04/10/2023GERMAN LITERATURE, ART, LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

THESE ARE A FEW OF MY FAVORITE THINGS

As Planners our purpose is to help inspire ideas, innovation and connections with people, brands and culture.

I think in two different languages. When I find

myself staring at a blank slate in English, I start thinking in German.

This helps me tap into different parts of the brain

to create unexpected connections and inspire

ideas.

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Today, I will share with you the ways the German language, culture and art have inspired

me in my work. In true German style, we will have a sing along and a test.

My German Literature degree is from University of Vienna where I spent weekends at Mozart festivals and developed a thick southern German accent

(So, yeah...my accent is kind of hillbilly German).

The Germans have always had a flair for dramatic persuasion, as evidenced in this classic tale designed to rid children of the unsanitary habit of sucking their thumb.

-Heinrich Hoffman’s Struwwelpeter

In addition to gruesome children’s stories, I also love German poetry.

Everyone together now say: “Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön”

Test: the first person to name the origin of this wins the favor of the teacher and a

Mozartkugeln. Extra prize for anyone who sings.

You just told me that I am enchantingly lovely. Why… thank you!

German poetry is beautiful to me because it’s more

about stress than syllable – the interplay of the pattern dictates the

movement, so we don’t need to be told where the heartbeat of the poem is,

we can simply feel it.

German poetry was at the core of the Expressionist movement which inspired painters

seeking to express emotional

experience, moods and ideas.

Munch called this painting ‘Two Women at the

Beach,’ I call it – ‘Hey lady, there’s a

zombie behind you.’

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The zombie painting gave rise

to the ballet, Forgotten Land,

recently performed by the

Joffrey who wanted to capture the movement of

the sea as a metaphor for

constant motion; for erosion and

renewal.

In the same way music can express ideas, thoughts and feelings that are difficult to put into words, another language can be a broader toolkit for expression.

It is argued that the best philosophers are German because the language itself allows for new constructs that express new concepts.

e.g. Gemutlichkeit:(a situation that induces a cheerful mood, a sense of belonging, social acceptance, coziness and unhurry).

Exploring new ideas and concepts is part of German culture.

Stammtisch is a designated space in coffee houses set aside for regular discussion and debate of events, exploration and stress testing ideas.

The intent is to wrestle with concepts with different people to explore new ways of thinking about the world around us.

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Stammtisch is a lot like Planning – it’s exploring new ways of connecting with people, culture and brands.

These are a few of my favorite things… my inspiration sources – I ask each of us to continue exploring our inspirations, creativity and innovation.