Category: MAMF Overseas

“The Paladin” display in Weil im Schönbuch through May 2026

MAMF Overseas, Museum News, Museum of the American Military Family

Die neueste Ausstellung im Rathaus von Weil im Schönbuch ist das Ergebnis einer internationalen Zusammenarbeit zwischen kanadischen, deutschen und amerikanischen Künstlern. „The Paladin“ präsentiert Fotografien von Gemälden des kanadischen Künstlers Barry Smylie sowie kreative Beiträge von Ulrike Gotowicz und Circe Olson Woessner.

„The Paladin“ erzählt die Geschichte einer jungen Soldatin, die in der Ukraine im Einsatz ist. Herr Smylie steht seit mehreren Jahren mit ihr in Briefkontakt und hat drei Jahre ihres Lebens beim Militär in einer Serie von zwölf Gemälden dokumentiert. Mit seinen Kunstwerken möchte Smylie die Geschichte einer einzelnen Frau erzählen – wohl wissend, dass jeder Krieg noch viele, viele weitere unerzählte Geschichten birgt und dass es wichtig ist, nicht zu vergessen, dass die Situation in der Ukraine nach wie vor andauert.

Smylie erklärt:

„Das Land wurde durch den ständigen Krieg verwüstet … Der Hass hat sich verfestigt; der Wille zum Frieden wird immer wieder vereitelt … Angesichts der Realität von Leben und Tod unter Beschuss müssen wir uns daran erinnern, dass Soldaten echte Menschen sind.“

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Learning & Leisure in “Little America” exhibit and discussion in Munich, Germany

Events, MAMF Overseas, Museum News

On Saturday, May 9, 2026, MAMF members met some former UMMC and military-connected folks and toured the Münchner Kindl brewery under construction at the site of the former AAFES gas station in the Perlacher Forst housing area. While no longer a military installation, the many current residents want to preserve the housing area as a protected historical entity, keeping the look and feel of “Little America” alive and well in Munich. A brew master is building a brewery on the site of the former gas station, and hopes to start his first batch of beer at the end of 2026. We were honored to be invited to tour the building and meet the architects and volunteers working very hard to preserve local history.

On Sunday, we were at Giesinger Bahnhof cultural center and met photographer Elvira Auer, who has preserved the former University of Maryland buildings through her photos, and some of the authors who have contributed stories to our latest anthology, Servus!

MAMF Director Circe and Historian Karin Pohl presented on historical and cultural topics, and then the other authors shared some of their writings. Laura Seidel made a short presentation about the 1960 plane crash which killed 52 people, including 12 University of Maryland students. A representative from St Paul’s church (into which the plane had crashed) attended the program on behalf of the parish.

One of the day’s highlights was when David Fanelli played recordings of his opera-singer mother and shared an original US Bicentennial poster. We’d like to thank the wonderful team at Giesinger Bahnhof who hosted us, provided support, and were a welcoming presence.

To read more about the history of McGraw Kaserne and the UMMC, some of the faculty and students, as well as the tragic plane crash in Munich, purchase a copy of Servus!

https://www.lulu.com/shop/circe-olson-woessner-and-karin-pohl/servus/paperback/product-65jn7dn.html?q=servus&page=1&pageSize=4

Wechselnde Ausstellungen im Rathaus

MAMF Overseas, Museum News

Seit Januar gibt es im ersten Stock des Rathauses eine Reihe von Ausstellungen, die von Dr. Circe Olson Woessner, Direktorin des MAMF International Humanities Center, gestaltet wurden. Jeder Monat steht unter einem einteiligen Thema. Das Thema im Januar lautete „Frieden“, im Februar „Liebe.“ Im März, „Gelegenheit“ war eine ausführliche Ausstellung über den WiS Ehrenbürger Walter Hahn. Die Familie Hahn arbeitete mit Dr. Woessner zusammen, um Walters außergewöhnliche Geschichte zu erzählen. Die Ausstellung „Kreativität“ im Juni/Juli zeigte Töpferwaren und Kunstwerke von Weil im Schönbuch Künstlerin Ulrike Gotowicz. Das Augustthema ist  die Natur und ist ebenfalls eine Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem Museum und der Weilerin Ulrike Gotowicz. Die US-Malerin Ceilon Aspenson gestaltet große Poster, die jede Ausstellung begleiten. Die wechselnden Ausstellungen sind während der regulären Öffnungszeiten des Rathauses zu sehen.

Changing Exhibits at City Hall

Since January, the first floor of City Hall has hosted a series of exhibitions designed by Dr. Circe Olson Woessner, Director of the MAMF International Humanities Center. Each month has a single theme. January’s theme was “Peace,” and February’s was “Love.” In March, “Opportunity” was an in-depth exhibition about Weil im Schönbuch honorary citizen Walter Hahn. The Hahn family collaborated with Dr. Woessner to tell Walter’s extraordinary story. The June/July “Creativity” exhibition featured pottery and artwork by Weil im Schönbuch artist Ulrike Gotowicz. The August theme is nature and is also a collaboration between the museum Ulrike Gotowicz. American artist Ceilon Aspenson designs large posters to accompany each exhibition. The changing exhibitions can be viewed during City Hall’s regular opening hours.

January poster by Ceilon Aspenson
The exhibit about Walter Hahn
Artist Ulrike Gotowisc
August’s “Nature” display
A closeup of one of the shelves

MAMF part of “Stunde Null” commemorative events in Munich, Germany

MAMF Overseas, Museum News

MAMF is proud to be one of 130 partner institutions that are part of the “Stunde Null (Hour Zero)” program. More than 220 events such as readings, lectures, exhibitions, art talks, walking and bike tours, film screenings, and music programs will take place from January to May 2025. The Amis in der McGraw Kaserne exhibit opened on March 11, 2025  on McGraw Kaserne, and our discussion and film programs were held at the Giesinger Bahnhof cultural center. It was an amazing weekend! Click here to stream the Brown Babies film:

Check out the Giesinger Bahnhof website here: https://giesinger-bahnhof.de. We want to thank our sponsors and contributors to our programs: Griffenharte Foundation, Kirtland Spouses Club, University of Maryland Global Campus, Giesinger Bahnhof, filmmaker Regina Griffin, historian Karin Pohl, and also the departments within the City of Munich.

MAMF’S “HOST NATION HOSPITALITY” EXHIBIT OPENS IN GERMANY

MAMF Overseas, Museum News
“Host Nation Hospitality” opened on German-American Day (October 6th). The event started with Mozart’s Duo for Violin and Viola, glasses of sparkling wine, and freshly baked breadsticks. After the speeches, the guests wandered through the exhibit of 17 individual panels depicting aspects of military life and culture—and their various intersections with Host Nations. The beautifully decorated tables provided the guests a place to mingle, make introductions, and converse over a drink or snack.

 

10/6/2024
We are very thankful for their support
10/6/2024
Johannes Schneider and Circe Olson Woessner collaborated on the Point Alpha panel
The main reception area 10/6/2024
10/6/2024
The anthology is available on Amazon.com
10/6/2024
10/6/2024

This exhibit was a collaboration between many people and organizations, and it serves as a companion to our anthology, “Host Nation Hospitality,” available for purchase on Amazon.

We extend our thanks to all of our sponsors who made the exhibit possible and to all of the authors who contributed a story to the anthology, to MAMF’s 2020-2022 Writer-in-Residence Valerie Bonham Moon and Allen Dale Olson, who wrote the text for the panels, as well as Barbara Beck Azar who created the graphics. We also thank Mayor Lahl and the town of Weil in Schonbuch for their hospitality.
To purchase the anthology that sparked the exhibit, click here: