our christmas at a danish folk high school erik and jonna gear plus, konolfingen, 2014
TRANSCRIPT
Our Christmas at a Danish Folk High School
Erik and JonnaGEAR Plus, Konolfingen, 2014
N.F.S. Grundtvig, 1783-1872Worldfamous – in Denmark
1831 1872
Grundtvig ideas
• A human first, then a Christian• Freedom in school, in church, in politics• School for Life – not for exams• Spirit is the power or life force, it manifests
itself through spoken words, it works only in freedom and connects always with concrete human and social life.
• Sing hymns and songs in common!
Ry Folkehøjskole (Jonna, 1965)
Krogerup Højskole (Erik, 1965)
Let’s sing! Singen wir, bitte!
Die Gedanken sind frei, wer kann sie erraten?Sie fliegen vorbei wie nächtliche Schatten.Kein Mensch kann sie wissen, kein Jäger erschießenes bleibet dabei: Die Gedanken sind frei!- A lecture in Folk High Schools begins with a song from the Folkehøjskolens Sangbog (here no. 805)
Erik and Jonnas Christmas’esThrough all years
• With family, our parents (died years ago), then siblings, nephews, nieces and their children.
• Stress about correct level of gifts and about where to go and who to disappoint?
Now in 2013
• We want the peace and contemplation of Christmas
• And the wonderful texts and music in the church
• And not alone, with other people of the same mind
• Let’s go to ……….
Løgumkloster Højskole ( & Church)
One week, short course
• 72 grown ups, Jonna and Erik were the relatively young!
• Many came every year, or for other courses during the year
• From all Denmark, two from Norway and two (Danish-speaking) from Freiburg
Morning• 07:45-08:15 Breakfast• 08:30-08:50 Morning song, teachers words
for the day and a prayer in the chapter house• 09:30-11:50 Lectures on Christmas stories, or
on Dickens, or Tolkien, or Christmas in the arts, or Christmas music through the centuries.
• 12:00-13:00 Lunch
Morning sessionsChapter house
(song and one way talk)Lecture (talk and dialogue) in the
blue octagon
Afternoons
Tours to Flensborg (Germany) Tønder (Laces)
• Walk in town (rain!)
Memorial for PoW 1914-1918 (the land was German until 1920)
Evenings
• Dinners and friends• Films• Library
• Concerts in church
Christmas Eve, small gifts for everyone
Much singing and dancing around the tree
Results?
• We experienced active calmness, and anxiety melted away• We met very friendly and very
different people• We sang and sang and sang…• We shall do it again!
Singen wir nochmal, bitte!
Und sperrt man mich ein im finsteren Kerker,das alles sind rein vergebliche Werke.Denn meine Gedanken zerreißen die Schrankenund Mauern entzwei, die Gedanken sind frei!