75 YEARS OF UNICA - part 2
Past president of UNICA, Max Hänsli was called on stage after the opening banquet for UNICA 2013. Walking with crutches after a back operation, he was greeted with tremendous applause. His speech was interrupted often by laughter ...
This is a slightly shortened version of his address.
This is a slightly shortened version of his address.
In 1979 UNICA was held in Turku, Finland.
Excitements at UNICA very often occur on the excursions – and so it was in Finland. The delegates were divided into different buses, so that there would be no congestion in certain places. The last bus knew that he should be at a large restaurant for lunch by 14 clock. When we got there, we were informed that there was no more lunch, because the previous buses had eaten everything!
Even this problem was solved: please drive to the station and eat there à la carte at the expense of the organising committee. That, of course, satisfied all the delegates in the last bus.
Excitements at UNICA very often occur on the excursions – and so it was in Finland. The delegates were divided into different buses, so that there would be no congestion in certain places. The last bus knew that he should be at a large restaurant for lunch by 14 clock. When we got there, we were informed that there was no more lunch, because the previous buses had eaten everything!
Even this problem was solved: please drive to the station and eat there à la carte at the expense of the organising committee. That, of course, satisfied all the delegates in the last bus.
In 1980, Baden, near Zurich, Switzerland hosted UNICA.
The day trip went to the heart of Switzerland, into our alps. Up there on a mountain pass, a brewery presented each delegate with a special UNICA beer glass, which people could take home with them. Three barrels of beer helped to reduce the impact of the great heat of the day. I had thought I could take my St. Bernard dog, Tambo, with a little barrel round his neck. Surely that would be appropriate in the mountains and among the beer barrels.
But then came a problem for which we were totally unprepared. The delegates encouraged the St. Bernard to drink from their beer glasses. The result: in a very short time the dog was totally drunk and could not walk. Unfortunately, the dog had forgotten to fill the barrel he wore around his neck, which was intended to assist travellers in difficulties.
We had to carry the drunk back to Baden.
The day trip went to the heart of Switzerland, into our alps. Up there on a mountain pass, a brewery presented each delegate with a special UNICA beer glass, which people could take home with them. Three barrels of beer helped to reduce the impact of the great heat of the day. I had thought I could take my St. Bernard dog, Tambo, with a little barrel round his neck. Surely that would be appropriate in the mountains and among the beer barrels.
But then came a problem for which we were totally unprepared. The delegates encouraged the St. Bernard to drink from their beer glasses. The result: in a very short time the dog was totally drunk and could not walk. Unfortunately, the dog had forgotten to fill the barrel he wore around his neck, which was intended to assist travellers in difficulties.
We had to carry the drunk back to Baden.
Undoubtedly the greatest experiences were surely those of delegates to
UNICA 1978 in Baku, a republic of the USSR.
Think back to the Age of the Cold War.
Even at Registration there were problems. Russia restricted the number of participants and left it to the UNICA Committee to regulate the allocation for each country. About twice as many people registered as had been approved by the USSR.
Each country now had to summon the number, for which a visa was issued. This problem was resolved in their own ways by the national associations. So the first problem could be overcome.
UNICA 1978 in Baku, a republic of the USSR.
Think back to the Age of the Cold War.
Even at Registration there were problems. Russia restricted the number of participants and left it to the UNICA Committee to regulate the allocation for each country. About twice as many people registered as had been approved by the USSR.
Each country now had to summon the number, for which a visa was issued. This problem was resolved in their own ways by the national associations. So the first problem could be overcome.
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The USSR asked me to take over the entire technical organization. We put together the equipment, Standard-8, Super-8 and 16mm projectors, tape recorders, sound systems, speakers and screens. Many things had to be taken in duplicate.
Around 600 kg of stuff was flown by plane to Moscow and from there to Baku in Azerbaijan. We were promised that the material would already be in Baku when we arrived. But when I saw a 4 meter box on the floor in the passenger compartment of the aircraft, I knew that this was our screen, which should have been in Baku some time ago. |
Then events came thick and fast: we had just one day to set up the equipment. A day later, the guests came from all over the world to Baku.
The next morning at 9 Clock, Mr. Director, we would like to set our kit up. But the director was not there. He was not even there at 10, so at 11 clock we blew our tops.
In the screening room, an employee told us that our equipment was in a locked room. However, there was no key. We wanted to open this door at last. It was in the director's office, and he had still not showed up. He probably felt that we were slowly but surely getting upset. Then the door was opened on the instructions of the Director. It was like a scene from a crime movie, because the door had to be broken open with two crowbars, because it was nailed with countless 10cm long nails. The director was probably afraid that our devices might be stolen overnight.
This problem too was solved, but the next was already in sight:
On the next day we drove to the airport, we were to meet incoming participants two days before the event, because we had the task of telling them that the hotel reservations were canceled. We did not know the reasons for that at first.
The next morning at 9 Clock, Mr. Director, we would like to set our kit up. But the director was not there. He was not even there at 10, so at 11 clock we blew our tops.
In the screening room, an employee told us that our equipment was in a locked room. However, there was no key. We wanted to open this door at last. It was in the director's office, and he had still not showed up. He probably felt that we were slowly but surely getting upset. Then the door was opened on the instructions of the Director. It was like a scene from a crime movie, because the door had to be broken open with two crowbars, because it was nailed with countless 10cm long nails. The director was probably afraid that our devices might be stolen overnight.
This problem too was solved, but the next was already in sight:
On the next day we drove to the airport, we were to meet incoming participants two days before the event, because we had the task of telling them that the hotel reservations were canceled. We did not know the reasons for that at first.
We stood at the edge of the runway when the planes arrived. But they did not land. They sailed through, although we saw no reason for that. After a good hour they made a second successful approach. In the meantime we had learned that the problem was not the fog, as we had been given to understand, but the fact that the reallocation of our delegates was not yet complete. That the newly arrived guests were not happy and immediately wanted to leave again, is understandable.
When the delegates heard, however, that the President of the USSR, Brezhnev, had commandeered our reserved rooms for a short stay in Baku, tempers calmed. It was an experience, when the Secretary to the President apologized to me and offered as compensation special seats at the upcoming Presidential parade for our participants.
When the delegates heard, however, that the President of the USSR, Brezhnev, had commandeered our reserved rooms for a short stay in Baku, tempers calmed. It was an experience, when the Secretary to the President apologized to me and offered as compensation special seats at the upcoming Presidential parade for our participants.
And then … The Baku Organising Committee would allow into the film screenings only the delegates of UNICA, i.e. one per country without escorts. That infuriated our president. Jupp Walterscheidt explained that the UNICA Baku would be canceled immediately, even if only one person was refused admission to the hall. His intervention worked.
The same problem occurred in the evening during the opening banquet. Only one person was allowed to the banquet! The problem was that there was too little to eat. The banquet was designed for 30 people, but 300 were present. We were then promised that this would not be the final banquet and that enough food would be available to all.
Dear UNICA film friends
There is much more to tell about the UNICA. But I believe it is important that this UNICA has so much energy, it can survive all outside influences.
EVERY UNICA IS DIFFERENT ... EVERY UNICA HAS ITS OWN CHARACTER
These are the secrets that have sustained UNICA’s success for 75 years. I am sure that the UNICA 2013 will be a success here in Austria - for I am sure that there is not too little to eat, and everything will go according to plan. And since we have no St. Bernard dog today, and the consumption of beer will bring no problems!
But I would like to thank all the living and deceased members of the UNICA Committee warmly, for thanks to them we celebrate today, the 75th UNICA birthday.
LONG LIVE UNICA TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE!
LONG LIVE THE FRIENDSHIP AMONG FRIENDS OF UNICA, WHICH IS THE BASIS FOR FUTURE EVENTS!
I wish you and the organizers of this anniversary UNICA great fun and the authors much success.
- Max Hänsli
The same problem occurred in the evening during the opening banquet. Only one person was allowed to the banquet! The problem was that there was too little to eat. The banquet was designed for 30 people, but 300 were present. We were then promised that this would not be the final banquet and that enough food would be available to all.
Dear UNICA film friends
There is much more to tell about the UNICA. But I believe it is important that this UNICA has so much energy, it can survive all outside influences.
EVERY UNICA IS DIFFERENT ... EVERY UNICA HAS ITS OWN CHARACTER
These are the secrets that have sustained UNICA’s success for 75 years. I am sure that the UNICA 2013 will be a success here in Austria - for I am sure that there is not too little to eat, and everything will go according to plan. And since we have no St. Bernard dog today, and the consumption of beer will bring no problems!
But I would like to thank all the living and deceased members of the UNICA Committee warmly, for thanks to them we celebrate today, the 75th UNICA birthday.
LONG LIVE UNICA TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE!
LONG LIVE THE FRIENDSHIP AMONG FRIENDS OF UNICA, WHICH IS THE BASIS FOR FUTURE EVENTS!
I wish you and the organizers of this anniversary UNICA great fun and the authors much success.
- Max Hänsli
Introduction, founding of UNICA and a story from UNICA in Argentina in part one - here.
Most photographs on this page from Creative Commons sources.
Most photographs on this page from Creative Commons sources.
