PHOTOS BY WINSTON SILL/FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
United Nations Under- Secretary-General Dr. Klaus Topfer (left) chats with EU Head of Delegation Gerd Jarchow and Thalia Lyn. They were attending a reception to celebrate the German Day of Unity, hosted by the German Ambassador, and held at Bracknell Avenue, Jack's Hill, on Monday.Chester Francis-Jackson, Contributor
It's been 15 years since former West German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, through some savvy international politicking and the strength of the Deutschmark, managed to take advantage of the opportunity presented with the collapsing Soviet Union and the kind of flux that prevailed in international politics to forge a reunification of the two Germanys East and West.
Created after World War II and fostered by the Cold War, it was a symbol of angst in the minds of many a German. Kohl's efforts to attain a reunited Germany was by and large greeted as a welcome state of affairs by most Germans, particularly those in the East, as they saw the unification of the Fatherland as a positive development, allowing them to catch up with their more prosperous
relatives in the West.
On the other hand, those in the West, while welcoming reunification, viewed it with a great deal more trepidation. They feared that the cost of unification, which in their minds was really an absorption of the East, would be too
costly an acquisition, both short and long-term, and as such
would weaken the almighty Deutschmark, and their position
as Europe's super economy and economic engine.
It would appear that, some 15 years later, the chickens are coming home to roost, with most Germans now in a kind of perpetual state of angst which has led to a kind of political stalemate between the two major political parties, fighting for the right to form the next coalition government.
charming urbane diplomat
Anyway, there's a new German ambassador in town, a charming, urbane diplomat who arrived in
the island to be his country's first citizen here His Excellency Ambassador Volker Schlegel.
Since his arrival and the presentation of his credentials, Ambassador Schlegel has been a guest at a number of official soirees as he acquaints himself with the principals, personalities and issues of his new mission.
Jamaica has always enjoyed a large German expatriate population. And beyond that, there is a German community on the island's south coast, a community which was originally settled by Germans in the last century. Add this historical link to the ever-increasing co-operation between Germany and Jamaica, plus private enterprise, and this has led to an even greater influx of German nationals who now make Jamaica home. And not to mention the many Jamaicans who have studied in that country and returned home with German spouses.
The internationally celebrated Oktoberfest is a very big social calendar event here, and since unification, Unity Day. The October 3 celebration represented Ambassador Schlegel's first outing as his country's premier host, and dears, his maiden reception proved one absolutely fabulous soiree, and then some!
Hosted on the grounds of the official residence on Bracknell Avenue in Jack's Hill, the affair had Kingston and St. Andrew's leading citizenry in attendance, along with ranking members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps, as well as leading members of the German community here.
It had rained all afternoon going into the hour for the reception. And so, in preparing for the eventuality, the east lawns of the official
residence were doneup with a
giant marquee, to facilitate any downpour. It was here, at the entrance to the lawns, that Ambassador Schlegel, his Deputy Chief of Mission Mrs. Maria Friedrich-Boerger and her hubby Antoine, headed the reception line, welcoming guests to this year's unification day celebration.
piano prelude
Arriving guests were enveloped by a soothing piano prelude executed by Joel Moder of the talented Ashbourne/Moder family, that segued into classical music and interpretations performed by Jamaica Chamber Music Group, Musica Xyamaca directed by the husband and wife duo of Peter Ashbourne and Rosina Moder. They dominated the first half of the musical programme with some fabulous musical selections, to a very appreciative audience that had began gathering from as early as 6:30, despite the stipulated start time of 7:00 p.m.
The musical high point was, however, the performance of the Jamaican National Anthem by the Carifolk Singers, fresh from their gold and silver medal winning performances at the International Choir Festival, recently held in Germany. But dears, it was Belgian national Ruth Bueck, currently studying voice under the tutelage of Pauline Watson at the Edna Manley School of the Visual and Performing Arts, who had guests going, as she did a Mezzo-Soprano style number with the German National Anthem. What a performance!
Now, in between the flowing libations (some of Kingston's finest waiters and waitresses were doing the honours), the delicious nibbles and the fabulous society in muted conversational mode, The Wide Grin Jazz Quartet saw the evening through, and dears, it proved one fabulous evening too.
among those out
Among those out, were:
publishing tycoon Hon. Oliver Clarke and his wife, legal beacon Mrs. Monica Ladd; hotel
mogul Hon. John Issa and his daughter the beautiful Muna Issa; insurance industry giant Hon. Dennis Lalor; legal icon and
political power-player Chris
and Michelle Bovell; Lady Pat Golding; the serenely fabulous
celebrated artist Susan Alexander; Dean of the Diplomatic Corp, the High Commissioner of Trinidad and Tobago HE Dennis Francis; head of the EU Delegation HE Ambassador Gerd and Mrs. Mara Jarchow; Russian Ambassador HE Igor Lebedev and Olga Lebedev; Spanish Ambassador HE Jesus and Mrs. Sara Silva, Brazilian Ambassador HE Cezar and Mrs. Lidia De Souza Lima Amaral; Chilean Ambassador HE Alfanso Silva; Argentinean Ambassador HE Gonzalo and Ines Fernandez; Cuban Ambassador HE Mrs. Gisela Garcia Rivera and her husband Dorge Crespo; Colombian Ambassador HE Dr. Kent and Mrs. Cecilia Francis; Honduran Ambassador HE Matute Rivera; Deputy British High Commissioner Phil Sinkinson; Honorary Consul of Iceland Robert MacMillan; Capt. Michael Lyn and wife, Thailand's Honorary Consul General Thalia Lyn; the Honorary Consul of Switzerland Peter and Mrs. Fay Bangerter; Honorary Consul of Ecuador Clelia Baretto de Hunter; Honorary Consul of Ghana Patrick and Mrs. Marguerite Lynch; Dr. Oswald and Marigold Harding; Mrs. Beth Aub; Seya Parboosingh; Poker and Sati Chandiram; Drs. Dhiru and Laura Tanna; Charley Johnston and wife Lisa McGregor; Sameer Younis; Rev. Jim and Carolyn Parkes; Dr. Douglas and Hyacinth McDonald; Ambassador Dr. Matthew Beaubrun; Ambassador Maxine Roberts and her sibling Valerie Roberts; JAMPRO's Mrs. Pat Francis; Helga Stockert; Dr. Mary Sloper; Horace and Josephine Bogues; Gilou Bauer; Gerd and Elaine Dreyer; Tamara Hill; Capt. David McRae; Nicola Crosswell-Mair; Andrea Bickhoff-Benjamin; the fabulous Joan McDonald; Danville Davidson and wife Dr. Marjorie Vassell, and several scores more.
