Transcript​​

The past. Black and white photos. Stiff looking people. And important dates in a history book. Dead. Long ago. Boring. Or was it?

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Nothing could be further from the truth. The past was as colorful and cinematic, musical and moving, dreadful and wonderful as our life is today.

 

Welcome to What They Can Teach Us: The Podcast. A series of short podcasts of varying lengths providing additional context to the website “What They Can Teach Us”. You will learn what life was like in the late 1940s and early 1950s, when Barbara, Lisa, Alma and Anneliese, like so many of our parents and grandparents, immigrated from Germany to Canada.

 

They listened and danced to the pop music of their day, the mid-century equivalent to modern day's R&B and rock music.

 

[Soundtrack]

 

They left behind a food culture which was very different from Canadian food culture. Oxenmaulsalat. Spargel mit Kartoffeln und Butter. Blutwurst. Schäufele. Handkäs mit Musik.

 

They came from a country with a highly developed film industry to one that was still in its early stages.

 

[Movie dialogue in German]

 

And, of course, they were interested in fashion. Yes, people in those black and white pictures were actually wearing colorful clothes.

 

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Each podcast focuses on one specific topic. That means you can listen to the podcasts in no particular order or without having to follow a storyline.

 

These podcasts might inspire you to investigate your own family's history: where they came from and when, and what they experienced. Moving from one country and culture to another is a big adventure and often requires a lot of courage and strength.

 

Humankind has always been on the move. And the regular arrival of newcomers in our global communities opens new horizons, offers new philosophies and fresh perspectives on our familiar way of life. We experience new spices and smells, as well as new music, film, fashion and food.

 

In a nutshell, immigration enriches us culturally and makes a country and a society strong and resilient.

 

This ongoing series will add new podcasts in irregular intervals, so stay tuned for What They Can Teach Us: The Podcast. And check back regularly for new episodes.​​​​​​​

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