Bergfest

Bergfest is an outdoor activity during the program that recognizes and celebrates the halfway point of the Sommerkurs. We all gathered at a nearby lake around a fire for food and fellowship-- it was an entirely enjoyable evening. I mostly hung out with Joachim, one of the Betreuers--students of the university that do the heavy lifting of the program and assist the students of the Sommerkurs in various ways. I say without any exaggeration whatsoever that when Joachim speaks English it sounds remarkably like a recording of John Lennon's voice and on top of that he is quite sarcastic--I find him charming and we have had several good conversations on a variety of subjects. Additionally, on Thursday evening of last week he told me about a "stoner band" that would be playing the music of Frank Zappa in about an hour at an underground club with the name "Cafe Bohne" in town. I found it imperative not to pass up this cultural opportunity so I hurriedly walked to the city by myself. As it turned out, this was a top notch progressive rock band was from Dresden. I have not seen progressive rock music played live like that in a very long time.
Speaking of music and back to the Bergfest, I also had an interesting conversation with Stephan, the head organizer of the Sommerkurs. One day last week while I was in his office, I noticed he had a cd of the Doors "Strange Days." I asked him about his interest in the Doors and that particular record. This led to a conversation about the cultural significance of certain banned music that was spread while living in the GDR before the end of the Cold War. Stephan said that certain records retained an important place in his life because of what this music represented and represents in relation to former life under authoritarian East German rule.