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The German Army marked the end of 27 years of training at Canadian Forces
Base Shilo in September 2000. The German Army had been using CFB Shilo primarily
for armored (tank) training since 1974. They announced their intention to
discontinue using the base for training in December 1999, as part of an overall
German Army restructuring plan aimed at cost savings. Some 135,000 German troops
have trained at the base since the inception of GATES. The German Army had
become part of the fabric of the local communities. For many of these soldiers,
Shilo and the surrounding communities were like a second home and over the
years, they married local girls and chose to make Manitoba their home.
Christmas Eve - Heiliger Abend (also
Heiligabend)
December 24th begins as a regular workday. But by 2:00 pm,
often even earlier, businesses close in preparation for the
holiday celebration, a large part of which occurs on Christmas
Eve in Germany. The traditional evening meal includes carp and
potato salad. Families sing Christmas carols together and may
read the story of Christ's birth aloud. Family members exchange
gifts; children are typically the focal point of the gift
exchange. The tradition of opening gifts on Heiliger Abend
(rather than on December 6th in honor of St. Nicholas) was
started by Martin Luther in the 16th century in favor of a
celebration that honored Christ rather than a Catholic saint.
On Christmas Eve, German families - whether Protestant or
Catholic and even those who are not regular church-goers - often
attend mass or a church service. While the mass traditionally
takes place at midnight, in recent times the services have moved
into the earlier evening hours.
Christmas Day(s) - der erste
und zweite Weihnachtstag
Both December 25 and 26 are legal holidays in
Germany and are known as the First and Second
Christmas Day respectively. What originally
started out as a church celebration of Christ's
birth has gradually become a family celebration.
Businesses are closed, and time is spent
visiting with extended family. Goose is the
traditional fare on the First Christmas Day, or
perhaps rabbit or a roast. These are accompanied
by traditional German fare such as apple and
sausage stuffing, red cabbage, and potato
dumplings. The second Christmas day is usually a
quieter time, a day for peaceful contemplation.
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"Dirndl" is a dress copied from the male trachten, it
consists of a blouse and top, a wide shirt and an apron. It was traditionally
worn as a working dress of servants. It wasn't until a fashionable man named
Kaiser Franz Joseph, made dirndl, trachten, and lederhosen" hip" to wear by the
upper classes. Around 1870/1880 dirndl turned into the summer dress craze! Now
dirndl is worn out of National pride, through it's styles, colours and material
used show's the flare of the times and the people who make them.
Trachten, now of days denotes a form of traditional rustic dress. Trachten as
we know it today vary in appearances due to various regions, locations and the
styles emerging from today's fashions. The materials used in trachten, differs
in what materials are available. The materials generally used are wool, linen,
silk and leather. Jackets and hats usually vary from different regions. Men
generally wear lederhosen, bundhosen, plattlerhosen. They can be full length,
calf length, or knee high. There is usually a pocket for their knife or dagger.
Alpine hats made of loden, Alpine or Tyrolean hats with a rope style border. To
adorn their hats the men place various Edelweiss pins with feathers, boars hair,
and an assortment of distinguishing hat pins. Usually men wear long wool socks,
rustic shoes or boots.
To see the men, women and children in their traditional clothing, is to see
someone with pride, respect and a profound devotion to who they are and where
they came from.
Pretzels... The Worlds Oldest
Snack Historians claim the first pretzels were made back in 610 A.D.,
when monks in southern France offered them as a reward to children for
learning their prayers . Originally called "pretiola" (little reward),
the name evolved into "bretzel" when the baked snack became
popular in Austria and Germany. It was the immigrants from these countries who
brought the "bretzel" to our shores during the 1800's, later becoming known as
the "pretzel". The first commercial pretzel bakery was established in the town
of Lititz in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania by Julius Sturgis in 1861. The
modern age of pretzel making began in 1935 when the Reading Pretzel Machinery
Company first introduced the automatic pretzel twisting machine. Prior to that,
most commercial pretzels were actually shaped by a cracker-cutting machine, then
placed on baking pans and put into the baking ovens by hand. This innovation
made pretzels available to people in all parts of the country, and helped the
fledgling industry grow... Source: Snack Food Association
Steins date
back as early as the 14th century. In the early 16th century Germany made
several laws requiring that all food and beverage containers be covered. The
reason for this was because of the Bubonic Plague and the mass quantities of
flies that swarmed the country. So they started putting a lid, hinge and even a
thumblift on their drinking containers for easy access. This also helped to keep
the liquid at a constant temperature.
Around this
time most all steins were made from earthenware. They started raising the firing
temperature to improve the quality of these steins. By doing this, it made the
steins much more durable and moisture-free. They called this "stoneware" because
of it's durability. Hence, stoneware became very popular in Germany and artists
started applying their creations and artwork to them.
Guilds were
popular during this time in Germany. The Pewter Guild started the look we are
all familiar with now - the stoneware stein with the permanently attached pewter
lid. By the 19th century the Stein was clearly defined as being made in Europe
and primarily of stoneware with a permanently attached pewter lid.
Pewter was
not only used for lids, but also for the entire stein. Pewter was preferred
throughout Europe, mostly in England. Glass, porcelain and silver steins came
out several hundred years ago and are still available today.
Still today,
steins are primarily produced in Germany where they continue to train their
employees in the same way using century old traditions.
Below is a
list of the materials you will most likely find Steins made of and their
characteristics:
-
Earthenware
Porous ware until it is
glazed.
-
Ceramic
Slightly porous and
light colored. Must be glazed to make it impermeable (impossible to penetrate)
-
Creamware
This is light
earthenware with a lead glaze.
-
Stoneware
Hard material. Fired at
very high temperatures with the result being less than 2% porous. Glaze is not
mandatory for a Stein made from stoneware.
-
Porcelain
These are made of
Kaolin (white clay) and Pentanes (pulverized granite). When these are fired,
the result is more of a white or translucent, glass like material
Which one is
best? Good question! It all depends on your personal preference. Metals like
silver and pewter are good thermal conductors so they will keep a beer cold for
a shorter time. Glass is also a good thermal conductor but a bit better than
metal. Pottery on the other hand is probably your best choice at keeping beer
cold...
Oktoberfest History
This distinctive celebration was first
established in October of 1810, when Prince Ludwig of Bavaria married Princess
Therese of Saxony-Hidburghausen. In celebration on this event, the prince went
against all of society’s standards, and invited the general public. Back in
those days, Nobles never related with the general public. However, over 40,000
Bavarian’s came. It was held in, what is now known as Teresa Meadow, in Munich.
The purpose of Oktoberfest is for two reasons: to give thanks to God for the
past years blessings and crops and to share with family, in the spirit of true
love, this special occasion.
Today, this 16 day celebration begins at
twelve noon as the clock of St. Paul’s church in Munich strikes. The
Burgermeister(Mayor)enters a beer tent and taps the first cask and quaffs the
first beer stein during a twelve canon salute. He does this while traditionally
proclaim “O zapft is!” (which means “It’s tapped!”. Approximately 200 years
after the first Oktoberfest, it continues to be celebrated. Wies’n is truly a
Bavarian event that is not only for Bavarian’s but for all German’s and the
World. During Oktoberfest, there is a great deal of festivities. The
Trachtenfest parade begins down the city streets, down to the Wies’n. The parade
consists of people dressed in their traditional costumes, bands floats and
decorated horse drawn beer wagon’s. During the festive 16 day party over 6
million gallons of beer is consumed, and over 200,000 pairs of pork sausages are
eaten. It is a mammoth celebration filled with love, celebration, tradition,
delectable food and continuously flowing beer. A true feast for the eye’s, ears,
stomach, heart and soul. An excellent reason why no one should miss any
Oktoberfest celebration!
