Obama-mania has come to Germany…

Obama-mania has come to Germany and I helped. 🙂

Germany doesn’t celebrate Independence day on the 4th of July. It just doesn’t exist here – it’s a normal work day. That’s what it is. After 2.5 years, I realize that that’s the reality of life, and that no matter what, my Red,White, and Blue patriotism and the subsequental need for a barbeque, fireworks and a little of that classic hometown mom’s apple pie stuff isn’t going to happen, and no amount of homesick will make it better. So, I get through the day and move on.

The good news? This year was different. The American Embassy opened on the 4th of July at it’s old pre-WW2 location on Parisier Platz just next to the Brandenburg Gate. George Bush Sr and Angela Merkle and a bunch of other high falootin’ folks were there (little old me is too lowly to go to the party). However, to celebrate, the American Embassy sponsored something called Amerikafest. It was complete with hotdogs, hamburgers, the Airforce band, and fireworks on the 4th of July. I hear it was pretty cool.

The thing is, though, that it continued into the 5th of July too. And on the afternoon of the 4th, just when I thought I couldn’t get any more homesick, I got this email…. saying that the Democrats Abroad was going to have a tent at the Amerikafest and needed Volunteers for registering people to vote, blowing up balloons and helping with sale of t-shirts and buttons. Being an Obama girl, and so overwhelmingly homesick for 4th of July, I thought well, it’s time to put my “money” where my mouth is and my hands to work for Obama on Saturday.

Saturday came about slightly grey and threatening rain. I packed my raincoat and dressed in my Obama shirt, my red “star cut out” belt, and blue cargo capris. I was figuring I’d get some Obama pins and a hat once I got there. Luckily it didn’t rain (It was about 85F by the afternoon and just lovely), and when I got there – at some point, someone actually slapped a bumper sticker on my back to make me even MORE visible, saying I really was an Obama GIRL, front and back!

Anyhow, from 9AM, setup began – and despite things at Amerikafest not supposed to be starting until 10AM, we were mobbed. What do I mean by mobbed? I mean that our 4 foot by 12 foot space that we had (we were sharing a tent with the Republicans Abroad – they had the left, we had the right) was packed with activity from that moment on – 7 to 8 people deep, shoulder to shoulder, everyone clamoring for balloons, Obama pins, Obama Bumper Stickers, and Obama T-shirts, Obama Platform. They were happy to see us there.

The Republicans Abroad side by contrast was desolate (you can tell which is ours) and you could almost hear the wind whistling through (they had 2 people there to our 20) and no merchandise, platform statement, or anything. Just a bumper sticker for McCain hung on one wall and an American flag on the other.

Anyhow, after several hours of blowing up and handing out balloons, I eventually got a chance to go outside, with one of the huge 3 foot diamater balloons tied to me, a package of buttons, several handouts and a goofy grin on my face. Heading out with Alexander, We drew plenty of attention to ourselves, walking through the Brandenburg gate and then over to the Sony Center. We got lots of cheers, a bunch of button buying and several people heading in the right direction to vote.

At 2pm, back at the Brandenburg Gate, we had a group photo of all of the Volunteers – and all the Obama Supporters who wanted to show up:

From here, we went back to the tent, did the same thing for hours and hours, and I escaped again for a hotdog dinner – and long enough to catch the ELVIS impersonator on stage. He was actually pretty good. (Yeah, Elvis – both Americans and Germans can agree on him!)

And then, sunset came – and the crowds started to slowly dissipate – while I stood outside, once again with camera in hand, merchandise ready to go, and balloon tied to my belt. I couldn’t resist this shot of the Brandenburg gate with the Red, White, and Blue American flag stage next to it:

I wound up getting out of there about 10:30 PM. A long and exhausting day. My feet hurt, my hands ached, my brain was fried (too much speaking in German about politics that I don’t have the words for), and I was happy to go home – but even happier that I got my 4th of July and a bit of Obama-Mania. Overall, I’d give the day a “thumb’s up”.

Some stats –

70 new voters registered (by computer)

several hundred absentee ballots requested by hand (I heard over 100 but not confirmed yet)

6 Medium tshirts left out of 200 shirts.

4000 Balloons given out

thousands of pins and bumper stickers – no idea how many -were sold. We only have about 200 left – and started with a full box.

Oh – on a side note – a couple articles that might be of interest –
Local Magazine on Amerikafest
Article on the New US Embassy to Germany (and History)
My Article for Now Public

And More photos are on my flickr site here, or Karen’s site here
Finally, Barack Obama is coming to Germany the end of July. Per the Spiegel, he’s thinking of doing a speech in front of the Brandenburg Gate. If he does, I’m taking the day off, to go see the Myth, the Man, the Mystery himself. OBAMA!

Tell me Something I don’t know

A new study out this week highlights how popular Berlin has come for foreigners. The City’s Fast Paced urban lifestyle has been compared to New York City of the 1980’s and this study is simply more to reinforce (as an American living in Berlin) something most of us immigrants already knew – one in four people living here are not native German.

From The Local (a German English Newspaper) at: http://www.thelocal.de/12829/20080701/

Of the capital city’s 3.35 million residents, 863,500 have “immigration background,” the city-state’s immigration and integration official, Günter Piening, said in a statement. This 25.7 percent includes foreigners, naturalized Germans, and their children.

The city’s central Mitte district has the highest proportion of residents with foreign background with 44 percent. The Neukölln and Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg districts are follow closely with 38.7 percent and 36.6 percent of residents boasting non-German heritage. In these three districts, a surprising 60 percent of children under age 18 are part of immigrant families.

That being said, Germany has policies related to something called Integration Policy and Law, and a whole industry has sprung up around it. In essence, there are several requirements – including 600 hours of German Language courses, many hours of integration courses (where you learn about German culture and how to do things the German Way), 60 hours of German History, all commonly paid for by the person who has come to the country – if they want to stay more than on a single year visa. While some countries are exempt to portions of it (thank goodness the USA is one of them because I can’t afford the classes which must be done in your first year) others, including mostly middle eastern ones are treated quite differently and resent this effort at “forced” integration.
So, why are so many immigrants coming to Germany? Its central location? Mild climate? Guest Worker Program? Fabulous nightlife? Hard to say since my job transferred me here. As best as I can tell, Germany has an aging /declining population, and a simple need for skilled workers that are willing to go above and beyond. (By Above and beyond – in my case I mean high productivity and long hours – and on salary no less because of our different working philosophies.)

Now, being an American and seeing the debates about stopping illegal immigration to the US, including building a wall to prevent people from entering into the country and so on – I think some of the German efforts are good (language courses) and others bad (really, how many people want to become more German?) -it has me pondering what the US itself could do to help and offer services to immigrants (legal ones) arriving in the USA.

It also has me questioning is the German method of “forced” integration really the best way to handle things? Does it encourage or discourage those who come from a foreign country and are trying to make a life here, or simply discourage and frustrate them and have the opposite effect (thereby making the foreigners become even more entrenched in their own culture, language, and etc.)? In some ways, is it not offensive for the German government (and population behind this) to say you must become more German – as if your own homeland and/or culture isn’t good enough?

Many questions, yet no answers are arising, and most likely won’t for quite some time.

Otherwise, for a copy of one of the English websites (link for English at top) on the German integration policy and law, you can check here:

http://www.integration-in-deutschland.de/

Anti Facism Demonstration by Communists?

Where to start… to try and make this clear – now that I understand what was going on and why I got strange looks – let me see ….

Teltow. It’s a small town – 1 street maybe 1000 people – if that. It’s tiny – and located between Berlin and Potsdam. It’s a bedroom community – where nothing really happens – even on the weekend – past 10 pm. Everything is closed after 6pm on most nights, and it’s just dead – you rarely see anyone on the streets.

That being said, May 17, as I rode my bike home from work, I saw this huge massive police force out – blocking the one main street. We’re talking completely closed off to vehicles – with police police police – in green vests, and a few in riot gear.

I thought there must have been a huge bad accident or something – because people go racing up and down the street all the time. Thing is that they were letting pedestrians and bikers through – so as I rode up the street (thinking to rubberneck and maybe snap a few pictures) I discovered the street was just closed – for seemingly no reason – and there was just a huge police force, and really no people. I was like what the heck? Weird.

Anyhow, I went home, sat out a 20 minute rain shower and started walking the dog, smartly taking the camera with me. As I rounded the corner, I start hearing people shouting chants and angry things in German – and realize it must be some kind of a protest march that these guys were covering for. So, I head up to the main street to see what’s going on. (After all, March 17 – to me – is any one of a possible 3 holidays – it is the Norwegian Independence day, Equality for gays/lesbians and against homophobia, and the global freedom of information day.)

So, I get down there and start taking pictures of the protest – as follows:

Now here’s the thing – the whole time I’m taking pictures, I’m reading the signs and they read “anti-facism” and stuff. (Oh – and I’m getting funny looks – really funny looks from the police who are appearing ready to come at me at any second – to which I keep saying “tourist tourist”) Anyhow, the protest signs – they appear to be being put on by the communist party of Potsdam, Babelsburg and Brandenburg.

To say the least – I’m puzzled. Really Puzzled.

Why are the communist party protesting against facism in tiny Teltow? What am I missing here? Shouldn’t they be in Berlin or Potsdam or something?

Well, after I get to work and start asking questions of the Germans I work with, here’s the explanation.

Apparently, there’s a facist /nazi clothing shop in Teltow (No, really – I didn’t know this either) under the name of something or other nordic blah blah. And these folks were protesting it.

As if that weren’t odd enough – the people protesting are not only communist – but are part of a movement of “anti germans” which have a history of riots and mob violence. You can read more about it here:

Anti-German (Modern communist)

So, this would explain the police being out en masse.

Also from Michael – the translation of that banner in the last picture is “do you know your neighobor? They could be a nazi!”

I’m feeling a little dumb now – a) because I didn’t understand there was a Nazi shop in town, b) because I stood at the protest (ok me and about 2 other people) going what the heck? while taking pictures and c) I’m sure to someone, it looked like I supported the anti-facism (which I do) AND the communists with a history of riots and violence (which I don’t).

Amusingly – they are pro-USA and anti Germans… go figure.

Live, Learn, and well, I guess this is one experience that now that I understand how much I’ve been missing – and be amused.

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Obama-mania has come to Germany…

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Anti Facism Demonstration by Communists?