German National Holiday Celebration

Never have there been such happy crowds on a day like this, other than perhaps the very first time we celebrated Unification Day on October 3^rd. This year the festivities, organized by a galvanized team at the German Consulate General, Toronto, took place at 1 King Street West, an old and posh building, once the Dominion Bank of Canada build in 1914, which has seen a lot of pomp and glory. Restored for modern use, keeping the elegant flair of history alive, this location was most suitable for a huge reception on the 2^nd floor. The receiving line started in the main lobby on a wide staircase leading upstairs, while to the left a sunken area featured a lobby bar, the kind we have seen in old Hollywood movies.

At the entrance to the big balconied hall bell players sounded out popular melodies of old, dressed in national costume, while Mr. and Mrs. Raasch greeted the hundreds of guests as they walked in.

A huge buffet and 3 bars looked after the bodily pleasures and made it possible to withstand the inevitable but very pleasant rigors of listening to the speeches commemorating the event of the unification of Germany 19 years ago.

Especially Mr. Raasch touched our hearts by telling us that for him it meant being able to go and visit freely the part of Germany he left when he was a boy.

Master of Ceremonies, Lynne Russel, introduced first the Honourable Tony Ruprecht, MPP, so very familiar to our community, who brought greetings from the Prime Minister, who could not attend; and he also introduced Wayne Wettlaufer as he reminded us and invited us to the flag raising event on Pioneers Day. He recounted the glorious history Germans have had in this country and how we have formed it tremendously.

Next we heard from Alexander Roman, who represented the Honourable Frank Klees, another German Canadian MPP, we are familiar with and are fond of. Gloria Lindsay Luby, a lover of all things German, a City of Toronto Councilor, brought greetings from His Worship, the Mayor of Toronto, Mr. Miller.

Some of the animated crowd listened and was extremely interested, the rest, especially in the back of the huge hall, where one could not see who was speaking, amused themselves and tested the fabulous German Weiss Beer or some good wine until the dancers had danced their last performance and there was no more beer.