Auckland Goethe Society Exams Prizegiving 2014

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© Astrid Wolter

© Astrid Wolter

About 300 school students from the greater Auckland area took part in the in the 64th Auckland Goethe Society exams, our annual German language competition. Congratulations to Andrew Thompson, from Westlake Boys' High School, who was placed first, and to all those who took part!

We wholeheartedly agree with Dr Anna Bauer, DAAD representative, who spoke at the prizegiving: „Speaking more than one language is simply really good for the brain - getting into the nitty-gritty of another language also makes you understand your native language better.” And “there are tons of opportunities with German”!

German Samoa, 1900-1914

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© Astrid Wolter

© Astrid Wolter

August 2014 was the 100 year anniversary not just of the beginning of World War I, but of the end of German rule of Western Samoa. We were delighted to have Ulli Weissbach speaking about Samoa's 14 years as a German colony.

Ulli Weissbach is a TV producer and director of PACIFICA Productions, specialising in documentaries and other media productions on the South Pacific. Based in Auckland, PACIFICA produces programmes for European broadcasters including ARD, ZDF, Arte, 3sat.

Evening with Auckland Philharmonia Chief Conductor Eckehard Stier

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© Astrid Wolter

© Astrid Wolter

In anticipation of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra’s concert performance of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde on 19 July - the first ever in New Zealand - on 19 July, the Auckland Goethe Society was privileged to host an evening with the conductor – APO Chief Conductor and Music Director Eckehard Stier.

Maestro Stier spoke about his career in Dresden and Auckland, and gave fascinating insights into Wagner's masterpiece - both the work itself, and the practical challenges of performing it, even today. 

Information evening - student exchanges to Germany

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The Goethe Society and German Studies and University of Auckland organised an information evening for students about exchanges to Germany. Four students shared their experiences as exchange students in Germany:

Miriam Chew (Bucerius Law School, Hamburg)
Jerry Yelich-O'Connor (Uni Heidelberg)
Eleanor Quirke (Winterkurs in Leipzig)
Joshua van Veen (Uni Marburg)

Wanderausflug in die Waitakere Ranges

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Walk to the Waitakere ranges.

Wir hatten vor, dem Omanawanui- und Puririweg zu folgen aber… die Nacht davor hatte es so stark geregnet, dass es eine richtige Flut auf der Straße Richtung Whatipu gab, so daß wir unsere Pläne ändern mußten. Eine kleine Gruppe von uns (Nathalie, Wendy und Doris) nahm den schönen Exhibition Track.  Es war ein wunderschöner Ausflug.

Wendy Thomson