Visit to the Germeringer vhs German course for Ukrainian refugees

Created: 07/07/2022, 14:36

By: Claudia Becker

The German course for refugees from Ukraine takes place twice a week.

The theme this time was “Eating and Drinking”.

© Claudia Becker

Germering – When entering the course room in the Zenja multi-generation house, the scent of citrus fruits greets you.

The German course, which was launched by the adult education center at the end of April for Ukrainian refugees, conjured up a fruit salad to go with the new “Eating and Drinking” lesson.

It wasn't supposed to be a normal course day, because that day visitors were announced.

In addition to the second mayor, Manuela Kreuzmair, the head of department (office for youth, family, senior citizens, social affairs and schools) Martin Rattenberger was a guest.

After more and more refugees found their new home in Germering, it quickly became clear from the official side that there was a need for action.

Many people stayed with host families – but how do you communicate when the other person doesn’t speak either German or Ukrainian?

So a language course was needed.

Thanks to the willingness of the citizens of Germeringer to donate - the city had set up a donation account - the city was able to create a so-called preliminary course with the help of the adult education center.

This course is at the level before an integration course and is intended in particular for people who have not yet come into contact with German.

After the financing had been clarified, says Irina Moor, who is responsible for the program area for German and integration at the vhs, the search for a suitable room and a teacher began.

The artist Iryna Fedorenko (right) painted a picture for the city of Germering.

© Claudia Becker

The course instructor Julia Theobald wants to introduce her protégés to the German language in a playful way and with all their senses.

"I only speak German in the course," she says, looking at happy faces despite all the circumstances.

Because they want to learn and communicate, be it with the host family or in everyday life.

A way back to the Ukraine seems, for the moment, to be a long way off.

The Ukrainian Olha Kryshtal, for example, came to Germering with her mother-in-law and two children.

And the artist Iryna Fedorenko even had a gift for the city as a thank you for organizing the course.

She presented the deputy mayor with a self-painted picture.

Fedorenko is a highly acclaimed artist in Ukraine and was named Artist of the Year in 2020.

Manuela Kreuzmair accepted the picture on behalf of the city of Germering.

© Claudia Becker

On this day, the course participants' favorite fruit was examined more closely - and ultimately everyone was allowed to taste the result.

Theobald did not lead the course from the beginning.

She spontaneously stepped in for a colleague and will now complete the course by mid-July.

The eight participants meet twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Everyone is happy that they have the opportunity to learn the German language, even if it is not always easy to follow the lessons.

The German articles in particular cause problems for the course participants - they don't exist in Ukrainian after all.

So why is it now called “the girl” and why is the last digit mentioned first when it comes to numbers?

At school, Ukrainians study English and Russian as foreign languages.

But here, too, Theobald, who speaks fluent Russian, makes it clear that these are two completely different languages.

Quickly lumped together for the layman, however, the languages ​​have major differences and can be compared with the degree of relationship between Spanish and Portuguese.

But things are going well, of course, as in every course, there is a certain fluctuation in participants - everyone is here voluntarily - and that's why the waiting list is long, explains Theobald.

"I always give my 120 percent," says the lecturer.

After all, she is now working here with people who were torn from their lives by the war and who, without knowledge of the language, are practically unable to act.

"It's my job to convey normality to people," says Theobald, describing her work.

And the success is rewarded, according to Moor, who has already received a lot of positive feedback from the host families.

After all, the course also offers a certain structure.

And while the children are in kindergarten or at school, the adults can learn German in peace - knowing that their children are well looked after.

In a next step, the German course participants can apply for a certificate of eligibility and continue with the integration course.

Here they also meet people from other nations.

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Claudia Becker