Last words on the Hessentag

Oberursel and Hessentag flagsThe Hessentag finished a month ago today, and yet the official events are not quite over.

In the end, around 1.4 million people came to Oberursel to visit the Hessentag, breaking the previous record with the procession on the last day alone having almost 4,000 participants.

Next week (25th-29th July) the remaining merchandise will be sold off in the foyer of the Rathaus.

And then… something typically German happens.  A by-law called the Hessische Gemeindeordnung (HGO) contains a paragraph (§ 8a) which calls for something called a Bürgerversammlung – a citizen’s meeting.  Such a meeting is taking place in the Stadthalle in Oberursel on Monday, 8th August, 2011 at 7pm.

Both supporters and critics of the Hessentag will be given the chance to put forward their opinions of the event, although I hope they do listen to the critics more than they did at the last information evening that I attended in December 2010.

Maybe the last word has not yet been heard…

Hessentag – it’s not just for a day

June 2011 - ©Can Stock Photo Inc. / gibsonffThere is a bit of a misconception when it comes to the word “Hessentag”, not just among foreigners.  Even some German native speakers do not quite understand the term the first time they hear it.

The problem is the word “Tag”.

Ask anyone what “Tag” means in English and they will probably tell you it means “Day”.  As in “Sonntag” – Sunday, or “Tag der offenen Tür” – Open Day, or simply in “Guten Tag“..  This leads to people thinking that the Hessentag is just for one day, which of course it is not – it lasts for 10 days.

And yet there is another meaning, and that is literally “to meet” or “to sit”. [Read more…]

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