Grenzenloos 

vun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
Haumoond 1998 

Uns Welt is lütt worrn, lüürlütt. Dörch dat Internet is se ok grenzenloos worrn. Dagdäglich beleev ik dat. Vör een Week kreeg ik een e-mail ut Newcastle, Australien. Dat stünn dor binn: 

,,Leeve Frollein Kramer-Freudenthal, Scheunen goden Dag ut dat farne Australien. Heff jüst vunaven Dien Vertellen, den "Treckwogen" lesen, un heff mi do bannig över freit. Dat weer fein! Dat een Platt överall op't Nett finnen deit, is grootordig. Dor velen Dank för. Mit all' mien goden Gedanken, Mick (Michael) Fauchon,'' un sien e-mail Adress achterran. 

Vergohn Sünndag hebbt sik de Düütschen in Brisbane dropen to een ,,Deutsches Sängerfest''. Dor warrt in Hoochdüütsch sungen. Mick singt Tenor, un wenn he Solo singt, dat hett he sik utbedungen, singt he plattdüütsche Leder. Wat mi dat freit hett, kann ik kuum beschrieben. Hebb em anboden, wenn em dat schull an Texten fehl'n, per e-mail to helpen. In Brisbane leevt mien Enkelsöhn Jimmy, den ik allns to verdanken hebb. Iers den Computer, un denn ok noch dat Internet un all' mien leben nedderdüütschen e-mail Frünn'n in Europa un in Öbersee. Mick will mit em Verbinn'n opnehm. Is doch wohr, de Welt is so lütt. 

So een e-mail is liekso gau as een Anroop per Telefon, een Anter hebb ik ümmer fuurts. Foken is kuum een Stünn dortwüschen, un nu bedink mol, twüschen Australien un Norderstedt gifft dat nich een Grenz'! Ran an den Computer lebe Lüüd, un keen Schiß för de Technik, is allns gor nich so swoor as dat utsüht, dat füllt för uns öllern Minschen den Lebensobend ut. Breeffründschaften sluten, sik uttuschen öber dat Internet mookt soveel Spooß, nich bloots dat, mi hett dat so riek mookt. Uns Neddersassisch-Plattdüütsch leevt! leevt öberall in de Welt, woneem norddüütsche Minschen sik doolloten hebbt, un de Modersprook in jümehr Hatt dreegt un bewohrt. 

Without Boundaries 

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
July 1998 

Our world has become small, tiny. Thanks to the Internet it has also lost its boundaries. I experience this day by day. A week ago I received an email message from Newcastle, Australia. This is what it said:

"Dear Miss Kramer-Freudenthal, Hello from faraway Australia. Just tonight I read your story "The Wagon" and enjoyed it very much. It was lovely! It is splendid to be able to find Low German all over the Net. Thank you very much for that. With all my best thoughts, Mick (Michael) Fauchon," followed by his email address.

Last Sunday the Germans in Brisbane met for a "Deutsches Sängerfest'' [German Song Festival]. The singing is in High German. Mick sings tenor, and he insists on singing Low German songs whenever he gets to sing solo. I can hardly tell you how delighted I was to hear this. I offered to help via email in case he is in need of lyrics. My grandson Jimmy lives in Brisbane too, and I owe him a lot. First the computer and then the Internet as well, and all my dear email friends in Europe and overseas ... Mick intends to get in touch with him. It's true indeed: the world is so small.

An email message is just as fast as a call on the telephone. I always get replies right away. Oftentimes they hardly take an hour to arrive. Just think: there is no boundary between Australia and Norderstedt! Get yourselves onto computers, dear folks! Don't be afraid of technology! None of it is as difficult as it looks. It is a nice way for us older folks to occupy ourselves in our golden years. Finding pen pals, sharing via the Internet is so much fun! Not only that. It has enriched my life so much. Our Low Saxon / Low German is alive, is alive all over the world, wherever North German people have settled and have been keeping their native language in their hearts.

Grenssenloos 

fun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
Haumaand 1998 

Uns welt is luet worden, luyrluet. Doerch dat Internet is sei ouk grenssenloos worden. Dagdeeglich beleev' ik dat. Foer 'n week kreeg ik 'n email uut Newcastle, Australien. Dat stuen daar binnen:

,,Leeve Frollein Kramer-Freudenthal, Scheunen goden Dag ut dat farne Australien. Heff jüst vunaven Dien Vertellen, den "Treckwogen" lesen, un heff mi do bannig över freit. Dat weer fein! Dat een Platt överall op't Nett finnen deit, is grootordig. Dor velen Dank för. Mit all' mien goden Gedanken, Mick (Michael) Fauchon,'' un sien email-adress achter ran.

Vergaan Suendag hevt sik de Duytschen in Brisbane drapen tou 'n ,,Deutsches Sängerfest''. Daar wardt in Hoogduytsch sungen. Mick singt tenoor, un wen hei solo singt -- dat het hei sik uut-bedungen -- singt hei Platduytsche leider. Wat mii dat fraid het kan ik kuum beschriven. Hev em an-baden, wen em dat schul an teksten felen, per email tou helpen. In Brisbane leevt miin enkelseun Jimmy d'n ik allens tou ferdanken hev. Eirst d'n computer un den ouk noch dat Internet un al miin leiven Nedderduytschen email-fruenden in Europa un in euversei. Mick wil mit em ferbinden op-nemen. Is doch waar: de welt is soo luet.

Soo 'n email is liik soo gau as 'n an-roup per telefoon. 'n Anter hev ik uemmer fourts. Faken is kuum ein stuend daar twueschen. Un nuu bedink maal: twueschen Australien un Norderstedt givt dat nich 'n grenss! Ran an d'n computer, leive luyd', un kein schiss foer de techniik. Is allens gaar nich soo swaar as dat uut-suyt. Dat fuelt foer uns oeldern minschen d'n levens-avend uut. Breivfruendschaften sluten, sik uut-tuuschen euver dat Internet maakt soo feel spaass. Nich bloots dat. Mii het dat soo riik maakd. Uns Neddersassisch / Platduytsch leevt, leevt euver-al in de welt, wou neem Nordduytsche minschen sik daal-laten hevt un de mouderspraak in juem er hat dreegt un bewaart.

Without Boundaries 

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
July 1998 

Our world has become small, tiny. Thanks to the Internet it has also lost its boundaries. I experience this day by day. A week ago I received an email message from Newcastle, Australia. This is what it said:

"Dear Miss Kramer-Freudenthal, Hello from faraway Australia. Just tonight I read your story "The Wagon" and enjoyed it very much. It was lovely! It is splendid to be able to find Low German all over the Net. Thank you very much for that. With all my best thoughts, Mick (Michael) Fauchon," followed by his email address.

Last Sunday the Germans in Brisbane met for a "Deutsches Sängerfest'' [German Song Festival]. The singing is in High German. Mick sings tenor, and he insists on singing Low German songs whenever he gets to sing solo. I can hardly tell you how delighted I was to hear this. I offered to help via email in case he is in need of lyrics. My grandson Jimmy lives in Brisbane too, and I owe him a lot. First the computer and then the Internet as well, and all my dear email friends in Europe and overseas ... Mick intends to get in touch with him. It's true indeed: the world is so small.

An email message is just as fast as a call on the telephone. I always get replies right away. Oftentimes they hardly take an hour to arrive. Just think: there is no boundary between Australia and Norderstedt! Get yourselves onto computers, dear folks! Don't be afraid of technology! None of it is as difficult as it looks. It is a nice way for us older folks to occupy ourselves in our golden years. Finding pen pals, sharing via the Internet is so much fun! Not only that. It has enriched my life so much. Our Low Saxon / Low German is alive, is alive all over the world, wherever North German people have settled and have been keeping their native language in their hearts.