Sunday, 29 May 2016

(B+) - Hermine Diwald - A Flight Accross Europe and a New Home in Vienna!

For FULL AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE - PLEASE CLICK HERE!


Cities are Stronger than People – Hermine Diwald


Some people are at peace with themselves and are strong. And, Hermine Diwald is just such a person. And, her strength and her courage came out of the end of the 2nd World War, and she was only 13.

The world had stopped fighting and life was returning to normal. But, not so for Hermine Diwald and family. Their home town of Werschetz in the Banat had become part of the newly reorganized east, and the Diwalds, just like many other German families had been driven from their homes. They had lost all their belongings and were no longer welcome. And, their lives in internment were not only hard and uncertain, but miserable, too.
But, they did have a choice. They could stay in the camp where they were and end up in Russia, or they could run! And, so it was that the Diwalds and a small group of friends stepped out one night after dark and went on their way. Day after day, night after night and kilometre after Kilometre. And, they were hungry, thirsty and tired! But, they kept going. Their flight to the west was not only hard, but dangerous as well.

And, they got through. The Diwalds successfully established themselves in Vienna and their friends went further to Germany,

But people don’t run from places, they run away from people! And, the place they have run from will always be home. And home needs keeping alive.

And now, many years later, Hermine Diwald and a small group of people are still keeping Werschetz alive in the Werschetzer Zeitung - a journal of essential reading for those who are scattered all over the world.

And, there's more. The Werschetzer Zeitung has become a tradition in its own right as well. It's not only read by those who escaped, but by their children and grandchildren, too. Thanks to Hermine Diwald and her friends, Werschetz has now become somewhere to visit. Cities are stronger than people – they stay the same – it's the people who change. And, as Hermine Diwald knows only too well, it's all a question of timing. And, be it peace time or war, one has to be strong to survive. And, this is her message, and this will always be true.


Vocabulary

courage – Mut
driven – (drive/drove/driven) - vertrieben
belongings – Hab und Gut
internment – Gefangenschaft
run - (run/ran/run) - entkommen
flight – Flucht
essential – unentbehrlich
scattered – zerstreut
escaped – (escape/escaped/escaped) - entkam
survive - überleben



Questions

How old was Hermine Diwald at the end of the war?
Where did Hermine Diwald grow up?
How was their flight to the west?
Where did the Diwalds make their new home?
How did Hermine Diwald and friends keep Werschetz alive?
Why are cities stronger than people?
What is Hermine Diwald's message?

NEW – Short stories and more!
Our Podcast – A9949
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Friday, 27 May 2016

(A) - Old Moon Eyes - Little Hilary Benson and Her Three Little Frogs - Great for kids of all ages - Maybe even YOU!

For AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE CLICK HERE



Old Moon Eyes – Little Hilary Benson

Little Hilary Benson lives in a dustbin in London. And, she has a very big secret. Her three very best friends are three nice little frogs!

A green frog called Susan, a yellow frog named Daisy, and a pink frog called Percy. Susan Frog can only speak French, Daisy Frog can only speak German, and Percy Frog can only speak Spanish.

Last year, Little Hilary Benson and her three little frogs had a very nice holiday. They flew down to Spain to lie on the beach. And then, after two very hot weeks, they came back to London to have tea with the Queen!

Good night little Hilary and good night little frogs. See you again in the summer!


Vocabulary

beach - Strand
dustbin - Mistkübel
French – französisch
flew (fly/flew/flown) – flog
frogs – Frösche
German – Deutsch
good night – Gute Nacht
holiday - Urlaub
green - Grün
lie (lie/laid/lain) – liegen
lives -(live/lived/lived) – lebt
pink - Rosa
secret – Geheimnis
speak (speak/spoke/spoken) - sprechen
yellow – Gelb



Questions

Where does Little Hilary Benson live?
What is Little Hilary Benson's secret?
What is the green frog's name?
Which language can Daisy Frog speak?
Where did Little Hilary Benson go with her frogs last summer?
Was it very hot in Spain?
What did Little Hilary Benson and her frogs do when they came back to London?
Have you had tea with the Queen?

New! Short Stories and More – Podcast A9949 on Sound cloud
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Monday, 23 May 2016

(A) - The Gulf Stream - a current that decides our weather!

 For  AUDIO/VISUAL please click HERE!

The Gulf Stream

The Gulf Stream is a powerful warm Atlantic current. It starts in the Gulf of Mexico and goes north. The Gulf Stream influences the weather of the east coast of America and the weather of the west coast of Europe.

The Gulf Stream is typically 100 kilometres wide and between 800 and 1200 metres deep. The Gulf Stream moves at about 2 metres per second.


Vocabulary
about – ungefähr
between - zwischen
coast – Küste
current – Strömung
deep - tief
east - Ost
influences – beeinflusst
moves – bewegt sich
powerful – mächtig
weather – Wetter
wide – breit




Questions

What is the Gulf Stream?
Where does the Gulf Stream start?
What does the Gulf Stream influence?
How wide is the Gulf Stream?
How deep is the Gulf Stream?
How fast is the Gulf Stream?
Where is the Atlantic Ocean?

New!
Listen to short stories and more!
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Sunday, 22 May 2016

(B+) - Arnica - Margit Felder and a cure that everyone knew!

For FULL AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE - PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Blog – Margit Felder – Arnica

Arnica used to be one of the most important parts of everyone's first-aid box. This little plant which grew in the mountains was not only perfect for most minor ailments, but good for serious things, too. But now, there are very few people who either know it or use it. Arnica, it seems, has passed into the past. But, not quite. There are exceptions. Some people still use it. And, Margit Felder, who lives in Vienna, has been using Arnica for the whole of her life, and her life goes back a very long way.
As a doctor's daughter, Margit Felder grew up in the Polish village of Zdoc before the 2nd World War. And, healing was part of her everyday life. And, in those days, there was no difference between homeopathy and school medicine; both had equal importance. And, Arnica was one of the most important medicines for doctors and hospitals.

It was totally indispensable. Arnica was not only the perfect remedy for the scratches and scrapes of everyday life, it was good for internal problems as well. Arnica was good for everything. And, when rubbed in, was an instant relief for most aches and pains.

So, where is it now? The good news is, it hasn't completely passed into the past, and it's still to found at all chemists'. And, Margit Felder and her children, and many other people, too, wouldn't be without it. So, what about you? Isn't it time that Arnica became part of your first-aid box? Think about it! It could make a difference.


Vocabulary

ache - Schmerz
ailments – Gebrechen/leiden
bruise – blauer Fleck/Bluterguß
burn – Verbrennung
essential – absolut erforderlich
exceptions – Ausnahmen
first-aid box - Erste Hilfe Kasten
hardly – kaum
indispensable – unentbehrlich
relief – Erleichterung
remedy - Heilmittel
rubbed in – ein reiben
scrapes – Kratzen
scratches - Kratzen

Questions
Where does Arnica grow?
Why is Arnica such a good medicine?
Where did Margit Felder grow up?
When did Margit Felder grow up?
What was Margit Felder's father?
Was there a difference between school and homeopathy medicine?
Is Arnica a part of your first-aid box?



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Thank You Friends!

Friends of Diarikom

Apotheke zur Kaiserkrone
Grosshandel
Mariahilfer Straße 110 A 1070 Wien
Tel: +43 (0)1 526 26 46 111
Fax: +43 (0)1 526 26 46 191
Email: ware@kaiserkrone.at

Diarikom and Lexmatica are sponsored by Mag. Karl Brieber
Wirtschaftstreuhänder – Steuerberater – Unternehmensberater

The Most Beautiful Beaches in Europe!
Mountains, rivers, lakes and much more.
Wales – Come and visit!
Aber House
Barmouth
Elisabeth Razumovsky

Diarikom.blogspot.com
Texts about people, places and surprises!

More Lexmatica Texts!


Diarikom's Podcast – A9949



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Monday, 16 May 2016

(B) - Renate Kubitza - A spoon full of honey - the best daily medicine - and - it could be good for you, too!

For full AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE - Please click HERE!



Renate Kubitza - Bees and Honey and Feeling Much Better!

Spring, for most people is the most wonderful time of the year. But, not all. For many, spring is a season of suffering. It means sneezing, sore watery eyes and general discomfort. In other words, hay fever. And, as Renate Kubitza knows very well, there is not much one can do except suffer! But now, and thanks to a tip from a friend, things have changed for the better.

All Renate had to do, she was told, was to take honey! A spoonful each morning. And, it worked. Her hay fever began to get better. But, there was just one little thing. The honey, if possible, had to be local. And, for Renate that was no problem. Finding a bee-keeper in her vicinity was easy. And, now she's a regular customer.

But, of course, honey is good for other things, too. And, number one on the list is energy. So, if you're feeling run down or just suffering from spring, go out and buy a jar of fresh honey. It has not only helped Renate, but many other people, too. So, why not put yourself next on the list. You've got nothing to lose. Make spring, once again, the best time of your year!

Vocabulary

bee-keeper - Imker
hay fever – Heuschnupfen
jar – Glas
means (mean/meant/meant) – bedeutet
tip – Hinweis
season – Jahreszeit
sneezing – Niesen
sore – inflamed – entzündet
spring – Frühling
suffer (suffer/suffered/suffered) – leiden
vicinity – Umgebung




Questions

What is your favourite season?
Why do some people hate spring?
When does Renate take her honey?
How much honey does Renate take each day?
What else is honey good for?
Where is your nearest bee-keeper?
Why do you like honey?

And - GOOD NEWS if you live in the 13th district of Vienna or nearby.  The VHS in Hietzing has its own beehives and it produces its very own excellent honey.  And, they sell it!  Google VHS Hietzing for details.

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Saturday, 14 May 2016

(B++) - Albert Gunter - A Very Hard Landing - The day a London red bus took off and flew!

Please CLICK HERE for full audio/visual page -




Albert Gunter and a Very Hard Landing

Way-homes on London red buses are for taking it easy. These stop and start trips allow time for the reading of papers, and, if sitting upstairs, the view of a London evening on its way into darkness is possibly the best in the world! But, passengers to Dulwich in South London got more than they paid for while riding home for their suppers one late afternoon a long time ago. They not only flew, but made headlines as well!

It was the 30th of December, the last working day of 1952. Albert Gunter had just steered his number 78 bus onto London's famous Tower Bridge when it happened. All of a sudden, he felt his bus going-up! The arm of the bridge on which he was driving was rising! And, it looked as though his bus was about to make history, the first London bus to fly off a bridge and sink in the Thames! But, Albert Gunter knew what to do and went into action.

Automatically, Albert Gunter dropped down in gear and put his foot on the gas. His bus needed speed and he only had seconds. The gap between the two arms of the bridge was increasing, and soon it would be too late. His bus had to fly over the gap or crash into the river. There was no other choice, there was no going back! But, Albert Gunter succeeded, and his bus took off and flew for just a few seconds, and that was enough.

And, down came the bus with a bang! And, it was loud. And, the passengers and seats were thrown about as the bus came to a stop on the other side of the bridge. And, thankfully, there were only one or two minor injuries. But, that wasn't the end of the story.

Albert Gunter was decorated for bravery by the Queen. He had saved the lives of his passenger's. And, by-the-way, that was the first ever medal that the new young Queen Elizabeth the Second was to award. A medal, not only for bravery, but also for flying a bus. And, all London joined in with its praise and its thanks, and Albert Gunter was made London's man of the year for 1952. And, that was good so. He had not only saved the lives of 63 people, he had given them a story to take home as well. The day they flew home in a bus! Have you ever flown home in a bus?

Vocabulary

all of a sudden – ganz plötzlich
as well – auch
award – (to award/awarded/awarded) – verleihen
bravery – Kühnheit
cheering – Jubeln
choice – Wahl
currents – Strömungen
decorated – (to decorate/decorated/decorated) - auszeichnen
dropped down in gear – Das Gang hinunter geschaltet
gap – Spalt/Abstand
gear – Gang
incredible – unglaublich
steered – (to steer/steered/steered) – lenken
took-off – (to take-off/took-off/taken-off) – flog-ab
way-homes - Heimreise

Questions -

What do bus trips allow time for?
Where was the 78 bus going?
In which year did this story take place?
What was the bus driver's name?
Why did the bus need speed?
Why was Albert Gunter decorated by the Queen?
Why was this a special medal for the Queen?
Have you ever flown in bus?





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Friday, 13 May 2016

Thanks to Karli Brieber, The Apotheke zur Kaiserkrone and Aber House in Wales!


Friends of Diarikom

Apotheke zur Kaiserkrone
Grosshandel
Mariahilfer Straße 110 A 1070 Wien
Tel: +43 (0)1 526 26 46 111
Fax: +43 (0)1 526 26 46 191
Email: ware@kaiserkrone.at

Diarikom and Lexmatica are sponsored by Mag. Karl Brieber
Wirtschaftstreuhänder – Steuerberater – Unternehmensberater

The Most Beautiful Beaches in Europe!
Mountains, rivers, lakes and much more.
Wales – Come and visit!
Aber House
Barmouth
Elisabeth Razumovsky

Diarikom.blogspot.com
Texts about people, places and surprises!

More Lexmatica Texts!


Diarikom's Podcast – A985



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Sunday, 8 May 2016

(B) - Christine Peschek - No more hard feelings - walking instead!

For FULL AUDIO/VISUAL PAGE - PLEASE CLICK HERE!

Christine Peschek


Bad moods belong to everyday life. All of us have them and all of us suffer. But, when Christine Peschek feels a bad mood coming on, she gets out her sticks and goes Nordic Walking. And, it helps every time.

And, Nordic Walking is not only easy, it's good fun as well. And, it's something you can do, too. And, as Christine Peschek discovered, Nordic Walking is not only good for physical fitness, it's great for good feelings, too. Bad moods and bad feelings have become a thing of the past for Christine Peschek.

And, there's more to it as well. Nordic Walking is in the fresh air and can be done any time. It's all up to you. And, as Christine Peschek found out, the more that you do it, the happier you are. And, happiness is the name of the game. And, in case you are worrying, age is no problem at all. You can go as fast or as slow as you like. But, the results will still be the same. Your bad moods will soon become a thing of the past.

And, happiness, too, is contagious! Just ask Christine! So, start walking and smiling, and everyone-else will start smiling, too. And, maybe we'll meet with our sticks! I'll be the one with the smile!


Vocabulary

as well - auch
bad mood – schleckte Laune
coming on – in Anflug
contagious – ansteckend
discovered (discover/discovered/discovered) – entdeckte
found out (find out/found out/found out) – entdeckte
physical - körperlich
sticks – Stäben



Questions

What do we all suffer from?
What does Christine Peschek do when she feels a bad mood coming on?
Why is Nordic Walking easy?
Can you be too old for Nordic Walking?
What happens to your mood when you go Nordic Walking?
Why is happiness contagious?
Why do you like sport?

New – A9949 – Podcast – Short Stories and More



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Friday, 6 May 2016

(-C) A Dickensian Stroy - Nicholas Nickleby and an Overturned Coach!

For full Audio/Visual page - please click here!

What the Dickens!
An Unknown Destination – A Dickensian Tale!

I discovered the following anecdote whilst reading Charles Dickens's novel, Nicholas
Nickleby. And, I liked it.

Nicholas Nickleby whilst on his way from London to Yorkshire was involved in an accident. The coach on which he was travelling overturned and Nicholas Nickleby, being an outside passenger, was thrown into a snow drift. He and all the other passengers survived to tell the tale, and, whilst waiting in an inn for the coach to be repaired, told each other stories. And, this was one of them.
Once upon-a-time, there was a German Baron, Baron Koeldwethout and he was a very happy man. He spent most of his time hunting, getting drunk, and generally having lots of good fun. But, one day, he started getting fed up with his life. It was too easy. And so, to cut a long story short, he got married.
But, marriage wasn't for him either. And, after 12 years he'd had enough. With a permanently miserable wife and 12 rowdy children, the baron discovered he was sorely missing his former life of revelry and drunkenness.

Things were bad. And, to add to it all, his money was spent. He was depressed. The only way out, he believed, was suicide! And so, there he was with a final pipe, a final bottle of wine, and his knife. But, he wasn't alone. For, there in the corner and waiting for him was the genius of suicide!

And, It turned out, that the genius of suicide was no happy apparition. He was in a hurry and busy. There were, after-all, many others waiting for him, too. And, the next on the list was a young man who had too much money! Upon hearing this, the Baron burst into laughter. How could someone kill himself because of too much money? Totally absurd! And then the baron started thinking!

Was where he was going better than where he was now? The ghost of suicide was, without any doubt at all, a very miserable being. And, maybe, everyone else who had committed suicide was miserable, too. And so, the Baron changed his mind, and, after getting his life back in order and becoming happy once again died many years later.

And, what about Nicholas Nickleby? He resumed his journey and became an assistant at the school which belonged to the notorious alcoholic and child hater Mr Newman Noggs. And, Nicholas Nickleby did not live happily ever after! But, to find out why, you will have to read the book! Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens.

Vocabulary and Phrases -
after-all – nach dem
apparition – Geist
boring – langweilig
bringing about – verwirklichen
coach – Kutsche
genius – Geist
get fed up – genügt davon haben
Once upon a time - es war einmal
revelry - Feiern
snow drift – Schneewirrung
sorely – sehr stark
suicide – Selbstmord
whilst/while – während

outside passenger - a passenger travelling on the outside of a coach – usually next to the driver. It was cheap and very cold in winter and Nicholas Nickleby was very poor!

Survived to tell the tale – lived to talk about it. (survive - überleben)

without any doubt – without question (ohne Zweifel)



Questions
Where was Nicholas Nickleby going when the accident happened?
How did the German baron spend his life before he got married?
Why did the German baron get married?
Why was the Baron depressed?
What did the German baron find absurd?
Why was Mr. Newman Noggs not a nice man?
Did Nicholas Nickleby have a happy life?

NEW! Podcast A9949 – Short stories and more!



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Maggy Steiner

  Maggy Steiner had a wonderful childhood.  She went to school in Vienna, and spent her summers with her uncle and aunt and her two cousins ...