Berichte

Als der DAFK zum ersten Mal im Frühjahr 1989 mit einer Reisegruppe in Belleville war, fiel uns der prächtig blühende Hartriegel vor der City Hall besonders auf, hier die Art „cornus florida“ , die „dogwood“ genannt wird.

siehe http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornus_florida

Seit Anfang der 90er Jahre wird vom DAFK jedes Jahr im Mai zu einer Besichtigung im Raum Paderborn mit anschließendem geselligen Beisammensein eingeladen.

Diese Frühjahrsbegegnung des DAFK wurde „Dogwoodfest“ genannt.

Im Partnerschaftsgarten der Landesgartenschau 1994 in Paderborn wurden zwei „cornus florida“ gepflanzt zur Erinnerung an den auch in Belleville sehr beliebten Strauch.

Unsere Freunde in Belleville erzählten uns auch die Legende vom „dogwood“, die hier in einer Übersetzung aus dem Amerikanischen wiedergegeben wird. Die Legende bezieht sich auf die Form der Blüte des „cornus florida“.

„Zur Zeit der Kreuzigung Christi hatte der Hartriegel noch die Größe einer Eiche. Der Hartriegel war ein so kräftiger Baum und hatte so gutes Holz, dass sein Stamm für das Kreuz auf Golgotha verwendet wurde. Darüber war der Baum sehr betrübt. Jesus, der die Betroffenheit des Baumes spürte, als er am kreuz hing, sagte zu dem Baum: „Da du mich bedauerst und es dir leid tut, dass dein Holz für das Kreuz verwendet wurde, soll zukünftig der dogwood-Baum nie mehr so groß werden, dass sein Holz für ein Kreuz genommen werden kann. Er soll ab jetzt kleinwüchsig sein. Seine Blüten sollen die Form eines Kreuzes haben – zwei längere und zwei kurze Blütenblätter. In der Mitte des Randes der Blütenblätter soll eine rostbraune Einkerbung sichtbar sein, die an das Einschlagen der Nägel erinnert. Alle, die den Baum sehen, werden erkennen, was gewesen ist.“

Der „dogwood“ ist seit 1941 die Staatsblume von North Carolina.

(Fotos, Erläuterung und Übersetzung von Otmar Allendorf)

Vortrag: Nationale Identität in einer globalisierten Welt: Das Beispiel der USA

Der Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundeskreis Paderborn-Belleville e.V. hatte am 08.03.2007, 19.30 Uhr seine Mitglieder und die interessierte Öffentlichkeit zu einem Powerpoint-Vortrag von Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Peter Freese, emeritierter Lehrstuhlinhaber für Amerikanistik an der Universität Paderborn und Mitglied des DAFK, in die Volkshochschule eingeladen.

Sein Thema:
„Nationale Identität in einer globalisierten Welt: Das Beispiel der USA“.

75 Besucher und Besucherinnen erlebten einen Referenten, der sich in umfassender und spannender Weise mit der Frage beschäftigte, was es denn bedeutet, „Amerikaner“ zu sein bzw. zu werden.

Prof. Freese hatte seinen Vortrag mit folgendem Statement angekündigt:

„Angesichts der hitzigen deutschen Debatte darüber, wie Zuwanderer besser integriert werden können und was sie leisten müssen, um die deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft zu erhalten, liegt es nahe zu fragen, wie denn das Einwanderungsland USA mit solchen Problemen umgeht und was es heißt, ein Amerikaner zu sein.

Zu diesem Zweck werden nach einem Streifzug durch die Geschichte des amerikanischen Identitätskonzepts auch aktuelle Probleme wie etwa die Kontroverse über neue Einwanderungsgesetze oder der Streit um die Notwendigkeit einer gemeinsamen Sprache erörtert.“

Der Referent hat uns freundlicherweise eine Bibliografie zum Thema zur Verfügung gestellt.

Prof. em. Dr. Dr. mult h.c. Peter Freese:
Ausgewählte Bibliographie zum Thema:
Nationale Identität in einer globalisierten Welt:
Das Beispiel der USA

Download als PDF Datei (6 Seiten)

Der Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundeskreis Paderborn-Belleville e.V. bietet einigen Paderborner Schülern/Schülerinnen, die ab Herbst 2008 in die Klasse 11 kommen, die Möglichkeit an einem interessanten ca. 90-tägigen Aufenthalt als Schüler an einer amerikanischen High-School in Belleville/Illinois, teilzunehmen.

Die Gruppe verlässt Paderborn Mitte August 2008 und fliegt über Chicago nach St. Louis. Von dort erfolgt dann ein kurzer Transfer nach Belleville mit dem anschließenden Kennenlernen der Gasteltern.

Das Einschreiben an der jeweiligen High School und die Platzierung in die gewünschten Klassen und Kurse geschieht dann in den folgenden Tagen.

Aktive Unterrichtsbesuche an fünf Werktagen, in der Regel bis in den Nachmittag. Lunch in der Schule.
Die Wochenenden können kreativ gemeinsam mit den Gasteltern, Freunden oder auch als Gruppe gestaltet werden.

Rückflug von St. Louis nach Paderborn nach ca. 90 Tagen Mitte November.

Die Kosten: Pro Teilnehmer werden es für die obigen Leistungen einschl. der Versicherung ca. 1.900,00 € plus Taschengeld sein (der Betrag hängt von den aktuellen Flugpreisen ab).

Vorbedingung für eine erfolgreiche Teilnahme sind gute Englischkenntnisse zum Verstehen und Einbringen in den jeweiligen Unterricht, die Bereitschaft einen amerikanischen High School Schüler bei sich für 90 Tage aufzunehmen und die positive Fähigkeit, sich an die ortsüblichen Gegebenheiten schnell anzupassen.

Eine wichtige Voraussetzung ist natürlich das Einverständnis der Schule, das nach dem Abschluss des Auswahlverfahrens einzuholen ist.

!Abgabe der Bewerbungsunterlagen bis zum 25. Februar 2008!

Über die Auswahl entscheidet der DAFK-Vorstand.

Der Freundeskreis Paderborn-Belleville möchte Dich als jungen Menschen ansprechen und Dich für eine aktive und gelebte Städtepartnerschaft motivieren. Bitte sprich mit Deinen Eltern und Freunden über dieses Projekt und bewirb Dich möglichst bald, denn die Zahl der angebotenen Plätze ist leider sehr stark begrenzt.

Grußworte der Präsidenten

President’s Message

The year 2007 promises to again be a busy one for our Sister City organization.

Besides the usual programs we are involved in, we are joining together with area Sister Cities to host the State Convention that will take place at Our Lady of Snows Convention Center on April 20 and 21. Our co-hosts are Columbia, Waterloo, Millstadt and Carbondale Skis, We think we will have an outstanding program of speakers, entertainment, tour and facilities. It will be the first Illinois Convention held in the southern part of the state, and we hope to win the favor of the Northerners with our program and hospitality. With all the resources and good minds available in our wide area, it something to anticipate.

We hope that many of you will put the convention on your calendar and plan to attend. as we all have much to gain by interesting workshops, speakers and guests. One day reservations are available to hosting memberships, so if it is not possible to attend both days, for a $60 fee, there will be a $35 fee for one day, which will include program and meal. Meeting just one more charming person is worth the price. More information will be sent to you when the program is prepared, but mark your calendar now.

This year for the first time we are cooperating with the SCI Young Artist Showcase. We are inviting youths 13 to l8 years of age to submit a piece of artwork that expresses their interpretation of the Sister City mission throughout the world. They will be displayed along with other entries from young artists throughout the state at the April convention. For information and entry form, please contact me. I will be meeting with art teachers at local high schools to explain the program.
We are also looking forward to a delegation of visitors from our Paderborn, Germany Sister City October 11 to 15 Hosting one of our foreign guests is a unique experience, and I hope that if you have never done so, you take advantage of the opportunity if it presents itself.

Plans for a visit to our Paderborn Sister City along with an Eastern European trip are in the works for 2008. Make a note.

In July we will again be taking part in the annual Youth Exchange, with Belleville as this year’s host. Our youth committee is busy selecting hosts and preparing their two week schedule of activities.

The Belleville SCI float in the Santa Claus Parade won First Place and $100. Thanks to all who helped in any way. I am sure there is some creative person in our group who has wonderful ideas for parade entries and would like to come forth. We also take part in the Shriner’s parade in the summer, and need some minor, pleasing entry, rather than just a convertible. Think hard and contact me with suggestions.
The beginning of a new year means our membership dues are payable. There is a flyer in this newsletter for renewing your membership. I hope you do so promptly to make it easy on our Membership Chairman Larry Schaltenbrand, so reminders do not need to be sent.

Your dues mean more than just your name as one of the nearly 300 on our roster. They are a ticket to new experiences, new friends, locally and globally. Members who regularly attend are always happy to see new faces in the group.

Every 3rd Thursday is an opportunity to share an evening with members.

Our meetings are held quarterly, the other months we meet for Stammtisch, sharing a meal and evening of congeniality at a different local restaurant, sometimes in area towns. Our Christmas dinner scheduled location had to be changed because the restaurant closed and was held at Paesano’s (also now closed) and the January Stammtisch was held at Mariachi’s. The April 3rd Thursday Stammtisch will not be held, to encourage more members to take part in the State Convention held the following day at Our Lady of Snows.

We look forward to greeting you all at our General Membership meeting at Fischer’s Restaurant on Thursday, February 15.

Remember to read all the Newsletters available on the internet. Addresses are provided on the back side page.

Norma Bergkoetter

 

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News from Paderborn

Dear Friends in Belleville and Around:

This year has started with some heavy storms on both sides of the Atlantic. We saw on TV the consequences of the ice-storms in the US, here we had heavy winds (with such an extent as not been experienced for ages) that did a lot of damage, especially to the woods or trees falling on property and people. Even the railway traffic had been affected for a few days. Are these weather conditions predicting weather changes around the globe that may even become worse?

Nevertheless, we hope that you started with optimism into the new Year.

Here in Paderborn, people were happy in November with the big exhibition “Canossa” closing with an attendance of about 200.000 visitors. Our Thanksgiving Dinner was well attended.
Presently there is a medical exhibition in Paderborn at – what is called – the world’s largest Computer Museum: “Heinz Nixdorf MuseumForum” (www.hnf.de): high tech for healthy living and lifestyle. Our society will visit the exhibition soon, here is the exhibition’s homepage presented in English: www.computer-medicine.com

We are now beginning to plan a group-visit to Belleville, starting Oct. 12th. We are looking forward to meeting with you. Paderborn County Board Chairman Manfred Mueller has told us that he will join the group – visiting Belleville for the first time.

So we hope that BSC can realize a group visit in 2008. We are looking forward to it.

We know that your youth committee is working on this year’s youth exchange. We hope that they are successful. It would be wonderful if the 90 days-exchange of high school students could also be continued.

We have heard that BSC’s Stammtisch will soon be in a restaurant called “Roemertopf”. Roemertopf is a German cooking pot made of clay reminding us of Roman cooking techniques. The results are very tasty. The company that produces these pots has an interesting homepage in English with product information and recipes: http://www.roemertopf.de/english

Best wishes to all of you.

Bernd Broer
President

Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary

Grußworte der Präsidenten

President’s Message

Thank you for your confidence in asking me to serve as your president for the next two years.

I hope I am able to live up to the expectation of the board and members. I must admit I am no Doris. I can’t speak German and I can’t sing, among other things.

Doris did a wonderful job as President for the past two years, and has given our group a bigger presence in the area. One of the accomplishments during her term was the establishment of the three-month student exchange, and we thank her and Linda Driesner for all the work and frustrations they went through. The programs had fabulous results in that the four German youths and their host families all gained a lot from the program and were good ambassadors for their countries. Three of the host students will go to Paderborn in exchange late this summer.

Our Belleville Sister City is one of over 700 in the United States. Fifty years ago Dwight Eisenhower instituted the program, and it is touted as probably the best organization for promoting peace throughout the world. Our group works for that aim mostly through adult and youth exchanges. Our Sister City group was formerly established in 1990 and seven great presidents have led us into an organization we can all be proud of: Dottie Brauer, Rich Berkel, Ruth Fritz, Gary Hopfinger, Karl Mandel and Doris Roach.

Would you believe they have already run out of Germans? Not only do I not have any German blood in me, I don’t live in Belleville. I could be recalled. I did marry a German. And I must tell you why St. Libory was invited into your organization. When our local church, St. Liborius celebrated its 150th anniversary in l988, delegates representing the Diocese of Paderborn, Germany and the city of Paderborn, attended one of our events. It was a big honor for St. Libory.

Our Catholic church is considered the daughter church of St. Libori in Paderborn. Ellen Rost, then president of the German Democratic Party in Paderborn informed me we must join with Belleville, and she said she would never say Belleville without adding St. Libory. And I am sure that is how she always thought of us. So I marched into a meeting at the City Hall, and the rest is history.

If you have any thoughts on what you would like to see our organization accomplish in the next couple years, please tell me. I have a very capable board and vice president in Ron Fritz, so working together; the Belleville Sister City should remain an important presence in the community for the next two years.

Two new projects now being proposed are a teachers exchange between our twin cities, and a three day bus trip in late summer for members. Our youth will be making their visit to Paderborn in July, but there will be no group adult exchange this year.
One of the major projects we will be working on for the next two years will be the hosting of the Illinois Sister City State Conference in 2007. Columbia, Waterloo and Millstadt will be co-hosts, and it will be held at Our Lady of Snows. We will need the help of many to put on a great program.

Norma Bergkoetter, President

 

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News from Paderborn

Dear Friends in Belleville and Around:

First of all we warmly welcome Norma Bergkoetter as the president of BSC for the next two years, and also the new board. We wish Norma all the best for her term. We are sure that we’ll cooperate with her and the board as successfully as we have worked together with the preceding presidents.

It’s a wonderful task that all of us have: promoting the understanding of people.

Of course we also thank Doris Roach and her board very much. Doris has done a wonderful job of fostering the friendship between our two cities and regions. The successful exchange of youth groups was one of her great objectives for which she worked intensively in close cooperation with Linda Driesner to whom we ex-tend our thanks as well. So we look forward to Doris being the contact person in charge of the future student exchanges.

The four students who had stayed at high schools in Belleville from August thru November 2005 gave a lively report of their experiences at our Thanksgiving Dinner. They thanked very much their host families, the schools, their school mates and BSC for what they had done to make their stay such a wonderful experience. Our Thanksgiving Dinner was a great success, it was attended by 130 members; Margit Keikutt’s youth dancers whom she had brought to Belleville some years ago showed parts of their program.

On November 11th Friedel Schuette, an honorary member of our society, gave a lecture on his book that was published in October 2005: The title: Westfalen in America (in English: Westphalians in America), 256 pages, with many pictures, ISBN:3-7843-3356-7.Publisher’s website: www.lv-h.de (search for “Westfalen in Amerika”). Schuette portrays about 40 men and women who immigrated to the US where they became either famous pioneers and/or successful entrepreneurs. He calls them “heroes”, among them William Boeing, forefather of the founders of Boeing aircraft. As far as a Paderborn citizen is concerned he gives the story of Sister Pauline von Mallinckrodt who helped develop the American elementary school system in the 19th century. He also describes the sister-city relationships between Westphalia and the US, where he praises what Belleville and Paderborn have achieved.

Up to now he has received very positive reviews of his book. We congratulate him on his great work. A copy of the book will be sent to BSC.

Finally, an anecdotical note: Not long ago we realized a report of a visit of Paderborn residents to Belleville in May 2005. The Liehr family had heard of the sister city relationship and went to Belleville from Kewanee/Il. Where their daughter stayed at high school for a year. Here they visited City Hall. While they were studying the contents of the showcase with Paderborn memorabilia Mayor Eckert passed by and talked to them. They gave an enthusiastic report of their meeting. It would have been good if we had known of this visit before so that we could have announced it to BSC…

To all our friends we wish all the best for 2006. Sincerely,

Bernd Broer
President

Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary