Young person’s celebration event

Well its now 9.25pm and I have just arrived home after what I can only describe as a fantastic evening. Thanks to all who turned up and participated. We had over 120 people present at the event and the band were great – thanks to them for giving their time at such short notice, and I think the young people really enjoyed their music. The street dance group showed us all how to strut our stuff and performed well in front of the crowd.

It was good to see a few Worthing borough councillors and I think they were pleasantly surprised at the variety and number of young people recieving acknowledgement for their achievements during the past year. There were well over 70 young people who got a mention and probably double that number who were unable to attend on the night, and will recieve their certificates at their respective clubs in the next few weeks.

I had the opportunity to meet a couple of prospective youth councillors who were there and I hope they take the advise and get all their friends to vote for them next week.

Our last day….

Well we had a lie in this morning – very welcome I can assure you, and we were to spend our last day with our hosts on the mountain. The weather during our stay had been very cold and almost snowy – obviously heavy snow on the Kandel – so we decided that we wanted to take the opportunity to experience the snow first hand.

The Kandel and the snow!

 So off up the mountain to try our hand at sledging and ski walking. Simon and Charlotte had never done this before but our hosts were experts and took us under their wings and off Simon and Charlotte went, Simon completed a 4KM walk with Udo and Charlotte did about an hour then joined the rest of us sledging on the nursery slopes!

Sledging

The visability was very poor only seeing approx 20 metres ahead but we all enjoyed the expereince and although cold and wet were very happy when it was time to eat. We were joined by the deputy Mayor who hosted us on behalf of the town and we enjoyed a truely monsterous Black Forest Gateau.

Traditional Black Forest Gateau... MMmmmm

Well it was then time to get back to town, change out of oiur wet clothes and travel to the airport for our flight back to Britain…. We arrived back on time and suitably exhausted and ready for our own beds.

This has been a wonderful few days for everyone and very productive for both partners as the plans develop for the summer and autumn.

Watch this space!

Another day …

The Modern Organ in Waldkirch

Today we began with  guided tour of the organ museum by Michael, chair of the twinning association in Waldkirch. To see the organs dating back 200 years gives a truely clear picture of the cultural differences of our two towns. Waldkirch people are all, young and old alike , really proud of their heritage and are ensuring the old traditions are not lost within modern day technology. The modern organ – built to commemorate this historic milestone – didn’t fail to impress everyone with modern jazz renditions proving the skills of the organ builders.

Next we went to the children’s parade in the town where we witnessed hundreds of biaze’s (jesters to you and me in the town colours of blue and yellow) skipping along, young and old alike with bands keeping them in time. It appeared that the whole town turned out to cheer, support and enjoy the spectacle. The Kandelhexan (local witches) also took aprt and tormented the crowds of parents and children with their playful ruffling of hair,

The Children's Parade

pinching of hats, covering you in straw or just high jumping with the aid of their broomsticks, getting everyone into the spirit which is Fasnet!

Once this was over the streets were once again turned over to the market stalls, beer tents and sausage sellers all preparing for another night of revellry by the drinkers.

I had an opportunity to speak to Silke about the street work she does, and although there is some work done during Fasnet this is minimal as she is only one worker (part time .75%) for the whole town of 11,000 residents. She has no powers to search or challenge young people and says this is pointless once they have become under the influence in any case. Prior to fasnet she does an awarness campaign with posters etc and these can be seen around the town. She also talks to bar and shop owners in the town asking that they are more vigilent when selling alcohol and to check ID (this is passports in Germany rather than anything else) However most young people are a little wise to this and either buy their alcohol in the weeks prior to fasnet or bring it into the town from the outlying areas where their ID is not necessarily checked as rigorously.

Traditional musicians of Elzach

We also talked about about possible partnership work with the police but his is proving difficult as the authorities are very punative by nature.

In the town hall in Elzach prior to the parade

Later that evening we were invited by the Mayor of Elzach to watch their parade from the town hall as his guests -Thankfully that meant we avoided the ‘playful’ antics of the Schuttig (local men dressed in red felt suits with headdresses of straw, snail shells and red pompoms and masks) who smack you with blown up pig or goat bladders hung from sticks – very wet, very slimy and VERY smelly!

An Elzach Schuttig

Afterwards we moved with the party to the house of a very old family of Elzach who have a view over the Place of Bears where the lighted torches used by the participants during the parade are burnt by the devil. There were in the region of 2,000 Schuttig – quite a sight to see.

We were made very welcome in the town and everyone wanted to talk to us, making it hard for us to leave until after midnight! Simon was very popular as Youth Mayor and even entertained the party by playing the piano with music he just happened to have in his pocket – wow! Charlotte was comfortable talking to lots of different people throughout the evening, something I have witnessed develop as the days progressed.

Well another day over and yet another busy day tomorrow! Time for bed!

Planning for a multi-national event

Well the communication between Germany and the rest of the world has started!

Belgium, France, Switzerland, England and Germany are in the throes of organising an open air music event with a theme around Tolerance and Respect. Germany will be the first host of this event and then it is hoped, if it is successful, that the countries will rotate each year to re create the event.

We are all getting together to do the finer details of the plan in July when we have had a chance to discuss things with the young people and then the actual event will  be in August. It is hoped to have a grand opening ceremony when everyone brings something from their country to build a sculpture which will be a lasting memory of the work we will do around the theme. Each country will bring approx 20 young people and 2 bands who will play during the 2 day concert. There will be workshops, statement walls, a market place for the countries to present themselves and an opportunity to make short podcasts of things people will take back with them from the event, and maybe even something to take to our political leaders …. Loads of other ideas are still in the melting pot and I think the event will be an absolutely fantasic experience and opportunity for everyone to learn about themselves and others.

Waldkirch Sabaat

Is this a 'gaggle' of witches?

Well we had another very full day, a  trip to Frieburg to do some shopping  (Swiss chocolate!) and a look around the very old city. The markets are wonderful places with strange smells and wierd looking vegetables and meats. There were lots of people dressed up even here, and music playing by bands etc on nearly every corner or in every plaza. Such a carnival mood everywhere.

Jumping the fires - not to be recommended

When we got back we had to get ready for the Sabaat in the town and there was lots of fun trying and showing off our costumes.  As you can see from the pictures fun was had by all and any thoughts that we

Flying across the square...

might look rather silly were very soon dispelled!

Royalty? No just us participating

It was another night of drinking and partying for all, and again the young people took over the town by 9pm. Another clean up operation would have to begin before the roads could be opened. Simon and Charlotte are to ask their new friends about the work which is done prior to Fasnet and I am to speak to the Youth Workers about their perceptions and outcomes of the work they do. The first aid room was busy by 10pm tonight, maybe there is a compounding effect on the body when you drink long and hard for days at a time?… Something for me to look into.

I am very tired now and so will continue this post sometime tomorrow although we have yet another very full day with a visit to see the Waldkirch organ and on to Eltzal town to see their Sabaat which means we will be dressing up yet again…. Normal clothes will never be normal again!

With one of the witches

Emmendingen

Simon as a Wolf man

                                 I wonder who this is?

Before the parade. Well last night was a wonderful experience, and we would like to thank Silke and Christian for making it possible. The guilds don´t usually allow people who are not members to take part and so we were very honoured to be allowed to actually dress up and fully participate in this event. Walking through the crowds dressed as monks, amongst lighted torches is something neither myself or the young people will forget easily - memories made.

The ethos of the Fastnet ´season´is to frighten away winter and make spring come and although on the way home last night it was snowing this morning it is 2 degrees and quite warm by comparison.

Tonight we will participate in the Sabaat in Waldkirch, when new witches are made.. a very interesting experience.

The alcohol work done by the youth workers seems to be only prior to Fastnet, and I don´t think any work is done on the streets during the festivities, something which we in England would do. There are posters everywhere but there is a danger that eventually these are not ´seen´by those they are designed to reach. The culture for young people generally, and therefore more so at this time, is drink, but then the adults also do their fair share, so role modelling may also be an issue.

We have shared the weblog with our partners and we already have a facebook account for the two youth councils, and so there is some communication between the two groups.

The discussions we had on Wednesday evening with the Waldkirch Youth Council have formed a base for the planning for the European open air band event in August in Waldkirch which will be with 4-5 different countries and a truely international  event and one which we are hoping will be reproduced in different countries in the following years… watch this space!

The plaque commemorating the original street art created by young people in April 2008 during our visit to Waldkirch

Henrik presents the plaque to Simon and Charlotte

The fountain in Waldkirch which tells the story of Fasnet

Waldkirch Burgermiester with Simon, Charlotte and Shirley

Fastnet has started

Thursday is the start of Fasnet when the whole town turn out to see the Mayor hand over the keys of the town to the people so they can enjoy a week of fun and `naughtiness´. Everyone wears white nightshirts and hats with red scarfs and walk around the town having fun and generally enjoying themselves. There must have been in the region of 5,000 people in the town square with bands making music and people playing Klapperlie and singing in time to the traditional Fasnet songs. The whole community were definitely ´as one`, something which is seldom seen in Britain.

This is very strange for us Brits as we are well known for our great British reserve, and Simon and Charlotte were a little hesitant initially but once they became part of the whole event really fell into the cultural ethos of the event.

After the official part of the evening th whole body of people set off in in a procession around the town following the bands, singing dancing and generally making as much noise as you like. As you pass flats above shops people throw swerts to you and there are scuffles for these by the children. Once back in´the town square there are sausages and buns for everyone donated by the butchers and bakers of the town.

The youth workers do a lot of work leading up to Fastnet around alcohol, tobacco and specifically spirits as these appear to be the main problem areas during this time. Young people are legally able to drink alcohol from the age of 16 and this does lead to great problems for the towm and Germany generally.  Preparations for Fastnet include rooms for people, young and old, to be taken to sleep off the effects of over indulgence and first aiders and ambulances are really out in force.

The bars are actually heaving and I wonder that anyone can actually buy a drink as it must take a good 5 – 10 minutes to fight your way to the counter. – sharpening your elbows is a good tip!  It would appear that most young people stay on the streets and bring their drinks with them, and I have been amazed at the litter left behind after this first evening. Broken bottles and glasses litter the whole area and before traffic is able to resume the following day there has to be a major clean up which must cost the town plenty!

We left the festivities before midnight as I was advised that after this time was when drunkeness became more of a problem.  It was quite safe to walk home through the parks although due to the frozen snow it was easier to walk on the roads as these were cleared of the ice.

Although some people do have to work the following day many it is told will not go into work as thy will have been partying until the early hours. Some shops in the town close up for the duration of Fasnet and I wonder how this might affect their business.