European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 25, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday May 25, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 9 education journey to Freedom part of Odyssey youngsters from East Germany join contest by Ron Jensen a Firnberg Bureau Hillesheim Germany a the Berlin Wall fell again May 16. This time however it tumbled Down at an american military base in a skit that was part of a Competition called Odyssey of the mind. But just As when the real thing gave Way on nov. 9, 1989, the impetus for this make believe versions demise came from people living in the free worlds perspective behind the Wall. �?o1 live Only 10 minutes by foot from the Berlin Wall. She the Wall was always there a said Eike Bartsch one of five Young people from Potsdam taking part in the Competition that included teams from american schools in Vilseck and Lan Stuhl As Well As Hillesheim. The Odyssey of the mind Competition is an International program designed to prompt creativity and teamwork from Young people in kindergarten through College. The goal is the worldwide Competition this week in Boulder Colo. A team from Potsdam has already been chosen for the world meet in Colorado and it will not be this one. But the trip to Hillesheim was a Consolation said Ines Kott who teaches russian and English at the school. One Bonus was that the youngsters stayed with american families during the Brief visit. A a it a a great feeling to be Here and to stay with american families a Eike said. A a it a fantastic. I never dreamed about Tino Mutscher said a my great wish is that i can go to the states and see How they Are living there. Its a Small part of the states on this Post so i think i can see a piece of but Kott said the visit to the american base is even More meaningful to an adult like herself. A a in a coloured by the formal opinion we had in the Cdr former East Germany that you Are enemies a she said. A for me it is really funny to see it the base because ass Ron Jotun Tino Mutscher plays a magical character in an Odyssey of the mind skit by Young people from Potsdam Germany. Other pupils from Potsdam Are Eike Bartsch right and Cindy go Bauer dressed As a tree. We never thought that it would be possible to be on such a base and see the helicopters and so the pupils skit was part of the Competition called Alice in Overland for Odyssey of the mind. There were certain rules to follow such As the length restrictions. It also had to include poetry music and humor among other requirements. In the Eastern germans skit Tino with a whitened face and a fright wig played a character capable of making t till in i .1 it t 1 i 1 >4 s. Ii >1 Lill la Luis t i h m a a. I i k a i. U in .1 i. In a. 1.1 i i i it 111. V v in i Sis Ron i v i in 4 dreams come True. He allowed Alice played by Cindy Gebauer and her Mother played by Eike to know the thrill of Freedom by smashing the Wall. Eikes character wearing hair curlers and with a hair dryer attached above her head marvelled in the new world of West Berlin at the fancy curlers and dryers in the stores. Alice was less impressed. Eike later explained a Many older people in the Cdr were so excited when they got through the first time to West Berlin. That we tried to explain with the the character of Alice portrayed the younger East germans who were unable to fully appreciate the significance of what happened she said. For Eike herself the fall of the Wall late one thursday night nearly three years ago was unbelievable. A my parents told me that it had fallen Down on Friday morning and i thought that they made a joke a she said. It was natural then that the Young people would want to create a skit about the Wall. A they came to me and told me they would like to have As the topic the fall of the Wall a Kott said. She warned them that such a topic might not impress judges uninfluenced by the Border. A it was not a problem for everyone she said of the Wall a but for them they live in Potsdam they have been influenced by travelling with the team was Karl Ernst Plagemann the Odyssey of the mind coordinator for Germany when the Wall fell the Potsdam resident was out of a Job. He had spent 20 years training l ast German diplomats on american politics a now i have lost my Job a he said with Good humor a i Here is no Uuie go k and no Moie i <1 k diplomats me said the i d y s s c y of the \ 1111d v petition is a la c it w in Ming people Iii the 1 to meet ind my Udo with then i oui i e i j i a i i the is e he took i the 111 to i i i i a n i. A Wol id v Tiomi Las ten Ai Knowle i ,-1. I \ a a a i it i. A a. �?�1 m e t in c 11 i i i i1 a i e a 1 t it i year was the first from Germany to participate in the tournament. A we Are a Little bit proud that it was a team from the Eastern part of the unified Germany a he said. In fact Western Europe has not been Active in Odyssey of the mind. Plagg Mann said he does not know Why but said Eastern Europe will be Well represented in Colorado. A Poland is there. Hungary is there. Czechoslovakia is there Quot he said. A none of the Western european teams Are there. Western Europe is represented Only by the american Dod in fact Plagmann has plans to get an american team from a department of defense dependents schools facility to take part in the european finals next year in Russia. Winners in the Odyssey of the mind tournament and the categories in which they competed were Alice in Overland first German school Potsdam second Hillesheim elementary Middle school third Vilseck High school seventh Grade honorable mention Vilseck High school eighth Grade. Omu ment an architecture project first Lan Stuhl elementary Middle school second Hillesheim elementary Middle school third Vilseck High school seventh Grade honorable mention Vilseck High school eighth Grade. Atlas which requires teams to build structures from less than 1 ounce of Balsa Wood on which they can Load heavy weights first Hillesheim elementary Middle school second i am Stuhl i temen i 11v Middle school 1 1 c i v .1 d 1c i til la Hull Sci juices a it tins to in in e11ic it of a weight to log 1. I i Sci unto e it eight other phys d lil i la til is v Lesei k i Ligh school ii i d a clip Iii h be queues teams to. Ii held uni out five vehicles pow i it. U in y a a pm Icv voice. T.is\. N. Lie v h
