Our community

It is around this time of year when we all move just a little bit closer together after a warmer season in which we do our individual thing outdoors. Meeting in halls and churches for fairs and concerts has a longstanding tradition in western society and in German circles we could not do without our get-togethers. While we do celebrate and partake in other events then typical German ones it is true that we like to congregate among ourselves and can actually be a bit cliquish about it. There is a crowd that likes a certain kind of music and others do not and club events have certain followers, however, when it comes to other traditions we all show up, like for the Christmas Markets. The first one this season was of course the Christmas Fair in the Danube Swabian Club.

Christmas Fair in the Danube Swabian Club

The first thing I do is always check out what the good ladies form the Women’s Auxiliary have on their desk. I found of course a few nice things for the table, which I actually do not need, but do not mind having.

The Women's Auxiliary

Further upstairs I visited with good old friends like the bakery and took home a slew of Stollen of all descriptions.

Upstairs Exhibits

Ute and Jürgen Schulz were welcoming and happy displaying marvellous garments, making me want something new to keep me warm. There was some smart fashion jewellery, useful hand cream and wood sculpted cats and other animals.

Downstairs Exhibits

Downstairs we visited with the folks from the Lesezirkel, Reinhard und Hannlore, Mr. Kaiser and his fabulous pots and pans, Andy Mora, where I ordered a mail box, the stand with the smoked meats and sausages from Wagner’s, and of course the display of George Jewellers.

The restaurant offered fabulous food and the Kaffee Stube smelled of the cakes the good ladies had baked. It was good sitting there and having a chat with friends.

Christkindl Market Kitchener

Klaus Wehrenberg and the Bergmeiers	What a joy to play the organ

If there was something I did not find I know I could pick it up at the next market, namely the Christkindl Market in Kitchener a couple of weeks later, and I did!

Meeting up with Jeanne...	...at the Concordia booth
The team of the German Language School Concordia	Lots to do, experience & enjoy
A wish fullfilled: Toni Bergmeier (r.) is part of the candle light procession	The Nativity scene
Sybille with Siggi & Inge Leiphold	The Grand Philharmonic Choir, Hallelujah Choir

There my first visit is usually upstairs to the pottery stand. Every year I pick something up. This year I found another piece in my favourite blue glaze. First though I had to say hello to the Leierkasten-Mann, who has a few new pieces of music to play, including classics like Vivaldi. Awesome!

Then I worked my way through the upstairs while I waited for the light procession to arrive from Victoria Park, which always marks the official opening of the market.

The ceremony with dignitaries Mayor Carl Zehr, Sabine Sparwasser, German Consul General, and of course Knecht Ruprecht
...and the voice from above

Carols were sung and Mayor Zehr made opening remarks, as did the German Consul General, Mrs. Sabine Sparwasser, who reminded everyone how important Christmas in Germany is and how delighted she was to find such passion for it in Canada. She also hoped for some snow, which makes the experience complete. As I write this we are expecting a first big wallop of the white stuff this very night.

Knecht Ruprecht's visit

All over the market there were smiling faces. We spotted Toni Bergmeier, grinning from ear to ear, with his wife, who for the first time in 13 years was just a guest instead of working hard as the founder of the market to make everything go right.

The audience
The visitors

Walking through the displays we spotted some new exhibitors, like African artisan stalls, and also that a few were missing.

The exhibits

 There is to be a change expected every so often. But we found most of our favourite stands, including Clover Farms and Nougat Bakery as well as Grain Harvest Bakeries, our friends at the Concordia School with Gerhard Griebenow being everywhere, Siggis music and gift displays, European Sound, West York Jewelers and many more. Outside in the light of the huge Christmas tree the smells of Bratwurst, Kartoffelpuffer and Glühwein wafted through the air and the Nativity Scene with the live donkeys were well visited and delighted everyone who came. Often the throng of people was so strong that it was impossible to get through.

Quite exhausted we made our way to the car and the drive home, which this year went without a hitch. Hallelujah!

Concordia’s Birthday Celebration

But I was talking about other events that are important in the community, like club events. Some of them are annual affairs, like the Concordia Club's Stiftungsfest. The 136^th celebration was held in the festively decorated hall, again with the planning and under the watchful eye of Rita Allmendinger. Her daughter Sarah was the charming MC for the evening, as she has been for several years.

l.t.r.: Dr. Alfred Kunz & wife, Nick Zeiss, Rita Allmendinger, Sybille Forster-Rentmeister

She started by introducing 22 honorary members after dinner, which was delicious and plentiful. Lori Artinger, the newest Miss Concordia and Werner Schlüter, still the president, were introduced to get the evening started.

Werner Schlüter held another one of his welcoming speeches full of pride for the accomplishments of the club and its members.

The birthday cake

After these uplifting sentiments the many members deserving of recognition for their commitment were introduced and given their pins and plaques and paintings. They truly were too many to mention. But if you look at the photos you get an idea.

The membership needles
Werner Schlüter pins a membership needle on Wayne Wettlaufer	Celebrating their membership, Marianne & Armin Hellmann
10-year membership
25-year membership
40-year membership
50-year membership
A 50-year ring for Maria & Robert Huschka

There were recognitions for 10 year memberships and upwards to 50 years. There were 26 memberships of 10 years, 12 memberships of 25 years, 14 memberships of 40 years and 6 memberships of 50 years.

The Concordia Choir
The two honourary members, Elisabeth Ploetner & Willi Rahn with the Concordia Choir

And then there were 2 new honorary memberships. These special people are Elisabeth Bloettner and Willi Rahn. In their honor and to the delight of all present the Concordia Choir under the direction of Dr. Alfred Kunz sang some of our favorites, including "Jacobs’s Ladder" and "Der Tag des Herrn". It was wonderful to see the hall filled with people committed to their community.