24 Reasons for Learning German – Curiousity

24 Reasons for Learning German - CuriousityAdvent Calendar Day 1

Welcome to this year’s Advent Calendar. This year you will be treated by 24 wonderful guest blog posts from some of my students, therefore giving you 24 reasons for learning German. I hope you’ll enjoy them.

The first post is from Alan. Thank you, Alan!

Why am I learning German? 
As a child I had to attend Chapel three times on a Sunday. As I became older it began to be tedious but I was still too young to break away and please myself. I was at that time receiving half a crown (25p) a week pocket money, subject to good behaviour and household chores. Being fond of reading I often visited second hand book shops in the City of Bath. One day I picked up a German bible on sale for half a crown. I had the idea that if I could follow Sunday bible readings in a foreign language it would make life more interesting and bearable.
Co-incidentally I became friendly with a new school friend whose name was Karl Plackmann. I was fascinated when he taught me the numbers 1 to 10 in German and the words Ja and Nein. We were told he was Swiss, but I found out in later life he was the son of a German P.o. w who opted to stay in England after 1945.
So although I lost contact with Karl and was unable to pursue my interest in German culture and language due to work and home commitments for many years, I am now able to renew my interest in a language spoken by around 100 million people. Hopefully it is a good exercise to keep my mind alive as I grow older.  
Alan

4 thoughts on “24 Reasons for Learning German – Curiousity”

  1. Thank you Alan, for telling us how you started learning German. It is fascinating to hear how just one second hand book started a lifelong interest in German. I wonder if you still have it and whether it did make Sunday School more bearable?

    Reply
  2. What a wonderful story, Alan. I love to hear German being spoken well – sadly I don’t understand very much other than film-making jargon I learned while working with a training film company based in Fulda. Perhaps I should follow your example and sign up with Angelika now!

    Reply

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