27-05-2025
Well-represented German dept alumni to hold reunion
Nearly 100 former students of the University of Otago German language department will be saying "auf wiedersehen" to the department for one final time on Saturday.
The department, which was discontinued last year during Otago University's restructures, had a long history with the institution — the first recorded German-language course at the university dated back to 1875.
Former department head Dr Alyth Grant said this weekend's reunion would bring together people from all over the world.
They had at least 60 people attending the celebrations at the Otago Yacht Club's clubrooms on Saturday from 4pm, and another 30-40 participating via Zoom.
"For many of them, studying German at Otago University led to jobs in foreign affairs and Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade [Mfat].
"At present, there are at least four of our graduates working for Mfat.
"One's the consul in Los Angeles. Another is the deputy commissioner in Canberra.
"Somebody else has just come back from the New Zealand Embassy in Germany. So, the qualification of a languages degree, so often in combination with another degree, was what got them where they wanted to go in careers."
For more than 70 years, the department held a production of a German play.
Dr Grant said this was crucial for people developing connections and friendships.
"The fact that it was a small department, so they were in smaller groups and got to know all their contemporaries very well.
"Students could come and we knew them personally and they knew us well.
"I think all of that helped — we used to retain really quite a lot of students who would go on to do German honours, so they would be there for four years."
Dr Grant was able to retrieve several old posters and German play memorabilia from the Hocken Collections, while there would be an appearance by a representative from the German Embassy.
"Oh, I'm really looking forward to seeing so many people again," Dr Grant said.
"Participants will mourn the loss of German at the University on Saturday. But primarily, the reunion will be a celebration of the travails and laughter of their time in the department, and a sharing of all that German has meant in their lives since."
