Plattdüütsch leevt 

vun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(Maimoond 1995)  

Wüür Mondag bi'n Putzbüdel. Harr dat neudig! Ok wüür ik neeschierig op dat, wat sik no den Ümboo in't Herold-Center so doon hett. Smuck is dat wodden! Ober ik mütt ümmer nochmool warrer hin, hebb lang nich allns ankeken. 

Mi treckt dat ümmer warrer an Stand vun den Greunhöker. Dat frische Oof un Greuntüüg antokieken is een wahre Freid. De samte Klüür vun een Regenbogen lacht mi an. Wull wat käupen, ober dor wüürn toveel vör mi un ik sä to mien Mann: ,,Nu hebb ik jo sehn wat dat allns gifft, ik schrief di op wat ik bruuk, mi warrt de Been swoor un ik bruuk frische Luft. Buten is ok een Greunhöker, dat hebb ik sehn as wi keumen.'' Tutig, as ümmer, güng mien Mann mit mi rut. Och, wüür dat scheun, wenn ok koold, deep dörchoten kunn ik hier in de Berliner Allee. 

Suutje sünd wi op de Greunwoornloden tostüürt. Buten wüürn Planten, de nu no de Ieshilligen all plant warrn köönt, woneem mien Mann glieks een Oog op smeet. Ik stüür ober in den Loden rin. Kökenkrüder! Man dat wüür wat för mi! Hebb ok glieks tosloon. ,,Nette Bedeen'', dach ik so bi mi. Allns wöör mi glieks afnohm un an de Kass' drogen. In aller Rooh kunn ik mi utseuken wat ik noch giern mitnehm müüch. Priesünnerscheed füll mi ok op. Na, as ik denn op de Kass losstüür tipp de fründliche junge Mann gau allns op, un ik hebb em froogt: ,,Was habe ich zu zahlen?'' ,,Eenunföftig Mark un fiefuntwintig Penn'', keum dat in bestet Plattdüütsch achtern den Lodentisch rut. ,,Mann ober ok, de Jung snackt platt!'' hebb ik vör Freid antert. Kloor, nu güng dat grote Frogen los. As Landsmann harr ik em glieks richtig inschätzt. De fründliche junge Mann keum ut de Türkei. Sien jüst so fründliche Fro füng an mit em ünner Kass' to musen. De beiden söchen wat Bestimmtet. Ik kreeg een Zeddel vör mien Ogen, de mi nich unbekannt wüür. Een Rundschrieben vun unsen plattdüütschen VHS [Volkshoochschool] -Kring, woneem Olga Schuck, dat Böberste harr se afsneen, uns Liddmoten op de ,,Fruchtoase'' un den türkschen Besitter, de plattdüütsch snacken kunn, opmarksom mookt. As Hilligdoom heugt he dissen Zeddel ünner de Kass'. 

Wi hebbt uns Woor no dat Auto bröcht un wulln no Huus. ,,Ne'', dink ik so bi mi, ,,öber dat junge Poor, un woans een Türk een so godet Platt snackt, müß du miehr weten''. Block un Schrieber in de Hand stünn ik no een kotte Tiet warrer in den akroten Loden. Mien Frogen keumen nu Slag op Slag. ,,Siet wann sünd se in Düütschland?'' 16 Johr is Ilhan Dogru al in Düütschland. Acht Johr dorvun hett he op den Grootmarkt bi een Zippelkoopmann sien Broot verdeent. Dat wüür wiß Gott een swore Arbeit. Sleep mool ümmer Zippelsäck. Op den Grootmarkt is noch hüüt Plattdüütsch de Ümgangssprook. Ober dat güng mit Fliet gau opwarts. Den iersten egen Loden hett he vun Januor 1981 bet to Mitt' 1986 an'n Smuggelstieg hat. Dorno wöör in de Europa-Allee Foot foot. Sien Fro, Verena, is een waschechte Diern ut Langenhorn. Den 13. August 1986 hebbt de beiden heiroot. De Doten hett he fast in sien Kopp un se koomt em flott öber de Tung. As ik toierst no sien Fro frogen dä, kreeg ik to Anter: ,,Mein Herzblatt!'' In de Anter leeg soveel Leev un Tofredenheit. Ilhan hett hier bi uns sien Tohuus, Glück un Tofredenheit funnen, dat kickt de beiden jungen Minschen ut jümehr Ogen. Vun gansen Hatten wünsch ik, datt dat so blifft, un Gott sien rieken Segen wiederhin öber jüm utschütten müüch. 

Olga Schuck hett al in Christmoond 1994 op dissen proppern Loden hinwiest. Ik sluut mi to 100% an. Woneem uns Oof un Greunwoorn in Tokunft köfft warrt, dat könnt ji jo sachs dinken. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Low German is Alive 

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(May 1995)  

On Monday I was at the hairdresser's. I sure needed it! Also, I was curious about what has been going on since the remodeling of the Herold-Center [a shopping center in Hamburg]. It turned out beautiful! But I should keep going back, didn't get to see anywhere near everything. 

I kept feeling drawn back to the greengrocer's stall. It's a real joy to look at the fresh fruit and vegetables. All the colors of the rainbow smiled at me. I wanted to buy something, but there were too many [people] in front of me, and I said to my husband, "Now I've seen what there is. I'll write down for you what I need. My legs are getting heavy, and I need [some] fresh air. There's another greengrocer's outside. I saw it when we came [here]. My husband went outside with me, without a word of protest, as always. Boy, was it nice, though cold! I could take a deep breath [out] here in the Berliner Allee [an avenue in Hamburg]. 

Slowly but surely we headed for the greengrocer's store. Outside there were [some] plants that can be planted now after Ice Saints [a date marking the end of possible frost], on which my husband had his eye right away. But I headed straight into the store. Pot herbs! Boy, that was something for me! And I promptly went for it. "Nice service," I thought. They'd take everything off you and carry it to the cashier's counter. I was able to take my time and select whatever I felt like getting. I also noticed differences in prices. So, when I got to the cashier's counter the friendly young man quickly rang everything up, and I asked him [in German], "How much is it?" "Fifty-one marks and twenty-five pfennigs," I heard him say from behind the counter in exquisite Low German. "Goodness gracious! The guy speaks Low German!" I responded with delight. Of course, now the grand inquisition began. My first guess about his nationality was correct. The friendly young man was from Turkey. He and his wife, who was just as friendly, began to rummage around underneath the cashier's counter. The two were looking for something special. I was presented with a piece of paper with which I was familiar: a flyer from our Low German circle at the community college, in which Olga Schuck--they had cut off the top part--drew the attention of our members to the owner of the "Fruchtoase" [German "Fruit Oasis"] who was able to speak Low German. He keeps this sheet of paper under the cashier's counter like some type of sacred object. 

We took our purchases to the car and were going to go home. "No," I thought, "I've got to find out more about the young couple and how a Turk came to speak such good Low German." A little while later I was again standing in the very store, pad and pen in hand. I asked question after question. "Since when have you been in Germany?" Ilhan Dogru has been living in Germany for 16 years. For eight of these he earned his keep at an onion seller's at the wholesale [produce] market. Most certainly that was hard work. Imagine carrying onion bags all the time! Low German is still the lingua franca at the wholesale [produce] market [in Hamburg]. Anyway, with diligence things improved [for him]. The first store he owned used to be on the Smuggelstieg [a street in Hamburg] from January 1981 until the middle of 1986. After that they settled in the Europa-Allee [an avenue in Hamburg]. His wife, Verena, is a genuine native of Langenhorn [a district in Hamburg]. The two got married on August 13th, 1986. He remembered all the dates by heart and rattled them down. When I first asked about his wife, I received the response "Mein Herzblatt!" [German "My sweetheart!"] There was so much love and contentment in the response! Ilhan has found a home, happiness and contentment here among us. You can see it in the eyes of those young people. With all my heart I wish that that is how it is going to remain and that God may keep casting His rich blessings onto them. 

Olga Schuck had made us aware of this very store already in December 1994. I am 100 percent behind her in this. I suppose you can imagine where we'll be buying our produce in the future.

Platduytsch leevt 

fun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(Maimaand 1995)  

Woyr Maandag bii d'n putsbuydel. Har dat noydig! Ouk woyr ik neischirig op dat wat sik naa d'n uembou in 't Herold-Center soo daan het. Smuk is dat worden! Aver ik muet uemmer nochmaal wedder hin, heb lang' nich allens an-keken. 

Mi trekt dat uemmer wedder an d'n stand fun d'n groynheuker. Dat frische aaf un groyntuyg an to kiken is 'n ware fraid'. De samte kloyr fun d'n regenbogen lacht mii an. Wul wat koypen, aver daar woyrn tou feel foer mii, un ik see to miin man: ,,Nuu heb ik jaa sein wat dat allens givt. Ik schriiv dii op wat ik bruuk. Mi wardt de bein' swaar, un ik bruuk frische luft. Buten is ouk 'n groynheuker. Dat heb ik sein as wii koymen.'' Tutig, as uemmer, gueng miin man mit mii ruut. Och, woyr dat schoyn, wen ouk kold! Deip doerch-aten kun ik hiir in de Berliner Allee. 

Suutje suend wi op d'n groynwarenladen tou-stuyrd. Buten woyren planten de nuu naa de Iishilligen al plantt warden keunt, wouneem miin man gliiks 'n oug' op smeit. Ik stuyr aver in d'n laden rin. Keukenkruyder! Man, dat woyr wat foer mii! Heb ouk gliiks tou-slaan. ,,Nette bedein'', dach ik soo bii mii. Allens woyrd' mii gliiks af-namen un an de kas dragen. In aller rou kun ik mii uut-seuken wat ik noch geirn mit-nemen mueg. Priisuennerscheid' fuel mii ouk op. Na, as ik den op de kas loos-stuyr tip de fruendliche junge man gau allens op, un ik heb em fraagt: ,,Was habe ich zu zahlen?'' ,,Ein-un-foeftig mark un fiif-un-twintig pen'', keum dat in bestet Platduytsch achter d'n ladentisch ruut. ,,Man aver ouk! De jung' snakt Plat!'' heb ik foer fraid' antert. Klaar, nuu gueng dat grote fragen loos. As landsman har ik em gliiks richtig in-schetsd. De fruendliche junge man koym uut de Tuerkai. Siin juest soo fruendliche frou fueng an mit em uenner de kas to musen. De baiden soechen wat bestimtet. Ik kreeg' 'n tseddel foer miin ougen de mii nich unbekand woyr: 'n rundschriven fun unsen Platduytschen VHS [Volkshoogschool] - Kring, wouneem Olga Schuck -- dat beuversde har se af-sneen -- uns lidmaten op de ,,Fruchtoase'' un d'n Tuerkschen besitter, de Platduytsch snakken kun, opmarksaam maakd. As hilligdoum hoygt hei dissen tseddel uenner de kas. 

Wi hebt uns waar naa dat auto broechd un wullen naa huus. ,,Nei'', dink ik soo bii mii, ,,Euver dat junge paar un wouans 'n Tuerk 'n soo goudet Plat snakt muess duu meir weiten''. Blok un schriever in de hand stuend ik naa 'n kotte tiid wedder in d'n akraten laden. Miin fragen koymen nuu slag op slag. ,,Siet wan suend Sei in Duytschland?'' 16 [soestain] jaar is Ilhan Dogru al in Duytschland. Acht jaar daar fun het he op d'n grootmarkt bii 'n tsippelkoupman siin brood ferdeind. Dat woyr wiss Got 'n sware arbaid. Sleep maal uemmer tsippelsek! Op d'n grootmarkt is noch huyt Platduytsch de uemgangsspraak. Aver dat gueng mit fliit gau opwarts. D'n eirsten eigen laden het he fun januar 1981 [negentain hunnerd ein-un-tachentig] bet to mid 1986 [negentain hunnerd soes-un-tachentig] an d'n Smuggelstieg had. Daar naa woyr in de Europa-Allee fout faatt. Siin frou, Verena, is 'n wasch-echte deirn uut Langenhorn. D'n 13. [dertainden] August 1986 hebt de baiden hairaatt. De daten het hei fast in siin kop, un sei koomt em flot euver de tung. As ik tou eirst naa siin frou fragen dee, kreeg' ik tou anter: ,,Mein Herzblatt!'' In de anter leeg' soo feel leiv' un toufreidenhait! Ilhan het hiir bii uns siin touhuus', gluek un toufreidenhait funden. Dat kikt de baiden jungen minschen uut juem er ougen. Fun ganssen hatten wuensch ik dat dat soo blivt un Got siin riken segen widerhin euver juem uut-schuetten moyg'. 

Olga Schuck het al in d'n Kristmaand 1994 [negentain hunnerd feir-un-negentig] op dissen proppern laden hin-wiisd. Ik sluut mii to 100% [hunnerd pertsent] an. Wouneem uns aaf un groynwaren in toukumft koefd wardt, dat keunt jii jou sachs dinken. 

Low German is Alive 

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(May 1995)  

On Monday I was at the hairdresser's. I sure needed it! Also, I was curious about what has been going on since the remodeling of the Herold-Center [a shopping center in Hamburg]. It turned out beautiful! But I should keep going back, didn't get to see anywhere near everything. 

I kept feeling drawn back to the greengrocer's stall. It's a real joy to look at the fresh fruit and vegetables. All the colors of the rainbow smiled at me. I wanted to buy something, but there were too many [people] in front of me, and I said to my husband, "Now I've seen what there is. I'll write down for you what I need. My legs are getting heavy, and I need [some] fresh air. There's another greengrocer's outside. I saw it when we came [here]. My husband went outside with me, without a word of protest, as always. Boy, was it nice, though cold! I could take a deep breath [out] here in the Berliner Allee [an avenue in Hamburg]. 

Slowly but surely we headed for the greengrocer's store. Outside there were [some] plants that can be planted now after Ice Saints [a date marking the end of possible frost], on which my husband had his eye right away. But I headed straight into the store. Pot herbs! Boy, that was something for me! And I promptly went for it. "Nice service," I thought. They'd take everything off you and carry it to the cashier's counter. I was able to take my time and select whatever I felt like getting. I also noticed differences in prices. So, when I got to the cashier's counter the friendly young man quickly rang everything up, and I asked him [in German], "How much is it?" "Fifty-one marks and twenty-five pfennigs," I heard him say from behind the counter in exquisite Low German. "Goodness gracious! The guy speaks Low German!" I responded with delight. Of course, now the grand inquisition began. My first guess about his nationality was correct. The friendly young man was from Turkey. He and his wife, who was just as friendly, began to rummage around underneath the cashier's counter. The two were looking for something special. I was presented with a piece of paper with which I was familiar: a flyer from our Low German circle at the community college, in which Olga Schuck--they had cut off the top part--drew the attention of our members to the owner of the "Fruchtoase" [German "Fruit Oasis"] who was able to speak Low German. He keeps this sheet of paper under the cashier's counter like some type of sacred object. 

We took our purchases to the car and were going to go home. "No," I thought, "I've got to find out more about the young couple and how a Turk came to speak such good Low German." A little while later I was again standing in the very store, pad and pen in hand. I asked question after question. "Since when have you been in Germany?" Ilhan Dogru has been living in Germany for 16 years. For eight of these he earned his keep at an onion seller's at the wholesale [produce] market. Most certainly that was hard work. Imagine carrying onion bags all the time! Low German is still the lingua franca at the wholesale [produce] market [in Hamburg]. Anyway, with diligence things improved [for him]. The first store he owned used to be on the Smuggelstieg [a street in Hamburg] from January 1981 until the middle of 1986. After that they settled in the Europa-Allee [an avenue in Hamburg]. His wife, Verena, is a genuine native of Langenhorn [a district in Hamburg]. The two got married on August 13th, 1986. He remembered all the dates by heart and rattled them down. When I first asked about his wife, I received the response "Mein Herzblatt!" [German "My sweetheart!"] There was so much love and contentment in the response! Ilhan has found a home, happiness and contentment here among us. You can see it in the eyes of those young people. With all my heart I wish that that is how it is going to remain and that God may keep casting His rich blessings onto them. 

Olga Schuck had made us aware of this very store already in December 1994. I am 100 percent behind her in this. I suppose you can imagine where we'll be buying our produce in the future. 

Plattdüütsch leevt 

vun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(Maimoond 1995)  

Wüür Mondag bi'n Putzbüdel. Harr dat neudig! Ok wüür ik neeschierig op dat, wat sik no den Ümboo in't Herold-Center so doon hett. Smuck is dat wodden! Ober ik mütt ümmer nochmool warrer hin, hebb lang nich allns ankeken. 

Mi treckt dat ümmer warrer an Stand vun den Greunhöker. Dat frische Oof un Greuntüüg antokieken is een wahre Freid. De samte Klüür vun een Regenbogen lacht mi an. Wull wat käupen, ober dor wüürn toveel vör mi un ik sä to mien Mann: ,,Nu hebb ik jo sehn wat dat allns gifft, ik schrief di op wat ik bruuk, mi warrt de Been swoor un ik bruuk frische Luft. Buten is ok een Greunhöker, dat hebb ik sehn as wi keumen.'' Tutig, as ümmer, güng mien Mann mit mi rut. Och, wüür dat scheun, wenn ok koold, deep dörchoten kunn ik hier in de Berliner Allee. 

Suutje sünd wi op de Greunwoornloden tostüürt. Buten wüürn Planten, de nu no de Ieshilligen all plant warrn köönt, woneem mien Mann glieks een Oog op smeet. Ik stüür ober in den Loden rin. Kökenkrüder! Man dat wüür wat för mi! Hebb ok glieks tosloon. ,,Nette Bedeen'', dach ik so bi mi. Allns wöör mi glieks afnohm un an de Kass' drogen. In aller Rooh kunn ik mi utseuken wat ik noch giern mitnehm müüch. Priesünnerscheed füll mi ok op. Na, as ik denn op de Kass losstüür tipp de fründliche junge Mann gau allns op, un ik hebb em froogt: ,,Was habe ich zu zahlen?'' ,,Eenunföftig Mark un fiefuntwintig Penn'', keum dat in bestet Plattdüütsch achtern den Lodentisch rut. ,,Mann ober ok, de Jung snackt platt!'' hebb ik vör Freid antert. Kloor, nu güng dat grote Frogen los. As Landsmann harr ik em glieks richtig inschätzt. De fründliche junge Mann keum ut de Türkei. Sien jüst so fründliche Fro füng an mit em ünner Kass' to musen. De beiden söchen wat Bestimmtet. Ik kreeg een Zeddel vör mien Ogen, de mi nich unbekannt wüür. Een Rundschrieben vun unsen plattdüütschen VHS [Volkshoochschool] -Kring, woneem Olga Schuck, dat Böberste harr se afsneen, uns Liddmoten op de ,,Fruchtoase'' un den türkschen Besitter, de plattdüütsch snacken kunn, opmarksom mookt. As Hilligdoom heugt he dissen Zeddel ünner de Kass'. 

Wi hebbt uns Woor no dat Auto bröcht un wulln no Huus. ,,Ne'', dink ik so bi mi, ,,öber dat junge Poor, un woans een Türk een so godet Platt snackt, müß du miehr weten''. Block un Schrieber in de Hand stünn ik no een kotte Tiet warrer in den akroten Loden. Mien Frogen keumen nu Slag op Slag. ,,Siet wann sünd se in Düütschland?'' 16 Johr is Ilhan Dogru al in Düütschland. Acht Johr dorvun hett he op den Grootmarkt bi een Zippelkoopmann sien Broot verdeent. Dat wüür wiß Gott een swore Arbeit. Sleep mool ümmer Zippelsäck. Op den Grootmarkt is noch hüüt Plattdüütsch de Ümgangssprook. Ober dat güng mit Fliet gau opwarts. Den iersten egen Loden hett he vun Januor 1981 bet to Mitt' 1986 an'n Smuggelstieg hat. Dorno wöör in de Europa-Allee Foot foot. Sien Fro, Verena, is een waschechte Diern ut Langenhorn. Den 13. August 1986 hebbt de beiden heiroot. De Doten hett he fast in sien Kopp un se koomt em flott öber de Tung. As ik toierst no sien Fro frogen dä, kreeg ik to Anter: ,,Mein Herzblatt!'' In de Anter leeg soveel Leev un Tofredenheit. Ilhan hett hier bi uns sien Tohuus, Glück un Tofredenheit funnen, dat kickt de beiden jungen Minschen ut jümehr Ogen. Vun gansen Hatten wünsch ik, datt dat so blifft, un Gott sien rieken Segen wiederhin öber jüm utschütten müüch. 

Olga Schuck hett al in Christmoond 1994 op dissen proppern Loden hinwiest. Ik sluut mi to 100% an. Woneem uns Oof un Greunwoorn in Tokunft köfft warrt, dat könnt ji jo sachs dinken. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Low German is Alive 

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(May 1995)  

On Monday I was at the hairdresser's. I sure needed it! Also, I was curious about what has been going on since the remodeling of the Herold-Center [a shopping center in Hamburg]. It turned out beautiful! But I should keep going back, didn't get to see anywhere near everything. 

I kept feeling drawn back to the greengrocer's stall. It's a real joy to look at the fresh fruit and vegetables. All the colors of the rainbow smiled at me. I wanted to buy something, but there were too many [people] in front of me, and I said to my husband, "Now I've seen what there is. I'll write down for you what I need. My legs are getting heavy, and I need [some] fresh air. There's another greengrocer's outside. I saw it when we came [here]. My husband went outside with me, without a word of protest, as always. Boy, was it nice, though cold! I could take a deep breath [out] here in the Berliner Allee [an avenue in Hamburg]. 

Slowly but surely we headed for the greengrocer's store. Outside there were [some] plants that can be planted now after Ice Saints [a date marking the end of possible frost], on which my husband had his eye right away. But I headed straight into the store. Pot herbs! Boy, that was something for me! And I promptly went for it. "Nice service," I thought. They'd take everything off you and carry it to the cashier's counter. I was able to take my time and select whatever I felt like getting. I also noticed differences in prices. So, when I got to the cashier's counter the friendly young man quickly rang everything up, and I asked him [in German], "How much is it?" "Fifty-one marks and twenty-five pfennigs," I heard him say from behind the counter in exquisite Low German. "Goodness gracious! The guy speaks Low German!" I responded with delight. Of course, now the grand inquisition began. My first guess about his nationality was correct. The friendly young man was from Turkey. He and his wife, who was just as friendly, began to rummage around underneath the cashier's counter. The two were looking for something special. I was presented with a piece of paper with which I was familiar: a flyer from our Low German circle at the community college, in which Olga Schuck--they had cut off the top part--drew the attention of our members to the owner of the "Fruchtoase" [German "Fruit Oasis"] who was able to speak Low German. He keeps this sheet of paper under the cashier's counter like some type of sacred object. 

We took our purchases to the car and were going to go home. "No," I thought, "I've got to find out more about the young couple and how a Turk came to speak such good Low German." A little while later I was again standing in the very store, pad and pen in hand. I asked question after question. "Since when have you been in Germany?" Ilhan Dogru has been living in Germany for 16 years. For eight of these he earned his keep at an onion seller's at the wholesale [produce] market. Most certainly that was hard work. Imagine carrying onion bags all the time! Low German is still the lingua franca at the wholesale [produce] market [in Hamburg]. Anyway, with diligence things improved [for him]. The first store he owned used to be on the Smuggelstieg [a street in Hamburg] from January 1981 until the middle of 1986. After that they settled in the Europa-Allee [an avenue in Hamburg]. His wife, Verena, is a genuine native of Langenhorn [a district in Hamburg]. The two got married on August 13th, 1986. He remembered all the dates by heart and rattled them down. When I first asked about his wife, I received the response "Mein Herzblatt!" [German "My sweetheart!"] There was so much love and contentment in the response! Ilhan has found a home, happiness and contentment here among us. You can see it in the eyes of those young people. With all my heart I wish that that is how it is going to remain and that God may keep casting His rich blessings onto them. 

Olga Schuck had made us aware of this very store already in December 1994. I am 100 percent behind her in this. I suppose you can imagine where we'll be buying our produce in the future.

Platduytsch leevt 

fun Clara Kramer-Freudenthal 
(Maimaand 1995)  

Woyr Maandag bii d'n putsbuydel. Har dat noydig! Ouk woyr ik neischirig op dat wat sik naa d'n uembou in 't Herold-Center soo daan het. Smuk is dat worden! Aver ik muet uemmer nochmaal wedder hin, heb lang' nich allens an-keken. 

Mi trekt dat uemmer wedder an d'n stand fun d'n groynheuker. Dat frische aaf un groyntuyg an to kiken is 'n ware fraid'. De samte kloyr fun d'n regenbogen lacht mii an. Wul wat koypen, aver daar woyrn tou feel foer mii, un ik see to miin man: ,,Nuu heb ik jaa sein wat dat allens givt. Ik schriiv dii op wat ik bruuk. Mi wardt de bein' swaar, un ik bruuk frische luft. Buten is ouk 'n groynheuker. Dat heb ik sein as wii koymen.'' Tutig, as uemmer, gueng miin man mit mii ruut. Och, woyr dat schoyn, wen ouk kold! Deip doerch-aten kun ik hiir in de Berliner Allee. 

Suutje suend wi op d'n groynwarenladen tou-stuyrd. Buten woyren planten de nuu naa de Iishilligen al plantt warden keunt, wouneem miin man gliiks 'n oug' op smeit. Ik stuyr aver in d'n laden rin. Keukenkruyder! Man, dat woyr wat foer mii! Heb ouk gliiks tou-slaan. ,,Nette bedein'', dach ik soo bii mii. Allens woyrd' mii gliiks af-namen un an de kas dragen. In aller rou kun ik mii uut-seuken wat ik noch geirn mit-nemen mueg. Priisuennerscheid' fuel mii ouk op. Na, as ik den op de kas loos-stuyr tip de fruendliche junge man gau allens op, un ik heb em fraagt: ,,Was habe ich zu zahlen?'' ,,Ein-un-foeftig mark un fiif-un-twintig pen'', keum dat in bestet Platduytsch achter d'n ladentisch ruut. ,,Man aver ouk! De jung' snakt Plat!'' heb ik foer fraid' antert. Klaar, nuu gueng dat grote fragen loos. As landsman har ik em gliiks richtig in-schetsd. De fruendliche junge man koym uut de Tuerkai. Siin juest soo fruendliche frou fueng an mit em uenner de kas to musen. De baiden soechen wat bestimtet. Ik kreeg' 'n tseddel foer miin ougen de mii nich unbekand woyr: 'n rundschriven fun unsen Platduytschen VHS [Volkshoogschool] - Kring, wouneem Olga Schuck -- dat beuversde har se af-sneen -- uns lidmaten op de ,,Fruchtoase'' un d'n Tuerkschen besitter, de Platduytsch snakken kun, opmarksaam maakd. As hilligdoum hoygt hei dissen tseddel uenner de kas. 

Wi hebt uns waar naa dat auto broechd un wullen naa huus. ,,Nei'', dink ik soo bii mii, ,,Euver dat junge paar un wouans 'n Tuerk 'n soo goudet Plat snakt muess duu meir weiten''. Blok un schriever in de hand stuend ik naa 'n kotte tiid wedder in d'n akraten laden. Miin fragen koymen nuu slag op slag. ,,Siet wan suend Sei in Duytschland?'' 16 [soestain] jaar is Ilhan Dogru al in Duytschland. Acht jaar daar fun het he op d'n grootmarkt bii 'n tsippelkoupman siin brood ferdeind. Dat woyr wiss Got 'n sware arbaid. Sleep maal uemmer tsippelsek! Op d'n grootmarkt is noch huyt Platduytsch de uemgangsspraak. Aver dat gueng mit fliit gau opwarts. D'n eirsten eigen laden het he fun januar 1981 [negentain hunnerd ein-un-tachentig] bet to mid 1986 [negentain hunnerd soes-un-tachentig] an d'n Smuggelstieg had. Daar naa woyr in de Europa-Allee fout faatt. Siin frou, Verena, is 'n wasch-echte deirn uut Langenhorn. D'n 13. [dertainden] August 1986 hebt de baiden hairaatt. De daten het hei fast in siin kop, un sei koomt em flot euver de tung. As ik tou eirst naa siin frou fragen dee, kreeg' ik tou anter: ,,Mein Herzblatt!'' In de anter leeg' soo feel leiv' un toufreidenhait! Ilhan het hiir bii uns siin touhuus', gluek un toufreidenhait funden. Dat kikt de baiden jungen minschen uut juem er ougen. Fun ganssen hatten wuensch ik dat dat soo blivt un Got siin riken segen widerhin euver juem uut-schuetten moyg'. 

Olga Schuck het al in d'n Kristmaand 1994 [negentain hunnerd feir-un-negentig] op dissen proppern laden hin-wiisd. Ik sluut mii to 100% [hunnerd pertsent] an. Wouneem uns aaf un groynwaren in toukumft koefd wardt, dat keunt jii jou sachs dinken. 

Low German is Alive 

by Clara Kramer-Freudenthal  
(May 1995)  

On Monday I was at the hairdresser's. I sure needed it! Also, I was curious about what has been going on since the remodeling of the Herold-Center [a shopping center in Hamburg]. It turned out beautiful! But I should keep going back, didn't get to see anywhere near everything. 

I kept feeling drawn back to the greengrocer's stall. It's a real joy to look at the fresh fruit and vegetables. All the colors of the rainbow smiled at me. I wanted to buy something, but there were too many [people] in front of me, and I said to my husband, "Now I've seen what there is. I'll write down for you what I need. My legs are getting heavy, and I need [some] fresh air. There's another greengrocer's outside. I saw it when we came [here]. My husband went outside with me, without a word of protest, as always. Boy, was it nice, though cold! I could take a deep breath [out] here in the Berliner Allee [an avenue in Hamburg]. 

Slowly but surely we headed for the greengrocer's store. Outside there were [some] plants that can be planted now after Ice Saints [a date marking the end of possible frost], on which my husband had his eye right away. But I headed straight into the store. Pot herbs! Boy, that was something for me! And I promptly went for it. "Nice service," I thought. They'd take everything off you and carry it to the cashier's counter. I was able to take my time and select whatever I felt like getting. I also noticed differences in prices. So, when I got to the cashier's counter the friendly young man quickly rang everything up, and I asked him [in German], "How much is it?" "Fifty-one marks and twenty-five pfennigs," I heard him say from behind the counter in exquisite Low German. "Goodness gracious! The guy speaks Low German!" I responded with delight. Of course, now the grand inquisition began. My first guess about his nationality was correct. The friendly young man was from Turkey. He and his wife, who was just as friendly, began to rummage around underneath the cashier's counter. The two were looking for something special. I was presented with a piece of paper with which I was familiar: a flyer from our Low German circle at the community college, in which Olga Schuck--they had cut off the top part--drew the attention of our members to the owner of the "Fruchtoase" [German "Fruit Oasis"] who was able to speak Low German. He keeps this sheet of paper under the cashier's counter like some type of sacred object. 

We took our purchases to the car and were going to go home. "No," I thought, "I've got to find out more about the young couple and how a Turk came to speak such good Low German." A little while later I was again standing in the very store, pad and pen in hand. I asked question after question. "Since when have you been in Germany?" Ilhan Dogru has been living in Germany for 16 years. For eight of these he earned his keep at an onion seller's at the wholesale [produce] market. Most certainly that was hard work. Imagine carrying onion bags all the time! Low German is still the lingua franca at the wholesale [produce] market [in Hamburg]. Anyway, with diligence things improved [for him]. The first store he owned used to be on the Smuggelstieg [a street in Hamburg] from January 1981 until the middle of 1986. After that they settled in the Europa-Allee [an avenue in Hamburg]. His wife, Verena, is a genuine native of Langenhorn [a district in Hamburg]. The two got married on August 13th, 1986. He remembered all the dates by heart and rattled them down. When I first asked about his wife, I received the response "Mein Herzblatt!" [German "My sweetheart!"] There was so much love and contentment in the response! Ilhan has found a home, happiness and contentment here among us. You can see it in the eyes of those young people. With all my heart I wish that that is how it is going to remain and that God may keep casting His rich blessings onto them. 

Olga Schuck had made us aware of this very store already in December 1994. I am 100 percent behind her in this. I suppose you can imagine where we'll be buying our produce in the future.