Newsletter

June 2024

Summer is just getting started and it's one of my favorite times in Görlitz. So many festivals, so many warm evenings for sitting in the old town with friends and enjoying the atmosphere - it's like a completely different town! The town has a full calendar in the summer. Don't miss out on any of the events - follow English Speakers in Görlitz on Facebook to stay informed.

This is the second issue of our newsletter. This time around we get to know local business owner Michaela Heidig and what they do at her language institute "komunikeet", see the beautiful Görlitz photography of our member and friend Adam Kukiałka, hear about a unique student exchange that Görlitz teacher Marcus Kossatz's students took part in, learn a bit about historic hall houses in Görlitz and find out why you should drop everything and go get a library card! Thank you to all the contributors!

In this issue...

• kommunikeet. THE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE – Who we are and what sets us apart by Michaela Heidig
• What Are You Waiting For? Get a Library Card! by Tessa Enright
• Görlitz Photography by Adam Kukiałka
• German "Gymnasium" greets Greek "Gimnasio" by Marcus Kossatz
• Free Exhibit: Historic Hall House in Görlitz by Tessa Enright

kommunikeet. THE LANGUAGE INSTITUTE – Who we are and what sets us apart by Michaela Heidig

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The company name “kommunikeet” is the bad Saxon pronunciation of the English word “communicate” and already reflects our approach: we focus on communication – not on perfect grammar – and we want our clients to have fun while learning their foreign language with us.

In an appreciating and positive learning atmosphere, we do our very best to motivate people from completely different industries to get interested in languages, other cultures and to widen their horizons. And ours, obviously. In target-group-specific courses, we as language teachers learn a lot about our clients’ work, products and their culture.

In addition to company and private language courses, we offer translation services, in particular certified translations. Our language services range from (Business) English to German, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Russian and Persian.

We are always on the lookout for experienced and committed language teachers who consider themselves to be service providers and who work professionally with our customers as equals on their journey through the world of languages.

In return, we have been living "New Work" since the beginning of our company. Our international team works and communicates on the basis of the values of appreciation, transparency and trust. In concrete terms, this means that there are no fixed working hours, each trainer organises their course times in agreement with their customers and works self-reliantly. In addition, every employee has the option of a company pension scheme.

After the last election debacle in our region, we would like to reach even more people in order to break down prejudices and do something for openness and tolerance. If this appeals to you, I would like to invite you to send us an application to: mail@kommunikeet.de

Visit the komunikeet website.

What Are You Waiting For? Get a Library Card! by Tessa Enright

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Do you have a library card? I am ashamed to say that it took me seven years of living here before I set foot in the public library. Maybe I thought they wouldn’t have any books there for me. Or maybe I thought the staff would be unfriendly. I’m not really sure what I was thinking, but when I finally went, I was pleasantly surprised!

“The only thing that you absolutely have to know, is the location of the library.” – Albert Einstein

The library on Lutherplatz was built in 1905 and is much bigger than I imagined – it has five levels, two of which are for children. If you want to get a library card, you need to go up a flight and speak to someone at the desk. I got my library card in about 5 minutes after showing my ID and signing some paperwork. Directly near the desk is a two-sided shelf with approximately 250-300 English language books. A lot of them look like bestsellers that you might find in an airport shop.

In the next room there’s a unique, historic two-story, walk-in bookshelf where you’ll find all the “Sachliteratur”, or non-fiction books.

The most beautiful room in the library is on the next floor up – the historic reading room with its decorative murals. Here’s where you’ll find all of the fiction books in German language.

In addition to all of the books, you can also use the internet while you are there, check out newspapers & magazines, CDs, movies and video games.

The cost of a library card for an adult is €12 a year. Late fees are pretty steep, but these can be easily avoided by renewing items online. I’m glad I finally went to the library and now that I have a membership card I look forwarded to reading my way through their selection of English language books and challenging myself by reading more in German! What are you waiting for? Get a library card!

For more information visit the library website.

Görlitz Photography by Adam Kukiałka

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Adam comes from a town in the southern part of Poland called Bielsko-Biała, which is located near the convergence of the Polish, Czech, and Slovak borders. A few years ago, he and his wife decided to move to Germany. After living in several places, they decided to settle in Görlitz, where they have been residing with their son since 2018.

Photography has always held a special place in Adam's life. Ever since he was a child, he always had a camera with him. He particularly enjoys street photography, landscapes, and urban landscapes. However, he believes that portrait photography offers a unique opportunity to connect with another person and capture their true beauty. The goal of his work is to touch upon the true inner essence of people.

Adam likes to experiment a lot and explore new technologies, but he also have a deep respect for the classics. You can see more of his work on his page Adam Kukiałka Fotografie.

German "Gymnasium" greets Greek "Gimnasio" by Markus Kossatz

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What a remarkable year for fifteen students from Augustum-Annen-Gymnasium in Görlitz! These 10th-graders participated in a student exchange program with peers from Voukolies Gimnasio, in a small village on the Greek island of Crete.

In early December, the German students traveled to Crete, where they stayed with their host families and got to know their exchange partners. They spent a historically significant and culturally enriching week on the Mediterranean island. The focus of the exchange was the tragic history of World War II on Crete, where the German Army ("Wehrmacht") committed numerous war crimes, commemorated by various memorials. One such place was Kakopetros, a village where all the men were executed, and parts of the village were destroyed by the Wehrmacht. The students visited these historic sites and discussed the importance of memorials in promoting peace. The week concluded with a farewell party filled with traditional dances, food, and gifts, organized by the Greek students and their families. Judging by the tears shed at the airport on the final day, this exchange was incredibly successful!

Four months later, the German students welcomed their Greek counterparts for an action-packed week in Görlitz. The visitors were impressed by the beauty of the city and the huge school. Activities included a meeting with Mayor Octavian Ursu, playing mini-golf at Berzdorf Lake, hiking up the Landeskrone, visiting the Dresden Military Museum, and coloring Easter eggs in the Rietschen Erlichthof. The theme for the week in Görlitz was the intriguing history of Greek soldiers in Görlitz during World War I and another period of Greek immigration after World War II, which significantly influenced the history of modern-day Zgorzelec. After two weeks of intense cultural and historical exchange, the farewell party at the Augustum was filled with both joy and sorrow.

You can find hints of Görlitz's Greek past scattered throughout Görlitz/Zgorzelec, for example in memorials, in the cemetery and in street names on the Polish side.

In summary, the exchange programs on Crete and in Görlitz brought together young people who might never have met otherwise. They experienced the horrors of war and learned the value of peace. These exchanges will leave a lasting impression on the students and contribute to fostering a united and peaceful Europe. The program will be repeated next school year, in autumn 2024 and spring 2025. Let's hope the next group will create similarly cherished memories!

Free Exhibit: Historic Hall House in Görlitz by Tessa Enright

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The city of Görlitz has a unique collection of 35 well-preserved hall houses. These houses were built in a distinctive style during a time when the city was flourishing and tradesman were looking to create spaces where they could both show off their goods and live in style. I’d like to tell you a bit more about one of them: Brüderstraße 9.

Görlitz was situated on a very important trade route called the Via Regia, or the King’s Road. Extending from France to Russia, it was one of the most important west-east trade routes in Europe. Not only were goods transported on this road, but also knowledge, cultures, worldviews and ideas. Having this trade route pass directly through the center of Görlitz helped Görlitz to become very prosperous very quickly. In the late Middle Ages, the Görlitz was the most important trading center between Erfurt and Wrocław. And one of the most important trades in the city was weaving and the production and trade of cloth and woad – a plant used to dye fabric blue.

Successful merchants built these massive hall houses from 1480-1560 in Gothic and Renaissance style. These structures were not only about functionality but also were meant to be an outward expression of the wealth and influence of the family. In these large spaces, they could combine their living space with their business, creating an exhibition space for their goods. They could also have breweries – something that only the wealthiest and most important families in town were allowed to have. Many of these hall houses therefore have cellars carved deep into the rock to store their beer, sometimes two or three levels down. At this point the layout of buildings in the city was pretty unchanging and structures were packed in tight. The only way to expand was to build up, which normally meant that the lower levels became very dark and uninviting. In contrast, the hall houses in Görlitz solved this problem in an innovative and dramatic way with their eye-catching entrance halls – wide open with high vaulted ceilings and open space reaching all the way to the top with a skylight, providing natural light and air circulation to all levels of the home.

The unique thing about the hall house at Brüderstraße 9 is that through records of ownership and renovation you can trace the many changes to the building over the centuries because it is unrenovated. Not only that, but as a visitor you can really see it – all the way from its Renaissance bones to its more recent GDR facelift (the last tenant moved out in 1993!). It’s truly fascinating to take a look inside this house. The exhibit includes a photo installation, 3D models and an animated film showing the historical origins of the hall houses in Görlitz. The exhibit at Brüderstraße 9 is free and open Thursday through Sunday from 10am – 5pm. Visit the website to find out more information.

Interested in seeing other hall houses in Görlitz? Many of them are in use as residences but you can see other examples at the Biblisches Haus, Schlesisches Museum or Hotel Frenzelhof.

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