As sophomore Ellen Rozmaryn stands in the crowded Kulturecke, a small museum sponsored by the Indiana German Heritage Society, she talks to visitors in German, guides them around the market and talks about German culture in Indiana. The Kulturuke is located in the Christkindlmarkt, a pop-up market dedicated to the celebration of German traditions, food and culture that lasts for the holiday season. Rozmaryn said she won a scholarship to work there this year after volunteering at the market regularly in previous years. 

“Scholarship recipients are required to volunteer at the market and the first-place winners are supposed to volunteer at least 20 hours,” Rozmaryn said. “I volunteer at the Kulturuke and my job is to answer questions and engage with the visitors.” 

Rozmaryn said she not only enjoyed the interactions with visitors, but also found that she reached a deeper understanding and sense of closeness with German culture. 

“I’ve learned so much about the culture that I hadn’t known before, because like most, I didn’t really know the impact that German migrants had on the history of Indiana. I get to hear a lot from people who are German or who have direct heritage so they provide a unique perspective that enhances my understanding of the culture itself,” Rozmaryn said.

According to German teacher Angelika Becker, Christkindlmarkt is a great place to get more familiar with German culture. 

“The Christkindlmarkt here in Carmel is really authentic as there are only German or locally produced things sold there,” Becker said. “The foods are from the German speaking regions as well. The food, the goods and the cultural history makes the market a really authentic experience.”

Furthermore, Becker said Christkindlmarkt helps students with language proficiency as well as deepening their cultural knowledge. 

“The students who volunteer there wear a button that says ‘Ich spreche Deutsch,’ meaning ‘I speak German,’ this allows for more interactions to occur in the language. In addition to this, last year we had a few students go to the market and work as translators for a few artisans,” Becker said.

Rozmaryn echoed this sentiment, noting that the immersive cultural experiences that Christkindlmarkt offers allowed her to become more comfortable in her language ability. 

“I take German as my language at school and when I was around 5 years old, I lived in Munich, Germany, for about three months,” Rozmaryn said. “Although I was young, I picked up a few phrases and numbers. In addition, my siblings are practically fluent in German and this experience has definitely helped me improve my conversational German skills.” 

According to Travis Jerde, the market’s volunteer director, Christkindlmarkt is as much about fostering a sense of community as it is about promoting cultural awareness. He said the student volunteers play a critical role in maintaining the market’s lively and authentic atmosphere.

“Students bring so much energy to the market,” Jerde said. “Their enthusiasm for learning and sharing what they know about German culture is contagious, and it creates a really welcoming environment for visitors.” 

Jerde said the market relies heavily on student volunteers not only to staff areas like the Kulturecke but also to serve as cultural ambassadors.

“They’re the ones answering questions and helping people connect with the traditions behind the market,” Jerde said. “It’s great to see how much they learn and grow in the process.”

Rozmaryn said her experience volunteering at the market has been both fun and illuminating. 

“I think this hands-on experience is unmatched to learning German in the classroom setting because it not only allows us (volunteers) to immerse ourselves into the culture but also allows me to interact with native speakers in a fun way, that’s out in the real world,” Rozmaryn said. “Overall the Christkindlmarkt itself is a phenomenally authentic experience that allows people to feel like they are in Germany or at least celebrate the culture deeply.”