Again lonely instead of together

Gerhard Bremer brought Computer Meetings for seniors to success. Now a club takes over the administration.

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Gerhard Bremer keeps the cup coffee firm in the hand, while sitting on the brown leather sofa in his single family house in St. Gallen and speaks about his life’s work. ; The 75-year old is the founder of the Computeria St. Gallen, a combination of computer self-helps and coffee party for ladies and gentlemen over fifty.

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Following the model of St. Gallen it developed within five years Computerias in nearly 30 Swiss cities.

« On this couch I invented the name Computeria » the man with the grey-haired chin beard smiles proud.

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But in the Computeria St. Gallen bubbles it since short as in the coffee machine of the family Bremer. ; After Bremer had again asked its companions in the past months always to relieve him, they made a club from the Computeria just two weeks ago against his ideas. ;

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They appointed the 74-year old Elsa Bergmann as president and Bremer – the founder – the honour membership. ; « We have Gerhard Bremer much to owe », says Elsa Bergmann, « he is a pioneer. »

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Setup a club he resisted however, because he had fear that his philosophy is falsified. ;

Elsa Bergmann: »Sometimes one must force the people to release. »

The association executive committee wants now – likewise against Bremers will – lower the entrance age to the club.

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When it became too close in his house, hi explained his idea to Pro Senectute, a Swiss Institution for the Aged.

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The founder of Computeria St. Gallen keeps cool in spite of removal of power.

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;Gerhard Bremer nips at its cup. ; On the walls of its living room trophies hang – Persian carpets and others from the time in Pakistan, where he worked as an electrical engineer in the seventies-years. ;

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Since a quarter century Gerhard Bremer, born in Hamburg, lives with his wife Ingrid at the suburb of St. Gallen. ;

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He describes how he began the crusade for communication in the former room of the two daughters eight years ago. ;

« My wife always says I should have become minister, because I can talk so well. » ;

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Bremer changes from the Swiss Dialect into the High German. ; Instead of the podium he refers after retirement in the former child room about the world of the Windows computers. ;

His wife Ingrid served thereby coffee to the seniors while sitting around a computer. ;

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From this family surrounding field conquered the Computeria idea the hearts of over 50 years old. ; When it became too close in the room, Bremer shifted the circle into a course area of the Pro-Senectute.

Today up to seventy participants of Computeria meet in the conference room of the senior residence Kursana. ; Some seniors hold lectures, sometimes representative of software companies as Symantec and Microsoft are engaged for lections.

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The Computeria idea spread owing to the Internet portal www.seniorweb.ch (German, Italian, and French language) into other cantons. ;

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The seniors organize once in a month Computeria meetings. ; In rented rooms of Kursana they learn handling the PC, surfing in the Internet and drink coffee. ;

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The Computeria visitors – retired, housewives and lonely hearts – meet once in the month also without computers, in order to talk about God and the world. ; Because the computer is only one means for the purpose, stresses of Bremer. ; The slogan of the Computeria is called: ; « Better together as lonely. » ;

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Some topics are not as Bremer likes it. ; »It excites me, if cat friends talk mainly about their domestic animals. »

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For the idea of the Computeria and their successful spreading the Swiss Federation struck Gerhard Bremer one year ago to the Knight of Communication. ;

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Once visited even Swiss Television Bremers house. ;

« I’m well-known. And that makes me happy. » ;

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Bremer feels particularly well, if he stands in a large class. ; As an electrical engineer he was tutor in mathematics, machine controls and computer applications. ; After the retirement he gave Computer and Internet instruction to seniors with the Pro-Senectute. ;

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When speaking Bremer gesticulates with the hands, its voice becomes dramatic: ; »The teacher feels exactly the same as an actor of the praise of its listeners. » ;

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Since Bremers voice in the Computeria St. Gallen counts no longer much, he dedicates himself to the mailing list MIND of the Computeria Website. ;

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The 130 women and men from all over the world discuss about culture, topics like Mesopotamian and others. ; Together they are locking for information in the Net. Also home-blow members from Texas and other places under it, ;

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Bremer wants further to care the mailing list despite resistance, because in this way he realizes his passion for philosophy and history. ;

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Only twice he had to intervene, when a dirty e-mail circulated and a company misused the list for propaganda. ;

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Bremer wants to engage himself now also increasingly abroad. ; With the help of the circle www.bodensee-senioren.org (German only) it is to develop Computerias also in Germany, Austria and in the Principality of Liechtenstein.

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In the background still the coffee machine bubbles. ; Mrs. Bremer offers cookies even baked up. ;

« The Computeria St. Gallen is my baby », Gerhard Bremer holds the cup. ; « I must confess », Bremer sigh like an abandoned father and places the coffee cup on the table, « it is not easy to release ».