A letter from the German Consulate General
Nikolausfest 2017
This was the first time St. Nikolaus visited us at our new location. Not only did he bring little gifts for all children, he also told them the story of the historic St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra.
And St. Nick did not come alone! He was accompanied by an ensemble from the Wisconsin Chamber Choir, who led us through the singing of some German Christmas carols.
It was a lovely event and our warm thanks go to everybody who helped with the organization, especially Krista Spiro.
We also thank the Clasen Family (of Clasen’s European Bakery) for their generous donation of cookies and other delicacies.
We wish everyone a peaceful holiday season! Thanks for celebrating with us and thanks for supporting the German School of Madison.
Nikolausfest
Der Nikolaus kommt!
You are cordially invited to our annual Nikolaus-Fest Potluck Celebration with guests from the Wisconsin Chamber Choir and a visit from St. Nikolaus. All welcome!
Date: Saturday, December 2nd
Location: Lake Edge United Church of Christ, 4200 Buckeye Rd, main celebration hall, 2nd floor.
Time: 3-4 pm: Arts and crafts for younger children (Entchen and Spatzen) including ornament making and drawing, 2nd floor, main hall.
- 4 pm: Story time with St Nikolaus (in German and English) with treats for the Entchen and Spatzen.
- 4:45pm: Other classes end, proceed to 2nd floor main hall.
- 5pm: Songs from the 4 members of the Wisconsin Chamber Choir and a visit from St. Nikolaus, main celebration hall.
- 5:30pm – POTLUCK DINNER
- 7pm – event ends
Please bring a contribution to the potluck (main dish, salad, bread, dessert). We will have plates and plasticware available, but you are welcome to bring yours from home, if you would like (less waste).
We will sing a welcome song (“Lasst uns froh und munter sein”) for St. Nikolaus as a group. See below for the text or follow this link to YouTube.
If your children play an instrument they are welcome to bring it and play one song, possibly two songs for background music after they have finished eating. There is a piano available
We look forward to seeing everyone!
Lasst uns froh und munter sein
Lasst uns froh und munter sein und uns recht von Herzen freun!
Lustig, lustig, traleralera! Bald ist Nikolausabend da, bald ist Nikolausabend da!Dann stell’ ich den Teller auf, Nik’laus legt gewiß was drauf.
Lustig, lustig, traleralera! Bald ist Nikolausabend da, bald ist Nikolausabend da!Wenn ich schlaf’, dann träume ich, jetzt bringt Nik’laus was für mich.
Lustig, lustig, traleralera! Bald ist Nikolausabend da, bald ist Nikolausabend da!Wenn ich aufgestanden bin, lauf’ ich schnell zum Teller hin.
Lustig, lustig, traleralera! Bald ist Nikolausabend da, bald ist Nikolausabend da!Nik’laus ist ein guter Mann, dem man nicht genug danken kann.
Lustig, lustig, traleralera! Bald ist Nikolausabend da, bald ist Nikolausabend da!
St. Martin Lantern Walk 2017
On a chilly day our lanterns brought light and cheer to the neighborhood. Lantern songs, campfire bread, roasted marshmallows, hot cider — what could be better? Thanks to everyone who came out and celebrated St. Martin with us and especially to all those who helped organize — Krista Spiro, Philipp Müller, Mary Ellen Rutemeyer, as well as several parent volunteers. We couldn’t do it without you! All pictures © Ralph Grunewald.
Enjoying good company (Schwalben teacher Jo Drury)…
… roasting Stockbrot
..admiring and…
…showing off lanterns…
.. while walking and singing, accompanied by a piccolo flute.
Don’t you wish you would have been there?
Join us for our annual St. Martin lantern walk
Our youngest students had great fun making lanterns in preparation for our St. Martin lantern walk next week. Thanks to Krista Spiro for the pictures and for hosting the workshop!
Please join us next Saturday (Nov. 11) for our annual Laternenfest! This year, we’re doing things a little differently, to tie in better with our regular classes. We will not have a potluck and we will meet at right after our regular Saturday classes.
- Entchen and Spatzen families: Please pick up your children at 3pm and join us at the celebration room on the 2nd floor in the church, for music, arts and crafts, and Stockbrot (campfire bread baked over an open fire).
- Schwalben, Falken, and Eulen: Classes release early and will move to the celebration hall at 4.15 (teachers will be around until 4.45pm).
- Möwen: Regular classes until 4.45 pm.
Our lantern walk starts at 5pm at the fire pit at the church parking lot (4200 Buckeye Road). Younger students, up to Eulen, need to be accompanied by an adult. We expect to return around 5.30 pm and will enjoy some hot beverages at the open fire (or, in the case of rain, in the celebration hall).
All welcome! This event is not just for current GSoM students and their families.
Movie night
3 great words starting with P?
Pizza, Popcorn, Potter.
Our students had great fun dressing up for German Movie Night. They also learned essential vocabulary, such as der Zauberstab (wand), die Narbe (scar), und der Zaubertrank (potion).
It seems that everyone is ready for Halloween. And don’t forget: If you’re a GSoM student, you get to wear your costume again when we celebrate Karneval/Fasching at the end of winter!
Movie night
Movie Night
Thanks to Krista Spiro for organizing and to Delaney Jacobson for the pictures.
Zoo Outing
Our first field trip of the year was to Henry Vilas Zoo, on a glorious late summer day. Ask your children if they got to see the 6-months-old Löwen (lions) or the Dachse (Badgers) at the news Wisconsin Heritage Exhibit!
Did you know that there is a connection between the Vilas family and the German language? Henry Vilas Zoo was named in honor of a son of Madisonians William and Anna Vilas, who donated the land to the city in 1904. William Vilas was a law professor at UW Madison. He later became a US Senator. In 1889 he supported the movement against a law in Wisconsin that required the use of English in schools (Bennett Law). Up to then, many schools in Wisconsin used German in the classroom as the main language of instruction. Backlash against the law was strong and it was repealed in 1891.
Thanks to everyone who chaperoned and volunteered!
1. Schultag!
What a wonderful turnout for our first day of the new school year! It was so great to meet/see again new and returning families. Over 70 students are enrolled this year, reaching from our 3-year old Entchen (ducklings) to our adult conversation class. Here’s to a great new school year!
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