Waldheim in Central Saxony
Texts and photos: François Maher Presley
Editor: Jörg Wolfgang Krönert
October 2015, hardcover, 164 pages, A5,
over 160 color pictures
Price: 12.80 EUR | Order
Photo:
The first visit of the author François Maher Presley to Waldheim / Central Saxony in November 2015. Seen here with the then mayor Steffen Blech, the successor Steffen Ernst and the perceived mayor Selle (historical figure) Albrecht Bergmann.
The author:
I just fell in love with Waldheim, in its wonderful location between 13 wooded hills, in sa beautiful, sometimes very stately houses and public buildings, in its history, in the Zschopau, which flows through the city and a little coolness leads me on hot summer days. I also fell in love with the people who approached me very openly and in a friendly manner, with the helpfulness of all the municipal employees, a little enamored with a somehow still intact world, with “my” Waldheim, that I wanted to hold onto like me just experienced it.
You can find a reading sample here.
Opinions
Use in class
German lessons make a fundamental contribution to cognitive, social and emotional development. The focus is on the development of the cultural techniques of reading and writing as a basis for further learning, for participation in social life and for discovering the world. Language is a prerequisite and also a goal of learning. Based on the level of development and the different worlds of experience of the students, the German lessons systematically develop the individual linguistic abilities of the students and create the basis for coping with the communicative requirements of everyday life and for the appropriate use of books.
The development of reading skills in all Saxon curricula, regardless of whether in a special, elementary or high school, focuses on literary texts, everyday and practical texts.
In an atmosphere that promotes reading culture, space should be given to different approaches to reading and joyful reading should be encouraged.
Reading should not be reduced to simply extracting meaning from texts. Lessons are required in which, in addition to enjoyable reading and informative material reading, an individual and collective examination of literary texts is cultivated.
Home and place of residence represent a central approach for the acquisition of knowledge and the initiation of an understanding of the world. In dealing with regional conditions, the students develop their individual emotional relationship and learn to take responsibility.
The book Waldheim in Central Saxonyby the author François Maher Presley is the ideal introduction to this.
A cosmopolitan who - emotionally and from the most diverse perspectives - rediscovered a small town in Central Saxony for himself and his readers. There is a cornucopia of stories about the town hall, the town church, Florena, the penal institution, the Löwen pharmacy and much more.
The oblique pictures by photographer François Maher Presley underscore the fact that architecture is not static, but lively and three-dimensional. In this way, they open up a different view of the apparently familiar to both the child and adult observer. In any case, they have an immanent prompting character for students of all ages in order - as already described above - to give space to different approaches to reading and to encourage joyful reading.
A. Jurczyk, primary school rector, J. Köber, secondary school rector, H. Felgener, special school rector, Waldheim December 6, 2016
Crooked images as a trademark of Waldheim
Author falls in love with Zschopaustadt in two days
Waldheim. A cosmopolitan falls in love with a small town in Central Saxony: François Maher Presley, born in Kuwait, grew up in Hamburg, lived in Morocco and Spain, published over 50 books and received prizes for his short stories. Last week he had just returned from a tour of Asia when he got in the car and drove to Waldheim to read his book there on Friday Waldheim in Central Saxonyto introduce. When I met Steffen Blech for the first time, he described Waldheim to me with enthusiasm that I asked if he still had them allthe author reported. Later he didn't ask himself that anymore and understood the enthusiasm of the former mayor.
François Maher Presley came to Waldheim for two days. During this time I fell in love with Waldheim, he says. The idea for the book met with interest from the mayor at the time. I was immediately enthusiastic and accepted my supportsays Blech. Helping Presley gave him great pleasure. I am proud and grateful that I was allowed to help.Presley spoke to many forest healers, especially Albrecht Bergmann. But also with Pastor Reinald Richter, pharmacist Dr. Sebastian Michael, Michaela Tiepner from the prison, the people from Beiersdorf Manufactoring Waldheim GmbH (Florena) and many more. There are now stories about the town hall, the town church, Florian, the prison and the Löwen pharmacy and their 600-year history in François Maher Presley's Waldheim book. The printed declaration of love did not cost the city a cent - the publisher in-Cultura.com GmbH took care of that. Blech is sure the book will be a success, despite that Main problem. These are these horribly crooked picturesthe author said ironically. But architecture is not static, it is alive, he says. Because they are at an angle, the images suggest three-dimensionality. Even if they are controversial: The terribly crooked imagesgive the Waldheim book a unique selling point. Not every city has a travel guide like this. Dirk Wurzel, Döbelner Allgemeine Zeitung, October 26, 2015
Adorable forest home
The exclamation keeps coming from his lips: Adorable. Author and photographer François Maher Presley and his companions went on a tour with city guide Albrecht Bergmann. This is part of the extensive program that Presley is completing. The author had already been to Zschopaustadt twice and after his first visit had decided to write a book only about Waldheim.
Presley can only benefit from Albrecht Bergmann's extensive knowledge of Waldheim. Even if he stops again and again during the tour to take photos or to look closely at a detail. The book about Waldheim should be ready by autumn ... Frank Korn, Sächsische Zeitung, 07/07/2015
Hello,
I think everything is very successful and wonderfully unadjusted :-)
Have a good trip and hopefully by October,
Sebastian Michael, Leipzig
Dear Mr. Presley,
Thank you for sending me the copy of the book on Waldheim. We started looking through it right away. Are simply excited about your product. We will definitely try to attend the presentation in the Waldheim town hall on October 23, 2015.
Best regards
Dr. Katharina Sparrer & Team,Manager
Good morning dear Mr. Presley,
the book is a success. It is your work, you did the work and I am proud and grateful that I was allowed to work on this project. I agree that the reader will feel that you have enjoyed working on this book. This joy will be carried over to the reader and visitor of our city. We can hardly do better advertising for the city of Waldheim. The oblique views of the photos arouse curiosity in people and they will have to buy the book.
Thank you very much, dear Mr. Presley, for letting me help you with this.
With kind regards
Your Steffen Blech, retired mayor
