Dear friends and members of the Freiburg-Madison-Gesellschaft,

On March 13, FMG was informed that the Academic Year in Freiburg program 2020/21 was officially closed on March 11 and that the home universities have ordered their students to return to the US.

This step is regrettable and painful. However, it is also understandable that in this time of crisis AYF students are returning to their home countries.

Thus, the traditional May excursion of the FMG with the American students on May 1 is cancelled.

Although we do not reach the quorum decreed by the city of a maximum of 50 people gathering, we will cancel the FMG Stammtisch on April 1 in the wake of the city's recommendation to refrain from all meetings that are not absolutely necessary.

Nobody knows what the situation will be like after the Easter holidays, when the schools are to reopen on April 20.

You will be informed about FMG's activities after this date in due course.

Stay healthy, yours Manfred Höfert

Looking Back

Reception for the Students of the
Academic Year (AYF) in Freiburg 2018/2019

The president of the Freiburg-Madison-Gesellschaft Toni Schlegel welcomes students and
other guests while Resident Director Professr Kerstin Barndt is blinded by the low sun ©US..

The AYF-students are already in good spirits ©US

They are joined by an amused president

A sort of sacrilege: The Baden flag on the last Austrian governor's Quieti Sacrum

A grazing sun ...

.. makes students thirsty

Thinking about the recent European Data Protection Regulation? ©US

When two directors meet: AYF and CSH ©US

Friends meet and smile ©US

We are all happy ©US

Ulli and an AYF-student say thank you Toni

As seen from the Greiffenegg-Schlössle:
The most beautiful steeple in the world without scaffolding

Sunset behind the Schwabentor

Traditional Christmas Dinner on the Evening of St. Nicholas Day 2017

Enjoying the aperitif at the Greiffenegg-Schlössle

The Black Forest Badgers, Christmas 2017 edition (©US)

Joyous anticipation

The menu

BFB's first appearance

The dinner started with a salad

A festive table

The president's speech

Smiling guests all around the table

More activity on the opposite side

Here the somewhat official corner

Breast of goose served with red cabbage, baked apple, and potato dumplings.

While the BFB are preparing for their second round, the youngest guest, Marieke, is interested in cutlery.

Here Marieke is handing over a well deserved present to FMG President Toni Schlegel (©US).

Now she is telling George the full story.

Traditional Hiking Tour with our American Students
around the Schönberg on German Unity Day 2017

After a heavy morning rain, start of the hiking tour in the sunshine (©US)

Already lost? (©US)

Looking down the valley (©GvS)

The ultimate triple selfie (©GvS)

The trail becomes narrow (©US)

Eating the mandatory noodle soup (©GvS)

After lunch students and FMG-members are fit for the next destination ...(©US)

... the Schneeburg as seen from the Schönberger Hof (©US)

From above a fantastic view on to the Märkgräfler Land (©US)

Reception for the Students of the Academic Year in Freiburg 2016/2017

at the Greiffenegg-Schlössle on September 14, 2016

Smiling Resident Director 2016/17 Sarah Fagan with smiling FMG's president and host Toni Schlegel

Young optimistic men

Black Forest Badgers' founder recruiting?

Don't look at the refurbished Schwabentor

Associate Director Ulli Struve in charming company

Sunset over Freiburg

No sunset but rather a sunrise ©JS

8th International Meeting of Freiburg's Sister Cities on Rathausplatz 2015

Here is the link to the official flyer

In good spirits: Part of the dynamic crew serving the Madison booth

Visiting the booth: Important cheeseheads and concentrated student charm

We promoted American craftbeer brewed in the Freiburg region

Around Staufen 2014

FMG Hiking Tour on German Unity Day with the American Students

We meet at the streetcar stop Paula-Modersohn-Platz (Eis-Café Limette) at 10.30 a.m. for car pooling and drive to Staufen where we shall arrive at the big city parking lot close to the Schladerer distillery around 11 a.m.

From there we start our hiking tour to Grunern with a little drink at the Bären-Bad (Standort) and pass through the vineyards in the direction of Castellberg. On our way back we shall stop for a bite at the Probst-Strauße Schleifsteinhof above Grunern around 1 p.m. We return to Staufen and, as the case may be, we climb up to the castle. The return to Freiburg is scheduled for 3.30 p.m.

Before we left the Staufen parking lot for the hiking tour students, members of the FMG, and even the dog
looked into the camera on this beautiful Altweibersommertag (Indian summer day).

Seen on our way to the fermenting room. Beware. Although the motto is still correct, its orthography no longer is:
Küß is now spelled küss, zerreißt keeps the ß but küßt again is now written küsst.