International Succulent Conference full Success although National only

[nachtkrabb]

Hi everybody,

hopefully you all know the abbreviation FGaS? "Fachgesellschaft für andere Sukkulenten" = "Professional Society for other Succulents" (I do hope I got the translation right). This society deals with succulents but not with cacti or orchids, as there are enough specialised societies for these. The members are professionals as biologists from botanical gardens as well as private amateurs (as me e.g.). It is an international society with a splendid journal, the Avonia. It is published four times per year in English and German. The bilingual internet site is found under https://www.fgas-sukkulenten.de/.

On the last weekend in September, the international members and guests gathered for the annual general meeting -- or at least we wanted to. Because of Corona, German succulent fans only could come to Burgstädt near Chemnitz in the East of Germany. Unfortunately, only some days before the meeting Zurich (Switzerland) was declared high risk, so that the Swiss lecturers could not come. Urs Eggli's ("Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants" et.al.) longed for lecture on Baobabs had to be canceled.

But most of the program could be carried out as planned. Other interesting films and picture lectures took place instead of the canceled items. Also very important: The plant fair was a full success. Professional growers, people from botanical gardens and private collectors brought plants of all kinds to swap, sell or give away. And of course the very most important item on the agenda was the possibility to talk to like-minded persons, to ask questions and to have a good time together.

The following impressions are by Hagen Dreher.

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Some of my impressions:

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This is what I brought home (for less than 20€!) after having declared a "ban on imports": Haworthia truncata, Crassula Buddha's Temple, Monadenium crispum, two different Dorstenias, Stapelia grandiflora, Tylecodon wallisii and some Kedrostis africana for the garden. Oh boy, that was hard to stop.

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The lectures and films were very interesting. Amongst others we had macro 3D-pictures of Asclepiad- and Euphorbia-flowers, a film on different Pachypodium-types in their native habitats on Madagaskar, a film on plants in the "Land of the Mixtecs & Zapoteks" and a lecture on succulent plants in their habitat in Namibia. Additionally, the newly published biography of Alwin Berger, written by his wife, was presented by a member of his family (see https://www.bergerarchiv.de/).

Next year, we will gather for the annual general meeting again in Burgstädt, but on the first weekend of October.
N.

PS: Interested persons from all over the world are of course invited to join the society, see https://www.fgas-sukkulenten.de/.

[Aiko]

I think I recognise a certain known mesemb enthusiast in the green shirt, if not mistaken!

Good for you guys the plant sale was able to go through. Up here all plant sales have been canceled. There was supposed to be one in a week that was delayed and moved up to October, but that has also been canceled a week ago after all. Not that I was willing to attent with a mandatory face mask, full registration at the door and standing in line due to a 30 person limit within the building to wait for others to leave the building. I guess this was not much different in Germany?

[One Windowsill]

We would normally say Congress rather than Congregation. Unless you thought this meeting was a religious gathering

[WayneByerly]

We would normally say Congress rather than Congregation.

Yes... with all due respect, I was curious about the choice of the word "Congregation"... and I quite agree with you on your alternative word choice.

[nachtkrabb]

We would normally say Congress rather than Congregation. Unless you thought this meeting was a religious gathering

Thank you, One Windowsill, for pointing out my mistake, I already corrected the headline. I somehow forgot the word I was looking for, looked it up in a dictionary -- and promptly got it wrong... Well, I am from Germany & not a native speaker.
Besides we all do worship our plants & our hobby in a way, don't we?

About the security of the conference: We had a sign at the door saying that people from Corona-high risk-areas had to stay out. But about one person I met there I learned later that he came from such an area. And he even didn't wear a mask most of the time! (I sensibly wore a FFP2-mask all of the time.) Everybody had to wear a mask inside the hotel where the conference took place. We had loads of space in the lecture room, where each person sat at a single table (as big as a desk for two in school). We didn't have to queue up or wait, not even at the hotel reception on check in or check out. There simply weren't so much people. I am not too sure, but I think there were about 85 members and guests. Quite some of them lived in the environs and thus didn't spend the nicht at the hotel. I am told that in "normal" years many more persons attended, especially more from abroad. They all had to stay away unfortunately. Thus German was the only language instead of one in a Babylonian chaos. What a pity!

Aiko, I am sorry to hear that your plant sales in NL all have been canceled. Bother! What a disappointment... And you are right, with too many obstacles in the way, it's no fun anymore.

All the best to you all
N.