Invitation to the VIIIth International Congress of the Association of Forensic Handwriting Experts in Dresden, 02.06. - 05.06.2010 On behalf of Gesellschaft für Forensische Schriftuntersuchung (GFS) e.V., it gives me great pleasure to extend to you an invitation to GFS’s VIIIth International Congress, which will be taking place on June 2-5, 2010 at Maritim Hotel & Internationales Congress Center in Dresden. The Congress will commence with a welcome reception on the evening of June 2 and conclude on June 5 with opportunities for a guided tour of Dresden. GFS is an internationally oriented association of qualified experts committed to furthering research into and the practical utilization of handwriting and document forensics. To this end, it organizes a congress every three years for the purpose of providing professionals and guests from all around the world with a forum for further education, sharing thoughts and ideas and face-to-face discussion. As usual, the Congress program will include varied contributions dedicated to handwriting and document forensics. The program of presentations will be accompanied and supplemented by the customary exhibition of the latest equipment and trends by international vendors. The main subjects to be presented and discussed during the Congress include:
These topics will be supplemented with presentations and case studies dealing with specific issues arising from handwriting comparisons as a basis for discussing day-to-day experience in the preparation of forensic reports. You are cordially invited to contribute to the Congress program. The Congress languages are German and English. Interpretation facilities will be available to ensure mutual communication. If you would like to hold a presentation, please contact Vice-President Wim de Jong-Niehoff (wdejong@t-online.de) by no later than February 15, 2010. Dresden, the capital of the German state of Saxony (www.dresden.de) has been selected as the venue for the Congress. The city can be conveniently reached from anywhere in the world by air and also by rail. Located in the immediate vicinity of the Congress Center, Dresden’s historic old town features historical sights such as the Frauenkirche and the Zwinger Palace. For those who are culturally inclined, there is a selection of museums well worth visiting, not to mention the famous Semperoper. We have reserved a block of rooms at Hotel Maritim which you may book up until March 24, 2010 (http://www.dresden-congresscenter.de). The Congress Center will be pleased to help you with your booking. Further hotels in all price categories are located in the immediate vicinity of the Congress Center. The Congress will be taking place at the International Congress Center of the Maritime Hotel (http://www.dresden-congresscenter.de) from Wednesday, June 2, 2010 until Saturday, June 5, 2010. Congress programm The tentative Congress program primarily concentrates on the examination of signatures. The main aspects comprise disguised handwriting, age or illness-induced changes in graphomotorics, the handwriting of foreigners and the problem of objectifying the findings of handwriting analyses. Document experts are particularly invited to submit presentations on non-destructive methods of examining printed matter and the examination of the paper of historical documents.
Congress information The Congress will be taking place at the International Congress Center of the Maritime Hotel (http://www.dresden-congresscenter.de) from Wednesday, June 2, 2010 until Saturday, June 5, 2010.
The fee is € 350.00 for GFS members and € 420.00 for non-members, payable on or before March 31, 2010. A surcharge of € 50.00 will be due if payment is remitted after this date. The Congress fee includes admission to the Congress program, the exhibition, beverages and snacks during the breaks, lunch (except on Saturday) and the welcome reception. The cost of the entertainment program is set out in the registration form. Accompanying persons wishing to take part in the lunch in Maritim Hotel, dinner on Friday evening or the city tour on Saturday morning must also register. These fees can also be paid during the Congress itself. If you would like to hold a presentation, please contact Wim de Jong-Niehoff (wdejong@t-online.de) by no later than February 15, 2010. Please click on the link below to download the registration form: If you do not have the appropriate word processing program, you can also download the form as a PDF file. The completed forms can be sent to the Congress Secretarial Office either by e-mail (PEBaier@aol.com) or by conventional mail (Dr. Peter E. Baier, Branichstraße 8, D-69198 Schriesheim). Our congress coordinator Mr. Andreas Duwe (a-a.duwe@gmx.de) as well as our manager Dr. Peter E. Baier (PEBaier@aol.com) will be pleased to answer any questions of an organizational nature which you may have. Interesting facts about Dresden Dresden offers many sights. For example, the Zwinger Palace plays a prominent role in the history of architecture. Other highlights include the Frauenkirche, Semperoper and Dresden Castle, which alongside many other historical buildings dominate the city’s historical heart. The cheeky cherubims from Raffael’s Sixtinian Madonna extol Dresden’s art collections all around the world. Magnificent promenades along the River Elbe, fascinating museums and facilities, technical landmarks, charming details, all this and more awaits you in Dresden.
I invite you to register for the 2010 VIIIth GFS Congress using the form on this website (under “Registration”) so as to make your own personal contribution to the success of the Congress. May I also take this opportunity to wish you and your family a merry Christmas and all the best for the new year.  Prof. Dr. Christian Grafl Präsident |
