Author Elke Porter holding up her new book. C’mon along to the book launch on Saturday!
During the course of the 2018 Vancouver municipal election, one of highlights of the “contest” to become a Vancouver City Councillor occurred at The Imperial on Main, at the Last Candidate Standing event (won by current Councillor, Christine Boyle), was the emergence of a relatively unknown independent candidate for Vancouver City Council, the incredibly witty and socially conscious, author and publisher, longtime Kitsilano resident, Elke Porter — who wowed the crowd, taking all into her heart.
“In 2018, I went into the election thinking that I had something of value to contribute,” Elke Porter told VanRamblings in an interview Thursday. “As a parent to two young women, I have long played a role in the parent action committees at their schools, had volunteered with a great many non-profit and charitable organizations, and had, for years, contributed as an activist and organizer within the German community.”
“With my girls now almost fully grown, running for Council seemed like the next logical step for me — not to mention, getting to know Vancouver in a whole new way proved, for me, to be the experience of a lifetime. As well, I got to know all of the candidates who were eventually elected to Vancouver City Council, which emerged as a humanizing experience for me. Quite honestly, I would recommend the experience to anyone.”
In 2020, Elke Porter has written — and, as of today, published — a new book, 75 German-Speaking Influential People in Western Canada, on the prominent difference makers of German descent from across western Canada who have contributed to making our nation what it is today.
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Click on the graphic above to purchase your copy of Elke Porter’s important new book
A necessary and invaluable compendium, a who’s who of the past and present regaling the stories of 75 Canadian citizens of German descent.
Thousands of Austrians, German and Swiss, were success stories in a variety of industries over the past 100 years. Some of them sold food and drink. Some founded real estate empires. There were artists, entrepreneurs, musicians, pastors, philanthropists, property developers, singers, writers and volunteers.
“David Oppenheimer, who opened the first wholesale grocery business in 1887 and became the second mayor of Vancouver is one of them,” says Porter. “Alvo von Alvensleben who bought a house and 20 acres in Kerrisdale in 1909 that took 13 servants to run, had his house taken by the Custodian of Enemy Property Act at the outbreak of World War I, which was then sold to the publisher of the Vancouver Sun, Robert James Cromie, and whose widow sold it to the Crofton Private School in 1942, for the sum of $15,000. Fritz Ziegler, started with a 1912 farmhouse in Fort Langley, added turrets, stucco and brick to it and ended up owning Canada’s only ‘castle’ that he named ‘Schloss Klipphaus.’ Ziegler, after throwing many ‘legendary’ parties, was eventually appointed the Consul General of Monaco.”
Schloss Klipphaus, the Fort Langley, replica castle built by Fritz Ziegler, featuring such age-of-chivalry elements as this knight’s hall.
“Some of the other prominent people you may know that are in my book are the Freybe family, who started what became a generational family business, dating back to 1844, pioneering a culinary experience around diverse products ranging from delectable salamis to traditionally crafted sausages. And the same thing with the Grimm’s family.”
So, now here we are mid-pandemic in 2020, and 75 German-Speaking Influential People in Western Canada has become a reality. VanRamblings asked Elke Porter, how and why did the book come together now?
“You know, it’s actually ‘thanks COVID’,” Ms. Porter says, laughing. “As a busy mom, I suddenly didn’t have to drive my kids to school. I couldn’t go out to restaurants, and found myself for the most part, housebound, except on those occasions when I went for a walk in the neighbourhood where, if you recall, I ran into you one day.”
“So, I just started writing when I had time. In addition, my mother proved to be an excellent editor, and my brother, Dr. Christian Klaue, the latter my maiden name — with his Phd in English — also emerged as an editor.”
“Given the work I’ve done with my West Coast German News periodical over the years, I found I’d interviewed a good number of the people who found their way into my book. Of course, there was a great deal of time spent at the library, in the archives. When I was writing the book, I was sent the Fred Herzog book, Photographs, and the Freybe family sent me their book. Much of the rest of the research for the book occurred through e-mail correspondence, which as a writer, as I’m sure you know, can be a most satisfying endeavour.
Now down to the nitty gritty: the book launch tomorrow afternoon at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. First up this book launch info graphic …
At this writing, there are a limited number of tickets available at $75 — 30 of 40 available tickets have been sold. Note should be made that strict COVID-19 protocols will be in place for the book launch. Donations made by clicking here will be designated as donations to the B.C. Cancer Agency.
As above, Elke Porter’s book launch — and fundraiser for the B.C. Cancer Agency — will be a COVID-safe event.
Elke Porter thanks you for your support of her, and her new book!
