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Der Struwwelpeter (1845) is a popular German children’s book by Heinrich Hoffmann which has been translated into English. It comprises ten illustrated and rhymed stories, mostly about children. Each has a clear moral that demonstrates the disastrous consequences of misbehavior in an exaggerated way. The title of the first story provides the title of the whole book. Literally translated, Struwwel-Peter means Shaggy-Peter.

Vice Principal Joseph Sciriha of the UMJC welcomed students, hosting parents and the distinguished guests from Germany, Dr. Juergen Schuetz, Head of the Administration of the Rhine-Neckar-District in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, and Mr Bernhard Haffner, Chief Officer of the Department of Schools, Culture and Youth in the auditorium. And he appreciated that many students came to the auditorium to attend the play which was performed in English.

The children’s book by Heinrich Hoffman served as pattern for the sequence of scenes. For the performance Hans-Peter Oberst had written some additional scenes which are partly psychological interpretations of Hoffmann’s stories and partly show parallels to children’s/adolescents’ behaviour nowadays. So the “Metamorphosis from girl to woman” was put aside “Harriet and the Matches”, “Smokefree School” followed “Little Suck-a-Thumb”, “The Hyper” was made the parallel of “Fidgety Philipp”, Hoffmann’s “Augustus, who would not have a soup” was facing “Fast Food Generation”, “The Story of the Inky Boys” was transformed into the our times in “Brave Youths versus Hooligans”, “Cruel Frederick” was paralled by “An Aggressive Youngster”. Finally “Flying Robert” led to the Closing Scene and Hans-Peter Oberst’s, the author and director, basic message:  “There are two things parents should give their children – roots and wings.”

As told above the actors and actresses performed in English, a foreign language to them, and they had to act in very different scenes. That is they had to change clothes and habit continuously. That was demanding for the young cast consisting of Jennifer Becker, Carsten Gramlich, Susanne Hoffman, Tobias Jank, Laura Kaltschmitt, Virginia Köpke, Sven Müller, Jasmin Prior, David Schneider, Marina Tisch, Sonja Trützschler and Isabella von Heyden. Directors were Mrs Regina Schneck and Mr Hans-Peter Oberst, kindly and successfully assisted by Nichola Abela from the Junior College.

The cast played their heart off and so the lively and diversified performance was appreciated by the Maltese audience with spontaneous comments, laughs and applause. At the end of the performance it was part of Dr Juergen Schuetz to congratulate the cast, the directors, backstage staff as well as the administration of the University of Malta Junior College, namely Vice Principal Joseph Sciriha and Mrs Boryana Chaneva from the EuroCentre of the Junior College, for their efforts, enthusiasm and success. During the social gathering that followed in the cafeteria there was ample time given for private talks with hosting students and parents, the cast of the play and all the people behind the front who had their share in the success, e.g. the former head of EuroCentre, Mr Frank Boffa.

During the first week it was important to prepare for the performance and so most of the time was taken by rehearsals. Unfortunately a serious accident of director Hans-Peter Oberst made rehearsing even more difficult but Mrs Nichola Abela did a very good job in directing the actors and actresses. So after Friday afternoon the focus of the students’ programme was on the islands of Malta, their landscape and culture.

The programme started with a guided tour through Valletta with St. John’s Co-Cathedral and the Staterooms of the President’s Palace as main attractions. On a second visit paid to Valletta the students were welcomed at the German-Maltese Circle by General Secretary Victor Sammut. Later the promising cast was shown around Manoel Theatre with its auditorium and museum. Comparisons were drawn between the opera house in Schwetzingen Castle and Manoel Theatre, the one the oldest in Europe, the other one of the oldest in the Commonwealth.

The marvellous landscape of Malta was made aware of during outings to the sister island of Gozo and the Dingli Cliffs. Much impressed were the students by their visit to St. Joseph’s Festa in Rabat, a religious feast there is nothing to compare with in Germany. At the farewell party in Sliema the students showed their appreciation of the exchange activities, the friendship and overwhelming hospitality, an appreciation the participating teachers on either side shared as well.

The teachers responsible for the exchange strongly believe that the success of the partnership between the German Louise-Otto-Peters-School and the University of Malta Junior College is based on their project activities. The students host each other, they work and rehearse together, they sometimes join the cast and play with the orchestra, they spend their spare time together and generally speaking they have become good friends. Perhaps that contributes more to international understanding than many a conference even on highest political level. The appreciation of the students’ efforts shown by the deliberate visit of the head of the district authority, Dr. Juergen Schuetz, and chief officer Bernhard Hafner was a great pleasure also for the Maltese partners at Junior College.