The Hofbräuhaus News

Leopold (Leo) Janecka:
Leo passed away peacefully at the age The Season for German Christmas Markets
Information Source - Deutsche Welle- DW staff (jb)
of 95 during the evening of Oct. 31
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,1787933,00.html
Leopold (Leo) Janecka
Alice Graf Traditional Christmas
shopping in Frankfurt
The Augsburg market lights
up the night
Christmas stollen, baker
Thomas Schmidt with a
Dresden specialty
st , in
the presence of his wife at the Medex
Nursing Home. Leo is survived by his During the festive season, the scent Centuries' old tradition
wife Lorraine Bigeau, step-daughter of roasted almonds and mulled wine
Virginia Armitage, and a son Helmut fill the streets of German cities as
No trip to the Christmas market is
Schmid in Köflach Austria. Leo was shoppers in mittens and gloves pour
complete without a bratwurst
predeceased by a sister Anna over handmade ornaments and other
sausage or a cup of German mulled
Klammer and his first two wives. Leo
wine, which is spiced with cinnamon
goodies at Germany's Christmas
was born in 1912 in Vienna Austria
and cloves. It is said to have
markets.
and immigrated to Canada on
originated in India, where the drink
September 15, 1953, where he
Christmas markets are a centuries- was prepared with water, alcohol,
worked for two years as personal
old tradition that connects the Advent sugar and spices. Apparently the
driver to Minister C. D.Howe at the season -- the four weeks before British then brought the recipe to
Department of Trade & Commerce. Christmas -- to the baser pleasures of Europe in the 18th century. Folklore
Then he worked for the Austrian Embassy in Ottawa from 1955 shopping. And even though has it that at the Christmas market in
to 1959. For a couple of years he owned his own Variety Store Christmas in Germany also means Nuremberg, Germany's most
on Bank Street. In 1961 to 1967 he worked for the New Zealand tinsel and lights and extended famous, someone first added red
High Commission and then from 1967 to 1977 for the US shopping hours, it is the markets that wine to the mixture and created
Embassy in Ottawa. Leo was president of the Austrian Society of set the country off from its Christian what's now known as glühwein.
Ottawa from 1970-1973. Father Schönhammer gave Leo the last neighbors.
These days, about every third stall
rights on the morning of Wednesday, October 31st. The day A typical Christmas market consists
sells the stuff.
before, Leo had just celebrated his 95th birthday! A Funeral of wooden stalls perched on a site in
Still, Christmas markets have come
Service will be held at St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church, 416 the center of the city, where people
a long way since they were first
Parkdale Ave., Ottawa, on Thursday November 15, 2007 at 10 shove past each other to buy
introduced in Germany. Dresden is
am (Tel: 613.722.3992). The HBH News on behalf of our volunteer
said to have had the first, in the 15th
Christmas decorations and stop for a
staff convey our deepest sympathy to Leo’s extended family and to the
century, and Nuremberg followed
chat over a mug of mulled wine. A
Austrian Community of Ottawa. He will be sadly missed by many close
suit in 1697. In 1820, the first
nativity scene is usually on display
friends
Christmas market was held in
and often musicians, singers and Cologne and restricted to locals who
Alice Graf:
dance clubs offer entertainment from could buy toys and food but no
Alice passed away peacefully while a central stage.
alcoholic beverages.
surrounded by loved ones in hospital at
Arnprior on Tuesday afternoon,
Long tradition
Back to the past
October 30, 2007. Alice Camille Since the 15th
Now Cologne holds a
Francoise Graf of Pakenham; formerly century, merchants
medieval Christmas
of Ottawa, at the age of 71 years. have traveled to
market where the
Beloved daughter of the late Georges Dresden to display their
salespeople wear wool
Muller and the late Suzanne Chobert. wares. To this day,
clothes and wooden
Dearly loved wife of Henri. Cherished from Nov. 24 until Dec.
shoes and pursue
mother of Eddy Graf of Ottawa, Gary 24,shoppers flock to
medieval chores like
Graf (Joanna) of Calgary, John Graf the market in the city
blacksmithing. The smell
(Nancy) and Kathy Kitagawa (Jean- center which also
of burning wood wafts
Francois Sabourin), both of Ottawa. features a Christmas
through the air, and
Dear sister of Rene Muller (Annie) of pyramid, woodcarvings
candles illuminate the
Ottawa, Pascal Muller (Marie Savard) and a stollen festival,
setting. Nothing as
of Aylmer, P.Q. and Louisanne Muller where a nearly four-ton
profane as reibekuchen
of France. Predeceased by her twin sister, Georgette heavy version of the
or potato pancakes is for
Perrinjaquet as well as 2 brothers-in-law: Louis Graf (Anita of
Switzerland) and Hans Graf (Amelie, also of Switzerland). Loved
fruit-cake-like German
sale; hungry visitors can
snack on unleavened
sister-in-law of Frieda Graf and family, Erika Rufener (Ueli) and
Christmas specialty that
bread freshly baked in
family, Denise Hintermann (Theo) and family. Also survived by
Dresden is famous for
ovens heated with wood.
13 grandchildren. Friends may join us for visitation at the Pilon will be dished up.
Nor is glühwein available.
Family Funeral & Chapel, 50 John Street North, Arnprior on Cologne has six
Instead, thirsty souls
Thursday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. A Service to celebrate the Christmas markets, one
drink mead.
life of Alice Graf will be conducted in St. Andrew's United Church, of which is situated next
S ince Christmas
Pakenham on Friday morning, November 2nd at 11 o'clock. Rev. to the city's gothic
markets didn't exist
David Illman-White officiating. For those wishing, a donation cathedral. The
during medieval times,
made to the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated by cathedral's towers,
one of the organizers
the Graf families. Condolences/Tributes/Donations reaching some 150
drew a tenuous link to
www.pilonfamily.ca
meters (490-feet) into
the markets held long
The HBH News on behalf of our volunteer staff, convey our deepest the winter sky, make
ago. "The emphasis is
sympathy to the Graf’s extended family, and to the Ottawa Swiss the giant Christmas tree
on a market where there
Community.
in the middle of the
is peace and quiet as
setting appear quite
opposed to the other
small.
Christmas markets
THE AUSTRIAN SOCIETY of OTTAWA
In the four weeks of
where the turbulences of
You can join us, if you are interested in
December during which
every-day life are
dominant," he said.
the markets are open,
Travelling to China
around 2 million people
A selection of other
we are going to China on February 29, 2008 until March 14, 2008 come to Cologne,
Christmas markets
around Germany:
(as of Oct. 30, 2007 only 8 individual places
according to Karl-Heinz
or 4 couples remain available!!!)
Merfeld of the Cologne Tourism
Dortmund (til Dec. 23) with
Beijing (Great Wall of China, Tien An Man Square, Forbidden City) Association.
300 stands of art, decorations and toys
Munich (Nov. 25 to Dec. 24) on Marienplatz
Xian (Terra Cotta Warriors)
"The Christmas market industry is Berlin (until Dec. 24) on Alexanderplatz
Chongqing (Yangtze River Cruise to the 3 Gorges:
still important … and the tourists who Nuremberg (Nov. 25 to Dec. 24) Against the
Outang, Wu and Xilong Gorge) and on to Shanghai
come here are usually really excited -- historical backdrop of the city's main market
an all inclusive $ 3,895.00 per person
above all the English and Dutch -- Rüdesheim (until Dec. 23) with 120 stands
singles pay $ 795 extra
because they aren't familiar with from 12 states in the romantic old town
these kinds of markets with the music Bremen (Nov. 24 to Dec. 23) at the town hall
Air travel: Ottawa-Vancouver-Beijing and return,
and the lights," he said. In Augsburg's Frankfurt (Nov. 23 to Dec. 22) in the central
all buses and air travel in China,
old market, once called the shopping district
Taxes, Hotels, Tips, Food are all included
Lebkuchenmarkt after the Leipzig (Nov. 24 to Dec. 22) Shopping and
only extra is the Chinese VISA costs approx 60.00 per person. gingerbread-like cookie called
concerts in nearby churches
If you are interested please call
Hamburg (until Dec. 23)
lebkuchen it sold, visitors still can find Wiesbaden (til Dec. 23) historical crafts
Roland Pirker, 613-255-3200 or 613-521-3603 numerous varieties of the baked Weimar (Nov. 25 to Dec. 22) the town hall
goods.
becomes a giant Advent calendar
4 The Hofbräuhaus News November - December 2007