Werner Kaupp will not be giving his presentation until next week, but he prefers to test whether the technology in room NM 111 works now.

Even before lecturer Petra Meyer greets the participants of the first session, Kaupp connects his laptop and makes sure that the title page of his presentation "Green Frankfurt - An Introduction" is properly projected onto the wall.

The 81-year-old man does not have any reservations when dealing with computers.

After all, he used to be a customer advisor in an IT company.

Sasha Zoske

Sheet maker in the Rhein-Main-Zeitung.

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That a student not only knows the topic of his presentation, but has already finished the presentation before the seminar has even started, that the journalist never experienced in his own time at university.

Back then, the students had waited obediently until the professor pulled out his list on the first day and then decided on an assignment.

But here, in the University of the Third Age (U3L), anticipatory productivity is not so uncommon.

Petra Meyer has put together a number of topics for her course on the history of Frankfurt's gardens and parks.

But she would like the participants to bring their own ideas with them.

And if these have already progressed as far as Kaupp did – all the better.

What Meyer is most excited about this afternoon, however, is the simple fact that she and her senior students are even meeting at the university.

The historian had not given any courses at U3L for a year and a half because of the pandemic.

She refrained from an online offer because not all of her seminar participants between the ages of 60 and 90 were used to using digital media.

In the past winter semester, Meyer was able to hold a face-to-face course again, even if he started late.

At first, the Goethe University did not want to allow U3L events on campus because of Corona.

After protests, the Presidium allowed certain rooms to be used: Meyer and her listeners were able to meet in the chapel of the Evangelical Student Community.

Finally face-to-face communication again

Eleven elderly men and women have now gathered for the opening meeting of the “Green Frankfurt” seminar in a room on the old Bockenheim campus.

In contrast to other universities, the Goethe University has not retained the mask requirement for students, but strongly recommends mouth and nose protection in buildings.

Meyer's listeners need no advice in this regard.

All but one, who is content with a surgical mask, including the lecturer, wear FFP2 masks - and keep them on throughout the event.

But that doesn't depress the mood.

Werner Kaupp is pleased that face-to-face communication is finally possible again.

He has only sporadically used the online services of the U3L in recent years;

For him, personal encounters with other students make up a large part of the appeal of the seniors’ university.

Hildegard Steppat feels the same way.

The former bank clerk “on principle” does not take part in digital lectures, as she says.

She would like to see her fellow students live and be able to “chat privately” before and after the seminar.

Giving presentations in front of a real audience, sometimes going to the city archive for research, "that's university for me".

The 79-year-old woman can live with the remaining risk of infection, as she says: "I'm not the anxious type."

stay online

Even if Kaupp and Steppat don't use the option: They think it's right that the U3L continues to offer online courses.

Silvia Dabo-Cruz even notes that digital offers are expressly requested by the senior students.

Many live outside of Frankfurt and wanted to avoid long journeys, says the head of the U3L office.

In addition, some have health problems or have concerns about the risk of infection.

"We will therefore keep the online offers", Dabo-Cruz clarifies - even if this still leads to "a lot of extra work" at the moment.

This additional effort results, among other things, from the extra communication that is necessary to explain the processes to the participants.

But Dabo-Cruz doesn't think it's that bad.

On such occasions she had "many nice conversations" in which it became clear "how important the U3L is for the people".

Now Dabo-Cruz hopes that this appreciation will also be reflected in the number of students.

She expects around 2,000 participants this summer semester;

before the pandemic, the average was around 4,000.

The number of students in Petra Meyer's seminar corresponds exactly to that of the presentation topics on her list.

Now only a lecturer would have to be found for each of them.

But not all garden friends who have registered for the course are as willing to present as Werner Kaupp.

A lady does not want to give a regular presentation because she finds it difficult to read from the sheet.

But that's fine with Meyer too: instead, the senior student can talk about her voluntary work in the Palmengarten.

After all, nobody has to provide proof of performance here.

However, all of Meyer's persuasion does not change the fact that at the end of the lesson some topics remain unassigned.

The silence in the room when the lecturer encourages courageous access - and alternatively own suggestions - reminds the guest of his own university days.

Meyer seems a bit disappointed, but she trusts that the shy ones will warm up in the next few sessions.

And she assures that in the University of the Third Age, every contribution is valued, regardless of whether the speaker has a doctorate or a high school diploma.

"No one can make a fool of themselves here."