celebrates the true story of the Christmas carol 'Silent Night' in an inspiring three-minute film created by Jung von Matt Donau reminding audiences that anyone and everyone can be the spark that changes the world the Christmas advert takes us back to the Austrian village of Oberndorf in the winter of 1818 where we meet a young man who sees his neighbours struggling with poverty and hunger and is inspired to find a way of bringing them some warmth and hope They called it 'Silent Night' and performed it on the same evening at the Christmas mass This humble gesture would not only touch the hearts of people in the small village Jung von Matt’s film explores with great historical accuracy how from its very first performance by Mohr and Gruber in a small rural church “Silent Night” has been passed down through generations and reached every corner of the earth like a replica of Mohr’s guitar and his small room on the first floor the film truthfully depicts the major milestones of the song from Oberndorf that travelled around the world: In 1822 a Tyrolean choir performed it in front of the Austrian Emperor Franz I 'Silent Night' was played on the violin by Reginald Fessenden during the first-ever radio entertainment broadcast in America the song brought a brief but powerful moment of peace during World War I German and English soldiers sang it together “Silent Night” was broadcast to the crew of the Skylab 4 Space Station.  'Silent Night' is the most recorded song in the world with over 130,000 versions in more than 300 languages Erste Group and Jung von Matt have been working in partnership for 10 years and introduced the Believe in Yourself platform The brand’s Christmas campaigns have become an annual tradition after the viral success of their inaugural effort 'Silent Night' marks a new era for this tradition both because it introduces the first live-action Christmas film and also by telling a true historical story “We’re thrilled to share the remarkable story of Franz Xaver Gruber and Joseph Mohr with the world this Christmas Their journey is a testament to the power of two individuals who believed that a simple song could inspire hope and change the world for the better.” “Everyone can contribute to building a society full of hope Even a small gesture can achieve something great – as the story of 'Silent Night' proves," says Nina Pentek head of group brand management and communications at Erste Group we want to encourage people to believe in  themselves we do so in telling a story in a particularly authentic way."  'Silent Night' was developed in collaboration with the Silent Night Society which provided valuable insights and milestones of the song’s history It was directed by Daniel & Szymon through Arts & Sciences running across key Erste markets of Austria it will run in print and digital/social channels Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Caroline Gleason Oberndorf passed away peacefully on May 17 Ed Oberndorf to whom she was married for 65 years She was the dedicated and loving mother of Charles (April) She was the delightful Aunt Caroline to her three nephews Caroline graduated from Laurel School (1952) and completed her junior and senior years at Wellesley College (1956) she returned to Laurel where she taught nursery school and kindergarten She later served as Vice President of the Laurel Alumnae Board and President of the Wellesley Club of Cleveland she married Ed Oberndorf and lived a devoted and loving life together for 65 years.  Caroline inherited from her parents a legacy of community involvement and over the course of her life served on 17 boards  At the age of 16 she volunteered in the children’s department of the Cleveland Society of the Blind (now the Cleveland Sight Center) where her father She spent numerous hours of her youth at the Center and stayed involved the rest of her life becoming a lifetime trustee in her later years Caroline learned a love of art and later served as a trustee on the boards of the Cleveland Institute of Art the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Cleveland Arts Foundation She served as President of the Print Club of the Cleveland Museum of Art During an interview for the Cleveland Sight Center “You aren’t going to get the full gratification of life if you don’t get involved with your community Her summers were highlighted by the family’s annual summer visit to Omena where they have a cottage on Grand Traverse Bay Her first introduction to Omena was at the age of ten when the Gleasons joined a relative for the summer  Caroline developed many close friendships over those many years A friend of 75 years from Omena texted this about Caroline: “She was a lover of the arts anyone who came in contact with her always hoped that some of her spirited grace would follow them.”  A celebration of Caroline’s life will be held at Fairmount Presbyterian Church on Monday memorial donations can be made to the following organizations: Cleveland Institute of Arthttps://www.cia.edu/donate Cleveland Sight Centerhttps://www.clevelandsightcenter.org/content/donate-now EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institutehttps://edwinsrestaurant.org/donate/ Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The Susan and Bill Oberndorf Foundation has made a new commitment of $25 million to UC San Francisco. Twenty million dollars of the funds are unrestricted, to be used at the discretion of Matthew State chair and Oberndorf Family Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and the remaining $5 million is earmarked to advance translational research projects in psychiatry and the neurosciences Including the new gift, the Oberndorf Foundation’s giving over the past three years to UCSF: The Campaign a comprehensive $5 billion fundraising effort launched in 2017 “Susan and I feel privileged to be able to make this additional donation to UCSF,” said Oberndorf we like to back talented individuals in a specific area of interest and let them determine how best to use the funds Matt State has proved to be a transformative leader in transitioning UCSF's Department of Psychiatry into one of the very best in the country We simply could not be more pleased with the progress Matt and his colleagues are making in finding ways to address some of the most challenging mental health issues of our time." State is world renowned for his research on the genetics of autism spectrum disorders and Tourette syndrome During his six-year tenure as chair of UCSF’s Department of Psychiatry he has greatly strengthened ties between that department and UCSF’s Departments of Neurology and of Neurosurgery to accelerate the search for the causes of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders as well as the development of new He has also placed a very high priority on advancing the Department of Psychiatry’s public mission with large-scale collaborative efforts aimed at addressing mental health and substance use issues affecting homeless individuals and seriously and chronically ill patients – both children and adults – which is an area of particular interest to Susan Oberndorf The truly remarkable support from Susan and Bill has allowed us to lay the groundwork for all we’re doing at UCSF to better understand and treat mental illness “The truly remarkable support from Susan and Bill has allowed us to lay the groundwork for all we’re doing at UCSF to better understand and treat mental illness,” said State “It’s especially important and gratifying that this new gift includes discretionary funds as this gives our department a nimbleness and flexibility that is crucial when determining priorities in a field as broad and diverse as ours.” UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood “I’m tremendously grateful to Susan and Bill for their unflagging generosity and service to UCSF Their continuing support of Matt State’s vision for the Department of Psychiatry especially their trust in his judgment on how to best realize that vision are making a significant difference in the lives of those who struggle with mental illness.” About the Oberndorfs: Susan Oberndorf is chairman of WNC Corporation the Susan and Bill Oberndorf Foundation and the Delbert Coleman Foundation She is also a board member of the Environmental Defense Fund and a longtime volunteer at Stanford University Bill Oberndorf is chairman of Oberndorf Enterprises which seeks to bring about K-12 education reform.  Subscribe to UCSF News Visit the Media Center © 2025 The Regents of The University of California Yet Oberndorf's town centre doesn't include the cobbled square lined with woodcraft shops you'd expect of a German town like this the town consists of several industrial complexes wedged into the valley with housing estates and giant supermarkets climbing up over the surrounding hills One estimates that H&K guns kill an average of 114 people a day with a state prosecutors' investigation expected to be concluded soon The company's troubles have drawn more and more attention in Germany with a new TV documentary uncovering evidence of another possibly illegal transaction with the Mexican government which apparently paid H&K €1.2m for technical assistance The German government says it knows nothing of this H&K will not comment on these matters specifically but a spokesman told the Guardian by email: "Legality and conforming to weapons and export guidelines are our economic foundation – without these For everything else: we follow the political directives a vital "economic motor" for the Oberndorf community which has been producing weapons since Friedrich I of Württemberg installed the first armaments factory in a disused Augustine monastery in 1811 tens of thousands of bayonets and rifles were made and stacked beneath the giant nativity and crucifixion paintings and gold-leaf finishings on the ceiling "Oberndorf basically is a weapons factory," says Ulrich Pfaff "They're synonyms." Pfaff is the town's notorious peacenik He can remember watching flamethrowers being tested by the Wehrmacht and the caustic artificial fog that was pumped into the valley to hide the factories from allied bombers After half a century of development work in Africa and "outed himself" as a pacifist on his retirement He still receives the odd anonymous warning in the post: round here sipping tea in his home full of African carvings pacifists are Nestbeschmutzer – people that foul their own nests this is work for people here," says Klaus Kirschner trade unionist and Heckler & Koch engineer in the 1970s "And Oberndorf just happens to have a tradition in weapons." But Pfaff thinks this is a town of see-no-evil monkeys – he mimes it and laughs he is a startlingly cheery 77-year-old – all wiry frame cropped white beard and round glasses – with a habit of breaking into laughter on the flimsiest pretexts: the sudden appearance of his wife on a bicycle Meeting me at the tiny two-platform railway station he immediately begins the tour: "That's the old Mauser factory there they only make sports rifles – and up there," – he waves at the crest of a particularly lush pine-forested hill – "is H&K." There's a reason that Oberndorf's most famous factory is up over a hill and it has to do with the town's founding myth: after the war as French troops were supervising the destruction of the Mauser machinery – three engineers pinched two milling machines in the dead of night and drove them to a barracks on the top of a nearby hill that had recently been used to house forced labourers allegedly became the very spot where Heckler Koch and Seidel chose to open their factory as soon as it became legal for Germany to make guns again in 1949 Pfaff claims to have worked on an old Mauser milling machine when he did a summer job at H&K in the 1950s Since then H&K has made itself integral to Nato's infrastructure "Europe and Germany are increasingly being drawn into international conflicts A number of current crisis spots are 'on our doorstep'," the H&K spokesman wrote "We feel we share responsibility for the safety and the lives of soldiers and police officers of Nato states and Nato allies We are conscious of this responsibility and act accordingly." But H&K's guns aren't just used by friendly countries: they're used by everyone. "If you made a map of where there are no Heckler & Koch guns, you'd have two white patches," Jürgen Grässlin sticks up a thumb "One: the former Warsaw Pact countries – they're all flooded with Kalashnikovs Two," – the forefinger comes up – "the Antarctic." Grässlin is a rotund schoolteacher who lives in the city of Freiburg Not a minute of his 19-hour days are wasted He reads weapons trade publications on the way to work and spends his evenings at the RüstungsInformationsBüro (Armaments Information Office) surrounded by his overwhelming paper archive box files and filing cabinets filled with newspaper clippings and official documents reporting virtually all of Germany's arms exports over the past decades Grässlin says he has to rattle through dozens of emailed requests every night before bed even from German MPs ("We're better informed than they are," he claims) He keeps track of all of Germany's weapons makers, but Heckler & Koch is his particular passion. He has turned himself into its nemesis. For his latest book, Schwarzbuch Waffenhandel – Wie Deutschland am Krieg verdient (Blackbook Weapons Trade – How Germany profits from war) Grässlin came up with a sum to quantify exactly how deadly H&K has become since 1961 the year when the G3 was first licensed to another country (Portugal Given that about 30 million people are thought to have been killed in conflict since then of which 63 of every 100 deaths were caused by small arms fire (according to the Red Cross) and given that H&K has a global market share of 11% Grässlin reckons that Oberndorf's guns have killed 2,079,000 people in the past 63 years – an average of 114 people every day Photograph: Ben KnightThe sale of G3 licences – the classic 1950s assault rifle in the H&K arsenal – proved particularly fatal The German government sold G3 licences to at least 15 countries including several countries that used it to carry out wars and internal suppressions the G3 was also sold directly to countries such as Idi Amin's Uganda it is the second most widely used assault rifle in the world (after the Kalashnikov) with some estimates suggesting that up to 20m are in circulation (well-maintained rifles can be used for decades) If you ask any German government of the past 60 years why these sales were approved the answer is always the same: "stability" In practice "stability" means arming both sides of any source of conflict: so Germany has exported weapons to Israel and Egypt "Stability is the big lie of German arms exports," says Grässlin History has shown how easily the policy can backfire on western security interests The most obvious example might be the sale of the G3 licence to pre-revolution Iran in 1967 which fell into the hands of Ayatollah Khomeini who promptly used them to carry out executions in spring 1979 and against western-armed Saddam Hussein in the Iran-Iraq war Grässlin has seen Pakistani G3s in the hands of Somali militias while Hezbollah almost certainly got its supply from Iranian factories End-use controls (assurances given by the buyer about where the weapons will be used) are virtually impossible to enforce: once licences have been granted Grässlin's book includes an anecdote from a former H&K employee who told him the Saudis would only sign an end-use agreement for one of its machine guns if it was written in English "He found out later that non-Arabic documents are not valid under Saudi law," he told me The pattern of proliferation established through licensing the G3 is being repeated today with the deadlier which replaced the G3 as the Bundeswehr's standard rifle in the late 90s Licences to build this one have already been sold to Spain and Saudi Arabia This is not just business – it is apparently Germany's new foreign policy Angela Merkel's government has overseen a massive increase in the country's arms exports she approved arms exports worth a record turnover of €2.1bn – a tenfold increase on 2000 This is all part of what Grässlin calls "the Merkel doctrine" – sending weapons instead of troops Grässlin has made a chart of "the top 10 responsible for arms exports" in which the incumbent chancellor beats all her predecessors she's now prepared to deliver tanks to Saudi Arabia and she was quoted as saying [at a political foundation event in 2011] that Germany will in future send fewer soldiers but more weapons to conflict zones," he said Grässlin's school holidays don't sound much fun They are trips to all the world's conflict zones to find H&K's victims "I go and hold up five pictures – the Russian Kalashnikov the fingers always point to the Kalashnikov or the G3," he says "Then you always get a story – what did your mother get killed by Grässlin scored his first significant success on H&K ("I'd just had enough," he says) and filed a lawsuit against H&K over what has now been proved to be an illegal sale of 9,500 G36 rifles to Mexico between 2006 and 2009 State prosecutors took several months to respond to the charges and it was only after a TV documentary later that year and the subsequent media noise that officers raided the company's headquarters on the hill above Oberndorf the H&K executive in charge of supervising the legality of deals – a former judge named Peter Beyerle – had resigned (H&K said he had decided on a "different life-plan") more revelations emerged about the illegal sale The German government had approved it on the condition that the weapons weren't used in a certain four states within Mexico where the police were held to be too corrupt and vicious and which are embroiled in an ongoing conflict with drug mafias and local militias It turned out that the Mexican defence ministry had never even heard of this condition and had duly delivered half the guns straight to those four states H&K responded by sacking two employees claiming that they had acted without management's knowledge and those two employees subsequently sued H&K for wrongful dismissal "That was really exciting," says Grässlin "Watching them all argue with each other in court." This January the two employees won the case in a labour court – their sacking was indeed unlawful Basiji women march with G3s at a Tehran rally in 1988 Photograph: Kaveh Kazemi/Getty ImagesWhere is all this headed The situation is certainly tightening for H&K The firm's appeal against the court's ruling is to be heard in the Baden-Württemberg state court in the summer but the state prosecutors' report into Grässlin's charges is expected any day the veteran activist is already considering a new lawsuit after revelations that Mexico has started to develop its own assault rifle it's hard to escape the impression that the Mexico case is the can of worms he's been waiting to open for three decades – the crack in the armour of Europe's deadliest company "I know everything about that deal," he says "Every detail: who did what when and why." He's also convinced that it's all down to the pressure of that €270m debt "Why do you think they started risking these illegal deals?" Grässlin asks his elbow resting on a pile of Guns & Ammo magazines "[CEO and main shareholder Andreas] Heeschen would love to sell up – but who's going to buy a company with that much debt and with all these lawsuits hanging over it You can imagine how much he loves me!" he says The caption of the second picture was amended on 28 February 2014 because the original said the photo showed German soldiers with G3 assault rifles CO - An affiliate of Oberndorf Real Estate Management (OBREM) and The Bascom Group announced they have closed on the acquisition of the 360-unit Hearthstone at City Center located at 932 South Helena Way in vibrant Aurora Hearthstone marks Bascom's fourth acquisition of 2024 and comes shortly after the recent acquisitions of The Overlook a 344-unit garden style multifamily property located in Albuquerque a 204-bed student housing community in Austin Once the largest multifamily owners in the state of Colorado Hearthstone is Bascom's 37th acquisition in the state and 10th acquisition in the city of Aurora Constructed in 1984 as a low-density community comprised of forty-one buildings across 18.25 acres Hearthstone features ample onsite outdoor space and a diverse mix of one- The community is conveniently located southeast of Aurora City Center a midway point between Downtown Denver and Denver International Airport Residents at Hearthstone can access hundreds of thousands of employment opportunities within a 20-minute commute from the property Nearby employment hubs include Fitzsimons Medical Campus Hearthstone's location offers superb access to key quality of life attractions and recreation given a diverse selection of shopping and outdoor activities in Aurora's many parks including the scenic 4,000-acre Cherry Creek State Park all within the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains The community has been well-maintained over numerous renovation programs throughout the years and offers select units with contemporary appliances fireplaces and private patios and balconies The highly amenitized property has a resort-style pool Renters enjoy a 50% discount relative to the costs of home ownership in the immediate area The partnership believes it is acquiring this property at an attractive basis and yield resulting from the highly volatile economic environment over the last twenty-four months. Peter Oberndorf Managing Director at Oberndorf Real Estate Management "While there is some softness in rents due to elevated supply deliveries the partnership is positive on the long-term trajectory of the Aurora submarket and greater Denver MSA as new supply becomes harder to build given the higher interest rate environment and recent development restrictions which will stagnate supply for the foreseeable future." The partnership's business plan includes an extensive value-add renovation program that includes upgraded appliances countertops and lighting; additional in-unit washers and dryers; added kitchen backsplashes; new cabinets and fixtures; and wood plank flooring Common area improvements are planned for the fitness center as well as a completely redesigned multipurpose activity area façade enhancements and revamped landscaping Bascom's Senior Vice President & Principal of Acquisitions "We are thrilled to make yet another multifamily investment in the city of Aurora and state of Colorado we are finding select opportunities that we anticipate will be strong investments for our company and our highly valued partners such as OBREM." Bascom's Senior Vice President of Portfolio Operations, Paul Zakhary "Bascom plans to further elevate the Property by strategically repositioning and improving operations that will make Hearthstone a top choice among multifamily product in the immediate area." The partnership continues to focus on investments in the multifamily sector across the United States with a focus on value-add opportunities that arise as pricing resets occur amid significant global macroeconomic pressures Oxford Capital Group Announces Acquisition of Eleven Seniors Housing Communities Across Minneapolis and Northern Minnesota Markets Wood Partners Expand Across Southeast with Ground Breaking on Three Attainable Living Communities in Georgia Security Properties Completes $34.75 Million Acquisition of 100-Unit Henry Apartments in Seattle's Coveted Queen Anne Neighborhood ECI Group Acquires 396-Unit Ardmore at Flowers Apartment Community in Growing North Carolina Submarket of Raleigh The latest multifamily industry news delivered to your inbox Welcome to IPE Real Assets. This site uses cookies. Read our policy By 2024-03-13T13:07:00+00:00 An affiliate of Oberndorf Real Estate Management have acquired the 360-unit multifamily asset in Western US  for $74m (€68m) The acquisition of Hearthstone at City Center multifamily asset in Aurora Colorado marks Bascom’s fourth US acquisition of 2024 and comes shortly after the recent acquisitions of The Overlook a 344-unit garden-style multifamily property located in Albuquerque Hearthstone was built in 1984 as a low-density community of 41 buildings across 18.25 acres with ample onsite outdoor space and a diverse mix of one- managing director at Oberndorf Real Estate Management said: “While there is some softness in rents due to elevated supply deliveries the partnership is positive on the long-term trajectory of the Aurora submarket and greater Denver metropolitan area as new supply becomes harder to build given the higher interest rate environment and recent development restrictions which will stagnate supply for the foreseeable future.” He added that the partnership’s business plan includes an extensive value-add renovation program that includes upgraded appliances improvements to common areas such as the fitness centre and pool as well as a redesigned multipurpose activity area façade enhancements and revamped landscaping Jim Singleton, Bascom’s senior vice president & principal of acquisitions, said: “We are thrilled to make yet another multifamily investment in the city of Aurora and state of Colorado. Despite a challenging transaction market, we are finding select opportunities that we anticipate will be strong investments for our company and our highly valued partners such as Obendorf.” Bascom’s senior vice president of portfolio operations added: “Bascom plans to further elevate the property by strategically repositioning and improving operations that will make Hearthstone a top choice among multifamily product in the immediate area.”    To read the latest IPE Real Assets magazine click here Copyright © 1997–2025 IPE International Publishers Limited Site powered by Webvision Cloud “Responsibility. Loyalty. Consideration.” Those are the words emblazoned on the back of the lunch hall at University School in Cleveland where Bill Oberndorf graduated high school 50 years ago “If you can latch onto some core values like those and use them as your guardrails as you go through life then you will have a positive outcome,” Oberndorf said Those core values led Oberndorf to a successful career as an investor and philanthropist. He is chairman of the American Federation for Children and the American Federation for Children Growth Fund the nation’s largest school choice advocacy and education organizations He is also a generous supporter of the University of California San Francisco a leading medical and research institution and a number of Bay Area community groups including the YMCA of San Francisco The Salvation Army and Tipping Point Community And these are just some of the many causes and organizations that Oberndorf and his family support around the country and the opportunity he received to attend University School in the first place The all-boys private school was established in 1890 and has a long and celebrated reputation for providing an exceptional education in a community where “each boy is known and loved.” It boasts a diverse and impressive list of graduates former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett the nation’s first African-American commercial airline pilot “My father died when I was 11. I was in sixth grade,” said Oberndorf It was only because my grandparents saved money for us to be educated we would not have been able to afford it.” Oberndorf credits University School with changing the trajectory of his life Armed with a top-flight high school education Oberndorf continued to pursue academic excellence He graduated from Williams College with a major in history then earned his MBA from Stanford University I wanted to be an investor like my grandfather but I had to figure out how I could do that There just weren’t very many opportunities at that time to become an investor,” he said “Then I had the great good fortune to meet and have lunch with Warren Buffet This was back when you could have lunch with Warren Buffet for free.”  trading in undervalued assets with solid fundamentals He decided his background as a history major could serve him well in this field and I left that lunch confident I could use this skillset to become a research analyst,” he said That moment paved the way for Oberndorf to launch his own investment firm Oberndorf considered how he might leverage his skills and resources to help others through philanthropy He was especially interested in helping disadvantaged children find educational opportunities which led Oberndorf back to a familiar place His first move was to join University School as a trustee during one of the school’s summer programs Oberndorf made a startling discovery that would further focus his philanthropy ‘We’ve learned more here in the summer than we learn all year long when we are back in our public schools in San Francisco,’ and I asked myself How could that be?’ Then I educated myself on the issue.” in a climate where the public school system was rife with challenges and I knew nothing would change unless kids who had no choice Oberndorf pursued the cause with vigor. Soon, he was introduced to another business and philanthropic legend, John Walton the two worked tirelessly to build the school choice movement from a small group of investors into a major national force that you had to create a competition in K-12 if you were ever going to improve student outcomes.” One of the products of the Oberndorf-Walton partnership is the American Federation for Children (AFC) a merger of a number of predecessor organizations with the freedom to choose the best K-12 education for their children The organization accomplishes this mission by electing education reformers passing high quality education reforms and advocating for families telling their stories and informing them of their education options Merriweather struggled in public school as a young girl Her fortunes changed after she received a tax credit scholarship to a private school she is one of the country’s most ardent supporters of school choice now serves as AFC’s Director of Public Relations and Content Marketing Oberndorf funds scholarships for students at his alma mater His help for these students extends beyond funding their education a point that’s evident in Oberndorf’s description of a phone call from one Stanford scholarship recipient I got a job at Citibank this summer and I don’t know what to wear!’” the two went suit shopping in San Francisco Oberndorf introduced Mulbah to Sandy Weill Mulbah ultimately earned a job offer to become a commercial banker with the company and it’s really rewarding,” said Oberndorf When asked what advice he would give to a new philanthropist Oberndorf suggested it’s these friends you find along the way that make it all worthwhile “Make giving your money away a joyful experience Don’t get so wrapped up in it that you don’t really enjoy the process,” said Oberndorf “Get close enough to some of the programs you’re supporting to actually meet people who are benefiting from them faith in God and helping people to help themselves The purpose of the Prize is to highlight the power of philanthropy and inspire others to support charities that achieve results Oberndorf’s decades-long support of school choice his dedication to helping young people and the disadvantaged and his commitment to improving his local community make him a fitting recipient of this Prize which includes a $200,000 award that is payable to the charity of his choice Philanthropy Roundtable will present the Simon-DeVos Prize during its annual meeting in Colorado Springs “I just feel that I’ve been extremely fortunate to be able to help others and to have the credibility to get others to help these students will be given the same opportunity he was once given 50 years ago — to receive an education from one of the nation’s exceptional private schools loyalty and consideration” that still adorn the University School lunch room wall and to build an incredible future for themselves and for others they choose to help along the way Learn more about the Simon-Devos Prize here Our Values-Based Giving Newsletter helps philanthropists and charitable organizations apply their values to their giving and follow the best practices for success UC San Francisco has received an unrestricted $25 million commitment from the Bill and Susan Oberndorf Foundation to advance basic research in psychiatry and the behavioral sciences this science promises to revolutionize our understanding of the most serious psychiatric illnesses “UCSF has long been committed to supporting the integration of basic and clinical research to discover new and more effective therapies for psychiatric illnesses,” said UCSF Chancellor Sam Hawgood “The Oberndorfs’ support will allow us to dramatically expand our efforts to recruit and retain the very best basic scientists who are devoted to unlocking the secrets of psychiatric illness and transforming our ability to treat and cure these conditions.” The Oberndorfs have been strong supporters of UCSF for more than two decades including Bill Oberndorf’s contribution as chair of the UCSF Board of Overseers the couple has invested in several keystone projects including UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay and the UCSF Helen Diller Family Cancer Research Building “The Oberndorfs’ remarkable vision and capital investments have provided vital momentum for transforming the footprint and capacity of this institution,” Hawgood said “Their new commitment will lead to better understanding of psychiatric disorders will help to end the marginalization of psychiatry within medicine and erase the stigma that still surrounds mental illness.” The new grant builds on an earlier $5 million gift from the Oberndorfs to create a distinguished professorship in psychiatry, which aimed to expand UCSF’s leadership in the field and provide the resources to create a world-class program on campus. That support enabled UCSF to recruit Matthew W. State a renowned child psychiatrist and internationally recognized expert on the genomics of autism and Tourette syndrome and has galvanized many other philanthropic investments in UCSF neuroscience now chair and Oberndorf Family Distinguished Professor in Psychiatry at UCSF performs studies that exemplify the tight integration of basic and clinical research that will be supported by the new Oberndorf gift His research teams have identified more than 60 genes involved in autism a crucial first step in developing new and better therapeutics Other UCSF neuroscientists are making pioneering discoveries in both the molecular and circuit-based underpinnings of a range of other psychiatric afflictions “UCSF is determined to be at the forefront of this revolution creating a community of the very best young minds focused on this mission and allowing them to do their most creative work embedded in an extraordinarily strong and collaborative neuroscience community,” said State “An unrestricted gift of this magnitude will be a game-changer in our ability to recruit and support outstanding scientists in what is an extremely challenging funding climate We will be able to give them the freedom they need to pursue work that promises not only to unlock biological secrets but to change the way that society views mental illness,” said State “Susan and I are very pleased to make this investment in an area of basic medical research for which there is great need It is our hope that this gift will help to alleviate the pain in the lives of those who suffer from psychiatric and behavioral disorders as well as mitigate the impact such diseases can have on those in their lives,” Bill said “We have met so many brilliant young researchers in the neurosciences at UCSF State will continue to build a team that will make tremendous gains in the field.” The Oberndorfs have long been active philanthropists In addition to serving as chairman of the UCSF Board of Overseers Susan is president of the Bill and Susan Oberndorf Foundation and serves on numerous nonprofit boards UC San Francisco (UCSF) is a leading university dedicated to promoting health worldwide through advanced biomedical research graduate-level education in the life sciences and health professions It includes top-ranked graduate schools of dentistry nursing and pharmacy; a graduate division with nationally renowned programs in basic translational and population sciences; and a preeminent biomedical research enterprise UCSF Medical Center and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals in San Francisco and Oakland – and other partner and affiliated hospitals and healthcare providers throughout the Bay Area.  Hearthstone features 360 low-density garden-style apartments in one- and two-story buildings and is situated on 18 acres in the attractive suburban Aurora submarket of Denver 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- An affiliate of Oberndorf Real Estate Management ("OBREM") formerly known as The Axton Group announced today that they have closed on the acquisition of the 360-unit Hearthstone at City Center ("Hearthstone") The partnership believes it is acquiring this property at an attractive basis and yield resulting from the highly volatile economic environment over the last twenty-four months the partnership is positive on the long-term trajectory of the Aurora submarket and greater Denver MSA as new supply becomes harder to build given the higher interest rate environment and recent development restrictions Bascom's Senior Vice President of Portfolio Operations "Bascom plans to further elevate the Property by strategically repositioning and improving operations that will make Hearthstone a top choice among multifamily product in the immediate area."   ("OBREM") Oberndorf Real Estate Management is a privately held investment management firm based in San Francisco with a focus on value add and opportunistic real estate and real estate related assets in the U.S and Canada OBREM's management team has extensive sourcing capabilities through its proprietary network and invests opportunistically across asset types geographies and capital structure as risk/return dynamics shift The firm invests in direct real estate and real estate related operating companies with the understanding that real estate is subject to cycles both in terms of its underlying supply and demand fundamentals and its pricing relative to other asset classes OBREM seeks to invest in undervalued assets which can be enhanced with redevelopment and repositioning in fundamentally strong markets OBREM prioritizes opportunities with strong current cash flow and capital appreciation with a focus on capital preservation Media Contacts: Lambert Lisa Baker [email protected] 603-868-1967 -Or- Megan Bowman [email protected] 616-258-5763 Media Contacts: Lambert Lisa Baker lbaker@lambert.com 603-868-1967 -Or- Megan Bowman mbowman@lambert.com 616-258-5763 Do not sell or share my personal information: She talked about the company’s recent growth initiatives the key factors that contributed to its recent quarterly results and the efforts to drive values for employees and customers Oberndorf also discussed the evolving technology at an extremely rapid pace and the federal government’s need to keep pace Here’s an excerpt from the interview with Oberndorf about the government contracting process: “The government is looking for quicker procurement cycles by leveraging Other Transactional Authorities (OTAs) The other improving trend has been the government looking toward more non-traditional DoD firms a firm with a lot of experience with these new technologies in the commercial sector Leveraging firms with commercial experience often means working with an integrator or a service provider with more overall experience That can also drive even greater efficiency and better overall value to the federal government.” Visit ExecutiveBiz.com to read the full Executive Spotlight interview with Capgemini Government Solutions VP Denise Oberndorf and don’t miss our other interviews with the most significant executives of consequence to the GovCon sector Chair and CEO Bill Webner accepted the 2024 Wash100 Award from Executive Mosaic CEO Jim Garrettson in a recent meeting at CGS’ McLean Webner was named to the Wash100 for the first time this year in recognition of his government technology leadership and the impacts he has made on the contracting market 5G communications are not merely the province of our cell phones: they come with abundant potential for government and military uses and for bolstering national security They can play a key role in Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control be implemented when building smarter cities and in enhancing the warfighter’s toolkit Executive Mosaic, the preeminent media, events and membership organization of the government contracting sector, is proud to announce the winners of the prestigious 2024 Wash100 Award Executive Mosaic’s coveted Wash100 Award recognizes the most promising and outstanding executives to watch in the coming year The premier source of breaking business news for the government contracting industry to-the-point stories of the most significant contract awards M&A activities and financial results of the sector’s most notable players GovCon Wire is always on top of the most recent contracting sector activity and is updated in real time as the news breaks Important URLs: About us – Government Contracting FAQ – Guest Contributions – 2024 Events Paul Peterson: Why did you de-cide to focus much of your philanthropy on helping disadvantaged children attend private school Bill Oberndorf: I felt extremely fortunate that I was able to attend a wonderful private school in Cleveland and only because my grandparents set aside and saved money for the education of my brothers and me I felt that every kid who wants to work hard in school whose parents want something better for them should have access to the kind of education that best fits the needs of that child I feel that this is the civil-rights issue of our time The idea of private-school choice through government-funded vouchers was proposed by Milton Friedman in the 1950s we have only a few such programs in this country Why has it been so difficult to build public support for this idea I remember talking to Milton Friedman about this shortly before he died It takes decades for ideas to take root before they really can flourish.” So Milton was not deterred The opposition has come from the teachers unions which are such a powerful force and funding source for the Democratic Party that this has created major obstacles along the way But the good news is that now there are private-school choice programs in 22 states but in recent years it seemed like progress was stalling out a ballot initiative to expand charter schools was defeated even though charter schools in Massachusetts seemed to be doing very well There were also divisions within the school-choice movement How were you assessing the state of school choice at that time The charter-school movement had scaled up to around 3 million students enrolled that sector was feeling the kind of union opposition that the private-school choice movement had felt all along some important things have happened that have helped change the overall trajectory of the advocacy and implementation of private-school and charter-school choice and the shutting down of district schools across the country with private schools remaining open in many places Do you think that’s critical to what seems to be a turning of public opinion today and many people who never had been touched by the impact of union power suddenly felt that impact The other factor was that because so much remote instruction was going on parents actually saw for the first time the quality of the teaching in their kids’ classrooms and it has caused the acceptance and popularity of education choice to skyrocket a lot of people moved away from the standard district-run school Is this people voting with their feet against what was happening during the pandemic And at the American Federation for Children which is now the largest school-choice organization in the country we start with funding state legislative races and directly backing candidates You referenced the ballot initiative losing in Massachusetts There has never been a ballot initiative that’s passed we can change the legislative composition to be favorable to choice and where we can help elect a governor who is receptive to signing such legislation In 2020 we backed 390 state legislators and won 337 of those seats And what resulted in 2021 was the passage of legislation funding 150,000 new private-school seats at about $6,000 dollars apiece—almost $900 million of government money there were also increases in homeschooling and in charter enrollment This shift is having a big political influence too in how people vote once they see how their children are benefiting from these programs I think it’s the culmination of a lot of frustration that parents have had over the years—and particularly the kind of parents we try to help Governor Doug Ducey from Arizona told me he got 44 percent of the Hispanic vote the last time he ran “That’s only because of this issue of school choice That’s the only reason I got that kind of percentage.” And when Ron DeSantis’s opponent “We’re going to end the school-choice programs in Florida,” DeSantis ended up getting 18 percent of the Black female vote in the gubernatorial election with people who are simply tired of seeing what’s happening to their children who are subject to sending their kids to schools that none of us would ever let our kids go to Are political leaders talking to one another from state to state I think school choice is finally gaining traction in a way we’ve never seen before the federation will have 550 different state legislative races to invest in if we are able to raise the funds to do so Governors understand the implications of school choice and politicians of color are understanding it is good for their constituents So we don’t view this as a Republican issue or a Democratic issue About 20 percent of the money we give to candidates every year goes to Democrats with what happened in the wake of George Floyd’s murder and the riots in the summer of 2020 you cannot have a real conversation about systemic racism if you do not talk about K–12 and the outcomes for these kids It is what’s holding back students of color in this country I don’t think we will be able to make substantial progress moving forward This is an edited excerpt from an Education Exchange podcast, which can be heard at educationnext.org This article appeared in the Spring 2022 issue of Education Next Education Next. (2022). “This Is the Civil-Rights Issue of Our Time” Philanthropist of the Year Bill Oberndorf explains a state-based strategy for advancing school choice Spring 2025 Education Next is a journal of opinion and research about education policy Subscribe Today Sign Up Today Program on Education Policy and GovernanceHarvard Kennedy School79 JFK Street, Cambridge, MA 02138Phone (617) 496-5488Email Education_Next@hks.harvard.edu Veronique Manfredini of Brookdale Community College has been named a 2020 Oberndorf Scholar by the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society (PTK) She is one of seven students internationally to earn the honor and receive a $1,000 scholarship “When I saw the acceptance email I nearly cried,” said Manfredini “This scholarship award is a confirmation of  Veronique’s academic performance and commitment to excellence,” said Brookdale President Dr “She is a campus leader whose efforts in and outside the classroom are much appreciated by the campus community I know that more great things are to come in her academic and career pursuits in the coming years.” Manfredini is also in the running for a number of other scholarship and honors She was selected as one of Brookdale’s nominees for the All USA Academic Team which places her in contention for the All State Team She is also a Jack Kent Cooke Transfer Scholarship Semifinalist she completed a culinary program in Italy and worked in a restaurant for three years before deciding to attend college in the United States The Oberndorf Lifeline to Completion Scholarship helps Phi Theta Kappa members overcome unanticipated financial barriers The scholarship is named for its benefactors a world leader in medical education technology and is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Foundation Board of Trustees PTK names up to 15 Oberndorf Lifeline to Completion Scholarship winners annually with scholars selected in the fall and spring each year the Oberndorf Scholarship has a tremendous impact on the lives of these hard-working making it possible for them to complete their associate degrees,” said Dr “We are grateful to the Oberndorf family for their commitment to helping students achieve their educational goals Congratulations to all of the scholarship recipients!” Students may apply for the next round of Oberndorf Lifeline to Completion Scholarships beginning in March 2020 Phi Theta Kappa is the premier honor society recognizing the academic achievement of students at associate degree-granting colleges and helping them to grow as scholars and leaders. The Society is made up of more than 3.5 million members and nearly 1,300 chapters in 11 nations, with approximately 240,000 active members in the nation’s colleges. Learn more at ptk.org. who is double majoring in business administration and English will graduate from Brookdale Community College in May 2020 She plans to transfer to a four-year institution and has Columbia University Purdue University and Rutgers University in her sights Manfredini was an officer in Brookdale’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society chapter and now serves as the 2019-2020 New Jersey State President for the Middle States Region I’d like to become a published author and an English professor What are some of the activities you’ve been involved with at Brookdale I’m an active member of the Women in Learning and Leadership (WILL) club; Phi Theta Kappa I’ve been involved in a lot of community service projects through Brookdale volunteering for the food bank of Monmouth County and Habitat for Humanity What have you learned from these experiences how to say no when I have too much on my plate and how to be there for others what it is and what it isn’t and how to respect our different experiences as individuals How would you describe your experience at Brookdale It’s been a continuous adventure of knowledge and experiences There are so many people here I have to credit:  Jane Scimeca for believing in me,Angela Saragusa for always dealing with me and my antics Roseanne Alvarez for inspiring me to pursue a job in higher education President David Stout for supporting me in every crazy idea that I decide to jump into Jonathan Moschberger and the Student Life and Activities Staff All these people have touched me in one way or another and helped me become who I am today I don’t know where I would be without them GET STARTED FIND MY PATH has made education equality for all children a centerpiece of his work the Roundtable will present the prize and $200,000 award at its 2021 Annual Meeting Oberndorf’s important work to bring quality education to every child in America with the 2021 Simon-DeVos Prize,” said Elise Westhoff president and CEO of Philanthropy Roundtable the prize showcases the important work that philanthropists undertake to inspire positive social change Oberndorf has devoted much of his life to the pursuit of quality education for our country’s disadvantaged children and has proven his success at bringing others along to contribute to this worthy work.” “It is a great honor to be awarded this very special prize named after two families I have the great privilege to know well,” said Bill Oberndorf “I simply cannot thank them and the Philanthropy Roundtable enough.”  Oberndorf has been honored by the Black Alliance for Educational Options will be presented before a large audience of donors next month at Philanthropy Roundtable’s Annual Meeting in Colorado Springs The award is generously funded by the William E Simon Foundation and the DeVos Family Foundation The Simon-DeVos Prize seeks to advance the principles of personal responsibility Its purpose is to highlight the power of philanthropy and inspire others to support charities that achieve results The award is intended to honor living philanthropists who have shown exemplary leadership through their own charitable giving The recall campaign against District Attorney Chesa Boudin is largely being funded by the political action committee Neighbors for… Amid the tidal wave of money pouring into this year’s school board and district attorney recall campaigns The political action committee known as Neighbors for a Better San Francisco is the largest single contributor to both campaigns giving nearly half a million dollars to the recall of three school board members and nearly $1.8 million to the recall of District Attorney Chesa Boudin who contributed more than $600,000 to the PAC in 2021 The San Francisco-based hedge fund manager and philanthropist is a major charter school proponent and gave more than $1 million to Republican Sen Oberndorf and fewer than two dozen other individuals and corporations raised nearly $2.5 million for Neighbors for a Better San Francisco in 2021, according to filings with the California Secretary of State venture capitalists Steven Merrill and Jason Moment and investment banker Paul Holden Spaht The two recall campaigns account for the vast majority of the group’s spending The group’s $1.78 million contribution to the campaign to recall Boudin represents more than two-thirds of the $2.6 million pro-recall committees have raised so far in the lead up to the June 7 election, according to San Francisco Ethics Commission data Neighbors’ contributions were funneled in part through third-party organizations including Stop All Asian Hate and the Common Sense Voter Guide “I think it’s pretty clear that the recall is being driven by a dark money PAC that itself is funded by a handful of ultra-wealthy individuals,” said Julie Edwards campaign manager for the effort to keep Boudin in office By receiving the majority of its money from the Neighbors PAC the campaign to recall Boudin was able to shield the identity of its donors during the signature-gathering phase of the campaign That’s because campaign committees require disclosures every two weeks but PACs only provide disclosures twice a year Edwards said she believes the recall campaign would not have been able to afford the nearly $1 million it spent on paid signature gathering without contributions from the Neighbors PAC The campaign to recall Boudin did not respond to a request for comment Those rescued from brink say it helped keep them housed San Francisco is hosting everything from lucha libre matches to day parties As Republicans expressed alarm that the rest of the country might follow the Golden State’s push to promote electric vehicles Neighbors for a Better San Francisco is described on its website as being “a civic-minded group of San Franciscans committed to improving public safety We are dedicated to supporting and empowering pragmatic and neighborhood-focused leaders and organizations.” The group did not respond to a request for comment Neighbors was also a major player in the 2020 local and state elections The group raised and spent about $3 million that year according to filings with the California Secretary of State funding failed campaigns against Supervisor Dean Preston and his real estate tax The group also funded campaigns in favor of Proposition A (a city bond for parks Measure RR (the Caltrain funding measure) and California Proposition 16 (to reinstate affirmative action) crypto entrepreneur Chris Larsen was one of Neighbors’ largest donors contributing $100,000 in support of Boudin was more than twice as much as any other donor That figure is on top of the $300,000 he contributed to Neighbors in 2020 have been major political donors for years The couple has contributed nearly $8.5 million to state-level races and PACs since 2006 including more than $3.5 million to a pro-charter school PAC supporting Antonio Villaraigosa for governor in 2018 At the federal level, Oberndorf’s giving skews Republican: In 2020 Oberndorf gave $1.5 million to McConnell’s GOP Leadership Fund. He has also contributed thousands directly to other Republicans in the House and Senate, according to Federal Election Commission filings Oberndorf did not respond to a request for comment bschneider@sfexaminer.com Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Ben Pimentel’s new weekly newsletter covering the biggest technology stories in San Francisco Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-edition email Receive occasional local offers from our website and its advertisers Sneak peek of the Examiner real estate section We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account 2022 at 2:25 pm PT.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Bill Oberndorf is board member of a Marin-based PAC that contributed nearly $1.8 million to recall San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin The San Francisco Examiner reported in June CA — A former Marin hedge fund manager is at the center of a political controversy over his role in funding a recall race earlier this year that grabbed national media attention Bill Oberndorf is board member of a Marin-based PAC that contributed nearly $1.8 million to recall San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin But it’s the $100,000 payment Oberndorf’s Neighbors for a Better San Francisco Advocacy paid Brooke Jenkins who was ostensibly serving the campaign as a volunteer Oberndorf himself gave over $900,000 to the PAC, which has a San Rafael address San Francisco Mayor London Breed appointed Jenkins as the city’s DA after the recall ousted Boudin in June Jenkins previously worked at the DA’s Office under Boudin but resigned in 2021 to work as a volunteer in the recall of her former boss “I was a volunteer for the Boudin recall campaign — period,” Jenkins said in a statement Wednesday “I worked as a consultant for 501(c)(3) organizations only and in no way did compensation influence me I would have much rather stayed working as a prosecutor I was committed to volunteering on the recall because I wanted to make sure San Francisco understood what was at stake if Chesa remained in office.” Former San Francisco Ethics Commission member and retired judge Quentin Kopp told The Chronicle there is no indication that the payment was illegal Jenkins will be a candidate in a special election in November to complete the last year of Boudin’s term “The fact that she didn’t disclose she was being paid — that’s what voters can evaluate in November,” Kopp said “She wouldn’t be the first candidate for office who didn’t disclose all relevant facts pertaining to any campaign issue,” he said Political activism and controversy are nothing new for Oberndorf, who has emerged as a reliable GOP money man in recent years, donating over $1.5 million to Jeb Bush’s failed 2016 presidential bid But Oberndorf broke with Republicans in 2016 when he backed Hilary Clinton Oberndorf is also known for philanthropic endeavors Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. San Francisco's progressive public defender-turned-District Attorney elected to office just ahead of nationwide demands for police accountability and criminal justice reform is facing a stiff recall effort largely bankrolled by a few billionaires "I think it's pretty clear that the recall is being driven by a dark money PAC that itself is funded by a handful of ultra-wealthy individuals," Julie Edwards, campaign manager for the effort to keep Boudin in office, told The San Francisco Examiner RELATED: Prosecutors blast AG Bill Barr for claims that progressive DAs are "anti-law enforcement violent crime "remains at some of the lowest levels it has been in four decades" in San Francisco "The recall is coming after me because we're not limiting our prosecution to poor people of color," Boudin told In These Times ​"We're also holding those in power accountable: operations that systematically steal from their employees corrupt politicians and government appointees proactive approach to public safety and equal enforcement of the law is exactly why I've been targeted for a recall." Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter Oberndorf's opposition to Boudin stems largely from the attorney's pledge to enforce progressive policies on policing In a February interview with The New York Times Boudin accused Oberndorf of withholding support from his 2019 campaign because the then-candidate refused to rescind San Francisco's sanctuary city policy which restricts the city's capacity to cooperate with federal immigration law Boudin has also accused Oberndorf of being an "oligarch" and has tarred his opponents as "Trumpian." "It's really problematic that we are having a very Trumpian conversation in San Francisco," Boudin told the Times RELATED: Supreme Court rejects Trump administration challenge to California's "sanctuary" law Oberndorf has been a major donor to numerous Republicans lawmakers and political action committees Among them are 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney ($50,000); the Republican Congressional Leadership Fund ($750,000); the Republican Senate Leadership Fund of Sen Apart from donating to Our Principles, Oberndorf also threw his weight behind former 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton Trump over Donald Trump. "If it is Trump vs. Clinton, and there is no viable third party candidate, I will be voting for Hillary Clinton," he told CNN shortly after Trump was declared the GOP nominee he also donated $50,000 to a pro-Clinton PAC one of Oberndorf's key policy items is school privatization He is the chair of the American Federation for Children a right-wing dark money group that seeks to undermine teachers unions and at one point backed a ballot proposition that would have banned teachers unions outright Jon Skolnik was a former staff writer at Salon Reproduction of material from any Salon pages without written permission is strictly prohibited Patent and Trademark Office as a trademark of Salon.com Associated Press articles: Copyright © 2016 The Associated Press — If you're headed to Frankenmuth this holiday season did you know you can see a replica of the chapel where the Christmas song "Silent Night" was first sung It's located outside of Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland  It marks the sight where Silent Night was first sung in 1818 The story goes — the church's organ broke on Christmas Eve so a member of the congregation quickly wrote the words to the song we now know as "Silent Night" Another member of the congregation wrote and the music Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland founder Wally Bronner was inspired when he visited the chapel in Austria "Dad had talked to the officials from Oberndorf and wondered if he could replicate that chapel here," said Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland Vice President Carla Bronner-Spletzer the Silent Night Chapel was built here," she said Bronner's does not hold any services in the church but there is an altar area and pews that replicate the chapel in Oberndorf They add it's open to the public during store hours and is meant to celebrate the meaning of Christmas The conversation focused on Oberndorf’s work as a philanthropist particularly his efforts in education reform Oberndorf told meeting attendees that expanding education opportunities for children should be top of mind if there’s one thing you leave this conference with it’s a sense of great urgency around this issue,” he said who serves as chairman of the American Federation for Children and the American Federation for Children Growth Fund the nation’s largest school choice and advocacy organizations has made education reform a centerpiece of his work He stressed that now is the time for supporters to spread the word about the movement particularly in light of “devastating consequences” for children resulting from public school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic if every medical worker in this country doesn’t show up for a year or every delivery person in this country says “That is essentially what happened in K-12 he cited successful attempts by private and charter school administrators to keep kids learning they made sure those kids were getting an education,” Oberndorf said “They made sure it was either online or in classroom because they felt a responsibility to do it Oberndorf said the work of these administrators and others in school choice will help set disadvantaged children up for success down the road “It is only through education that you have upward mobility,” he told the audience Watch the full prize presentation and moderated conversation at the top of this post which includes more about Oberndorf’s philanthropic efforts his advice for philanthropists and his “secret sauce” to persuade other donors to join in the causes he has championed To learn more about the Simon-DeVos Prize for Philanthropic Leadership, click here Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker an American fighter pilot was credited with his fifth aerial victory to become the first American to earn the title of "ace." But Gervais Raoul Lufbery was not flying for the U.S which had yet to become involved in World War I He scored this milestone flying with French and British airmen during a bombing raid in Germany that became one of the epic air battles of the year—and one in which a number of heroes launched a joint Allied attack on the Mauser arms factory at Oberndorf-am-Neckar The Farman 40 and 42 bombers of F.123 were escorted by British-built Sopwith 1½-Strutter two-seaters Also participating were two flights each of single-seat Sopwith bombers from 3 Wing Leading the British contingent was Wing Cmdr who had received the Victoria Cross for rescuing a downed comrade in Bulgaria on Nov Escort for the Breguet-Michelin IV pushers of BM.120 was provided by four Nieuport 17s from N.124 N.124 was already famous for its volunteers from a still-neutral United States had already been credited with three victories born in France to a French mother and an American father he never met adventurous life that included a hitch in the U.S Army in the Philippines and a job as mechanic to French aviator Marc Pourpe was a prewar aviator who in 1913 flew a Martin pusher for Mexican Colonel Alvaro Obregón before doing his second stint as a mercenary flyboy with N.124 Oberndorf was 108 miles from N.124’s aerodrome at Luxeuil-les-Bains and the bombers would be aloft for five hours so the four fighters had to fly ahead and land at an advance airfield at Corcieux to refuel before proceeding to the target After a delay due to dense cloud cover over the Black Forest followed by the bombers of F.123 and BM.120 Four Farmans soon turned back with mechanical problems and a fifth was forced to land in Allied territory in the Vosges Mountains The British suffered similar losses at the onset with four Sopwiths turning back with engine trouble and a fifth crashing at Faucogney 25 minutes after takeoff Ahead lay the German aerodrome at Colmar-Nord from which Royal Bavarian Feldfliegerabteilung (Flying Detachment) 9 – or Fl.Abt with a small fighter component based to the south was another flying detachment and a unit equipped with Fokker E.III and D.II fighters the operations room at Colmar received a telephone call that five enemy planes were flying east Suspecting its own aerodrome to be the target Otto Kissenberth and senior NCOs Ludwig Hanstein and Ludwig Hilz dropped their bombs on Oberndorf unopposed with one of its crews claiming a Fokker over the target area But as F.123’s three Farmans approached Colmar where its exploding bombs created a funeral pyre for its crew Kissenberth then shot down a second Farman before landing to phone in his first report Some of the members of fighter squadron N.124 Photo Credit: Collection S.H.A.A.Just after bombing Oberndorf nine Sopwiths of 3 Wing came under attack by German fighters who had just replenished their fuel and ammunition where he was joined by two other aircraft—Hanstein’s Fokker and an enemy bomber Hanstein had wounded the Sopwith’s Canadian pilot and forced him to land at a nearby parade field While waiting to rendezvous with BM.120’s eight Breguets N.124’s pilots spotted and engaged four Fokker E.IIIs north of Colmar but as they emerged from the Vosges to the southwest Jasta 15 scrambled up several fighters to intercept who disabled a Breguet IV whose crew made a dead-stick landing with all their bombs still on the racks "Because my tires were punctured by shots," he wrote It was a comical picture; the vanquished landed upright and the victor landed upside-down Both Frenchmen clambered down and we shook hands all around." Having failed to intercept F.29 and F.123 three of Fl.Abt.9b’s Ago C.Is turned west and were making a wide turn near Rosskopf when they ran right into BM.120 Kiliani was warned off by the French crewmen sent a Breguet down in flames over Umkirch An Ago C.I engaged another Breguet in a running fight along the length of the Elzacher valley until it ran out of ammunition N.124 had hardly been idle during the fight Didier Masson fired 50 rounds at an Aviatik and then turned on a Fokker the German came on too fast and zoomed under the Nieuport fired and saw the Fokker spin earthward near Neuf Briesach Masson barely cleared the Rhine under enemy infantry fire and his wheels almost snagged the French barbed wire before he landed in a shell hole Masson scrambled clear of his plane just before German artillery demolished it the four remaining Breguets released their bombs During the return flight Lufbery was credited with shooting down a Roland C.II over Schlettstadt De Laage fired at a Fokker that was attacking a Breguet but was not sure enough of the outcome to request confirmation probably the fifth accredited victory of Lt Davies led 3 Wing’s Breguets through heavy anti-aircraft fire and drove off some desultory German attacks on his tight formation "We cleared the Black Forest and presently a small town appeared ahead," Davies reported They got into a single line and went down to bomb." As the returning British crossed the Rhine Valley at about sunset It had been attacked by an Ago and Kissenberth’s Fokker D.II despite having an interplane strut shot away to be credited with his third victory for the day Flak brought another British Breguet down over Buggingen Even after getting clear of their German attackers the Allies were plagued by mishaps The only F.123 Farman that actually bombed Oberndorf crash-landed in the Vosges landed in some flat country to the northwest One of 3 Wing’s Breguets crashed at Buc and a Sopwith was wrecked at Corbenay Didier Masson flew a Martin pusher for Mexican Colonel Alvaro Obregón ih 1913 before doing his second stint as a mercenary flyboy with N.124 Photo Credit: Lafayette Foundation By the time N.124 returned to Corcieux it was so dark that oil fires had to be lit on the field to guide its Nieuports down but as Prince followed at a slightly lower altitude his landing gear caught on a utility cable and crashed Both of his legs were broken and he had suffered internal injuries What had been accomplished for the loss of 15 aircraft and 21 airmen The Allies initially claimed to have dropped four tons of bombs on the Mauser plant and shot down six German aircraft The Germans reported that 60 bombs fell on or around Oberndorf but that no significant damage was done and work at the Mauser plant was not interrupted "No German machine was lost," their report concluded "and no aeronaut was killed or wounded in the action." Later intelligence reports confirmed Davies’ suspicions—his six Breguets had bombed Donaueschingen the French resorted to flying bombing raids at night until better planes became available That strategy—which would be revived by the British and Americans in World War II—enjoyed more success The British put more value on front-line operations than long-distance bombing re-equipped with Sopwith Pup scouts and redesignated No the Oberndorf raid was a sprawling air battle by 1916 standards and is all the more remarkable for the noteworthy participants on all sides would eventually account for 60 enemy planes in the course of the war Ludwig Hanstein would serve in Jasta 16 and command Jasta 35b until he was killed in action Kurt Haber’s fifth victory was also his last before transferring to Jasta 3 and being killed over Péronne on Dec Ernst Udet’s victory was the second of an eventual 62 He went on to further fame as a stunt and test pilot and rose to the rank of Generaloberst in Nazi Germany’s Luftwaffe during World War II but the pressure and politics of his position ultimately drove him to suicide on Nov added two Spads and a balloon to his score with Jasta 16 only to die in an accident in the Bavarian Alps on Aug Oberndorf added more triumph and tragedy to that squadron’s growing legend Lufbery had "made ace," the first American pilot to do so Masson was awarded a Croix de Guerre with palm that acknowledged the outstanding circumstances under which he scored his only confirmed victory Norman Prince had scored his fourth victory only to end the mission in a landing accident He was driven 10 miles to the hospital at Gerardmer l’Escadrille Américaine would get a more emotive moniker Raoul Lufbery would be its leading ace with 16 victories before being killed in action on May 19 to become the first American to earn the title of \"ace.\" But Gervais Raoul Lufbery was not flying for the U.S \"Because my tires were punctured by shots,\" he wrote Both Frenchmen clambered down and we shook hands all around.\" Having failed to intercept F.29 and F.123 \"We cleared the Black Forest and presently a small town appeared ahead,\" Davies reported They got into a single line and went down to bomb.\" As the returning British crossed the Rhine Valley at about sunset \"No German machine was lost,\" their report concluded \"and no aeronaut was killed or wounded in the action.\" Later intelligence reports confirmed Davies’ suspicions—his six Breguets had bombed Donaueschingen Lufbery had \"made ace,\" the first American pilot to do so The most famous carol of all was dashed off in just a few hours -- out of desperation -- on Christmas Eve Day The creation of “Silent Night” is the stuff of legend The most widely-told story about its creation goes something like this: There wasn’t enough money to fix the organ in time for Christmas Eve midnight mass Father Mohr pondered his dilemma as he walked home after a Christmas pageant His route took him up a hill overlooking the village He reveled in the majestic silence of the brisk He remembered a poem he wrote about the night angels announced the birth of the Christ child to the shepherds Mohr rushed to the home of church organist Franz Gruber He explained the problem with the broken organ and showed Gruber his poem He asked Gruber to set it to music – with an instrument other than an organ The composer had just a few hours to write something He composed “Silent Night” in a flash of inspiration -- and in time for the Christmas Eve mass The composer and the pastor sang the brand new carol together at the service -- with a guitar The carol became a favorite of the Christmas season around the world The original chapel church where “Silent Night” had its premiere was later damaged by floods and no longer stands which continues to draw visitors each Christmas season but its legacy has lasted for two centuries and counting Guitarist Laura Husbands and singers Jen Hitt and Matt Eschliman performed "Silent Night" at Colorado Public Radio in the original German Stay in touch with our hosting team at CPR Classical and learn more about the classical events occurring in the community Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. Listen now. © 2025 Colorado Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy Sponsored link New report sheds light on the massive influx of right-wing money trying to buy votes all closely related and funded by the same handful of very rich people have raise more than $33 million to influence San Francisco politics since 2020 That’s almost $40 for every human being in the city an organization studying the influence of big money in the city also shows that more than half of that—$18 million—is “dark money,” meaning the donors are never disclosed 74 percent came from just 23 people and corporations with a net worth of $22.2 billion The money went to a network of organizations with innocent-sounding names like “Neighbors for a Better San Francisco” and “TogetherSF The groups are pouring money into the efforts to elect a conservative slate of candidates to control the Democratic Party and to promote Breed’s efforts to give more power to the cops and to attack poor people Some of the money even went to oppose Prop. A the affordable housing bond that Mayor London Breed is cosponsoring “Many of the donors have given directly to Donald Trump and the Gavin Newsom recall attempt,” the report says Mitch McConnell and the Republicans win a majority in the Senate “making it possible for Trump to appoint extremist Republican judges to the Supreme Court and every level of the judiciary.” accounting for $2.4 million in money to the groups have also given significant amounts of money to Republican candidates on the national level the National Republican Congressional Committee and the National Republican Senatorial Committee That’s who is trying to buy San Francisco politics The groups may have different names, but they are closely linked. “This coordination is highlighted by the November gathering at the home of Garry Tan, in which, according to a media report Tan gave assignments to each organization for the March and November elections,” the report states Tan, of course, also issued a late-night tweet calling for the slow death of seven supervisors I have been watching big money in local politics for more than 40 years Tomorrow: What the billionaires want for San Francisco’s future—and why you are probably not a part of it 48hills.org is the official publication of the non-profit San Francisco Progressive Media Center We are community supported journalism. Become a member. but we need you to help us beat the billionaires and fight for the soul of San Francisco by becoming a member or donating today a staple of the Christmas canon in cultures around the globe hundreds of people from all over the world crowd outside the octagonal-shaped chapel in Oberndorf to sing along to one of the world’s most-beloved Christmas carols: Silent Night It’s a scene especially poignant this holiday seasonAmid sparkling white lights on a December night stand in front of the small chapel and sing much like the song was first performed on Christmas Eve in 1818 It’s a scene especially poignant this holiday season as 24 December 2018 marks the 200th anniversary of the song’s humble origins in Oberndorf • Is this the birthplace of Santa? • What you don’t know about panettone • Spain’s beloved scatological Christmas custom premiered at Salzburg’s Felsenreitschule theatre to commemorate the 200th anniversary The musical includes the famous carol and references the song’s origins soldiers in the trenches on the Flanders front laid down their rifles and helmets and sang Silent Night although many of the Silent Night sites are open year-round “As much as we have lived with Silent Night in Salzburgerland it has taken a long time to raise awareness and pride in this unique Alpine cultural treasure,” Bauernberger said “The anniversary is thus the perfect occasion for us to take this newly created consciousness out to people all over the world and bring them closer to the history and roots of Silent Night While the lives of the men behind Silent Night can be explored in several villages where they lived or worked the song’s beginnings truly lie in Oberndorf assigned to the newly established parish of St Nicholas to compose a melody to a poem he had written two years earlier Mohr included the song in a short ceremony following Christmas Mass that same evening Mohr sang tenor and strummed along on guitar What inspired Mohr to write the poem is unknown Authentic Account of the Origin of the Christmas Carol there is no mention of the specific reason does recount the request he received that day from Mohr to “write a fitting melody for two solo voices together with choir and for accompaniment by guitar.” months of colder-than-normal weather in 1816 that led to crop failures and famine caused by a volcanic eruption in Indonesia the previous year How Silent Night was received by the Oberndorf congregation that first night is unknown only noted that the song received approval And it’s not known whether the song was performed on subsequent Christmas Eves “We don’t know how people reacted,” said Neureiter, who holds a special bond to the song’s composer: he grew up in the house in Hallein where Gruber spent the last years of his life, pursuing his passion for music. The house is now a museum whose collection includes Mohr’s guitar and hand-written documents about the song’s authorship Gruber’s final resting place lies in front of the building razed in the early 20th Century after frequent flooding damaged the structure A memorial chapel was built in its placein the 1930s and this is where the beloved song is performed at 17:00 every Christmas Eve The original vicarage next to the chapel is home to the Silent Night Museum Oberndorf The museum relates the song’s story in the context of the era in which it was created Oberndorf had settled into peace following the end of the Napoleonic Wars struggling to find everyday normalcy against new political boundaries and disruption of the salt trade Whatever the true story behind Mohr’s poem, the simple melody and message of peace resonatedMohr wrote the poem while serving as an assistant priest in a nearby village, Mariapfarr, also home to a Silent Night Museum that is noteworthy for a large nativity scene comprised of 100 figurines that dates from 1750 and was in use when Mohr served the village Worship of the Three Kings and the Golden Boy with Curly Hair which depicts the visit of the Wise Men after Jesus’ birth may have inspired some words in Mohr’s poem so tender and mild’ – reminds visitors of the curly blonde baby Jesus in the painting Whatever the true story behind Mohr’s poem the simple melody and message of peace resonated with those who heard it and Silent Night’s journey around the world began slowly a man who came to repair the organ at the Oberndorf chapel took a copy of the Silent Night score with him where local farm families passed the winter selling their goods at markets and fairs Sometimes they would sing local folk songs to draw attention to their wares some of these families became famous as folk singers performing in Germany as well as other parts of Europe and Russia Missionaries and German immigrants also extended the song’s reach to Great Britain and the US and beyond In Salzburg, Mohr’s birthplace, a multimedia exhibit at the Salzburg Museum, Silent Night 200 – The Story. The Message. The Present explores the story of the carol and its impact on the world with sound recordings Highlights include a moving installation dubbed ‘Morphing’ in which several screens display men and women of different origins and ages singing Silent Night Visitors can also watch a choir comprised solely of hearing-impaired singers interpret the song in sign language “It’s an extremely emotional interpretation, but also a remarkable demonstration of the song’s universality,” said Natalie Fuchs, a spokeswoman for the Salzburg Museum which expects the typical number of 100,000 annual visitors to skyrocket this year It’s an extremely emotional interpretationWhile Fuchs understands the song’s timeless appeal and its message of peace she believes Silent Night connects with many people on a more emotional level one with ties to the celebration of Christmas with families and friends over the years decorations all focus on that silent and holy night,” she said that remind us of these emotions we experienced so deeply as children.” Join more than three million BBC Travel fans by liking us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter and Instagram If you liked this story, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter called "If You Only Read 6 Things This Week". 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