Schüleraustausch zwischen den Partnerstädten Paderborn und Belleville/Illinois 2007

Der Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundeskreis Paderborn-Belleville e.V. bietet einigen Paderborner Schülern/Schülerinnen, die ab Herbst 2007 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.

High School Austausch 2007

Vom 16.8.bis 10.11.2007 findet der diesjährige „90 Tage Schüleraustausch“ mit zwei High Schools in Belleville statt.

Belleville Sister Cities, hier besonders den Bemühungen von Doris Roach, Vorsitzende des Youth Committtee, mit Unterstützung von Katie McDowell und Lida Driesner, ist es zu verdanken, dass Plätze bei den beiden Highschools Belleville West und East angeboten wurden.

In einem Auswahlverfahren des DAFK wurden ausgewählt:
Carolin Salé (Pelizaeus Gymnasium), Jan Schulze (Goerdeler Gymasium) und Nils Sifrin (Pelizaeus Gymnasium).

Während dieser 90 Tage wollen wir jeweils ein individuelles Internet Tagebuch führen und darin über unsere Erfahrungen berichten.

Tagebücher:	Blog-Adresse
Carolin Salé	http://caroinamerika.blog.de/
Nils Sifrin	http://dafk-nils.blogspot.com/
Jan Schulze	http://jan-in-da-usa.blogspot.com/
Jörg Erdmann	http://dafk-jay.blogspot.com

Artikel in der NW am 15.08.2007

 

 

 

Artikel im WV am 16.08.2007

Ehrung von Jan Schulze im City Council

05.11.2007 : Im Ratssaal der Stadt Belleville überreicht Mayor Eckert einen Belleville Teppich an Jan Schulze. Jan war während des dreimonatigen High School Besuchs Gast in der Familie des Bürgermeisters.

Rückkehr

Nach 90 erlebnisreichen Tagen in unserer amerikanischen Partnerstadt Belleville kehrten am 11.11.07 die drei Gymnasiasten mit schönen Erfahrungen und spannenden Geschichten zu ihren Familien zurück. Sie gingen in Belleville für 90 Tage zur Highschool und jetzt freuen sie sich auf den Gegenbesuch ihrer drei neuen amerikanischen Freunde Ende Mai 2008. Der Deutsch Amerikanische Freundeskreis  möchte dieses „90 Tage Austausch“ Projekt auch in 2008 fortsetzen und die Unterlagen dazu werden in Kürze ins Internet gestellt werden. Dort können schon jetzt die aktuellen Internetblogs der drei Schüler mitgelesen werden.

Das Foto zeigt von links: Jörg Erdmann (Projektleiter); Jan Schulze ( Goerdeler Gymnasium ); Carolin Sale ( Pelizaeus Gymnasium ) und Nils Sifrin ( Pelizaeus Gymnasium ).

 

 

 

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Student Exchange organized by BSC and DAFK

Three High School students from Paderborn attended classes at Belleville West and East for 90 days from August thru November 2007. They stayed with host families. In June/July 2008 three Belleville students will stay in Paderborn for six weeks.
Here are the enthusiastic comments of the three students:

Carolin Salé:

“ The time I spent in America during my exchange is one of the greatest experiences for me in my life. I got to know the country and the people really well in a different way. I found many friends through the school and through my host sister and my host family tried hard to make me feel good there. I am very pleased that everything worked so well. I did a lot of sightseeing with my family there and belonged, like my little host brother said, to the family, which is more than just being a friend.“
(Carolin’s stayed with Abigail Ernst)

Jan Schulze:

The 3 month I spent in Belleville were probably the best months of my entire life. I learned so many things about the American culture and got to know lots of interesting people. I was lucky and had the honor to stay with family Eckert, a great family. I really hope and I am optimistic that I will come back one day. It was an amazing exchange and I am glad that I had the possibility of having this experience.”
(Jan stayed with Luke Eckert)

Nils Sifrin:

“I had a great time in Belleville. I saw many interesting things like the Gateway Arch (St. Louis) and Chicago. I hope that I can show my exchange student as many things as he showed me about our culture. I am really looking forward to see him again this summer and I hope that this won’t be the last visit. I have to say many thanks to my host family and everybody involved for the good time they gave me and I hope these trips go as well in the future. For more information you can visit my blog: (Nils stayed with Kyle Pointer)

Grußworte der Präsidenten

President’s Message

There are many wonderful things about being part of the Belleville Sister City and a visit from our partner city is one of the highlights.

October 12th through l6th we had the pleasure of having twelve Paderborn guests, under the leadership of Dr. Otmar Allendorf and President Bernd Broer. Those of you who hosted or attended the party with our Paderborn guests during their four day visit know that meeting our fellow partners is one of those delightful experiences. There is always something to be learned from each encounter. The twelve were hosted in nine different homes. Four of the guests were first time visitors, and four of our hosts were first time hosts.

Ruth Fritz and her committee worked hard to plan an interesting program. The group visited the Arch, Cathedral Basilica and Forest Park, on Saturday. On Sunday, they attended Mass at the Belleville Cathedral and were greeted by Bishop Braxton. St. Michael’s in Paderborn hosted a lunch at their new facility, with music by Clyde Kraus. Fr. Jim Voelker played for us during a visit to the church. A gracious thanks to our local Paderborn, IL members.

Bob & Ruth Fritz hosted a party at the Hospitality Room at their business on Sunday evening. There was an official visit to City Hall on Monday, where Mayor Mark Eckert spoke about city business and introduced various officials. The group toured Belleville by limo bus, with the Mayor enthusiastically showing off the city and describing its’ past, pre-sent and future. After lunch at Our Lady of the Snows, a delegation met with school personnel at Belleville West where several Paderborn youths are participating in a 90 day school exchange. Landrat Manfred Mueller met with his counterpart, County Board Chairman Mark Kern. Eighty guests attended the party at Chicken’s Restaurant in St. Libory on Monday night. Other special guests at the party were the three Paderborn youths who are here on the 90 day student exchange and their hosts. The party had a Country Western theme with music provided by a five piece band led by Jim and Kathy Laquet, thanks to Bob Fritz. Throughout their visit, there were many words of greetings, expressions of gratitude and presentations of gifts by our visitors. After leaving Belleville, they visited New York before returning to Germany. Many thanks to all who hosted and took part in the visit.

We are happy to report that the Oktoberfest was a financial success for our club. Two days of beautiful weather brought out good crowds. Our band of workers, led by chairmen Doris and John Roach and Larry Schaltenbrand, was small but mighty. It’s a lot of work but always a great time for socializing behind the stand. Our group is one of the four sponsoring organizations for the Oktober-fest, sharing in the beer sales profit. Jim Sheridan, Herm Schoener, John Roach and Larry Schaltenbrand represent our club on the Oktoberfest board.

Fall’s other big event was the Taste of Germany dinner at Fischer’s on October 7. Chairman Rich Berkel saw to every detail, resulting in a superb evening. The food was wonderful, the music was great and the two annual awards were well deserved. Marie Reichling was recipient of the Membership Award for her many years of service, and Jerry Reilmann of Rice, Sullivan & Company received the Herman Award for his tax and financial advice.

As this is my last President’s Message, I want to take this opportunity to bid you “auf wiedersehen” as President. It has been an interesting two years, with many great experiences. Please know that I tried to serve you well. I encourage everyone to continue supporting our club and our new president, Ron Fritz. There will be an election of officers at the November 15th General meeting at Fischer’s. The board welcomes new faces and new ideas. If you would be willing to run for any office, please make it known .

Norma Bergkoetter, President

 

 

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News from Paderborn

A delegation of our Deutsch-Amerikanischer Freundeskreis (including some first time visitors) has just returned from a visit in Belleville (12th thru 16th October) and a trip to New York City. We are full of wonderful impressions of the hospitality we experienced in our sister city and surrounding communities.

Our visit began with a warm welcome by our hosts at St. Louis airport. Dottie Brauer was there too. She also stayed in Belleville during our visit. On Saturday, a tour of St. Louis included the Arch, the Cathedral and Forest Park. On Sunday we attended Holy Mass at St. Peter’s Cathedral. The Bishop, Most Reverend E.K. Braxton talked to us after mass and we came together for a group picture with him. Three generations of the Holdener family and others welcomed us in Paderborn, Il. with a wonderful lunch in the new hall. At St. Michael’s, Father Jim played the electric organ; we also saw the glass picture of the five martyred nuns. We also went to the cemetery to see the grave of Father Weskamp who was a priest at St. Michael’s from 1939 to 1943. A member of the group, Ingrid Votsmeier, wife of deceased husband Bruno, lay a flower bouquet recalling that her husband was a nephew of Father Francis Weskamp. By chance, the day of our visit, October 14th , was the anniversary of Father Weskamp’s death.

Sunday evening, Bob and Ruth Fritz received the guests and hosts in their business’ hospitality room on Mascoutah Avenue where everybody enjoyed a delicious buffet.
Monday was the day of the official reception by Mayor Mark Eckert at City Hall. The Mayor ex-pressed his great joy that he could welcome the delegation from Belleville’s sister city. President Bernd Broer and Manfred Mueller, County Board Chairman of Paderborn, who was in Belleville for the first time, emphasized in their short addresses how important these exchanges between our cities are. Mueller also met with Police Chief William Clay as an exchange of policemen has been planned for next year. After the reception Mayor Eckert took us on a bus tour thru Belleville. His comments during this one hour tour showed us how dynamically the city is developing; we were very much impressed. We also stopped by the grave of former Mayor Rich Brauer and then at the Koerner House where Wolfgang Stueken, who has been doing research on Koerner, took pictures of the officials.

After lunch at the Shrine restaurant, the members of BSC and DAFK Student Exchange Committee went with Mayor Eckert to Belleville West High School where they met with Belleville West Principal Robert Dahm and German Teacher Katie McDowell; Belleville East German Teacher Linda Driesner (also representing Belleville East Principal Kniekamp who was out of town on a meeting), and the three ex-change students from Paderborn and their Belleville host students. Both Mr. Dahm and Mrs. Driesner con-firmed that the exchange should be continued in the future. The Committee was pleased to hear that the exchange was so successful. An exchange of teachers would also be considered.

Manfred Mueller also had a meeting with County Board Chairman Mark Kern.
This wonderful stay came to an end with a Farewell Dinner at Chicken’s Restaurant in St. Libory. The rain finally came that afternoon making it a challenge to get there (and home again). The food was great. Members came in western dress and a band played country dances. Our three exchange students and their hosts were there too. Bernd Broer and Manfred Mueller said, “Thank you to everybody involved in the program.” Rita Eckert had brought some presents from the Mayor who had a meeting of the City Council and could not be present. We also took home 100 little Belleville flags that the Mayor had given to us for display here. Norma Bergkoetter said that she was very happy with the visit and said, “Goodbye until next year in Paderborn ”

Home again after three interesting days in NYC, we want to repeat our words of deeply felt gratitude to all of you who have made these days unforgettable for us.

Pictures of the visit will be found on our homepage www.dafk-paderborn.de click on “Fotogalerie” and go to 2007. On our homepage you’ll also find new links to websites about Germany, click on “Links”, on the left side.

Welcome in Paderborn next year!

Bernd Broer
President

Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary

Zu Besuch im kleinen Paderborn im Süden des US-Bundesstaates Illinois
Von Wolfgang Stüken (14.10.2007)

Paderborn. Die kleinen Alleskönner machen Fotos, verwalten Termine, senden und empfangen elektronische Briefe. Wegen der schrillen Klingeltöne, die sie in allen nur denkbaren Tonarten hervorbringen können, sind Mobiltelefone in den Ohren mancher Menschen allerdings echte Plagegeister. Doch der Tonspeicher eines modernen Handys kann sich auch als sehr nützlich erweisen. Zum Beispiel, um den Libori-Tusch mit auf eine große Reise zu nehmen.

Paderborns Landrat Manfred Müller (46), der ein paar Urlaubstage nutzt, um eine Delegation des Deutsch-Amerikanischen Freundeskreises Paderborn in die USA zu begleiten, ist in St.Michael, der kleinen Kirche des kleinen Ortes Paderborn nahe der Paderborner Partnerstadt Belleville, beeindruckt von den musikalischen Fähigkeiten des dortigen Pastors Jim Voelker. Der setzt sich im Chorraum seiner Kirche an die elektronische Orgel und begrüßt die Paderborner mit der deutschen Nationalhymne und Beethoven-Klängen. Vom Libori-Tusch hat Jim Voelker noch nie etwas gehört. Da zückt Manfred Müller sein Handy, und auf Tastendruck erklingen mehr als 8.000 Kilometer vom Paderborner Dom entfernt die markanten Libori-Trompeten. Der Pastor von St. Michael lauscht aufmerksam, greift in die Tasten – und spielt schon nach wenigen Augenblicken den im fernen Paderborn berühmten Tusch nach. Vielleicht hilft ihm dabei ein wenig das „Paderborn“-T-Shirt, das ihm zuvor Freundeskreis-Geschäftsführer Dr. Otmar Allendorf überreicht hat. Der Pastor von Paderborn, Illinois, hat es sogleich anprobiert.

Jim Voelker ist in der fruchtbaren Farm-Gegend Pastor einer Mini-Gemeinde, zu der nur wenige Häuser gehören. Aber zum Gottesdiensten am Sonntag kommen regelmäßig 300 Menschen. Und viele von ihnen nehmen schon eine Viertelstunde vor Beginn in den Bänken Platz. Weil sie wissen, dass ihr musikalischer Pastor vor jeder Sonntagsmesse ein kleines Konzert gibt. „Ich liebe gute Musik,“ sagt Jim Voelker. Die Fähigkeit, Noten zu lesen, sei bei ihm allerdings nur spärlich ausgeprägt. Er spielt nach Gehör. Schon als Zehnjähriger eiferte er damit seinem Vater nach.

Seit dem Frühjahr 2006 ist der 64-Jährige Pastor von Paderborn – als Teilzeit-Seelsorger. An drei Tagen der Woche arbeitet Voelker in seinem zweiten Beruf als Krankenpfleger in der Notfallaufnahme eines Krankenhauses in East St. Louis. 32 Jahre macht er das schon. Bevor er nach Little-Paderborn kam, war er 35 Jahre lang auch Seelsorger in East St. Louis, wo hauptsächlich Afro-Amerikaner leben. „Paderborn ist klein genug, um keinen Vollzeit-Priester zu brauchen“, lächelt Voelker. Seine kleine Gemeinde könne das Priester-Gehalt einsparen, denn das Geld, das er zum Lebensunterhalt benötige, verdiene er im Hospital.

Vielleicht war im kleinen Paderborn deshalb genug Geld vorhanden, um ein neues Pfarrzentrum bauen zu können. Stolz laden die Paderborner von St. Michael die ostwestfälischen Gäste zum selbst bereiteten Mittagsbuffet in den Saal ihres Neubaus ein. „Paderborn nach Paderborn“, ist mit dicken Lettern eine kleine Fotogalerie im Eingangsflur überschrieben. Dort hängen Bilder vom Paderborner Dom und Rathaus. Aber auch ein Foto der Kirche des Michaelsklosters haben die Gemeindemitglieder von St. Michael dort platziert. Ein Erinnerungsfoto der Buker Husaren, die vor Jahren einmal zu Gast im kleinen Paderborn waren, darf nicht fehlen. Draußen, an der Landstraße, informiert eine Willkommens-Tafel der 1843 von deutschen Einwanderern gegründeten St. Michaels-Gemeinde in englischer Sprache: „Unsere Schwestergemeinde ist Paderborn in Deutschland.“

Als der aus Langenberg im heutigen Kreis Gütersloh stammende westfälische Auswandererpriester Caspar Ostlangenberg (1810-1885) anno 1846 in Paderborn ein Taufregister eröffnete und ein Kirchenbuch anlegte, hieß die Siedlung noch Prairie du Long. Die Einweihung der St. Michels-Kirche erfolgte 1862. Ein Jahr zuvor hatte mit Wilhelm Busch der erste hauptamtliche Pfarrer der Gemeinde seinen Dienst angetreten. Er gab dem Ort den Namen Paderborn. Über diesen Reverend William Busch ist wenig bekannt. Laut Pfarrchronik kam er ,,von Furstenburg, Westfalien“ – und damit vermutlich aus dem heutigen Bad Wünnenberger Stadtteil Fürstenberg. Er war bis 1863 Pfarrer von Paderborn. Danach verliert sich seine Spur.

Die Besucher aus Paderborn versäumen nicht, den Friedhof der St. Michaels-Gemeinde zu besuchen. Die Paderbornerin Ingrid Votsmeier (72) hat ein Blumengebinde mitgebracht. Sie legt es auf der Grabplatte von Father Francis Weskamp nieder, der von 1938 bis 1943 als Pfarrer in Paderborn wirkte. Dieser Franz Weskamp war ein Onkel ihres 2006 im Alter von 78 Jahren gestorbenen Ehemannes Bruno Votsmeier. Weskamp wurde 1884 in Schmechten bei Brakel geboren. Er empfing 1916 in Innsbruck die Priesterweihe. Da er die lateinische Sprache nicht beherrschte, konnte er in seinem Heimatbistum Paderborn nur als Hilfsgeistlicher eingesetzt werden. Als solcher war er unter anderem in Neuenbeken tätig. 1925 wanderte Weskamp in die USA aus und wurde Priester im Bistum Belleville.

Eine alte Paderbornerin, weit über 80, spricht Ingrid Votsmeier an. Sie hat Father Weskamp noch gut in Erinnerung. „Er hat mich getraut und meine Kinder getauft.“ Ein ehemaliger Chronist von Paderborn hat schriftlich festgehalten, dass es Reverend Weskamp in den ersten Jahren des Zweiten Weltkrieges, seinen letzten Lebensjahren, gelungen sei, den Schulunterricht für die Kinder von Paderborn durch deutsche Ordensschwestern vom Kostbaren Blut zu sichern und den Namen seines Heimatbistums gegen antideutsche Stimmen, die eine Umbenennung Paderborns forderten, zu verteidigen. Der Blick auf den Grabstein offenbart sonderbare Zufälle: Dieser Franz Weskamp ist an einem 14. Oktober geboren und an einem 14. Oktober gestorben. Und der Tag, an dem die Besucher aus dem fernen Paderborn an seinem Grab stehen, ist – der 14. Oktober.

In der Paderborner Partnerstadt Belleville wird die Reisegruppe des Freundeskreises, die von Präsident Bernd Broer geleitet wird, nach einer Messe in der Kathedrale St. Peter von Bischof Edward K. Braxton (63) begrüßt, dem Oberhaupt der 104.000 Katholiken des Bistums Belleville. Von den 124 Pfarrgemeinden in den 28 Kreisen des südlichen Illinois, die zu seinem 1887 gegründeten Bistum gehören, haben noch 76 einen eigenen Pfarrer. Wie die Gemeinde St. Libory, die nach dem Paderborner Bistumspatron benannt ist.

Caspar Ostlangenberg war es, der 1838 im damaligen Oka, das später Mud Creek (Schlammbach) genannt wurde und 1874 den Namen St. Libory erhielt, die erste Messe feierte und 1839 das erste Gotteshaus, eine Blockhaus-Kirche, segnete.

Der frühere Erzbischof Johannes Joachim Degenhardt hat 1989 bei einem Besuch in der 1883 eingeweihten heutigen Kirche von St. Libory eine feierliche Messe zelebriert und damit die Verbindung über den Atlantik unterstrichen. St. Libory, Illinois, das seitdem von einem Bund der Freundschaft zwischen der Mutterkirche des heiligen Liborius in Paderborn und der Schwesterkirche in den USA spricht, darf daher auf dem Reiseplan der Paderborner Gruppe nicht fehlen.

Das Plattdeutsch, das in den aus Westfalen stammenden Auswandererfamilien des Mittleren Westens über viele Jahrzehnte gepflegt wurde, stirbt allmählich aus. Der heutige Seelsorger von St. Libory, Dennis F. Voss, hält jedoch an einer Tradition fest. Zum Jahresfest des Kirchenpatrons trägt er im Gottesdienst ein altes Liborius-Gebet in deutscher Sprache vor.

Aus: Der Dom, Kirchenzeitung für das Erzbistum Paderborn, 62. Jahrgang, Nr. 49, vom 9. Dezember 2007. Anmerkung: In der gedruckten Fassung wurde Franz Weskamp versehentlich zum „Neffen“ von Bruno Votsmeier verjüngt – er war jedoch dessen Onkel. Der Fehler ist in dieser Internet-Fassung korrigiert. W.St.

Grußworte der Präsidenten

President’s Message

I hope that your summer has brought some interesting happenings or travel your way, and you are enjoying the season. For your Sister City Board, there was no summer off!

And we know that our counterparts in Paderborn, Otmar Allendorf and Bernd Broer, have also stayed active with organization plans.

Many friendships have been made over the years, so there are often private visits between Paderborner’s and Belleville area members taking place. This year was no exception.

V. President Ron Fritz and Theresa attended the National Convention in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in July, and returned home with enthusiasm for what Sister Cities mean to the promotion of peace and friendship throughout the world. He will share some of his new insight with us at the August meeting.

The youth Exchange program was completed in July, and we have heard only enthusiastic reports from the host families. The personalities of the 14 Paderborn youths who visited here were great. If you attend our August 16th quarterly membership meeting you will have the opportunity to hear from some of the youths and parents who hosted.

There is a report in this edition by the Youth Chairmen Katie McDowell and Doris Roach.

We always hope that the parents of these youths become active members of our organization to insure that the opportunity for future youth’s exchanges will always be possible. Ideas from new members and bring renewed strength to our SCI. It is our dream that youths involved in the exchanges, and any youth interested in German culture, form an organization that meets on a scheduled time to share experiences, and form friendships with a common bond.

An appreciation gift from Paderborn DAFK was presented to members who worked on the Youth Ex-change in the form of a beautiful, delicate, bronze peacock, made by noted artist Bernd Cassal. Beautiful thanks.

Three Paderborn youths will be staying with host families for three months at the local high schools. Two teachers from O’Fallon High, Patrick Hasenstab and Al Elfink made an exchange visit to Paderborn in June, hosted by the Paderborn teachers who were in O’Fallon last year. This is another important link in our understanding of our German culture.

We are looking forward with great anticipation to a visit from a twelve member delegation of Paderborn adults who will be here October 12th to 16th. You are invited to join the guests and hosts for a dinner and entertainment at Chicken’s Restaurant in St. Libory on Monday evening, October 15th at 6 p.m. Please come to mingle with and get to know our guests. Each of you, are an important link in achieving the aim of our Sister City relationship, by bonding one individual at a time. The cost for the evening is $12.95, which includes dinner, drink, dessert, tax and tip. Please reach for your calendar and mark the date now. Ruth Fritz is chair-man of the visit.

If you have a new e-mail address, it is important that you let us know. It is a quick, easy, inexpensive way to send you reminders for events. I know that it is easy to forget something three months after notice.

A nominating committee will be seeking candidates for officers to be elected at the November board meeting. Now is the time for you to think about becoming active on the board by offering to run for office, help with the news letter, making a float, etc. Our nominating committee is Herm Schoener, Jim Sheridan and Paul Reis. Indicate your interest to them.

Our two big fund raising events take place in September and October. The Oktoberfest on September 21 and 22 takes lots of help to man the food and beer stands, so we look for every able bodied person to offer a couple hours work. We want you to support and attend the October 7th Taste of Germany dinner at Fischer’s. Everyone can help by securing an ad for our program booklet at $30, $55 or $100. These fund raisers are necessary because they fund the $8,000 yearly cost of the youth exchange program.

Our Stammtisch Chairmen Steve and Hilda Koluch have generously presented a lucky winner with a bottle of German wine at each monthly event, an added bonus to meeting with friends. The summer Stammtisches were held at Roemertof’s and Chicken’s, both well attended.

No Stammtisch in September because of Octoberfest, but join us at ………..in October. We look for-ward to seeing you at the October l6th for the dinner and the meeting at 7 p.m. Join us at 5:30 p.m.

Norma Bergkoetter, President

 

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News from Paderborn

Dear Friends in Belleville and Around

The Paderborn youth group who stayed in Belleville and around from June 21st thru July 7th has returned home with wonderful experiences of hospitality. On behalf of the board of the German-American Friendship Society Paderborn-Belleville (DAFK) we are grateful to everybody involved in this program, especially to the host families, Mayor Eckert who received them in his office and at his family’s home, BSC’s board and the chaperones Doris Roach and Katie McDowell. The group also had a trip to Southern Illinois where they had a great canoeing experience at the Cache River (see picture). We are looking forward to having the Belleville group here next year.

In June we had the pleasure of hosting three teachers of O’Fallon High School. They answered a teacher exchange that started last year with three teachers from the Paderborn Goerdeler Gymnasium who stayed there.

It won’t be long and a delegation of DAFK (12 people) will be in Belleville. We’ll arrive on October 12th and will stay thru 16th. Norma is active in organizing a program. The County Board Chairman of Paderborn, Landrat Manfed Mueller, is looking forward to his first stay in the US and Belleville and meeting with both the County Board Chairman Mark Kern and Mayor Eckert and the members of BSC. The DAFK is planning a three day tour to Dresden in August (there is an English version). 41 people will go and see a city that can be proud of it’s treasures of art and the rebuilt Frauenkirche.

Only a month ago we had a DAFK-group going to Kalkriese, a place where – as is assumed – the Romans were defeated in 9 A.D. by Cheruscans led by Herman.

On July 5th, 2007 a new museum dedicated to the emigrants mostly to the US was opened in Ham-burg. Here is a description from their homepage http://www.ballinstadt.de/en/index.php “Between 1850 and 1939, Hamburg served as the “Gateway to the World” for some 5 million European emigrants who left their homeland via the city’s port in search of a better life across the Atlantic. These people, many of whom were fleeing from political and religious persecution or simply wanted to escape a life of poverty and hunger, sought a new beginning, a better livelihood and the opportunity to make a fresh start in the “land of plenty”. And they all had high hopes of a better life. The BallinStadt (BallinCity) Museum is dedicated to these people. “

We are looking forward to having here a group from Belleville and around next year.

Sincerely,

Bernd Broer
President

Dr. Otmar Allendorf
Secretary

Paderborner Jugendliche unterwegs nach Belleville

Bereits auf großer Reise befinden sich Paderborner Jugendliche. Sie sind auf dem Weg in Paderborns amerikanische Partnerstadt Belleville. Die Teilnehmer dieser internationalen Jugendbegegnung hatten zuvor Bürgermeister Heinz Paus, der Vorsitzende Bernd Broer und der Geschäftsführer Dr. Otmar Allendorf vom Deutsch-Amerikanischen Freundeskreis sowie Jugendamtsleiterin Petra Erger verabschiedet. Die Gruppe, die von Norman Hansmeyer vom Jugendamt der Stadt leitet, wird bis zum 14. Juli neben Belleville auch St. Louis und Chicago besuche. ‚Ich wünsche Euch tolle Erlebnisse, viel Spaß in den Gastfamilien und eine gute Reise‘, so Bürgermeister Heinz Paus.

Der Jugendaustausch zwischen Paderborn und Belleville besteht seit 1990. Der Deutsch-Amerikanische Freundeskreis (DAFK) unterstützt den Jugendaustausch von Beginn an. Im jährlichen Wechsel besuchen jeweils 14 Jugendliche (im Alter von 16-18 Jahren) sowie zwei Betreuer aus Paderborn bzw. Belleville die Partnerstadt für jeweils drei Wochen. Fester Bestandteil im Austauschkonzept ist die Unterbringung der Jugendlichen in den Gastfamilien, um den Jugendlichen einen Einblick in die jeweils andere Lebenswelt zu ermöglichen.
(Artikel Stadt Paderborn)