23.12.02022

Post photo: Lecture | © Shutterstock

carol

Erich Kaestner wrote this poem in 1927, which is still valid today. The poem first appeared in the Christmas edition of the magazine "das Tage-Buch". In 1928 Kästner included it in his first collection of poems "heart on waist" on. To date, the only thing that has changed is that those who promised for a good 100 years that the poor should be taken care of are now without ifs and buts among the rich - but has our world ever been different?

Christmas carol, dry cleaned

Tomorrow, children, there will be nothing!
Only those who have, still get a gift.
Mother gave you life.
That's enough when you think about it.
Your time will come one day.
It's not that far tomorrow.

But you mustn't be sad
Rich people like poverty.
Roast goose causes complaints
Dolls are no longer fashionable.
Tomorrow Santa Claus is Coming.
However, only next door.

Walk the streets a bit!
There's Christmas enough there.
Christianity blown from the tower,
makes the smallest children smart.
Shake head well before use!
It is also possible without a Christmas tree.

Fir green with Osram pears –
learn to whistle on it! Get proud!
Tear the boards from their foreheads,
because there's no wood in the stove!
Silent Night and Holy Night –
Don't cry if you can! But laugh!

Tomorrow, children, there will be nothing!
If you don't get anything, you get patience!
Tomorrow, children, learn for life!
It's not God's fault alone.
God's goodness reaches so far. . . 
Oh dear Christmas time!

Erich Kastner, 1927

surprise.

There have been a few positive surprises over the past few days, and I also found out that another nice lady would like to become a member of the Free Voters. But two surprises made my day more than sweet yesterday. On the one hand I received a gadget that was actually only announced for January and on the other hand I received a very densely written Christmas card. The address was correct and my last name was correct, but the rest was extremely informative and exciting, but certainly not intended for me.

And so you're always surprised just when you think you've already experienced everything.

pent-up demand

I've been reading to elementary schools for a few years. Last week for the last time this year in a third class at Dammgrundschule. And so it is not surprising for me if others are now also realizing that there is a general need to catch up at primary schools. I have already written several times here in the weblog why this is so.

In the Heilbronner Voice (December 23.12.2022, 5: XNUMX) one can now read that “vMany third-graders in the Southwest do not [achieve] the minimum standards for completing primary school - they have deficits in spelling, reading and math.' And if we continue to follow our politicians who 'give away' college degrees to please their voters — ultimately deceiving them and all of us — the consequences for our society will be catastrophic.

Yesterday I also had my last lecture for this year at the university and now I hope that I will be able to observe performance improvements in the coming year as well. In any case, I had to realize again this year that you don't get an education or a good training for free - you actually have to do something for it and usually work hard for it! But it's worth it, and not just for yourself, but ultimately for society as a whole.

That's why it still applies that education is a civic duty and not an election gift from completely irresponsible professional politicians!