Wilton Children Get a Taste of Germany

For an afternoon, it wasn't only the Olympics bringing Germany into Wilton.

The International Folklore and Fantasy series at The Wilton Library entertained 35 adults and children Saturday afternoon. Hannah Ziegler, a 19-year-old Wilton au pair, was the guest speaker who taught children about her native country Germany. Ziegler, who has been in the U.S. for the past year, studies U.S. Policy at Fairfield University.  Fellow German au pair Cora Jankang assisted Ziegler at the event.   

Ziegler and friend Marie Kappen, who was not able to attend the event, made traditional German snacks for the kids which included strudel filled with marmalade and chocolate, crackers with Nutella, German cake with chocolate icing and sprinkles and Kellog's Corn Flakes and chocolate. 

Once the kids were settled with their snacks it was story time.  Ziegler read The Bremen Town Musicians by Hans Wilhelm, a folk tale originally written by the Brothers Grimm. 

"It's a story my parents and grandparents read to me when I was a child," said Ziegler. 

After the story, Ziegler told the children about her life and childhood in Hamburg.  She attended the traditional kindergarten and then primary school.  At ten years of age parents in Germany have a choice what type of schooling they would like their child to pursue. 

"I went to the Gymnasium," said Ziegler.

According to The German Way & More, a Web site dedicated to the language and culture of Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the Gymnasium type of schooling is academically oriented and leads students to an Abitur or Matura diploma and then a university education. 

When Ziegler asked the young crowd what they knew about Germany, seven-year-old Wilton resident Shane Selinger posed a question.

"Are there cars made in Germany?" 

This sparked a discussion about The Autobahn. 

"It's not as big as your highways," explained Ziegler.  "It's two lanes and you can go as fast as you want and the minimum speed is 80 kilometers per hour." 

The last part of the hour was spent playing a traditional game called Topf Schlagen.  The object of the game was to find the pot with the candy hidden underneath it by banging on the floor with a wooden spoon while blindfolded.  Fellow audience members helped the young participant find the prize by giving "warm" and "cold" directions in German.

"This is a fun game!" exclaimed Selinger. 

The next International Folklore and Fantasy event will take place on March 6 when guest speaker Emma Sutherland talks about her native country England.  For registration information visit www.wiltonlibrary.org. 

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