David Oppenheimer Statue
On Tuesday, September 28, 2021, a small crowd gathered at the statue of David Oppenheimer, who originally came from Germany and in 1888 became the second Mayor of Vancouver. This event was item #4 out of 5 on the “West Tour” organized by the German Consulate General, the German Canadian Business Association and sponsored by Brian Jessel BMW.
1:45 – 2:15 PM David Oppenheimer Statue – open to the public
Stanley Park Drive, Stanley Park
- Short speech by Councillor Michael Wiebe (missed him)
- Short presentation by Marianne Werner
David Oppenheimer was born in Blieskastel, then in the Kingdom of Bavaria, and now in Saarland, as one of ten children. Oppenheimer was acclaimed as the second Mayor of Vancouver, BC in 1888, the same year Stanley Park was officially opened and served until 1891. He was also a businessman and philanthropist, donating land to the city for parks and helping to found charities.He came to America to participate in the California Gold Rush, but then moved to Canada for the Cariboo Gold Rush, choosing to provide the supplies for the miners, rather than dig for gold.. The company he founded in 1887 “Oppy” still exists today.
One of his notable achievements was that Oppenheimer and his brothers (Charles, Godfrey, Isaac, Meyer) were instrumental in getting Japanese Oranges imported to Vancouver: “In 1884 the Oppenheimer firm formed an alliance with the Japan Fruit Growers Cooperative and began importing Japanese Mandarin oranges packed in wooden boxes with each piece of fruit wrapped in green tissue for the Christmas season.”
German Friendship Globe
The West Tour concluded at the German Friendship Globe. The Globe was donated by members of the German Community of Greater Vancouver, led by Harald Lincke, both a long-time West Vancouver Resident and a long-time member of the German Canadian Business Association.
When visiting Dundarave Park, you can walk right up and touch this globe fountain. You can turn the three-foot diameter granite globe with a light touch of the hand. Precisely engraved with the continents of the world, the globe floats on a thin cushion of pressurized water in a granite basin.
THE “GERMAN HERITAGE”IN VANCOUVER IS RICH.IMMIGRATION FROM GERMANY HAS LEFT MANY TRACES ON CANADA\’S WEST COAST. GO ON A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY WITH US AND OUR PARTNER BMW.
2:15 – 2:45 PM Drive
2:45 – 4:00 PM German Friendship Globe – open to the public
150 25th St, West Vancouver, BC
- Meet family Lincke, the sponsors of the German Friendship Globe
- Short presentation by former Deputy Consul General Manfred Bartel
The Tour on Tuesday began with a visit to the Consulate to visit the new Buddy Bear, a visit to the \”Drop\” artwork and to the Roedde House Museum. If you have any pictures you can send them to me:
admin@westcoastgermannews.com
Due to health reasons, I had to miss seeing the Vancouver Alpen Club, the Vancouver Opera House and the Castle in Surrey, BC. But I am still very happy that these monuments, statues and special spaces were acknowledged and presented in such a pleasing manner.
Thank you Brian Jessel BMW and Abdel Karim Awwad for your sponsorship and help planning such a glorious 2-day event!
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