Posted by By Sophie Brassard, Writer
Being a Spanish teacher, it may come as a surprise to learn that Mr. Knittel’s first language isn’t Spanish. Shockingly enough, he was born in Bretten, Germany, and grew up speaking the country’s native dialect. At 46, Marc Knittel is proud to be fluent in German, Spanish, French, and English.
Mr. Knittel is on the taller side. He has rectangular glasses that sit on the bridge of his nose, and short dark hair that covers the top of his head. Most days, he walks the halls of New Paltz High School, commonly wearing a checkered button-up combined with beige pants. On occasion, he will be spotted wearing a blue and white, thickly striped pullover. When this happens, some students mistake him for the character from Where’s Waldo.
After graduating high school in Germany, Knittel spent his next years of life traveling Europe. He studied at the University of Stirling in Scotland as well as the University of Salamanca in Spain. Following that, he lived in Lyon, France. When asked which country he loved the most, he struggled to pick just one. “They all have their pros and cons,” explained Knittel as he harped on the culture he had the opportunity to experience while traveling.
“Scotland had such nice people, and the language of France was beautiful,” he says.
Germany is a rather large country located in central Europe. The food is decidedly hearty and on the heavier side. Many German recipes focus on breads, meats, and potatoes. One of the most popular dishes in Germany is spӓtzle, a sentiment with which Mr. Knittel can certainly agree. Spӓtzle contains more water compared to regular pasta, which makes the dough more runny. As a native speaker, he says Americans commonly mispronounce the dish. Knittel prefers to enjoy his spӓtzle with frankfurters, a type of smoked sausage.
Growing up in Germany, Knittel knew early on that he wanted to pursue a career in teaching. However, he originally had his heart set on being a physical education instructor or a French teacher, until his grandfather convinced him to focus solely on languages.
Reminiscing about the past, Knittel recalls how much of an impact his grandfather had on him. By age 12, the two had built a strong relationship. “He took me seriously,” said Knittel.
Knittel has fond memories of his grandparents traveling to Europe to take him skiing in Switzerland and Austria when he was a young boy. Ironically, he never had the opportunity to hit the slopes of Germany. Today, he continues to carry on the family’s skiing legacy and spends many cold winter days atop Hunter Mountain. Max, Knittel’s son, is only 5 years old but finds great entertainment in racing his mother and father down the peaks.
In the Knittel household, it would not be an uncommon sight to see Max standing on the family couch, topless. “He has to have his shirt off,” said Knittel while explaining his son’s most recent mischiefs. Knittel remarks on his son’s elaborate shenanigans; he puts beaded chains around his neck and decorates his hands with rings and bracelets. To finish the look, Max wears a baseball hat and sunglasses. In the strange get-up, he grabs his toy guitar and enters his rockstar persona.
As an inhabitant of the Hudson Valley, Knittel makes the most of his location. He spends time outside of the classroom biking on the Rail Trail and hiking in the nearby mountains. On occasion, students at New Paltz High School might see him wheeling his bike through the hallways. In addition to this, Knittel says he spends a good amount of time working around the house and yard.
Before school, however, Mr. Knittel has slightly more abnormal hobbies. Each morning, he starts his day between the early hours of 2 and 3 AM. For the last 20 years, he says he has struggled to sleep through the night. While waiting for the sun to rise, he keeps himself occupied by playing chess, watching Netflix, or preparing for class. Students often comment about the strange times he posts assignments and cannot help but wonder why their teacher is awake already.
“It’s my me time,” said Knittel, explaining how his focus shifts to his students, wife, and son as the day goes on.
The Maroon 