GW
GERMAN WORLD
BILINGUAL MAGAZINE
Automotive VW’s Downfall Hot Listings Real Estate Trends in New York and L.A.
A Berliner in Hollywood:
Nina Franoszek
On the Art of Acting and the Business of Entertainment
Eine Berlinerin in Hollywood:
Nina Franoszek über Schauspielkunst und Unterhaltung als Geschäft FALL 2015
$3.50 / ISSUE | $12.95 / YEAR (USA) | ISBN 1558-7568 FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 1
YOUR SOURCE OF GERMAN-AMERICAN NEWS IN THE US
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Seasons
Liebe Leser,
Dear reader,
Während sich in Nordeuropa und im nordöstlichen Amerika gerade die Wälder herbstlich färben und man sich langsam auf den Winter einstellt, ist der Saisonwechsel in den südlichen oder südwestlichen Gegenden von Amerika natürlich viel weniger sichtbar. Allerdings gibt es in diesen wärmeren Regionen andere „Jahreszeiten“. In Florida und Arizona, zum Beispiel, ist jetzt „Saison“. Jetzt sind die sogenannten „Snow Birds“ eingeflogen, all diejenigen, die eine Winterresidenz in diesen warmen Gefilden haben. Für Karneval-Fans beginnt am 11.11. um 11h11 die fünfte Jahreszeit“, die Karnevalssaison, mit Parties in vielen deutschen Clubs.
While the leaves are changing colors in Northern Europe as well as the northeastern part of the U.S. and people are getting ready for winter, the change of seasons is, of course, less visible in the southern or southwestern parts of this country. However, there is a different kind of season. In Florida and Arizona, “the season” has started, that time of year when all the “snowbirds” are flying in, those lucky ones who have winter residences in those regions. Fans of German Karneval are getting ready for the “Fifth Season,” the beginning of the Karneval Season, which kicks off on November 11 at 11:11 a.m. with celebrations at all major German-American clubs.
Für die Filmindustrie fängt jetzt „Award Season“ an. Beginnend mit den Emmy Awards im September, den Nominierungen für die Golden Globes im November und den Oscars im Januar, dreht sich in New York und Los Angeles jetzt alles um die neuesten Filme. Nicht umsonst warten die großen Studios immer bis zum Herbst, um die besten Filme jetzt in die Kinos zu bringen, damit diese den Mitgliedern der Oscar-Jury auch noch präsent sind, wenn es um die Wertungen geht. Und dann gibt es noch die „Pilot Season“ - die Zeit Anfang jeden Jahres, in der alle Rollen für die Pilotsendung einer neuen Serie besetzt werden und die Schauspieler von Vorsprechen zu Vorsprechen sausen, um eine neue Rolle zu ergattern. Inwieweit sich der Arbeitsalltag der Schauspieler und Filmemacher hier in den USA von dem in Deutschland unterscheidet und was für Schauspielerin Nina Franoszek, die zwischen den beiden Wohnorten Berlin und Los Angeles hin und her pendelt, Heimat ist, erfahren Sie in unserer Titelgeschichte. Wie immer wünsche ich Ihnen viel Vergnügen beim Lesen dieser neuen Ausgabe von German World, aber vor allem ein harmonisches Thanksgiving.
In the entertainment industry, the award season has started. Beginning in September with the Emmy Awards, followed by the Golden Globes nominations in November and the Oscar nominations in January, everybody linked to “the industry” is talking about the latest movie releases. It’s not a coincidence that all of the large studios hold the release of their best productions, for which they hope to garner an award, back until autumn. And there is the television “pilot season,” the time at the beginning of the new year, when the roles for the pilots of new series are cast. In our cover story, German actress and acting coach Nina Franoszek, who resides in Berlin and Los Angeles, talks about what is home to her and the ways that working as an actor in the U.S. is different from building a career in Germany. As always, I hope that you enjoy reading this new issue of German World and wish you a very happy Thanksgiving. Cordially,
Herzlichst,
Petra Schürmann
Petra Schürmann Publisher
Herausgeberin
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© Tshombe Sampson
Jahreszeiten
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
ContENTS m
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COVER STORY
Nina Franoszek: Splitting her time between Berlin and Hollywood
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8
ARTS
8-9 Burning Man 2015: A Sandy Affair 24-25 Neo Rauch in Berlin
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CU RRENTS
10-13 Embassy News:
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BU S IN ES S
Contessa Brewer and family at the Steuben Parade New York.
REG ULARS
16-17 Automotive: VW’s Downfall
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LIFESTY LE
18-19 Real Estate: Insider look at the markets
in New York and Los Angeles
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…Florida / …New York / …Chicago & The Midwest / …California
DW-TV Program for November & December
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26-27 New Furniture Trends from Germany
14-15 In Brief: What Germany talks about 28–31 Germany in 39 – 43, 46 Spotlight Virginia, New York, D. C., Los Angeles 47 – 49 German TV in the U.S.:
25 Years of German Unity President Joachim Gauck in Washington, D.C.
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40
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EN TERTAINMEN T
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23 Entertainment with a German Touch by Katja Lau 44-45 Film Festival GERMAN CURRENTS in Los Angeles:
Great movies, Missing Star Power
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CU LTU RE
GERMAN WORLD
Cover: German Actress Nina Franoszek Photo: ©Christina Gandolfo. www.cgandolfo.com
32-33 Austrian American Day & German Day in Southern-California 34-35 Customs & Traditions: The History of Dirndl & Lederhosen
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CU LIN ARY 36 37 38
PUBLISHER Petra Schürmann EDITORIAL Editorial Director & Editor in Chief Petra Schürmann TRANSLATIONS Alexander Hast, Ida Sophie Winter CONTRIBUTORS Katja Lau, Tshombe Sampson, Dr. Carolyn Spanier-Ladwig
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LAYOUT & DESIGN Art Director AMF Graphics | Anna-Maria Furlong amfgraphics@aol.com OFFICE MANAGEMENT & ADVERTISING Sandra Kashani / Hiltrud Altit sales@german-world.com Phone 323.876.5843 / 310.801.0424 CONSULTANT AT LARGE Marianne Beland, Berlin
Recipes: Thanksgiving Dinner with a German Touch Wine Delights from Germany for the Holidays Restaurant Feature: Jeanette’s Edelweiss in Southern California
HOW TO REACH US Mailing Address German-World.com, Inc. PO Box 3541 Los Angeles, CA 90078 Ph: 323.876.5843 office@german-world.com Subscriber Services Phone Ph: 323.876.5843 subscriber@german-world.com GERMAN WORLD MAGAZINE is published quarterly by German-World.com, Inc. Subscription rate: $12.95/year Single copy: $3.50/issue
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Editorial Staff m
ENTERTAINMENT
translation
Jenny Peters
Anna-Maria Furlong
Katja Lau
Ida Sophie Winter
Jenny has covered the entertainment, lifestyle and travel worlds as a freelance journalist since 1989, with credits including Variety, USA Today Weekend, the Los Angeles Daily News, Scholastic, Cosmopolitan, Mademoiselle and many other domestic and international outlets. She was the Editor in Chief of both Brentwood and Scene magazines and is a voting member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association.
Anna was born and raised in GarmischPartenkirchen, Germany, and studied architecture/graphic design in Munich. After moving to the U.S. in 1988, she left her “prints” behind in Arizona, Washington, DC, Nebraska and Missouri. Since 1998 she lives in the southwestern Texas desert. She specializes in culture communication and multi-language publications.
Katja began her journalism career in 1994 as a freelance reporter for various local radio and television stations; in 1997 she moved to Los Angeles. She currently produces TV shows and documentaries for the European market. She also produces live feeds from California for the German news station N24.
Sophie is majoring in Journalism, French and International Studies at the Missouri School of Journalism. She has contributed to Al-Fanar Media and NOW Lebanon as well as well as to German World Magazine. In addition, she works with the MoroccanAmerican High Atlas Foundation toward sustainable agriculture in Morocco.
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Photo © Tshombe Sampson
ART DIRECTOR & GRAPHIC DESIGN
Photo: GW
SENIOR editor
Contributorsm
Carolyn Spanier-Ladwig, Ph.D.
Tshombe Sampson, Esq., JD, MBA
Alexander Hast
Jan Rothe, Intern
Carolyn was born and raised in Eastern Pennsylvania and spent her career in German and Theological Studies, first in New Jersey, until her move to Los Angeles in 1981 where she became a teacher. In 2012, she retired from teaching at the high school and undergraduate levels. Today she enjoys teaching her own crafted course at Claremont Graduate University for Ph.D. students. The course is targeted toward high-level understanding of German masterworks. Carolyn is an active member of the Austrian-American Council West, and in this issue she reports about the recent celebration of Austrian-American Day in L. A.
Tshombe is a graduate of Dartmouth College where he earned a B.A. degree in economics. He also holds an MBA with an emphasis in finance and a Doctorate of Laws from Pepperdine University’s Graziadio School of Business and from Pepperdine’s School of Law. Tshombe has been active in the German community in L.A. for many years. He has a passion for photography, and his work has appeared in exhibits, other international magazines and calendars. The current GW issue features some of his photos taken at this year’s Burning Man festival in Nevada and at the film festival GERMAN CURRENTS in Hollywood.
Starting out as a journalist in 1982 in Germany, Alexander was trained on photography, editing and reporting for print, TV and radio. He worked for SWF, Rhein-Zeitung, Stern, Spiegel, Südwestfilm, Infosat, and many others. He moved to Los Angeles in 1997 where he lives today with his family. Alexander is the co-founder of GermanWorld.com Inc. and has his own company AHA Media, a website and eMarketing consulting business. He supports GW with eNewsletter production, translations, and editing.
Jan, born in San Francisco and raised in Munich, finished school in 2014 and spent four months in America. He studied English at language schools in Boston and Los Angeles before he started his internship with German World. He contributed to the current German World issue as a writer and also kept the German World website www. german-world.com up to date. Back in Germany he is continuing his studies, focusing on North American history and literature. His passion is working as a radio journalist.
Burning Man festival
m
A Sandy Affair to Remember
FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 7
F
rom August 30 to September 6, 2015, more than 70,000 people flocked to the sandy Black Rock Desert of Nevada in order to lose themselves in a few days of limitless creativity, craziness and free expression. The Burning Man art and lifestyle festival attracts more and more German visitors – in 2015 almost 1,500 made the trip to the Playa.
The Man at night.
Love: Created by Alexandr Milov, Odessa, Ukraine. It demonstrates a conflict between a man and a woman as well as the outer and inner expression of human nature.
Temple of Promise: By Dreamers Guild, S.F.Bay Area, CA. A temple’s purpose is to provide a safe space where the diverse and essential needs of the soul can take root and grow or surrender and find solace. This year, the Temple of Promise welcomed participants through an archway soaring 97 feet overhead Clown Paddy Wagon. Created and driven by Brotherluv.
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The Man at daylight: Man base design by Larry Harvey and Andrew Johnstone
Brainchild: Celebrating the inquisitive spirit of play and exploring the plurality of forms expressed through shapes found in nature.
El Pulpo Mechanico
The good old Westfalia VW buses are also some of the favorite overnight accommodations for the fans of free artful frenzy.
Akle, the Dragon. Created by Swig Miller.
W
hile the displayed artwork was as innovative and breathtaking as usual, this year’s burners had a tough time enjoying the events due to gusty winds that enwrapped the makeshift city in several sandstorms. The camera distributor Illumination Dynamics, an ARRI company who provided professional lighting and cameras to the festival told GW that they needed almost one full day to clean out the sand lodged in a single piece of equipment.
– Petra Schürmann/GW
All photos by Tshombe Sampson FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 9
SPOTLIGHT
Washington DC
“We the People”
Bundespräsident Joachim Gauck in DC anlässlich 25 Jahre Deutsche Einheit
Von Tanya Jones, Deutsche Botschaft Washington
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„Für mich sind dies nicht nur historische Ereignisse. Für mich persönlich waren es Erlebnisse und Erfahrungen, die mein Leben veränderten.“ Gauck beschrieb, wie Amerikas Tradition der Freiheit als Inspiration für Demonstranten in Ostdeutschland diente.
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ehrere hundert Gäste feierten am 6. Oktober den 25. Tag der deutschen Einheit in Washington, DC, gemeinsam mit Bundespräsident Joachim Gauck und Botschafter Peter Wittig in der Residenz des deutschen Botschafters. Denis McDonough, Stabschef des Weißen Hauses, war als amerikanischer Ehrengast anwesend. „Es ist mir eine außerordentliche Freude einen Mann willkommen zu heißen, dessen privates und politisches Leben untrennbar mit der deutschen Einheit verbunden ist“, stellte Botschafter Wittig Bundespräsident Gauck vor. Als Pastor und Aktivist in Ostdeutschland, war Gauck ein Wortführer der friedlichen Revolution und der Gestaltung der Demokratie nach der Wende.
“Wir sind das Volk!:“ Die Hunderttausenden, die diesen Slogan 1989 riefen, sie hatten für sich jene Botschaft entdeckt, die seit mehr als 200 Jahren die amerikanische Verfassung und das Selbstverständnis der Amerikaner prägt: We the People”.
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(Übersetzung von Julia Biermeier)
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Guests enjoy the terrace and gardens of the German Ambassador’s residence. 2 Ambassador Peter Wittig and Mrs. Huberta von Voss-Wittig welcome Federal President Joachim Gauck and Daniela Schadt to the Residence. 3 Left to right: Huberta von Voss-Wittig, Daniela Schadt, Federal President Joachim Gauck, and Ambassador Peter Wittig. 4 The singing of the German and American national anthems. 5 One of two Bundeswehr bands playing both popular American tunes and traditional German music. 6 The Bavarian Biergarten proves to be quite popular!
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All photos: Nicole Glass, German Information Center
Die Gäste wurden mit zwei Bundeswehr Bands sowie der Band Moonshine Society musikalisch unterhalten und erhielten eine kulinarische Tour durch Deutschland: Hering mit Pellkartoffel aus der Ostsee-Region, der Heimat Joachim Gaucks; weißer Spargel und gedünstete Kartoffeln; Spätzle und Schnitzel, und, selbstverständlich, Bratwurst und deutsches Bier.
Washington DC
SPOTLIGHT
“We the People” President Joachim Gauck in DC for the celebration of 25 Years German Unity By Tanya Jones, German Embassy Washington
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n October 6, several hundred guests celebrated the 25th Anniversary of German Unity in Washington, DC, with Federal President Joachim Gauck and German Ambassador Peter Wittig at a reception at the Ambassador’s Residence. White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough was the US guest of honor. “It is a distinct pleasure to welcome a man whose private and political life is inextricably linked with German unification,” Ambassador Wittig said in introducing President Gauck. As a pastor and activist in East Germany, Gauck was a leader in the peaceful revolution and in the shaping of democracy after unification.
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“These are not just historic events I will never forget. No, for me these were all personal experiences, experiences which changed my life.” He movingly recalled how America’s tradition of freedom served as inspiration for East German demonstrators. “’Wir sind das Volk” [We are the people]: The hundreds of thousands of people who chanted this slogan in 1989 had discovered for themselves the message which has characterized the United States Constitution and American national identity for over 200 years: ‘We the People.’”
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On a clear night with mild temperatures, guests at the garden party enjoyed the sounds of two Bundeswehr bands and the band Moonshine Society. The menu offered guests a culinary tour through Germany, including herring and poached potatoes from Gauck’s home Baltic region; white asparagus and steamed potatoes; Spätzle and veal Schnitzel, and of course, Bratwurst and German beer.
7 German Ambassador Peter Wittig welcomes the evening’s guests. 8 White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, the US guest of honor, delivers remarks 9 This “Berlin Wall” (artwork by Thierry Noir) proves a popular backdrop for photos. Die „Berliner Mauer” (Kunstwerk von Thierry Noir) war ein beliebtes Fotomotiv an dem Abend.
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Vor 25 Jahren wurde ein Kapitel der deutschen Geschichte geschlossen, denn am 3. Oktober 1990, wurden Ost und Westdeutschland, nach vierzig Jahren Trennung wiedervereint. Der deutsche Nationalfeiertag ist als Tag der Wiedervereinigung bekannt, wird im ganzen Land gefeiert und kann mit dem amerikanischen Independence Day verglichen werden.
25 Jahre Deutsche Einheit Von Christopher Petzche-Mudalige
Der Fall der Mauer in Berlin
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er Weg zur deutschen Wiedervereinigung begann mit dem Mauerfall in Berlin, am 9. November 1989. An diesem historischen Abend öffnete sich die Grenze zwischen dem Osten und Westen. Zwei Millionen Ostdeutsche strömten daraufhin in 48 h von der einen zur anderen Seite. Mit dem Fall der Mauer kam auch die Befreiung von der tödlichen Grenze, die, über mehrere Jahrzehnte ganze Freundeskreise und Familien auseinandergerissen hat. Für manche war dieser Moment das wichtigste politische Ereignis in der zweiten Hälfte des 20. Jahrhunderts. Das Einreißen der Mauer war ein kulminierender Punkt in der Geschichte Deutschlands und wurde gefolgt von monatelangen Verhandlungen, die letztlich zu der wirtschaftlichen und politischen Einigung Ost- und Westdeutschlands geführt hat. „It changed my life“, so der Gesandte der deutschen Botschaft in Washington Phillip Ackermann, über den Fall der Mauer. „I now believe that there are possibilities to improve societies. I believe in the possibility of change.”
Verhandlungen Trotz der Tatsache, dass die Grenze zwischen Ost und West geöffnet worden war, hat die Planung für die deutsche Wiedervereinigung fast ein ganzes Jahr angedauert, was auf die grundsätzlichen politischen und wirtschaftlichen Unterschiede zwischen den zwei Regionen zurückzuführen war. Zwei Wochen nach dem Fall der Mauer, rief der Westdeutsche Kanzler Helmut Kohl aus, dass ein Zehn-Punkte-Plan die Wiedervereinigung von Ost und West bewerkstelligen würde. (Ein weiterer wesentlicher Schritt wurde unternommen, als Mitte der 90er Jahre beiden Wirtschaftszonen fusionierten.) Nach dem Mauerfall war die Währung Ostdeutschlands praktisch wertlos, doch am 1. Juli 1990 wurde schließlich die Ostdeutsche Mark durch die Deutsche Mark ersetzt. Einige Monate später, am 23. August 1990, unterzeichneten die Parlamente Ost- und Westdeutschlands den Beschluss, der zu einem wiedervereinigten Deutschland führen würde. So kam es, dass der sogenannte „Eini12 www.german-world.com FALL 2015
gungsvertrag“ am 31. August unterzeichnet wurde. In der Zwischenzeit waren auch beide deutschen Parlamente in Gesprächen mit den vier Großmächten verwickelt die Deutschland seit dem Ende des zweiten Weltkriegs besetzten - Frankreich, die Sowjetunion, England und die Vereinigten Staaten. Aus den Verhandlungen resultierte der am 12. September unterzeichnete 2+4 Vertrag, in dem die vier Besetzungsmächte festhielten, dass sie von nun an auf ihre Ansprüche/Privilegien in Deutschland verzichten würden. Auf diese Art und Weise wurde Deutschland der Weg zur Wiedervereinigung und Souveränität geebnet. Am 2. Oktober wurden die Verhandlungsergebnisse der 2+4 Verträge publik gemacht. Ein Tag später - am 3. Oktober - war Deutschland schließlich wieder offiziell Eins. Der Tag der deutschen Wiedervereinigung ist vor allem für jene Deutsche von großer Wichtigkeit, die in dem Ereignis eine (Materialisierung) ihrer Freiheit sehen. Am 3. Oktober werden sich weltweit Menschen zusammentun, um den Tag zu feiern der nicht nur für Deutsche, sondern für die gesamte Menschheit im Sinne von Freiheit, Wandel und Möglichkeit steht. ¦
Embassy News
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Twenty-five years ago marked the end of an era and the beginning of a new one: on October 3, 1990, East and West Germany were reunited into one country after four decades of division. Today, this historic date is known as German Unity Day – a national holiday that is celebrated across Germany much like Americans celebrate Independence Day.
25 Years German Unity By Christopher Petsche-Mudalige
The Fall of the Berlin Wall
T
he path to German unity began with the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989. On that historic evening, the divisive border between the East and the West was opened, and two million East Germans flooded across the border in just 48 hours. The fall of the wall was the day of Germany’s liberation from the deadly border that kept friends and family members separated for decades. Many would consider this the most important political event of the second half of the 20th century. The collapse of the wall was the turning point that was followed by months of negotiations leading to East and West Germany’s political and economic unification. “It changed my life,” Phillip Ackermann, Deputy Chief of Mission at the German Embassy, says about the fall of the wall. “I now believe that there are possibilities to improve societies. I believe in the possibility of change.”
Negotiations Although the border between East and West had been opened, it took almost a year for German unification to occur, since the two regions were politically and economically diverse. Two weeks after the fall of the wall, West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl called for a 10-point program that would lead to the reunification of the East and the West. One major step forward was the fusion of the two economies in mid-1990. The East German currency was practically worthless after the fall of the wall, and a treaty that came into force on July 1 permanently replaced the East German Mark with the Deutsche Mark.
A few months later, on August 23, 1990, the East and West German parliaments ratified a resolution that would lead to a united Germany. This so-called “Unification Treaty” was signed on August 31. Meanwhile, both German parliaments also remained engaged in discussions with the Four Powers that occupied Germany after World War II – namely, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. As a result of the Two Plus Four Treaty, which was signed on September 12, the Four Powers renounced the rights they still held in Germany, paving the path for a unified and sovereign county. The results of the Two Plus Four Treaty were announced on October 2, and one day later – on October 3, 1990 – Germany was officially reunified. For Germans whose lives were held back by the East-German border, German Unity Day is particularly important, since it marks the day that solidified their freedom. On October 3 of this year, people from across the globe will gather in celebration of a day that represents freedom, change and possibilities not only for Germans, but for mankind as a whole. ¦
1 Federal Chancellor Helmut Kohl speaking to the crowd after the Fall of the Berlin Wall. 2 Wolfgang Schäuble (l.) und Günther Krause (r.) unterzeichnen im Kronprinzenpalais in OstBerlin den Einigungsvertrag. Dieser regelt die Einzelheiten des Beitritts der DDR zur Bundesrepublik Deutschland am 3. Oktober 1990 (M.: DDR-Ministerpräsident Lothar de Maizière). Quelle: Bundesregierung / Lehnartz 3 Philipp Ackermann, Deputy Chief of Mission, German Embassy Washington (© Germany.info / Nicole Glass) FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 13
LIFESTYLE & TRENDS
Music
CDs and MP3s have long been buried, but the resurrection of vinyls is a trend that won’t slow down. Now Germany is launching a new chart ranking to measure the success of the retro medium.
Sentimental Journey
n Vinyls music charts to start in Germany
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treaming is out, vinyls are in - at least the retro trend is staying alive despite ever-growing digital competition. Soon there will even be a chart ranking for vinyl sales, reflecting the popularity of the old-fashioned discs and the taste of those who collect them. As Germany gears up for seventh Record Store Week from October 19-24, focusing on music “Made in Germany,” the music industry’s national association BVMI and GfK Entertainment announced that they would be publishing a monthly list of the 20 most successful vinyls in Germany. According to BMVI, some 1.4 million vinyls were sold in Germany in the first three quarters of 2015, 25 percent more than in the previous year. “Vinyls are currently the part of the physical market that is growing,” said BMVI director Florian Drücke in a statement. “Due to the continued trend, records’ market share has grown by 3.1 percent on the overall market and won back a solid position in the music consumption mix.” The first edition of the vinyls charts for September saw Iron Maiden with “The Book of Souls” at number one, followed by David Gilmour (“Rattle That Lock”) and Slayer (“Repentless”). The best-ranking German act was Farin Urlaub Racing Team, the solo project by Farin Urlaub from the popular band Die Ärzte. British acts claimed four of the top five spots, with rock and metal claiming 16 of the 20 positions. ¦
Source: www.dw.com
IN BRIEF
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SHARING TRENDS
The global trend to sharing is also increasingly popular in Germany
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hether with cars, tools, gardens or cooks, the culture of sharing is becoming increasingly popular in Germany. What began as a social trend in the IT industry has now grown into a new sector of the economy. “This is a global trend, which is making itself felt more and more in Germany”, says market researcher Ayad Al-Ani. This “sharing economy” emerged in the 2000s in the IT industry. It was first about sharing computer capacities. Only later did everyday objects come to the fore, whether cars, bicycles, clothes or flats.
Companies have long been aware of the new trend – for example, car companies have discovered car sharing as a lucrative business model. The Federal Association of Car Sharing speaks of a new “culture of mobility” and observes a growing interest in it on the part of German motorists. At the beginning of 2015, for instance, more than a million participants were already registered with the approximately 150 German car sharing providers. Nationwide, car sharing services are available in 490 cities and towns, 110 more than a year earlier. ¦ 14 www.german-world.com FALL 2015
Source: www.the-young-germany.de
It is mainly young people who now make use of convenient loans offered on the Internet. At platforms such as “Clothes Roundabout” they exchange skirts and trousers, spend their holidays “couch surfing” in the rooms of strangers or borrow for a few hours a drill from a neighbour. Many are also animated by the desire to save natural resources and to act in an ecologically responsible manner.
News From Germany
IN BRIEF
Members of Greenpeace protest outside the main gate at Volkswagen Headquarters on Sept. 25, 2015 in Wolfsburg, Germany.
n THE MIGRANT
CRISIS IN GERMANY
The number of registered refugees reaches year-end projection
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THE LATEST ON VOLKSWAGEN Most updated news on the VW emission scandal before press date (Reuters) In the last week of October, Germany’s Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt met in Washington with U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy. Both nations are conducting criminal investigations into VW’s emission-bypassing trickery, which the company first admitted to U.S. regulators in September 2015. German police and prosecutors raided the company’s global headquarters in early October seeking material to help clarify who knew about the cheating.
(Reuters) Already at October’s end, the number of total refugees in Germany projected for 2015 by its Federal Ministry is at 800,000. From January to October, about 758,500 new asylum seekers and refugees were officially registered, according to the ministry. At the same time, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (Bamf ) has only registered asylum applications for 362,153 people in the same period, compared to 203,000 in the same period for 2014. Approximately 39.7 percent of asylum seekers were recognized as refugees according to the Geneva Convention, and can stay in Germany as a result. The number of as-yet-unprocessed applications rose from almost 30,000 to 328,207 through the end of October. Already registered refugees whose applications have not yet been processed are not included in these numbers. Primary countries of origin of those entering in October continued to be Syria (88,640), followed by Afghanistan (31,051) and Iraq (21,875). ¦ – English translation by Ida Sophie Winter
Dobrindt said his government will share information gleaned during its review of how the German automaker installed software designed to hide dirty emissions from its “Clean Diesel” cars sold since 2009 during U.S. compliance tests. He continued that above all the close partnership between the countries must be preserved. “Foxx clearly stated in our talks that also in the area of the automobile industry Germany is a strong partner for the U.S. Germany will remain and should remain a strong partner,” Dobrindt said. “Along with that is need for transparency when it comes to information. The trust has suffered some and needs to be built up again.” In the U.S., VW potentially faces up to $18 billion in fines for clean-air violations, as well as a raft of lawsuits in American courts from state regulators and angry customers. The EPA and the Justice Department are leading the U.S. investigation, which could yield charges against VW executives. However, the crisis seems to further escalate as some of VW gasoline models as well as other VW group brands built between 2013 and 2015 and equipped with 3.0 V6 TDI diesel engines seem to have defect devices, too, the EPA claims in a notice in early November. VW and Audi dealers in the U.S. and Canada were ordered by Volkswagen Headquarters to stop selling new 2015-2016 models with the 3.0 V6 TDI, including the VW Touareg and the Audi A6, A7, A8, Q5 and Q7. VW said pre-owned models from 2013-2014 are included in stop-sale order to dealer. ¦ FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 15
VWs
ABSTURZ
Der deutsche Automobilhersteller ist nur das jüngste Beispiel in einer langen Reihe von mogelnden Autoherstellern
Volkswagen Headquarter, VW Autostadt, in Wolfsburg, Germany. Will the largest car manufacturer in the world survive this latest scandal? Photo: ©LOOK /Alamy Stock Photo
Während Deutschland noch immer unter Schock steht, ob des bestürzenden Umfangs und den nicht enden wollenden neuen Erkenntnissen über den Erfindungsreichtum von VW bei der Manipulation von Emissionsmessergebnissen einiger Diesel- und Benzinfahrzeuge, berichtete die Washington Post Express im September, dass Volkswagen nicht das erste Unternehmen ist, das versucht, bei den vorgeschriebenen Abgastests zu manipulieren.
(AP) Fast seit dem Tage der Verabschiedung des Clean Air Act im Jahre 1970 sind die großen Hersteller von Autos, Lastwagen und Landmaschinen für die Verwendung von, was Regulierungsbehörden als „Abschalteinrichtungen” bezeichnen, erwischt und bestraft worden. In der Regel ging es darum, dass die Programmierung des Bordcomputer eines Fahrzeugs geändert wurde, um mehr Pferdestärken zu erreichen oder Spritverbrauch zu verbessern, was den Ausstoß umweltschädlicher Abgase über die erlaubte Norm zur Folge hatte. Kritiker geben die Schuld dem US-Regulierungssystem, das weitgehend darauf setzt, dass die Hersteller „selbst zertifizieren”, dass ihre Fahrzeuge die geforderten Emissionsstandards und Kraftstoffverbrauchsdaten erreichen. Die Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) macht nur wenige Stichprobenkontrollen an den in den USA her-gestellten oder importierten Fahrzeugen. Donald Stedman, Chemieprofessor an der Universität Denver, der sich auf die Prüfung der tatsächlichen Emissionen von Autos spezialisiert hat, räumt ein, dass es für Hersteller profitabel sein kann, zu betrügen. Die Einhaltung der Vorschriften zur Luftreinheit kann Tausende von Dollar auf den Verkaufspreis aufschlagen, während die abnehmende Leistung des Motors für Kunden weniger ist. Im Laufe der Jahre wurden etliche große Automobilhersteller – unter anderem General Motors (GM), Ford, Honda und, ja, Volkswagen - gezwungen, heftige Strafen zu zahlen und Fahrzeuge zurückzurufen, nachdem sie beim Betrug mit Abschalteinrichtungen erwischt wurden. So erklärte sich General Motors sich bereit, 45 Millionen Dollar als Teil einer Einigung mit staatlichen Aufsichtsbehörden über Abschalteinrichtungen, die in Cadillacs von 1991 bis 1995 installiert worden waren, zu zahlen, stimmte einem 25-Millionen-Dollar-Rückrufprogramm zu und zahlte darüber hinaus elf Millionen Dollar Strafe. Im Jahre 1998 erklärte sich Ford bereit, 7,8 Millionen Dollar als Strafe und für Reparaturen zu zahlen, nachdem Abschalteinrichtungen in rund 60.000 Econoline Lieferwagen installiert wurden. Ford erklärte sich auch bereit, den Verkauf der Lieferwagen zu stoppen und initiierte eine Rückrufaktion. Im gleichen Zeitraum stimmte Honda zu, runde 267 Millionen Dollar in Rückrufkosten und Strafen zu zahlen, aufgrund von Anschuldigungen, dass die Überwachungseinrichtung für Fehlzündungen in 1,6 Millionen Accord-, Civic-, Prelude-, Odyssey- und Acura-Modellen, die zwischen 1995 und 1997 gebaut wurden, ab Werk abgeschaltet worden sei. Ebenfalls im Jahre 1998 verwies die EPA Fälle an das US-Justizministerium. Geklagt wurden gegen sieben große Hersteller von Hochleistungsmotoren für große Lastwagen und Baumaschinen, nachdem nachgewiesen worden war, dass sie manipulierende Computer-Programme nutzten um Emissionsprüfungen zu bestehen. In diesem, seinerzeit größten Umwelt-Straffall in der US-Geschichte, erklärten sich branchenführende Industrieunternehmen, unter anderem Caterpillar Inc., Cummins Engine Co., Mack Trucks und Volvo Truck Corp., bereit, 83.4 Millionen Dollar in Strafen zu zahlen und die Computer neu zu programmieren. Im Jahre 1973 wurde VW von der EPA erwischt, dass temperaturempfindliche Schalter in mehr als 25.000 seiner Fahrzeuge eingebaut waren, die die Emissionskontrollen ausschalteten. VW zahlte eine Strafe von 120.000 Dollar. Das ist Kleingeld verglichen mit dem, was VW jetzt blühen könnte. Der Clean Air Act erlaubt Strafen von bis zu 37.500 Dollar für jeden einzelnen der 482.000 „verdächtigen“ VWs, die in den USA verkauft wurden. Ähnliche Zahlen können für die 1,2 Millionen betroffenen Dieselfahrzeuge, die weltweit verkauft wurden, erwartet werden. ¦ – Michael Biesecker / AP – Uebersetzung von Alexander Hast
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VW’s
DOWNFALL
The German carmaker is just the latest in a long history of cheating car companies
While Germany is still in shock about the outrageous scope of VW’s trickery with regards to manipulating the emission results of some of their Diesel cars, a Washington Post Express article in last September reported that Volkswagen is far from the first company to try to game required emissions tests. (AP) Almost since the passage of the Clean Air Act in 1970, major manufacturers of cars, trucks and heavy equipment have been busted for using what regulators call “defeat devices” — typically programming a vehicle’s on-board computer to boost horsepower or fuel mileage by belching out dirtier exhaust than allowed. Critics blame a federal regulatory system that largely relies on manufacturers to “self-certify” that their vehicles meet required fuel economy and emissions standards. The Environmental Protection Agency spot-checks only a low percentage of the vehicles made in the U.S. or imported to test the accuracy of the data reported by manufacturers. Donald Stedman, a University of Denver chemistry professor who specializes in testing the real-world emissions of cars and trucks, said the economics of the auto industry can make it profitable to cheat. Complying with clean air regulations can add thousands of dollars to a vehicle’s sticker price while diminishing the driving performance that customers demand. Revelations in September 2015 that Volkswagen used sophisticated software on its “Clean Diesel” models to beat emissions tests has rattled the auto industry and angered millions of customers who thought they bought environmentally friendly vehicles. Over the years, several major auto manufacturers — including GM, Ford, Honda and, yes, Volkswagen — have been forced to pay hefty fines and recall vehicles after getting caught using defeat devices. General Motors agreed to spend $45 million as part of a settlement with government regulators over defeat devices installed in Cadillacs sold between 1991 and 1995. GM agreed to a $25 million recall program to fix the emissions and agreed to pay $11 million in civil fines. In 1998, Ford agreed to spend $7.8 million on fines and fixes after defeat devices were installed in about 60,000 of the company’s Econoline vans. Ford agreed to voluntarily stop the sale of the vans and implemented a recall. During the same period, Honda agreed to $267 million in recall costs and fines to settle allegations it disabled a misfire monitoring device on 1.6 million Accords, Civics, Preludes, Odysseys and Acuras built between 1995 and 1997. Also in 1998, EPA referred cases to the U.S. Justice Department against seven major manufacturers of heavy-duty diesel engines used in big trucks and earth-moving equipment after testing showed they used computer programing to pass emissions tests. In what was then the largest environmental enforcement case in U.S. history, companies including industry leaders Caterpillar Inc., Cummins Engine Co., Mack Trucks and Volvo Truck Corp. agreed to pay $83.4 million in fines and reprogram the computers. In 1973, VW was dinged by the EPA after it was discovered the company had installed temperature-sensitive switches that turned off emissions controls on about 25,000 Fastback, Squareback and bus models. The company agreed to remove the devices and eventually paid a $120,000 penalty. That’s pocket change compared to what the company could be facing this time. The Clean Air Act allows for fines of up to $37,500 for each of the 482,000 suspect VWs sold in the United States. Similar numbers can be expected for the 1.2 million diesel cars sold worldwide that are affected. ¦ - Michael Biesecker/AP FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 17
LIVING
Real Estate
Tips
New Series:
for Buying
Real Estate
Los
Angeles Los Angeles-based real estate agent Tanya Stawski offers some important tips if you are thinking of buying or of selling your home: To p P r i o r i t i e s fo r S e l l e r s : w Find a trusted partner. It’s absolutely vital that you find a real-estate professional that understands your goals, knows the market and has the network to locate the right buyer for your home. Look for an agent who is able to guide you through the entire selling procedure. Especially before your home hits the market.
and pack up your least-used items. Clean all the windows and bathrooms thoroughly. w Establish a marketing budget. How much are you willing to spend to sell your house? Consider the real-estate commission and possible advertising costs in your calculations.
Top Priorities for Buyers:
w Know the details about your property. Be sure of your lot size, square footage, etc. Know your neighborhood. Most prospective buyers will want to know about the local schools, shopping, parks, etc. Locate your warranties. Gather up those warranties, guarantees and user manuals for the furnace, washer/dryer, dishwasher and any other items that will remain with the house. You’ll leave these for the new owner.
w Find a trusted partner. It’s absolutely vital that you find a real-estate professional who understands your goals, knows the market and who is ready and able to guide you through the home-buying process.
w Research the current market. How much are properties similar to yours in your neighborhood selling for?
w Make a good offer. Remember that your offer is very unlikely to be the only one on the table in this market. Do what you can to ensure it is appealing to the seller.
w Set the price. If you decide to sell it, set a realistic price. w Do a thorough “walk through” of your home. Look at it from the perspective of the prospective buyer and inspector. Write down what needs to be fixed and/or replaced. Look at the exterior and outside. Spruce up the curb appeal. First impression of the property is important. Does it need fresh paint or landscaping? How is the roof condition? Check that all the appliances are working. Are plumbing and electrical systems in good condition? Pare down clutter
18 www.german-world.com FALL 2015
w Get pre-qualified. Meet with a mortgage broker and find out how much you can afford to pay for a home. Get a pre-approval letter to send along with the offer.
w Make two lists of needs and wants. Your “Need List” should include items you must have (the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, proximity to a school, etc.). Your ”Wish List” delineates the things you would like to have (pool, elevator, etc.), but which are not a deal breaker. w Consider locations carefully. Look at a potential property as if you are the seller. Would a prospective buyer find it attractive based on the area offerings, school district, shopping, parks, freeway proximity, etc.
w Have an inspection done. A few extra dollars well spent now may save you big expenses in the long run. Hire a professional inspector. Remember for a home on a hillside, you will need additional inspectors, such as geological inspectors.
About the Author:
Tanya Stawski is a real-estate agent with Sotheby’s International Realty in Beverly Hills, California. Born and raised in Germany, Tanya has lived in Boca Raton, Boston and Chicago prior to moving to Beverly Hills. She speaks German, English and Farsi fluently and is conversant in Spanish. Tanya has a master’s degree in business from the International Business School in Germany and is a member of the Los Angeles Association of Realtors. Tanya and her clients’ listings have been featured in various media outlets such as the Los Angeles Times and The Wall Street Journal. Tanya has worked with international buyers and sellers, investors and first-time buyers. Her current listing portfolio covers homes between $600,000 and $12.5 million. For more information email us at RealestateCA@german-world.com or call Tanya at 310-801-6033. Additional information is on www.tanyastawski.com.
Real Estate
LIVING
German World is very happy to announce that two German-American real estate agents – one in New York and one in Los Angeles – have joined us to share some of their insights and offer up some hands-on tips to maneuver your way through both of these highly interesting markets.
NewYork
Buying Real Estate in New York City
Financial District: Condo conversion at the Woolworth Tower
w Looking for appreciation over time? For those looking for something that will appreciate over time, it helps to choose neighborhoods on the upswing. It is always very important to make an educated buying decision with the help of a knowledgeable agent. Whether you are planning to buy into a new developement, looking for an affordable investment property or a home that fits all your needs, and that is perfect for your lifestyle, you need to look closely at each neighborhood that could meet your criteria..
German-American real-estate agent Denise Thirkill leads you through the jungle of options for buying real estate. New York is the most stable market in the U.S. and the most efficient real-estate market in the world, with a vacancy rate of one percent, a great infrastructure, political system and economic environment, as well as a high quality of life. Nevertheless, there are a lot of details for buyers to watch out for before making a property purchase.
w Manhattan – No signs of slowing down As many developers are offering new projects throughout the city, the market in Manhattan isn’t slowing down. The 7-train subway expansion makes Midtown West and Chelsea even more desirable than in the past and the opening of the Hudson Yards development, with 17 million square feet of commercial and residential space, 100 shops and restaurants, and 5000+ apartments means a whole new neighborhood is taking shape. w The Lower East Side
In the more affordable Lower East Side, developers are slated to break ground in 2015 on an enormous mixed project comprising nine develAbout the opment sites on six acres near Seward Park, with Author: 1,000 apartments, plenty of shops, restaurants and a movie theater, all focused on young families. Denise Thirkill was born and raised in w Flatiron District Germany. She speaks English and GerNOMAD, north of Madison man fluently and has lived in New York Square Park, in the blocks from for more than nine years. Denise is a 24th to 30th streets and LexingLicensed Real Estate Associate and ton to Sixth Avenues, is booming works as an exclusive buyer’s agent with new developments, includat Elika Associates, which is a premier ing condo conversions and the New York City firm that specializes in new Virgin Hotel currently under exclusive buyers’ representation. Elika construction. Associates is a member of the National Association of Exclusive Buyers Agents (NAEBA). Denise is a member of the Real Estate w The Rise of the Board of New York (REBNY) and has access to all listings in New Financial District York City. Whether you are a U.S. citizen or a foreign Investor, The Financial District is also Denise caters her service to your specific needs. Denise strives showing big momentum with to help buyers achieve their dream home ownership, without unnew developments like 50 West, pleasant surprises, and without being over sold on a property. 125 Greenwich, 5 Beekman, the condo conversion at the WoolFor more information contact Denise Thirkill at worth Tower, the opening of 917-624-5578 or at RealestateNYC@german-world.com. the Four Seasons Hotel mixed www.denisethirkill.com
into the draw of a number of highly rated public schools in the area. The 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, J and Z subway lines allow buyers to have easy access to every neighborhood in Manhattan. w Beyond Manhattan and Brooklyn Developers and Investors are expanding beyond pricey Manhattan and Brooklyn into the Bronx, Queens and Upper Manhattan. Multi-family sales are up a whopping 67 percent from a year ago and sales of development sites are up by 85 percent. These are the kinds of numbers seen 10 years ago in now-hot neighborhoods such as Williamsburg, Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo, which is now a boomtown for wealthy foreigners and rich kids from the Midwest. There are many advantages to owning a home in New York City, ranging from comfort to tax breaks and the potential of substantial appreciation on the investment. The most important aspect in the purchasing process is to think about it as a long term commitment, because once you purchase a NYC property, you don’t want to be forced to sell at a possibly loss. The U.S. Department of Housing recommends the use of an exclusive buyers agent. Real-estate sales agents are helpful when you are selling a property, but their goal is always to sell properties, regardless of whether the property is ideal for your needs, budget or lifestyle. When buying real estate, you need an unbiased buyer’s agent, who will work exclusively for you to find the perfect property and to negotiate the best terms and price for you. Read in the next German World issue:
The Bronx – ideal for first-time buyers? FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 19
Story
Photo: ©Bader Hower
COVER
NINA FRANOSZEK By PETRA SCHÜRMANN
„Heimat trage ich im Herzen. Aber seitdem ich auch im Ausland lebe, setze ich mich umso mehr mit meiner deutschen Heimat und dem deutschen Film auseinander.“
-Nina Franoszek auf Casting-Network.de
Die Rollen, die sie spielt, könnten unterschiedlicher nicht sein. Egal, ob sie in Deutschland als Psychologin Ute Dannowski in der preisgekrönten Serie „Weißensee“ vor der Kamera steht, in Amerika als Schwedin Greta „Mad Men“ aufmischt oder sich als Frau Engel in „Wolfenstein“ in der virtuellen Realität bewegt, Nina Franoszek wirkt authentisch und überzeugt.Die gebürtige Berlinerin und Grimme-Preisträgerin hat es geschafft, nicht nur in Deutschland seit mehr als dreißig Jahren immer wieder für Theater, Fernsehund Filmproduktionen engagiert zu werden, sondern auch in Amerika Fuß zu fassen – ob als Schauspielerin, Produzentin oder als Trainerin. Dafür pendelt sie rege zwischen ihrem Zuhause in Berlin und Los Angeles hin und her. Seit einiger Zeit lehrt sie auch an der New York Film Academy, hat ein eigenes Seminar speziell für deutsche Schauspieler entwickelt und wurde neulich für einen speziellen Workshop für Heidi Klums „Germany’s Next Top Model“ engagiert. Was ist das Geheimnis ihres beruflichen Erfolges? Was unterscheidet ihre Arbeit in Amerika von der in Deutschland? Wie geht sie mit Konkurrenz um?
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Story
COVER
Eine Berlinerin in Hollywood onkurrenz für Schauspieler gibt es eigentlich nicht,“ ist Ninas verblüffende Antwort, als ich sie zum Gespräch in Culver City treffe. „Es ist eine Sache der Chemie. Mein Rat: Sei so einzigartig wie Du sein kannst. Und dann warte, bis jemand diese Einzigartigkeit sucht.“ Es sei äußerst wichtig, so fährt sie fort, seine eigene Chemie zu kennen und zu wissen, wie man auf Menschen wirkt. Gründliche Hintergrundrecherche, bevor man zu einem Vorsprechen geht, ist das A & O für einen erfolgreichen Auftritt vor einem Casting Director. Um auf lange Zeit erfolgreich im Filmgeschäft zu sein, sei es auch sehr wichtig, sich mit neuen Trends in Politik und Gesellschaft zu beschäftigen, denn diese beeinflussen neue Filmprojekte. Sollte Hillary Clinton Präsidentin werden, so Ninas Einschätzung, wird die Filmbranche mit viel mehr Rollen für selbstbewusste Frauen über 50 reagieren. „Man muss den Zeitgeist erkennen und dann schauen, wie man sich selbst weiter entwickeln kann, so dass man weiterhin engagiert wird,“ erklärt Nina. Diese Erkenntisse gibt sie auch in ihren sechswöchigen Trainingsseminaren für deutsche Schauspieler weiter. Den eigenen Marktwert richtig einzuschätzen sei das A & O. „In Deutschland wird die Schauspielerei als eine höhere Kunst angesehen, die vom Staat gefördert wird. In Amerika geht es um Unterhaltung als Geschäft. Und je beliebter ein Star, so besser das Geschäft,“ sagt sie klar. „Nicht umsonst spricht man in Amerika vom Entertainment Business und in Europa von der Schauspielkunst.“ Die Arbeit als Coach macht Nina Franoszek viel Freude, doch auch für die Kollegen in Deutschland setzt sie sich ein. „Ich wollte nie auswandern. Ich habe einfach nur meinen Spielkreis erweitert,“ so Franoszek in einem Interview mit Casting-Network.de. Bis 1989 hatte Nina, die in Hannover an der Hochschule für Musik und Theater (1982-1986) studierte, nie Interesse daran, in Amerika zu arbeiten. Doch durch Zufall wurde sie 1989 für eine Rolle in „Buster’s Bedroom“ entedeckt, wofür sie an der Seite von Geraldine Chaplin und Donald Sutherland spielte. Danach kamen weitere Rollenangebote. Seit mehr als 20 Jahren spielt sich ihr Leben zwischen Berlin, Hollywood und den verschiedensten Drehorten ab. Sie ist Mitglied der Deutschen Filmakademie und war von 2007 bis 2010 auch eine der Jurorinnen der International
Emmy Awards. In Deutschland gründete sie 2006 mit Kollegen den Bundesverband für Film- und Fernsehschauspieler, der sich, wie SAG in USA, für die Rechte von Schauspielern einsetzt. Auch als Schauspielerin, lässt sich Nina, die schon mit 23 ein festes TheaterEngagement in Bielefeld bekam, immer wieder auf neue Herausforderungen ein. Ihre Faszination gilt derzeit ihrer Arbeit als Motion Capture Actor für das Videospiel Wolfenstein, in dem sie die weibliche Hauptrolle, Frau Engel, spielt.“ „Die Film- und die Videospiel-Industrien wachsen zusammen,“ so Nina. „Die Arbeit als Motion Capture Actor ist sehr spanFranoszek as Dominique nend. Ich nehme zum Beispiel auch an einem Rouget in HBO’s “The Brink” Arbeitskreis der University of Southern California teil, der Virtual Reality Software mit und für Veteranen zur Überwindung von Traumata weiter entwickelt.“ „Beim Spielen in der virtuellen Realität,“ so Nina, „wird man zum Zeugen. Das eröffnet ungeahnte Möglichkeiten, die Seele der Spielteilnehmer zu berühren und - im Falle eines traumatisierten Menschen - zu heilen.“ Ob sie nun an ihrer eigenen Schauspielkarriere oder der anderer arbeitet oder versucht, durch ihr Schaffen das Leben anderer positiv zu beeinflussen: Nina Franoszek ist einfach eine faszinierende Berlinerin in Hollywood. ¦
Franoszek playing “Martha” Photo: © Joachim Gern
„K
„Home is where my heart is – I reflect more on my German roots and German cinema.
Photo: private
but since I have lived abroad
– Nina Franoszek on Casting-Network.de Versatile. Nina photographed by © Andreas Neubauer.
In Cannes.
g FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 21
COVER
Story
The characters that she plays could not be more diverse – no matter if she portrays the psychologist Ute Dannowski in the award-winning German series “Weissensee Saga,“ plays Swedish Greta in “Mad Men“ or moves to virtual reality as Frau Engel Nina as Frau Engel in in the controversial video “Wolfenstein.” game “Wolfenstein – The New Order,“ Nina Franoszek is always authentic and very convincing. The Berlin native, who was awarded the Grimme Prize (Germany’s Emmy Award) in 1998 for “Sardsch“ has worked for more than 30 years in German theater, TV and film productions, and even built a career as actor, producer and coach in the U.S. She commutes regularly between her homes in Berlin and Los Angeles, teaches at the New York Film Academy and developed her own seminar concept for German actors. Last season, she was hired by Heidi Klum’s “Germany’s Next Top Model“ for a special workshop. So what is her secret to having such a long active career in the international film industry? What are the main differences between working in the U.S vs. Germany? How does she deal with the competition?
NINA FRANOSZEK A Berliner in Hollywood
“A
ctually, there is no such thing as competition for actors,“ says Nina as we chat in Culver City, California. “It’s all about the right chemistry. My advice to young actors? Be as unique as you can possibly be, and then wait until somebody is searching exactly for your uniqueness.“ It sounds simple but according to Nina, it is a continuing process to keep developing your unique personality, to have a clear idea of your strengths and to know how you are perceived as an actor by the audience. The key element to success is constant, diligent work. Before going to an audition, she recommends doing background research on the project, the production and the casting director in order to see how your personality matches what the producers are looking for. “Film professionals need to be in tune with the current zeitgeist and strive at evolving constantly as an artist in order to have a chance,” Nina adds. She recommends that actors always stay up on current trends in politics and other news, and always observe what’s going on in society. For example: Should Hillary Clinton become president, more roles will pop up for self-confident women over 50, according to Nina. This and much more are the topics of her six-week training seminars for German actors. According to Nina, the key is to have a realistic idea about one’s own value for the American film industry. “In Germany, acting is considered a higher form of art, which is supported and often subsidized by the government. In America, acting is a form of entertainment, which is a business. There is a reason why we talk about the entertainment business in the U.S. and the “Schauspielkunst“ – the art of acting – in Europe.“
Photo: private
Nina motion capture acting for “Wolfenstein.”
Photo: private
Coaching Heidi Klum for Germany’s Next Top Model.
Nina really enjoys working as a coach with actors and directors but she is also using her Hollywood experience to help her collegues in her native country. “I never intended to emigrate,“ she explains, “I simply widened my radius of activities.” In 2006, she co-founded the Federal Association for TV and Film Actors in Germany, which just like SAG in America, fights for more rights for actors. Franoszek studied at the State College for the Performing Arts in Hannover from 1982 to 1986, and had no interest in working in the U.S. However, she happened to meet the line producer of “Buster’s Bedroom“ in 1989 and suddenly she was cast to play alongside Geraldine Chaplin and Donald Sutherland. Other projects, mainly GermanAmerican co-productions, followed. For more than 20 years, Nina’s life has been a constant commute between Berlin, Hollywood and various film locations. She is a member of the German Film Academy and served as a juror at the International Emmy Awards from 2007 to 2010. Nina has constantly accepted new professional challenges. Currently, she is totally fascinated by working as a motion-capture actor, playing Frau Engel in the controversial videogame “Wolfenstein.“
Nina as Greta in “Mad Men.”
Photo: © Tshombe Sampson
Nina a scene of “Martha.”
Meeting Nina for an interview in Culver City.
22 www.german-world.com FALL 2015
“The film and video industries are merging,“ Nina observes. “The work of a motioncapture actor is very thrilling. I also participate in a panel for Virtual War Science at the USC where we work with veterans in order to further the development of virtual reality software that is geared towards helping veterans with post-traumatic stress disorders. “Acting in virtual reality,“ Nina explains, “ makes you a witness. By letting a person enter the virtual reality, unknown possibilities are opened up, like getting into somebody’s traumatized soul and thus adding to the healing process.“ So whether she’s guiding her own acting career, helping others with theirs or finding ways to change society for the better, Nina Franoszek is a truly fascinating Berliner in Hollywood. ¦
Entertainment
NEWS
By Katja Lau
n
“Germany 83” makes history!
It’s a historical first. “Germany 83,” produced by UFA Fiction for RTL was the first TVseries that aired in the German language on a U.S. channel. The highly acclaimed series was shot mainly in and around Berlin with a special focus on an exact re-creation of West Germany in 1983, when the country was at the center of the Cold War and on the brink of a nuclear showdown. After “Germany 83” premiered at this year’s Berlinale, Sundance TV secured the rights for the U.S. It has already been broadcast in America to great acclaim and soon Germany will finally be able to experience their own exported series, when it airs there on November 26. ¦
n Christoph Waltz is James Bond’s brother?
F
ans worldwide are eagerly awaiting the release of the new Sam Mendes directed James Bond movie “Spectre.” It is well known that Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz plays the villain this time around, but insiders are convinced that there is more to the story. Based on the cryptic trailer, the Internet is on fire with rumors that Austrian native Christoph Waltz might actually play James Bond’s estranged brother – and most dangerous enemy. The mystery will be revealed on November 6th when “Spectre” hits movie theaters worldwide. ¦
n Sandra Bullock takes George Clooney’s role!
A
“once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!” This is how Sandra Bullock, 51, describes her role in the new political satire “Our Brand is Crisis.” The film’s producers actually changed the character’s gender so that the GermanAmerican actress could take the part, which was originally intended for her good friend George Clooney. As Sandra explained in a recent interview, she decided to tackle the role because “you can’t repeat anything that you’ve ever done before, you should do things that are just scary and frightening.” ¦
I
n Leonardo DiCaprio is “The Revenant”
t might go down as the toughest movie shoot in history. Cast and crew of Alejandro Iñárritu’s survival epic suffered blistering temperatures; the budget ballooned after a global search for snow; crew members fled the project; and some actors were submerged in freezing water while one was reportedly dragged naked across the icy terrain in a 200-person battle scene. But no one endured more than main actor Leonardo DiCaprio, as a 19th-century frontiersman who, after suffering a violent bear attack, embarks on a journey through freezing wilderness to exact revenge on the trapper who abandoned him for dead. “Whether it’s going in and out of frozen rivers, or sleeping in animal carcasses or eating raw bison liver, it was the hardest thing I have ever done,” DiCaprio explained in an interview with Vanity Fair. But it might be all worth it. Critics believe this role will earn the German-American actor his first Academy Award for best actor (he has been nominated three times in that category). ¦
n Roland Emmerich’s “Independence Day 2” wraps!
F
ilming for the highly anticipated sequel “Independence Day 2” has ended and cast and crew seem more than a little excited about the production. Film fans will have to be patient just a little longer, though. “Independence Day 2” will open on the 20th anniversary of the original, in the summer of 2016. The plot promises a true Roland Emmerich spectacle: Twenty years after the events of the first film, the international community recovers and builds up Earth’s defenses using technology salvaged from remains of the alien forces. However, the aliens were able to send a distress signal before their final defeat, which results in a new task force of alien ships coming to Earth and threatening the human race once more. ¦
FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 23
NEWS
Art & Trends
Die Geburt des “Neuen” (dw) Er ist der Shooting-Star der Neuen Leipziger Schule. Weltweit sind seine Arbeiten auf dem Kunstmarkt gefragt. Im Bötzow Berlin sind derzeit Gemälde, Grafiken und zwei Bronze-Skulpturen, Schlüsselwerke von Neo Rauch, zu sehen.
Neo Rauch Ausstellung erobert Berlin
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m Januar 2008 ging Glenn Lowry, der Direktor des New Yorker Museum of Modern Art, in Deutschland auf Einkaufstour: Neben Werken von Joseph Beuys, Martin Kippenberger oder Andreas Gursky erstand er auch Gemälde von Neo Rauch für die Sammlung des “MoMa”. Der Maler aus Leipzig ist zu einem von Deutschlands Shootingstars geworden. Mt seinen figurativen, neosozialistischen Werken im Retrolook hat er die Neue Leipziger Schule zum Qualitätslabel gemacht - das weltweit inzwischen so bekannt ist wie Volkswagen oder BMW. Als “Deutsches Malwunder” bezeichnen die Feuilletons das Phänomen Neue Leipziger Schule. Anfang der 2000er-Jahre sorgte der Begriff erstmals für großes Aufsehen. Auf den bedeutendsten Kunstmessen der Welt rissen sich Sammler und Museumskuratoren um Gemälde junger Maler, die in Leipzig studierten. Der gebürtige Leipziger Neo Rauch studierte von 1981 bis 1986 an der Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst in Leipzig. Von 1986 bis 1990 war er Meisterschüler von Bernhard Heisig, einem Pionier der “alten” Leipziger Schule. Das Etikett Neue Leipziger Schule entstand, weil eine jüngere Generation von Malern in Neo Rauchs Fußstapfen trat und sich wieder traute, die Realität mit malerischen Mitteln darzustellen. Das war eine Sensation, denn in den 90er-Jahren dominierte Installationskunst, die den Markt und das Museum kritisch unter die Lupe nahm. Rauchs Aufstieg zum Malerstar verlief rasant. Unterstützt von seinem Galeristen Gerd Harry Lybke interessierten sich schnell auch US-amerikanische Maler für die Gemälde des Leipzigers. Rauchs Bilder findet man in Miami, Los Angeles, und im Museum of Modern Art in New York. Ein zentrales Motiv von Rauchs Bildern ist das bedrohte Individuum. Der 55-jährige Künstler verfremdet alltägliche Motive und bringt sie in ungewöhnlicher Kombination mit einer aufgeladenen Symbolik zusammen. In der Kleidung der von ihm dargestellten Personen vermischen sich unterschiedliche Epochen. Es entstehen rätselhafte Bilderwelten, die ins Surreale kippen und nicht eindeutig zu entschlüsseln sind. Den Farben, die Neo Rauch verwendet, haftet zudem ein dumpfer Ton an, was ihnen etwas aus der Zeit gefallenes verleiht.
Neo Rauch, 55, is regarded as one of the most important contemporary German painters. His large-format works and graphics have a surreal feel, a trademark of the Leipzigborn artist’s style. Photo: © picture-alliance/dpa
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In seiner aktuellen Ausstellung “Im Schlaf der Welt” im Bötzow Berlin, der ersten Solo-Schau seit sechs Jahren, sind Schlüsselwerke seines Schaffens zu sehen: großformatige Ölgemälde, Lithographien und zwei Bronzen. Weitere Informationen und Abbildungen zu Neo Rauchs Werk unter www.dw.com
Art & Trends
NEWS
The birth of the ‘new’ Neo Rauch exhibition conquers Berlin
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hen MoMa Director Glenn Lowry went shopping in Germany in January 2008 for the New York Museum of Modern Art collection, he purchased works by Joseph Beuys, Martin Kippenberger, Andreas Gursky - and a painting by Neo Rauch.
(dw) Neo Rauch is the shining star of the New Leipzig School. His paintings, drawings and prints are hot in demand on the international art market. Key works of his œuvre - including large format oil paintings, graphics and two bronze sculptures - are currently on show at Bötzow Berlin.
The Leipzig artist is one of Germany’s leading stars. His figurative, neo-Socialist, retro-style works have put the quality stamp on the New Leipzig School - a brand that is almost as well-known as Volkswagen or BMW. Feature writers call the phenomenon a “German painting miracle.” At the turn of the century, the term New Leipzig School made waves for the first time, with collectors and museum curators at the world’s most prestigious art fairs vying for works by young Leipzig art students. Neo Rauch, a native to the eastern German city, studied at the Leipzig Academy for Visual Arts from 1981 to 1986. He spent the next four years as a master student to Bernhard Heisig, a pioneer of the “old” Leipzig School. The term ‘New Leipzig School’ emerged as a new generation of young artists followed in Neo Rauch’s tracks, daring once again to represent reality - a sensation at the time, as the 1990s were dominated by installations that took a critical view of the market and the museum. Rauch skyrocketed to stardom. His art dealer, Gerd Harry Lybke, helped open the US market to the Leipzig artist’s works. Today, Rauch’s works hang in museums in Miami, Los Angeles and, of course, MoMA in New York. The ‘individual under threat’ is a central motif in Rauch’s art. The 55-year-old artist skews everyday themes, and puts them together in unusual combinations charged with symbolism. The clothing worn by the people he depicts are from different eras. He creates mysterious images that have a touch of the surreal: there is no clear-cut interpretation. The colors Neo Rauch uses tend to be dull, which gives the works the feeling of belonging to a different era. “Im Schlaf der Welt” at Bötzow Berlin - Rauch’s first solo exhibition in six years - shows key works from his oeuvre: large-format oil paintings, graphics and two bronze sculptures. The exhibition runs until March 15, 2016. More information about Neo Rauch on www.dw.com FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 25
NEWS
Lifestyle & Trends
gemütlich Vor allem
(dw) Als die internationale Möbelmesse IMM in Köln dieses Jahr ihre Tore öffnete, zeigte sich der überwiegende Trend für 2015 gleich sehr deutlich: Gemütlichkeit geht über alles. „Frauen wollen Kissen, Männer klare Kante.” Das hatte erst erst kürzlich eine Wohnstudie des Hamburger Otto-Versands, eines führenden deutschen Online-Warenhauses, ergeben. „Die Menschen wollen zu Hause durchatmen”, erklärt Einrichtungsexpertin Ursula Geismann vom Verband der Deutschen Möbelindustrie die Gefühlslage ihrer Kundschaft. „Sie ziehen sich von Stress und Hektik des Alltags zurück.” Entschleunigung sei das Zauberwort. Der “Megatrend Gemütlichkeit” gebe auch eine Antwort auf Globalisierung, Terrorgefahr und den grassierenden Verlust regionaler Identität. Und wie sieht das dann aus? Nach Geismanns Worten legen Wohlfühlsucher Wert auf passende Details bei Möbelformen und -eigenschaften. Farben müssen warm, Stoffe kuschelig sein. Strick ist angesagt, Holz sowieso. Da wirken selbst Fliesen wie warme Holzböden. Ganz wichtig aber sind große, weiche Sofas und darauf möglichst viele Kissen. Das regt die Sinne an. Sofas und Sessel haben sichtbar „an Kante verloren”: Sie kommen grazil daher. Mit geschwungenen Formen und abgerundeten Silhouetten lassen sie Trends der 1950er- und 60er-Jahre wieder aufleben. Dabei dürfen adäquate Begleiter nicht fehlen - kleine Schränkchen und diverse Beistelltische, Polster, Poufs und Hocker sind gefragte Accessoires, auch sie weich gezeichnet durch Form und Material. „Design und Wohnlichkeit”, so das Credo der Branche, “das war nie ein Widerspruch!”
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Die neuesten Möbeltrends aus Deutschland
Die formale Strenge des Designs soll der Vergangenheit angehören: Unter-kühlt war gestern. Designermöbel sollen nicht mehr Fremdkörper sein, sondern schlicht gemütlich. Auch das hat die Wohnstudie des Otto-Versands an den Tag gebracht: Mobiliar soll nicht nur ansprechend aussehen, sondern auch praktisch sein und lange halten. Und natürlich spielt der Preis eine Rolle: Das höchste Ausgabe-Budget für Möbel, so die Befragung, habe ein älteres Paar ohne Kinder. Binnen fünf Jahre kann es im Schnitt 10.500 Euro für Möbel ausgeben, ein junges Pärchen hingegen nur rund 6.100 Euro. ¦
Coziness Comfort &
The latest trends in furniture design from Germany
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When the international furniture fair IMM Cologne opened its doors in the Rhineland metropolis this year, the new major trend for 2015 became apparent very quickly: Comfort and coziness.
“Women love pillows, men prefer clear-cut forms.” That, in a nutshell, is the result of a study on interior design recently undertaken by the Hamburg-based Otto-Versand, a leading German online department store.
Lifestyle & Trends
NEWS
Interior design expert Ursula Geismann of the Association of German Furniture Industry states: “People want to breathe at home. They withdraw from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.” Slowing down seems to be the magic word, according to Geismann. The major trend towards “coziness” should be seen as a reaction to globalization, terrorism and the rampant loss of regional identity, she argues. So how does that translate in practice? In Geismann’s view, customers seeking relaxation put a lot of emphasis on appropriate details such as the shape and other aesthetic properties of furniture. In vogue this year are warm colors and cuddly fabrics. Natural materials such as wool and wood are in high demand. Even floor tiles presented at the fair have a warm touch to them this year. Also in high demand are large, soft couches piled with as many pillows as possible. That is believed to stimulate the senses. Sofas and chairs have visibly lost some of the angularity and coldness which had been fashionable until recently. They have gained in gracefulness, their curved shapes and rounded silhouettes now somewhat reminiscent of the homely 1950s and 60s aesthetics. And accessories are of course mandatory - such as small side tables, cushions, poufs and stools which are equally soft in shape and material. The trend very much confirms the slogan of this year’s fair: “Design and comfort - it was never a contradiction!” Another find from the Otto-Versand study was that furniture should not only look good but must also be practical. And, of course, price plays a crucial role. According to the survey, older couples without children are able and prepared to spend the most on furniture. On average, this consumer group would spend around 10,500 euros ($12,000) for furniture in five years, whereas a young couple can only spend around 6,100 euros. ¦ Source: www.dw.com
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GERMANY IN Designer and Photo-grapher Vera Mender to Receive the Distinguished German-American Award of Excellence
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n November 12, 2015, the GABC of South East Florida will hold a reception to honor designer and photographer Vera Mender at the Coral Gables Country Club. She will receive the GABC’s 2015 Distinguished German-American Award of Excellence, acknowledging her amazingly versatile career.
Born in 1947 in Gütersloh, Germany, Vera Mender completed her education in 1967. Thereafter she studied design and photography in Munich, Germany, and first pursued a modeling career that took her around the globe for ten years. Later, Vera Mender moved behind the camera and became a fashion photographer. She and her crew explored the United States for their photo shoots and eventually settled in Miami because of its beautiful architecture, palm trees and everlasting sunshine. In 1993, Vera, along with her partner, Debbie Cozzo, opened WORLD OF
Florida KIDS the first teen and children’s modeling agency in America. Today it is one of the largest and most successful agencies in the U.S. in this field. In her personal life, Vera became very interested in real-estate investments. This was primarily due to the architectural changes in Miami. She started to invest and purchase residential Art Deco homes, which she remodeled and redesigned and then placed back in the market with much improved values. Vera has been a supporter of the GABC in South East Florida for the last 15 years, as well as a trustee of the India U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a board director of the Peter London Global Dance Company.¦
ExhiARTS Photo bition “My
Berlin” during the Downtown Art Days
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he Consulate General participated in the 2015 Downtown Arts Days by hosting a very special exhibition called “My Berlin” featuring beautiful photographs taken by Consul General Juergen Borsch. Everyone who stopped by at the opening on September 11 received a “Currywurst” with a twist and a “Berliner.” The exhibition showed not only pictures of the well-known sights in Berlin like the Brandenburg Gate, but also the lesser known yet very picturesque courtyards and backstreets of that famed city. ¦ (Photo: © Germany.info/Miami)
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Fritz & Franz Bierhaus, Coral Gables German-American Social Club of www.bierhaus.cc Cape Coral, www.gasc-capecoral.com Hofbrau Beer Hall, Miami Beach www.hofbraumiami.com
Cultural Center for German Language, Contact: Susanne Nielsen at Hofbrau Beer Garden, Panama City susanne2@verizon.net Beach , www.hofbraupcb.com American-German Club of the Palm Beaches, Lake Worth Ambry, Ft. Lauderdale www.americangermanclub.org www.ambryrestaurant.net
German-American Friendship For more German restaurants in Florida visit www.german-world.com Society of Pinellas, Tampa -> Directory -> German Restaurants www.germantampa.com German-American Society of Central n German Language Classes Florida, Casselberry www.orlandogermanclub.com Società Dante, Coral Gables, www.dantemiami.org
German American Social Club of Greater Miami, www.germanamericanclub-miami.org Miami Dade College, www.mdc.edu German School of Ft. Lauderdale, www.germanschoolfl.com 28 www.german-world.com FALL 2015
For all German-American Clubs in Florida visit www.ugasflorida.org For general information about German cultural and events visit www.germany.info/miami
GERMANY IN
New York
BUSINESS Help for Transatlantic Business
YOUR German LANGUAGE CONNECTIONS IN NEW YORK
Operations East Coast Industry Forum in Jersey City a big success By Jan Vater
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n October 28th, the German American Chamber of Commerce New York (GACC NY) hosted the East Coast Industry Forum, a one-day conference designed to help international companies meet the challenges of running a transatlantic business in an environment where the rules are being rewritten almost every day. The all-day conference, which took place at the Mac Mahon Center of Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, NJ, offered a diverse selection of panel discussion, focusing on a broad range of hot economic and political topics that affect industries globally. “From our discussions with our members, we know that businesses are confronted daily with forces seemingly outside their control, whether it’s new reporting mandates from governments, technological changes that are transforming their operations, or grappling with uncertain energy supplies” said Dietmar Rieg, President & CEO of the GACC NY. With this in mind, the GACC had assembled experts from across a range of industries to share their experiences and best practices to help other companies confronting these same issues. Top transatlantic business executives including Kirk Edelman, President & CEO, Siemens Financial, Ludwig Willisch, President & CEO, BMW North America, and Andrew Campbell, President Eastern Millworks shared their perspectives during panels on “U.S. Energy Outlook”, “The Transatlantic Marketplace”, and “The Future of Manufacturing.”
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Language CONNECTIONS IN NEW YORK
Austrian Cultural Forum – www.acfny.org | Consulate General of Austria - www.bmeia.gv.at/en/embassy/consulate-general-new-york.html Consulate General of Germany – www.germany.info/newyork Consulate General of Switzerland - www.eda.admin.ch/newyork Deutsches Haus Columbia University - www.columbia.edu/cu/german/ deutsches-haus/ | Deutsches Haus NYU – www.nyu.edu/deutscheshaus German National Tourist Office – www.germany.travel | Goethe-Institut – German Cultural Center & Library – www.goethe-institut.de/newyork | Neue Galerie – A gallery dedicated to Austrian and German art – www.neuegalerie.org | Swiss Institute - www.swissinstitute.net n
GERMAN & AUSTRIAN RESTAURANTS
• KG-NY Group – Restaurants of Master Chef Kurt Gutenbrunner: Blaue Gans, Café Sabarsky, Upholstery Store, Wallsé (Winner of one Michelin Star in 2013), www.kg-ny.com • Heidelberg – www.heidelberg-nyc.com • Bierhaus NYC – www.bierhausnyc.com More restaurants on www.german-world.com -> Directory -> Restaurants For all things German in New York visit www.germanyinnyc.org
Attendees also benefited from expert advice at the four Industry Q&A’s on social media, attracting and retaining talent, social media strategies and fostering innovation. Among the close to 200 prominent guests and speakers were New Jersey Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno who delivered the opening keynote, and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop who opened the evening reception. In addition, German Consul General Brita Wagener took the stage to welcome the attendees . Puerto Rico Governor Jorge Padilla closed the morning part of the forum with a mesmerizing speech about the beauty and business advantages of his beloved home country. ¦ For more information visit www.gaccny.com
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1 Lt. Governor State of New Jersey Kim Guadagno describing New Jersey’s many advantages 2 Governor Commonwealth of Puerto Rico Alejandro Garcia Padilla addressing tax advantages for foreign companies in Puerto Rico 3 The Transatlantic Marketplace Panel: Moderator Heike Buchter, Business Correspondent Die Zeit and BMW of North America President & CEO Ludwig Willisch discussing transatlantic trade interests 4 Mayor of Jersey City, Steven Fulop opening the networking reception | Photos: © Jörg Windau
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GERMANY IN
Chicago & Midwest
Oct 21 - Nov 17, 2015 “Jewish Life in Germany Today” The “Jewish Life in Germany Today” exhibition incorporates photos, texts, audios and videos to vividly capture the Jewish experience in modern Germany. German Consul General Herbert Quelle and Northwestern Professor Judith Levi will introduce the exhibit and hold a Q&A session for those interested in learning about the Jewish-German relationship. Levi will also give an informative lecture about the little-known but morally admirable example set by contemporary Germans in their efforts to come to terms with their country’s Nazi past. The UW Hillel Foundation, Center for German and European Studies and Department of German are excited for Levi to share her journey of discovery which began when she decided to visit her father’s German hometown on the 60th anniversary of Kristallnacht in order to participate in its annual memorial services. ¦ Location: UW-Madison University of Wisconsin Hillel, 611 Langdon Street, Madison, WI 53703
Until January 3, 2016 “Exhibition Weltstadt – Who creates the city?” An exhibition of the Goethe-Institut and local partners This exhibition is a curated selection from the WELTSTADT exhibition which was initially presented at the Deutsche Architektur Zentrum in Berlin in May of 2014. Visual impressions from the ten different WELTSTADT projects in 16 cities around the world are organized into five subcategories: New Civil Society, City as a Collective Performance, New Middle Class, Informal Formal Strategies and Self-Organization and Public Administration. The exhibition features videos and newspapers from the ten projects inspiring visitors to become active and creative in their own cities through different approaches and constellations. ¦ Location: Goethe-Institut, 150 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 200, Chicago www.goethe.de/chicago
RESTAURANT TICKER Hofbräuhaus – Four Locations in the Midwest Modeled after the legendary 400+ year-old Hofbräuhaus in Munich, Germany – is in 4 locations in the Midwest! Guests are now able to enjoy many of the traditions from Germany that have made Hofbräuhaus famous. From the traditionally decorated rooms in the building to the beer that is brewed on-site, and of course the excellent German fare, all Hofbräuhaus locations are a memorable experience for all. Hofbräuhaus Chicago, IL Located in Rosemont. Live entertainment every day. Hofbräuhaus Cleveland, OH Hofbräuhaus Cleveland is a German microbrewery, beer hall, restaurant, and beer garden that opened downtown in the theater district October 2014! Complete with live music, fresh Hofbräu beer brewed right onsite at the brewery. Hofbräuhaus Columbus, OH A great deal: Mittagsbüffet (lunch buffet) for only $11.99 from Mondays through Fridays (11AM – 2 PM) includes a “Wurst of the Day”, an entrée, soup, and a great salad bar. Hofbräuhaus Newport, KY Fun and friendly is the atmosphere in the Bier Hall, with live music and about 250 soon to be close friends. There is also a quiet dining room. Many dishes are prepared with ingredients specially made locally or imported from abroad. The heritage of Hofbräuhaus is the beer. Over 500 years ago the first Hofbräuhaus beer was crafted. Newport has a brew master from Germany supervising the production of four varieties plus Seasonal Specialties of the authentic Hofbräuhaus beer. For those of us accustomed to American brews, Munich has developed a recipe for Hofbräu Light.
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GERMANY IN
California & Hawaii
RESTAURANT TICKER n
CALIFORNIA
Beverly Hills: BierBeisl is closed New: BierBeisl-Imbiss in Downwtown LA Austrian owner and chef Bernhard Mairinger also plans to open a new location in Beverly Hills in 2016, a place with Biergarten, its own bakery, and a 2-level restaurant. Stay tuned: www.bierbeisl.com
Nevada: Hofbräuhaus Las Vegas Stein holding contest every Saturday evening. Live music daily. Find authentic Bavarian souvenirs for Christmas at the Hofbräuhaus Shop. www.hofbrauhauslasvegas.com
Events:
Hawaii | Nov 6–8: 3rd Berlin & Beyond Honolulu The German film festival Berlin & Beyond returns to Hawaii at University of Hawaii Manoa’s Art Auditorium with seven sensational films, opening with Edward Berlin Currywurst on Cahuenga Blvd. closed recently. Berger’s 2015 Lola Best Film in Silver winner “Jack”. Berlin Currywurst in Silver Lake is still open. New: Berlin Currywurst in Downtown LA www.berlincurrywurst.com Ludwig Biergarten in The Grove One of the latest additions to the German food scene in L.A. opened in June 2015 at the former Johnny Rocket restaurant location but is currently closed for renovations. Stay tuned at www.ludwigbiergarten.com Chalet Edelweiss: Swiss-Style Brunch All-you-can eat buffet every 1st Sunday of the month. Enjoy Swiss specialties and a glass of Mimosa. www.chaletedelweiss.us
Northern California | Mark the Date: Jan 14–21, 2016 “Berlin & Beyond” in San Francisco The popular German film festival of the Bay area turns 20 and festival director Sophoan Soan as well as the Goethe-Institut in San Francisco are working on very special celebration. Stay tuned: www.berlinbeyond.com
November 20–29 L.A. Autoshow Joe Zimmer, co-found of Lyft, will open the L.A. Autoshow on November 17 during the press and trade dates. Audi3 e-tron nominated as one of the “2016 Green Car of the Year” finalist. Debut of Porsche’s Cayman GT4 Clubsport. L.A. Convention Center. Stay tuned: www.laautoshow.com Dec 4-5 4th Annual Alpine Kraft Bierfest in Torrance Two days of beer tasting featuring over 100 beers from more than 40 breweries at Alpien Village Center in Torrance. www.alpinevillagecenter.com Dec 5-6, 12-13, 19-20 Alpine Village Christmas Faire 2015 Second annual Alpine Village Christmas Faire. www.alpinevillagecenter.com
Dec. 6, 13 & 20, 11 AM – 4 PM Old World Christmas Market in Huntington Southern California | November 14 – 7PM Karneval Proklamation Party. Opening of Karneval Beach. Enjoy live music, Santa’s visit, and authentic German Christmas specialties including glühwein! Season 2015/2016 at the Phoenix Club. www.oldworld.ws www.thephoenixclub.com
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SPOTLIGHT
Southern California
Austrian-American Day 2015 in Los Angeles:
Austrian-American Council West HELPS CHILDREN in Nepal By Carole Spanier-Ladwig
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mid the super lunar eclipse members and guests of the Austrian-American Council West were able to experience a wonderful Sunday evening at the Beverly Hills Country Club. AustrianAmerican Day, as proclaimed by President Clinton in 1997, was the occasion for the delightful “Friendly Evening under the Stars”. Upon hearing the familiar welcoming melody of Carl Zeller’s operetta The Bird Seller (Der Vogelhändler) “Grüß’ Euch Gott, alle miteinander!”, all eyes turned immediately to the podium where President Veronika Reinelt, charmingly attired in a dress from Lower Austria, specifically from the Erlauf River Valley, and Executive Vice President Lilliana Popov-Alexander, also in an elegant ethnic evening dress of satin and velvet, stood waiting. Every year, the Austrian-American Council West confers a humanitarian award on an organization, normally for children with special needs, either in the L.A. area or world wide. Last year the award was bestowed on ten Austrian athletes of the 2015 L.A. Special Olympics World Summer Games. However, before the L.A. Olympics began, the horrible earthquake in Nepal erupted. The Board of Directors of the Council acted immediately by directing $4,000 to the relief in Nepal. Soon it became known that the SOS Children’s Villages in Nepal had been hit by the earthquake and its even further devastating aftershocks. Since the SOS Children Villages, founded by Austrian native Herrmann Gmeiner, have received donations from the AAC West before, the suggestion to help the SOC Children’s Villages in Nepal by bestowing the 2015 AACW humanitarian award on them was quickly approved by the Board. Nepal’s Honorary Consul General Pappas had been invited to attend the Austrian-American Day gala and was presented with a check in the amount of $20,000 (in addition to the $4,000) for the children in Nepal, all donated by members and friends of the AACW. Equally importantly, an award of distinction is conferred annually on one or more of its own members who have performed exceptionally in service to the Council. This year’s awards of distinction went to Yvonne Jurmann and The Honorable Judge Jan Juszkiewicz Donsbach. As a surprise to even President Reinelt and Executive Vice President Popov-Alexander, Lynnette Amerian, Chief of Protocol for Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, awarded both ladies with scrolls of distinction from the City of Los Angeles. Following the official festivities the guests danced under the stars to wellknown melodies as the super lunar eclipse slipped into oblivion. ¦
1 Austrian-American Council West Sponsors of the S.O.S. Children’s Villages Nepal fundraising project, Austrian Consul General Ulrike Ritzinger and Austrian Trade commissioner Rudolf Thaler present the check for $20,000 to Honorary Consul General of Nepal, Mr. George Pappas. 2 L.A. Chief of Protocol Lynette Amerian (center) brings special recognition from Mayor Garcetti for Lilliana Popov Alexander and Veronika Reinelt. 3 Austrian-American Day Special Service Award recipients Yvonne Jurmann (2nd f.l.) and Judge Jan Donsbach (r.), together with Consul General Ritzinger (2nd f.r.), AACW TreasurerFred R. Reinelt,(l), and AACW President Veronika Reinelt. 32 www.german-world.com FALL 2015
Southern California
SPOTLIGHT
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German – American Heritage Day in Südkalifornien:
Deutsche Kultur hoch zu Ross
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Von Alexander Hast
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as Alpine Village war auch in diesem Jahr wieder die Kulisse für den Deutsch-Amerikanischen Tag, oder German-American Heritage Day, der am 4. Oktober wiederum runde 1.500 Besucher anlockte. Unter der Schirmherrschaft des Deutschen Generalkonsulats in Los Angeles hatten sich die 20 Mitgliedsvereine des Veranstalters, des Deutsch-Amerikanischen Verbandes (DAV), zusammengefunden, um in Dirndln und Lederhosen die Besucher zu unterhalten. Vor allem aber auch, um ihre Herkunft und auch die jüngste Vergangenheit zu feiern, den 25. Jahrestag der Wiedervereinigung Deutschlands am 3. Oktober. Großes Aufsehen erregten nicht nur beim Einmarsch die Pferde der War Horse Foundation mit Fritz Bronner. Bronner hatte sich und seine Mitreiter in Uniformen der 2nd Continental Light Dragoons des Revolutionskrieges gekleidet. Gemeinsam mit dem Alpine Village stellte der DAV wieder ein ansprechendes Programm auf die Beine, das etwas für Jung und Alt bereithielt. Die Musik steuerten die Bluebirds bei, und durch das Programm führte der Vizepräsident des DAV, Alexander Hast. DAVPräsidentin Theresa Volland begrüßte die Gäste und hieß den deutschen Generalkonsul in Los Angeles, Hans Jörg Neu-
mann, der erst vor kurzem sein Amt in Los Angeles angetreten hatte, herzlich willkommen, ebenso den Bürgermeister von Torrance, Patrick Furey. Besondere Höhepunkte waren die Tanzdarbietungen der donauschwäbischen Jugend und der Auftritt von Caitlin Gist, Kolping Society, mit dem “Sound of Music” Erfolgshit “Edelweiß. Auch Geschichtliches wurde an diesem Tag nicht vernachlässigt: Im Alpine Steinhaus waren Ausstellungen über „25 Jahre Deutsche Wiedervereinigung und der Fall der Mauer“, die „Geschichte der Deutschen in den USA“ - zusammengestellt von Carole Kulzer Brennan und Alexander Hast – sowie Informationen über die US-Internierungs-lager für Japaner, Italiener und Deutsche in den USA, am Beispiel des Tuna Canyon-Lagers, zu sehen. Ein informatives Angebot, das von mehreren hundert Besuchern angenommen wurde. Alle waren sich einig: Der German-American Heritage Day war auch in diesem Jahr wieder ein Riesenerfolg. ¦
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Weitere Informationen auf Facebook unter German-American Heritage Day Los Angeles und auf www.GermanDayLA.com und www.GermanLeague.us
1 Light Dragoons of the War Horse Foundation made a sensational opening. 2 VIPs beim GAHD: (f.l.t.r.) Fritz Bronner, Consul General Hans Jörg Neumann, Andrea Forgo and sponsor Dennis Fredricks. 3 Caitlin Gist of the Kolping Society. 4 The „DAV Wreath of Honor“ was awarded to Paul und Margo Brockmann by DAV President Theresa Volland (r.) and Carole Brennan. 6 Irma Hast and little Alexa visit the exhibit. 7 DAV board members Carole Brennan and Alexander Hast produced the exhibit (5) about the history of GermanAmerican Day. All photos: ©Silvia Spross Photography
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CUSTOMS
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Oktoberfest Fashion
History of Lederhosen and Dirndl
With Oktoberfest Season coming to an end, you might have admired the beautiful Bavarian-style ladies’ dresses and men’s garb that Oktoberfest visitors were wearing. These traditional clothes have a very interesting history. We checked it out for you.
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n recent years the tradition of wearing lederhosen and dirndls in Germany (also known as tracht) has experienced a modern-day revival. What originated as the garb of the working peasantry of the 18th century, lederhosen as well as dirndls have both undergone many evolutions along the way.
Dirndl Ernestine by Marjo Trachtenmode. www.trachteria.de $159.95.
Lederhosen, which are said to have emerged in the Alpine regions of Germany and Austria, were the short, suspendered leather trousers of the male peasant, for they were sturdy and held up to the rigorous work of the time. However, leather trousers were actually worn in many regions of Europe by riders and also hunters. But it was in the south of Germany, in Bavaria, that a unique style developed – a pair of short leather trousers with suspenders and a front drop flap. This style became quite popular and in France the style was dubbed “à la bavaroise” or “Bavarian style.” During the Rococo period of the 18th century it Black and red Dirndl with longer was also fashionable for the courtly soskirt (120cm). usa.dirndl.com ciety to emulate the simple life of the $119.95. peasants, and hence, the style also took hold in the nobility. While the peasantry wore both short lederhosen and longer-styled, just-below-the-knee nniebundhosen, made of goat or sheepskin that was dyed black, the nobles, who were often adept hunters, chose to make their lederhosen of deerskins, which is a much softer and higher grade of leather. These were then richly decorated to symbolize their nobility. 34 www.german-world.com FALL 2015
Part of the uniqueness of lederhosen can also be attributed to the intricate embroidery that is found both on the trousers and the suspenders. Oftentimes the embroidery signified a certain region of the country and people began to attribute a regional pride in wearing their lederhosen. In fact, in many of the small German villages the regional tracht was taken very seriously and men often owned several pair of lederhosen for different occasions, those for everyday work as well as ones for very festive occasions such as a wedding. While these traditions have lasted even into the modern day in some areas, most of today’s lederhosen have been replaced by blue jeans for everyday life and work and lederhosen are now worn mostly at cultural events or festivals, such as the Oktoberfest or Kirchweih as well as to a biergarten. During the onslaught of blue jeans across the earth, lederhosen lost their popularity in everyday life. However, in recent years there has been a new interest in this traditional garb and people of all ages are again wearing them to the festivals. Lederhosen now come in short and long styles, and in many leathers in many price ranges. One can expect to pay about $250 for a basic pair made of durable goat leather. They typically come in black and brown leathers, but other colors are also available: khaki, gray and even red for younger boys! However, more expensive lederhosen are also available in deerskin and come with intricately designed embroidery and can cost up to $1,000! Lederhose Zeus by Spieth Wensky, brown goat leather, very soft. www.bavarianspecialty.com $269.90 Lederhose Marco. Bavaria-Lederhosen.com $99.95.
Oktoberfest Fashion
CUSTOMS
Even Kim Kardashian wears a Dirndl! Oktoberfest Munich 2010. Dirndl by Lollipop & Alpenrock.
The dirndl, or female dress of tracht, also emergedin the 18th century as a servant’s or maid’s dress. This simple dress generally consisted of a blouse, bodice, full skirt and an apron and it was practically suited for a woman’s work around the home or the farm. Women wore slightly different styles and fabrics in the winter and in the summer. The winter dirndl was often a full dress with long sleeves, made of heavy cotton, linen or wool with warm skirts and aprons. In contrast, the summer dirndl was made of lightweight cotton and shortsleeved blouses were worn under sleeveless, tailored bodices. The dirndl was adopted into the upper echelons of society style around 1870. Suddenly, the simple dresses were transformed into very stylish, colorful outfits often made of silk, satin and other expensive fabrics. They also evolved into dresses worn for regional pride and tradition, with each region taking on distinct differences in colors and style. Today’s dirndl now ranges in style from the soft and simple to the very vibrant, styles exquisitely crafted with rich fabrics and embellished with intricate embroidery. Most women now wear them for traditional cultural events or formal occasions, such A example for Landhausmode. as a wedding, or www.moschen-bayern.de to show their regional pride. In recent years, the dirndl has also gained in popularity among younger women, who enjoy wearing shorter, flirtier and more revealing versions. Others opt for a style of dress called landhausmode (country style fashion) which are more casual dirndllike dresses and skirts. ¦
Spieth & Wensky Dirndl ‘Wanda,’ medium length. Bavarian Specialties. $229.90. www.bavarianspecialty.com
FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 35
CULINARY
Tips
All-American Thanksgiving Dinner with a German Touch
Some of the most popular German side dishes also go very well with the traditional Thanksgiving turkey. Here are a couple of suggestions:
Brussels Sprouts in Almond Parsley Butter
Place the Brussels sprouts (use about 1 lb) into a pot of boiling water and cook for five minutes. Drain the vegetable from the hot water and rinse it under cold water. Place it aside on a paper towel. Heat butter (about 2 oz) in a pan. Add a small pack of sliced almonds and stir it in the browning butter. Add fresh-cut parsley. Slice Brussels sprouts in half and add them to the almond butter parsley mix. Turn them carefully for one minute in the butter mix and serve the dish immediately.
Homemade Red Cabbage
Take one raw red cabbage, remove the outer leaves of the cabbage, rinse it under water, cut in quarters and remove the stem. Cut the cabbage in very fine slices or grate it. Peel an onion and cut it in thin, small pieces. Peel one apple and cut it in small pieces. Heat up coconut oil or lard in a pan and add the onions. Fry the onions for two minutes. Reduce the heat so that the onions won’t burn. Then add the apple and the red cabbage. Immediately put two spoons of vinegar over the cabbage, in order to generate a nice fresh color. Let the mix simmer for 10 minutes in a covered pot. Add a pint of water as well as a dash of salt and sugar, one bay leaf and two cloves. Let the cabbage simmer for 30-45 minutes in a covered pot on the stove until the cabbage is soft. If necessary, add some hot water. Add some red wine to taste after 30 minutes. Set aside. Reheat slowly before serving if necessary.
Give Your Mashed Potatoes an Extra Fluff
No matter if you like your mashed potatoes with roasted onions, parsley, nutmeg, milk, cream, extra butter or ground pepper, the trick to give it the perfect consistency is to not use a blender but an old-fashioned potato masher. A blender breaks the potatoes down too harshly and turns it into a liquid mash instead of a fluffy purĂŠe. Enjoy!
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Tips
CULINARY
New Wines from Germany Recommendations for Thanksgiving and Holiday Dinners By Dade Thierot
Give your Thanksgiving dinner a German touch and serve one of the following wines for a special celebration:
About Dee Vine Wines Dee Vine Wines was founded
2012 Robert König Spätburgunder (Pinot Noir) Assmannshäuser Höllenberg Kabinett (Rheingau) trocken Regardless of what tradition dictates, many of us, nevertheless, prefer a nice, medium-bodied red for holiday dinners; especially around Christmas when heartier dishes such as wild duck, goose, roast beef and leg of lamb make the centerpieces at such festive occasions. This elegant, supple and beautifully balanced Pinot is bound to satisfy anyone’s craving for a superb red that will complete the picture of a perfect feast!” $26/bottle at DeeVineWines. www.dvw.com
in 1996 and will celebrate its 20. Anniversary next year! Dee Vine Wines is an importer, wholesaler and retailer of Fine German Wines with specialty in dry and sweet Riesling. For the owners, Petra and Dade, Thierot, Riesling represents the greatest white wine on earth because of it’s endless premium diversity. With a large selection including auction wines and rarities going back to the 19th century, they take a lot of pride in being German Riesling experts. Dee Vine Wines is run by Germans who select the wines at the estates to import them exclusively to California. Dee Vine Wines is affiliated with many big players in the wine industry for example Wines of Germany, Summer of Riesling, famous restaurants and traditional family run wineries. “To this day, I continue to be amazed and delighted by the sheer finesse and beauty of these phenomenal wines.” – Dade Thieriot Cheers! Petra and Dade Thieriot
2013 Prinz Riesling Trocken This wine pairs very nicely with turkey, baked ham and all dressings such as traditional bread-based stuffings with chestnuts. The wine’s innate full body and refreshing acidity will stand up to any gravy or sauce you can think of, and the combination of the two is sure to be a crowd pleaser. $22/bottle at DeeVineWines. www.dvw.com
Solter Brût Rosé This delicious sparkler will pair very well with appetizers such as oysters, smoked salmon and cheese puffs or gougères, and is a delightful way to greet your guests as they arrive. $27/bottle available at DeeVineWines. www.dvw.com
Get 10% Off! Exclusive Offer from Dee Vine Wines for German World Readers: Every customer will receive a 10% discount on any order of 12 bottles (a case) or more and free shipping within California! For more Information contact Fritz Wittkowski at info@dvw.com or at (415) 398 3838. Please also visit www.dvw.com for new arrivals.
FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 37
CULINARY
Restaurant Feature
Film-producer couple adds promising new German hotspot to L.A.’s restaurant scene By Petra Schürmann
Juggling big film productions while opening a hot new restaurant seems to be a far-fetched combination, but apparently that’s not a problem in Los Angeles.
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t least not for the high-powered German-American film-and-television producer couple Jeanette Buerling and Jim Milio (the “Dog Whisperer with Cesar Millian” TV series, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” etc.), and the owners of Jeanette’s Edelweiss. The pair bought a German restaurant in Thousand Oaks from Roland Radler and transformed it into Jeanette’s Edelweiss, opening it in March 2015.
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“We are still working in the film industry,“ Jeanette tells GW when asked how the combination of film production and restaurant ownership came about. “In fact, we just produced a TV series for TLC. However, food and fun are both our passion, and on top of that, I simply miss Germany. So we bought the German restaurant.” From cucumber salad to bratwurst to apple strudel and Black Forest cherry cake, most German all-time favorite foods are part of the menu. And with 12 imported German beers on tap, including Kölsch, lovers of German suds will get their fill, too. Jeanette’s Edelweiss also offers live entertainment from Thursday to Sunday. Another fun touch: at 9 p.m. local time, German breakfast radio greets you with a friendly “Guten Morgen.”
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However, the best thing about the place is the food – all the dishes that we tried were nicely presented and simply tasted just like being in Germany! Not surprising when you find out that the chef at Jeanette’s Edelweiss is German native Kurt Ehrlich, who has already cooked for three presidents. Some Americans that we talked to liked the food at Jeanette’s Edelweiss so much that now they even want to take a trip to Germany. Stay tuned for more, too, as the restaurant plans to hold its own Christmas Market in December – the authentic German way, naturally. - Jan Rothe contributed to this article.
1 Jim and Jeanette Milio in front of their new restaurant in Thousand Oaks. 2 Jeanette and German chef Kurt Ehrlich.
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Virginia
SPOTLIGHT
A Hub of
O’Zapft is! Gary Ilch and Chris Reitmeier open the 2-day festival.
Bavarian Gemütlichkeit in Virginia:
The 47th Richmond Oktoberfest
All photos: Courtesy of © Helga Pearson.
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he idea for the Richmond Oktoberfest dates back to 1965 after Edwin Lohmann attended the Munich Oktoberfest in Germany that year. Ed had already been aware of the popularity of this festival among American GIs ever since he was stationed in Bavaria in 1957 but the Army would not grant him leave to attend the event during those years of military service. While president of the Gesangverein Virginia (GV) back in 1967, Ed presented the idea to his vice-president, Frederick (Fritz) Schwenk. Fritz, a German native from Bavaria, had been to the Munich Oktoberfest in 1933 before immigrating to the United States. Fritz then suggested to Ed that they should bring the Deutscher Sportclub Richmond (DSC) into their discussion to start a Richmond Oktoberfest patterned after the Munich festival. Just four years later, in 1969, the first Oktoberfest of Richmond was held at the old Holiday Inn (The Abbey) and 500 people attended – surpassing all expectations. Now, after 47 years, the Oktoberfest of Richmond this year welcomed more than 5000 visitors, making it the largest German-American Oktoberfest in the state of Virginia. This year, on October 16 and 17, authentic German food was enjoyed with a Warsteiner Pilsner or Dunkel as well with beer from Yuengling, America’s oldest brewery. Guests also indulged in pastries from Reinecker’s German Bakery located in Macedonia, Ohio. Two great local brass bands, the ACCA Sauerkraut Band and the Original Elbe-Musikanten German Band, as well as the Richmond Oktoberfest band, the Washington Continentals from Glenn Dale, Maryland, played typical Bavarian music and “Schunkelmusik.” The performance of the Bavarian folk dance group, the S.G.T.E.V. Hirschjägers, was a true highlight as was the crowning of this year’s Oktoberfest Queen, Jane Harding, with the help of German Embassy representative Anja Cyriax, who had come all the way from Washington, D.C., for the festival. ¦
This Year’s Beer Stein Design: A tribute to Burg Eltz The Eltz Castle (BURG ELTZ) is a medieval castle nested in the hills above the Moselle River between Koblenz and Trier in Germany. It is still owned by a branch of the same family that has lived there since the 12th century, 33 generations ago. Burg Eltz is only one of three castles on the left bank of the Rhine in Rhineland-Palatinate that have never been destroyed. The castle is situated on a 70-meter rock spur, on an important Roman trade route between rich farmlands and their markets. For more information visit www.richmondoktoberfestinc.com
Charming representatives of the German Embassy: Mrs. Anja Cyriax (l.) and Mrs. Karin Fleschner (r.)
Jim and Helga Pearson.
The festive opening.
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Helga Pearson and Robert Carle. The Hirschjaegers
Banner carrier Erich Albus, the last surviving founder of the Oktoberfest.
Queen Jane with husband Jim
FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 39
SPOTLIGHT
New York
SteubenParade
th 58Annual
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ndividuals from the United States, Germany and the Alsace in France traveled to Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue for the 58th Annual Steuben Parade on September 19. The parade began post-World War II as a way to rehabilitate the image of Americans with German heritage in the U.S. The parade was named after Prussian Revolutionary War general Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, who fought for the American colonies and is credited with being indispensable for the achievement of American independence. The parade today is a celebration of German cultural heritage in America with a growing diversity of groups from Germany and all over the United States. Bayern-Munich fans, German language schools and clubs march together with New York’s fire-safety brigade members and Scottish marching-band musicians who are proud of their German heritage. Karneval groups from Cologne, 5 the West Point Cadets, Fresian groups and Bavarian dance ensembles presented and explored German traditions together. Two outstanding floats this year were the 25 Years of Germany Unity display by the German Embassy and the “Made in Germany’” float by the Consul General of Germany in New York.
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It was the second year that the Steuben Parade took place under the leadership of Steuben Parade Committee Chairman Robert Radske. Supported by his wife Anita and his daughter Nicole as well as dedicated committee members such as Herb Seef (Grandstand and Oktoberfest) and Lenny Coyne (press), he did an outstanding job again. For this year’s parade, he was able to recruit Social Democratic Party member and former mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit, news anchor Contessa Brewer and “Cheers” star John Ratzenberger to join the parade as its Grand Marshals. The Steuben Parade Weekend always kicks of with a gala on Friday evening. This year, the parade committee opted for the Lighthouse Restaurant on the Chelsea Piers, which proved to be a very good choice. With a stunning view of New York’s skyline, this venue offered enough space for two long bars and several food stations that were hosted by various German and Austrian restaurants, including Nürnberger Bierhaus and Blaue Gans. With Niche Imports as the beverage sponsor, gala guests were treated to samples of a wide variety of German spirits such as Kirschwasser and Schlumberger Champagne. Beer was provided by the various sponsors
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1 Official Opening with Robert Radske, General Chairman of Steuben Parade (4th f.r.), the Grand Marshals and Sa10 mantha Hart (2nd f.r.), reigning Miss German-America, flanked by the two princesses Catherine Hatten and Rebecca Koehler. 2 Contessa Brewer 3 Bob Radske welcomes Klaus Wowereit. 4 John Ratzenberger with his wife (l.) 6 Nicole (2nd f.l.) and Anita Radske (2n f.r.) and friends on the Steuben Committee organized a great gala.7 Klaus Wowereit enjoying the view from the Chelsea Piers. 8 Stephanie (2nd f.l.) and Nicole Radske with Grand Marshal Wowereit (r.) at the VIP table 9 A warm welcome for Klaus Wowereit on Friday morning by a Karneval group from Germany. 10 A dream team: Bob and Anita Radske
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New York
SPOTLIGHT
Grand Marshals Klaus Wowereit, Contessa Brewer and John Ratzenberger Celebrate German-American Culture in New York By Petra Schuermann such as Hofbraeu, Erdinger and Dinkelacker. The German Embassy was represented by Dr. Ackermann, Deputy Chief of Mission, and Consul General Brita Wagener. Klaus Wowereit felt visibly at ease and posed patiently with gala guests for numerous photos. In his address, he talked about the close ties between Germany and the U.S. and noted how similar the energy of New York and Berlin are. Contessa Brewer delivered one of the best speeches that I have ever heard at a GermanAmerican event. Please visit www.german-world.com -> Opinion to read it in full.
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The next day, more than 5,000 parade participants gathered to march along Fifth Avenue, starting at 64th Street and ending up at 86th Street. Germany’s Deputy Chief of Mission, Philipp Ackermann, kicked off festivities by welcoming participants and paying homage to the estimated 50 million Americans who claim German roots. Parade moderator Frederick Hansen did a great job announcing the various groups and their background.
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Bee Moffitt, a visitor from Columbus, Ohio, attended the parade to honor her niece, Catherine Hatten, who served as a German-American princess in the parade. She believes the Steuben Parade is a strong reminder of how multiculturalism can benefit a nation. “I think it helps everybody who lives in the community to realize what an individual culture does for its people, [and] how it helps Americans,” said Moffitt.
All photos: ©Robert Radske
Wolfgang Sinke, who traveled from the former Pomerania in Germany to support friends marching in the parade, commented that the event is important to maintenance of family traditions in the U.S. and Germany. The only downside this year was that the Empire State Building was not lit, as usual, in the German colors, and that there was less interest from local TV stations in covering the event.
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This was soon forgotten at the Oktoberfest in Central Park, which always follows the parade, where 5,000 guests celebrated by indulging in authentic German food and beer from many different German breweries, as well as spirits, German wine and champagne offered by Niche Imports. Singer Melina and the band Spitze got the crowd moving until the very end of the festival. –Ida Sophie Winter contributed to this article. ¦ 12 Philipp Ackermann, K. Wowereit, Consul General Brita Wagener (f.l.t.r.) before the Parade. 14 Fresian traditional dresses 17 Parade commentator Fred Hansen (r.) 18 Uli Gamerdinger, GABC, and girl-friend Julie.20 Contessa Brewer and Stephanie Radske (f.l.t.r.) 21 Ida Sophie Winter, Nick Jaksic, and Denise Thirkill. (f.l.t.r.)
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100 Years of Hollywood: German-American Heritage Museum in D.C. Presented A New Traveling Exhibit
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n June 18, 2015, a new exhibit – “100 Years of Hollywood: The Laemmle Effect” – opened at the German-American Heritage Museum in Washington, D.C., and was on display until September 26, 2015. In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Universal Studios in Hollywood, which opened 1 on March 15, 1915, by entrepreneur and German-Jewish immigrant Carl Laemmle, this multimedia exhibit explored the influence of immigrants from German-speaking countries on the American film and entertainment industry from 1915 to today. The exhibition, curated by Petra Schuermann and assisted by the museum’s historian Myra Hillburg, former program manager Marietta Greene and consultant at large Dr. Doris Berger, took visitors on a journey through 100 years of American cinema history. It began in 1915 with the creation of Universal Studios, which became the largest film studio in the world, Original admission ticket to the and focused on the pioneer, visionary entrepreneur and humanitarian Carl Laemmle. It then moved on to those known as “The Exiles.” Due to the political climate in Germany and Ausopening in 1915. tria beginning as early as the 1920s, the Nazi regime forced many of Germany’s best talents (many of which were Jewish) to flee Europe and land in California to work in the fast-developing American film industry. The exhibit continued through the Golden Age of Hollywood and the German influence on Film Noir, and many movies of the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. The exhibit closed with contemporary ties between Hollywood’s film industry and stars from Germany like Roland Emmerich, Sandra Bullock and Diane Kruger. Highlights of this exhibit were certainly the costumes worn by German actress Marlene Dietrich, including the suit that she wore when filling out immigration papers. The iconic top hat and tap shoes of German/Austrian-American film star Fred Astaire (born Fred Austerlitz in Ohio) and a dress worn by German-American actress Doris Day (born Doris von Kappelhoff in Ohio) in the movie “Jumbo” (on loan from FIDM Museum & Galleries in Los Angeles) were also on display. From personal collections, the exhibit also showed items from Carl Laemmle’s life, courtesy of his niece Rosemary Hilb Laemmle; from the Hollywood agent and producer Paul Kohner, on loan from his son Pancho Kohner; and from actor Eric Braeden, including his Emmy Award and a humanitarian award from the State of Israel. The smallest item was the star of the exhibited memorabilia: An original admission ticket to the opening of Universal Studios in Hollywood from March 15, 1915. The exhibit also included scans from the original intention letters to immigrate to the United States from luminaries including Marlene Dietrich, Fritz Lang and Peter Lorre, as well as private letters from various German studio executives who shaped the Golden Age of Hollywood. Video installations made this exhibit a true multimedia experience. A whole section was dedicated to film composers of German or Austrian descent, including a very nice display of personal items of Franz Waxman (born Franz Wachsmann), courtesy of his son John, who traveled from his home in Connecticut in order to participate in a panel discussion with film director Karen Thomas (“Cinema’s Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood”) and Dr. Doris Berger, curator at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles, on June 20. The objects and images on display helped to narrate the story of immigrants from German-speaking Europe and their contributions to the American society. The Transatlantic Program of Germany generously sponsored this exhibition with ERP funds provided by the BMWi. The project was also supported by the German Information Center, NBCUniversal, FIDM, the DAR Museum and HapagLloyd Cruises, along with the librarians the National Archives. ¦
The view into the auditorium at the GAHM in D.C. 42 www.german-world.com FALL 2015
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Eric Braeden awards display.
John Waxman.
Stephanie Williamson, grandniece of Carl Laemmle at the exhibit opening.
Washington D.C.
The Laemmle Effect
SPOTLIGHT
A Warm Welcome for Dr. Justinian Jampol in D.C. By Petra Schuermann
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o lesser than the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany, Peter Wittig, and his charming wife Mrs. Huberta von Voss-Wittig hosted a reception on October 2 at their residence in or-
Anja Cyriax, German Embassy, with her husband and daughter in front of dress worn by Doris Day in “Jumbo.”
Andreas Langenstein and Nicole Glass, German Information Center.
The GAHF team: Myra Hillburg, Marietta Greene, Carl Anderson, Christopher Sinunu, Petra Schuermann, Christine Yang, and Kyhl Stephen. (f.l.tr.)
Dr. Doris Berger (l.) with her husband and Karen Thomas
Marlene Dietrich suit on loan from FIDM Los Angeles.
der to introduce Dr. Justinian Jampol, Executive Director and Founder of the Wende Museum in Los Angeles, to dignitaries of the German-American community. Dr. Jampol is the author the publication “Beyond the Wall – Jenseits Der Mauer – Art and Artifacts from the GDR,” which was recently released by Taschen. The Wende Museum is named for the period of transformation leading up to and following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Established by Dr. Jampol in 2002 to study the art, artifacts and culture of the former Eastern Bloc, the museum serves as an important research center. “Beyond the Wall” is a compendium featuring over 2,500 artifacts from the Wende Museum’s extraordinary collection. “Never before has the history of the former GDR been captured in such a comprehensive collection,” said Ambassador Wittig in his welcome address. He visited the museum himself a few months before the reception and acknowledged the important work that Dr. Jampol and his team have accomplished. A fun and lively presentation by Dr. Jampol followed, as he described the museum’s collection and the impending move to a larger facility, into a former armory in Culver City, California. The Washingtonians had lots of questions for the guest from California and it is certain that many attendees will put the Wende Museum on the list of must-see places on their next visit to L.A.
All photos: Bruce Guthrie
Hollywood stars speaking German.
FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 43
SPOTLIGHT
Southern California
GERMAN CURRENTS 2015
Thought-provoking movies, 80s music and a tribute to Roland Emmerich marked the ninth annual festival of German films in L.A. By Petra Schuermann
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ow in its ninth year, GERMAN CURRENTS: Festival of German Film has become a fixture on the cultural calendar of Hollywood. Over the past years, thousands of audience members have enjoyed Oscar-nominated German cinema, engaged in Q&A’s with top German talent, tasted German cuisine during the opening night gala and experienced contemporary German culture in the historical setting of the Egyptian Theater. This year, GERMAN CURRENTS went beyond its regular film screenings, adding a Q&A with legendary German DJ Westbam from Berlin and a dance party in the courtyard of the Egyptian on the third festival day. In cooperation with GABA, the Goethe-Institut, organizer of the German film festival in L.A., hosted a tribute event honoring German director Roland Emmerich on 2 Saturday morning. Emmerich is one of the world’s most talented and sought-after directors. He studied film at the University of Television and Film Munich where his student film “The Noah’s Ark Principle“ went on to open the 1984 Berlin Film Festival. His body of work includes movies such as “Independence Day,” “Stargate,” “10,000 BC” and “White House Down” – to name just a few. Emmerich recently wrapped “Independence Day: Resurgence,” the next epic chapter in the “Independence Day“ universe. The original 1996 film redefined the eventmovie genre by shattering opening weekend and total box-office records to become the first movie in history to gross over $500m internationally. Emmerich’s latest film, “Stonewall,” is a drama about the Stonewall Riots in 1969 New York, which sparked the LGBT civil rights movement. The film stars Jeremy Irvine and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. In addition to his work in film and television, Emmerich has made considerable contributions to many charities, including but not limited to the Cambodian Children’s Fund and the Los Angeles LGBT Center.
Roland Emmerich at the Goethe-Institut. Photo: ©Alexander Fenyves
Festival director Fareed Majari (4th f.l.) and program director Daniel Chaffey (5th f.l.) with their team: Sylvia Mogel, Tobias Queck, Stefan Kloo, Intern Nina, Thomas Rupprecht (f.l.t.r.). Photo: ©Tshombe Sampson
Presenting sponsor BMW showcased its all-electric BMW i3. Photo: ©Tshombe Sampson 44 www.german-world.com FALL 2015
DJ Westbam
Tribute to Roland Emmerich (3rd f.r.) with Thomas Mikusz, Vice Consul General Biedermann, Consul General Neumann, Timon Birkhofer, Rebecca Ford, and Thomas Feith (f.l.t.r.) Photo: ©Alexander Fenyves
Southern California GERMAN CURRENTS opened on October 22 with “We Are Young, We Are Strong” by young filmmaker Burhan Qurbani, a native from Afghanistan, about the tragic events in August 1992 when anti-immigrant attacks targeted a refugee shelter on the outskirts of the former East German city of Rostock, which culminated in the notorious “Night of the Fire.” Following three days of violence, nearly 3,000 rioters, neo-Nazis and bystanders set fire to the shelter, trapping Vietnamese refugees and a group of journalists inside. Qurbani’s controversial film recounts the hours leading up to these startling events. With regards to the current migrant crisis in Germany and Europe, Qurbani’s movie (which he began working on five years ago) gained a whole new dimension toward Germany’s handling of its immigrants. Other excellent movies included “Jack” by Edward Berger and the Austrian production “Gruber geht” by Marie Kreutzer. The matinee on Friday morning saw more than 600 kids from various schools in Southern California flock to the theater to enjoy a free screening of “The Pasta Detectives” and a lunch in the courtyard. Festival guests were able to travel back in time at the screening of “B-Movie – Lust & Sound of West Berlin” narrated by producer Mark Reeder. This fast-paced collage of unreleased film and TV footage, photos and original interviews illustrates Reeder’s account of the music, art and chaos in West Berlin of the 1980s. The festival jury members Fareed Majari, Gwen Deglise, Daniel Chaffey and Tobias Queck are to be complimented on selecting a range of outstanding and thought-provoking film productions. GERMAN CURRENTS is produced by the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles and the American Cinematheque in cooperation with the German Consulate General, the Austrian Consulate General and the Consulate General of Switzerland. This year’s festival was presented by BMW North America – a first-time cooperation. Additional support came from Deutsche Welle (DW), the Friends of Goethe, German Films Marketing GmbH, ARRI & Illumination Dynamics, Lufthansa, Condor/Thomas Cook Group, and the Underberg Sales Group USA. Beverages for the reception were donated by Piper Heidsieck Champagne, Dee Vine Wines San Francisco, Underberg, and Erdinger Weissbräu. ¦
Director Uli Edel and wife Gloria.
SPOTLIGHT
Actress Nina Rausch (Orange is the New Black).
Actors Patricia Lueger and Thure Riefenstein
Director Edward Berger (“Jack”) Consul General Neumann welcomes media partners Sylvia Viljoen and Christian Vogt, Deutsche Welle.
Wolfgang Santner, D. Chafffey, Claudia Farrokhnia, F. Majari, P. Schuermann, intern Nina. Photo: GW
Director Burhan Qurbani (c.) with D. Chaffey and P. Schuermann
Choreographer Shane Sparks (l.) (So, You Think You Can Dance?) Swiss-American actress Q’orianka Kilcher.
Actress Kristina Kleb
Prince von Anhalt (c.) enjoying himself.
Festival sponsor Franz Wieser, Sophoan Soan from Berlin & Beyond in S.F., P. Schuermann, and Thomas Nickel, ARRI
Uschi Obermaier (2nd.f.l.) enjoying the B-Movie party with DJ Westbam. FALL 2015 www.german-world.com 45
SPOTLIGHT
California
Happy 20!
Stefan and Susi Bachofner with their sons Michael and Lucas. Missing from this photo is their oldest daughter Alice who studies in Denver.
Waterfront Café!
All photos: Courtesy On the Waterfront Cafe.
By Petra Schuermann
O
n The Waterfront Cafe is one of Venice’s most popular destination bar-restaurants. If you live or work in Venice, chances are that you have sipped a frosty glass of hefeweizen while sitting on its boardwalk front patio, looking out at the sand. This year in April, Stefan and Susi Bachofner, the owners and founders, and their team celebrated the 20th anniversary of this famed watering hole. Stefan bought On the Waterfront Café on December 23, 1994, and opened the Swiss-German themed beer garden in early 1995. Twenty years later, On the Waterfront Café is still going strong. However, it was tough going for Bachofner, a former ski instructor and a trained chef from Switzerland, and his wife Susi. “We invested all the money we had in our restaurant,” Stefan recalled in a conversation with German World. “At the beginning, we were so poor, we could not affford any furniture for our apartment. All we had was a mattress to sleep on.”
On the Waterfront Cafe on the Venice Boardwalk. Represents Erdinger in the US: Glenn McDonald. Long-time business partner Jean-Luc Bergoz.
Bachofner’s passion for great food and beer, which started when he was young, kept him going. “Growing up in Switzerland, you are bordered by four countries, and therefore a whole lot of different food to be influenced by,” he explained. “Gemütlichkeit” is the German word that roughly translates to an atmosphere of total relaxation and coziness. This is what Bachofner says is the main idea behind OTWC. And, by all accounts it is a huge success – not only for the guests, but for the staff as well. Some of the employees have been there since day one. “Our average employee turnover is 12 years, and this allows me to not worry about the business when I am away,” he said in an interview with a a reporter of Veniceparazzi.com. In his free time, Bachofner volunteers for the Special Olympics and spends time with his family. His two boys are superstar hockey players on the L.A. Kings Junior Team, and his daughter, Alice, is at C.U. Denver studying economics. OTWC’s signature items are the bratwurst, pretzels and Erdinger beer. However, in an interview with Venicepaparazzi.com Stefan says that the most valuable thing you can . get at OTWC is to watch the beautiful sunset and feel a happiness that is not for sale. When in Los Angeles, also try Stefan’s second location, Chalet Edelweiss, in Westchester close to LAX. ¦
W
ho – in the film industry – would not want to have the opportunity to stand on the stage of the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood saying, “First, I want to thank the Academy”?
Susi and Stefan with Waltraud Kaiser, Erdinger Weissbraeu, and Mike Meinardus, Bitburger Bier.
Three German Winners at the 2015 Student Academy Awards
Three up-and-coming German directors have now come closer to this vision. The Student Academy Awards – the so-called “Student Oscars” – were held on September 17, 2015 and three German filmmakers won in the category of “Best Foreign Language Movie.” The German award-winners directed three incredibly diverse films. Patrick Vollrath earned the third-place prize with “Everything Will Be OK,” a film about a father’s abduction of his daughter. Dustin Loose’s film, which took second, was even darker: “The Last Will” examines a young man who fulfills his mother’s disturbing dying wish.
The winner of Best Foreign Language Movie was Īlker Çatak (photo: far right), who had multiple challenges in creating his film, “Fidelity.”The film was made during Turkey’s civil war, and its language is Turkish with subtitles. This soulful and fascinating film was rightfully given first place. The names of these three 46 www.german-world.com FALL 2015
By Jan Rothe Photo: ©A.M.P.A.S.
young men – Īlker Çatak, Dustin Loose and Patrick Vollrath – should be remembered by all film fans, and these three talented film students shouldn’t wait too long to begin filming Hollywood blockbusters. ¦ – English Translation: Ida Sophie Winter
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LAST PAGE
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