blueberries with yoghurt are great as well. Honestly: How many freakshakes can you drink?

My maximum was one and a half. I finished a freakshake with toppings and had half of another one. But I am a special case, I also can eat two donuts in a row. Have you found other freakshakes café’s yet?

So far, I only found one café on Kantstraße in Charlottenburg (but to be honest, it’s not hundred percent presentable on Instagram). I would love to go to New York and Australia because there are some cafés that concentrate on freakshakes.

Maxwell's 8 James Street Covent Garden London, UK mon-fri 11.30am-12am sat-sun 9.30am-12am

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, m o M o r e h r e p u s e t a m i t l u e th At least once a year we should make a point of saying THANK YOU to our moms. One could say Mother’s Day was invented to make sure we don’t forget. While UK moms are traditionally celebrated in March, the German »Muttertag« is the 2nd Sunday in May, this year’s is on the 14th.

Mother knows best! That’s hard to argue with. After all, the very first thing your mother did for you was to give you the best present even: life. And after that? That’s when mum really came into her own: While we tried to figure out how to toddle, she kept us well fed, cured all our little aches and injuries and dressed us in outfits ranging from the utterly adorable to the unspeakably hideous – probably the reason so many family photos are mysteriously lost. So it’s no wonder that as soon as we are old enough to pick our own outfit, mom gets benched. Even the »Gilmore Girls« have to admit to several rough patches in their SISTER-MAG.COM

mother-daughter-bestfriends relationship. But no matter how often we check in, how crooked our eyeliner, whatever exam we may have failed, mum doesn’t mind! When we come to visit we’re greeted by our favourite kind of biscuits and water in the kettle. For doing that and going above and beyond in a million other ways, mothers deserve a big fat THANK YOU every single day. But since most of us struggle to even call every single day, it’s very handy to have this one dedicated day a year on which to make up for it: Mother’s Day!

COTTON

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"All that I am I owe to my mother" – Abraham Lincon

s t c a F n Fu

Mother’s Day is celebrated all over the globe but on different days of the year! Last in the annual calendar is Indonesia on 22nd December. In the US, Mother’s Day is the holiday connected to the highest trade revenues after Christmas. Last year people spent 4.2 billion Dollars celebrating it. In Britain, »a-mothering« was a chance to break lent as Simnel Cake, a sweet fruit cake with a layer of marzipan, was traditionally eaten on this day. In France, the entire family comes together for the day and presents their Maman with a cake topped with floral decorations. Although she initiated the modern version of Mother’s Day, Anna Jarvis did not become a mother herself.

Same day – different variation

In most countries, one day a year is dedicated to the celebration of mothers, usually in March or May. Although it‘s only been regarded as a proper holiday since the 20th century, the roots of Mother‘s Day reach way back into Ancient Greece where Rhea the Titaness goddess of motherhood was worshiped in a variety of different rituals. Her Roman equivalent

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Cybele, also known as Magna Mater (»Great Mother«), inspired a comparable cult. The religious thread these origins share can be traced up to its relatively recent official recognition as a holiday: In 1907, Methodist Anna Jarvis decided to hold a »Memorial Mothers Day Meeting« on the Sunday after the second anniversary of her mother’s death which happened to be in May. She managed to persuade her Methodist Church to repeat the event the following year, this time celebrating ALL mothers and handing out white carnations as a token of appreciation. After another seven years of intense lobbying, it became an official annual holiday in 1914. In Britain, though unofficially, Mother’s Day had been celebrated for centuries on Laetare Sunday, the fourth Sunday of lent and a special day for celebration within the austere period. It was a chance for many (young) servants to be released from their jobs to visit their respective mother churches which in turn meant visiting family – and their actual mothers which is why it was called to go »a-mothering«, later SISTER-MAG.COM

»Mothering Sunday«. In 1913, Constance Smith, the daughter of a vicar, read an interview with Anna Jarvis and promoted the resurrection of the tradition in her own country becoming instrumental in making »Mothering Sunday« a national day of celebration. Despite its popularity, however, Mother’s Day is not an official Bank Holiday. Germany was very late to the party and celebrated its first Mother’s Day in 1923. With the flower trade as the driving force behind the effort to adopt the celebration of mothers from other countries, it has always been a very commercially-minded holiday. Although it is not an official Bank Holiday in Germany either, it does enjoy a special status due to its inception by an alliance of trade associations. No matter how much the ways in which the day is celebrated internationally vary, they all share in common the underlying thought of saying THANK YOU to our mothers and give them a lovely day. Definitely not the worst idea in the world!

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"A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path." â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Agatha Christie

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PRUSSIAN

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L O F W G E A

IDE

hürriyet

SISTER

COTTON

@ B OTA N I C A R T

Photos: Lale Tütüncübasi

| Text: Thea Neubauer

This edition’s cover portrays a very special contributor of sisterMAG: Hürriyet Bulan. At sisterMAG, she’s the creative genius behind all those lavish and exceptional flower decorations you see at our events. On top, she’s a dear friend of the team! Fitting to our theme of »Pink and Blue«, we asked for her expert advice. The following flower guide shows Hürriyet’s favourite flowers in pink – covering all kinds from aquilegia to vetch! What’s more, we also include two beautiful bouquets including instructions on how to bind and a pink-coloured wallpaper available to download.

Hürriyet Bulan is a Floral Artist with her own studio in Berlin. Her flowery adventures started in New York where she worked as a floral artist for many years. Today, she specialises on events & weddings, but also photgraphy.

www.botanic-art.de

Pa e o n i a

Selection number 1 comes in hues and bold shades of pink. The pale pink blossoms of the Shrub Peony and Aquilegia, mixed with the exotic looking Flame Lily provide these dark-pink blossoms with lightness..

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Aqu i l e g i a

selection 1

& PRUSSIAN

Pa e o n i a

CANDY

C o n va l l a r i a m a j a l i s

Vi c i a

G lo r i o s a S u pe r b a COTTON BLUE

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Peonies

– Paeonia –

Peonies impress us with their size and broad range of colour. Those who can grow these in their garden, can count themselves lucky. For, they’re always among the more expensive flowers at the shops. Suitable for your vases at home are mostly the »common-peonies« as they live up to their money’s worth. A few tips on making them last long in the vase, are in the box to the right.

Pa e o n i a

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Ti p s f o r c a r i n g Cut the stem by about 5cm (using a sharp knife).

Fill the vase with lukewarm water.

Peonies should be placed at a cool and bright spot.

They have a strong disklike for draught!

Every 2-3 days, cut the stems further (slantwise). Re-fresh the water regularly. Add a few drops of lemon juice to the water.

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â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Convallaria majalis â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

Lily of the Valley Pfingstrosen

A true favourite among the sisterMAG-team, which is why the small and white Lily of the Valley made it into our pink-flower guide. Their long stems are covered with five to ten blossoms and they grow up to 10 and 30 cm. Perfect for small vases which you can distribute all over the house.

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CANDY

PRUSSIAN

BLUE

The Lily of the Valley was crowned »Poisonous Plant of the Year« in 2014

lar

s i l ia maja

, s u o n o s i o s t p ui e r r f a d t n ! n r a a a l l s p u m c e i o t h ss ar ft o p o l b s in t e r n h a t p re y l d l l l l i A pecia all ch es sm d n mi

COTTON

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Vetches

– Vicia –

Vi c

No garden without Vetches! The soft blossoms release a wonderful smell and they can grow everywhere, literally – a self-built wooden frame, or a simple fence. If need be, you can simply span some rope between two poles. The Vetches will climb these anyway. Even better, Vetches are uncomplicated as cut-flowers, too. Just put them in a vase and the Vetches will even keep growing to become more lavish and - if possible - prettier in there! Our next experiment: Will Vetches proof suitable to the Urban Jungle of Berlin? :)

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PRUSSIAN

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Buttercups – Ranunculus Asiaticus –

Buttercups originated in the Orient and came to England through Turkey – already in the 16th century! Ever since, the flower has spread all over Europeand has grown to become as equally important as Tulips.

Ran un cu

i at

icus

Ti p s f o r C a ring

Cut the s tem

every 2 days ( ap

prox.).

Re-fresh the water in t heir vase regularly. Don't put too much wa

ter in the vase!

When buying Buttercups, m ind that the inner blossom leaves are closed.

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h ü r r i ye t ' s

TIP Used repeatedly for wedding PRETTY IN PINK

THE BOUQUET

COTTON

bouquets by Hürriyet, she recommends tieing a white- and creme-coloured satin ribbon around your bouquet to make it a nicer-looking dinner present. Fix the bouquet with a rope and lossely tie the ribbon around it. 67

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A dream in antique pink. Almost vintage-like is the appeal of this selection shaped by the blossoms of Larkspur and branched Roses.

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Po lyg o n at u m

selection 2

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Rosa

Fr i t i l l a r i a pe r s i c a

D e l ph i n i u m COTTON & PRUSSIAN

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The Larkspur belongs to the crowfoot family. Similar to the Lily of the Valley, it's poisonous. However, it was used as a medicine during Antiquity. The long, slanted stems are covered heavily with blossoms. The cultured version from florists can live up to 3 weeks in a vase.

Larkspur

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Delphinium â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

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PRUSSIAN

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Persian Fritillary â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fritillaria persica â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

A real tongue twister is the Persian Fritillary, also called Persian Imperial Crown or Fritillaria persica. She's a close relative to the imperial crown. Particularly seducive is the deep and velvety colour of the bell blossoms and the thick stem. A flower which certainly dominates a bouquet. Origin: Irak, Iran & Syria, large quantities have also been found near the city of Adiyaman,therefore, she can also carry that name.

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COTTON

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PRUSSIAN

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h ü r r i ye t ' s

SELECTION ANTIQUE PINK

THE BOUQUET

TIP The more, the better! Or as Hürriyet admits herself during our little Photoworkshop: sometimes, even she can hardly stop herself! The heavy Frittilaria enhance the bouquet with decadence, making it seem somewhat historical.

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And now: off to the flower shop or garden! High time to get your own rose-coloured

hÃ¼rr iyet

IDE

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LOWE F G R A

flowers!

@ B O TA N I C A R T

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PROMO

FITS. SIMPLY. ALWAYS.

HA S HTAGS

#arashoes # fusion4

PHOTOS

R O B I N K AT E R

VIDEO

LALE TÜTÜNCÜBASI

STYLING

C E S CO S PA DA R O

H&M.

PAT R I C I A H E C K

AENNIKIN

SUPERVISION

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& TEXT

SOPHIE SIEKMANN

SETTING

BASTIAN A LT E N D O R F E R

For more than six decades, ara, a German family business, has been renowned for shoe fashion of the highest quality. ara‘s driver? Their customers‘ desires. ara‘s mission? FASHION & FUNCTION! ara is a global player trading in over 70 countries and on several continents; its five production sites bear witness to the solid growth of the company’s distribution network, generating annual sales of 7 million pairs of shoes. With their newest creation, FUSION4, ara is gearing up to shake up the sneaker market with a sporty-casual shoe that not only dynamically adapts itself perfectly to its wearer’s foot, but also makes for a stylish companion wherever the day may take you. ara dares to promise THAT FUSION4 FITS.SIMPLY.ALWAYS.. We have decided to dedicate an extensive photo gallery to this fascinating company as well as dive deep into its history and meet STEFAN FRANK (board member for Sales & Marketing, Development, Central Purchasing) – all this to share the sheer excitement FUSION 4 has brought to the sisterMAG office!

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PROMO

ara

-sh

s.c

Any woman who heroically tackles every new day’s challenges head-on will want to put the promise of a stylish shoe that FITS.SIMPLY.ALWAYS. to the test. Juggling work and family life is hard enough as it is, and she deserves to do it feeling good about her shoes – their fit as well as their style. We invited a diverse group OF ELEVEN WOMEN AND BLOGGERS from all over Germany to join us in Berlin to put FUSION4 to the test and find out if the stylish sneakers can keep the promise of a perfect fit - anywhere. We recreated typical settings from the influencers’ daily lives, including food styling in our kitchen, a shopping trip, and letting their creative juices flow in our DIY room. As diverse as the group of women we got to accompany may have been, their thoughts on shoes are unanimous: SHOES HAVE TO BE BOTH COMFY AND STYLISH!

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T R E A D I N G S O F T LY W I T H

»Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world« – Marilyn Monroe

LY N N & F A M I L I E

Heaven Lynn Healthy

DENISE

Frl. Ordnung

KARIN

CLAUDIA

Innen & Außen

Was Für Mich

ANJA

Butik Sofie

Schminktante

REBECCA

Elfenkind Berlin

A R TA

Model

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PROMO

01 LYNN & FAMILY

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FO U R A PPLE S , FO U R S H O E S

FO U R G I RL S ,

H E AV E N LY N N H E A LT H Y

Lynn is passionate about healthy and delicious food â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and blogging about it. A family woman through and through, she is very close with her two sisters, May Britt and Malin, and her mother, Dagmar. Their resemblance is uncanny and so is their strength as a team against whatever life may throw

LY N N



M AY B RIT T

 MAMA DAGMAR



MALIN

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PROMO

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at them. Cooking together is even more enjoyable when standing for long stretches of time doesn’t wear you out. ara’s Fusion4 has you covered there. The hours of our photo shoot seemed to fly by thanks to many giggles and very comfy silver, dark blue, and black shoes, which the four didn't want to take off even when we were done! INTERVIEW

ALL ABOUT THE SHOES

 WATCH THE INTERVIEW

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PROMO

LY N N H Ö F E R  OVERALL

IV Y & OAK

M AY B RIT T H Ö FE R  PANTS

UNIQLO SHIRT

LEVI'S

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PROMO

DAGMAR HÃ&#x2013;FER JACKET

KIOMI OVERALL

KIOMI

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MALIN HÃ&#x2013;FER DRESS

BARBOUR JACKET

JACQUELINE DE YONG

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FE E L PRE T T Y & WA LK

PROMO

KARIN INSIDE & OUT

Karin is a beauty expert blogging with a focus on cosmetics and care products. Her guiding principles are honesty, authenticity, and fun (no wonder, she’s a blonde!) Her job takes Karin to a variety of clients and places each week, so a comfy outfit is a must. But in order to really suit her character, it also has to be stylish. Karin was immediately smitten with a



WATCH THE INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW

ALL ABOUT THE SHOES SISTER-MAG.COM

Fusion4 pair in fashionable shades of grey â&#x20AC;&#x201C; effortlessly trendy and uniquely versatile. Karin

headed from our photo shoot straight to the airport with the delicate HiFlex shaft sneakers still on her feet.

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PROMO

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TOP

TOPSHOP JACKET

CIRCLE OF TRUST PANTS

ZARA

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PROMO

FA M I LY M A N AG E M E NT TH E G E NTLE TO U C H

CLAUDIA SOMETHING FOR ME

Claudia is motherhood personified – and currently expecting baby No. 4! Looking after her three boys outside Hamburg, Claudia still manages to give in to her creative side on her DIY mommy blog. She is also an expert when it comes to comfy shoes: as a pregnant mother of three, there is no rest for Claudia and

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she needs a pair of shoes that give her the energy to chase after her brood. ara sneakers provide both comfort and style and make for an ideal companion on her way to buying a onesie for the imminent arrival, for example.

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PROMO

PANTS

MAMA LICIOUS SHIRT

MINIMUM SISTER-MAG.COM

INTERVIEW

ALL ABOUT THE SHOES

 Q. IN YOUR PERSONAL OPINON, WHAT MAKES A COMFY SHOE?

Mileage is the most important aspect for me. I need to be able to go on and on and on – on an even surface, on cobble stones, on sand, and in a meadow. And it has to look stylish. Q. WHEN IS IT ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO WEAR COMFY SHOES?

To be honest, I’ve really only ever worn comfortable shoes since I’ve had my first child – and now that I am pregnant again, that’s especially true. A good shoe needs to stay comfy even when your feet swell up. Q. AND WHAT SHOULD YOUR IDEAL COMFY SHOE LOOK LIKE?

Really uncomfortable, maybe?! No, but seriously, when you see it, you should think, »Oh, it’s really pretty!« Not, »Oh, I’m sure it’s really comfy!« Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT ARA’S FUSION 4?

It makes your feet look beautifully delicate. It is very comfortable and versatile. 95

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S T Y LI S H CO M FO RT I N A N Y S IT UATI O N

PROMO

REBECCA LINA

Rebecca Lina is an actor, designer, author and blogger – and also a mother of two. According to her own estimate, she is on her feet for at least 12 hours a day. Needless to say, a wardrobe full of high heels would not suit her life. Rebecca insists on pretty shoes, however, whether she’s off to the playground with her kids or her design studio. A pair of light grey Fusion4 by ara are her perfect fit and afford Berlinbased Rebecca a stylish fashion highlight and a pain-free day on her feet – however long it may turn out to be.

ELFENKIND

04 SISTER-MAG.COM

PANTS

MINT & BERRY BLOUSE

SAMSØE & SAMSØE

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PROMO

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

WATCH THE INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW

ALL ABOUT THE SHOES

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PROMO

05 DENISE FRÄULEIN ORDNUNG

S TE P BY S TE P CO M FO RT SISTER-MAG.COM

Denise is a mother of three. She lives near the German town of Münster and helps people bring order and structure into their lives. Tidying and de-cluttering are also the main topics on her blog, through which she shares ideas with her readers. As a mother of three, Denise is always on the go and hence in need of comfortable shoes – and pretty ones, too. Just like her new pair of Fusion4 by ara

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WATCH THE INTERVIEW INTERVIEW

ALL ABOUT THE SHOES

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ANJA

A SHOE FO R A LL S E A S O N S

BUTIK SOFIE

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Anja lives near Cologne and runs a lifestyle blog on all things food, DIY, travel, photography and the like. Both in her capacity as a blogger and a mother, Anja is hardly ever off her feet and often out and about until late â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which she enjoys, especially with a comfortable pair of sneakers to help her through her day. This sounded like the perfect job for a silver pair of Fusion4 by ara, who are now her trusted companions!

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INTERVIEW

ALL ABOUT THE SHOES

ď ˝ Q. WHAT MAKES A COMFORTABLE SHOE IN YOUR OPINON?

A sole that has great absorption so as to give you a soft yet secure feeling when you walk. Q. HOW MANY HOURS A DAY ARE YOU ON YOURFEET?

My day starts at 6:00 a.m. and ends at around 10:00 p.m., and my job keeps me moving all day so comfy shoes are a must. Q. WHAT SHOULD YOUR IDEAL COMFORTABLE SHOE LOOK LIKE?

Ideally it should combine style and comfort. A comfortable shoe still needs a certain stylish something to tickle my fancy. I usually opt for stylish sneakers. Q. WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT THE FUSION 4 BY ARA?

It ticks all the boxes named above. It is crazy comfortable and still versatile and stylish.

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PROMO

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BLOUSE

WE PANTS

CHEAP MONDAY

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PROMO

A B U N D LE O F E N E RGY ' S PE RFEC T CO M PA N I O N

07 SISTER-MAG.COM

ANJA S C H M I N K TA N T E

Professional make-up artist Anja shares her insights on all things beauty, fashion and life style on her blog »Schminktante« (German for »make-up aunt«). From beauty tips to bridal make-up and behind the scenes reports from her many travels, there is no rest for Anja, which is why she likes her shoes best when she doesn’t even notice them. She did, however, notice ara‘s Fusion4, whose slim lines and snug fit caught her eye immediately and proved to be a perfect match for the energetic blogger.

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PANTS

PA IGE BLOUSE

SAMSØE & SAMSØE

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INTERVIEW

ALL ABOUT THE SHOES



Q. WHAT MAKES A

Q. WHAT SHOULD YOUR IDEAL

COMFORTABLE SHOE IN YOUR

COMFORTABLE SHOE LOOK

OPINON?

LIKE?

I consider shoes comfortable when I don’t notice them on my feet; when they feel like you could literally live in them and you’re looking forward to putting them on each day. I wear my favourite pair of shoes so much more frequently than all the others.

The phrase »a really comfortable shoe« used to make me think of orthopedic footwear, which is of course exactly what shoes should NOT look like. But the rise of the sneaker has made shoe manufacturers reconsider the

Q. WHEN IS IT ESPECIALLY

connection – thank God – and now

IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO WEAR

you can actually find shoes that

COMFY SHOES?

are stylish and comfortable.

My feet like it smooth: a light shoe with a soft sole in which they can stay comfortable all day. I love travelling, which I get to do a lot for my job, and I like exploring new places on foot. I used to take a change of shoes because I couldn’t get through the day in the same pair - something somewhere would always start hurting. A properly comfortable shoe should see me through the entire day without aches or blisters and on a multitude of surfaces.

I think it’s alright for a comfy shoe to pick up on fashion trends. Its design needs to be simple enough to go with many outfits but fashionable enough to fetch admiring glances. Q.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST

ABOUT THE FUSION 4 BY ARA?

The Fusion4 looks slim, which makes it elegant and thereby perfect not just with jeans but also with a skirt or a dress. The flexible knitted shaft fitting itself to any foot is brilliant!

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PROMO

ARTA MODEL

PRE PA RE D FO R A N Y TA S K SISTER-MAG.COM

Arta is a full-time model and always on the go. She has even stood in front of the camera for ara before. During her jobs, she often wears high shoes - whether chic or more relaxed and comfortable. With her ara sneakers, she can also work for hours at trade fairs without getting aching feet thanks to the pleasant Dynergy sole. And Arta can combine the black sneaker with almost anything! The DĂźsseldorf lady strikes a perfect figure even high up on the sisterMAG ladder...

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OVERALL

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INTERVIEW

ALL ABOUT THE SHOES

 WATCH THE INTERVIEW

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PROMO

FUSION 4 ORDER HERE

N A

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Regardless from which walk of life our testers come from – be they tough business women, multitasking heads of families, or busy fashionistas – all bloggers share one thing in common: They want their shoes to meet their high expectations of stylishness and a customized fit. ara’s new FUSION4 does so with ease. Light as a feather, the sneaker is your perfect companion in every situation – and will keep your feet comfortable even through the longest day. Reliably sized (half sizes are also available) and uniquely versatile thanks to its understated design and range of fashionable colours, ara’s FUSION4 does indeed keep its promise that it FITS.SIMPLY.ALWAYS.

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THE FUSION

prize draw ara

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Would you like to afford your feet the combined experience of FASHION & FUNCTION? Well, just enter our prize draw! Post a photo on Instagram that answers this simple question: In which situation(s) could you really do with a pair of Fusion4? Take to Instagram and share a moment that shows you in desperate need of both comfortable and stylish shoes by 31.05.2017. Add hashtags #arashoes #sistermaggewinnspiel #fusion4 and mention @arashoes and @sister_mag for your chance to win one of five pairs of brand new sneakers from the Fusion4 collection! Good luck! Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re looking forward to your posts!

E nt e r n o w !

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FOLLOWING IN THE FAMILY FOOTSTEPS TEXT: IRA HÄUSSLER

ILLUSTRATIONS: BETH WALROND

Founded in a world that now seems far removed from ours, the first years of the company’s history were also those of a country coming to terms with the physical and mental legacy of two World Wars – and one in which the innovative spirit of shoe salesman PAUL RÖSELER made all the difference. Unsatisfied with what was available in terms of women’s shoes, he fashioned models from straps of fabric, discarded gas masks,

T H E »SO L E« O F O UR COMPANY IS AND ALWAY S W IL L BE OUR C R AF T.

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and painstakingly collected pieces of wood. »KLÄPPERCHEN«, a sandal for the modern woman of her time, were modeled by his partner, HILDE RÖSELER, who wore a size 4 ½. They were such a success that Hilde, overwhelmed by the demand on her shop, had to call police reinforcements. The ara company, however, which was officially founded in 1949, soon adapted to the demand and soon outgrew the potato storage shed, which served as its first production site. Focusing exclusively on women’s shoes from the beginning, the growing team moved into its first factory site in Langenfeld, NorthrhineWestfalia, where the company’s headquarters are still located, and doubled production from 200 to 400 pairs per day. All the men of the Röseler family who have been at the helm of the company

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A S UCCE SS STORY NOW IN ITS SIX TH DECADE

since its foundation have trained as shoemakers and continuously furthered innovation by building on the »Kläpperchen« legacy. Despite the long history, ara’s journey had just begun: with the high standards the family imposed on the quality of their craft and the soundness of their design, it put itself, its employees, and their commitment through one challenge after another in the decades to come. While the world of fashion went through many significant changes, ara kept on growing. One thing, however, has not changed: the basis on which

the company’s success relies. The sole it stands on still is and always has been shoemaking as a craft. Despite a number of machines which are nowadays part of the production process, each shoe manufactured by ara remains a three-dimensional work of art. And while the materials may have changed from real python leather and wood to innovative synthetic fabrics, one thing remains a reliable constant: the care that goes in to each of the 130 individual steps it takes to make a shoe that deserves to be part of the long history of traditional craftsmanship.

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ara negates throwaway society and its fashion. For each new ara collection, up to 700 prototypes are manufactured at considerable effort and expense. Only around 240 models make the cut, but the ones that do are sure to exceed the expectations put on them both in terms of style and function. In the latter part of the 20th century, when Europe started to regain its secure footing after the war, ara found its innovative feet, too. As a trained sales man of orthopaedic footwear Paul Roeseler understood the importance of the perfect fit and how the way a shoe fits the foot also affects the legs and entire

posture of the person wearing it. Bearing in mind the brand not only developed a measuring instrument for feet, they have also always made their collections available in a variety of widths, embracing any body and foot shape decades before society as a whole caught up to that trend. As early as the 1960s, ara also introduced patters that minimized material wastage to improve the production’s environmental sustainability. In the 1990s, ara opened the very first brick-andmortar label shop in the shoe industry.

1950 1949

THE SUCCESS STORY STARTED IN A FORMER POTATOE STORAGE SHED

THIS IS WHERE THE JOURNEY STARTS – THE »KLÄPPERCHEN« TAKES GERMANY BY STORM

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W E W O RK DI LLI G E NT LY TO M AKE E ACH I NDI VI DUAL PAIR A M AST E RP I E CE OF T RADI T I O NAL CRA FT M ANSHI P.

ara

HOW THE SUCCESS STORY STARTED

 THE 50S SAW THE BIRTH OF THE »CALIFORNIA« SANDAL

1960

ARA GOES INTERNATIONAL: THE FIRST SITE OUTISDE GERMANY IS ESTABLISHED IN AUSTRIA

1969

195 1 ARA MOVES TO LANGENFELD WHERE THE COMPANY IS STILL HEADQUARTERED TODAY

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INTRODUCTION OF NEW SEWING MACHINES AND CAD PROGRAMS (SUPPORTING COMPUTER ADDED DESIGN)

THE COMPANY EXPANDS, DEVELOPING A MEASURING DEVICE AND LAUNCHING THE BRAND JENNY

1970

1988 19 8 7 A CLASSIC: THE LEGENDARY ARA TURIN PUMPS

CAD

I SEE EMPLOYEES A S ENTREPRENEURS W ITHIN MY ENTERPRISE. Röseler understood the importance of the perfect fit, and how the way a shoe fits the foot also affects the legs was considered the most significant business move of that decade. Just as ara’s collections and designs have developed over the years, so has their employee make-up. Today more than 4.000 individuals help carry on the tradition. From the start, staff loyalty has been exceptionally

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high and the ara team is proud to be part of the brand. Training and development are as much a part of life at ara as after-work activities that help keep the professional family as happy and tightly-knit as possible. Everyone works hard to maintain the positive working environment at the headquarters in Langenfeld and in any of the company’s other locations. Paul Röseler cared deeply about investing in his employees and successfully passed this on

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SUCCESS AS A TRADITION: TURNOVER EXCEEDS 500 MILLION EUROS

ARA SETTING TRENDS: THE FIRST ARA SHOP OPENS IN KEVELAER

1993

2010 2004 ARA CONQUERS THE WORLD â&#x20AC;&#x201C; AND EXPANDS ITS PLANTS IN INDONESIA

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to today’s Röselers in charge. He is quoted saying, »I see my employees as entrepreneurs within my enterprise«. His brand has turned this vision into a proud

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tradition. Having established the brand within the German market, ara set out to make an impact internationally. The first production site outside Germany, ARA SHOES ÖSTERREICH, was established in Austria in 1969. PORTUGAL followed soon after and ara was on its way to becoming

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a truly global company. In 1974 a new brand, JENNY, was founded and named after Paul’s granddaughter, his son ROBERT RÖSELER‘S first daughter who had been born two years earlier. Through this second brand, ara offered shoes in a slightly lower price range, closing the gap between the seasonal collections and the premium brand. The Röseler family is like the lace that holds the ara shoe together. For more than six decades it has been at the helm of the brand, the embodiment of ADAPTABILITY,

Its members are the reason ara has not only successfully adapted to any changes the shoe market has been through over the decades, but positively thrived in them. VERSATILIY, AND EXPERIENCE.

Run by a forward-thinking family supported by loyal and professional employees who are experts in their craft, ara’s commitment to fashion and quality is a TIMELESS combination that makes a welcome change from the values of the »fast fashion« world we live in.

AT T H E H E L M OF T HE AR A S H IP, T H E R Ö SEL ER FAMI LY E M BO D IE S ADAP TABI L I T Y, VER S AT IL IT Y, AN D E X P E R IE N C E.

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INTERVIEW

I NTE RVI E W

STEFAN FRANK Board member for Sales & Marketing, Development, Central Purchasing

Q. ARA HAS A LONG-STANDING REPUTATION FOR MERGING TRADITIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP AND FASHION TRENDS. WHERE AND HOW DOES SUCH A TRADITION FIT INTO THE NOTORIOUSLY FAST-MOVING FASHION WORLD OF TODAY?

We offer our customers a modern range of shoes that satisfies established fashion demands – in other words we don’t get into the game of fast-paced high fashion.

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It is still a great business challenge to remain flexible and launch a powerful new collection each season, but thanks to excellent supplier relationships, our own production sites, and an experienced a well-coordinated team, we even manage to exceed expectations and take new developments in fashion on board successfully. We use cutting-edge technology like 3D printers and highly efficient software to speed up the development process and ensure the right kind of shoe hits the shelves at the right moment in time.

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Q. EVEN THE VERY BEST SHOE IS ONLY AS GOOD AS ITS

SOLE. WHAT IS YOUR COMPANY’S »SOLE«?

We look back upon a long and proud tradition as a successful family-run company whose employees' know-how makes ara a truly special organization. Our innovative strength and high standards of quality are great examples of these capacities at work. Our core customers‘ appreciation for our products shows us that we are right to put our heart and soul into every new range, and we work to earn and keep their trust in our comfortable shoes with each new product and development. Q. CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE TYPICAL »ARA WOMAN«?

The ara woman knows what she wants! With both feet firmly on the ground of a busy life – and loving it - it’s important to her to be fashionable but she doesn’t blindly chase every new trend. She has found the style that works best for her and puts a premium on quality, sustainability, and the perfect

fit. And that’s why she loves us - we tick all these boxes and offer her a range of shoes that are stunning into the bargain: »Fashion & Function«! We don’t define our customers by age anymore. It just doesn’t work and many 60-year-olds could run rings around their daughters when it comes to fashion. Well, they can in our shoes, anyway! Q. WHICH OF ARA’S CHARCTERISTICS AS A COMPANY ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

Innovative strength, know-how, our family-based corporate culture, tradition, our own production sites operated in accordance with German quality standards (which is fairly unusual these days). 70 years of experience in developing and producing shoes are just priceless. Q. WHAT MAKES ARA’S NEW FUSION 4 SO SPECIAL?

Fusion4 is the embodiment of everything our brand stands for. We’re picking up on the established trend and idea of the sneaker and extend its road ca-

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pability to a much wider demographic. Fusion4 is perfect for sporty, casual, and smart outfits and the ideal companion both at the office and on a business trip... and anywhere else, really – seven days a week. The Fusion4 range is highly innovative and combines many features for added comfort. The HiFlex shaft adapts to any foot shape without compromising on stability, making pressure marks and problem areas a thing of the past. The Dynergy sole’s innovative slatted construction offers extraordinarily modern comfort. Its slats work like springs that reshape with every step and support the heel-to-toe motion of the foot. Q. THE FUSION 4 HIGHLIGHTS INNOVATION AS ONE OF YOUR COMPANY’S FOREMOST VALUES. ARE YOU LOOKING TO A NEW GENERATION OF FRESH YOUNG TALENT TO PROMOTE THIS OR DO YOU VALUE THE EXPERIENCE OF YOUR LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES MORE HIGHLY?

Along with our company tradition, our innovative strength is what

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sets us apart – in today’s brand environment, innovation is a must! It’s about meeting the customers’ expectations. We will be launching our Seamless collection and many other models using the Dynergy sole with our fall/winter 2017 lines and a good mix of new and longterm employees will help us do it. Younger employees have new ideas and add a breath of fresh air to the organization, which is why we invest in their development. Longterm employees impart the institutional memory acquired in the art and craft of shoemaking, which survives to this day. They support the new generation in the realization of their ideas and make sure we don’t compromise on quality. It is unusual these days for an employee to stay with a company for 30 or 40 years. Q. HOW MANY STEPS ARE THERE IN THE PROCESS THAT BRINGS A FUSION 4 MODEL TO THE STORE SHELF?

Even today the production of each of our shoes requires a great amount of manual labour and

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consists of up to 130 individual steps. A fact which, unfortunately, many customers are unaware. At the end of a tour of one of our production sites, visitors regularly remark that they were surprised by how much manual labour goes into making a shoe and that seeing it has made them re-evaluate the product.

communicate with our customers directly. We value feedback, praise, and criticism and take everything into account. We see social media as a way to potentially involve our customers in the development of new products from an early stage. Q. YOUR COMPANY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1949, WHICH MEANS THAT ARA WILL TURN 70 IN TWO YEARS. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE?

Q. WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN THE PRODUCTION OF THE FUSION 4?

Quality, sustainability, and, of course, outstanding consistent comfort with every pair. Q. HOW DO YOU RATE THE INFLUENCE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR COMPANY?

It is very important. Due to the distribution of our products through trading partners, we used to have only limited contact with our end customers and had to rely on the feedback we received from our commercial clients. There has always been feedback, but it used to take a long time to collect it. Thanks to social media we can now

Our vision is to establish the idea of »Fashion & Function« as the general theme of the future and help even more customers go through their lives in comfortable shoes that don’t compromise on stylishness. Life can be tough enough as it is; you shouldn’t also have to put up with shoes that make your feet hurt!

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ALSO CHECK OUT

LEBENLANG MAGAZINE

Lebenlang ist also following ara’s footsteps! Together with five bloggers we took a step into real life all over Germany and tried the new Fusion4 in different situations. Whether it was on a city trip through Frankfurt, during an afternoon spent cooking in Cologne, or on a relaxed nature stoll, the new Fusion4 by ara turned out to be just the right companion! Read all about the experience with the stylish sneakers of Simone from »Chillerella«, Claudia from »Glam Up Your Lifestyle«, Annette from »Lady of Style«, Maja from »Moey's Kitchen«, and Bine from »Was Eigenes« in the new Lebenlang issue.

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Text: Alex Kords

THE DEVELOPMENT OF

Prussian

BLUE By sheer coincidence the chemist Johann Jacob Diesbach discovered the Berlin Blue at the beginning oft he 18th century – making it the first colour to be produced by man. The HOW of this discovery and the prowess of this particular type of blue we’ll be discussed in the following.

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Berlin has a lot to offer: the Brandenburg Gate, the TV-Tower, the Museum island – to name just a few. Next to these Berlin has another gem, one which is lesser known to many, its very own colour: the Berlin Blue. However, don’t be fooled into thinking this means that its houses are painted blue. Rather, it’s the story of the colour which is so deeply connected with the city. Throughout the centuries, the colour has been given a variety of names, many picking up combinations with different cities, such as Parisian Blue. In English, Spanish, and many other countries, the colour is commonly known as Prussian Blue.

From Red to Blue Whatever you might call it, Berlin Blue takes a unique place in the history of chemistry. Because, it was the very first colour which was produced by hand. For the first time, this was done by Swissborn Johann Jacob Diesbach who at the beginning of the 18th century lived and worked in Berlin at the laboratory of Johann Conrad Dippel – an alSISTER-MAG.COM

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chemisten. Dippel was mainly concerned with researching on ways to produce »gold« - a favourite topic amongst this profession at the time. Alongside this, he also produced »Dippels Tieröl« (Dippel’s animal oil) which was an essential oil made from distillates of animal bones. His product became famous, for Dippel claimed it could cure

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every disease there was. As unrealistic its effect was, the oil proved essential to the development of Berlin Blue. On a day in 1706, Dippel’s assistant Diesbach was busy making Florentine varnish. For this, he used the red colourant carmine, which was made from dried scale insects, cooked in sulfuric acid. Using this in combination with Iron(II)-sulphate and Alum, a double-connection of the slats calium and aluminium, Diesbach aimed at producing a liquid to which according to common procedures, he would only have to add pearl ash. However, at this very stage he discovered that he had run out of the material. Instead he used the pearl ash Dippel had used before to clean his animal oil. The contaminated substance caused the mixture to turn not red, but deep blue! 135

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A Cheaper Blue Soon after, Dippel and Diesbach grew aware of the dimensions of their – admittedly coincidental – discovery. Until then, the only source for the blue pigment was a rare and thus, very expensive one. At the time of the Renaissance, the pigments of the mineral »Lapis lazuli« reached prices as similarly high as gold. Understandably, the two inventors aimed at keeping the recipe of their mixture a secret for as long as possible. Thus, the first mentioning of his highness, can only be SISTERMAG 29 | 04 / 2017

dated two years later – in March 1808, in a letter by Johann Leonhard Frisch to Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, who at that time was the president of the Prussian Academy of Sciences. Diesbach had become Frisch’s assistant by then and together, they further experimented on the colour with acid which improved it. Additionally, Frisch started marketing the colour and gave it the name »Berlinisch Blau« (Berlinese Blue) in November 1809 and shortly after »Prussian Blue«.

Even if Frisch received plenty of offers for his recipe of Prussian Blue, he refused to give it. The Dutch painter Pieter van der Werff was one of the first who was allowed to use the colour in his paintings. The blue surfaces in his »The Entombment of Christ« from

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By Laurens und Dietrich

A variety of usages

1709 were painted in Prussian Blue. Eventually, it was pharmacist Caspar Neumann from Berlin who turned into a gossiper. In 1723, he wrote a letter to the British doctor John Woodward, who published the recipe for Prussian Blue a year later in the magazi-

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ne »Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society« and thereby made it accessible for everyone. In doing so, Neumann did know the components of the colour, but not the actual production process, which he figured out himself. From then on, Prussian Blue was triumphing in art and textile colouring. However, it soon turned out, that it was of very limited use for wall painting as it turned walls brown. But there were other features that made the pigment very useful apart from the world of art until today. In chemistry as well as in pathology, it is used as an indicator for iron – in order to proof diseases related to saving iron. Additionally, Prussian Blue can be used to eliminate poisonous substances such as caesium and thallium from our body. This knowledge wasn’t only applied for contaminated animals around the

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nuclear power plant Chernobyl, but also for the people in Fukushima. Tragically, Prussian Blue can also be used as the base for the highly poisonous cyanhydric acid (or prussic acid), that the Nazis used for executions in some concentration camps.

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Funnily enough, "Prussian Blue" had a lot of different names during its history - even in combination with different cities! SISTERMAG 29 | 04 / 2017

Berlin, Paris, China The reason why Berlin Blue was enhanced with so many different names, is due to the fact that in the course of time, different methods were developed for its production. The result of which were varying shades of the colour. Accordingly, the Parisian company Milori developed a different method than Diesbach and called its subsequent product Milori Blue.

This version commonly shows a tinge of red, whereas Chinese Blue shows a tinge of green. For Marketing purposes, labels such as Vossenblau, Luisenblau (after the Prussian Queen) or Modeblau (Fashion Blue) were created. Today, the colour is produced on an industrial scale â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thus making it a preferable option over dried scale insects and animal bones!

About the author Alexander Kords studied Linguistics and Philosophy in Erfurt and has been an editor for years. Currently, he lives in the Neustadt of Vienna with his family.

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THE BIRDS THEY PUT IN CAGES

Illustration: Emma Block

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Every girl dreams of being a princess at some point. Be it just for Halloween or as an actual career choice. But historic princessesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives were very different from what we imagine them to be! We have taken a closer look at two of them:

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When thinking of a princess my, and probably a good many of your thoughts immediately conjure up fairy tale or Disney-style characters. Chaste, beautiful young girls with perfect skin, shiny hair and a BMI just slightly below the normal range. Skipping through a forest singing a happy tune, they make friends with friendly animals and inevitably take a wrong turn at some point so a handsome prince can swoop in to bail out the damsel in distress. A tragic fate? Sure, but definitely a story with a guaranteed happy ending!

It is common knowledge, however, that this is an overly romanticized image which shares very little in common with the actual lives of women from previous centuries who found themselves in this position. Monarchs d i d n â&#x20AC;&#x2122; t exactly crave

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princesses. After all, their offspringâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s foremost goal was to secure the continuation of the dynasty and the empire. With women largely excluded from the line of succession, their only role in securing said dynasty was to a) enter into a politically advantageous marriage and b) produce male offspring. Marriages were a political instrument in which love and romance only very rarely came into play. The list of actual historical love matches, therefore, is short.

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WOMEN IN MILITARIST SOCIETIES

All this was especially true in the militarist dynasty of the House of Hohenzollern. As Prussia rose from an electorate to a kingdom and eventually an empire, so did the expectations in the marriages made to produce heirs befitting the social status. Many princesses and even queens collapsed under such pressure, either dying in childbirth or being unable to establish any deep relationships with their husbands. Frederick the Great

stretched this behaviour to the limit in his own marriage. Enlightened as he may have been when it came to Prussia’s role in Europe in terms of politics, arts and philosophy, his idea of a marriage was thoroughly old-fashioned. He cared deeply for his Italian greyhounds but showed little to no affection for his wife Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-WolfenbüttelBevern. Rather unlovingly he is reported to have greeted her upon his return from the Seven Years' War remarking: »Madame has grown more corpulent.« That this marriage didn’t produce any offspring is to little surprise.

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The marriage of Frederick II’s grandnephew, and one of his successors, Frederick William III to Louise of MecklenburgStrelitz, however, represents almost the exact opposite: At the age of 17, the bride and her 15-year-old sister came to Berlin to marry the heir to the throne and his brother, respectively. They were greeted with a grand reception which inspired veneration and a creation of myths around Louise which is best described as cult-like. As part of her welcome, a young girl recited a poem for her, a gesture she enjoyed so much she broke protocol and stooped to pick up the girl and kiss her. Such cordial and down-to-earth behaviour was not only unheard of from Prussian royalty, it was downright inappropriate. D e s p i t e or maybe because of this display of

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free but grounded spirit, Louise immediately won the crown prince‘s favour and the two of them should lead one of the most exemplary marriages of the entire Hohenzollern dynasty’s history.

A ROYAL SCANDAL But every good story needs some turmoil before its happy ending and this one saw it right at the beginning of the marriage when a statue of the two newly married princesses created a veritable scandal. The curator of the Prussian Academy of Arts and head of the Royal Porcelain Manufactory, Friedrich Anton

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von Heynitz, commissioned the sculptor Johann Gottfried Schadow to create a statue of the (then) crown princess and the princess. At its unveiling at the Academy of Arts two years later the work was enthusiastically received. It was remarked how well Schadow had captured the princesses‘ temperament and how extraordinary lifelike his creation appeared. Louise’s elaborately tied neck scarf even set a new trend in hair

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fashion. But there were critical comments, too. The princesses‘ dresses were deemed too daring and while the folds fell beautifully they still underlined the princesses‘ feminine curvature. Drapery was not considered proper attire for the two highest women of Prussia! And when the artist felt compelled to proclaim that he created this realistic likeness because he had »taken the measurements from nature« – suggesting

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he had seen the princesses naked – a royal scandal was born. The rumour mill went into overdrive and even though no official reaction has been recorded, we assume so did the crown prince. Despite all this, King Frederick William II – Louise’s and Frederica‘s father-in-law – commissioned Schadow to recreate the statue in marble to preserve it for posterity. The King, however, died before the marble statue was finished. And with Princess Frederica who had been widowed by that time pursuing a frivolous lifestyle which even

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saw her fall pregnant, the new king Frederick William III cursed the work and banished it to the darkest corners of the city palace. After these initial troubles, however, his and Louise’s marriage was still a very happy one during which she was not only an important counsellor to her husband but also came to be regarded as The Mother of Prussia.

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL!

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Monarchs didn’t exactly crave princesses. After all, their offspring‘s foremost goal was to secure the continuation of the dynasty and the empire

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Lo and behold,

GLAD TIDINGS FROM PRUSSIA

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Text: Christina Rücker

A look at some good things we owe to the military super power The wealthy and powerful state of Prussia may be gone but its rich history remains. And while historians may disagree on exactly where and when its story started and ended, reducing Prussia to its imperial era and the time of William II as popular culture tends to do – would do a grave injustice to what used to be Europe’s most advanced nation. A fair few achievements which impact our lives in positive ways to this day can be traced back to their Prussian roots. We felt it was time for a list:

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Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg

THE EDICT POTSDAM

In 1685, Frederick William, Elector of Brandenburg, issued the »Potsdam Edict of Tolerance« which is still regarded as the precursor to religious freedom. By the end of the Thirty Years‘ War, much of Brandenburg was destroyed and too few citizens left so the Elector opened the borders. This coincided with increased hostility towards the Huguenots in France and around 20,000 of them made their way to Brandenburg – making up one third of the population at the time. And it didn’t end there. Prussia also attended to the integration of its new citizens: In 1689, the SISTER-MAG.COM

first Lycée français opened its doors in Berlin providing opportunities for education and social stability to the immigrants who thanked their new homeland with lasting influences on its language, crafts and cuisine. In Berlin, a meatball is still called Boulette!

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»EACH TO HIS OWN TASTE« is a quote from the Edict of Potsdam and hailed the, then groundbreaking, abolition of both torture and serfdom on royal estates. The Edict also contained early versions of the freedom of the press and the rule of law.

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THE ACADEMY OF ARTS... the third great legacy of the Elector who founded the institution in 1696. Since then it has fostered and supported numerous artists from a variety of disciplines and both exhibited and preserved their works. Thumbs up for the Great Elector!!!

HUMBOLDT UNIVERSITY One of the top universities of modern day Germany was founded in 1809 and originally named ÂťUniversity of BerlinÂŤ. The Humboldt Brothers held teaching positions here and so did the Brothers Grimm. It is still home to numerous collections ranging from archaeology to zoology. 151

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ENLIGHTENMENT Already as a young crown prince at Rheinsberg Castle, Frederick the Great had a keen interest in the fine arts and philosophy and he preserved it well into his reign. He maintained lively correspondence with Voltaire who even visited him in Potsdam. This made Prussia an important centre of the Enlightenment and the adopted home of many influential philosophers. The legacy has been kept alive and led many later philosophers, literary figures and scholars to Prussia and into its cultural institutions over the centuries.

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PRUSSIAN VIRTUES They may sound like stereotypical German traits to modern ears but »punctuality, order, diligence, and modesty« used to be the original Prussian virtues on which the »Soldier-King« modelled his state and its citizens. Even if the approach may not have been pedagogically sound, we still prefer to be connected to those ideas over »socks in sandals, leather trousers, or sausage and beer nation«.

KARL FRIEDRICH SCHINKEL: Had it not been for him, Potsdam and Berlin would be looking very different. That’s not to say they would look worse but we are really very fond of the concert hall on the Gendarmenmarkt, the Neue Wache and the Forum Fridericianum on and around Bebelplatz, to name a few!

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PRUSSIAN CASTLES AND GARDENS Speaking of building legacies, they don’t come in more beautiful shapes than the many castles and gardens the Hohenzollern left us (albeit not necessarily of their own free will)! Most of them are now part of the UNESCO World Heritage. If you are lucky enough to study at Potsdam University make sure to read humanities as their campus is situated in the New Palace area with auditoriums in the old servants’ halls some of which have a view of the New Palace. Numerous statues and fountains in the park provide plenty of shade in which to do your open-air studying. If you’ve already got your degree but may be thinking of tying the knot, several of the rooms which make your childhood dreams of becoming a princess come true are for hire for special occasions.

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10.

FROM YOUR TV SCREEN STRAIGHT ONTO THIS LIST: THE CHARITÉ.

POTATOES

Founded in 1710 in anticipation of the outbreak of the bubonic plague, it soon became the foremost research and treatment centre in Berlin, Germany and the world. A current German TV drama shows it during its second heyday but it had its first during the 19th century when it offered medical training right at the patients‘ bedside. Scholarships were available even then and one of the first students lucky enough to secure one was Rudolf Virchow. While its modern discoveries may not be celebrated as publically and exuberantly anymore, the Charité is an essential part of both Berlin and medical education in general.

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If you have ever been to Frederick the Great’s grave in Sanssoucci you will have noticed the potatoes. Although potatoes had been known on this side of the globe since Columbus had brought them back from the new world, they weren’t actually farmed in Germany until the reign of Frederick the Great. And even then Prussia was the first of the German nations within the Holy Roman Empire to plant and grow them successfully. From mash to fritters and dumplings, boiled, fried, gnocchi or in a thousand other variations – potatoes are versatile and affordable. You say potato, I say potato – whatever we call it, we love a potato!

SISTERMAG 29 | 04 / 2017

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154

OUTLOOK

HYDRA GENIUS

SI ST ER M AG 29 SE CT IO N 2

Jeans & Flamingo

GO ES LI VE M ID DL E OF M AY

JEANS

FL AMINGO

Bis bald!

sisterMAG 29 – Cotton Candy & Prussian Blue – Section 1

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The Ultimate Thrill

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