German Saturday School - Celebrates St. Martin's Day
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In Germany St. Martin's Day is widely celebrated. Children parade with lanterns at dusk to a huge bonfire. They sing and go from door to door, sometimes receiving some coins. At the bonfire, the legend of St. Martin is re- enacted. A knight sits on horseback and wears a red coat as St. Martin did. Beside the horse kneels a beggar. The beggar is cold and asks St. Martin for help. St. Martin takes his sword and divides his coat into two parts; one for the beggar, the other for himself. St. Martin usually is depicted as a knight on horseback, sharing his coat with a beggar. It is customary to eat goose on St. Martin's day.
The German Saturday School is trying to preserve some of these German customs, and give its students an opportunity to participate in this event . Late Saturday afternoon on November 11th, about fifty of our Saturday School children celebrated St. Martin's day. They illuminated the dusk of this cold fall day at Caruth Park with their lanterns in one hand, clutching Mom's or Dad's hand with the other, following each other through clusters of trees, around a lake and through some wet grass. Our teachers Ulrike, Linda, Sylvia showed the children how to make lanterns while singing the St. Martin song; Nici without whose guidance it would have never happened - taught her students to read the legend in German to their audience at the park. If you were not there, then you missed a unique event that had probably never happened before in our city. Next year, we plan to repeat the event and hope that even more of you will be able to see the children's eyes sparkle and share the anticipation of the coming holidays.
The Dallas Goethe Center German Saturday School meets from 10:00 am to Noon on Saturdays at the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas at Harwood and Young Streets. The School offers 4 children's classes from Kindergarten to Advanced Youth, and 2 Adult classes (Beginners and Advanced). Teachers are either native German speakers or have teaching certificates in German. For further information or to register, please e-mail Ulrike, or Gisela.
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Updated 21JAN01 1500CDT