October 2007 - Nr. 10
Sister City Frankfurt celebrates with Toronto
Sybille Forster-Rentmeister
It
has been 18 years since the two cities allied themselves in friendship. It
was a famous day with a famous Jazz Dixieland Band. The local German
population turned out in large numbers at Nathan Phillip Square and was not
the same for a long time afterwards. A big debate broke out why Germany’s
musical traditions were represented by a band so typically not German.
This
same band revisited us at the Steam Whistle Brewery in an attempt to
underline the existing connections as part of a Trade delegation from
Frankfurt visiting North America. Throughout the big industrial premise,
where once streetcars could be turned around and stored people congregated,
tested the local beer and enjoyed typical German food like sauerkraut and
sausages, cabbage rolls, potato salad, schnitzel and the like. Accompanied
was this mingling of the crowds from 2 continents by the sounds of
Dixieland.
It must be said that this time, 18 years later, the same band had greyed, as have the rest of us, and the music seamed to be a beat or two too slow, or so the comments from many folks attending. Young people would have preferred a techno sound or rock’n roll to liven things up.
The
events had a 35-dollar ticket price attached to it and further funds were
raised to finance the evening by selling raffle tickets for donated items.
Who would have thought that the centre of German - nay European -
finance
needs help in financing its own events? Or is it just that Germany has gone
the same route as everyone else and is downloading everything, including
signs of friendship?!
Further professions of friendship were
demonstrated at the annual German Canadian Gala Ball. It took place as usual
at the
Fairmont
Hotel Royal York, this time in the Concert Hall. About 320 guests mingled
first at a champagne reception around tables with donated prizes, gathered
to raise funds for our local German schools.
During
and after dinner, which lasted practically all night and did not reflect
anything German, other than the pictures and facts about the cities could be
seen, if one were inclined to watch. The hall was very nicely decorated with
all in white tablecloth and chair covers. The attractive centrepieces, which
went to the person with the red dot under the bread plate, were of the low
variety this time, so it was easy to see the person on the other side of the
table. There were draws for all sorts of prizes, including flight tickets
and other goodies where placed in bags by each chair. This is a well worn
formula and could use an update.
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Instead of a receiving line one was handed a glass of champagne and offered hors d’oeuvres. Instead of a formal arrival of the head table the MC, in this case the charming Lynne Russel, a CBC news anchor, announced several head tables and other important guest who simply got up and often could not be spotted.
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At every ball there are always talks about what could be changed and in this case the voices for the return of a more formal concept became stronger. Also a more German theme, mixed with local elements, like the piper to bring in the head table guest, was mentioned. The general consensus seems to be that a gala should be not too relaxed but maintain the elements of old fashioned courtesies and forms.
Nevertheless,
the evening was pleasant and considered a success. All the speakers,
including Mr. Thomas Beck, President and CEO of the German Canadian Chamber
of commerce, Holger Raasch, newly arrived Consul General Of the Federal
Republic of Germany, Perta Roth, Lord Mayor of Frankfurt, expressed their
pleasure and gratefulness for the opportunity to be here and fasten the
knots of friendship tied so long ago.
It must also be said that the ball committee under the guidance of Susanne Adamczyk organized this event with the help of the chambers team and other volunteers very well indeed.
