text:
Translation – Irena Veisaitė
Interview by Melanie Henke
Lithuania, August 2019
Henke: My name is Melanie and I am here today with Irena Veisaitė. Before presenting my interviewee, I would like to say a few words about myself. I am 26 years-old and I come from Hamburg, Germany. Since my mum is Lithuanian and my dad is German, I grew up speaking both Lithuanian and German. I studied cultural science and art history in Germany, Austria, Denmark, and Hong Kong, and right now I work as a German teacher in Lyon, France.
A few months ago, I found out about the European Archive of Voices project. In my search for a person to interview, I asked my friends here in Lithuania and a few of them mentioned Irena Veisaitė.
Thus, dear Irena Veisaitė, please correct me or add to what I am saying – you were born in a Jewish family in Kaunas on 9 January 1928. This means that you are a witness to five historical periods: the interwar period, the Soviet and Nazi occupation, the Soviet era, the restoration of Lithuanian independence, the process of European unification and the establishment of the European Union.
You are a well-known cultural and public figure in Lithuania, a scholar, literary scientist, and theatre critic. And you were a member or chairperson of some international NGOs. You are the recipient of numerous awards.
Henke:We met in your apartment close to the centre of Vilnius. First of all, I would like to talk to you about home – what does home mean to you? Where is your home?
Veisaitė: My home is in Lithuania. Home is always the place where you feel safe. Where you find it comfortable and nice to live. If you ask me about homeland, my homeland is Lithuania. You cannot choose your homeland, just like you do not choose your parents or the time when you are born. I was born in Kaunas but I have lived in Vilnius since 1943, when I was rescued by Lithuanian friends who saved me from the Holocaust.
Henke:What associations do you have with the place you grew up in? What does Kaunas mean to you?
Veisaitė: Nazi occupation, we were all deported to the ghetto. My Mother and my uncle were already killed in the first days of the war. My grandmother died in the ghetto and my grandfather was killed during the Children and Old People's Action in the beginning of 19441. I was saved, but very few Jews survived in Lithuania, so for me, in a sense, Kaunas is a city of shadows. When the war ended it would have been difficult for me to go back to Kaunas. When I escaped from the ghetto on the 7 November 1943, my friends immediately took me to Vilnius, because they were afraid somebody might recognize me in Kaunas. I looked like a Jewish girl. Vilnius was more of a multi-ethnic city. So, as of 8 November, 1943, I was living in Vilnius. But clearly, Kaunas is in my blood. I know the city, I love it. I would like Kaunas to prosper. I am very happy that it was elected to be the Capital of Culture in 2022. But I haven't lived in Kaunas since after the war.
1In spring 1944, the Germans raided Kovno ghetto in search of old people and children, they assumed had not been found yet by previous raids. They were sent to the Ninth Fort, used by the Nazis as a place of execution for Jews, captured Soviets, and others.
Henke: You mentioned that you were afraid to go back to Kaunas during your childhood. When and how did that feeling change?
Veisaitė: I felt very safe with my parents, who unfortunately got divorced in 1938, which was a big blow to me. The safety I felt in my family, at school and on the street – everywhere – that feeling of peace was sometimes disturbed because I would sometimes hear my parents talk about the impending war, or the fact that Hitler had come to power, or the anti-Semitic politics there [in Germany], and I also heard about the 'Kristallnacht'2. And of course, I was very afraid of war and I would sometimes even dream about it. I remember one dream in which I was taken to Hitler's camp, where there was a military man surrounded by tents and he told me I had to go to Hitler's tent. And then I had to sit down on his lap and call him 'Papi' ('Daddy'), but I couldn't say the word, and then I woke up, and was very happy that I didn't call him 'Papi'. You see that threat of war, that shadow was already there. And the first blow was no doubt the Soviet occupation in 1940, when we were driven out of our apartment. At that time, we were forced to leave our house and had to move into a communal apartment; our entire lifestyle had changed. But that was something I did not think of as tragic at the time. When I say 'not tragic', I mean that although we were already under the Soviet occupation, we did not feel excluded for being Jews. I did not yet sense a threatening atmosphere; we were in the same position as everybody else under the Soviet occupation and experienced the same threat as everybody when the June 1941 deportations started. I attended school and life carried on as normal. Only when the Nazis came our lives changed overnight.
Henke: Did you talk about the war with your parents and grandparents?
Veisaitė: I did not talk about it – I would mostly listen to them talk. And not so much with my grandparents as with my parents' guests.
Henke: What was your childhood dream for your future? What did you think your life was going to be like?
Veisaitė: At first, I really wanted to be a singer but I was not very musical. Afterwards, I wanted to be an actress and worked hard to get the lead roles at school. And I even told my parents that if I did not become an actress, I would kill myself. These were my childhood ambitions – which could certainly not be fulfilled. But I was always very good at learning. I wanted to learn, I was very curious, I read quite a lot and was always the top student in my class.
Henke: Is there an object or an item from your childhood that you have had all your life?
Veisaitė: No, everything was taken away. I don't have anything anymore. Afterwards, they gave me back a couple of photographs. But I had nothing. I walked out dirt-poor. Later, our maid returned a silver vase that belonged to my mother, but in reality, I have nothing.
Henke: As a child, how did you see Europe and foreign countries? Did you know about other countries?
Veisaitė: Yes, I knew about them very well. I have spoken three languages since childhood, my mother tongue Lithuanian, and Russian. Then at the age of four or five, because my lungs were damaged, I was sent to stay in a sanatorium in Arosa, German Switzerland, where I lived without my parents, and where I learned German. I forgot all the other languages and only spoke German at that time. I remember once when my uncle in Moscow gave me a Singer sewing machine for children as a special present, and the sewing machine was called швейная машина [shveynaya mashina] in Russian. I started crying and said, 'Ich will keine Schweinemaschine' ('I don't want a pig machine!'). That shows how much Russian I forgot. And later, of course, these languages come back to you. Then my parents sent me to a Yiddish gymnasium, which was pretty leftist – Šolom Aleichem School. They had very good teachers, which is why my father sent me there. All my male and female cousins were in Lithuanian schools and I was at the Yiddish gymnasium, where I learned Yiddish.
Henke: In which language do you feel most at home?
Veisaitė: Lithuanian.
Henke: Is Europe also your home?
Veisaitė: Certainly. If you ask me briefly what my identities are, I am a Jew, as long as there is at least one anti-Semite alive, I am Lithuanian because I'm from Lithuania and I follow Lithuanian culture, and I am European, undoubtedly.
Henke: Did you ever feel foreign?
Veisaitė: I have had moments. There was a Nazi period when we were completely without rights, we were ostracised and we were threatened with death every day. It is well known what the Nazi occupation meant to the Jewish people. There is no need for me to explain it. The second Soviet occupation started in summer 1944. My second mother, Ms Ladigienė, was deported to a Gulag in 1946. The NKVD [People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs, the interior ministry of the Soviet Union] tried to recruit me as their informant but I refused; they were persecuting me and I was advised by friends that it would be better for me to leave Vilnius. My father was abroad, he survived the Holocaust in Belgium as a Lithuanian citizen, since foreign passports did not indicate nationality or religion. Nobody turned him in and he survived. The fact that my father was abroad was a great sin in the eyes of the Soviets. They did not trust anybody who maintained contact with people abroad. They even persecuted their own soldiers who were prisoners of war during the Second World War.
I was admitted to Vilnius University [Lithuanian Language and Literature] and after one year of successful studies I was warned by a friend that I could be expelled from the University because of my father living abroad and my second mother's arrest. In 1948 I left for Moscow where my father's relatives lived, and eventually was admitted to complete German studies at Lomonosov University, from which I graduated in 1953.
Henke: What was the most important thing you learned at school?
Veisaitė: Everything was important. I was mostly interested in social sciences and humanities but I was also good at maths. I had many good teachers. My family and school taught me to be an honest person, to be tolerant and always seek the truth. Maybe the school gave me a sense of social engagement, encouraged social involvement. I felt that this was a very leftist, pro-Soviet school, a position which I afterwards rejected.
Henke: What did your day-to-day life at school look like?
Veisaitė: I left in the morning for classes. My parents, especially my father, taught me to be independent. I was taken there a few times, and then I had to go by myself although the school was way on the other side of town. I also had to come back from school by myself, so I became independent. At first, my lessons would end earlier, and afterwards later in the day. I completed six years of education before the war. At home we needed to do some homework, but we would also play and go to the cinema. My parents would sometimes take me to the theatre. Sometimes I would go on my own. When I went with them, we sat in better seats but on my own, I would sit in the 'Galiorka' (up in the gods) so as not to stand out from the other students from my school, some of whom had poor parents. My parents were well-off.
Henke: What is your best memory from your school? What was your most memorable day?
Veisaitė: I remember many days like that. For example, I remember very well that I so much wanted to have a little brother or sister. Since I didn't have one, I told all my friends as a secret that I had a baby brother. And then – I won't tell you all the details –this lie got exposed. It was during a school celebration to which my mother came – and everyone congratulated her [on the baby boy]. But my mum did not scold me. My mother probably understood that I wanted to have a little brother or sister very much and that is why I lied. When other kids came to visit me at my home, to congratulate me, I would put a teddy bear on my parents' bed and show it to them from afar. I also remember very well the day this got exposed.
I also remember one particular geography lesson. We had a teacher called Itikson. She was a great geography teacher, and one day she took us to a river bank at Kačerginė. And she said we had to imagine that we were in the Sahara and had to find an oasis and water. This was a very interesting lesson. We also had an amazing Lithuanian language teacher, Berevoic Brik was her last name.
Henke: What was your favourite book when you were a child?
Veisaitė: I had many favourite books. First of all, I really enjoyed Uncle Tom's Cabin. Biliūnas's short stories 'Kliudžiau' ('I hit') and 'Brisiaus galas' ('Brisius's end'). Then I really liked Robinson Crusoe because you had to demonstrate a great deal of ingenuity to stay alive when you find yourself on an uninhabited island. I was very curious about this. Then I read a lot of German girly literature. I remember there was a series called 'Nesthäkchen und ihre Puppen' ('Nesthäkchen and her dolls'). I read those books avidly. It is of course, sentimental blarney, but at that time I read it a lot and liked it.
Henke: Was it your choice what to study at university? And how did you choose?
Veisaitė: It was exclusively my choice. I've always been independent and made my own decisions. People tried to talk me into studying medicine, but I went elsewhere. I had a great teacher during my last grades, her name was Zaborskaitė. She later became a well-known professor in Lithuania. She instilled in me a love for literature and I went on to complete Lithuanian studies. As I told you, I had to leave later, but I still stayed with the humanities. I went on to do German studies.
Henke: How did you finance your studies?
Veisaitė: In the Soviet Union education was free for everybody. I only had to pass the entrance exams.
Henke: Was there a lecture at the university that changed your life?
Veisaitė: There were a lot of good lectures, but I do not recall one that changed my life.
Henke: As a student, did you ever question what you were being taught?
Veisaitė: Yes, I would argue with the teachers. During the Soviet years, for example, they taught us a great deal about Marxism, Leninism, dialectical materialism and historical materialism. I only had to pass the exam for all my knowledge to evaporate. There was so much ideology and it was not acceptable to me at all. It was probably through this that my worldview was formed: I will never accept the concept of a dictatorship of the proletariat, the idea that violence is allowed in the name of a proletarian dictatorship.
Henke: Were there moments when you were afraid of something at school or university?
Veisaitė: Of course, I was afraid. Talking about school, I was going to a forbidden school in the ghetto, and it made a big difference to me that we read Schiller's ballads. It made me realize for the rest of my life that there was no need to equate the German culture with the Nazis — that the Nazis had nothing to do with German culture, that the nationality can never be blamed for anything. We read Schiller's ballads, which talk about friendship, loyalty, love – and he was German, which made a huge difference to me. In those days, I had already understood. When I studied German culture after the war, I would tell people that German studies have nothing to do with the Nazis. Germany has a very significant humanist tradition.
Henke: Was there a moment when your education turned out to be extremely useful?
Veisaitė: Yes, there were certainly such moments. The fact that I knew languages was very important. As early as in 1968, since I had the opportunity to visit my father in the United States, I very purposefully learned English there. And the fact that I was proficient in English later allowed me to become more actively involved in the new battle for independence and nation-building.
Henke: What language did you speak at school?
Veisaitė: We spoke Yiddish at school. Not at home. I only spoke Yiddish to my grandparents when I learned it.
Henke: What does the Yiddish language mean to you?
Veisaitė: It is just like any other language. But I do not use it anymore, unfortunately. I do not have anyone to talk to and my life has gone in a different direction, but to this day I understand Yiddish. I can read and write the language, but it is all very slow. I could not tell you in Yiddish what I'm telling you right now.
Henke: What sources of knowledge other than school and university have been important in your life? Where did you get your knowledge from? Who did you learn the most from?
Veisaitė: From life, from people, from friends, from those who saved me, from everywhere – like everyone. And I read a lot.
Henke: What is the main lesson or what main values did you learn from your parents?
Veisaitė: Tolerance, respect, understanding. I am very grateful to my parents for that.
Henke: What did your parents do? What kind of education did they have?
Veisaitė: My father worked at the chief agency for the Lithuanian Lottery. They sold lottery tickets. And my mother was unemployed. She graduated with an economics degree at Handelshochschule Berlin. My dad, by the way, graduated from a Gymnasium or was about to graduate when World War I broke out in Hamburg. They both spoke German well. But my mother only started working during the Soviet era when she was divorced from my father. She had to work and she was glad to be working. But before that, she did not work.
Henke: What message or values did you pass on to your child or children?
Veisaitė: I wanted them to be good people.
Henke: How did you get your first job and what was it?
Veisaitė: My first job was when I got out of the ghetto. I worked as a cleaner, a washer. It was in a simple sanatorium, in a Kindergarten, an orphanage, on Subačius street. This was my first job. I lived there with a different last name and I had a Lithuanian passport. So I kept alive and after that I graduated from a university in Moscow and I was invited to teach European and German literature at the Pedagogical Institute. I chose to teach old Western European literature. That is, medieval renaissance, 17th and 18th centuries. I did this because it would involve less Soviet ideology, fewer lies. Because I never wanted to adjust to that. I read a lot of German literature and history and worked there for 43 years. And then when independence came, I became the chairperson of the Open Lithuania Foundation. Then I became an ombudsman at the Open Society Institute, and then I retired. But I still work. I wrote a book with Aurimas Švedas, thanks to him.
Henke: Which of your jobs are you most proud of?
Veisaitė: I am not proud at all. I am only grateful to my fate that it allowed me to live the way I did. I loved my students so much and I am really, really happy that I was able to communicate with them, with young people, and I wanted to make them feel that not all the questions in life had answers. I wanted to give them an idea that they heard a lot of lies and to give them a lesson in tolerance. And then, at the Open Lithuania Foundation, we helped with and contributed to the creation of an independent Lithuania, and since the 1990s, to the establishment of a democratic society.
Henke: Were there moments when your work was undervalued? How did you react?
Veisaitė: Oh yes, very much so, in Soviet times. I did not react in any way. There was terrible anti-Semitism in the Soviet Union. You always had to indicate your nationality everywhere, it was the so-called fifth point [on internal passports of the Soviet Union the fifth point covered whether an individual was Russian, Ukrainian, or Jewish, etc. and seen as an open invitation for harassment of Jews], and it placed a lot of restrictions on you. Obviously, not as much as during the Nazi period, but it was limiting anyway. You could not get certain jobs. For example, I taught German literature because I had links with the German Democratic Republic, but they never even let me visit the German Democratic Republic. I remember being accused by a student of taking the theatre department down the wrong path. From 1964, I worked extensively in the field of theatre and conducted theatre seminars. The student said I was directing them in the wrong way and he actually wanted to get me expelled from the university. I won't tell you the details, but it all ended with my students coming from all over Lithuania to defend me. They did it so well that I left that meeting as if leaving an anniversary party. This was one of my happiest moments and a moment of gratitude to my students who never betrayed me and understood everything I told them.
Henke: Would you choose the same profession over again if you were 20?
Veisaitė: Probably, yes.
Henke: How has your work affected your family?
Veisaitė: When I got married and my daughter was born, I was still working, and my daughter told me that I was never spending quite enough time with her even though I always did everything and really loved and still love her. I could pluck a star from the sky for her. But apparently, she did not have enough time with me because I was always working, I was always busy and I was never entirely dedicated to my family, even though family is very important to me.
Henke: What advice would you give to the younger generation working in your profession?
Veisaitė: Read a lot, be interested in everything, have your own values and stay true to yourself, never lie and never betray yourself – your values – because of fear, or for gain. You know, when people talk to their bosses at work nowadays, they tell them what they want to hear, they are afraid to say what they think. You need to know how to speak and know where and what you are saying, but in no way should you lie. Do not [try to] conform. There are a lot of polemics in Lithuania now on the subject of collaboration. I do not want to accuse or vindicate anyone, but I would like to wish everyone to be themselves.
Henke: What does your daughter do?
Veisaitė: She is also a philologist. She graduated with a degree in Slavic studies, but in England.
Henke: You studied in Moscow. What impact did that have on your work?
Veisaitė: This has greatly expanded my horizons. It is not only the capital of communism, not only the capital of Russia, but it is a huge cultural centre with wonderful people, real intellectuals and an extremely rich culture. So I learned a lot there and my horizons widened greatly.
Henke: I would like to talk briefly about political perceptions. We have already talked about how you heard your parents talk about the war. What other topics were discussed at the family table? Which politician names did you hear during your childhood?
Veisaitė: Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini. Masaryk was a perfect president, I remember. He was greatly respected. I don't know, I was not so interested in politicians back then.
Henke: Was there any politician you admired?
Veisaitė: We all loved [Antanas] Smetona [who became Lithuania's first president in 1919]3 , we called him Smetonėlė Grietinėlė. We were brought up with a spirit of patriotism in that Yiddish school, because it was a Yiddish school and Yiddish schools, unlike Zionist ones, encourage people to live their life in the country of their birth. I was very patriotic. I remember how we sang 'We won't calm down without Vilnius'. But I hated Hitler. Well, and Franco, Mussolini, the Spanish Civil War – I heard a lot about them. I only read Hemingway later, of course. Because I was only thirteen when the war started.
3Antanas Smetona (1874 – 1944), in 1919 became the first president of Lithuania and later returned to power as an authoritarian head of state for the last 13 years of his country's independence.
Henke: What was your first encounter with politics? Could you protest, were you part of a youth movement?
Veisaitė: I was a Pioneer [the Young Pioneers were a mass youth organisation of the Soviet Union for children of age 9–15]. And then, during the Nazi occupation, I was nothing. I was only trying to stay alive. There was constant fear, hunger – a desire to learn. My second mother was Stefanija Ladigienė [To avoid notice while in hiding, Irena was moved by her Lithuanian friends from home to home, eventually ending up in the home of Stefanija Paliulytė Ladigienė, where she lived until the end of the Nazi occupation (Source: http://vilniusreview.com/articles/456-in-memoriam-irena-veisaite-january-9-1928-december-11-2020)]. She was arrested and taken to the Gulag, which was terrible. My first love, Tadas Masiulis, was arrested as well, and I no longer had any illusions at that time. I had very strong anti-Soviet sentiments, humanist sentiments.
Henke: Do you have memories of trips where you cross European borders?
Veisaitė: Yes, I do. First of all, when I was five years old, I spent a year in Switzerland, and in 1938 I travelled with my father, since my parents were already divorced, and according to their agreement I could spend the summer with him. He no longer lived in Lithuania. He married in Germany, his second wife Mary, was German, and she lived in Belgium. In 1938 he took me abroad. We were in Berlin with him. He got me to sit on a yellow bench on Unter den Linden, so that I would learn what it meant to be separated and isolated from society [Jews were only allowed to sit on a few scattered benches painted yellow in public parks]. He told me that, as Lithuanian citizens, we did not have to sit there, but he wanted me to learn what it was like. We were also together in Belgium, Switzerland, and France, so I got to see Europe back then. [Note by the editor: In 1940, the Soviet Union occupied Lithuania, and Irena lost contact with her father. Her father survived the War in Belgium and emigrated to the United States. She only met him again in 1968 (Source: http://vilniusreview.com/articles/456-in-memoriam-irena-veisaite-january-9-1928-december-11-2020)]
Henke: When did you first vote?
Veisaitė: I voted for the first time during the Soviet years when I had to vote, but this left no impression on me. I remember that one could buy something in the vicinity of the polling station what was not usually available in shops or something which was in short supply. Other than that, I do not remember anything; it was a formality. And you went to vote knowing that it was just an illusion and only for show. I knew that very well.
Henke: And today – would you describe yourself as a political person? If so, what makes you a political person?
Veisaitė: I would not describe myself as a political person. I am just a cultural person. But I have to be interested in politics because it permeates our entire life and also exerts a great influence on culture.
Henke: What topics have you been particularly interested in lately?
Veisaitė: I am very interested in everything that's taking place in the world. I am particularly interested in education and theatre issues. Then, of course, I am very interested in the relationship between Jews and Lithuanians. And I have written a lot about it.
Henke: Which issue would make you go out on the street and demonstrate? Is there an issue that is particularly important to you?
Veisaitė: Yes, there is. I am against any form of nationalism, against any violence. I went to demonstrate, well, not to demonstrate, because there was no demonstration, but I protested when the mayor of Vilnius [Artūras] Zuokas ordered the demolition of houses in the Roma neighbourhood. It was winter.
Henke: How would you briefly describe Lithuania's role in world history?
Veisaitė: You should ask historians.
Henke: Do you trust European institutions and European politics?
Veisaitė: I would very much like to. I strongly believe in the idea of Europe, I strongly believe in the European Union, but unfortunately, not everything is going perfectly. There is a great deal of bureaucratic activity. However, I'm not a politician, I'm not a specialist on the subject. But I strongly support the European Union. That is how we should live. We need greater tolerance. After World War I, nationalism may have played a useful role in establishing independent states like Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and many other eastern European countries especially. But this must not overshadow the idea of European unity, the idea of peace, the idea of tolerance. And I am, of course, very, very supportive of the European Union. And I am very worried that we are facing a crisis right now — that populists, nationalists are emerging. The European Union will not take away our nationality. If anyone takes away our nationality, it will be us, if we betray our values, our language, etc.
Henke: Do you remember the first foreigner you ever met?
Veisaitė: It was the French consul in Lithuania, Monsieur Domenil. I liked him very much. He was so funny and I remember how he always made me laugh and how he placed a knife under his arm and said that he was going to fight the 'Bosh', Bosh meaning the Germans.
Henke: Have you had any experiences traveling around Europe during which you became worried or afraid?
Veisaitė: I did when I was traveling with my parents. And later, in 1968, when I was going to visit my father [after not having seen him for 30 years while in exile], I was already a responsible person. I was 40 years old. It was a very interesting trip, the event of a lifetime, as they say. I knew Western Europe, I saw what America was, what England was, what France was. It was at the time of the student protest movements. I learned and understood a lot.
Henke: Is there a country you have not yet visited but would like to?
Veisaitė: There are many countries. I have never been to, Greece, for example.
Henke: Can you name songs or movies that might define you or are important to you?
Veisaitė: When it comes to songs, I know a lot of songs in Yiddish, German, Lithuanian and Russian, I do not sing in English. I only know one French song – the one about Normandy because I only learned French later. I did not know it as a child. And I learned English even later. I used to like all of these songs of my youth. We used to sing a lot of Spanish songs when I was at university. It was popular to sing songs from various nationalities. As for movies, Italian neo-realism left a huge impression on me. Russian films, too. [Films by Russian film maker Andrei] Tarkovsky left a huge impression. There was also a film by [Georgian film director Tengiz] Abuladze, about the unmasking of Stalin and that entire period [she refers to the film 'Repetance']. And there are many other films. I like the cinema a lot. I very much admire [Ukrainian] Sergei Loznitsa, who is telling the painful truth about his country. Because, in essence, you can only break free from the past and any other guilt or remorse through the truth.
Henke: Is there any work of art or artist that has inspired you and perhaps changed your life?
Veisaitė: I have liked Van Gogh ever since childhood. I also like [Lithuanian painter Mikalojus Konstantinas] Čiurlionis very much. There are plenty of artists – Russian artists, and Western ones. I cannot name them all here.
Henke:Is Europe a political or cultural project for you?
Veisaitė: First of all, cultural. But it's also political.
Henke: Some say 'politicians destroy bridges, artists rebuild them'. Do you agree with this saying?
Veisaitė: Sometimes it's true, yes. Especially right now.
Henke: When was the first time you used a computer, phone and TV? And how has your life changed because of them?
Veisaitė: There was already a telephone in my parents' house, and there was a radio. There was no TV back then. I do not remember the year, maybe it was 1956 when television was introduced in the Soviet Union. Of course, I also bought a TV set and watched it. I only got a computer late in life, of course. I am not a member of the computer generation but I have used a computer since 1990.
Henke: I would like to ask about tradition. Which day do you celebrate the most and how do you celebrate it?
Veisaitė: Because I live in Lithuania, we mostly celebrate Christmas and Easter. During my childhood, I also celebrated Easter and Chanukah with my grandparents, but then these celebrations disappeared from my life. We also celebrate the 16th February. For me that is the main celebration of Lithuanian independence. But I also celebrate, with the rest of Lithuania, the 11th March and King Mindaugas of Lithuania's coronation day.
Henke: Let's talk briefly about humour. Do you remember any jokes that were told in your childhood or teenage years?
Veisaitė: I remember one very well, but I cannot tell you right now because it's obscene. But it is very witty. I do not like rude jokes but I like this one because, although it is a bit vulgar, it is also very witty. In Soviet times there were many Jewish jokes; Armenian radio jokes were also very popular. Jokes are always interesting. Although I cannot say that I have a great sense of humour, I really appreciate good jokes and irony as well.
Henke: Behind the Iron Curtain, how were you able to discover interesting works of art, music, movies and literature?
Veisaitė: Some things I was able to discover, some things I could not. But then I went to the United States in 1968 and saw many cultural things there. And travelling all over Europe really opened my eyes. There were three places in America where I cried. One was at the dentist's, because they used anaesthetics and the drills were much more advanced, so I was feeling sorry when thinking about how painful having dental work done in Soviet Lithuania was. Then at a shoe store, because there was such a choice of wonderful shoes and I felt sorry for myself and my family and friends who suffered from wearing uncomfortable shoes in the Soviet Union. But the main one was at the bookstore. I realized that I had been robbed, that there were so many things I didn't know. I brought back a lot of books.
Henke: How do you think your life would have been different if you had seen or heard certain books, movies or music before?
Veisaitė: You know, I cannot answer that question. There is a Jewish saying, I think: 'What if grandmother had wheels?' How can I answer such hypothetical questions? I saw and heard a lot during the Soviet years because there were screenings of Italian neo-realism and other films that were not shown to the public. My second husband was a film director. When we were invited to a special closed screening for the privileged few professionals, we would go. Thus, I had some connection to the outside world. I already learned about Kafka in the United States in 1968. I learned about a lot of things in the United States. But not about everything, of course.
Henke: Now let's talk about freedom. What does freedom mean to you?
Veisaitė: I can quote Don Quixote. When Don Quixote and Sancho Panza leave the house of the Duke and Duchess, they were well received but also mocked, of course. Perhaps they did not understand everything. Then Don Quixote tells Sancho Panza– and perhaps I am misquoting here, but the meaning is roughly the same – that freedom is the greatest gift heaven gave to men, and it is a value one should sacrifice one's life for. Meanwhile, favours, accepted from various powerful people in the world, place you under an obligation. I think this is Chapter 47, Part II. I really like Cervantes; Don Quixote is one of my favourite characters. His words about freedom are very important to me. You must be free, even in prison. And do you know what Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich says about the Gulag? It says that the protagonist felt freer in the Gulag than in Soviet society, because there he was a prisoner, but could at least say and think what he wanted.
Henke: At what point in your life did you long for freedom the most?
Veisaitė: During the Nazi era and the second occupation, the Soviet occupation.
Henke: What maintains your freedom and how do you maintain it?
Veisaitė: My values.
Henke: Was there a moment in your life when you took freedom for granted?
Veisaitė: Freedom, this is one of the greatest values. Perhaps you understand it best when you are in captivity.
Henke: Do you think freedom can only be understood when it is absent?
Veisaitė: Being in captivity helps one understand the value of freedom. Perhaps when you lose something you can appreciate it more.
Henke: Is the lack of borders synonymous with freedom for you?
Veisaitė: I would not say that it is synonymous, but it is one of the most important benefits of freedom. That needs to be appreciated.
Henke: Where do you go to think?
Veisaitė: I think everywhere.
Henke: Did you have to actively learn how to free your mind?
Veisaitė: I did not have that freedom during the Soviet years. I could not speak about my own values in public. My mind was always free. But one could not be completely outspoken in the Soviet times in order not to be sent to the Gulag.
Henke: Were you optimistic or pessimistic about your future when you were 20 years-old?
Veisaitė: I always tried hard and I was optimistic and active. I filled out a survey at school: It says that like the little Faust I wanted to know 'was die Welt zusammenhält' ('what holds the world together'). I always wanted to know the truth. I wanted to understand. I wanted to act. It was probably part of my personality.
Henke: What did your parents expect from you?
Veisaitė: I do not know. I lost my parents very early. I was 13 years-old when my mother was killed [by the Nazis]. She hoped that I would be a good person, that I would achieve something in life.
Henke: Has something that you previously thought impossible ever happened?
Veisaitė: Yes, the fact that we are free and independent. That Lithuania is free and independent.
Henke: And was there something you did not really think would happen but that nonetheless happened?
Veisaitė: Our freedom. Sąjūdis [the Reform Movement of Lithuania] and our liberation.
Henke: What hopes did you have for your country and society?
Veisaitė: I wanted it to be democratic, good and honest. I am very concerned about the fact we have thieves, that we have too many conformists, too many people influenced by Soviet political thinking. All the polemical arguments about Noreika and Skirpa6 reveal our slow stage of development. But we also have positive and serious changes.
6https://www.dw.com/en/holocaust-haunts-lithuania-as-names-are-erased-from-capitals-map/a-50020424
Henke: What were your expectations from Europe when you were young? What did you expect from Europe?
Veisaitė: We really lacked engagement with European culture. Russian culture is also very valuable, but not the Soviet kind. I was attracted by the dissident movement in the Soviet Union.
Henke: You have talked a little bit about conflicts in Europe already. Do you think these are European conflicts or national conflicts?
Veisaitė: Many of them are national conflicts.
Henke: What's the bigger threat within the European Union: internal dynamics or external dynamics?
Veisaitė: It is hard for me to say. We need politicians to answer this question. European culture is now at a great risk. We are very small compared to the rest of the world, looking at Asia, China, India, Africa. I really do not know. This is where politicians have to be creative.
Henke: What makes you proud of Europe?
Veisaitė: Our culture. Which is based on Christian values. We live in a Judeo-Christian world. They represent Europe and it is very dear to me. I am part of that culture.
Henke: Do you see Europe as a source of peace?
Veisaitė: We lived in peace for 70 years after the war. I was very disappointed by Yugoslavia when the massacres started there. I thought that after the Holocaust such things would never happen again, and yet they did happen there, and I realized that things were bad. But you can only counter this with European, Judeo-Christian values – love those close to you, love your neighbour, learn to forgive, learn to understand and respect others, do not think that you alone are right in the world, that only your truth exists to the exclusion of all others.
Henke: Do you think Europe has learned its lesson from the colonial times?
Veisaitė: It probably did. Those are questions for politicians, not me. I think it did learn, but not completely.
Henke: I would like to briefly talk about religion. What role does religion play in your life?
Veisaitė: It plays a very important role. I mean, I am an agnostic, but also, when I think about this, I am a Christian, a person belonging to Judeo-Christian civilization. I respect other beliefs as well, but not those that call for suicide. I find religion very interesting and I know too little about Buddhism, about the various Zen-based religions out there. But I live in the Judeo-Christian world and I live by its values. I do not know whether God exists. We are not destined to know that, but we should live by these values.
Henke: Do you think that Europe has Jewish and Christian roots?
Veisaitė: I do not think, I know that Christianity has dominated in Europe for over 2,000 years, but I think that not many Christians are true Christians because horrible things have happened throughout history. Catholics killed Protestants, and vice versa, religious battles occurred and the Eastern Orthodox Church broke away. Or when the Crusaders went to baptize people by shedding blood, etc. But since John Paul II's time, Christianity has changed and become really Christian. But not all members of the Church follow him. Some of them still live with hatred and intolerance. And this is well-illustrated by their relationship with Pope Francis, who is indeed a very bright person.
Henke: How do you think migration is changing the religious reality in Europe?
VeisaitėIV: This is a very difficult question. Lithuanians themselves were migrants and were admitted as migrants, but this is a big, complicated problem. I will accept any migrant. I will help them. There is not much I can do now, but emotionally, I really support them. There are great people among them. They are running from war, from death, from bigotry. But I have problems with those militant Muslims. I cannot tolerate them.
Henke: We come to the last topic – Europe in 50 years. What are your expectations or hopes for future generations in Europe?
Veisaitė: I want them to live in tolerance, love and peace, to exhibit respect for themselves and others.
Henke: How do you see your own country Lithuania and Vilnius?
Veisaitė: Vilnius is my beloved city. I believe it will continue to prosper. It is emerging as a multi-ethnic city, and it will probably remain so. There are no longer any Jews anymore, but there are Poles, there are Belarusians, there are Russians. In our world, sometimes the past plays a greater role than the present. We are ready to die for history but not for the present. I think we are in great danger, but I hope that common sense and love for one's neighbour, compassion and understanding will prevail.
Henke: What are the mistakes of the past that you fear will happen again?
Veisaitė: The Holocaust, the genocide in Rwanda. Many people were killed. And this hatred– it could arise again. Maybe they will start killing migrants. I was afraid that this hateful spirit may come again. And then there is the scope of our values. Now everyone just craves for and talks about money. Education is also largely about economics, about utility, about material concepts – not values. Look, did you choose your nationality? You did not, it was given to you. It is not through your merit that you were born in this or that family. You love your mother and father the most. But you do not think that they are the best, that there are no better women than your mother or no one more important than your father, but you love them. In the same way, I love my homeland, but I do not think we are better than everyone else.
Henke: How do you think your field, i.e. theatre, culture, German studies, will change in the future?
Veisaitė: I do not know that. There will be new forms and discoveries. There will be new ways to look at things. Everyone draws from their own experience. But I am not a futurologist.
Henke: And what would you wish?
Veisaitė: I would wish for culture to prosper. I hope that we will not think only about the material world, but rather, that we, in a broader sense, think about survival. Because now there is climate change and all these other things which are very dangerous.
Henke: In your opinion, will Europe have its own identity in the future or will we remain Lithuanians, Germans, French?
Veisaitė: We will remain what we are and also change. After all, if I do not betray myself, no one will betray me. If, for example, Lithuanians learn Lithuanian but at the same time learn English, they will only be enriched. The greatest danger lies in nationalism, in hatred, in thinking that you are the only one who is right. You know, there is a Jewish parable – where God took all the worries from all the dead spirits, put those worries in separate bags and hung them on a string. And some bags were big, others were middle-sized, others were huge. And then God told all the spirits to go to their own bag. And all of them went to the biggest bag because they thought their suffering was the greatest. You cannot compare suffering. That is immoral.
Henke: Do you think the rest of the world will change more than Europe?
Veisaitė: They are changing in front of our eyes. China is also changing. It has gained a lot of power. There are also great dangers coming out of Russia. I do not know, you keep asking me about futurology – that is not my field. But, of course, there are all kinds of fears.
Henke: How is the new generation changing Europe?
Veisaitė: I strongly believe in the new generation. I can especially relate to the Lithuanian youth. They are very interesting people in the majority of cases. They are in pursuit of true values, have cast off nationalism and many superstitions. And they really want to establish themselves. Not in the categories of the past, but in what they see to be actually happening. I strongly believe in and admire the youth. And I talk with them. Thus, my words are grounded not only in hope but in experience, Because I meet young people. They come to me and we discuss.
Henke: What do your grandchildren do? Where are they?
Veisaitė: They are in England, my grandchildren. I am very glad for them. One of them is a teacher, another one is an architect.
Henke: Thinking about my own life now, one interesting experience is that we have problems with our identity in Germany and its history but in Lithuania it seems that people are really proud to be Lithuanians. My mother, after having left Lithuania, used to bring me to Lithuanian communities from an early age. We learned Lithuanian songs and dances there, so I have a very patriotic image of Lithuania.
Veisaitė: That is good, as long as there is no hatred for others. You love your mother, but you do not think that she is the best woman in the world. She is the best one for you, the dearest one. You have no other. And that is how it should be. And to me, my mother is the dearest. But I know that there are other great women. That has to be separated. You were born into a German- Lithuanian family. That was granted to you. It is neither your fault nor your achievement. But what will you do with your life? It seems to me that you are already rich in having those two identities and cannot be a narrow-minded fanatic. And to me, Germans are an example of how one should deal with a difficult past. Under the Nazis, six million Jews were killed. In Lithuania there are 227 grave pits where the remains of completely innocent people are lying. Only because they were Jewish. One has to understand this so that it will never happen again. One has to admit that this was horrible. And the Germans did admit it. I now support myself by receiving a German 'Rente' (pension). And people come to help me because I can no longer do everything myself. They come because Germans provide the money to help those who have suffered from the Nazis. So they are trying. They cannot give me back my mother, but they are doing everything they can. And for this, I deeply respect them. And I really like it in Germany. I have many friends in Germany and I get along well with them. I love them and I love the German culture. And I do not in any way equate it with Nazism. That was anti-culture, that was horrible. But they admitted to everything, and that did not make them any less of a people. On the contrary, they are respected. If you refuse to admit to anything, that is laughable. What does it mean if you throw people into a pit? You are guilty because you had a choice. Nobody forced you to shoot. We also have to admit what happened in Lithuania. That does not humiliate us or diminish us – on the contrary. I recently read an introduction written by Segejewski – a famous Polish writer and poet – to a historical book which describes very openly and directly the pogrom that took place in Lviv [Eastern Poland/Ukraine] in 1918, where many Jews were killed. Segejewski says that the only way to do away with that past is to tell the truth. And all the while, we are still beating about the bush, and all the time it seems to us that we are humiliating ourselves. If you know a little bit about Shakespeare, think about Macbeth – he stained himself with blood. There was a revolt against him and he was punished. He is not a hero, but a tragic figure. He understood it. But one cannot make a hero out of him.
Henke: Since I work in that field, I am very curious to ask you about contemporary art and theatre. What do you think about it?
Veisaitė: It seems to me that contemporary art is partially a reflection of the current state of destruction in the world, and thus it is not my kind of art. There are things I cannot understand anymore, although I understand its essence, its energy and its beauty. And I understand what is going on in the artists' hearts. An artist can no longer make pure music like Bach or Mozart did, but there are people like Arvo Pärt – if you know this Estonian composer – who is very famous. He is a person with a strong faith. He creates incredibly pure sacred, modern music. That is very impressive. It depends on what you have inside you.
Henke: Great. Thank you very much for the interview.


A touring children's choir from Uganda has been victimized by theft in Vancouver's Gastown neighbourhood.
The crime occurred while Sawuti Choir was performing in the atrium of the Woodward's building on Saturday (April 13).
The group is from Uganda.
Somebody broke into their vehicle in a nearby parking lot and stole about $7,500 in donations from a previous concert, as well as an iPad and two laptop computers.
"We are heartbroken but not discouraged," the choir states on its website. "We are continuing our journey through Canada, ministering to cities and communities."
There's a link to its Canadian sponsor's donation page for anyone who wishes to contribute to the Sawuti Choir.


text:
Falling Moon or variation, may refer to:

 Moonset, the setting (falling) of the moon, analogue of sunset
 "Falling Moon" (song), a 2011 song by Ulala Session off the album Superstar K 3
 "The Falling Moon" (story), a 1966 comics storyline from the comic book The Trigan Empire
 "Falling Moon" (story), a 1962 comics storyline from Flash Gordon; see List of Flash Gordon comic strips
 , a fictional element from Shuriken Sentai Ninninger; see List of Shuriken Sentai Ninninger characters

See also

 Moonfall (disambiguation)
 Fallen Moon (disambiguation)
 Falling (disambiguation)
 Moon (disambiguation)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Decolonization is a globally relevant redress of local customs and practices that have remained altered since the times of historic colonial expansion. In South Africa, education forms one such set of customs and practices and the built environment another. Educators in the field of built environments share a responsibility to challenge the accepted norms under colonial systems and find ways in which to facilitate the creation of built environments that reflect the needs and aspirations of their society. Seepe (2004, pp. 160-174) urges us to rethink curriculum functioning, and attitude in the context of African traditions, conscientiously instilling relevance in both the system and the resulting products of that system. 'In our curricula lies the very identity of our society.


text:
Q: Creating a list from CSV value in Jinja In a flask template, I'd like to loop over my values which is a comma separated range of values. So in my template, I'd like to do something like:
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I can see list in the documents, but I don't see how to use it. http://jinja.pocoo.org/docs/dev/templates/
The value of my_tags is abc, def, ghi,... and the aim to loop over each group in turn.

A: Jinja2's split function should work.
{% for tag in myparent.my_tags.split(',') %}

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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I have been a part of the local community dating back to early childhood. I first obtained my license to sell real estate in 1999, and have assisted with the buying and selling of over 200 properties in the DFW metroplex. The reputation I have built and continue to maintain is based upon me putting YOU, my client, first. I love what I do and will continue to serve the real estate needs of buyers and sellers in DFW for years to come.
I am an agent for THE real estate brand that most licensed agents choose to partner with. I made the switch to Keller Williams Realty more than 10 years ago and hold strong core values which coincide with our belief system. We boast many of top 10 companies in North Texas and are represented by over 130,000 agents nationwide, making us the largest real estate company in the nation by agent count. We were recently ranked #2 in training across ALL industries by training magazine.
As a partner with Keller Williams Realty, I am able to leverage the value I offer to my client. I am surrounded by a wealth of knowledge and experience, which amplify my ability to offer the highest level of professionalism.
I take representation seriously - Professional Service is the bottom line. I continually update my education and stay abreast of market factors which include: the going interest rates, area trends, relocation activity, new construction projects and local development. I actively shop for my clients, utilizing my network to find you the best quality service at a reasonable price. I scout for competitive interest rates so that my buyer clients are able to get the most home for the payment. For Homeowners who wish to sell, I perform a thorough and professional evaluation, which takes into account the most recent sales data, as well as the competing properties for sale in the area.
I have instant access to Professional Legal Advice, Public Record Searches, The Multiple Listing Service, and many other tools and services which help me to best serve YOU. I am well connected and have access to the most referred service providers throughout the metroplex, which aide in my ability to meet nearly any need that is relevant to the purchase or sale of your property. Selling Real Property is a Team Effort and the duty of a REALTOR® is to manage and communicate this effort effectively.
It is my priority to meet and exceed your expectations. I put YOU first and I hope that through my dedication to great service, I will earn your family and friend referral business. There is not a better compliment to great service, than a referral.


This is my entry for Mr. Jake Parker's Inktober Initiative. Mr. Parker has challenged artists to draw an ink drawing every day in October and post it on-line. Every day has a theme and today's prompt is mask.


text:
Tag: Member Books
In Which We See Our Selves: Eric Torgersen
Published on March 25, 2021 March 25, 2021 by Editorial Staff
With In Which We See Our Selves, Eric Torgersen begins with the formal structure of the ghazal as popularized by Agha Shahid Ali and unapologetically makes a more American thing of it, arguing in his Afterword that this transformation is as inevitable as what happens when the children of immigrant parents pass through an American junior high school: not everyone is pleased with the result. "I've tried to avoid faux-Eastern themes and tones," he writes. Fluently metrical and effortlessly rhymed, at times in short, hard-hitting lines with refrains as brief as a single word, these poems leap off the page with speech as American as this:
My gang all quit when I didn't split the take right.
We crashed and burned when I didn't hit the brake right.
(Click the cover photo to order from Mayapple Press)
Eric Torgersen was born in Melville, New York. He has a BA in German Literature from Cornell University; after two years in the Peace Corps in Ethiopia, he earned an MFA in poetry from the University of Iowa. He retired in the spring of 2008 after 38 years of teaching writing at Central Michigan University. He lives in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan with his wife, the quilt artist Ann Kowaleski. Since retiring, Eric has volunteered for the Chippewa Watershed Conservancy. He enjoys fishing and foraging for wild mushrooms. He is available for workshops and readings.
Mr. Torgersen is presently serving a two-year term as Honorary Chancellor of the Poetry Society of Michigan.
Categories Member Publications, Uncategorized•Tags Eric Torgersen, Member Books, Member Publications, Poetry, Poetry Society of Michigan
Spindrift / Laurence W. Thomas
Published on March 18, 2021 by Editorial Staff
Spindrift suggests stuff blown onto beaches, beaches of discovery in one's mind. When these poems show a squirrel, a fish, birds, a beggar, an Irish pub, or a dish we see these as metaphors which conjure up ideas or feelings from our own familiarity with them. A poem that begins as an abstraction, like an enemy or peace or patience, becomes objectified. Spindrift is comprised of whatever little gems might be found along the shore, examined closely to become part of the reader's experience. These jottings of spindrift take off from that experience like going to an airport when you want to be someplace else – or like poems which say one thing when they mean another.
Published by Atmosphere Press, 2021. 124 Pages, ISBN 163649532X
or purchase from Barnes and Noble or Amazon.
Laurence W. Thomas is the founding editor of Third Wednesday Magazine. He has been around long enough to know the sting of rejection and the salve of acceptance. His shelves are lined with his own publications as well as the works of many other poets. He Chancelor Emertus of the Poetry Society of Michigan.
Categories Member Publications, Poetry, Uncategorized•Tags Laurence Thomas, Member Books, Poetry, Poetry Society of Michigan

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Celebrations in the Sentierone for Santa Lucia festival
The Church of San Spasimo can be found on
Via XX Settembre in Bergamo's shopping centre
A lovely tradition for children in Bergamo is to visit the Church of San Spasimo in the Città Bassa (lower town) in early December with letters asking for what presents they would like to receive.
The Church of San Spasimo is, appropriately, in Via XX Settembre at the hub of the shopping area.
It is also known locally as the church of Santa Lucia as, on 13 December, the saint's feast day, it has become traditional for the children to lay their letters at the foot of the saint's altar with their Christmas wish lists.
According to tradition, Santa Lucia comes down from the sky with a cart and a donkey and distributes the gifts to all the children who have been good, while all the naughty children receive only a piece of coal.
Adding to the festive atmosphere in Bergamo are the bancarelle (stalls) along Via Sentierone to celebrate la festa di Santa Lucia. Along with the stalls selling gifts and sweets there are also presepi (stable scenes) and Christmas music to entertain the crowds.
Santa Lucia - or Saint Lucy - whose name means 'light' in Italian, was a Sicilian saint who died in medieval times.
She saw an angel while praying about her mother's terminal illness and subsequently devoted her life to promoting Christianity and distributed her inheritance among the poor.
Christmas really starts to take off in Italy with the feasting and celebrations dedicated to this popular saint on 13 December.
Buona Festa!
Home Main Sights Bergamo Hotels
Labels: Christmas, Festivals, Santa Lucia, Traditions
Sample Italy's new wine in Bergamo
Delicious Vino Novello
Light, fruity Vino Novello 2012 is now on sale in the shops and being served in bars and restaurants in Bergamo.
If you are planning to visit the city during November, make sure you take advantage of the opportunity to taste some of Italy's new wine, which would be a bargain buy to take home with you because it is relatively inexpensive.
Vino Novello is similar in taste, body and colour to the French Beaujolais Nouveau, which is traditionally exported to other countries after its release. Like Beaujolais Nouveau, Italy's new wine should be drunk quickly after the bottle is opened and unopened bottles should be kept for a few months only.
Although the major area for production tends to be the Veneto, some of Bergamo's local wine producers, who are famous for making Valcalepio, also release their Vino Novello after 6 November each year.
Look out for events and festivals being held in the villages and towns around Bergamo to celebrate the launch of the new wine. Salute!
See Best of Bergamo's updated Flights Guide
Labels: Shopping, Wines
Birthday of artist honoured by Bergamo airport
The brilliant but controversial artist Caravaggio was born in Milan 441 years ago today.
His real name was Michelangelo Merisi but he became known as Caravaggio because he spent the early years of his life living in the small town of Caravaggio just south of Bergamo .
It is believed his family moved there because of an outbreak of plague in Milan after his birth in 1571.
He later returned to Milan to train as a painter and then went on to work in Rome, Naples, Malta and Sicily until his death at Porto Ercole in Tuscany in 1610.
Caravaggio became famous for his paintings for churches and palaces that combined a realistic observation of the physical and emotional state of human beings with a dramatic use of lighting. This was a formative influence for the baroque school of painting.
Despite his artistic success he had a turbulent personal life. He was thrown into jail on several occasions, once vandalised his own apartment and had a death warrant issued for him by the Pope.
Some of his major works, such as The Calling of St Matthew, the Crucifixion of St Peter and Deposition, can be found in churches in Rome, but his work is also well represented in the Uffizi gallery in Florence .
The town of Caravaggio is well worth visiting to see the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Caravaggio, which was built in the 16th century on the spot where the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a local peasant woman.
The Sanctuary was later rebuilt and completed in the 18th century and is now a grand building visited by pilgrims from all over the world.
Last year Bergamo airport at Orio al Serio changed its name to the Caravaggio International Airport Bergamo - Orio al Serio.
ENAC (the Italian civil aviation board) approved the decision by SACBO (the management company of Bergamo airport) to dedicate the airport to the painter.
Bergamo airport is also often referred to as 'Milan Bergamo'. It is now the fourth busiest airport in Italy and you can fly to it from 29 different countries.
Labels: Anniversaries, Art, Famous people, History
Trattoria Caprese Bergamo
Neapolitan specialities in a northern Italian city
The colourful pizza oven at Trattoria Caprese
Enjoy a taste of southern Italy in the heart of Bergamo's Citta Bassa at Trattoria Caprese.
The restaurant's extensive menu offers authentic dishes from Naples, Capri and Sorrento served up in brightly decorated surroundings.
Trattoria Caprese also has branches in Naples, Porto Cervo, Monza and Brescia .
The Bergamo restaurant is in Via Daniele Piccinini, which is a turning off Rotonda dei Mille (the junction with the statue of Garibaldi). It is open seven days a week serving from 12.00 to 15.30 and from 19.00 to 00.30, when last orders are taken.
Trattoria Caprese prides itself on its Neapolitan atmosphere and friendly waiters, who aim to make the customers feel at home.
Among the antipasti selection are frittura napoletana (a deep fried selection) and mozzarella in carrozza (a deep fried sandwich of mozzarella and anchovies.)
A distinctive feature of the restaurant is the colourful, tiled pizza oven and there is a comprehensive pizza and calzone list to choose from.
Among the primi piatti are gnocchi alla sorrentina (gnocchi with cheese and tomatoes) and risotto alla pescatora (seafood risotto). For secondi there is fresh fish, frittura del golfo (mixed fried fish), scaloppina (a veal escalope served with either lemon, white wine or mushrooms), grilled meat dishes and main course salads.
As well as the pleasant house wine, Trattoria Caprese offers a good selection of Campanian labels such as Falanghina, Greco and Fiano di Avellino.
Editor's note: "On my last visit the restaurant was packed with local Bergamo people who were enjoying the authentic Neapolitan atmosphere and food. Our waiter brought us things to nibble and a portion of seafood pasta to sample along the way, as well as complimentary limoncello and meloncello at the end of the meal."
Labels: Restaurants, Wines
Beauty of Bergamo's branch of Banca d'Italia
Banca d'Italia building in Bergamo
One of the most impressive buildings in Bergamo's Città Bassa (lower town) is the Banca d'Italia in Viale Roma.
You will pass it on the right hand side as you go up to the Città Alta (upper town) by bus or walk to the funicular station further up the road.
Built of brown stone in keeping with the other public buildings erected at the beginning of the 20th century in the Città Bassa, the bank has a decorative façade. It was built in 1924 to a neo-Renaissance design by Marcello Piacentini, a Roman architect who had been commissioned with redesigning the Città Bassa in Bergamo in 1907.
The building has since become a symbol of Bergamo's strong commercial and banking tradition.
The Banca d'Italia in Bergamo provides services for other banks and for Poste Italiane but does not offer services to the general public.
Decorative ceiling in the entrance to the bank
If you go up the steps in front of the three arched porticos you will be able to admire the paintings on the ceiling of the entrance lobby.
The Banca d'Italia is the central bank of Italy and part of the European system of central banks. It was established in 1893 from the amalgamation of four existing major banks in Italy .
Visit Bergamo at festival time
Roman column marks where
Sant'Alessandro was killed
The end of August is a great time to visit Bergamo as the city is in celebratory mood because of the festa for their patron saint Sant'Alessandro.
Every year on 26 August Bergamo commemorates the date in AD 298 that Saint Alexander was martyred by the Romans for refusing to renounce his Christian faith.
It is believed Alessandro was a devout citizen who had insisted on preaching in Bergamo, despite having had several narrow escapes. But he was eventually caught by Roman soldiers and suffered decapitation.
A series of religious, cultural and gastronomic events takes place in his name over several days throughout the city, which is decorated with festive lights.
In 2010 for the first time there was a re-enactment of Alessandro's execution in full costume at the place where it is believed to have been carried out, in Via Sant'Alessandro, where the church of Sant'Alessandro in Colonna now stands.
A Roman column outside the church marks the spot where the decapitation is said to have happened.
Church bells will ring out all over the city to herald the start of the festival beginning at 10.00 on Saturday 25 August. A fair to mark Sant'Alessandro's festa will be held in Via Sentierone in the Città Bassa on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 August. There will also be a street art exhibition and musical entertainment.
Porta Sant'Alessandro, which leads from the Città Alta (upper town) to Borgo Canale and San Vigilio, was built in the 16th century. It was named after a fourth century cathedral that had originally been dedicated to the saint but was demolished to make way for the fortifications built round the Città Alta by the Venetians who ruled the city at the time.
The gate became a checkpoint manned by customs officers, who would tax farmers from outside the city bringing in vegetables, eggs, chickens and wine to sell to residents of the Città Alta (upper town).
Labels: Anniversaries, Events, Famous people, Festivals, History
Busy Porta Sant'Agostino was built to protect Bergamo
Porta Sant'Agostino
The grey, sandstone Porta Sant'Agostino is the most popular way of entering Bergamo's Città Alta (upper town).
Buses and cars from the Città Bassa (lower town) will climb Viale Vittorio Emanuele II and pass under the gate's central archway before turning left and travelling along Viale delle Mura.
Pedestrians can use the smaller archways at the side to enter the Città Alta and walk along Via Porta Dipinta to reach Piazza Mercato delle Scarpe. From there the ancient Via Gombito leads to Piazza Vecchia in the centre of the upper town.
Porta Sant'Agostino is believed to have been designed by Paolo Berlendis and was built in 1575 during the huge project to improve the fortifications of the Città Alta.
Sant'Agostino fountain
The stone carving of the Venetian lion over the central archway was added more recently to replace earlier insignia that had been removed by invaders.
The beautiful fountain behind Porta Sant'Agostino was built in the same style as the gate later in the 16th century for the benefit of travellers arriving in the city.
Labels: History, Things to see, Transport
See the lake scenery that inspired Leonardo
View of Monte Isola from Tavernola Bergamasca
From Bergamo it is an easy journey to the resorts on the western side of Lago d'Iseo.
There are regular buses from the bus station in Via Bartolomeo Bono or you can drive to the lake in less than an hour.
The Bergamo side of Lago d'Iseo is well worth visiting as it is quieter and scenically more dramatic than the eastern side, which falls within the province of Brescia.
Furthest away at the top of the lake is Lovere, with its backdrop of mountains, which was selected for the 2009 edition of I Borghi piu belli d'Italia (the most beautiful small towns in Italy) guidebook.
Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, an 18th century writer who lived in Lovere for ten years, was inspired to write poetry by the scenery. She once wrote in a letter to her daughter: "I am now in a place, the most beautifully romantic I ever saw in my life."
There are old churches, towers and a renowned art gallery, the Galleria dell'Accademia Tadini. From Lovere there are regular boats to Pisogne, Sarnico and Iseo.
The rugged scenery between Lovere and Tavernola Bergamasca is claimed to have inspired Leonardo da Vinci to paint the mountains in the background of Mona Lisa.
You can travel along the shore by either car or bus, but probably the best way to enjoy the views is from a boat out on the lake.
From Tavernola Bergamasca you will have good views of Monte Isola, the large island in the middle of Lago d'Iseo, which is just a short crossing away. There are regular boats going back and forth, making it possible to visit the island just for a short time.
Sarnico, at the foot of the western shore, is a charming medieval town with cobbled streets climbing away from the lake that are crammed with interesting things to see.
Top 12 sights in the Città Bassa in Bergamo
People often ask what the main sights are in the Città Bassa because there is such a wealth of beautiful buildings to look at in Bergamo's lower town it can be difficult to know where to start.
I have put together a list of 12 places in the Città Bassa that visitors to Bergamo really must see. But it has not been easy to narrow down my choice and anyone who would like to suggest something to add to the list is welcome to email me with their suggestions.
1 - Santa Maria delle Grazie on the corner of Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII and Porta Nuova – with its 19th century green cupola topped with a golden statue. The origins of the church go back to 1422 when a convent was built on the site. The beautiful cloisters have been preserved within the church buildings, although the convent was suppressed at the beginning of the 19th century.
One of Porta Nova's twin Propilei
2 - Porta Nuova - the distinctive Propilei di Porta Nuova, two buildings that look like small temples, were designed by Ferdinando Crivelli in the mid 19th century and built on the site of one of the gates of the muraine, the name for the old city walls that used to run through the Citta Bassa.
3 - Via Sentierone - a popular place for la passeggiata. The Sentierone, which means broad path, links Piazza Vittorio Veneto with Via Torquato Tasso, a road that leads into the oldest part of the Città Bassa.
4 – The Donizetti monument, set back from Via Sentierone in Piazza Cavour - erected in 1897 to commemorate the first anniversary of Donizetti's birth. An imposing structure in white marble, it depicts the composer sitting on a bench gazing at the figure of a female playing the lyre. Set in the middle of a pond and surrounded by plants and trees, the monument is inscribed simply 'A Gaetano Donizetti'.
La Chiesa dei Santi Bartolomeo e Stefano
5 - La Chiesa dei Santi Bartolomeo e Stefano, at the corner of Via Torquato Tasso and Largo Bortolo Belotti – providing an impressive backdrop for Via Sentierone. Inside are some beautiful 18th century frescoes, but it is difficult not to be drawn straight to the magnificent altarpiece, Madonna with Child and Saints painted in 1513 by Lorenzo Lotto. The painting is also sometimes referred to as Pala Martinengo as it was commissioned by Alessandro Martinengo Colleoni, the nephew and adopted 'son' of condottiero Bartolomeo Colleoni.
6 - Palazzo della Provincia in Via Torquato Tasso - Bergamo's seat of provincial government, built between 1864 and 1871, the first public work to be carried out in Bergamo after the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy. The new building was designed on a grand scale to house both the offices of the provincial administration and the prefecture of police. On the facade you will notice five carvings depicting significant events and personalities in Bergamo's history.
7 - La Chiesa di Santo Spirito in Piazzetta Santo Spirito - considered the most important religious Renaissance building in the Città Bassa. It was converted from an original 14th century church by the Venetian born architect Pietro Isabello in 1530 on behalf of some of the rich merchant families in Bergamo . The fine Renaissance design is more striking inside where there is a nave and ten side chapels divided by tall columns. Santo Spirito houses Enthroned Madonna with Saints and Angels, painted by Lorenzo Lotto in 1521.
8 - San Bernardino in Pignolo in Via Pignolo - built at the end of the 16th century as a chapel for the use of the nobility and rich merchants living in the palaces in Via Pignolo. Inside there is a vaulted ceiling with frescoes and works by Gian Paolo Cavagna and Andrea Previtali. The altarpiece by Lorenzo Lotto portraying the Enthroned Madonna with Child, Angels and Saints was painted in 1521.
9 - Sant'Alessandro della Croce in Via Pignolo – with an elaborate façade added as recently as 1930. The interior has original baroque decoration and an 18th century inlaid marble altar by Andrea Fantoni. In the sacristry you will see the painting of the Holy Trinity by Renaissance artist Lorenzo Lotto.
10 - Piazza Pontida near the corner of Via Sant'Ales- sandro and Via XX Settembre - the place where goods arriving in Bergamo used to be unloaded and bargained for before being sent up to the Città Alta. Some of the porticos date back to the 15th century, when farmers and merchants would shelter from the sun under them while negotiating over the goods.
11 - Sant'Alessandro in Colonna in Via Sant'Alessandro - believed to have been built where Bergamo's patron saint was martyred by the Romans. A Roman column in front of the church is thought to mark the exact spot where the saint was killed by the Romans for refusing to renounce his Christian faith. Every year on 26 August Bergamo remembers Sant'Alessandro's decapitation in 298.
12 - Palazzo delle Poste in Via Masone on the corner of Via Antonio Locatelli - an impressive piece of architecture, designed to follow on from the development of the lower town at the beginning of the 20th century by Marcello Piacentini. Built of brown stone, the post office has a tall clock tower and the long windows typical of 1930s architecture. The Poste e Telegrafi building was planned in 1929 by Angiolo Mazzoni and completed in 1932.
Labels: Città Bassa, Not to be Missed, Things to see
Elegant hotel on the shore of Lago d'Iseo
Monte Isola in Lago d'Iseo
If you would like close up views of Monte Isola, the stunning island in the middle of Lago d'Iseo - just a short distance from Bergamo - visit the resort of Sulzano on the Brescia side of the lake.
If you are not driving, the best way to reach Sulzano is to take the train from Bergamo to Brescia and then change to the train that runs along the side of the lake in the direction of Edolo. It will pass through the resort of Iseo before it reaches Sulzano.
It is a short walk from the railway station in Sulzano to the landing stage, or imbarcadero, where you can buy boat tickets to visit the island and pick up tourism information leaflets. The green mountainous island almost looks almost within touching distance from here. It takes only a few minutes on the ferry to reach the nearest point on Monte Isola, the old fishing village of Peschiera Maraglio.
Sulzano viewed from the Monte Isola ferry
Sulzano is an ideal location for a short break as it has shops, bars and amenities and is set in beautiful scenery, as well as being handily placed for visiting the island.
Consider a stay at the Hotel Rivalago in Via Cadorna, which is right on the edge of the lake.
This elegant four star hotel has a beautiful garden which runs down to the shore and a lakeside swimming pool with a bar at the side. The 32 guest rooms all have wireless internet and some have balconies overlooking Lago d'Iseo with lovely views of Monte Isola.
The Hotel Rivalago also has its own private beach for the use of guests who wish to swim in the lake.
Check rates for the Hotel Rivalago with Hotels.com
Alternatively, check out the Hotel Rivalgo with Venere.com or Expedia.com
See Best of Bergamo's Flights Guide
Labels: Beyond Bergamo, Hotels, Things to see
Golden statue crowns cupola of huge church
Not to be missed in Bergamo's Città Bassa…
A landmark of Bergamo's Città Bassa (lower town) is the impressive church of Santa Maria Immacolata delle Grazie in Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII.
The huge church on the corner of Porta Nuova has a 19th century green cupola topped with a golden statue with an early 20th century campanile next to it.
But the origins of the church go back as far as 1422 when a convent was built on the site dedicated to Santa Maria delle Grazie.
The beautiful cloisters have been preserved within the church buildings although the convent itself was suppressed at the beginning of the 19th century.
The neoclassical design for the new church was created between 1855 and 1857 by architect Antonio Preda and the first stone was laid on 1 May 1857 by the bishop at the time, Monsignore Pierluigi Speranza.
On 7 December 1907 the main altar was consecrated in the presence of the then bishop Giacomo Maria Radini Tedeschi, who was accompanied by his 26-year-old secretary Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, a native of Bergamo and the future Pope John XXIII.
Labels: Art, Churches, Città Bassa, History, Not to be Missed, Things to see
Rotonda dei Mille recalls the achievements of Garibaldi
The statue of Garibaldi
in Rotonda dei Mille
Bergamo is proud to call itself Città dei Mille in memory of the young men from the city who accepted Giuseppe Garibaldi's invitation to help him unite Italy.
A statue of Garibaldi, who died 130 years ago today, stands on top of a marble column in the centre of Rotonda dei Mille in the Città Bassa (lower town), where five roads converge.
Garibaldi entered Bergamo in June 1859, where he was received with great enthusiasm. He invited the young Bergamaschi to volunteer for his Sicilian expedition and many young men accepted his invitation, earning Bergamo the title of Città dei Mille.
They helped Garibaldi win control of Sicily in the name of Vittorio Emanuele II. From there he crossed the Strait of Messina and marched north through Italy. He met the new king on 26 October 1860, shook his hand and then retired to live on the island of Caprera, off the coast of Sardinia. This was where he eventually died on 2 June, 1882, at the age of 74.
Labels: History
New York art lovers enjoy paintings while Accademia Carrara is closed
Stars from the collection of Venetian paintings held by the Accademia Carrarra in Bergamo are currently on show in New York.
While the prestigious art gallery in Bergamo's Città Bassa (lower town) is closed for restoration some of the choicest items from its collection have taken to the road.
From now until September, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art will be showing 'Bellini, Titian and Lotto: North Italian paintings from the Accademia Carrara, Bergamo'.
Bellini's Pietà with the Virgin and Saint John
Visitors will be able to see Giovanni Bellini's Pietà with the Virgin and Saint John, dated between 1455 and 1460, a mournful complement to his later Madonna and Child, which is already in the Met's collection.
From Titian there is the very early Orpheus and Eurydice, thought to have been painted between 1508 and 1512 and from Lorenzo Lotto there is the charming portrait of Lucina Brembati, who wears a large, jewelled toothpick on a gold chain around her neck.
Among the less familiar sights are three small narrative paintings from a Lotto altarpiece that have not travelled before and works by Giovanni Cariani, Andrea Previtali, Moretto da Brescia and Vincenzo Foppa, artists not so well known outside Italy.
For more information about the exhibition visit www.metmuseum.org.
Visitors to Bergamo can enjoy fine paintings from the Accademia Carrara collection and see inside the 12th century Palazzo della Ragione in the Città Alta (upper town) at the same time.
Titian's Orpheus and Eurydice
The exhibition 'Vincere il Tempo' (literally Winning Time) in the Truss Room of the Palazzo follows the collecting history of the Accademia, which was begun by Giacomo Carrara in the middle of the 18th century and has since received donations from many other passionate art collectors.
Along with works by Raphael, Titian and Mantegna, masterpieces by local artists such as Giovan Battista Moroni, Fra' Galgario and Vincenzo Foppa are on display.
The entrance to the exhibition is up the covered staircase in Piazza Vecchia and along the little bridge that leads to the top floor of the Palazzo.
The ticket price is €5, but there are reductions for groups and families.
The building that usually houses the Accademia Carrara's distinguished collection in Piazza Giacomo Carrara in the Città Bassa is currently undergoing extensive restoration work. For more information visit www.accademiacarrara.bergamo.it.
Labels: Art, Events
Palace Hotel is ideal base for touring by car
If you want to explore the countryside around Bergamo, a car will give you the freedom to follow your own itinerary at your own pace.
Palace Hotel Zingonia
Whether you hire a car or bring your own, an ideal base for seeing the area is the smart, modern Palace Hotel Zingonia, to the south of Bergamo, which has a free underground car park.
The four star hotel is in Corso Europa in the residential area of Zingonia in Verdellino, close to the A4 Milano-Brescia motorway.
It is less than 11 km from the hotel to Bergamo Caravaggio Airport at Orio al Serio and just a short drive into the city.
Recently refurbished, the Palace Hotel Zingonia is furnished in contemporary style and the facilities include a bar, restaurant, meeting room, gym, sauna, Turkish bath and spa.
A buffet breakfast is included in the price of the room and there is free wifi.
For more information and to book, visit
Venere.com
Labels: Beyond Bergamo, Hotels
See magnificent altarpiece by Lorenzo Lotto
Although it is only a small church, San Bernardino in Pignolo is well worth a visit to see the art treasures it contains.
From Piazzetta Santo Spirito turn left into Via Pignolo and walk up the street in the direction of the Città Alta (upper town), crossing Via Verdi, to the church of San Bernardino, built in the 16th century as a chapel for the use of the nobility and rich merchants who were living in palaces higher up Via Pignolo.
Inside the church there is a vaulted ceiling with frescoes by Talpino and there are works by Gian Paolo Cavagna and Andrea Previtali.
The stunning altarpiece by Lorenzo Lotto portraying the Enthroned Madonna with Child, Angels and Saints was painted in 1521 during the artist's stay in Bergamo.
Opening hours: 08.00 to 11.30 and 16.00 to 18.00; Sundays and holidays 08.00 to 12.00.
Posted by The Editor at 11:44 PM 15 comments:
Labels: Art, Churches, Città Bassa, Not to be Missed, Things to see
Baroque church contains important works of art
SANT'ALESSANDRO DELLA CROCE
Behind the ornate marble façade of Sant'Alessandro della Croce lies a simple 17th century church housing some magnificent works of art.
The church can be found in Via Pignolo close to the square of Piazzetta del Delfino, where there is a lovely 16th century fountain.
Although the elaborate façade was added as recently as 1930, the interior of the church has original baroque decoration and an 18th century inlaid marble altar by Andrea Fantoni.
It is also worth a look round inside the church to see works by Giovan Battista Moroni, Andrea Previtali, Palma the Younger, Sebastiano Ricci and Leandro Bassano.
In the sacristry you will see an early 16th century painting of Christ carrying the cross by Lorenzo Costa and the painting of the Holy Trinity by Renaissance artist Lorenzo Lotto.
Sant'Alessandro della Croce is open from 7 am to 11.45 and from 3.30 to 7 pm.
Labels: Churches, Città Bassa, History, Not to be Missed, Things to see
Square was the hub of the city in the 15th century
Piazza Pontida is a popular meeting place
One of the squares with historic importance in the Città Bassa (lower town) is Piazza Pontida, which is near the corner of Via Sant'Alessandro and Via XX Settembre.
The piazza is close to a point known for centuries as Cinque Vie (five roads), where traffic from Milan, Lecco, Treviglio and Crema would converge.
Piazza Pontida was the place where the goods arriving in Bergamo would be unloaded and bargained for before being sent up to the Città Alta (upper town).
Some of the portici (porticoes) date back to the 15th century, when the farmers and merchants would shelter from the sun while negotiating over the goods. It would have been a lively scene, with story tellers and poets roaming from one inn to the next, entertaining the crowds who had come to trade in the square.
There are now modern shops doing business from under the porticoes but the square is still a popular meeting place for local people.
Sit at a table outside one of the bars or restaurants and watch the Bergamaschi going about their business, imagining what the scene would have been like 500 years ago.
Labels: Città Bassa, Not to be Missed, Squares, Things to see
Get away from it all at La Valletta Relais
If you would like a relaxing holiday in the countryside outside Bergamo but have all the amenities of the Città Alta (upper town) available within walking distance, consider a stay at La Valletta Relais.
The pretty La Valletta Relais Hotel
This well regarded three star hotel is in Via Castagneta in the Parco dei Colli, just above Bergamo's Città Alta.
Visitors have described it as a 15 to 20-minute walk away from the upper town, but the hotel also provides free transport to and from the Città Alta on request.
La Valletta Relais has a large terrace where guests can sit and enjoy the views over the surrounding countryside and breakfast is served out there during the summer.
The hotel is well placed for walking enthusiasts as there is a choice of scenic paths to follow through Parco dei Colli, some starting as close as 100 metres from the hotel.
La Valletta Relais's eight bedrooms all have en suite bathrooms, satellite television and minibar and there is free wifi internet access available throughout the building.
Book with the hotel direct
Renaissance church commissioned by wealthy merchants
Not to be missed in Bergamo 's Città Bassa…
Despite its rather rough looking façade, the church of Santo Spirito is considered the most important religious Renaissance building in Bergamo's Città Bassa (lower town).
The unusual façade of the
church of Santo Spirito
It was converted from an original 14th century church by the Venetian born architect Pietro Isabello in 1530 on behalf of some of the rich merchant families in Bergamo.
But the project was not completed at the time, the façade was left unfinished and the church's vaulted roof was added in the 18th century.
The striking bronze sculpture is a much more recent addition, a representation of the Descent of the Holy Ghost (Discesa dello Santo Spirito) designed by Francesco Somaini and erected in 1971.
The fine Renaissance design of the church is more striking in Santo Spirito's interior, which has a nave and ten side chapels divided by tall columns. The church is said to have been particularly admired by Pope John XXIII, who was born just outside Bergamo.
Santo Spirito houses many important works of art including Enthroned Madonna with Saints and Angels, painted by Lorenzo Lotto in 1521 and works by Andrea Previtali and Ambrogio Bergognone.
It is worth looking in the fifth chapel on the left to see the tomb of two members of the Tasso family, who were the pioneers of a regular postal service as early as the beginning of the 15th century.
The church of Santo Spirito can be found in Piazzetta Santo Spirito on the corner of Via Torquato Tasso and Via Pignolo.
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Celebrate Easter in Bergamo
Easter eggs fill shop windows
in Bergamo
Easter is a lovely time for a break in Bergamo as the weather is beginning to warm up and the spring flowers are in bloom.
In the run up to Easter many Bergamo shops will have elaborate displays of chocolate eggs in their windows. Italian Easter eggs are usually wrapped artistically in coloured cellophane and tied with pretty ribbons. They often contain a toy, or in the case of Easter eggs for adults, a gift, which can sometimes be as substantial as a mobile phone!
There are some fascinating chocolate and cake shops in Via Colleoni in the Città Alta (upper town) and down in the Città Bassa (lower town) there is a well-stocked chocolate and sweet shop in Via Tiraboschi, a left turn off Viale Papa Giovanni XXIII at Largo Porta Nuova. The shop also sells a selection of boxes of chocolates and biscuits - ideal to take home as holiday presents.
Although Venerdi Santo (Good Friday) is not a Bank Holiday in Italy and the shops are open as usual there will be special services in the churches and some areas will have processions and events.
On Easter Sunday, while the world tunes in to watch the celebrations in Rome on television, services will be held at churches all over Bergamo.
The restaurants in Bergamo will be busy at lunch time as families go out to celebrate la Pasqua (Easter) together and many will be serving a special menu. If you are looking forward to a good lunch it is advisable to book somewhere in advance.
Traditional Easter food
A traditional Easter meal for Italian families, whether they are eating at home or in a restaurant, is likely to centre on agnello (lamb) as the main course, either roasted or braised.
For dessert there will usually be la Colomba, the dove shaped cake that is traditional at Easter, in the same way that il Panettone is traditional at Christmas.
La Colomba (the dove) is known as the bird of peace and there is a legend that says a cake in the shape of a dove was offered to try to end a siege at Pavia.
But there is also the theory that the cake was created in the 1930s by a firm in Milan who wanted to provide a cake for Easter that was the equivalent to il Panettone.
La Colomba is now sold all over Italy but is also made in the home. The traditional version has an almond and sugar topping, but these days the shops sell them with all kinds of fillings, icings and toppings.
If the weather is warm and sunny, consider a day out at one of the lakes near Bergamo during your stay.
You could take a bus to the resorts of Sarnico, Tavernola Bergamasca or Lovere on the western shore of Lago d'Iseo. Or you could go by train to Brescia , where you then change to the train to Edolo that runs alongside the eastern shore of the lake. The train stops at Sulzano and from there you could make the short crossing to Monte Isola, the largest lake island in Italy and southern Europe.
From Brescia you can also take a train to Desenzano del Garda on Lake Garda , from where you can go by boat to Sirmione or Bardolino.
And it is only half an hour by direct train from Bergamo to the beautiful lake resort of Lecco at the foot of Lago di Como.
Labels: Events, History, Seasonal
Casoncelli alla bergamasca recipe
Casoncelli alla bergamasca, as served by Il Sole
restaurant in Bergamo's Città Alta
Casoncelli, or casonsei as they are called in dialect, are part of Bergamo's proud culinary tradition and visitors who have sampled them while in the city have spread the word about how tasty they are.
The pasta shape is made by folding a sheet of pasta over the filling and pressing it together at the edges in the manner of ravioli. The finished shape looks a bit like a wrapped sweet.
You can make casoncelli at home, reminding yourself of your enjoyable stay in Bergamo, by following this simple recipe.
Flour, 400gr
Wheat bran, 200 gr
Two eggs
Filling ingredients:
Breadcrumbs, 125 gr
One egg
Grana Padano cheese, 125 gr
Sausage meat, 150 gr
Cooked beef, 100 gr
Amaretti 5 gr
Raisins 10 gr
One peeled and chopped pear
Nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper
Lemon peel
Mix flour, eggs and a pinch of salt on a pastry board with enough water to make a smooth dough. Leave to rest for 30 minutes.
Melt a knob of butter in a saucepan and brown sausage meat, pear and beef. Add chopped parsley and minced garlic.
Tip the meat into a bowl and add the cheese, breadcrumbs, crushed amaretti, eggs, raisins and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together well.
Roll out the pasta and cut into two lengths. Place a spoonful of filling every few centimetres along the first length of pasta. Fold the length of pasta over to cover the filling and cut out half moon shaped discs along the length. Repeat with the second length. Press each disc gently in the middle with your finger.
Cook your casoncelli in boiling salted water, drain and then serve them sprinkled with grated cheese. Top with melted butter, chopped fresh sage and diced cooked bacon.
Pour yourself a glass of chilled Valcalepio Bianco to accompany the dish. Buon Appetito e Salute!
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Senior human resources and learning and development specialists were offered guidance on making the most of apprenticeships at a CII session entitled "The Talent Conundrum: The Apprenticeship Key".
It has recently released a package of support for firms of any size interested in taking on apprentices.
The CII package includes a guide to apprenticeships, webinars, podcasts, accredited training providers and a national apprenticeship service helpline.
CII development director Steve Jenkins stressed that the CII is offering face to face as well as online support and all insurance firms can benefit from the program and apprenticeships.
Apprenticeship qualifications range from school leaver level to post-degree level. Some have been developed with integrated CII qualifications.
Session keynote speaker CII president and Lloyd's chief executive Inga Beale highlighted the problem of an aging workforce within the insurance industry.
She warned attendees that while the UK is currently seen as leading the way in insurance, expertise must be passed on so that the next generation can continue to uphold its reputation and respond to emerging risks.
Beale quoted research by Deloitte that shows 84% of millennials consider it their duty to make the world a better place. Surely, she suggested, that was exactly what insurance does. The industry's struggle with its image means that younger people were unlikely to know how interesting the sector can be, Beale claimed.
The skills shortage, a lack of diversity and social mobility and the productivity gap are all issues for businesses that could be addressed by apprenticeships, claimed National Apprenticeship Service deputy director of consumer services Joe Billington.
Apprentices could expect a lifetime income boost of £150k, while companies benefit from apprentices' commitment to and understanding of a business that helped train them.
Aon senior consultant and UK apprenticeship lead Adrian Johnson revealed the major challenges to its recent adoption of apprenticeships. These were culture, perception and legislation.
The levy is 0.5% of payroll for any employers with a payroll of above £3m. This is offset by a £15,000 levy allowance per year and the government tops up levy payers' spending by 10%.
For businesses with a payroll below £3m, the government contributes 90% to the cost of training. New and existing staff training can be funded in this way.
Two young apprentices were welcomed to the stage to give their views on the sector and share how apprenticeships had benefited them.
Both apprentices came from different backgrounds and spoke highly of apprenticeships within insurance. Zurich Insurance apprentice Deepak Soggy dropped out of his sixth form – not so unlike Beale herself, who had earlier revealed she dropped out of university after two months – and used to work in retail stores. A lack of job satisfaction led to his ambitions to work within financial services.
Lloyd's of London apprentice Faye Adamou turned down a university offer to pursue an apprenticeship in insurance, because it meant "no debt" and all the positives of "London life".
Both apprentices have successfully secured employment since their initial apprenticeship, with Adamou joining Willis Towers Watson and Soggy aiming to continue obtaining further qualifications while working as part of the Zurich claims team.