DR. GERDA EICHBAUM SPEAKS INTERESTINGLY ABOUT GERMANY

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 10, 5 October 1937, Page 5

DR. GERDA EICHBAUM SPEAKS INTERESTINGLY ABOUT GERMANY

Dr. Gerda Eichbaum, of Woodford House, Havelock North. was a riiost interesting speaker at the meeting of the Hastings Women's Community Olub last evening, and judging from the large attendance, the members had evidently anticipated a talk well worth hearing. The evening was arranged by Miss Ze+a Wright and other members of tho evening section of the club. Large bowls of rich red rhododendrons brightened the lounge aud smaller bowls of stocks wore much admired. The programme was opened by Miss Elorence Parkinson, who gave two piano solos, " Wedding Day" '(Greig) and "To The llising Sun." These were followed by vocal solos, "Orpheus And His Lute," and "Good Morniug" (Greig), sung by Mrs A. H. Eddie, who responded to a very hearty encore with "There's a Little Brown Bird Singing." Mrs I. H. Blair accompanied her. Dr. Gerda Eichbaum was introduced to the members and welcomed by Mrs j W. A, Mackenzie, i a vice-jiresident of 1 the club, and was presented with a pretty shoulder spray. As Dr. Eichbaum cornes from Germany she chose to speak about this country and her talk was iliustrated with a variety of lantern slides, Mr H. Lovell-Smith kindly operating the lantern. "Germany is a land with a history of ovcr 1000 years", said Dr. Eichbaum in commencing her talk," aud tkere are not three or four maia centres but a very large nuinber. One of the outstanding fe'atures, however, is tho variety of the country and the cliaracter of the peoples in the north, south, east and west of Germany. These differences are f'ormed partly by history and partly by the climatical and geographical variations.'' The speaker said that she hoped to illustrate these differences with her slides, concentrating chiefiy on nature and art. She commenced her talk in the west by describing the Rhine Valley, as this was the part of the country . from which she came. Beautifui pfctures of the river with terraced vineyards on either bank were shown, followed by others of the famous castles, and where a castle stood on each side of the river, Dr. Eichbaum said that these were kilown as the "Cat and Mouse Castles." l'ictures were shown of the vineyards at close quarters, the picking of the grapes, the wine making and tasting. and'fhe speaker described tho i'airs and dance festivais which follow the work. Other pictures showed the wonderful old cities and the cathcdrals with their stone carvings in the Ithine Valley, which was a centre of great culture and art throughout the middle ages. Continuing south, the beauty in nature was described, whilo pictures of the Black Eorest with its Jbuge pine trees were shown and others of Lake Constance, the largest lake- in Germany. In this part of the country were many beautifui buildings and the Speaker described the art in these old houses with their famous carvings which charm much more from an aesthetic point of. view than they would to live in. Also in the south the Bavarian Alps were shown in severai beautifui slides, and here also the country villages with onion-shaped towers on the cfxurches, these being typically Bavarian. Dr. Eichbaum said that the people here were kind-hearted and interested in a~J and drama, even if a little more quiet and sUlky than tho people of the Rhine Valley. She said that the religion also differs and that, roughly speaking, the people in the south and west were Roman C'atholics, while those in the north aud east were protestants, so many beautifui convents could be seen in Bavaria. The speaker also drew attentiou to the facb that Gothio Churches wero always surrounded by houses to give the impression that the cathedral gyew out oi its surroundings and pointed higher to Heaven. Erom the south Dr. Eichbaum took her iisteners eastwards to Silesia, whore colonisation took place only in th© 12th and 16th centuries and therefore tho country was less cultured -'ifl meaus of communication were not quite ' as good as in the west. Rictures were shown of the huge suoav pits in tbe Giant Mountains, .where the suoav does not melt thruughouu the year, aud others were seen of Breslau, wliere Dr. Eichbqum said that i.t. was so cold that if a roorn were leit unheated for three or four hours the wao-u* Avould be frozen. The ncxt step ivas to Berlin where pictures were shoivn of Herr Hitler's house, the opefa house erected by Erederiok the Great in the 18th century, with simply classical beauty, and then his castle, later compared .with more modern buildings. Eurther north still Dr. Eichbaum spoke about the port of Bremen and pictures were sliown of the old mediaevsil buildings aud the market place, und then a rnodcrn storehouse. The iourixcy fiuislied at Hamburg, where pictures of a modern oiiice and house iliustrated tho ellieiency of modern husiues4 and architecLuro. Dr. Eichbaum was very lieartily thanked for her talk and tho only complaint made bv the members was tbat it was not half long enough. A iight supper was eujoyed beforc tbe ntniLers dispersed. Among those present were: — Mrs W. A. Mackenzie, Miss Zeta Wright, Mrs W. J White, Mrs K. E. Crompton, M"3 K Ballantyue. Mrs H. LovellSmith, Mrs J. Wilson and Miss M. Wilson, Mrs J. Wright, Mrs L. J. Harvey, Mrs Hedley Harvey, Mrs Cecil Bates, Mrs D. W. Hursthouse, Mrs E. Riley, Mrs Bird (Wellington). Mrs A. Giorgi, Mrs H. Stratton, Mrs H. Gil- . bertsou, Mrs J. B. 1'ickcring, Mr* W. ,