Edgar Zeidler

Qualified German teacher spezialized in linguistics and dialectology, Edgar Zeidler writes poetry in three languages. He creates with his association AGATE bilingual ”poet-paths” allover Alsace and is one of the initiators of the Three Countries ”poet-path”. Cofounder with Danielle Crévenat-Werner of the ORTHAL method, he works on a grammar book and a trilingual dictionary of Alsatian dialects.

Bridge

Under the bridge babbles the Rhine¶
A story book for people, not kind¶
It mutters wars and murderers¶
Enemies, Europa on knees¶

On the bridge two countries will meet¶
Slowly they come now near¶
Together they cling to the rail¶
And they both move in such a pain¶

In turmoils of grief, resentment¶
Are drowning of the war the tears¶
The Rhine shines in its brand new part¶
To link those who were so apart¶

On the bridges over the Rhine¶
People walk in peace and shine¶
They talk together, friends so fine –¶
The sky now drinks a glass of wine …¶

Life

Edgar Zeidler spent his childhood in Metzeral, his teens in Colmar, studied German at the University of Mulhouse, attending Raymond Matzen's dialectology courses with much enthusiasm. He went on with his research in linguistics and dialectology at the University of Strasbourg where he passed his PhD in linguistics and took part to the elaboration of the second Linguistic Atlas of Alsatian dialects.

He teaches German at Lycée J.J. Henner in Altkirch and Alsatian dialect at UHA, University of Mulhouse. As the Chairman of AGATE (Académie pour une Graphie Alsacienne Transfrontlière), he develops with his team a coherent way of spelling  the different Alsatian dialects. He creates bilingual ” poet-paths” all over Alsace, and works on the project of a crossbording ”poet-path” through the Three Countries. He manages two teams working on a trilingual electronic dictionary with the Alsatian language office OLCA and on a grammar book.

He also plans to publish with his team two methods for teaching and learning Alsatian, one designed for children and one for adults, with the cultural association ”Friends of Alsace in Basel”» and the ”CGG Basel”.

His commitment to his mother tongue and the Alsatian culture can be seen in his ”Leçons d'alsacien”, ”Alsatian lessons”, published in the regional newspaper ”L'Alsace” and his poems in three languages.

Works

Wort-Spiele, mots croisés thématiques en allemand, Ellipses, Paris, 2006

Andzitt – Endzeit – Fin d’une époque, poèmes en trois langues, Jérôme Do. Bentzinger, Colmar, erste Auflage: März 2007, zweite Auflage: Oktober 2007

Bien écrire l’alsacien de Wissembourg à Ferrette, Orthographe alsacienne, Jérôme Do. Bentzinger, Colmar, 2008

Wàckelkontàkt – Wackelkontakt - Faux contacts, Gedichte in drei Sprachen, Jérôme Do Bentzinger, Colmar, 2008

Les Fleurs d’un rêve – Tràuimbliameler – Traumblüten, Gedichte in drei Sprachen, Jérôme Do Bentzinger, Colmar, 2011

Lawesliader – Liebeslieder – Voluptés, Gedichtband in drei Sprachen, Editions L’Arpenteur, Koestlach, 2014

Leçons d’alsacien tome 1 et tome 2, L’Alsace Magazines Editions, 2012 et 2014

Distinctions

FriehjohrsSchwälmemePriss, 2007

Prix Raymond Matzen Preis pour la poésie dialectale, décerné par le CEPAL pour Andzitt-Endzeit-Fin d’une époque, Marlenheim, 2008

Bretzel d’or, décerné par l’Institut des Arts et Traditions populaires d’Alsace, Ecomusée Ungersheim, 2009

Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques, 2011