Students Translate at Architecture Trade Fair

BOSTON--About 2,500 people flocked to the World Trade Center Boston this past weekend to attend the seventh annual Restoration and Renovation Boston conference.

The conference was aimed at showcasing companies in the architectural and artistic fields and included several students from Harvard.

Some of the 200 vendors employed several students and recent graduates of the Germanic Languages and Literatures Department as translators.

Many vendors, such as Jorg Rauschenberger, sales manager for Fuhrmann, Planen and Bauen, a German materials and translocation business, said they appreciated the help of Harvard's student translators.

"I enjoyed talking with them. They also helped introduce me to some potential customers better," Rauschenberger said.

Andre Zehrfeld, co-owner of Kunst-formerei-Zehrfeld, a surface detailing and polishing business, described how interesting it was to work with Harvard students.

"Even more than having them to clear up some problems--because I speak English pretty well, liked being able to share parts of our cultures," Zehrfeld said.

"It is a wonderful place this America. And Harvard is really good," he added. "Now I only hope I find an American businessman to help me build a market here."

Ernst Kunstformeri agreed with his colleague. "I know Harvard has many old buildings. Do they need help with surface polishing?" he said. "I wouldn't charge as much money to work at Harvard."

Daniel K. Hanalainen '98, an applied mathematics concentrator, was one of the Harvard students who served as a translator. Hanalainen said he helped work with a steel and copper designing business form Liepzig in the former East Germany.

"My exhibitor spoke little English and occasionally he would use highly technical words specific to his particular industry," Hanalainen said. "After a while, though, I fell into the swing of things. I actually served only three hours, but I had a great time.

"It was one of those experiences that really shows you making connections with people. It was a growing and learning opportunity. I may decide to travel to the former East Germany this summer. If I do, I am sure the exposition will have helped me."

The event organizers, Ellen J. Glew and Steven J. Schuyler, both former professors in the Germanic Languages and Literatures Department, deemed the exposition a big success.

"This is the seventh year my wife, president of EGI exhibitions, and I have organized a conference in Boston," Schuyler said. "By far, turnout this year has been wonderful, and with the help of our former college, Charles Lutcavage, all of our German vendors feel very comfortable."

Professor Charles P. Lutcavage, coordinator of German Language Instruction, said he was glad to help.

"Steven and Ellen are tremendous people. We met in grad[uate] school and worked together while they were academics," Lutcavage said. "Now, I am just glad to know some of my most recent students and graduates have the wonderful opportunity to work in such a special environment and with two absolutely great individuals."

Events such as Restoration and Renovation Boston occur "really quite frequently," said Schuyler. In January 1999. EGI will organize another event and will need even more student translators then.

"It is a good warm-up for foreign language skills," said Hanalainen. "I highly recommend trying situations like these."

"It gives me great fun to come to Boston. Harvard students really helped out. Hopefully I will find an American partnership, and when I come back next year, I will have more time to talk," said Zehrfeld, as he returned to demonstrate a marble polishing technique.