Reading: Ralf Günter and Josefine Gottwald — The Christmas Market Miracle

In two adventurous stories, the region between Saxon Switzerland, Dresden, and the Ore Mountains becomes the setting for exciting—but also funny—tales. A brave girl meets a grumpy factory owner—a teenage boy faces the challenge of selling his family’s toys at the Striezelmarkt. The journey takes them out of the city of Dresden by sled through snow-covered forests, past detours and obstacles, all the way to the mountains, where the true spirit of Christmas awaits. The popular and well-known stories by Ralf Günther (text) and Andrea Offermann (illustrations) are mirror images of one another. Both stories alternate between the countryside (the Ore Mountains) and the city (Dresden). The theme is the understanding between the two regions and their different paces of life. The backdrop is traditional craftsmanship: hoop-making and the embossing of golden “Dresdner Pappen” as Christmas decorations. Ralf Günther opens his own Christmas box and explains why this holiday is so dear to his heart. The reading is accompanied by music from the old English repertoire (Loreena McKennitt), performed by Josefine Gottwald on vocals and guitar. “Das Weihnachtsmarktwunder” and “Eine Kiste voller Weihnachten” are published by Rowohlt and are among Saxony’s most popular Christmas books.
The reading is suitable for the whole family.

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