Marcus Hanke: 10 Years as WatchProSite Moderator

MTF celebrates the remarkable 10-year anniversary of Herr Professor Doktor Marcus Hanke as a moderator on WatchProSite, a testament to his enduring presence in the fast-paced online world. The post humorously navigates Austrian cultural nuances regarding titles and formality, ultimately revealing Marcus's warm and accessible personality, despite his academic stature and elusive photographic presence.

My fellow PuristS,

On the 1st day of 2012, I am pleased to wish all of you Happy New Year!

I am also pleased to rejoice in celebrating a momentous occasion on the Internet.  In the fast paced, burn bright and flame out lifestyle of the world-wide web, it is unusual to find longevity.  Thus, it is my executive and personal pleasure to announce the 10th anniversary of our longest serving moderator since St Thomas:  Herr Professor Doktor Marcus Hanke; since 2nd January 2002.

When I first met Marcus, I was warned (by a German) that our Glashuette Original and Ulysse Nardin moderator was Austrian and an academic.  An AltaVista search (pre-Google) revealed these notes:

"It is most unlikely that an Austrian will ever address you by your first name unless you become extremely well acquainted outside the office and you should follow suit by using the courtesy titles Herr ['Mr'], Frau ['Mrs'] or Fräulein ['Miss'] followed by the surname until invited to do otherwise. The use of first names is a sign of intimacy and social or professional equality and you should not presume to undermine an elaborate system of mutual respect by suggesting to an elder or superior that you might adopt informal Anglo-Saxon practice. An Austrian businessman will introduce himself with his surname only and the appearance of his first name on his business card is not a signal to start using it.

Status and hierarchy are an important part of all Austrian culture. Austrians are very title-conscious. If someone holds academic or professional qualifications conferring the title of professor, doctor, or lawyer, for example, you should be sure to address that person using both the equivalent of 'Mr' etc. and the person's title plus his or her last name. Thus, the appropriate way to address an Austrian professor would be Herr Professor Hanke. During subsequent conversations with Herr Professor Hanke, you should maintain formality by continuing to use the title of professor preceded by Herr, but at this point you may drop his last name and simply address him as Herr Professor. Even those with just a university degree are likely to style themselves Herr or Frau Magister. The title Herr or Frau Ingenieur is so common in Austria that graduate Ingenieure stress their superiority by insisting on their full title of Herr or Frau Diplom-Ingenieur."

So, travelling in from Japan for the 'PuristS on Tour 2003' to Glashuette, I was on tenterhooks about protocol.  My fears were enhanced when Marcus turned up with an older gentleman, both in green-grey Austrian jackets embellished with deer-horn toggle buttons and felt lapels!

Over the weeks and years of interaction, I found Marcus to be unlike the stereotype, at least, to his PuristS buddies. It may be surprising that I have met Marcus only twice in 10 years, but that is the nature of the world-wide web. 

This is my usual view of him as he is busy taking photos for PuristS.

Baselworld 2010

Searching our archives, it is difficult to find photos of this elusive academic. We see all generations of his hounds and his 4-WD Italian wagen from afar as North Africa, Britanny and Romania but none of the Herr Professor Doktor Hanke. Here are some early renditions from 2003.

2003 PuristS on Tour

2003 PuristS on Tour

People forget that he has produced some of the more erudite compositions for PuristS and I append links to some of them in his capacity as former moderator of Glashuette forum, current moderator of UN and co-moderator of Zenith fora:

Glashuette Original:  www.thepurists.com

Ulysse Nardin: general.watchprosite.com

I have also re-produced his observations of the Great Astrological Clock in Besançon in a sub-thread.  Therein lies the little known fact that Marcus is one of the few people I know who actually knows how to read and set astronomical timepieces. In fact, he wrote the book for Ulysse Nardin 

This has led a commentator to say of him: "Marcus is the epitome of an academic but passionate writer about horology and other epicurean pleasures. His commentary is thoughtful and balanced without regard for corruptive influences."

Please join me in wassailing his 10th anniversary and cheering a loud, "Waes Hail" !

Regards,

MTF

PS. He does brush-up well in a suit when introducing the GO Manufacture to PuristS