Commemorative Plaque honoring Professor Hans-Dietrich Meurer who taught at Shippensburg University from 1966 to 2003. I learned German from Professor Meurer, and also acquired a deep appreciation of Bach Cantatas from him, during my senior year in college in 1977. He was a patient, knowledgeable, and skillful educator, who was held in great esteem by his students and colleagues. His great sense of humor kept us all coming to class regularly, despite our early 8:00 a.m. class! The plaque lies next to a tree planted by the German Club in his honor.
A Place on the Stewart Hall Memorial Pathway
In 2020, Shippensburg University completed its two-year Stewart Hall Restoration Project. The project features a memorial pathway in front of the building and includes a brick in honor of Professor Meurer. He once told me that Ein Feste Burg (A Mighty Fortress, BWV 80) was his favorite cantata, hence the inscription.
In 2003, the university German club planted a Northern Red Oak in his honor. The tree is located behind Stewart Hall, between Kriner Dining Hall and the Huber Art Building. (Photo updated 23 July 2015.)
Hans-Dietrich Meurer, 1974.
Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott, BWV 80, by Johann Sebastian Bach
Please feel free to leave a comment below and share your memories.
10 comments:
It's good that he has been remembered, nice memorials.
I am glad that my father made such a good impression on you. Teaching and music, especially Bach, were two of his biggest loves. Working at Shippensburg University (and the former SSC), where also a big deal to him.
Gerhardt, So nice to see your comment! I was hoping family members and friends would find these photos eventually. Thanks for letting me know you saw them. I remember wishing I could have heard the tributes paid to your father at his memorial service, but I didn't learn of his passing till months afterwards, when I saw it in our alumni magazine. I'll try to get a better picture of the tree (in leaf, hopefully) sometime when we visit Shippensburg again.
RIP, Prof. Meurer
I was a Spanish major at Shippensburg University (Class of May 1977) and Prof. Meurer scheduled me for my first classes. I did not have the opportunity to take any of his classes, but not for lack of his and Dr. Warkentin's efforts to convince me to do so!
There were occasions to chat with Dr. Meurer and they were brief conversations, but enjoyable. I wish I had known him better.
I have the fondest memories of Herr Dr Meurer. He was certainly one of my favorite profs. Not only did he teach us well and expect a lot, his playfulness created friendships with his German students. Godspeed you dear man....your "terminal intermediate" student, Dave Lloyd '95
David, I enjoyed your comment! "Playful" is a good adjective for the way he taught. Was "terminal intermediate" a phrase that he coined? I used to take a lot of ribbing in class for my poor knowledge of grammar, despite being an English major. He'd ask, "How can you be a student of languages? How can the English Department even think of graduating a person such as yourself?" All in good fun, of course! :-) Now I wish I had taken more German classes from him. I only started German my senior year. Since then, I've inherited a couple papers from my great-grandfather, who was born in Elmshorn, Germany, and it's hard to even guess at what the handwriting says. I also like listening to Bach Cantatas, but I wish I could understand the words without resorting to English "translations". And learning German online via Duolingo and HelloTalk, isn't helping me progress. I guess I am doomed to be a "terminal beginner"!
Judy,
I was a soldier in Germany for 4 years prior to attending shippensburg. I fell in love with the place. I made friends with the young people off base too. On particular young lady has been walking life's path with me for over 25 years. I developed a great vocabulary but never took the time to learn the word genders and that became my Achilles heel. It's hard to decide on derren dessen dennen if don't remember if the dang word was a der die or das!! Hence, he dubbed me a terminal intermediate. His student with an excellent vocab and no hope for grammar unless I relearned my vocab WITH the gender! such a fun memory.
Great story, and also a good word to the wise! That's one good thing about Duolingo--somehow its audio features somehow make it a little easier to remember noun genders. Hopefully it will help when I sign up for iTalki lessons. I'm glad you had a chance to live in Germany. I would love to visit Elmshorn, where my ancestors are from, but I don't suppose it is much of a tourist destination.
Very awesome! I love the great finds you have put on your blog
Cast plaques
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