Bio: Von Maltzahn, Birgett – German AFS Student in Abbotsford (1975)

Transcriber: Stan

Surnames: Von Maltzahn, Bauer

----Source: Tribune/Phonograph (Abbotsford, Clark Co., Wis.) 27 Aug 1975

Knowing the family ancestry, having a family crest and jewelry with the crest are a very important part of the German culture, says Birgett Von Maltzahn, 16, Munich, Germany. She is Abbotsford’s new American Field Service student. Birgett arrived Thursday and will live with the Leonard Bauer family, Route 1, Abbotsford.

Despite the fact she will attended Abbotsford High School as a senior and graduate in May, when she returns to Germany, she will have to attend school three more years to make up for her year here. Young people attend school longer in Germany to receive the equivalent of our high school graduation.

In the short time she has been in America she has noticed several differences between German and American life styles. In Germany, the homes are for the most part one form and mainly built of stucco. American homes are in many styled and built with different kinds of materials.

The cars are much larger here, and again many models to choose from

Style of clothing is more casual than in Germany, people there change styled with the fashion scene.

Americans appear to take their religion with greater seriousness than Germans.

Although Munich has over a million people and hasn’t all the greenery Wisconsin has, her father, an agricultural consultant, has a garden he cares for in his spare time. Their garden has fruit trees, flowers and grass. Families rest and visit in their gardens rather than work in them, such as in America.

Her mother is a nurse and she has one brother, Gerd Christian, 19, who is working to save money to make a journey through the Sahara desert in northern Africa. When Birgett was at home, she and her family enjoyed going to the theater, visiting friends and attending concerts.

She lives to play tennis, sing, paint, dance, ski and read and watch television.

Of course, she likes Wisconsin ice cream and American pizza.