24 Dezember 2012

By Tobias M. Eckrich. 2012 is nearing its end and it is time for me to review some of our achievements of this year. We have implemented some structural changes in our everyday volunteer work including the membership survey and the new and improved forum. In addition to this we were able to finally promote our society’s publication, The Flammifer of Westernesse, on our web site. There have also been major changes in the committee as two long-standing members stood down from their offices. I would like to use this opportunity to thank them for their outstanding efforts in our volunteer-run society. The list of events the German Tolkien Society offers on a regular basis has been extended due to the Hobbit anniversary: The BSWE (BrainStorming WeekEnd – for active and newly interested members to plan the year ahead), the Seminar (our annual academic conference) and the Thing (i.e. Moot – the AGM combined with a lot of fun for more than a hundred members) und our Tolkien Days (Lower Rhine and Hannover – two days of introductory talks, workshops gaming and loads of food for kids, parents and everyone generally interested in Middle-earth) happened as usual but there was, for the first time ever in our society’s history, an EU-funded cooperation with our sister society in the Netherlands, Unquendor, all year long, culminating in the “Hobbit Feest.” There were two Tolkien-related exhibitions this year at Castle Otzberg and at the Central and Regional Library of Berlin as well. Several fairs and conventions were happy to have us as providers of talks, workshopds and presentations such as the RPC, FeenCon and obviously Ring*Con. In recent weeks we had several cooperations based on the Hobbit film trilogy and we are looking forward to seeing more of those in the future. Not to forget: Our regulars’ tables have been busy indeed. 2012 has been an exciting and special year for me. On behalf of the committee. I would like to express my sincerest thanks for the great efforts of our volunteers who have made all of this possible. Thank you. I am looking forward to another wonderful Tolkienian year. Today is Christmas Eve and I would like to wish all of you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I will be spending my time with family and friends, including one hundred of my fantastical friends on one of the most beautiful medieval castles in Germany, Castle Breuberg. Enjoy some days of peace and quiet and we’ll see each other in 2013. Tobias M. Eckrich Chairman, German Tolkien Society A registered charity promoting interest in the life an works of PRofessor J.R.R. Tolkien, C.B.E. Translation provided by Marcel Aubron-Bülles.

Tag: 24. Dezember 2012

Words of thanks from the Chairman