Discover Germany | Issue 9 | November 2013

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Issue 9 | November 2013

PLUS FIRST CLASS EDUCATION

Klaus Florian Vogt

GERMAN PRODUCT & INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

THE TENOR WHO BRINGS WAGNER’S HEROES TO LIFE

MAGICAL CHRISTMAS

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Discover Germany | Contents

Contents NOVEMBER 2013

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49 Photo: LETA

COVER FEATURE 6

Photo: BERLIN TOURISMUS & KONGRESS GMBH

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Gear up for the festive season.

Klaus Florian Vogt Heroic tenor Klaus Florian Vogt talks about his career, family life and why he feels privileged.

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Product & Industrial Design

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Private Education Switzerland Swiss education is renowned for top quality not only in the hospitality sector.

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Austria’s Hotel Die Sonne in the heart of the Austrian Alps offers sunshine for body and soul all year round.

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Nuremberg’s Hotel Victoria blends tradition and modernity and is a great place to stay when visiting the city and its world famous Christmas market.

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Schwerin’s Staatliches Museum with its impressive collection takes you on a historic journey through the heyday of the Mecklenburg dukes.

First Class Education Germany Abitur, IB and beyond. Great schools and universities from Salem to Berlin.

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The magic of Christmas

cluding a medieval château, Santa’s workshop and a lumberjack village.

Conferences of the Month 31

Heart-warming hospitality is guaranteed in Austria’s Seminarhotel Retter, an ecological role model that was designed with the help of feng shui experts and geomancers.

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At the Mindnesshotel Bischofschloss at Lake Constance even the breakfast eggs carry a smile. Castle lord Bernd Reutemann and his friendly castle ghosts add a special charm to this hotel.

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"Berlin is always worth a trip" says a German proverb. With the Berlin Highlights you can’t go wrong. Another special treat offers the Austrian city of Salzburg. Read how Mozart's hometown turns into a fairy-tale scene during the festive season.

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With or without Glühwein - Barbara Geier shares her perfect Christmas market experience.

Attractions of the Month

Great gifts and wonderful Christmas markets bring you right into the festive spirit.

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The Imperial Treasury in Vienna showcases an impressive collection that testifies to the Habsburg dynasty’s former power and glory.

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Swiss Montreux Noël with its five unique venues offers a very special take on the festive season in-

REGULARS & COLUMNS 11

Restaurant of the Month

Hotels of the Month

First Class Education Austria Fine international and inspirational educational facilities from St. Gilgen to Vienna.

Plönlein

Colours and flavours rule at the Bunt Eventrestaurant, a jewel in Vienna’s culinary crown.

Award-winning studios present their great designs.

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Business Expert legal and tax advice as well as top-notch conference venues.

SPECIAL THEMES 14

Fashion Finds

CULTURE

Dedicated to Design All you need to snuggle up in front of the crackling fireplace.

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Dear Reader,

Discover Germany

Sales & Key Account Managers

Issue 9, November 2013

Emma Fabritius Nørregaard

Published 18.11.2013 ISSN 2051-7718

Lena Meyer Faye Beermann Ariam Bereket Caroline Nindl

Published by Scan Magazine Ltd.

Advertising info@discovergermany.com

Design & Print Liquid Graphic Ltd. Executive Editor Thomas Winther

Discover Germany is published by: Scan Magazine Ltd. 4 Baden Place Crosby Row London SE1 1YW

Creative Director Mads E. Petersen

Welcome to the November issue of Discover Germany. This month’s cover star is one of the most sought after tenors in the world. When Klaus FlorianVogt sings Wagner’s heroes such as Lohengrin, Siegmund or Parsifal, people in the audience can’t help getting goose bumps. From Wagner we move to Mozart, as this month we have a Salzburg City Special for you. Find out what Mozart’s birthplace has to offer: you’ll be surprised.

Modern creative talent is featured in our Product & Industrial design guide, where we present you with a selection of Germany’s top studios. Unique perspectives on design and function lead to ever new aesthetics on items we sometimes use on a daily basis such as remote controls, lights, a kitchen knife or a manicure set. The Association of German Industrial Designers takes a look behind the success of German design and explains why a good education is so important.

Editor Phone +44 (0)870 933 0423 info@discovergermany.com

Tina Awtani Art Director

For further information, please visit www.discovergermany.com

Svetlana Slizova Copy-Editor Mark Rogers Contributors

That applies to every other industry. Tomorrow’s skilled workforce can only be assured by top-notch educational facilities for the young generation. In our big special theme about education you will find some of the finest schools and universities available in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, ranking from pre-school up to higher education. Dr Gerhard Pfister, president of The Swiss Federation of Private Schools SFPS, talks about an innovative education system and the importance of multilingualism and cultural variety.

Emmie Collinge Elisabeth Doehne

Cultural variety you may also find in Berlin, another city featured in this issue. When visiting this exciting hub make sure you don’t miss out on the Berlin Highlights to make the most of your stay.

Phil Gale Barbara Geier Jessica Holzhausen Julika Hüther Sonja Irani Gregor Kleinknecht Anne Krebiehl Franziska Nössig Jessica Pommer Leonie Puscher Julien Rath

Just in time, Discover Germany brings you the magic of Winter Wonderland with a big Christmas theme. The magic of the season is best experienced at the enchanting Christmas markets including Franconia’s iconic Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, picturesque Rothenburg or elegant Baden-Baden. Our Swiss attraction of the month is Montreux Noël, where the spirit of Christmas is perfectly captured on the shores of Lake Geneva.

And we have much more to offer including a very colourful restaurant, a journey through art history and the heyday of the Mecklenburg dukes, the Austrian Imperial Crown and the world’s largest cut emerald worn by Empress Elisabeth of Austria.

Jessica Ridder Marilena Stracke © All rights reserved. Material contained in this publication may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, without prior permission of Scan Magazine Ltd.

Enjoy the magazine!

This magazine contains advertorials/promotional articles

Tina Awtani 4 | Issue 9 | November 2013

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Discover Germany | Cover Feature | Klaus Florian Vogt

Klaus Florian Vogt Meet one of the world’s most sought after heroic tenors The great composer Wilhelm Richard Wagner would have celebrated his 200th birthday this year. In our star interview we present you the man who brings not only Wagner to life with his rich, powerful and emotional marrow-deep voice. German tenor Klaus Florian Vogt is the master voice behind Wagner’s heroes such as Parsifal, Lohengrin or Siegmund.

Photo: Tim Schober / Sony Classical

TEXT: TINA AWTANI

The award-winning musician talks about his career and performing in Bayreuth where he has enchanted audiences since 2007, first as Walther von Stolzing (Die Meistersinger) and since 2010 also as Lohengrin. Katharina Wagner, co-director of the Bayreuth Festival and great-granddaughter of Richard Wagner, officially revealed that Vogt will star as Parsifal in Bayreuth until 2016.“Bayreuth means a lot to me. My wife’s family is highly involved, both her parents were involved in the festival and so is my wife, she has been singing in the choir for a while. I knew Bayreuth very well long before I started my own singing career. Having a lead role there now feels just amazing and I really enjoy the time I spend there during summer. Besides it blends perfectly with family life,”the tenor says.“During school holidays we take the kids along. Now they have grown and don’t necessarily spend the whole summer with us any more, but we always make it a family affair.”

From passion to profession Vogt started his career not as a tenor, but as

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Discover Germany | Cover Feature | Klaus Florian Vogt

a musician playing the horn for the Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra for many years. He grew up with classical music from a very young age and reflects:“I remember that when I was a little child I fell asleep listening to classical music such as Brahms.”Purely incidentally his singing talent was identified at a party by none less than Professor Günther Binge from the

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Lübeck Academy of Music.Vogt carried on playing the horn in Hamburg while studying singing in Lübeck at the same time.

Since 2002 Vogt has sung the great heroes on stage, but it was 2011 when he made his international break-through as Lohengrin, directed by controversial Hans Neuenfels in Bayreuth. Besides Parsifal, Lohengrin and Siegmund,Vogt has sung parts such as Erik

(Der fliegende Holländer), Florestan (Fidelio), Pinkerton (Madama Butterfly) and Tamino (Die Zauberflöte). He also moved in the Italian direction by playing Cavaradossi in Tosca, which he truly enjoyed. Amsterdam, Brussels, Cologne, Dresden, Hamburg, Madrid, New York and Tokyo are just a selection of Vogt’s professional destinations.

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Cover Feature | Klaus Florian Vogt

Vogt as Mario Cavaradossi in Tosca at Semperoper Dresden © Matthias Creutziger

Saxony) is very special to me. It means a lot for me to have received an award from my home country. The Echo Classic Award 2012 for Singer of theYear was fantastic, the award ceremony in Berlin was great fun.

Every prize has its own charm. The European Culture Award for Music Leipzig 2013 was also very special and winning an international contest feels amazing.”

Although singing for over a decade it took Vogt almost the same time to produce his own CD with the record label Sony in 2012.

Helden (Heroes) shot straight high up the classical charts and remarkably also climbed up the pop charts. His second CD, named Wagner, celebrates the great composer. Did he expect this success? “No!”he exclaims, but he admits that producing CDs is an interesting challenge.“Oh yes, I really enjoy doing this. It is something different.

You operate on a different level. And then came the success. I love it and I would love to do more.”And more will come as he reveals:“In 2014 we will be launching something a little lighter.”He admits that Wagner is not to be considered light entertainment. “It is quite heavy and for me it is just wonderful when I meet people after a performance, who just went to see a Wagner because they wanted to see me.

And then they tell me that they really liked it.”

“I consider myself very fortunate”

The tenor is passionate about music and asked about what he loves most about his job he confesses:“There is so much. First it is a very physical job. And the fact that it is music. Music is part of my life and it is wonderful to be able to turn a passion into a profession. And I really like the fact that you meet a lot of diverse people that all share the same passion. Besides I like trav-

elling very much. I am in Spain and France a lot and soon I am scheduled to perform in the USA.“ Awards, CDs and great compliments Asked which of the numerous awards he is most proud of, Vogt laughs: “This is really hard to say, but the Kunstpreis des Landes Schleswig-Holstein (Art Award of Lower

Vogt lives in Northern Germany, in a small town in Schleswig-Holstein (Lower Saxony) with his family. As often as possible the hobby pilot flies in his Mooney through the clear blue skies with the typical white clouds. About the state between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea he says: “We love living here,”and he enthuses: “I love the air and the north German sense of humour.”

Those who are from the North know exactly what he means, but for people from the South of Germany this is very hard to understand as humour is not the first thing associated with the generally stubborn and rather quiet people from the North. The

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Discover Germany | Cover Feature | Klaus Florian Vogt

Photo: Uwe Arens / Sony Classical

charming family man is looking forward to spending the festive season back home with his loved ones.“Christmas I will be spending at home in Germany. This is a very important family event for us. And every year it becomes more important as two of our boys already moved out and Christmas is a wonderful occasion for the whole family to come together.”

Vogt considers himself very privileged. “It is very fortunate to live in a country where it is possible to, in my case twice, turn a passion into a career. You need the environment and the basic conditions where this is possible and I consider myself very fortunate that I was born in such an environment.”

If there is still a dream role left I want to know. “That is the problem. The parts I am singing at the moment are dream parts anyhow,” he replies and after thinking for a split second he adds: “And those I dream of will certainly come.”

In November and December the singer will perform at the Finnish National Opera in Helsinki as Paul in Korngold’s Die tote Stadt. And on 15 December music lovers will be treated to a concert in Munich, where he will sing Schubert’s song cycles from Die schöne Müllerin.

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Discover Germany | Design | Dedicated to Design

Dedicated to Design...

The German, Austrian and Swiss design scenes are more vibrant than ever, with an array of new inventions and beautiful objects now available in stores. Check out these award winning and inspiring design pieces that we have fallen in love with this month.

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BY TINA AWTANI

“Lucky Punch - Let’s get ready to rumble!” The award winning Lucky Punch nutcracker designed by Hermann Staudinger is a masterpiece of engineering and the latest exciting creation by the iconic German Take2 Design agency. £42 Available at www.connox.com Christmas pendants made by Hutschenreuther have a longstanding reputation amongst keen collectors worldwide.

The limited edition Christmas Bell is the annual star of the collection. No Christmas tree should be without this delightful designer piece. From £17. www.rosenthal.de

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In 1879 Philipp Rosenthal started his own porcelain painting venture at Erkersreuth castle; today Rosenthal is Germany’s market leader in the glass-porcelain-ceramics segment and famous not only for gorgeous seasonal products. Enjoy your mulled wine or hot chocolate in style with the new 2013 Christmas mugs from the Hutschenreuther line. £8.50. www.rosenthal.de

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Founded by Elisabeth und Walter Giesswein in 1954 in the Austrian village of Brixlegg, Giesswein today stands for finest walked wool products. Snuggle up under the blanket made of 100 per cent virgin wool and bring alpine Christmas charm right into your living room. Blanket £210. Pillowcase £59. www.giesswein.com Slippers brought Giesswein their international breakthrough back in the 1970s. Featuring the patented non-slip sole, the luxurious woollen indoor shoes are available for the whole family as they come in sizes from 36 to 46 in the most beautiful designs. £55. www.giesswein.com

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Discover Germany | Xxx | Xxxx

Fashion Finds Let’s party! The festive season brings along plenty of occasions to wear beautiful cocktail dresses and breath-taking designer gowns. If you opt for a flamboyant dress always remember that less is more and keep accessories down to a minimum. Should you be a little black dress devotee, stylish accessories are just the thing to add that extra bit of sparkle.

BY TINA AWTANI

Austrian designer Sabine Karner is already a household name in her home country. In her studio in Vienna she creates highly individual designs that are perfectly suited for the female silhouette. This hand painted white and silver top is combined with a grand black silk satin skirt and gold lamé belt oozes style. Top £118.

Skirt £245. Belt £50. www.sabinekarner.com

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Discover Germany | Design | Fashion Finds

Private Suite is the label created by Munich based jewellery and accessory designer Pegah Ghaemi. Her signature look is defined by unique creations made of authentic materials featuring intense colours or rhinestones. This clutch is made of water snake skin and closed with a berg crystal. £330. www.privatesuite.eu

Part of Pegah Ghaemi’s fashion jewellery collection is this handmade golden Shamrock ring that fits every size and adds a quirky touch to a demure outfit. £50. www.privatesuite.eu

High black boots are a must-have this winter. Team with a long coat and a slim skirt for an elegant, but sexy day look or wear with your favourite little black dress and flamboyant accessories for a great night out. This pair is made by Tamaris, a label of the German Wortmann shoe group. £89.90. www.tamaris.de

This wrap dress is the ideal office companion if worn with a turtleneck underneath and transforms easily into a party outfit that turns heads in the evening. For a glamorous look team with an elegant clutch and lavish jewellery such as long golden chains. £239. www.sabinekarner.com

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Special Theme

Industrial Design Designed in Germany

Product and Industrial Design

The quality-label “Made in Germany” depends not only on the perfection and reliability of German products but also on the quality of German industrial design.

TEXT & PHOTOS: IRIS LAUBSTEIN / ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN INDUSTRIAL DESIGNERS (VDID)

The fact that German car brands are sought-after all over the world nowadays may also be linked to the big and long tradition of industrial design in Germany. And to a sort of cultural shock in an early phase of globalisation: at the London World Exhibition 1851 German products were branded with the (back then) negative label“Made in Germany”.

The London show, which took place in the famous Crystal Palace was what initially sparked the evolution of model collections and industrial museums everywhere in Europe and thus also in Germany.

Based on the patterns of the show collections the regional economy should learn what successful products should look like.

Even today, this learning by models system

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is testified to in museums of applied art, for example, in Berlin, Frankfurt and Cologne.

The desire for better design of German products and the desire for a better life in modern times resulted in remarkable institutions such as the Deutsche Werkbund at the beginning of the 19th century as well as the Bauhaus in the 1920s with renowned and internationally active masters like Walter Gropius. After the Second World War the tradition of design education was re-established under Max Bill at the Hochschule für Gestaltung (HfG) in Ulm. Till today the impact of these educational facilities has been omnipresent in German industrial design and the historic roots are showcased in the Bauhaus Archive in Berlin and the HfG Archive in Ulm. In Munich the Neue

Sammlung in the Pinakothek offers a remarkable insight into the whole topic of German design tradition up to today.

Current German industrial design is represented internationally mainly though automotive brands, and the fascination can be experienced in contemporary glass palaces: the BMW World in Munich, the Porsche Museum and the Daimler Museum in Stuttgart or theVolkswagen Autostadt in Wolfsburg.

The charisma of these brands has transferred the design to many other technical innovations from Germany, in the areas of engineering, medical technology or the creation of rail vehicles as well as other industries.

The future of German industrial design

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Product and Industrial Design

Left & below: Markus Kurkowski I Beyond

is crafted at the colleges and universities, where young talents are well educated for tomorrow’s industrial design. To secure global success of German industrial products in the future, besides other actions, the VDID (Association of German Industrial Designers) initiated the VDID NEWCOMERS’ AWARD. The results reflect the challenges shaping the future of industrial design. Some of these challenges are the themes of mobility, universal design in relation to demographic changes and the efficiency of resources for the purpose of reducing environmental burdens.

All VDID activities address current transformation processes in industrial design. Industrial designers perform the transfer of new materials and technologies

between different industries and fields of application. VDID industrial designers develop new guiding principles and exercise their responsibility for the change of product culture. The current VDID Codex of industrial designers defines ten focal points of the“future”challenge and initiates analysis and debate. The selection criteria of the newcomers’ award are according to these VDID statutes.

One of the VDID NEWCOMERS’ AWARD winners in 2013, Markus Kurkowski, created the interior and exterior design of a caravan. His concept called “I Beyond” encourages independence and is equally appropriate for people with and without physical disabilities. Accessibility is achieved by lowering the caravan and using a wide entrance and sliding doors.

The interior furnishings can be tailored to suit individual abilities. According to the jury, this is a universal design in the best sense of the word, as it makes this object more conveniently usable by people of all generations and abilities.

Another prize was given to Jan Meissner who searched for an answer to the question “How to deconstruct a skyscraper?” His idea is a solution to an urgent problem that big cities around the world are facing. His

“urban mining restructuring” is a concept for the economical demolition and recycling of skyscrapers in densely built megacities that is also time-efficient. This system mechanically deconstructs a tall building “from the roof down”. It uses a frame mounted on the top of the building, exterior tunnels, shredders and sorters to transport and process the materials that are recovered — including glass, concrete, steel and waste products.

An honourable mention was made of Wassilij Grod for his CONBOU – High Heel Table. A latticework construction made of bamboo sandwiched between two exterior surface materials saves renewable resources and enables a good balance between weight and construction stability.

According to the jury, the designer has embraced two important aspects of sustainable product design: resource protection and lightweight construction.

All designs of the 45 newcomers selected for the competition show that the next generation of German industrial design is working on the challenges of the future, through studies and in practical life and of course in multinational teams. www.vdid.de

Jan Meissner Urban Mining Restructuring

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Functional and aesthetic innovations make an outstanding Emamidesign For Emamidesign industrial design is a success factor, a message transporting companies’ values and ideas. Design creates a brand and is therefore the best form of marketing any business can get. Elegance combined with harmony, understated yet striking is Emamidesign’s signature; balanced forms reduced to their essential elements.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: EMAMIDESIGN

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Product and Industrial Design

Left: Sphere washing machine – inspired by nature it gained a minimalistic round design

Innovation in design means to expand the user benefits of a product and that additional value is a market advantage. Intelligent design reduces production costs and makes a business competitively viable in the price fight with market competitors.

Target-group specific and aesthetic design increases a product’s attractiveness.

A balanced design, a use of forms that concentrates on the bare essentials – that is the trademark of Emamidesign. Clear lines and functionality create a distinctive form of aesthetics, a design that radiates harmony and elegance. Working with premium materials and concentrating on valuable workmanship the objects gain a sensual haptic –

a design that does not only look but actually feels good.“Functionality, innovation, practicality, economy, ecology and recognisability are as important as the beauty of a design.To consider all this is the main task and challenge,” says Arman Emami, creative and managing director.

A stainless steel surface, rounded edges and a protective rubber band preserve the Square mobile hard drive from scratches and damage.

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From to bottom: A homage to handwriting – the Hommage pen series.

Neolog A-24 digital watch or: time shown as quantity. The watch has digital bars instead of numbers.

The Sharko cooking knife has a forged steel blade and a Corian handle.

Erman Amami founded the design office in Berlin in 2005 and since then has developed more than 41 products, has been internationally awarded 52 times and has filed 16 patent applications.

Emamidesign’s spectrum includes: • Strategic consulting for product development and product optimisation.

• Industrial design for consumer goods, key areas, electrical engineering, household appliances and lifestyle.

• Design management.

Modern design as marketing tool Modern design is a marketing tool for businesses and companies and has a high impact on companies’ market success. Those who want to outshine their competitors need a personal modern design that speaks for the company’s self-esteem and selfconception, sending a clear message about what the company stands for toward potential clients.“Our strength is not only to rely on aesthetics but to include marketing aspects and environmental issues as well,” says Arman Emami. Product design has no longer only an aesthetic aspect; in a challenging global competition scarce resources and environmental issues require new forms of design and a re-orientation.

Intelligent product design as competitive advantage Intelligent product design is a competitive advantage, therefore Emamidesign has a holistic strategy, that includes functionality, regarding production costs and marketing aspects. For a successful design many factors have to come together, says Arman Emami:“It cannot end with simply creating beautiful vases or paper weights.” Only when aesthetics, functionality, innovation and other aspects come together can a brand become successful.

For Emamidesign outlining a concept therefore is a process that includes market

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Product and Industrial Design

research and developing a wholesale concept – no matter whether that concerns developing a design for new products or relaunching and optimising existing product lines.

Flowing forms and clear lines One example for Emamidesign’s outstanding approach is the Sphere washing machine designed for Bauknecht: the flowing round shape was inspired by nature itself and focuses on a minimalistic design. The tinted glass front with push-to-open mechanism and puristic controls intends to eliminate any boredom one might feel during the washing process: the machine is a change to every room’s atmosphere.

But not only electronic devices are acquiring a new and innovative form. Speaking of handwriting one mostly has to admit that this has become quite a rare thing in our modern time – especially when speaking of longer texts and not short marginal notes.

Therefore when Emamidesign developed the Hommage pen series the idea that handwriting has become quite a conscious act formed the basis for the clear lined and slightly curved design.

Those clear lines can be found in the Sharko cooking knife as well – made from forged special steel, the blade has a Corian handle. The acrylic-bound material gives it an extreme longevity and makes it a long lasting addition to every kitchen.

These examples show the wide range of Emamidesign’s creativity but also emphasise the design office’s very own handwriting: rounded forms, good handling and an expansive look created by high-value materials and pioneering use of forms.

Internationally awarded designs “For us it is important that our designs can be manufactured environmentally friendly, economically efficient and affordable,”con-

cludes Arman Emami. Emamidesign therefore stands for industrial design that links all these aspects with an aesthetic approach, a design that is decent but distinctive. And for this Emamidesign was awarded 52 international design awards, among them the Red Dot Award, the Good Design Award Japan and USA and the German Design Award.

World champion in the red dot ranking For the third year in a row Emamidesign in 2013 has come first place in the international Red Dot Ranking for design agencies because of its design concepts, leaving behind top-class international competitors.

The jury placed special emphasis on the innovative potential and creativity of the design concepts as well as the performance continuity.“We are very proud of this – even though unofficial – title, because it proves our sustainable competence,” says Arman Emami. “In the years to come we want to give further proof of our sense for style and innovation as one of the internationally leading designers.”In proclaiming this Emamidesign has not set his goals too high: at least up to now 98 per cent of Emamidesign’s works have been awarded nationally or internationally. www.emamidesign.de

Above: For an audio guide to accompany museum visits easy usage is the design guideline.

Above: Emamidesign was awarded 52 international design awards, among them the Red Dot Award (best of the best), iF Design Award (Gold), the Good Design Award Japan and USA and the German Design Award.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Product and Industrial Design

Perfect design through passion, precision and quality Dorian Kurz, founder of the award-winning Kurz Kurz design studio is the mastermind behind the creation of long lasting successful product design.

Together with his strong team he develops solutions that frequently scoop the most coveted industry awards.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: KURZ KURZ DESIGN

Solingen based Kurz Kurz Design was established in 1992 and has since then built up an unprecedented track record in successful product design. “The interplay of form, function and emotion lends the product a unique message for long lasting success. Ideas, values and innovations become tangible: design creates identity,” founder Dorian Kurz explains.

The client list reads impressively, including great names from Auerhahn to Zwilling. Industry awards won by the Kurz Kurz team include the Designpreis der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, the Red Dot Design Award and the Good Design Award to name just a few. Bathroom, interior, kitchen, lifestyle and technology design challenges are mastered with Dorian Kurz a strong passion

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for aesthetics, careful evaluation of consumer needs and a clear understanding of clients’ corporate identity. Through the whole process Dorian Kurz stays personally involved and he reveals what inspires him: “It is the passion of designing, to react to new needs and technological developments before experiencing a successful product launch with the client.“ Since 2005 the Kurz Kurz team has been working with Wilo, a Dortmund-based manufacturer of pumps and systems for building services and industrial applications. As one of the global market leaders, it had commissioned Kurz Kurz with the design of the Wilo-Yonos PICO which has just won the Green Innovation Award for 2013 at the UK Energy Efficiency Awards.

“The design of the Yonos PICO is a prime example of successful blend of form and function,”Dorian Kurz enthuses.

Another prime example of exquisite product design is the XSolar L-S sensor LED light, which has been commissioned

by Steinel, technology and innovation leader in the sensor-controlled lighting, heat-tool and hot-melt glue applicator

markets. For seven years Kurz Kurz and Steinel have been a winning team and the new XSolar L-S sensor LED light is already tipped off by insiders to become another design award winner.

Asked about his favourite designs, Dorian Kurz confesses:“Of course there are a few favourite pieces that I will always consider as beautiful. Every single award honours our work, but what makes me really proud is to watch my products being successful in the market in the long term.” www.kurz-kurz-design.de

Above: CAD example Steinel iHF Light. © Steinel Left: Steinel XSolar Light. © Steinel Below: Zwilling Manicure Set. © ZWILLING J.A. Henckels AG

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Product and Industrial Design

Feinserie

Left: Geweih (Antlers) tea light holder Right: Brutkasten eggcups with felt hats

A new take on design

Below, from left to right: Stern - Copper Christmas bauble Engel - Christmas bauble

TEXT: FRANZISKA NÖSSIG | PHOTOS: FEINSERIE

Wood sculptor and designer Marcel Kabisch knows how to work the coarse as well as the fragile. For his label Feinserie he reinterprets small everyday life utensils as well as decorative accessories with a smart, modern twist.

Feinserie’s products are delicate yet cannot be missed because of their clear, plain design and a new take on commodities. The top-quality of the materials used also adds to their visual appeal, rendering small functional‘instruments’to ornamental objects which unobtrusively accentuate your home’s interior design.

The exquisite range includes hand-blown Christmas baubles with beautifully detailed, delicate wooden inlays, stainless steel door plates, a set of four wooden eggcups with little, cosy-

looking felt hats and a hard-asstone nutcracker. Instead of employing mechanical means, this literally impressive nutcracker relies on a real cobblestone’s strength and impact to crush nutshells.

Moreover, Feinserie offers flexible stainless steel shapes which can be turned into a vase stand, or a tea light holder to cast unusual shadows on the wall. When folded, each shape will fit into an envelope and could therefore complement greeting cards to friends, family or clients.

All products can be purchased in shops as well as directly on the label’s website.

With the additional ‘Made in Germany’tag, Marcel Kabisch highlights the true quality of his products. The majority of materials used are indeed resourced and produced in Germany. The glass baubles, for instance, into which the designer inserts his fine woodwork are manufactured in Lauscha, home to the art of traditionally handblown glassware.

Next presentation: trade fair Ambiente in Frankfurt/Main, 7 -11 February 2014. www.feinserie.de www.holzgestaltung.com

Innovative products composed of style, emotion and culture TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: LENGYEL DESIGN

Lengyel Design is a design studio located in the heart of the Ruhr area, Germany‘s former centre for heavy industries, which has been transformed into a metropolis of innovation and high technologies. Gabor Lengyel, owner and founder, merges style, emotion and culture to create innovative products for clients from all over the world.

Areas of expertise include audiovisual technology, lighting, smart home, domestic appliances, offices, chairs, packaging, industrial equipment and tools, public design, orientation systems, corporate design for architecture and interiors.

Lengyel’s list of design awards includes the iF design award, Red Dot award, Good Design Award, various German Design Award nominations and many more. The studio designed a Service station for Deutsche Post DHL / Postbank

(DE). The objective was to automate all postal, parcel and financial services in one device, so Deutsche Post could bring services to small urban centres, increasing turnover, but not labour costs.

Another project was the remote control for lighting for Gira, Berker, Jung (DE).The objective was to create maximum ease of use. Berker, Gira, Jung became top brands while the handset established an industry standard and became a European best seller. Lengyel also created a light switch system for Berker (DE).The objective was to create a new image for Berker. Berker updated their corporate and product appearance successfully. The S1 series is now the best selling series ever. Other successful designs include the video projector for 3M visual systems, Austin, Texas (USA) as well as lubricant bottles for PetroChina Kunlun, Beijing (CN). www.lengyel.de

Above: Deutsche Post Service Station 24 | 7 Below, from left to right: Berker, Gira, Jung remote control for light Berker S1

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Product and Industrial Design

Emotional design that sells The German design company Mursch & Knopp is proud to be one of the few design teams whose products not only convince with technical highlights, but with an emotive appeal to the heart of the buyer.

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: MURSCH & KNOPP

Even though the team is based in a small town in Bavaria, Mursch & Knopp is a truly international company. "No design studio worldwide has probably designed and realized more construction machinery than

22 | Issue 9 | November 2013

us," says Michael Mursch, one of the lead designers. "We have 30 years of experience regarding the design and development of capital goods for an international audience, in particular commercial vehicles. Our knowledge enables us to create impressive designs, even within very tight financial, time and technology frames."

But there is more to the design team around Michael Mursch and Peter Knopp than experience. They are committed to creating products with "an emotional message", a feature that often increases the value of a product and the brand. After all, a large part of the decision to purchase is based on emotions and enthusiasm for the product. The initial designers know this as well. "Many designers would like to make their personal visions a reality – we make that happen,”explains Mursch. "The emotional and design key aspect of the draft always survives. Our clients will not be disappointed when comparing their sketch to the realized product."

Plus, there will be a few extras that make the clients of Mursch & Knopp happy. "Our

Main image, left: CAT M322C Above: CAT 322C Bauer In-House Exhibition 2012 Bauer In-House Exhibition 2011 Below, left: Holder M480

clients really like the fact that in addition to the positive overall impression of the design, handling the product is made easy thanks to many, well thought through details. And when we work with international companies, we design with the culturally different aspects and needs of the target market in mind." Doing some field research for his international clients is something that Michael Mursch evidently enjoys.

"After Japan and the US, we have also been able to get to know the British shores. The culture is impressive," he gushes. "Plus, the weather and the food are much better than their reputation. I always like to go there." www.mursch-knopp.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Product and Industrial Design

In great shape…

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: FORMINVADERS

Up-and-coming design company forminvaders produktdesign has mastered the art of playing with shapes and functionality.

Andreas Mueller-Eissing founded the Dusseldorf-based company in 2012 and has followed his own philosophy ever since:“For me it is not just about searching for a new design language, I am equally looking for innovations when it comes to aesthetic functionality. Basic forms and archetypes need to be creatively invaded, split up and combined to build something new. That is what forminvaders stands for.”

The company promotes clear, smart and innovative designs. The recently developed eOs cable-manager, for example, is simple yet hugely effective. Reminiscent of a twig, it is used for wrapping cables efficiently, avoiding damaging knots. A trendy tool indeed!

“We provide support from the initial idea to the first prototype and we are excited about every new challenge! We consciously avoid categoris-

ing ourselves because we believe that challenges trigger fresh ideas and products.

That is why we always work on experimental projects aside from the client-based work,”says Mueller-Eissing.

The coatrack Slice is a wooden stick that has been cut into pieces and put back together to create a new form and hence functionality. Again it is the striking simplicity that convinces!

Worth mentioning are also the products that have been created for the flagship store of myownbike in Dusseldorf. The so-called wirelights look like bicycle rims and are true eye-catchers!

With its innovative ideas and passion for simplicity forminvaders produktdesign will certainly continue to surprise! www.forminvaders.com

Top: myownbike - light concept Above: Slice - coatrack Right: eOs - cable-manager

Your competent partner for individual, innovative and sustainable building solutions

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Tailor-made creative solutions Creative Specialists is a successful European network of industrial and graphic designers, engineers and partners. It offers a range of outstanding services around product design and manufacturing.

Top, main image: Different trucks appear in the same design and are made of numerous carry-over parts. © Andreas Knie / moofe.com Below: CAD surface modeling and assembling optimisation. © Andreas Knie Bottom: CAD surface modelling, part construction and assembly conception for truck interior. © Andreas Knie

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: CREATIVE SPECIALISTS

What makes Creative Specialists indeed special is their concept itself. A network of highly skilled designers and engineers ensures that clients get the right specific team for each project.The network is able to provide exactly what is needed!

This means that Creative Specialists is incredibly flexible and their work absolutely custom-made. Working closely with their clients they design and create technical products or entire series as well as finding creative solutions, or developing logos and concepts. The experts are involved in the whole process from developing the initial idea, creating complex CAD surface models to supervising the actual manufacturing process and ensuring quality thereafter.

Industrial designer Andreas Knie explains: “The fundamental strategic brand value, the corporate design of the client’s company and its product related attributes together form a creative target statement and a coherent design language. As we see it, our task is to understand the specific design language and implement it in a seamless and recognisable way in the product.”

Down to the smallest detail, everything

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is developed very carefully and in line with the client’s specific circumstances to make sure that the following production process is completely feasible. “We successfully merge our creative design demands with the economic requirements of our clients,” says Knie. A great example is their work for the renowned Jungheinrich AG, where a series of modern reach trucks was developed from scratch and won the International Forklift Truck Award 2013.

The network has an impressive track record of working with several high-profile clients in the automobile industry as well as in the mechanical and medical engineering sector. Knie enthuses: “Due to our strong relationships clients start to trust us with more progressive designs and with using alternative manufacturing methods. Every challenge pushes the limits of what we initially thought possible a little further. It is also great to see how many clients show a growing interest in sustainable and energysaving products.”

The innovative concept of a network made up of experts is certainly very successful. Combined with a passion for clear

designs and the ability to merge it with functionality, Creative Specialists keeps its promise.

They are indeed creative specialists! www.creative-specialists.com

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We lead your project to success Realising a construction project has never been as complex as it is today, an enormous challenge for any owner.

The subsidiaries of the German WOLFF GRUPPE support public-sector clients and private investors in all phases of complex building projects, from planning to realization, right through to operation and administration.

Depending on the assignment, the client receives an intergral, individualised overall solution out of one source. In this respect, focus is given on an accurate time management, cost control and high quality.

WOLFF GRUPPE Holding GmbH

We’re here for you Please feel free to contact us.

We will be glad to answer your questions and send you additional information.

'D@C NEjBD 2STSSF@QS Hospitalstraße 12 2STSSF@QS &DQL@MX Tel. +49 711 993379-50 Fax +49 711 993379-41 info@wolffgruppe.de www.wolffgruppe.de

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Architektur Nil Hürzeler “In the standardized world of today, where everything must be uniform, we have specialized in not being specialists,” says Stefan Nil, one of the two partners of Achitektur Nil Hürzeler (Nil Hürzeler Architecture).

TEXT: JESSICA RIDDER | PHOTOS: JÜRG ZIMMERMANN, ZÜRICH / GASTON WICKY, ZÜRICH

Established in 1990 by architects Stefan Nil and Daniel Hürzeler and based in Erlenbach, Switzerland, the two managing directors and partners of this architectural practice are actively supported by six employees. Their expertise is broad and not limited to architecture, but includes interior design, design and interior fittings, consulting, assessment, construction management, urban planning, historic preservation and teaching.“Fortunately we receive very different commissions. The variety of tasks ranges from small to large; from alterations, conversions and renovations to new constructions including residential houses, schools and clubhouses, and commercial, office and bank buildings.”Nil explains.

Their project list is long and confirms this, encompassing art studios and schools, a rowing club, numerous industrial and office

26 | Issue 9 | November 2013

buildings, and beautiful modern looking private residencies.Their accomplished use of space and light has attracted considerable attention and recognition for their projects and vision.

They perceive every task entrusted to their architectural office as an exercise in creating unity. As a result, they focus on fulfilling

each aspect equally whether it be the de-

sign, the construction or the architecture.

Furthermore, they particularly look to strongly integrate the building owners into the process of creation.

Emphasis is also put towards research into using a diversity of materials. Whether it’s concrete, brick, wood, metal or glass, the architects of Architektur Nil Hürzeler like to show the material and leave it in the open and uncovered, often as an answer to the given local situation.“We like complex tasks such as the combination of historic buildings with contemporary additions, new buildings or extensions,”Nil elaborates.

One example is a small farmhouse in a hamlet in the canton of Zurich that for several years had no longer been used for agricultural purposes. Discovered by a family, the idea of transforming the existing barn and the stables into a living space in a res-

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Discover Germany | Feature | Nil Hürzeler Architecture Main image, left: Project Schönenberg, converted barn.

The pergola alleyway connects the inside with the outside.

Right: Minergy-Living in Latsch Graubünden Right below: Minergy-Living, faccade with wooden window elements

idential house was quickly developed. The old residential area became bedrooms and an office area. Within the old wooden structure of the barn, the architects integrated a Cube with the new kitchen and the living and dining room.

Achitektur Nil Hürzeler’s philosophy is to “create simple, expressive forms that are consistent in proportion, colour and material”, which is clear when you contemplate their works. Their credo:“To explore the location and the environment and respect their history and culture. To build and reconstruct in accordance with the latest ecological knowledge. To understand the economics and the cost awareness in the long term and use it sustainably. To create modern architecture with the passion of traditional master builders.”(Website) Again, this credo is well reflected in their projects. For instance, in the construction of new residential buildings in Bergün-Latsch.

In the initial development plan, it was intended to build three to four houses on the

2,585 m2 site. However, after careful consideration, the decision was made to construct only two large buildings, situated on the edges with a southwest exposure of this vast hillside property, exploiting the density of the development to the maximum.

One of the company’s milestone projects lies in the historic industrial area of Winterthur in the Zurich Canton.“On a property surface of 2,300 m2, we have performed a restoration carried out with an increase in office buildings and the construction of a school with a space allowance of 7,000 m2,”Nil says.

Most of Achitektur Nil Hürzeler’s clients appreciate two things in particular: “They are always very pleased with our threepoint working model. Concept, design and costs are equally estimated and the same amount of importance is attached to all three areas. Furthermore, our ecological awareness and the consistent use of natural materials is greatly appreciated.” Nil continues.

that will be developed accordingly.” www.nil-huerzeler.ch

Bottom, left: Project Rüschlikon, semi with carport.

Conversion and extension, industrial area. Sulzer Winterthur Bottom, right: Competition industrial project Uetikon at the lake, blending historic and newly built.

Project Erlenbach, the terrace became part of the interior

They have won numerous competitions for projects including schools in the Swiss cities of St. Gallen, Steinach and Winterthur and several commercial and residential buildings in various cities.

Nil concludes:“At present we are carrying out the planning of a very complex task: a building plot with historically protected residential and commercial buildings, located in two different building zones (the core zone and the residential zone). We are working on three new buildings, which will be constructed in dialogue with the old buildings.Through the numerous development zones, each will be built with different requirements and individual concepts

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All you need to know about mulled wine There is nothing that spells Advent more than steaming cups of Glühwein – or mulled wine: the heady scent of cinnamon, clove and citrus intensified by their infusion in gently heated red wine. That’s how it should be: it simply is in the DNA of Germans to crave Glühwein – a visit to the Weihnachtsmarkt wouldn’t be complete without it and it has been the making of many a great Christmas party.

TEXT: ANNE KREBIEHL

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Discover Germany | Dine & Wine | Mulled Wine

Main image: Drinking Glühwein at Christkindlesmarkt Nürnberg. © FrankenTourismus, Nürnberg, Hub

the Glühwein guzzled on all of Germany’s countless Christmas Markets, office parties and seasonal concerts is not even included in this figure. Aldi sells a litre-bottle or tetra-pak of ready-made Glühwein for as little as EUR 1.29 and products like these are often sold at huge margins at Christmas markets. Such concoctions, however, have drawn criticism: with alcohol levels between 8% and 11% one wonders what else is in there apart from wine – and where the wine is from in the first place. Adding sugar and fruit-juices to wine is almost like an invitation to use the most abominable plonk as a basis. Indeed, in some cases consumers are lucky to find real mulling spices in their hot toddy at all: unsurprisingly, poor wine quality is hidden behind large amounts of sugar and artificial flavourings. The overwhelmingly poor quality of cheapo-Glühwein, often with excruciatingly kitsch labels, has now spawned a wave of superior, ready-bottled Glühweins, often from good co-ops. Look out for them and read the back label to check for any undue ingredients – you can expect to pay about EUR 5.00 for a bottle.

While across Germany, Glühwein is mostly made from red wine, the Austrians are quite partial to Weisser Glühwein, made from white wine and with slightly more emphasis on orange peel, often helped along with a little orange liqueur. Weingut Altenkirch, a well-known and respected Riesling producer in the Rheingau, looked across the border and has bottled a Riesling/Traminer blend, infused with star anise, cardamom, orange, cinnamon and bay. It’s called‘Glow’and is available now.

Very basic Glühwein is big business – both at Christmas markets and in retail. In 2010 Germans bought 91 million bottles of ready-made Glühwein in the shops – that makes 68.25 million litres of the stuff: all

At Café Ufer in Hamburg-Eimsbüttel both red and white Glühwein will be served during Advent. Here in London, you can head to Café Kipferl in Camden Passage. While most catering establishments make one huge punch-bowl of mulled wine that is

kept warm, managing director Christian Malnig explains that at Kipferl, every cup is freshly made: a fruity red wine is heated with a little hot water and infused with organic mulling spice from bio-producer Sonnentor which has all-natural aromas of rosehips, hibiscus, cloves, orange peel, cinnamon, apple and orange oil.“It has to be a very fruity wine, and we add just a little hot water,” Malnig explains. Glühwein proved to be a huge hit last winter at Kipferl, so much so that this year Malnig is going to offer Jagertee, too, black tea with Austrian Stroh rum.

The fashion is catching on. Last December, the Shoreditch Christmas-special pop-up ‘Santa Baby’ served red and white mulled wine along with retro-eggnog. London’s only organic pub, the Duke of Cambridge in Islington, will also be mulling wine.

Should the cold snap come, you’ll know where to head.

Who knows, perhaps you already have all the ingredients at home for Glühwein? All you need is some fruity, dry, not too tannic or too expensive red wine (Merlot would be a good idea here), untreated oranges and lemons, sliced, a cinnamon stick, two or three cloves and some star anise. Gently heat all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to about 80°C, take off the heat and let infuse for a few minutes, then strain into mugs and sweeten to taste with a little Demerara sugar. The wine-infused oranges are lovely as a dessert with vanilla ice cream.This way, there’ll be no headache the next morning and your entire kitchen will be filled with heavenly Advent scent! Zum Wohl! www.weingut-altenkirch.de www.ufer-hamburg.de www.kipferl.co.uk sloeberry.co.uk

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Discover Germany | Restaurant of the Month | Austria

A mesmerising festival of colours and culinary delights

Restaurant of the Month Austria

The Bunt Eventrestaurant in Vienna’s 13th Hietzing district is certainly a jewel in the town’s culinary crown. Vibrant interiors, an enchanting garden full of scented flowers and fresh vegetables and a delicious food menu await guests.

Top, from left to right: Orchid lounge Green lounge Orange lounge

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: BUNT EVENTRESTAURANT

Bunt is the German word for colourful, and colourful the restaurant certainly is. Wherever you look, even the smallest thing is created with passion and colour, just like the textiles used in the garden, which are handmade every year in different designs matching the many surrounding plants.

Ambience, service, quality and attention to detail are key for Michaela Robatsch, who has managed the Bunt Eventrestaurant since 2011 together with her partner, restaurant owner Georg Zorga.“We are different, that is what people tell us over and over. Guests walk into our garden, our restaurant and feel at ease right away. I think it is because we do everything with heart and mind and our passion for detail

Green garden

30 | Issue 9 | November 2013

can literally be sensed.You enter a different world – a colourful one,”Michaela explains.

Three rooms are decorated in gorgeous colour schemes, a souvenir shop is part of the venue and the walls are graced with art painted by Georg Zorga himself.

The cuisine is a blend of Viennese specialties and international classics, sometimes with a spicy twist. “Our bestseller is of course the Wiener Schnitzel and our delicious Erdäpfelsalat (potato salad), some say it is the best to be known far and wide.”

Other house specialities are made from fresh ingredients – some sourced straight from the restaurant’s garden. “We are diverse and offer a wide spectrum, but au-

thenticity and credibility of our dishes are key,”Michaela explains.

The place has also become a sought after event venue and is already fully booked for this year’s Christmas season. It is the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion.

“Everyone was amazed by the gorgeous decoration and the cosy atmosphere. The friendly and competent service staff made sure that things ran smoothly,” reads a client testimonial on the Bunt website. For Michaela this is no surprise as she confesses: “I only get positive feedback from our guests!” www.restaurantbunt.at

Georg Zorga and Michaela Robatsch

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Discover Germany | Conference of the Month | Austria

High ecological values and heart-warming hospitality The conference hotel Retter in the Austrian region of Styria is not only an ecological flagship but also one of Austria’s best conference hotels. Meetings in the hotel are truly green and according to ecological values. As a family-owned business the hotel welcomes its guests with heart-warming hospitality.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: SEMINARHOTEL RETTER

“We focus on the wellbeing of our guests,” says owner and manager Ulrike Retter.

“That guarantees the quality our Austrian guests have come to appreciate.”

trainer this invites to be inspired and have a creative break outside.

The premises feature the newest ecological standard, for example biomass-derived heating, and rainwater is used for toilet flushing and garden watering. The complete hotel and conference area was designed in several workshops together with trainers, personal coaches, feng shui experts and geomancers.

Various restaurants cater for the culinary needs, the restaurant Muskat next to buffet restaurants with panoramic terraces and a banqueting hall for 200 people – all of them can be booked for special evenings and occasions. For a diversified evening programme guests can either relax in one of the two bars, the old wine cellar, choose a cosy space in front of the fireplace or visit one of the cottages in the surrounding Alps.

Guests are served the hotel’s own spring water – natural or sparkling – and windfall fruit juices. The money saved is reinvested in a social project dedicated to bore wells in Africa.

Conference of the Month Austria

www.retter.at

The hotel specialises in organizing conferences and seminars. Twenty well-lit seminar rooms await guests in the conference hotel Retter. They all have different sizes reaching from 30 to 320 square metres; the largest has a drivable stage. The entire area is lit by daylight through a glass dome and a wide glass front. To make conferences successful the hotel has a generous lobby and space in the garden to relax and think and therefore fuel the creative process. The garden likewise has a high rope course, a barefoot course in what is called the“garden of senses”and an archery range.

Surrounded by a beautiful landscape with woods and clearings, the hotel offers various marked hiking and walking trails. Accompanied by the hotels own sensitivity

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The "service maker" and his conference castle at Lake Constance A hotel where breakfast eggs have a smiley painted on them, a lift that looks like a shower and a room that comes with a record player plus your favourite records.

Frequent travellers see a lot, but those who visit the Mindnesshotel® Bischofschloss in Markdorf at Lake Constance will have much to tell. This is not only due to the creative castle lord, Bernd Reutemann, but also to the friendly castle ghosts who add a special charm to this hotel.

TEXT & PHOTOS: MINDNESSHOTEL BISCHOFSCHLOSS

Bernd Reutemann is one of Germany's top coaches for excellent customer service. His book "Service Kama Sutra", in which he explains his views of service quality, be-

Bernd Reutemann

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came a bestseller. Many international companies have since booked the happy service maker for lectures.They also visit his hotel in order to experience the key aspects of his success first-hand.

A frequent traveler and consultant himself, the experienced hotel owner knows what makes a good conference hotel. Customers rate the Bischofschloss among the top 3 conference hotels in Germany. It convinces with both its conference skills and the funny details, which have made the hotel and its ideas a sought-after role model for many business sectors.

Instant mulled wine in your coat pockets, the little puzzle on the children's seats in the guest vehicles, the hand-written ThankYou Card or the sign underneath the bed that says: "Doing sport or looking for some-

Conference of the Month Germany

thing?" all reflect the high spirits that guests will encounter here. The Bischofschloss is an oasis of service culture. Even the great Japanese service guru Minoru Tominaga wrote this about the Mindnesshotel Bischofschloss:“This hotel truly deserves to be not only one of the best within the business, but also a place of inspiration for other companies and service providers.”

With its 44 rooms and 6 conference rooms, the Bischofschloss has become a little refuge for conferences. And don't be surprised that many business people also take their kids. The castle ghosts know what the guests of tomorrow love. www.mindnesshotel.de www.bernd-reutemann.de

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Discover Germany | Business | Solicitor Column

Holiday Peace of Mind TEXT & PHOTO: GREGOR KLEINKNECHT

While we all look forward to our winter holidays as one of the highlights of the year, every once in a while things can go wrong. From missed or cancelled flights, through accommodation which does not live up to the promise of glossy brochures or photo-shopped internet images, to accidents in countries with sometimes rather different healthcare facilities and legal systems. Never is the risk of this higher than during the winter months, when the weather can wreak havoc with travel schedules and air rescue pilots fly overtime shifts on Swiss ski slopes. With a little forward planning and the right information to hand, the impact of such events can at least be mitigated.

While package travel options will not appeal to every holiday maker planning a winter getaway, they do offer distinct advantages over independently booked holidays from a consumer protection point of view. A package holiday is basically a prearranged combination of two or more travel elements, such as transport, accommodation and/or other tourist services, sold at an inclusive price, which covers a period of more than twenty-four hours or includes overnight accommodation. The definition is broad, allowing for varied interpretations, and the complexities of the travel industry mean that holidays that look like packages may turn out not to satisfy the requirements, whereas a simple combined flights and accommodation booking may well qualify. It is important (as always) to read the small print and to check with your provider, before booking, whether your holiday is a package and can benefit from the terms implied by legislation.

The advantages of a package holiday become most apparent in the event that the organiser cancels the holiday, or essential elements of the package are changed.

Depending on the circumstances, you will be able to withdraw from the contract with-

out penalty, obtain a refund without paying a cancellation fee, or accept a substitute package. If the substitute is of lower quality than the original holiday, you are entitled to recover the difference in price. Furthermore, you may be entitled to additional compensation, for example, for out-ofpocket expenses or loss of enjoyment.

Proposed changes to the current EU law on package travel are set to provide consumers with even more comprehensive protection and to bring legislation up-todate to address the rising popularity of online bookings.

Independently booked holidays, where you arrange flights, accommodation and any ancillary services, such as transfers or ski passes, separately, whether booked online or by other means, offer less statutory protection. EU legislation entitles you to a refund or alternative transport to your destination if your flight is cancelled or significantly delayed, but only if the flight starts or finishes at an EU airport and is provided by an EU carrier. However, there is no provision in relation to onward travel plans, accommodation and other bookings, if you miss your flight. In relation to accommodation, it is important to check the terms and cancellation rights of your reservation and to find out whether you can move the date at short notice.

In any event, it is essential (not to say imperative) that you have comprehensive travel insurance in place, which is suited to your destination and any activities that you are planning to enjoy (whether water-skiing or snowboarding), and includes medical and legal protection, evacuation and repatriation services, and possibly third party liability. Just think about what would otherwise happen if you are involved in a serious ski accident abroad, causing injury or even death to a third party, and find yourself in hospital not only facing an air rescue and medical bill but also a stern looking local policeman there to arrest you. Additionally, you may want to use your credit card when

making bookings for hotels or flights that cost more than £100, as consumer credit protection laws mean that your credit card provider accepts joint liability for misrepresentations and breaches of contract on the part of the supplier.

However adventurous you decide to be, a bit of forward planning will provide peace of mind and can only add to the enjoyment of your holidays.

Gregor Kleinknecht LLM MCIArb is a German Rechtsanwalt and English solicitor, and the founder and managing director of Klein Solicitors, a successful independent boutique law firm in Mayfair in the West End of London.

Klein Solicitors, 42 Brook Street, London W1K 5DB, E-mail: gk@kleinsolicitors.com www.kleinsolicitors.com

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Private Education Switzerland

Special Theme

Private Education Switzerland

Excellent education in Switzerland Switzerland holds a top position in many international affairs. This competitiveness stems from its outstanding educational system with a great tradition. Thus, the Swiss education system is one of the best worldwide.

TEXT: DR GERHARD PFISTER, PRESIDENT SFPS & MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT | TRANSLATION: SONJA IRANI

In Switzerland, the cantons are responsible for educational matters. This leads to fair competition and high quality, even within the state education system. The private schools in Switzerland possess an additional function within the Swiss education system. Many of them offer an internationally recognized education.This is a true necessity given the high number of international companies and their employees based in Switzerland. Swiss boarding schools are attended by pupils from around the world and come with all the advantages that Switzerland has to offer: quality, stability, safety, a cosmopolitan environment and a broad education.

Switzerland with its four official languages has always encouraged multicultural education. This development became even more important during the past few years with the increase of international relation-

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ships, worldwide mobility as well as foreigners and international companies being based in Switzerland. Staying true to their pedagogical tradition, Swiss private schools are important contributors towards a multicultural and internationally compatible education. The Swiss Federation of Private Schools SFPS [Verband Schweizerischer Privatschulen VSP] was founded in 1990 and has over 200 members, including many of the most important and oldest private educational institutions in Switzerland. It emerged because German-speaking and French-speaking associations wished to work together on a national level so they could better incorporate the interests of the private schools in the capital Bern. SFPS combines all the typical Swiss features: diversity, federalism, regionalism, multilingualism and – this is not a paradox to regionalism – internationality. SFPS contains a range of different private schools: from

Top, left: Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS) Top, right: Leysin American School César Ritz College Students

those which can be attended alongside employment in primary schools, grammar schools, higher education institutes with training on-the-job and adult education centres. Thanks to SFPS, Switzerland provides a varied and innovative range of educational options that, among other aspects, reflect the multilingualism and the associated cultural variety of Switzerland.

Those looking for a first-class education will opt for a Swiss school. www.swiss-schools.ch

Dr Gerhard Pfister

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Building up skills required for successful careers in the 21st century Collège Champittet provides high quality bilingual education in an international context for children aged 4-18 years old.

Spread over two campuses near Lausanne at Lake Geneva, the college offers an outstanding academic education that focuses on sophisticated future-orientated learning methods.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: COLLÈGE CHAMPITTET

For over a century the Collège Champittet has been building a reputation as a prime educational institution. It is the school’s goal to turn pupils into confident, openminded, respectful young people, inspired to become responsible and active global citizens.“Collège Champittet is a high performing Swiss day and boarding school with an international outlook where students are equipped with the skills required for successful careers in the 21st century. It is a school steeped in the finest Swiss educational tradition of precision and high academic standards, underpinned by strong Christian values and with its doors wide open to the world, allowing local Swiss and international students to learn together, as

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day pupils or as boarders, in and outside the classroom,” headmaster Dr Steffen Sommer emphasizes.

Three programmes to choose from While the Nyon campus provides education for age groups kindergarten to grade 6, the Pully campus is home to pupils aged 4 to 18. At Collège Champittet, several academic diplomas are offered: the Suisse Maturité (Matu), the French Baccalaureate (BacF) and since 2009 the International Bachalaureate (IB). It is not until the end of year 8 that a decision is made about where the academic journey will lead. “All students are prepared for the three programmes up until the end of grade 8. At the

end of grade 8, students opt into a programme in order to start the pre-IB, preMatu or pre-BacF course in grades 9 and 10.

While changes from one programme to the other are still possible in grade 9, they are not advised once the students have started grade 10. The three different diploma courses (Maturité Swisse, Bac Français and IB) are taught separately of two years, grades 11 and 12. New students at the school follow the programme that best suits their needs, abilities and skills and which offers the best chances of a high level of success,”Dr Sommer explains. With the introduction of the IB, the school has taken a further step in providing multilingual education as the IB Diploma Programme is en-

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pupils participate in projects where they learn to solve problems while interacting with the local community. Outdoor activities such as ski camps also play a vital role in the holistic approach as this supports a strong sense of effort, team spirit, leadership and communication. Another exciting part of the holistic approach is the so-called Global Classroom. Here, students are encouraged to interact internationally.“Global Classroom is the physical representation of the window onto the world in our children's daily learning experience. They can engage with students from the other 25 Nord Anglia Education schools around the globe, join fora and undertake joint expeditions, like the one coming up to Tanzania where all the participating Nord Anglia Education students and teachers will help with charitable programmes to improve education and living conditions,”Dr Sommer says.

Paris, the British University of Cambridge or the American University of Syracuse in New York. “Our strong bilingual stream (French and English) brings to life what truly global citizens experience daily: unity in diversity, local charisma and tradition with a strong flavour of a multicultural world,”Dr Steffen Sommer concludes. www.champittet.ch

Fit for the future

tirely taught in English at a very high level while pupils are still in a French learning environment.

A holistic approach High academic standards and outstanding languages skills are achieved through innovative learning methods. A holistic approach includes learning techniques such as Challenge Based Learning (CBL), where

The school is well aware of the fact that today’s students are what are often referred to as digital natives. Contrary to older generations, today’s children are born into a world dominated by information technology. At Collège Champittet teachers and students from grade 5 onwards are equipped with individual tablets which function as a teaching and learning tool.

The school is embracing the digital world which results in a win-win-situation for staff and students alike.“It allows the school to capitalise on our students' natural (intuitive) way of acquiring knowledge, encourages independent enquiry-based learning, teamwork, student-to-student as well as teacher-to-student teaching and self-assessment, instant visual and auditory recording to help memorising processes in experiments etc.,”the headmaster enthuses.

Graduates have been accepted into the most prestigious universities in and out of Switzerland such as the EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), HEC (Haute Ecole de Commerce/Business School) in Lausanne, the University of Geneva, the French Sciences Politiques

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Leysin American School Nurturing highly specialised well-rounded students Leysin American School is more than just your typical educational establishment; it is a “one stop shop” producing ethical, independent and balanced graduates.

TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTOS: LEYSIN AMERICAN SCHOOL

Located in Switzerland, at the heart of Europe in a secluded mountain ski resort, Leysin American School for children aged 12-18 is setting a precedent for boarding schools worldwide. For centuries Leysin has been known for its clean air and pure environment and today 350 students are inspired and motivated in the ex-sanatorium to reach their full potential. The Ott family established Leysin American School (LAS) over 50 years ago; today it is still run by the same family as brothers Marc-Fred-

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eric and Christoph continue to guide this ground-breaking school.

For Christoph Ott, family is key. He explains: ‘The core principle of LAS is our family-like atmosphere which is essential to the nature of the school. We provide allinclusive education; our graduates leave as well-rounded young adults.’Alongside the highly academic programmes on offer, the International Baccalaureate and the US High School Diploma, the students also

partake in a rich programme of sport, creative arts and general life lessons. Christoph continues:‘One of our greatest characteristics is that everything is in one place here; instead of spending every spare minute chauffeuring your child from activity to activity, they can join our competitive ski team, take private music lessons and benefit from our extra tutoring.’

As part of this rounded education, the school’s heterogeneous population is cen-

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Private Education Switzerland Left, main image: Leysin American School Bellow: Just a train ride away from a great education Outdoor sports play a huge role in the experience at LAS Leysin

particularly impressive when considering that 30% do not speak English as their first language, is that 60% of its graduating class achieve the full International Baccalaureate Diploma, a feat that Christoph is understandably extremely proud of: ‘These statistics legitimise our claim of providing firstrate English language teaching.’

Many believe that international schools have a transient nature as pupils move with their parents’work; however, this is not true at LAS.‘The parents of our students make a conscious decision to commit to our educational system. Our family principles appeal to them.’Christoph continues:‘We strive to emulate that family structure. It is vital that each member of staff builds a strong connection to the students.’Their roles appear to be as well-rounded as the curriculum.

For example, the dorm head of the Savoy building is not only the history teacher, he also regularly comes into contact with the students as their volleyball coach, their theory of knowledge teacher and most importantly, as their faculty parent. The role of faculty parents within the school is unique to LAS. All the teachers double as faculty parents, each one mentoring and parenting a select group of students whom they board with. ‘Mentoring the students as a faculty parent enhances the students’ experience at LAS. For example, last autumn I invited my group to carve pumpkins at home with my kids. I see us as the moral compass for the school; teaching them core values that only come from family.’

tral to cultivating diversity. Christoph describes:‘We currently have students from 60 different nations and work on a quota system to ensure that a minimum of 20% of our students are native English speakers.

With such a nationality mix, English works as the lingua franca. In fact, it is the glue which holds the school together.’ What is

Other than just a ticket home, travel is an essential part of the LAS experience. The school is in a prime location to discover Europe; rather than just teaching within the confines of a classroom, LAS students take frequent study trips all over Europe, bringing them closer to the topics and subjects they study. Christoph expands:‘These trips are hugely beneficial and enjoyable for our students; whether they are exploring the architecture of Florence, studying the great thinkers of Europe, volunteering in less-developed countries, or learning how to survive in the outdoors.’

LAS delivers a curriculum that is more than simply rote learning; their well thoughtout and diverse programme sees their graduates leaving with more than just a diploma. Alongside access to a wide network, leadership, responsibility and strong ethics are but a few of the skills that LAS instils in their alumni. As Christoph concludes with a modest smile: ‘We’re highly specialised in being well-rounded.’ www.las.ch Bellow, left: Private music tuition, from percussion to strings Below, right: The school is at the fore of cutting edge technology Bottom: Campus life

This familial aspect does not end at the graduating ceremony; the strong friendships built at LAS are beneficial long into adulthood. Christoph recounts the story of a Taiwanese student whose aim was to travel home overland after graduation.

Such a journey, crossing numerous countries, naturally concerned his parents:‘They were understandably worried but thanks to the strong friendships and broad network cemented at LAS, he arranged stopovers along the way; at every stop he was welcomed by school friends and stayed with their families.’

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The golden ticket to an international career in hospitality Based on the values of quality and excellence, the Swiss Education Group (SEG) maintains five different schools, which offer International students a top education in the fast-paced hospitality industry.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

With the foundation of its first school in 1982, SEG can look back on more than three decades of successful teaching! With 5,400 students per year and 25 different programmes, it is without question Switzer-

land’s largest English-speaking Hospitality Educator.“Switzerland has a long tradition of hospitality education and is considered to be the birthplace of the modern hospitality tradition,” says Duncan Robertson,

Head of Marketing and Development West Europe. “Today, these traditions continue and graduates of the Swiss system are highly respected for their ability to function and take charge in the competitive, international hospitality environment.”

The courses are taught in English and the campuses are multi-cultural with students from more than 75 nationalities studying and living together, which is an important Left & below: Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM)

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Private Education Switzerland

Left: Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS)

organized with many of the industry’s leading companies attending in order to recruit students for both internship and graduate placements.This is a unique event and gives our students amazing career opportunities.”

aspect of the school’s philosophy. Gaining an understanding of different cultures is essential for future graduates.

SEG also maintains remarkable links with the hospitality industry, including strong ties to prestigious companies such as Hyatt, Hilton, Four Season, Accor, Kempinski, Moevenpick, Marriot and the Ritz Carlton amongst many others. “Our relationships with the industry as well as academic excellence have allowed us to distinguish ourselves from others,” Robertson explains.

“With the strength of an education focused on practice, our students and graduates are particularly appreciated by the hospitality industry.”

Robertson emphasizes: “Each semester an International Recruitment Forum (IRF) is

Each of the five SEG schools focuses on different aspects and offers a variety of degrees including certificates, diplomas, Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts.

The César Ritz Colleges has built a worldwide reputation teaching Business, Tourism and Hospitality Management. It has a unique focus on entrepreneurship and graduates leave the school with a fully developed business plan. The school works in partnership with the Washington State University, USA. It comprises of three campuses located in both French and German-speaking Switzerland at Le Bouveret, Lucerne and Brig. Alumni Henrieke Noack remembers: “My career began in 2003 when, after graduating, I got my first role as a receptionist at the Hilton London Metropole. I am now living the dream that began for me at César Ritz Colleges, working as the Director of Sales and Marketing for the Radisson Blu Hotel in Lucerne, Switzerland.”

Located in the heart of the César Ritz campuses of Lucerne and Le Bouveret, the Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland (CAAS) focuses on the world of gastronomy, in both operational and management areas. Here the students also benefit from exchange with hospitality management students.

One of the oldest schools is the Hotel Institute Montreux (HIM). It offers courses that merge the best of Swiss hospitality ideals with American management practices. Strong bonds with leaders in Marketing (Montreux Jazz Festival), Finance (Banque Privée Edmond de Rothschild) and Human Resources (Amathus Hotels) are also reasons for this school’s outstanding reputation. Its Bachelor Degree is offered in partnership with Northwood University, USA. Thomas Gilner, a HIM graduate says: “At HIM, it is the international environment that makes the difference. I learned to be more disciplined, organised and to communicate better, skills that I use every day in my role as Assistant Revenue Manager at the Sofitel Hotel in Ningbo, China. This is my first role following graduation and I already have a lot of

Below: International Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (IHTTI)

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Left & above: César Ritz College Lucerne Below: Culinary Arts Academy Switzerland

responsibilities working towards maximizing the hotel’s revenue.”

Spread over two campuses in Caux and Leysin, the Swiss Hotel Management School (SHMS) focuses on Operations Management, Event or Resort and Spa Management as well as Restaurant Management. Graduates from the Bachelor and Master curricula receive dual degrees from both Switzerland and the UK through the University of Derby.

SHMS alumni Daniel Ludwigs, F & B Manager at Princess Cruise Lines, enthuses: “I chose to study hospitality as it combines my two passions of service and management, in

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a fast-paced industry. Since I graduated, my career has been nothing short of fast-paced!

Studying at SHMS taught me all facets of the hospitality trade from the bottom up while facing the challenges of working in multicultural teams.”

Robertson sums up:“The five schools prepare students for leading roles in the hospitality industry through intensive programmes which combine academic study with practical experience.” An approach that has proved to be incredibly successful!

The fifth school is the International Hotel and Tourism Training Institute (IHTTI) located in the city of Neuchatel. It offers hospitality programmes that place a particular emphasis on the latest innovations in design, technology and luxury brand management and is hence responding to a growing trend.

www.swisseducation.com www.ritz.edu www.culinaryarts.ch www.him.ch www.ihtti.com www.shms.ch

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Private Education Switzerland

Open learning and individual coaching At the Institut Beatenberg the facilitation of self-competent learning is key. Pupils are taught self-regulation as well as self-discipline, which results in confident youngsters who are proud of their achievements.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: INSTITUT BEATENBERG

Located above Lake Thun near Swiss Interlaken, since 1945 the Institut Beatenberg offers tailor-made learning solutions for boys and girls from grades five to ten.

About 60 pupils, most of them boarders, benefit from a very personal school environment based upon open learning groups, in which the youngsters learn how to constructively tackle and overcome obstacles.

“Self-competent learning can only evolve if certain arrangements are made. Pupils spend a major part of their school-day in an open learning environment with a personal coach at hand.This coach helps them to set their goals according to their personal sit-

uation,” says headmaster Andreas Müller.

This may appear a little unusual if you are used to traditional classroom structures, but every child is different and trying to put a square peg in a round hole is certainly not what is done here. At Beatenberg pupils are given the opportunity to shape their own curriculum.“This kind of tailor-made learning turns work into a very personal matter. Instead of being an observer, a pupil becomes a partner. What he does makes sense. After all no one likes doing pointless things. Therefore, the acceptance amongst learners is clearly higher. They are given the possibility to make their own decisions

and thus to highly influence the content and the timing of their learning,”Mr Müller explains.

The school works closely with external experts, such as the Learning Factory or the Centre for Neurosciences at the University of Ulm (Germany), which specialises in the conversion of neuro-scientific research into everyday school life. Furthermore the Institut Beatenberg is place of different scientific studies, conducted for example by the University of Zurich or the OECD (Innovative Learning Environments). Success proves Beatenberg right as many previous pupils found their way to follow promising careers and headmaster Andreas Müller proudly resumes: “It is our aim that the youngsters perceive the learning process as a success. There is no alternative. Learners must experience that it is well worth making an effort. We want them to be proud of what they do. And this is what we achieve to a very high degree.” www.institut-beatenberg.ch

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BSL – Business School Lausanne

An alternative to business education An MBA and a Diploma in Sustainable Business are the two flagship degrees at BSL, Business School Lausanne. Now in its 26th year, offering 9 business programmes in total, the Swiss boutique school has recently redefined its mission – to provide a learning platform that enables individuals and organisations to thrive by co-creating viable business solutions for our planet and its people. The concern with sustainability plays a vital role within the school’s generally different approach to business education which focuses on personalized evaluation, low hierarchies and practical, close-to-industry courses.

TEXT: FRANZISKA NÖSSIG | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

“Over the past decade, claims that business is increasingly focused on maximizing profits for its shareholders at the expense of society and our planet have ignited a debate about the purpose of business in the global context,”states Dr Katrin Muff, Dean of BSL. She stresses that simultaneously, however, there has been an increasing demand for globally responsible leaders in businesses and organisations of every kind.

“We imagine our business school to be-

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come an open space – a collaboratory – where students, researchers and stakeholders work side-by-side on resolving obstacles towards a socially just and environmentally sustainable world,” the Dean underlines her vision.

Three key elements define BSL’s practical and highly personalized approach to management and business education. First to be mentioned is the school’s effective learning

environment; providing real-life simulations and strategy games in small, interactive classes with up to 20 students.“We are an accessible and human-scale business school, and therefore know all our students,” says Marketing and Communications Coordinator Denitsa Marinova.

Around 130‘freshers’start each year, while in total 250 students from 60 nationalities, aged between 19 and 55, are enrolled across all programmes.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Private Education Switzerland

1987. Its innovative approach to business training is most noticeably recognised in the recent QS Global 200 Business Schools Report where BSL is ranked third in Switzerland the 4th year in a row.

Another aspect is that students are integrated into the real business world from the very beginning of their course. The E/MBA programme, for instance, is designed as a constant collaboration with the industry, namely with 30 international CEOs and HR directors. Moreover, BSL’s tutors and lecturers, who all are experienced entrepreneurs and business practitioners as well as regular guest speakers, share their knowlegde and expertise.

As a result, thinking and acting as an entrepreneur is fully integrated into the school’s teaching style, an element particularly attractive to students with a family business background. Roughly 20 per cent of alumni, mostly MBA graduates who developed a real-life business plan as part of their course, actually set up their own businesses.

In order to offer an alternative to traditional business education, BSL regularly hosts public discussions and contributes to the 50+20 initiative which aims to transform business management education on a global level. In addition to this, the school’s collaborations with the University of St Gallen since 2009 and, more recently, the Global Organizational Learning and Development Network (GOLDEN) at Bocconi University in Italy for joint programmes in Sustainable Business, all underline its focus on the matter.

Especially by launching these programmes, BSL has considerably strengthened its positioning as a school focused on sustainability, entrepreneurship, and responsibility.

These elements now form the underlying pillars of the school’s mission. They additionally function as areas of achievement

for the school’s annual Doctorate Honoris Causa, an honorary degree given to one or more individuals due to their outstanding contributions in one of the fields. Recent laureates include WWF co-founder Dr Luc Hoffmann and Polly Higgins, founder of the ECOCIDE initiative (2013) as well as Claude Nicollier, the first Swiss astronaut, and Sung-Joo Kim, Chairwoman and CEO of Sungjoo Group and MCM Holdings AG (2011).

BSL is located in the heart of Lausanne’s vibrant university community, on the shores of Lake Geneva and in close proximity to many international company headquarters and several world organisations. Geneva for instance, Switzerland’s second most populous city after Zurich, is not more than 30 minutes away. Lausanne itself has extensive local sport and recreational facilities, with some of Europe’s best skiing resorts in the near vicinity.

Next intakes: February and September 2014 www.bsl-lausanne.ch

Thirdly, leadership development is crucial within the school’s educational programme.

The curriculum comprises not only modules to further the students’ interpersonal skills but also includes teaching of competences such as adaptability, authentic communication and the ability to adopt different perspectives.

With originally just two programmes on offer, BSL’s reputation and success have grown since the school's establishment in

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The International University in Geneva

A global business education The International University in Geneva is an institution delivering academic excellence within European surroundings to a broad variety of young and motivated people.

TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTOS: INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY IN GENEVA

The International University in Geneva has a prime location at the heart of Europe.

This means that not only is the rest of Europe within easy reach, but you also have some of the world’s largest organisations within walking distance; most notably it is home to the headquarters of the United Nations in Europe, along with many other UN agencies including the World Trade Organisation and the World Intellectual Property Organisation. According to the University director, Eric Willumsen: ‘Geneva itself is an attraction. It is one of the world’s most multicultural cities.’This multiculturalism is reflected in the statistics of the University: over 60 countries are represented in

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its student body. Such a rich mix of cultures is undoubtedly of great benefit to those who study there and encounter this variety first-hand; the experience of studying together with students from all over the world gives the graduates the global outlook necessary for international business.

The University prides itself on its array of courses with undergraduate, graduate and doctorate programmes on offer, all taught in English. Willumsen explains that the focus is indisputably on educating the next generation to enter the corporate world which, it is his belief, is becoming‘tougher every year.’The courses range from business administration to media to international

relations. Its aim of educating its students to develop deep, sincere business knowledge and acumen is aided and enhanced by its wide-reaching and expansive links with successful global employers. ‘Alumni from our university are now in active employment in the business sector in over 100 countries, anywhere from the Canadian Government and the UN to L’Oreal and Tetra Pak,’Willumsen continues,‘our alumni are welcomed back to the university to give speeches to the next generation.’

The close proximity to the UN naturally cannot be ignored.‘The presence of such organisations,’ says Willumsen, ‘will ulti-

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Main image, left: Bachelors, Masters and Doctorate studies are offered at IUG Left: The International University in Gevena could not have a better location with its close proximity to huge global corporations Right: Students enjoying one of their study trips to a European capital.

Bottom, left: Students at their graduation ceremony 2013, ready to embark on a career in business.

Bottom, right: The lecturers ensure that their teaching is dynamic and interactive.

mately inspire our students to reach their full potential. We regularly invite distinguished guest speakers to talk to the students. We have had four presidents come to us in the past, along with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Prince Albert of Monaco and Kevin Roberts, the CEO of Saatchi and Saatchi.’This gives their students a real, tangible connection between their academic learning and their future careers, as well insightful knowledge from the top minds in the world. ’The university’s goal of preparing students for the global stage is also achieved by offering frequent academic and career counselling,’ says Willumsen, showing that the university does not solely rely on its idyllic location and vast contact network.

‘The teaching style,’Willumsen explains,‘is very interactive; we teach in the North American way but the length of the programmes are tailored to the European system. You could say that the university has taken the best of the two systems to create our curriculum.’He highlights an increased

level of interaction and the use of case studies as being key features of the North American system:‘In terms of format and content, we offer a much more interactive programme.’ This system is certainly proving to be successful; it has recently been referenced in the International Handbook of Universities 2013/2014 published by UNESCO. On top of this, the university has consistently been ranked as one of Switzerland’s top business schools by EDUniversal.

However, the learning is not restricted to the classroom; the students are encouraged to carry out internships, join the student council, take study trips or study for a semester abroad.‘We have 18 exchange partner programmes in 13 different countries that we cooperate with for the benefit of our students,’ Willumsen recounts; ‘the locations vary from the UK, to Asia or the Americas.’

Alternatively, the students are offered the opportunity to take study trips. Willumsen outlined one such trip to the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade:‘Whilst away, the students follow classes in the morning and spend the afternoons visiting companies. They

have the chance to embed themselves into an entirely different culture.’

Receiving a top education, as we all know, is key to a successful and prosperous future.

The International University in Geneva offers more than just an education from textbooks and journals. With its prestigious neighbours, alumni and programmes on offer, students will leave this institution with not only their diploma but also a wider view on life and business, giving them the edge in their future global careers. www.iun.ch

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Special Theme

First Class Education

St. Gilgen International School

Austria

– where students are well educated and not just qualified TEXT & PHOTOS: ST. GILGEN INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

At St. Gilgen International School, motivated and talented boarding and day students are offered a balanced and challenging international education in a modern learning environment. Fundamental to our beliefs is: Healthy Mind, Healthy Body and Healthy Spirit. These are three key dimensions of human development and a person is not truly ‘educated’ without all three of these dimensions. At St. Gilgen International School we are committed to ensuring that all our students are properly educated and not just qualified.

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Core values St. Gilgen International School is one of the truly outstanding centres of learning in Europe and is situated on the scenic Wolfgangsee in the Salzkammergut region of Austria. Through exceptional academic challenges, discipline, courage and personal growth we help to create involved, active and highly educated world citizens who celebrate diversity and who view differences as enrichment. We aim to foster in our students an understanding and respect for their own and other cultures, tol-

erance, and the courage of their own convictions.

International education uniquely anticipates the challenges of higher education and professional life. It recognises that everyone brings personal dispositions, prior experiences and individual cultural perspectives to learning. We expect all our students to progress to leading universities around the globe and then to take up their place in the world as a positive force for change.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | First Class Education Austria

Learning to learn At St. Gilgen, we endorse the four essential pillars of education as identified in Learning: The Treasure Within (UNESCO, 1996): Learning to know; Learning to do; Learning to live together; Learning to be.

Boarding and day students at St. Gilgen International School are‘learning to learn’ in conjunction with the world around them.

St. Gilgen International School is committed to developing each individual student’s talents by providing a challenging personalised and differentiated education both within and beyond the classroom.

Learning is a dynamic individual and group process aided by student and staff engagement, goal setting and risk taking, reflection and passion. Continuous evaluation of learning is also critical in providing evidence of understanding and in reflecting the continuous nature of learning itself.

Learning is not confined to specific times and places. School and the ‘real world’ should be one and the same.

From the outset, we provide each of our students with the elements necessary for effective learning.These include exceptional

teachers, individual learning spaces and outstanding resources. Students also receive the guidance of an individual mentor/tutor – and the support of a house master/mistress and house tutors for boarding students – in addition to the ongoing support and encouragement of their teachers.

For students who are new to English there is extra support available, both within and beyond the classroom.

Curriculum: IB Diploma Entry: from Grade 4 through to Grade 12 (ages 9 – 18) Boarding and day students Number of students: 200 students representing over 25 nationalities Boys and girls Admission: please see our webpage for further information www.stgis.at Phone: + 43 6227 202 59

Room for personal growth A unique feature of the school is the idyllic setting of the village of St. Gilgen. The beauty of our environment allows us to offer exceptional opportunities for outdoor adventure, sport and cultural enrichment.

Climbing, kayaking, rowing, skiing and multiple other outdoor opportunities combine with our proximity to the rich cultural centre of Salzburg to offer unparalleled access to music, theatre and other enrichments. This safe, nurturing community provides the space and freedom for students to develop themselves and allows for positive learning experiences. A warm welcome is guaranteed.

The only way to truly understand the exceptional geographical setting, the high academic standards and the remarkable facilities of St. Gilgen International School is to visit us. Potential students and their parents are welcomed warmly in our learning community. We look forward to greeting you should you wish to explore the possibility of a place at our school. www.stgis.at

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University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna

– a cradle of excellent art When speaking of excellence in the fields of performance and art, the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna should always come to mind. As one of the largest and oldest of its kind, the university has produced famous actors, musicians and filmmakers – artists with the aim to advance their field and change the world.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: UNIVERSITY OF MUSIC AND PERFORMING ARTS VIENNA

The University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna is one of the largest and certainly oldest of its kind. Founded in 1812 as a society for friends of music, the university had a chequered history, became an academy and college of music, before being declared a university in 1998. Today the University of Music and Performing ArtsVienna numbers 3,000 students and 1,100 faculty members, all of them experts in their discipline. Students can study and research all fields of Musical and Instrumental Studies, Drama, Film & Television as well as Music Education.

Leading not only in education but performance as well, the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna organises and conducts more than 1,000 events every

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year.“That makes the University the largest arts presenter in Austria,”says Vice-Rector Andrea Kleibel.

Many of the university’s former students and professors have become famous in music and the arts, such as the orchestra and opera conductor Herbert von Karajan and the actor and film director Klaus Maria Brandauer. And the University counts recent Oscar winners among its former students and staff, too: Christoph Waltz, twice an Academy Award winner, studied at the Max Reinhardt Seminar, the School of Drama at the University of Music and Performing Arts. Michael Haneke’s film Amour won the Oscar for the Best Foreign Language Film of the Year in 2013 and was awarded with a Golden Globe in the same category

in advance. Haneke has been professor at the university’s film academy since 2002.

Many musicians of the Vienna Philharmonic started as students at the University of Music and Performing Arts as well. Right there students do need more than excellence in their field. “Our students should seek to make their discipline into something special,”explainsVice-Rector Andrea Kleibel. “Ideally someone studying here shall bring his or her art and performance to the next level. At our university we want people who attempt to change the world.” www.mdw.ac.at

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | First Class Education Austria

Vienna’s dynamic approach to learning English Vienna’s language school with a difference, Learning English Through Action, offers tailor made programmes teaching English in a dynamic and efficient way.

TEXT: PHIL GALE | PHOTOS: LETA

Like it or not, English is the first language of the world.The Learning English Through Action (LETA) process, brainchild of South African Precious Zeinzinger-Tuitz understands this, offering a new approach to learning. Based in Vienna LETA has one core principle: “Learning English can be fun, different and much more effective,” highlights Zeinzinger-Tuitz.

Offering courses for young children right through to adults, catering both for those looking to learn English as a second language as well as native speakers is what makes LETA stand out. Zeinzinger-Tuitz continues:“Whilst on maternity leave from my work in International Business I discovered a talent for teaching English. Seeing the flaws in the other programmes, I decided to set up LETA.” After gaining a teaching qualification, Zeinzinger-Tuitz developed LETA’s curriculum, she explains:“Our courses are all

tailor made. For our 2-10 year olds we teach through doing; how children first learn language. Our workshops, interaction and games keep them entertained, focused and interested, rather than the more traditional flashcards.” Teenage groups are slightly more complicated, Zeinzinger-Tuitz elaborates:“A topic that interests them needs to be found. Recently we used Harry Potter games.The students were so focused on the games that they did not realise they were learning the correct grammar for the Present Perfect Tense.”

Finally for the centre’s adult learners LETA has two programmes. Classes where they are taught a set format, and bespoke programmes for clients needing specific vocabulary for their profession.“Our classes for business are all specific; there is no need to teach these clients vocabulary that they do not need to know. We research what they need, find a teacher who is a special-

ist in this area and then develop a specific curriculum. This means that the client is taught only what they need to know,” Zeinzinger-Tuitz adds. Being taught in this manner is both more time and financially efficient for students.

With 300 students, camps, workshops and a vast selection of courses on offer LETA is setting a precedent for English teaching. Zeinzinger-Tuitz concludes:“Often many businesses are set up on the ideas of the company, but we listen to the clients, focusing on their needs. It is this and our approach to teaching that keeps them coming back.” www.leta.co.at Below: Precious Zeinzinger-Tuitz founder and mind behind LETA's dynamic teaching programme

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | First Class Education Austria

Language learning among friends Learning a foreign language in a fascinating city should be fun. But if you vanish in a big group of people, even the best intentions are likely to vanish, too. At WWT, you get the attention you need to succeed!

TEXT: SONJA IRANI | PHOTOS: WWT

Vienna is always worth a trip. As a cultural and political hub of Europe it attracts art lovers as well as managers or government representatives who add this important city to their CVs. Learning German here seems like the perfect pastime. Finding the right language school among the flood of offerings, however, can be a daunting process that most people, especially managers, often don't have the time or the nerves for.

This is where WWT comes in.The language school, located in the very heart of Vienna, offers tailor-made courses in German and a variety of other languages. WWT is very different from other schools because here the client truly is king.

"We don't give you a number – we know you by name!" explains Mag. Evelin Striegler, head teacher at WWT. "Your personal needs and individual, flexible programmes are a matter of heart to us. Every

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course is tailor-made according to your wishes and therefore unique.You, the client, decide what you would like to be taught, the time and the venue of your course. In our school, the client is the centre of attention. Why do you fly first-class or business?

For the plus in service, quality and individuality – this is precisely what you'll find at WWT!" Language learners who opt for a school like WWT and have a personal connection to their teacher will get more opportunities to practise their language skills and are therefore likely to improve faster than others. Striegler remembers many success stories. "A special moment was when a general manger from Great Britain was able to hold his inaugural speech in German after just four weeks of an intense German language course," says Striegler. "And he did this in front of the whole Austrian work

force, who thanked him with tremendous applause – what a great start in his new working environment!" www.worldwideteaching.at

Mag. Evelin Striegler, owner WWT

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Your Shortcut to Germany Bergen

NORWAY Oslo Stockholm Bromma

SWEDEN Aalborg bo org

UNITED KINGDOM

G enburg Goth

Aarh A rhu us us

DENMARK K

Billund Manchester

London City

Brussels

BELGIUM BE

Düsseldorf

GERMANY

Munich

WINNER OF DANISH TRAVEL AWARD 2012 “BEST EUROPEAN AIRLINE”

S n acks

Me al s

ba.com

Drinks

Pap ers

Lounges

Smi l e s

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Special Theme

First Class Education Germany

Berlin Brandenburg International School

Individual education in a global context Respect for different cultures, language skills and connections to students from all over the world is only one part of being educated at the Berlin Brandenburg International School (BBIS). An individual education according to every single pupil’s needs, small classes and excellent staff guarantee that students grow into responsible, well-educated and internationally minded adults.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: BBIS

Students from over 60 different countries are currently studying at the Berlin Brandenburg International School (BBIS) situated in Kleinmachnow at the south-western border of Berlin within driving distance of the neighbouring town of Potsdam. The school is well connected to both cities by school buses and public transport.

The school is surrounded by forestland and lies directly on the shore of the Teltowkanal (Teltow Canal) and the Machnower See (Machnow Lake). Even though easily reached from both city centres, the site is very quiet and far enough away from traffic and congestion and in an area that ad-

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ditionally offers beautiful walking and biking paths.

Not only the pupils but also the staff have an international background: teachers not only from Germany but also the US, Great Britain, Japan, Indonesia, Russia and many other countries currently work at the school. “In

the Berlin region our school is the one with the best and widest international connections,” explains Peter Kotrc, director and CEO of the Berlin Brandenburg International School.

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International values Humanity, tolerance and empathy are the main values the school is founded upon, ideas that were essential for many of the internationally minded parents who decided to educate their children at the Berlin Brandenburg International School. Approximately a quarter of the school’s pupils have parents working for the diplomatic corps of their home country.

The school is orientated on the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, stating that people of all races, religions, and nations should be treated with the same respect and honour. For the school this means: “We teach our students to understand and respect the views, values, and traditions of other individuals and cultures, as well as their own.”

For BBIS an inclusive and individual education is essential and the best basis for lifelong learning. That includes not only science or language but the other skills as well which pupils will need in their later professional and private lives – such as intercultural competences and critical thinking. “To be successful in a global society and in the conceptual age, our children will not only have to be knowledgeable but

equally be creative,”says BBIS director and CEO Peter Kotrc. “Showing these traits, BBIS graduates find open doors for their next step in life.”

Small classes and modern facilities for sports, science and art Teaching in small classes – usually less than 18 students in one class – enables the school to challenge each student according to his or her individual talents, needs and skills. Modern sport facilities are a good addition to the historical campus houses.

The school currently has four large red brick buildings, a pavilion, a sports hall and a sports field. For a proper education, the buildings have modern science laboratories, two fully networked computer labs, a number of mobile wireless computer labs, a design and technology area, an art studio and music classrooms. Other rooms give space for practice and study. Additionally the school possesses performance and exhibition spaces.

The outside area does not only have a playground for the elementary school students but also modern sport facilities, including a six-lane running track, football fields, a sand court for beach volleyball matches and basketball courts. The school possesses

track and field facilities as well, for high and long jump, shot put and discus throwing. For indoor sports and as a bad weather retreat the school opened a new sports hall in 2008.

Offering all programmes of the International Baccalaureate Organisation To fulfil the self-claimed educational goal the BBIS secures internationally accepted school certificates: as the first school worldwide which offers all four programmes of the International Baccalaureate Organisation in Geneva (www.ibo.org), making the BBIS unique among international schools.

Boarding school Next to the school the Berlin Brandenburg International School offers a boarding house for pupils from the age of 15. Today 50 to 60 pupils live in the boarding house; approximately 7 to 8 per cent of the whole student body. The boarding school is located directly on the 360,000 square meter campus, a safe area and for the resident pupils a second home away from home – a place to connect with people from all around the globe. www.bbis.de

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One school, double qualification Theory and practice go hand in hand at the idyllic boarding school Urspring in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Students simultaneously work towards their university entrance qualification while gaining necessary real-life experience as they are offered the opportunity to do a hands-on apprenticeship.

TEXT: MARILENA STRACKE | PHOTOS: URSPRING

The former monastery Urspring turned into a school in 1930 and has since then followed the founder’s leitmotive: learning with your heart, mind, and head. Hence the private school is in alignment with the tradition of German rural community homes and progressive education. It is an officially recognised primary school according to Maria Montessori (grades three and four) as well as an officially recognised grammar school.

PR spokesperson and head basketball coach of the NBBL, Machael Spoecker says: “Today Urspring is a peaceful place to learn and live together in the relaxed atmosphere of a historical setting. Over half of our approximately 200 students live at the boarding school and are from all over the world.”

The school’s philosophy is to support and assist students in gaining self-confidence

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and individual life skills. Helping the students to discover their personalities whilst promoting knowledge, humanity and creativity is an essential teaching goal.“Here the girls and boys learn everything they need to achieve the German Abitur (university entrance qualification) and a lot more beyond that,”claims Spoecker.

Indeed the school offers a unique combination of the Abitur and a chosen parallel apprenticeship starting from grade eight, which is completed with an official apprenticeship diploma half a year after graduating.

Spoecker explains their concept Abitur plus Apprenticeship further:“By offering qualified craftsman apprenticeships in the workshops, students have the possibility to experience themselves and to connect their life and learning at Urspring in a compre-

hensive way. At the same time they gain a valuable insight into business processes and thus have an outstanding qualification for working life. The symbiosis of school and apprenticeship enables our students to develop and extend their skills in both the practical and theoretical field. At the moment there are three apprenticeships to choose from: carpenter, custom tailor and precision mechanic.” Of course the apprenticeship concept is not at all compulsory and students can equally take part in workshops outside the scheme.

But it is not just about work at Urspring!

There is plenty of time for activities such as horse riding and looking after small animals, a range of sports (including football, basketball, badminton, ballet, swimming and oriental dance), workshops of all kinds as well as vocational training and learning musical instruments.

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Union, which gives students the opportunity to travel to various European countries. With connections to Tanzania and a well-established partnership with China, Urspring encourages its students to become internationally active.

Something the school is particularly proud of is its successful connection to professional basketball. Since 1998 the Urspring Basketball Academy has continuously established itself as one of the leading youth programmes in the world. “Since the founding of the NBBL (National German Youth League) in 2006, our team has been the German Champion five times. Most recently this year,” says Spoecker proudly.

There is a great International atmosphere at Urspring supported by a diverse mix of nationalities and backgrounds. The school takes part in the Comenius project, a programme of the European

student receives makes it easier to transition into the new environment.“Our task is to provide the individual support each student needs to unfold her or his full potential. Especially in the modern world with the strong influences of the Internet and the media it is incredibly important to develop and nurture social skills that enable the crucial sense of togetherness,” concludes Spoecker.

The Urspring School certainly is a fantastic place to learn and grow! www.urspringschule.de

He adds:“The school shows that it is indeed possible to combine top academic education with high-performance sports. Every student who played basketball at Urspring and entered the secondary level (after primary school) graduated successfully with the Abitur. Aside from taking the steps to becoming professional basketball players, many former students receive a full scholarship at American universities.”

There is great team spirit amongst all students when it comes to supporting their own basketball team!“The entire school is very proud of their players and encourages them loudly during the matches here or travels with them to tournaments,” Spoecker smiles.

Aside from the excellent education and unique concepts, the staff’s sensitivity plays a major role at the school.The students live in small groups with a supervisor and have therefore a very close relationship with the supervisors who mostly also work as teachers. This means the student can usually address the same person for all issues and the high level of familiarity builds trust.

The teachers and supervisors know what an important step living at a boarding school is and that there are a variety of reasons behind that decision.The warm welcome each

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Boarding School Schloss Stein Modern education in historical grounds Some 10 minutes northeast of Bavaria’s Chiemsee, private schooling takes place in a 1,000-year-old castle. The carefully restored listed building is home to the prestigious boarding school Schloss Stein - Schule Schloss Stein. Here by the river Traun, up to 100 pupils between the ages of 11 and 19 study History, Music and Maths as well as courage, candour and care.

TEXT: FRANZISKA NÖSSIG | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

The latter subjects seem particularly outdated for a 21st century educational institution. Yet these virtues are, in fact, hugely fashionable these days.“The students themselves have voiced their wish and need for rhythm and structure to help them appreciate certain values and manners,”headmaster and manager Sebastian Ziegler points out. For example, he remembers that it was students instead of parents or teachers who asked for school uniforms to be implemented ten years ago. Several discussions were needed to shape a vague idea into an overall practice. Instead of an entire uniform, smart-casual everyday clothes are

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now compulsory during school times. An additional blazer with the school’s coat of arms is to be worn at formal occasions.

Dress codes aside, the boarding school’s actual distinctive feature is less visible but by no means less effective. Streaming through its corridors is a homely and secure atmosphere which is due to the medieval castle being Sebastian Ziegler’s actual home as well as his workplace.“Our pupils live and breathe a feeling of belonging within a school context,” he accentuates.

Managing Schule Schloss Stein since 1997, Sebastian Ziegler is glad to be able to con-

tinue his grandmother’s work who established the boarding school in 1948.

With around 25 teachers Schule Schloss Stein offers an extraordinary staff-student ratio most schools would struggle to compete with. Most interestingly, the school provides extra training for international pupils whose first language is not German and who wish to obtain the German Abitur.

With the scheme running since 2003, the headmaster is convinced that Germany's reputation as the home of Bildung plays a key role for parents considering sending their children to a boarding school abroad.

Currently, pupils from Mexico, Bulgaria, Korea and Ireland, to name but a few, are studying side by side with their classmates from Bavaria and other areas in Germany.

Similarly, the school encourages its domestic students to take part in a school exchange abroad, and equally welcomes guest students who wish to stay just for one year.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | First Class Education Germany

and get to know prospective new teachers and fellow students?

The Bavarian-style Abitur obtained in Stein provides a key prerequisite to access the world’s universities. Moreover, during those years spent at Schule Schloss Stein students will have become an integral part of its closely knit community as well as having laid the best foundation for their future lives. www.schule-schloss-stein.de

From 8th form, pupils decide whether to take a third foreign language or whether to cover extra classes in business informatics and econonomics and law. Ziegler launched this economic stream in 1998 in order to offer his pupils a broader choice in terms of their future career paths.

Outside the curriculum, the school has 40 different activities on offer, ranging from music and workshop-sessions to horse riding and tennis. Some of these can be carried out on-site: the new gymnasium with its astonishing LED lit glass floor is the only building added to the historical complex.

Younger pupils are expected to choose at least three of these activities per week as commitment, sense of community and participation are some of the school’s core values. They are therefore also taken into account when applying for a school scholarship, an option every pupil is eligible for. In addition to this, the‘Meilenstein’, or Milestone award is given to two to three students each year who have exceptionally dedicated time and effort furthering com-

munal spirit as well as the shaping of identity among their fellow pupils.

As part of this communal idea, pupils will usually share a twin-bedroom. Single rooms are available for older students in years 11 and 12. Although more independent, they are still expected to be socially proactive and are therefore encouraged, for instance, to volunteer in caring for the elderly in the area.

This being one option of opening up the boarding school microcosm, University and Career Information days and especially the annual Literature and Media Week provide additional opportunities. This event invites writers to Schule Schloss Stein to talk about their current projects or work more generally. With the next Literature and Media Week taking place in early February next year, why not cast a glance at the school

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Sapere Aude Live together, work together, learn together - Sankt Afra The Sächsisches Landesgymnasium Sankt Afra is a federal state-run boarding school dedicated to promoting highly talented pupils. Reopened in 2011, it has an education spirit of over 750 years.

TEXT: JESSICA POMMER | PHOTOS: SANKT AFRA

“Sapere Aude”– this dictum in Latin meaning “Dare to know” adorns the southern façade of the school building.This dictum is put into practice inside the Sächsisches Landesgymnasium Sankt Afra. It is a place where young people endowed with extraordinary skills are supposed to intensify their intellectual and creative abilities. Especially pupils with multiple talents can find the perfect environment here.

The Sächsische Landesgymnasium Sankt Afra was reopened in 2001, after being shut down during the Second World War.“Our aim is to bring together young people with different talents to create a vibrant and

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fruitful learning atmosphere, to become educated persons and to bear responsibility for society,”explains head of public relations

Jakob Polak. Nowadays 300 pupils from grades 7 to 12 are enrolled to acquire their A-levels degree.

Applicants must pass a two day assessment test. Here the teachers and pupils of Sankt Afra rate the applicants´ problem solving and social competence in group exercises.

The curriculum is organized according to the aim of raising the pupils to become comprehensively educated young adults.“Today also the economy is increas-

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thoroughly. The school day is divided into two parts: in the pre-noon lessons, called “fundamentum”, the mandatory curriculum – based on the curriculum of the ordinary Saxony state schools – is followed. Yet the Sankt Afra pupils deal with more subjects in a shorter time period compared to the ordinary schools. In the afternoon lessons, called “additum”, the students follow their freely chosen courses such as human biology, theatre or history.

A special feature is the mentoring programme.

Every teacher in the Sankt Afra acts as a mentor.

Each pupil is supervised by two mentors. One mentor takes care of the young person´s personal development. The second mentor is in charge of assessing the academic achievements.

ingly in need of open-minded thinkers,” adds Jakob Polak. The Afraner – as the pupils of the Sankt Afra are called – have to take up three languages of which one is an ancient language.The pupils are introduced to academic research by writing scientific papers on special subjects. Furthermore, the students are free to choose from interdisciplinary subjects.

Unconventionality also encompasses the school´s time organisation. Instead of having the normative 45 minute time units, the Sankt Afra pupils have three double lessons and longer breaks. They are thus encouraged to concentrate and learn more

But the Sankt Afraner are also educated to become people who take care of themselves, their peers and society as a whole.“Our boarding school should not be a place of strict supervision and confinement but a free zone for personal development. That is why our students have to take over responsibility from the beginning. For example, they determine the weekend activities, organize school celebrations or are involved in the assessments of applicants,” explains Jakob Polak.

school exchange with China.There are also school exchange partnerships with other countries. Since 2011 Sankt Afra has the status of an IB World School. That means that the students can acquire the International Baccalaureate degree as a parallel second school diploma. At the moment the school is preparing a cooperation with the Indiana Academy of Science in the USA. The history of the Sankt Afra dates back to the Middle Ages. In its history you can trace the prevalent political climate. Originally founded as a monastery school in honour of the patron Saint Afra, Duke Maurice of Saxony remodeled the school in the spirit of the Reformation and opened it in 1543 as a humanist state school. During the era of the Enlightenment popular scholars like poet Gotthold Ephraim Lessing attended the school. In the course of the national socialist cooptation in 1942 the Sankt Afra lost its face. After the Second World War the communists used the school for their own purposes. In 2001, after a lot of renovation work was completed, the Staatliche Landeslandesgymnasium Sankt Afra opened its gates. It is the only state school for talented pupils in Germany.

The extracurricular activities that are offered and celebrations throughout the year ensure that the young people don´t get bored and can socialize. Sapere aude. www.sankt-afra.de/landesgymnasium-sachsen

The Staatliche Landesgymnasium Sankt Afra aims to become more international.

Various measures have already been introduced to foster that goal. For example the pupils and teachers can take part in a

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Schule Schloss Salem

Building character Founded in 1920 by Margrave von Baden and Kurt Hahn Salem is Germany's largest and most prestigious international boarding school. Located in the former Cistercian Abbey Salem Castle the school offers 650 boarding school places for girls and boys. Salem is picturesquely situated in a hilly landscape amidst orchards and vineyards, twelve kilometres from Lake Constance.

TEXT & PHOTOS: SCHULE SCHLOSS SALEM

The state-recognised grammar school for Years 5 to 12 offers the school-leaving examinations Abitur (German university entrance qualifying examination) and International Baccalaureate (IB). 30% of the students come from abroad, i.e. from more than 40 different countries. In addition to German, English is the everyday language.

The International Classes from Year 8 are unique in Germany. After year 10 a decision is possible for taking either the Abitur or IB. Small classes allow a teacher:student ratio of 1:6. Salem also provides intensive preparation for the choice of study and profession and works closely together with 50 international exchange programme partner schools. Sports and recreational facilities

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are extensive including the school’s own harbour with sailing boats and kayaks as well as an indoor swimming pool.

Salem has a great deal to offer to its students, and makes high demands on them as well. Salem seeks young people who are inquisitive, open minded and willing to make their own way within the community of their peer group. Most boarding staff in Salem are involved in the academic life of the school as well, thereby ensuring that the principle of the unity of education and teaching is upheld. Salem's international atmosphere is enhanced by staff members from the United States, Australia, South Africa and Great Britain, who teach in both

the German Abitur and the IB programme.

An extensive tutorial system helps students from abroad. All students have access to modern facilities, such as computer centres, science laboratories, libraries, studios and auditoriums for music, theatre, dance, arts, crafts, social services and various sports.

With the requirement to discover oneself, to develop one’s social, intellectual, aesthetic and athletic capabilities as best as possible and to put oneself with one’s whole personality into the service of the community, character-building in the sense of Kurt Hahn, scholastic education, the political constitution of the school and cosmopolitan attitudes are united into an unmistakably unique entity.

Merit-based scholarships are available and approx. 25% of the students are scholarship holders. www.salem-net.de

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Evangelisches Schulzentrum Michelbach

Preparing students for the future Combining three different school types and a boarding school, the Evangelisches Schulzentrum Michelbach, a Protestant School Centre for 10- to 18-year-olds, is based on a Christian tenet that teaches students to respect others and encourages individual strengths.

TEXT: JULIKA HUETHER | PHOTOS: EVANGELISCHES SCHULZENTRUM MICHELBACH

Based in the Schloss zu Michelbach, a stately home built in the early 17th century, the school centre lies in the town of Michelbach an der Bilz in Baden-Württemberg on the train line that connects Stuttgart with Nuremberg. Since the first school was opened here in 1926, educating 26 young men in different practical skills as well as theoretical subjects, the face of the school has changed a lot.

double rooms, are cared for by skilled personnel and enjoy an educational schedule that is suited to each individual’s needs.

However, this concept is not restricted to boarding school students only. “Students rate our approach highly,” says Rector Thomas Brachmann. “Their individuality plays a big role here.They feel our school is a place where they can feel safe, secure and at home.”

Nowadays, the school teaches 600 students who attend classes five times a week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It incorporates three types of school. At the Realschule, 10- to 16-yearolds study to acquire the Mittlere Reife, which is comparable to GCSEs. At the Gymnasium, students study up to the age of 18 to acquire the Abitur, a school leaving certificate which enables them to enter university. The Aufbaugymnasium caters for students who initially attended a Haupt- or Realschule, but whose grades indicate they should aim for an Abitur.

This focus on the individual’s strengths as well as on their weaknesses, which the school tries to compensate for, becomes especially apparent in elective courses such as “Music”, which moulds students’ per-

sonality, influences their social behaviour and improves concentration and thinking.

Moreover, students, whether Protestant or not, live by Christian principles which are conveyed in classes such as“Diaconia”and “NaTuR”, which promotes ethical responsibility regarding science.

The Evangelisches Schulzentrum Michelsbach is a multifaceted school centre that not only educates its students but promotes their individuality and their respect for others and prepares them for their future. www.eszm.de

In addition, the school centre includes a boarding school where students live in

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | First Class Education Germany

Strengthening personalities and encouraging Christian values The Evangelical Gymnasium and boarding school Hermannswerder is located on a landmarked island at the edge of Potsdam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site near Berlin. This school, similar to the British grammar school or the American high school system was founded by the Hoffbauer-Stiftung which has a history in education that goes back over 100 years.

TEXT: JULIAN RATH | PHOTOS: HOFFBAUER BILDUNG

Since its conception the core values of the foundation have been grace, freedom, responsibility and variety; all of these values are reflected in every aspect of the school.

The enhancement of young people’s personal aptitudes follows logically on the school’s basic claim to strengthen the personality of each student.

“We cultivate a strong personal relationship between students, parents and teachers by ensuring a constant exchange between these parties. This gives our stu-

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dents support all the way through their schooling,” says Leif Berling, head of the school.

The Evangelical Gymnasium Hermannswerder offers students the best possible preparation for their final exam (Abitur) as well as a number of exceptional opportunities throughout their time in school. Students have the option of spending a year abroad.“It’s up to the young people to choose where they want to go. In the past we’ve had some who went to India,

Australia, the United States and Africa,” says Berling.

Perfectly equipped facilities optimise the learning experiences for the students.“Our teaching rooms for maths, IT, sciences and technology have the best possible equipment and teaching material,” explains Berling. Especially the fine arts have an important place in the high school Hermannswerder and students may choose from the subjects of music, art and performing arts.

A former farm has been converted into a modern boarding school, where over 50 students now live and study. Residents share double rooms or live together in flats.

This community facilitates a strong relationship between teachers and educational staff.

Weekly group evenings and prayers shape the Christian way of life for the boarding school students. “Students are supervised seven days of the week, around the clock. We have set mealtimes and rest periods. Students receive homework support and we also offer a number of after school activities like karate and various ball and water sports. We also encourage the students to go to the cinema, theatre or concerts. They are obviously a part of the organisation and we always take their ideas and feedback into account,” concludes Bianca Woite, head of the boarding school. www.hoffbauer-bildung.de/gymnasiumhermannswerder Tuition for boarding school students is halved.

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FR TO T EE ENTR Y HE MAR STREET KET

22- 24 November 2013

Albion Street, Rotherhithe, London

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www.scandinavianchristmas.co.uk

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | First Class Education Germany

Interdisciplinary studies at the Folkwang University of the Arts Music, theatre, dance, design and academic studies – the multifaceted education makes the Folkwang University of the Arts one of the most famous in Germany and the cradle of excelling and well-known dancers and choreographers such as Pina Bausch. Situated in the Ruhr Metropolis students work and learn in architectural award-winning buildings that are likewise protected as historic monuments. The Folkwang idea is the idea of interdisciplinary work.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: FOLKWANG UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS

At Folkwang University all disciplines work hand in hand – the cross disciplinary education focuses on the exchange, communication and networking of students from different artistic fields. Additionally the Folkwang LABs offer the opportunity to work, experiment and research together with students and staff members from different faculties.

Since 1927 the university unites various art schools and disciplines and is a central educational institution for music, theatre, dance, design and academic studies. Located in the Ruhr Metropolis, the university's more than 400 teachers support around 1,500 students. 40 courses range

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from diploma to doctorate level and advanced training programmes.

In 2012, the main library at the Folkwang Essen-Werden location received a new, architecturally outstanding building designed by the Berlin architect Max Dudler. Thanks to the generous support of the Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach Foundation, an innovative state-of-the-art building has been embedded in the baroque building ensemble of the Benedictine Abbey.

With more than 200,000 media ranging from books, newspapers and musical scores to sound carriers and videos it is one of the biggest musicological collections in Germany.

Exchange of ideas “We develop young people as artists who excel in their own discipline,”says University President Professor Kurt Mehnert.“But at the same time, they are able to think laterally.” Folkwang encourages cooperation between fields of study and promotes the exchange of ideas.

Even internationally the name Folkwang is a cultural brand: It stands for the aspiration to educate not only artists but personalities, who have a great artistic competence, a wide intellectual horizon and are shaped as creative individuals with insight into their responsibility for society.The university looks at reality, at how society is

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | First Class Education Germany

conducted to guarantee that art can become an innovative and creative factor in said society.

Internationally connected and with a global outlook This attracts students from all over the world; currently people from over 50 different countries are educated at the Folkwang University of the Arts. Even though they study in different fields they work closely together in an interdisciplinary approach, look at new angles and give each other support and inspire more than one discipline.“The diversity of our students offers great longterm potential,”says Mehnert. The university has a global outlook and works alongside international organisations – that also helps to attract Europe’s best cultural educators and encourages the mobility of students and teachers alike. One example is Folkwang’s support of the first professional drama school in the Palestinian city of Ramallah that started in 2009.

Students gain practical stage experience from the very beginning of their studies at the Folkwang University, guaranteed by more than 300 events taking place on the seven in-house stages and two galleries every year. The cooperation with theatres and concert halls, such as Museum Folkwang, Schauspielhaus Bochum or Theater Dortmund is also playing an important role. Dance graduates can later join the professional Folkwang Dance Studio, which has established itself as a wellknown modern dance company. The university’s own artist’s agency therefore manages engagements for outstanding students of music, theatre, dance and photography and opens new chances for graduates.

Modern Dance, at the Folkwang University at the age of 14. From Folkwang, Pina Bausch conquered the stages of the world as a dancer, choreographer, dance educator and ballet director.

With sites in Essen, Duisburg, Bochum and Dortmund, Folkwang students today study in a historical ambience and in the middle of the Ruhr Metropolis. One of the most popular is certainly the SANAA-Building at the World-Heritage Site Zollverein that is today an art centre and museum. The sites of the university connect the studies to one of Europe’s biggest and most important cultural and economic centres. And that is an inspiration for students and faculty members alike. www.folkwang-uni.de Below: Romeo and Juliette production Bottom: Sentimentale Urbanitaet

The idea: to anchor art in a democratic society The base for the university’s self-esteem, the practical and interdisciplinary approach, was laid approximately 100 years ago through Karl Ernst Osthaus who wanted to anchor art in democratic society. A vision that a few years later in 1927 had its impact on the predecessor of the Folkwang University and the founders Kurt Jooss, Rudolf SchulzDornburg, Hein Heckroth and others.

One of the most famous alumni was Pina Bausch whose way of dancing has recently been documented in the 3D movie “Pina”

by Wim Wenders. The movie is a colourful journey into the choreographies of the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch and honours the artist, who died in 2009. Born 1940 Pina Bausch started her dance education with Kurt Jooss, one of the most distinguished representatives of the German

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Jacobs University An intercultural experience Based in the Hanseatic city of Bremen in northwestern Germany, Jacobs University is an international, private and independent English-speaking university.

TEXT: JESSICA RIDDER | PHOTOS: JACOBS UNIVERSITY BREMEN

Jacobs University is one of the most diverse universities in Germany. Currently, more than 1,300 students from 112 countries study and live on its residential campus – 75% of students come from outside Germany. Jacobs University offers higher education in the form of 20 Bachelor and 20 Graduate programmes in a broad range of disciplines from humanities to natural sciences. The university has consistently scored highly in Germany’s academic rankings and prides itself on its very competitive admission process which takes into con-

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sideration each candidate’s academic and personal potential.

On campus, undergraduate students of different disciplines, origins, and ages divide their time between four residential colleges where they study and live together.

Dr. Heiko Walkenhorst, Director of Admissions, explains:“Jacobs University is one of the few universities in Germany which offer college accommodation on campus.

Many of our students particularly appreciate the internationality, the intercultural experience and the social interaction at Jacobs

University. The campus offers many sports and cultural activities and a broad extracurricular learning concept.”

Each college is headed by a College Master: a professor, who lives with his family alongside the students.The idea is to offer a home away from home for students from all over the world who are eager to learn. Strong emphasis is put on transdisciplinarity. Study and research are organized in three units: the School of Engineering and Science (SES), the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) and the Jacobs Center of Lifelong Learning and Institutional Development (JCLL).

At Jacobs University students are involved in research from their first year of study, acknowledging a rapidly changing

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | First Class Education Germany

world and the interconnectivity between disciplines: research fields range from energy and environment to peace and conflict management. Jacobs University offers a modern approach and challenges its students to look beyond the comfort of their chosen major.“Our graduation rate is outstanding at 90%,”says Dr. Walkenhorst.

The FoundationYear Programme Narrowing down the choices to one particular field of study and choosing where to enrol proves difficult for every young adult.

To help future students make that decision, Jacobs University offers its English-speaking Foundation Year Programme. Aiming to provide future university students with further qualification and orientation, courses offered include: Mathematics,

structured SAT preparation, Academic English, Academic and Professional Skills and specialization in specific fields of study.

Core courses are taught in small groups, which allow an individual approach to students.

“Students acquire the necessary credentials for admission to English-language universities and can experience and learn about different subjects before officially enrolling in an undergraduate programme.

Students who complete the programme successfully and achieve Jacobs University admission criteria can enrol in the undergraduate programmes at Jacobs. In any case, they will have gained the qualifications necessary to apply to any other English-speaking university,” explains Dr. Janine Reinhard, Foundation Year Coordinator.

Felix Filzhut, who completed this programme and is currently studying International Logistics Management and Engineering at Jacobs University, is enthusiastic: “It is great to be able to experience campus life for a year before starting undergraduate studies. Since the students live on campus it can take some time to get used to living in such a new environment. The FoundationYear almost functions as an orientation year, allowing students to become familiar with their new home. Secondly, some of the courses, which students take during the FoundationYear, can be accredited to their new major at the start of the undergraduate studies. This means that after completing the Foundation Year, students not only feel at home on campus, but also have fewer courses to take as these can be carried over from the FoundationYear.”

FoundationYear students also live in the residential colleges. By sharing lectures and living with students from all over the world, they not only improve their English, but also their intercultural skills. Furthermore, the programme provides an insight into different majors before making a final decision. Students do not only attend undergraduate classes, but also receive specific support including personal academic advising sessions, tutorials and workshops.

They use the research labs on campus and

have the opportunity to talk to professors from the undergraduate programmes they are interested in.

Filzhut concludes:“After completing the FoundationYear at Jacobs I am happy to say that it was very much worth the time. What I value most is how it prepared me for my future studies at Jacobs University; as a whole it made everything easier and allowed me to start my undergraduate studies with a completely different mindset.“ www.jacobs-university.de Felix Filzhut, Foundation Year Student

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Discover Germany | Attraction of the Month | Germany

Attraction of the Month Germany

Renowned art in the city of lakes and forests The Staatliches Museum Schwerin makes Schwerin a mecca for art lovers. The Staatliches Museum Schwerin treasures an impressive art collection of international rank and historical artifacts. Visitors travel through art history and the heyday of the Mecklenburg dukes.

Above, left: Gallery Alte & Neue Meister in castle. © Staatliches Museum Schwerin. Photo: Michael Setzpfand Top, right: Carel Fabritius, Die Torwache, 1654. © Staatliches Museum Schwerin. Photo: Gabriele Bröcker Above, right: Jean-Baptiste Oudry, Rhinozeros, 1749. © Staatliches Museum Schwerin. Photo: Gabriele Bröcker

TEXT: JESSICA POMMER | PHOTOS: STAATLICHES MUSEUM SCHWERIN

When Duke Christian Ludwig II of Mecklenburg (1683-1756) started acquiring paintings on his travels abroad and collected them in his home, the Schwerin castle, he could not have estimated that his collections would lay the foundation for one of the most imposing art collections of Germany. Paintings by Dutch artists especially impressed him. In 1882 the collections and interiors of the castles became publicly accessible: the Staatliche Museum Schwerin was opened.

Nowadays, everyone can admire over 100,000 collection pieces in the historical museum building and three castles.

“The paintings of Dutch and Flemish artists of the 17th and the 18th century form one focus of our museum. There are about 400 works that reflect the diversity of the Golden Age. Among them there are

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popular masterpieces by Rubens, Rembrandt or Frans Hals,”explains head of marketing, Heidemarie Otto.“We are proud to host such rare pieces of art such as the painting“The Sentry”by Rembrandt pupil Carel Fabritius.”

The second focus of the museum`s art collection is the exhibition of the work of 20th century artist Marcel Duchamp. Indeed, with 90 pieces in total, it is one of the most comprehensive Duchamp collections in Europe.

But visitors do not only come to the Staatliches Museum Schwerin for the sake of art. The Romantic Historical castle Schloss

Schwerin lies on an island surrounded by lakes and parkland and is a visual attraction in itself. Inside the castle the ceremonial rooms with valuable paintings, royal weapons and porcelain are exhibited.

For those visitors who cannot get enough of culture there are additional temporary exhibitions. At the moment the exhibition“Cosmos of the Netherlands”presents works by Dutch painters from the 16th to the 18th century which were donated by private collector Christoph Müller. The donated paintings make the museum´s collection and focus even more outstanding. www.museum-schwerin.de Left: Ernst Barlach, Das Wiedersehen, 1926. © Staatliches Museum Schwerin. Photo: Gabriele Bröcker

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Discover Germany | Attraction of the Month | Austria

Attraction of the Month Austria

Treasures Made To Last Imperial Treasury Vienna As rays of light illuminate the blocks of gold, jewels, imperial crowns, reliques, medieval orders and artefacts, a spellbinding picture unfolds before the visitor’s eyes. The Imperial Treasury in Vienna is part of the former collection of the House of Habsburg and Habsburg-Lorraine, and displays objects of the highest dynastic and religious importance.

these collections that encompass more than one thousand years of European history.

The treasury has always been unique due to its plethora of works of art and treasures, reflecting each phase of the history and development of the western emperors.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: KUNSTHISTORISCHES MUSEUM WIEN

A perfect visit Located in the historic Hofburg Palace, the impressive collection testifies to the Habsburg dynasty’s former power and glory.

With more than 250,000 visitors each year, it is among Vienna’s cultural and most acclaimed art and historic attractions.

Unique experience and collection Much more than a museum, the Imperial Treasury showcases an extraordinary collection of medieval royal objects such as the Austrian Imperial Crown and precious items from the Holy Roman Empire and the world’s largest cut emerald worn by her Empress Elisabeth of Austria. Divided into a spiritual and a worldly treasury, the chambers are one of the most important collections of its kind. “There is no comparable

collection in Europe that has such a wealth of insignia and combines the most famous names in Western history,” explains a spokesperson.

Threshold to a glorious past Displayed are the most important insignia of the Middle Ages, the insignia and jewels of the Holy Roman Empire, the Imperial Crown, and the treasure of the Order of the Golden Fleece, a testimonial of the Burgundian kingdom in the late Middle Ages.

The treasury also accommodates a legendary eighth century Holy Lance, the agate bowl once regarded as the Holy Grail, and the eight-foot-long horn of an alleged unicorn. Lovers of art and design, history, and mythology will feel heavenly among

Special tickets include the three popular attractions (Collections of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Neue Burg and Imperial Treasury) for one price and are available for individual or group travel. During a romantic walk along the palace’s gardens or Vienna’s elegant streets, visitors can reminisce about the glorious and imperial days. The Imperial Treasury is located on the Schweizerhof of the Hofburg Palace and opens daily (except Tuesday) from 9am to 5:30pm. info@khm.at www.kaiserliche-schatzkammer.at

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Discover Germany | Hotel of the Month | Austria

Hotel

of the Month Austria

Hotel Die Sonne in Saalbach-Hinterglemm

Sunshine for body and soul The upscale 4-Star Hotel ‘Die Sonne’ offers many perks, such as its healthy cuisine, a luxurious spa area, and its proximity to skiing resorts and outdoor activities. This family-centred hotel is the perfect starting point for a skiing, hiking, or wellness vacation and accommodates all of its guests’ needs.

Healthy indulgence At the hotel’s kitchen, organic ingredients and regional produce are used to prepare fresh delicacies, such as the Lifetime vitality meals. A balanced cuisine and selected wines are available throughout the day, and dining options include the popular All-Inclusive arrangement.

Custom-tailored holidays

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: HOTEL DIE SONNE

Situated in the heart of the Austrian Alps, Hotel Sonne combines breathtaking nature, balanced cuisine, wellness, comfortable rooms and enticing culture while staying true to its family values and service excellence. The hotel is completely familyrun and the owners Camilla and Hannes Schwabl assure us that“the hospitality we show comes from the heart and is not something you see every day.”

Natural grandeur and hospitality The unspoilt region of Saalbach-Hinterglemm is predestined for a weekend adventure, a longer family stay, or hosting business meetings or events. Guests start a perfect day at Hotel Sonne with an organic breakfast before embarking on hik-

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ing or skiing adventures or a fun family excursion. The spa facilities offer full relaxation, and the stylish Sonnenstube and Wintergarten restaurant invite guests to enjoy a healthy dinner and exquisite wines.

Wellness and relaxation to love Promoting an active lifestyle and vitality for the entire family are the core of the hotel’s mentality, and tastefully furnished rooms offer comfort and holiday feeling at reasonable rates. The ‘Sun Oasis’, ‘Sunhouse’, and ‘Zirben Spa’ help guests to regain new strength and the spa and wellness area feature a pool, whirlpool, sauna, waterbeds, fitness rooms, spa massage studios and beauty treatments.

Hotel Sonne is within close reach of the top skiing region Saalbach-Hinterglemm/Leogang, offering 200 kilometres of slopes, modern lifts, cross-country skiing or fun tobogganing. Skiing passes, lessons and equipment can be purchased at the hotel and a complimentary Sonne-Inclusive-Taxi drives to the town and skiing resort. All children are well-looked after at the inhouse kids’ club. During the warmer months, hiking trails, mountain biking, and superior golf courses make for an unforgettable stay. Saalbach-Hinterglemm is easily accessible from Salzburg (95km), Innsbruck (152 km) and Munich by either train or car. www.hotel-sonne.at Below: The Schwabl family

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Special Theme

Berlin

Boom town Berlin

Main image: Christmas market on Alexanderplatz

Berlin shines in a festive blaze of lights every year in the period before Christmas.

There are about 60 Christmas markets to wander round and enjoy. On grand boulevards and squares and also in small side streets and in museums, they’ll surprise you with their magic, charm and Christmassy delicacies. Whether thought provoking and fairytale or trendy and urban – there's something for everyone here.

The German capital is also demonstrating its tourism potential for the long term: the ECM describes Berlin as a "boom town" that has experienced an average annual increase of 8.8 per cent in the number of overnight stays in the past five years.

Berlin owes this success to the high proportion of international guests, with 42.5 per cent of all visitors coming from outside Germany in 2012.

TEXT & PHOTOS: BERLIN TOURISMUS & KONGRESS GMBH

The German capital is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe in terms of tourism, as demonstrated by the latest figures from the benchmark study by European Cities Marketing (ECM). With an increase of 11.4 per cent in the number of overnight stays in 2012, Germany's capital was leaps and bounds ahead of the other cities in the study. By way of comparison, the growth registered in London and Paris for the same period was just 3.1 per cent and 0.1 per cent, respectively. With this re-

sult, Berlin has established itself as one of the top 3 city destinations in Europe, after London and Paris.

"Berlin ranks third amongst the city destinations in Europe. Around the world, the word is spreading about the special lifestyle in our cosmopolitan and trendy city, attracting visitors from all over," says Burkhard Kieker, CEO of visitBerlin.

"Berlin's future as a city of tourism lies in international conventions and addressing specific target groups."

Top, left: Christmas at Gendarmenmarkt Brandenburg Gate at Christmas time Bottom: Christmas at the Opernpalais

www.visitberlin.com

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Best of Berlin with the Berlin Highlights Don’t miss the Berlin Highlights and take advantage of this strong community for successful tourism in Berlin. Since 2011 important attractions and tourist service providers of Berlin have teamed up to guarantee visitors the highest standard of quality and service.

TEXT & PHOTOS: BERLIN HIGHLIGHTS

Based on mutual recommendation and clearly defined high standards, the Berlin Highlights function as a quality seal of approval. Partners in the Berlin Highlights alliance include Base Flying by Jochen Schweizer, Exclusiv Yachtcharter Schifffahrtsgesellschaft, Velotaxi, the alliance of Berlin city guides as well as the attractions presented below. Berlin Highlights aim to turn a visit to Berlin into a unique and unforgettable experience. Visitors receive a luxurious travel guide (in German and English) for free which helps them to find their way through the exciting metropolis. Besides offering valuable information about the most significant tourist sites, the guide is packed with great offers, discount vouch-

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ers, exciting rewards and even a raffle, where you may win another trip to the metropolis.

Berliner Residenz Konzerte – a baroque seduction Visiting the Berlin Residence Concerts is an evening highlight at the Great Or-

angerie of Charlottenburg Palace. The Berlin Residence Orchestra is famous for great musical events. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays you will experience an entertaining journey through time into the early 18th century. A kingly master of ceremonies leads you through an eventful evening. Baroque and classic musical masterpieces, musicians wearing original costumes as well as changing 3-course menus lead to a fascinating impression of the baroque age.

Dalí – the exhibition at Potsdamer Platz – a surreal experience “Come into my brain,”the exceptional artist Salvador Dalí (1904–1989) famously said.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Berlin

Left, main image: Gardens of the World - Karl Foerster Perennials Garden. © Günter Schneider Below: Panoramapunkt

You may now follow this invitation to surrealism.

Over 450 exhibits from private collections all over the world in a permanent exhibition. For the first time a museum offers an extensive insight into Dalí's virtuosity and mastery of almost every technique of art right in the heart of Berlin.

How Dalí founded bulletism by shooting at stones and what bombs filled with nails have to do with the Pietà are just some of the exciting details to learn from the competent Dalí Scouts during the guided tours, which take place once every hour.

Deutsches Currywurst Museum – fancy, original, unique Here tribute is paid to Berlin’s most popular dish which was invented by Berlin citizen Herta Heuwer in September 1949.

Touring the interactive hands-on exhibition, you will experience the Berlin Original with all senses. Singing Ketchup bottles, a walk-in food stall or the sausage sofa make this experience anything but boring. The museum, distinguished with five design awards, also caters for the culinary need: a sample of“Currywurst in a cup”included in the admission fee reminds visitors of what made the Currywurst so famous in the first place: its unmistakable taste.

Die Mauer – Asisi Panometer Berlin The Berlin Wall is now back at Checkpoint Charlie as a monumental life-size panorama byYadegar Asisi.The unique view from the district of Kreuzberg over to Mitte on a fictitious autumn day in the 1980s shows how people learned to live with the reality of the Wall. Go on a discovery tour and experience the picture of a city torn apart.The scenes in the panorama focus on the everyday lives of people: moving house, painting graffiti, eating at a snack bar, sightseeing at the Wall, and omnipresent border guards in their watchtowers. A unique piece of history is brought back to life, so that it becomes more comprehensible to all.

Gärten der Welt – gardens of the world Globally unique examples of foreign horticultural art are displayed in form of nine world gardens. Authentic Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Oriental and Balinese gardens show the variety of Asian and Western culture. European garden art is impressively presented by the Karl Foerster Perennial Garden, the Italian Renaissance Garden

and the Christian Garden. In 2012 the Gardens of the World, operated by the Grün Berlin GmbH, received many prestigious awards such as the "Green Flag Award". In 2015 the English Cottage Garden will be added and in 2017 the IGA Berlin takes place here.

Guided Berlin CityTour in a Classic Beetle Experience firsthand the excellence and excitement of German automotive history in a classic VW beetle convoy tour. Hop aboard as a driver or passenger on the “Oldie Käfer Tour Berlin”for the chance to

Top: Die Mauer – Asisi Panometer Berlin Above: Deutsches Currywurst Museum Bottom, left: Dali Berlin Bottom, right: Classic Beetle Convoi

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Berlin

Main image: Olympiastadion Berlin Below: Aquarella Bottom: Wintergarten

explore the sights and history of the city in the most famous and popular car of the Western world. Ten beautifully restored classicVW beetles and one T2 bus are waiting to bring the past to life. The tour, which includes a live radio broadcast in all vehicles explaining numerous Berlin highlights, starts and finishes at Europa-Centre; one of the most noted iconic sites on Ku’damm.

The Olympiastadion Berlin – the five star stadium The venue of the German cup finals and the final of the 2006 FIFA World Cup is not only well-known among soccer fans or a place of spectacular open air concerts, but also a place of moving history. Werner March built the stadium during the Third Reich for the Olympic games of 1936. Since the reopening in 2004, 300,000 people per year have visited the place outside of events. Extensive redevelopment maintained the original character of the building.

Today it is one of the most modern arenas in the world.

Panoramapunkt – best views across town Europe's fastest lift takes you to a height of 100 metres within 20 seconds. The viewing platform and the sun deck above offer a breathtaking 360° view of Berlin and its striking landmarks like the Reichstag, the Siegessäule (Column of Victory) or Brandenburg Gate. The open air exhibition “Views of Berlin at Potsdamer Platz”adds a

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historic dimension and the entirely glasswalled Panoramacafé offers superb views for those who want to enjoy a coffee and exquisite confectionery.

Reederei Riedel – Berlin by boat Trips through the city centre and under the numerous bridges, leaving from central landing stages in the centre of Berlin, offer you a view of the capital's sights from the water. The interesting tours (available in ten different languages via headset) will take you past historic and modern buildings, green river banks as well as dense city landscapes. Exciting bridge undercrossings and unexpected city views add to the entertaining trip. An array of gastronomic offerings is available on board.

Top Tour Sightseeing – Berlin by bus In the red “convertible” Top Tour doubledecker buses you can experience the sights of Berlin in a fashion fitting the time and the season – “open top” in summer and cosily warm in winter. Live guides give you interesting background information in German and English as well as 12 more languages via headset.Tours starting every 15 minutes, the possibility to“Hop On Hop Off”during the entire day as well as 19 centrally located bus stops guarantee flexible individual planning.

Combination tickets include a boat ride or a visit to a viewing platform.

Wintergarten – best entertainment Showtime at the Wintergarten takes you

into the extraordinary world of variety where visitors can enjoy great performances of the stars of the variety scene in a stylish atmosphere accompanied by exquisite cuisine and perfect service, even including valet parking. Ideal for international guests, too. All of the impressive shows are self-produced by Wintergarten.

Mondays and Tuesdays are dedicated to the “Spotlights” featuring concerts, chansons and readings. www.Berlin-Highlights.de BERLIN HIGHLIGHTS app for smartphone coming soon!

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | City Special Salzburg

Special Theme

City Special Salzburg

Advent in Salzburg Contemplative – Traditional – Romantic Spending the Advent season in Mozart's city is like walking into a fairy-tale. The narrow streets and squares of the historic city centre beg to be explored. Salzburg's famous Christmas market is open: children can take a tour of the city by horsedrawn carriage where Everyman embarks on his last journey during the Winter Festival.

TEXT & PHOTOS: TOURISMUS SALZBURG

The Cathedral serves as a magnificent backdrop for the sales booths while the tempting fragrance of baked apples, incense and cotton candy wafts through the air. The ringing of Salzburg's church bells can be heard from afar, and the brass band playing in the carillon tower warms the hearts of children and adults alike.

Advent has a long tradition in Salzburg.

The Christmas market dates back to 1491, making it the oldest Christmas market in Austria.The business hours for the popular market were extended, now staying open

on December 25 and 26. The Krampusses are up to their tricks in Salzburg's Old City starting at the beginning of December. The evil spirits are just as much a part of Advent as St. Nicholas and the Christ Child. Perchten wearing elaborately crafted masks, shaggy fur and cowbells start to spread fear and terror starting December 21. Those who touch them or get swatted by their switches should consider themselves fortunate: they are said to bring good luck.

Mozart's city is also the birthplace of the most famous Christmas carol of all time. Many romantic legends surround the origin of "Silent Night", first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818 during Christmas Mass in Oberndorf and still spreading its unparalleled charm over 190 years later: the song has been translated into 170 different languages. The birthplace of the song's lyricist, Joseph Mohr, can be seen on a walk through the historic Steingasse.The wealth of cultural events offered during the

Advent season also contributes to making Salzburg so romantic: Advent Singing at the Large Festival Hall, Tobi Reiser Advent Singing and festive concerts at the churches, at Mirabell Palace or Hohensalzburg Fortress lend such a wonderful sound to the pre-Christmas season. www.salzburg.info Search for advent christmas markets

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | City Special Salzburg

Left: Hotel Villa Carlton

Where Warhol and Marilyn meet Mozart Right in the city centre, the hotel Villa Carlton is ideally located for exploring Salzburg´s cultural heritage (Austria´s UNESCO heritage protected city) and Mozart´s birth place. The hotel`s core values are individuality, tradition and innovation.

TEXT: JESSICA POMMER | PHOTOS: VILLA CARLTON

Salzburg´s well preserved architecture and its ties to famous composer Mozart attract many visitors. Surrounded by classical beauty, the Hotel Villa Carlton in Salzburg wants to offer its guests a modern and elegant ambience to make the best of their city visit. It is a boutique hotel, which means that it is an upscale, family-run hotel.

and is set up with lots of love in the detail.

So on the Pop-Art floor the portraits of Andy Warhol or Marilyn Monroe are ornaments to the room.“One of our main features is individuality.This encompasses also our service: each guest is treated with special attention,” explains hotelier Ana Sunshine Sigl. The traditional edifice and the

The hotelVilla Carlton is situated in a mansion house that was originally constructed in 1890 by famous Salzburg architect Jakob Cecconi. In 2011 it was completely renovated. Inside the building, guests can choose between 39 individually furnished rooms, of which 10 are suites. A stroll through the different floors appears like a walk through a design exhibition.The room design on each floor follows a specific theme: Cottage, Elegant,Traditional or PopArt. Yet, each room has its own character

Anna Sunshine Sigl

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innovative interior blend into a harmonious symbiosis.

Visitors can start their day with a comprehensive breakfast buffet in the hotel. In summer guests may relax on the café-terrace. The multilingual staff assist with visits to cultural sites and events. The trip schedule can also be defined in advance as the Hotel Villa Carlton provides multiple booking packages. For example, the Mozart Package comprises two nights in a doubleroom, breakfast, a welcome drink, a Mozart concert with dinner afterwards in one of the famous cultural venues such as the Hohensalzburg fortress, a Mozart city tour and a Mozart CD as farewell gift. Thus guests can combine tradition with innovation. www.villa-carlton.at

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Special Theme | City Special Salzburg

Original Salzburger Mozartkugeln

A truly great composition In 1890 confectioner Paul Fürst invented the one and only original Mozartkugel.

Since then, every single one of the world-famous precious pralines, named after the great composer, has been skilfully hand-made in the family-owned business that was established in 1884.

TEXT: TINA AWTANI | PHOTOS: CAFÉ FÜRST

2.75 million Mozartkugeln are produced per year following the original recipe, which won the creator the Gold medal at the World Exhibition Paris in 1905. The“Original Salzburger Mozartkugel“ became an Austrian confectionary icon that gained a worldwide reputation. Freshly made without artificial preservatives, the Mozartkugel is made of scrumptious pistachio marzipan coated in rich nougat.

Martin Fürst is running the family business in the fifth generation together with his father Norbert and both agree:“It makes us incredibly proud, that this world-famous

product was born in our house and that it still is created following the original recipe.”

And just this authenticity is what customers do appreciate.“A speciality that can only be found regionally is naturally highly popular amongst visitors, especially in a time when all the pedestrian zones look more and more alike,” Martin Fürst explains. The Mozartkugel has become a symbol of the city for visitors.“Most of them associate the Mozartkugel with Salzburg, many visitors have already heard about ‘the originals’ from guided city tours, guide books or just by word of mouth. People are very interested and of course many of them take the Mozartkugel home to present it to their friends and family as a truly unique gift.”

The original Mozartkugel is only available in the four Fürst retail premises across town and via mail order during the winter months. Hitting the big supermarket shelves is out of the question as this would require making the delicate product suitable for the mass market.“As long as it is possible we want to sell the original Salzburger Mozartkugel only in our own stores, so it can be produced after the original recipe,”Martin Fürst vows.

Mozartkugeln aside, the long established Café Fürst offers a tasty selection of fine home-made pralines and truffles as well as local cake and confectionary delicacies. www.original-mozartkugel.com Left: Martin Fürst Right: Back in 1905

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | City Special Salzburg

Experiencing beer differently at Stiegl Erlebniswelten Europe´s largest beer museum has more to offer than meets the eye. The Stiegl brewery, which produces one of Austria’s most favourite beers, is dedicated to consistent quality, a wide range of great tasting products, and to perfecting the art of brewing.

TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: STIEGL BRAUWELT

The cultural heritage of Stiegl’s brewery is immense. As the largest privately owned brewery in Austria, Stiegl truly represents Salzburg’s hospitality and the city’s commitment to offer a unique tourism experience.

Today, the brewery offers a variety of special events, renowned gastronomy and ‘Brauwelt’, a new attraction with hands-on brewery and tasting options. The museum displays the art of brewing, the history of the beloved barley beverage, and 500 years of brewing tradition; all are presented in an exciting yet traditional style.“We have been brewing beer here at our own brewery in Salzburg since 1492, always using the best spring water from the local Untersberg Mountain,”says the Stiegl brewery.

As visitors step into the brewing cellar and museum, they immerse themselves into a

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world that stimulates all the senses. Here, it becomes obvious why brewing beer is considered an ‘art’, since brewers have to find a fine balance between raw ingredients, the brewing processes and bottling. Most brewery tours and visits to the museum end with a stop at the rustic restaurant attached to the Stiegl Brauwelt. Offering seasonal specialities, the menu comprises hearty Austrian favourites, modern dishes, and exclusive compositions and daily dinner suggestions by the chef.

Of course, the beer at the restaurant flows like liquid gold, and Stiegl also offer a special beer of the month. Up to ten different Stiegl beers are available for tasting in the completely renovated fermentation cellar from 1863. Favourite events include: O’Zapft is! Tapping the beer barrel, informal beer gatherings, and a brewing taster.

A brewery tour for individuals or larger groups can be arranged, and group tours are offered in German, English, and Italian.

At the large museum shop, visitors can purchase memorabilia, collector’s items and delicious beer and delicacies. www.brauwelt.at

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | City Special Salzburg

Café Tomaselli A Salzburg gem TEXT: ELISABETH DOEHNE | PHOTOS: CAFÉ TOMASELLI

This renowned jewel in the heart of Salzburg´s historic town combines elegant coffee house culture with tradition, baked delicacies, and joie de vivre.

Since 1705, the Tomaselli family has been operating the café and for over 300 years its ‘way of life’has contributed to Salzburg´s culture. Coffee specialities, exquisite cream cakes, such as the famous Sachertorte, pastries, chocolates, ice cream, small snacks and drinks, and selected Austrian wines and local beers are served.

It is a place to see – and to be seen, especially during the Salzburg Festival each year, when guests gather before performances to toast to a night of cultural grandeur. As a matter of fact, the café has always attracted intellectuals, musicians, and the cultural and political elites. Even Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, famous son of the city, is

said to have enjoyed his cream coffee here.

Guests can sit and enjoy the classical ambiance, either inside or on the spacious terrace, and find space and time to reflect, and muse over life´s concerns or engage in vivid discussions. Daily papers are provided, and excellent and attentive service complements the sophisticated wooden interior and fine décor.

The bakery only uses the freshest, regional ingredients, and organic eggs, to prepare delicacies such as home-made Austrian puff pastries, a wide range of gateaux, nut buns and nut croissants on a daily basis.

The Café is open all week with varying hours and serves breakfast, lunch, snacks, cakes and desserts, wines and beers. www.tomaselli.at office@tomaselli.at

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Christmas

Special Theme

Christmas

A dazzling Christmas display Welcome to soft lights, candle-lit lanterns and tree torches. Breathe in air that is filled with the fragrances of exotic spices and sweet gingerbread. Lovingly decorated stands invite you for a stroll. Peaceful music makes you contemplate this wonderful time of advent. Christmas markets, such as the world-famous Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg, are a romantic experience in Franconia.

Above and below: Christkindlesmarkt. Nürnberg. © FrankenTourismus / Nürnberg / Hub

TEXT & PHOTOS: TOURIST BOARD OF FRANCONIA

Franconia offers cultural diversity and historical heritage.The combination of the two guarantees a sensual and exciting experience for all. There are shiny castles inside towns, majestic medieval fortresses overlooking valleys, and the absolute highlights are the UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Bamberg’s old city, the Margravial Opera

House in Bayreuth and the Residenz Castle in Würzburg. Another World Heritage Site is the Limes, the ancient Roman wall that is a testament to Franconia’s importance in ancient times. Today, the historical buildings may serve as the backdrop for world-class concerts, the most famous example of which is the Wagner Festival at

Bayreuth. Aside from Richard Wagner, other world-famous Franconians include Albrecht Dürer and Balthasar Neumann. But it is not just the art, the masterpieces, or the museums and architecture that make up Franconia’s incredible cultural heritage. Just as importantly, the local heritage is kept alive through the celebration of historical festivals. The local “CulTour Trail Franconia” is a great way to experience Franconia’s history first hand, from the Middle Ages to the glory of the free cities, all the way to its industrial monuments.

Isn’t this the perfect backdrop for getting into the festive spirit this winter! www.frankentourismus.com

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Christmas

Hotel

of the Month Germany

Top class hospitality blends tradition and modernity Nürnberg’s Hotel Victoria is located in a landmark building in the old city centre.

Built in 1896 the sandstone walls and an impressive entrance are proof of Nuernberg's traditional architectural style while inside guests will discover a hundred year tradition of excellence in hospitality.

TEXT: JULIEN RATH | PHOTOS: HOTEL VICTORIA NÜRNBERG

Yet don’t let yourself get fooled by the historical building. In fact, the hotel successfully combines tradition and modernity into the best experience you can find in the Bavarian city.“Year on year the owner family invests in the hotel to always move with the times, but keep tradition a central part of the hotel’s ethos,”says manager Sabine Powels, who is also the great granddaughter of the original founder Joseph Schuler.

The quality of service in the hotel is reflected in the reviews its guests have left behind. It’s reached second place in tripadvisor’s hotel rankings and is top of the list on holidaycheck.com. Its international team helps guests from all over the world to truly experience what Nürnberg is all about.“We truly love Nürnberg and we try to transfer

that over to all of our guests,”says Powels.

“Guests who come here don’t just get a room, we try to give them an experience.”

The hotel has its own website where hotel employees have created a guide to the city, posting their favourite spots in town and suggesting walks to take. Powels is only satisfied when the guest is and that includes not just the stay in the hotel but also the whole experience. Echoing this, the Hotel Victoria is also one of the founding members of the private hotel organisation Private City Hotels, an association of private hotels seeking to provide the best possible service to its customers.

six categories of which one highlight is the Tradition & Modernity option, which gives guests a view of the Königstorturm and of the historical court of craftsmen. The KreativSchub rooms are perfectly equipped for all multimedia creatives, while the KulturGenuss offers guests a direct view into the art and design museum of Nürnberg.

As it is, every year Nürnberg is set to be one of the most popular German cities for Christmas and the Hotel Victoria is sure to enrich your holiday stay even more. www.hotelvictoria.de www.private-city-hotels.com www.nuernberg-fuer-entdecker.de

Guests may choose between different room options. Out of the 62 total rooms there are

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Christmas

Online Sock Retailer VONDENSOCKEN.com

Sweeping customers off their feet Founded in 2011 in Vienna, VONDENSOCKEN.com is not just another online shop.

It reinvents the tedious task of buying socks by turning it into an experience that is fun, quick and easy.

TEXT: JULIKA HUETHER | PHOTOS: VONDENSOCKEN.COM

“The reason I decided to sell socks,” explains founder Clara Haffner,“is simply because they lend themselves to be sold online. Everybody needs them, will need them time and time again, they fit everybody, no one returns them and the stock investment is low.” Having done business with many online shops during her time as an IT service entrepreneur, Haffner was looking to set up an online shop that was easy to manage alongside caring for her three children.

Customers are drawn to the online shop not only because it uses innovative services and offers quality products, but because it is fun.“Buying socks is not exactly the definition of a great shopping experience,” says Haffner.“Our website makes buying socks an enjoyable task.VONDENSOCKEN.com is easy to use, clearly laid out, well-assorted and everybody can find their favourite socks and have them delivered in attractive packaging.”

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The products on offer are classic dark socks from quality brands such as Falke, Camano and Tommy Hilfiger. Also in stock are trendy, bright coloured product lines from Spanish sock label Naïve, adding unicoloured and striped socks to the mix.

VONDENSOCKEN.com has even come up with their own line of black socks, which feature cuffs coloured on the inside to enable households with several people to distinguish their socks.

So what does the future hold for VONDENSOCKEN.com? “We constantly expand our range of products, reacting to the feedback we receive from customers,”says Haffner. “We have concentrated on the Austrian and German markets so far, but sooner or later British customers will get swept off their feet as well.” www.VONDENSOCKEN.com Below: Clara Haffner

What makes the online shop special is the range of services it offers, such as styling tips, exclusive packaging and the“sock subscription”, where customers will automatically receive new socks at pre-determined intervals. Apart from offering a small but high quality choice of socks at fair prices, the website is user friendly and the service quick. Customers can even order socks by sending a text.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Christmas

Above: Fine art from the Erzgebirge region

Hubrig folk art handcrafts wooden figurines

From Christmas angels to illuminated miners Hubrig folk art – that is the realm of flowers, of lampion children and German incense smokers, of little rabbits, star children and winter children. The miniature turned-wood figures are handmade and produced in Zschorlau/Erzgebirge – a region famous for its handcrafted goods.

TEXT: JESSICA HOLZHAUSEN | PHOTOS: HUBRIG VOLKSKUNST

Zschorlau in Saxony is the home of Thomas Hubrig; for nearly 25 years he and his artisans have produced such handicrafts as music boxes, candle arches, candle pyramids, angels and little wooden children.

Below: Original Hubrig miniature figures

These detailed ornaments from the Erzgebirge region are well known all over the world for their quality and beauty; each figure is conceptualised and designed to give it an individual allure. All wooden figures are colourfully painted.

One of the newest figures is a 53 centimetre high, electrically illuminated miner, called the miner of light.

The miner is clad in a traditional uniform and holds a little lighted arch above his head. Like the more traditional candle arches he can find the right place on a sideboard or a windowsill.

The famous candle arches are sold without decoration so that the new owner can later decorate them, according to his or her wishes, with figurines from the winter children collection – some smaller and some bigger scenes. The candle arches are electrically illuminated and have a size of 75 or 95 centimetres.

The Erzgebirge is famous for producing German incense smokers as well, little bearded smoking men whose pipes radiate aromatic smells. Incense smokers are new in Hubrig’s assortment. Especially in winter and during the Christmas season the smell of mulled wine, gingerbread or roast apple puts people in the right mood for the season’s celebrations.

All figurines and arches are manufactured from wood harvested in local forests and later crafted according to a tradition hundreds of years old. For many people the figurines today are a remembrance of their childhood season’s celebrations, a part of the magic called Christmas.

All Hubrig folk art articles can be bought in specialist shops. More information about the complete assortment and where to buy the figurines can be found on the artisan’s website: www.hubrig-volkskunst.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Christmas

Enchanted wonderland A Medieval old town, narrow alleyways, and the most welcoming crowd – Rothenburg in the Franconia region of Bavaria is a magic place, where winter dreams come true.

Top, main image: Plönlein Below: Rothenburg

TEXT: LEONIE PUSCHER | PHOTOS: PRESS IMAGES

When the smell of star anise and cinnamon illuminates your senses, you know you have come to the right place. The typical Franconian white mulled wine will keep you warm while wandering around the stalls of one of Germany’s most beautiful Christmas markets. The stunning scenery hosts a variety of stalls full of traditional baked goods and handcrafted treasures. This is the perfect place for a chilly December evening, wrapped up, surrounded by every-

thing you could wish for during this special time of the year.

For 500 years, people from all over have come to this charming small town to experience the unique atmosphere of this historic event. Historic, however, is not just the market itself. The old town of Rothenburg with its beautiful, traditional town walls, towers, and arches dates back to the early 13th century. The warm feel of the stunningly lit townhouses, combined with the underlining soundtrack of traditional Christmas songs creates a unique atmosphere that sets your mood right in tune with Christmas.

Rothenburg is not just worth visiting over the festive holidays.The small town with its 11,300 residents will charm you all year around. If you need a special occasion, however, then February will be THE month

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for a romantic treat. Love cupid Gabriel could be thought to have designed the programme himself. Whether it’s a cooking class for couples, polishing your wedding rings with a professional goldsmith, or a cozy curricle ride including blankets and picnic baskets – love will be all around the beautiful town on the river Tauber.

Apart from the many more attractions that can be booked, a simple stroll around town is worth the visit! The former market place “Plönlein”will make you wonder whether you’re in a storybook. The little square surrounded by unique houses is said to be one of the most photographed places in Germany. This small town is full of surprises; careful though – it might charm you into extending your holiday. www.tourismus.rothenburg.de

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Christmas

Baden-Baden A romantic winter fairytale Situated in the foothills of the Black Forest, the Christmas Market Baden-Baden in front of the illuminated “Kurhaus” invites visitors from all over the world to a romantic winter fairytale from November 25 to December 30, 2013.

TEXT: JESSICA POMMER | PHOTOS: BADEN-BADEN KUR & TOURISMUS GMBH

Christmas time is approaching and the wintry season is pleasantly transforming into a season of lights. Numerous romantic little stalls surrounded by aromas of roasted almonds, gingerbread and the traditional hot mulled wine seduce to drift in a festive atmosphere. Visitors can expect exclusive Christmas arts and crafts offered in the over 100 stalls, in the elegant boutiques in the Kurhaus Colonnades as well as in the exclusive shops in the historic Old Town. Every day visitors enjoy attractive daily festive live shows performed on the “Himmelsbühne”(sky stage) in front of the famous “Kurhaus” Baden-Baden. Another highlight of the Baden-Baden Christmas market is the life-size manger with living sheep and donkeys that are surrounded by lots of hay. The splendiferous illustrated "fairy tale route" tells a German Christmas

story to inspire young and old. Another optical highlight is the illuminated, most beautiful church windows. The fancifully tinted oversized windows are painted by school classes in Baden-Baden. Every day they will be back-lighted at twilight that adds to the romantic ambience of the Christkindelsmarkt. On December 6th, St. Nicholas will float in a hot-air balloon to the Baden-Baden Christmas market to delight the young visitors with lots of little Christmas presents.

Furthermore, children can enjoy the children’s bakery where they are shown how to make Christmas cookies. Also, they can send their Christmas wishes to Father Christmas by dropping their letters into the “sky mail box”. Every Monday, the Christmas market turns into romantic

scenery with candles and additional decoration for the “Romantic days”. “Family Days”are on Wednesdays where the Christmas market offers special attractions for the whole family.

From 22 November the ice skating rink opens its doors for all enthusiastic ice skaters.

The Baden-Baden Christkindelsmarkt takes place from 25 November to 30 December 2013. It is open every day from 11 am to 9pm. www.baden-baden.de/en/events/christmasmarket-baden-baden

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Attraction of the Month

Montreux Noël

Switzerland

The spirit of Christmas perfectly captured Montreux Noël, on the shores of Lake Geneva, one of Switzerland’s most enticing Christmas Markets, has blossomed into one of the grandest of Europe’s pre-Christmas treats. Switzerland is rarely the first destination you would consider for a Christmas market. The wooden shacks and Glühwein stalls of Germany and Austria are often the more typical destinations, but the small town of Montreux is breaking the mould.

TEXT: EMMIE COLLINGE | PHOTOS: MONTREUX NOËL Below: Montreux

The town is ideally located on the far western tip of Lake Geneva, 90km from Geneva and 30km from Lausanne. Its location means Montreux rarely has heavy snowfall, boasting its own micro-climate where the lake temperature seldom falls below 12°C, even in the depths of winter. The valley may be mild but, Montreux Noël cofounder Yves Cornaro, insists:“The mountains behind the town will be glistening with snow from November to early spring.

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The arrival of the snow marks a transformation in the landscape.”

Montreux Noël, now in its 19th year, has five unique venues, each one offering a new take on the festive period. With this array of different events, Montreux Noël really does offer something for everyone. This small town has a Christmas spirit that extends right up to the crest of the mountain, where Santa’s workshop is perched at 2,042m.

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Discover Germany | Special Theme | Christmas Left, main image: Maison aux Rochers-de-Naye Below: Caux Village Enchanted Forest Bottom: Medieval atmosphere at Chateau de Chillon

A medieval château, Santa’s grotto and Caux village One unique venue for festivities is the Château de Chillon, 3km away, where the clattering of jousting knights echoes around the grounds of the preserved fortress.Visitors have the chance to learn about the ancient history of the Vaud Riviera, when the 17th century Chateau opens its gates for three weekends during December, offering a glimpse into the festive spirit of medieval times.

For Cornaro however, the real highlight of Montreux Noël is the “added bonus” of a daytrip excursion journey up the rack and pinion railway to the 2,042m summit of Rochers-de-Naye where Santa Claus waits in his grotto. “A glimpse out of the window during the 55-minute journey on the mountain railway offers passengers stunning views around Montreux,” Cornaro says.“This adds a different dimension to our Christmas market. Up there the children can really get into the Christmas spirit exploring the House of Santa Claus.”

Meanwhile a short ride down the mountain, the village of Caux is transformed into Santa’sVillage. It is the perfect escape from the crowds, with children wanting to enjoy their own festive fun in the decorated forest and look for Rudolph as reindeer roam through the trees.

Montreux Noël takes place between November 22 until Christmas Eve and mirrors its summer Jazz Festival, the trumpets and saxophones of July swapped for choirs and sleighbells.

Lakeshore pleasures and the Lumberjack Village Back in Montreux, the stress of present buying can be pleasantly avoided by perusing the market, sipping on warm Glühwein (mulled wine). The lakeshore is adorned with 150 festive wooden huts, each one a handpicked stall. ”We have many requests from stallholders but we cannot house them all,“ Cornaro explains.

“Therefore each one is assessed in order to ensure that they sell the best products in terms of quality, uniqueness and presentation. At Montreux Noël visitors will not see anything off a supermarket shelf. Providing the highest quality stalls has been our mantra since we began.

“It was local businesses who provided the impetus for Montreux Noël,” he adds.

“Known worldwide for its summer Jazz festival, Montreux had little to offer during the winter. The suggestion to hold a Christmas market to sell locally produced goods was warmly received and the Association for Montreux Noël created. Now we work year round to ensure Montreux’s market ranks with Basel and Zurich – an impressive feat considering the town’s 25,000 inhabitants.

We can’t compete on visitor numbers with Zurich but we can offer an atmosphere that is missing in the big cities.”Cornaro says this unique atmosphere is“perfectly captured”in the LumberjackVillage – a village constructed especially for the Christmas market which includes a restaurant that will house some 250 diners over two levels during Montreux Noël.“Montreux relies on its forests, so it is only fitting that they too play a central role in our market. This is a part of the market I am looking forward to,”Cornaro grins.

“Eating and socialising has become an integral part of the market.Your typical Christmas market is in a big city which already has a wide range of eateries. In Montreux we don’t have many restaurants – during the festival we build places in the market square where people can sit and eat.” It is this which Cornaro says really sets Montreux Noël apart from its north European competitors. “The food is typically Swiss: Raclette, Fondue, cheese, sausages, Glühwein. It makes for a great atmosphere,”he adds.“It complements the festive spirit.” www.montreuxnoel.ch Below: Beautiful lakeside setting

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Discover Germany | Culture | Barbara Geier

With or without Glühwein Maybe some regular readers remember that in my September column about the Oktoberfest I made the shocking confession to not liking beer, despite being German. Today, I’m afraid, it gets even worse since I’m about to reveal that I also don’t like another German favourite – Glühwein. Same as with beer: simply can’t stand the taste. Which seems to be beyond the comprehension of my fellow countrymen. You have no idea how many times I’ve looked into very shocked faces when opting out of the mulled wine order: “How can you not like it?” Well, easy, I simply don’t.

TEXT: BARBARA GEIER

However – and as with every German – one thing I very much like is going to the Christmas market. It’s simply one of the best things in the run-up to Christmas and no matter how much they’ve been trying to re-create them here in London over the past few years, I’m afraid nothing beats home when it comes to standing around in the cold on a winter evening with a hot drink in one hand (whatever it may be) and something to eat in the other. For me, a Christmas market is only really a Christmas market in Germany. Full stop.

By the way, food. I might not be one for mulled wine but I certainly make full use of the culinary delights on offer. For me, Christmas market means the unbeatable combination of Bratwurst first, followed by a crêpe with chocolate (you know, Nutella, that type of thing) second. The sausage is preferably a so-called Thüringer, my favourite, and after this full-on assault my stomach might feel a bit queasy but that’s part of the Christmas market experience.

Most international visitors head for the famous big markets in Nuremberg, Munich,

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Frankfurt or Dresden. Many cities now also have not just one but numerous markets such as Cologne, Dusseldorf, Hamburg or Berlin. I have been to many of those, and the backdrop of historic houses and old market squares makes many of them stunning locations. At the same time, I’ve got to admit it’s not always about which Christmas market is the most beautiful. For me, for example, going back home for Christmas is always related to spending an evening on a not particularly picturesque but yet still great Christmas market on the Kapuzinerplanken in Mannheim. It’s a small market behind the city’s main pedestrian shopping street, called Planken, with just a couple of rows of stalls selling food, drinks and handicraft. The surrounding may not be particularly picturesque, but the atmosphere is simply Christmas market at its best: it’s THE place to be and meet after work or having been shopping, for a chat with friends and a bit of socialising before going home. It’s always packed, and you’re standing shoulder to shoulder with your neighbour. Or in a nutshell: it’s what Christmas markets should be like. With or without Glühwein.

Barbara Geier is a London-based freelance writer, translator and communications consultant. She is also the face behind ww.germanyiswunderbar.com, a German travel and tourism guide and blog that was set up together with UK travel writer Andrew Eames in 2010.

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Dieter Grundmann

Christmas Charm in Leipzig Give in to the magic of a wonderful travel motive: The opening of the famous Leipzig Christmas Market means the beginning of the enchanting Advent season in Leipzig. Unique cultural and culinary delights await the visitors. The boutiques and top-class department stores welcome Christmas gift shoppers. The historical “Old Leipzig” Christmas market on Naschmarkt square introduces above all Leipzig’s artisan and handicrafts traditions.

Abandon yourself to the sound of the trombones, the singing of St. Thomas Boys Choir, the traditional delicacies or mouth-watering Leipzig dainties: 250 stalls in the middle of the inner city turn Leipzig into one big Christmas fairytale.

from

€ 125,00

, price per person double room

,00 harge from € 35 single room surc 2013, subject to availability

Dieter Grundmann

Dirk Brzoska

Dirk Brzoska

Contact us for more information on bookings and travel packages:

t 2 nights including breakfast in one of our partner hotels t Ticket for the public guided tour through the Christmassy Leipzig t 1 traditional St. Martin’s goose for lunch or dinner at Leipzig’s historic “Thüringer Hof” restaurant t Touristmap for each room

v.-22.Dec. ival Offer valid: 26.No eks prior to arr adline: four we de n tio tra gis Re

Leipzig Tourismus und Marketing GmbH phone: +49 (0)341 7104-275 email: incoming@ltm-leipzig.de www.leipzig.travel

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