Do you have a superiority complex?

February 4th, 2016

It is common knowledge among psychologists that most of us underrate ourselves, short-change ourselves, sell ourselves short. Actually, there is no such thing as a superiority complex. People who seem to have one are actually suffering from feelings of inferiority; their “superior” self is a fiction, a cover-up, to hide from themselves and others their deep-down feelings of inferiority and insecurity.

–Maxwell Maltz

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

Has German Ostalgie run its course?

February 1st, 2016

German Ostalgie has largely run its course according to a recent poll commissioned by Deutsche Welle, Germany’s international broadcaster. Deutsche Welle aims at audiences outside of Germany and is available via television, radio and the Internet.

What is Ostalgie?

“Ostalgie” is a hybrid word that popped up following German reunification in 1990. It implies nostalgia for the former east and a longing for a prior way of life. After having been absorbed by, but not totally integrated into, West Germany, many former East Germans began to fondly recall the “bad” old days. They felt nostalgic toward certain aspects of their former lives that had suddenly disappeared: They felt a loss of community and equality; they missed certain foods that were no longer stocked; GDR-themed (East German) items became popular http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/ampelmaennchen-former-east-berliners/and http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/ampelmann-to-marry-ampelfrau/; memoirs of growing up Ossi (Eastern) began to fill bookstore shelves, they missed familiar television shows; and a general yearning for the lost socialist system of government developed.

Ostalgie turned into cash - Ampelmann Shop in Berlin-Mitte with the beloved East German traffic light man as a theme. photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2015

Ostalgie turned into cash – Ampelmann Shop in Berlin-Mitte with the beloved East German traffic light man as a theme. photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2015

An example of Ostalgie was the 2003 German blockbuster movie, “Good- Bye Lenin.” In this fictional story, a young man tries to keep political reality from his mother after she suffered a serious heart attack and coma. His mother, a dedicated socialist, experienced the coronary event just before the fall of the Wall. When her doctor suggests that the slightest upset might cause another, possibly fatal, heart attack, the son invents elaborate schemes to sustain his mother’s illusion that the German Democratic Republic still exists. When the mother unexpectedly wanders outside while the son is asleep, she sees the giant statue of Lenin being helicoptered away (to read about the real-life fate of the Lenin statue, visit http://walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/comrade-lenin-is-back/)

Has Ostalgie run its course?

Twenty-six years later, the answer is – Mostly. The use of terms like “Ossis” for East Germans and “Wessis” for West Germans – so common after reunification – has greatly decreased. In September 2015, Deutsche Welle commissioned a survey to find out how Germans see their society 25 years after reunification. http://www.dw.com/en/dw-poll-united-but-not-yet-one/a-18740932 The pollsters questioned more than 1,000 Germans aged 18 and older about their attitude toward reunification. They found the younger generation to be more positive about the reunification than their parents and grandparents. The 45-59-age-group is the least satisfied. Seventy-nine percent of 18-29 year olds (born just before or after reunification) think that German reunification was an overall success while 69% of 45-59 year olds (in their twenties and thirties when the wall came down) agreed. When asked whether German reunification brought them personal advantages or disadvantages, 65% of 18-29-year-olds saw mainly advantages while 14% saw chiefly disadvantages. In the 45-59-age-group, 53% perceived primarily advantages while 21% saw predominantly disadvantages.

Overall, 90% of the 18-29-age-group felt that Germany’s reunification set a good example for other countries, while 77% in the 45-59-group felt that way. Differences between responses from the former East and West had decreased. It appears that the former East/West divide no longer shapes people’s identity and that Ostalgie is largely a thing of the past.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

loneliness versus being alone

January 28th, 2016

Real loneliness is not necessarily limited to when you are alone.

–Charles Bukowski

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com

 

Mandatory Church Tax Debate

January 25th, 2016

How would you like your government to collect a mandatory Church Tax from you every year? German taxpayers have no choice in the matter.

German citizens must indicate their religious affiliation on their tax return. Based on affiliation they will most likely be obligated to pay a compulsory, annual Kirchensteuer, a Church Tax. The two largest religious communities in Germany — Catholics and Protestants — are required to pay the tax, but smaller denominations — such as Unitarians and Jewish communities — participate in the compulsory Church Tax assessment as well. The state collects the tax and passes it on to the appropriate religious community. The mandatory Church Tax amounts to 8% or 9% of income and includes a 3% collection fee that goes to the government. Should the tax be mandatory? Should it be collected by the state? These are questions that have been the subject of an ongoing debate in Germany.

How did Church Tax collection start?

With the Reichsdeputationshauptschluss (Principal Decree of the Imperial Deputation) of 1803, churches lost their constitutional role in Germany. The financial support from kings and princes who had formerly ruled the land had suddenly evaporated. Larger German states were forced to annex smaller ones, and church possessions were given to princes in need. To compensate the churches for their loss of income and to afford them new means of meeting expenditures, the government instituted a Church Tax. http://www.german-way.com/history-and-culture/germany/religion-in-germany/ The first community to introduce the Church tax was the former German state of Lippe-Detmold. It did so in 1827. In 1887, the former state of Wuerttemberg followed suit. Prussia followed in 1905/06 and Bavaria in 1912. In 1919, Church Tax collection by the state became law. In 1949, West Germany anchored the provision in its new Constitution. Since then, the state-collected Church Tax has been mandatory in Germany with one exception: East Germany ceased to collect it between 1956 and the reunification. At that time, however, the Church Tax was reintroduced in East Germany. Needless to say, the reinstatement still irritates the people in the former eastern states.

How does anyone become subject to Church Tax?

When a person is babtized, he or she automatically becomes a member of that church. No membership application is required. Only individuals who have formally left the church are exempt from paying Church Tax. Until 1965, even a non-denominational husband was obligated to pay Church Tax for his wife if she belonged to a church. He was compelled to pay the tax even if his wife did not work outside the home. My father so resented this requirement that he left the church altogether. (Read “A Matter of Faith” in my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom).

How much Church Tax is collected?

In 2011 the income from Church Tax amounted to 4.9 billion euros for the Catholic Church and 4.4 billion euros for the Protestant Church. http://www.german-way.com/history-and-culture/germany/religion-in-germany/ In 2013 this figure increased to 5.5 billion euros for the Catholic Church and 4.8 billion euros for the Protestant Church.

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How is the Church Tax spent?

Although the largest portion of the churches’ income is derived from Church Tax, the houses of God also receive income from investments, leases, rents, government grants, donations and inheritances. In addition, the German state pays a combined half a billion euros to Catholic and Protestant churches to compensate them for the expropriations in 1803. Nearly three-quarters of all church income pays for personnel costs (pastors, deacons, parish helpers, clerks, educators, social workers, and the management and administrative staff). Most of the remainder pays for the construction and maintenance of buildings, pensions and reserves. http://www.sueddeutsche.de/geld/kirchensteuer-der-weg-von-gottes-geld-1.2207208 Should churches use less of their income to meet personnel costs and more to help the poor? Yes, says Pope Francis. He wants the church to care less about the preservation of the institution and more about the people who are marginalized.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

 

Making the Most of Life

January 21st, 2016

We travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us.

–Anonymous

Sunset over the Pacific, photo Sonja Brzostowicz 2014

Sunset over the Pacific, photo Sonja Brzostowicz 2014

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com

Obama at the 2016 Hannover Messe

January 18th, 2016

Every year, the organizers of the Hannover Messe (Hanover Trade Fair) in Germany invite a leading industrialized nation to be a partner country. In 2016, the United States will be this guest of honor at the world’s biggest trade fair for industrial technology. U.S. President Barack Obama will address the opening ceremonies on 24 April and join German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the traditional opening tour the following day. It is the first time since 1996 that the United States will have partner status at the Hannover Messe. And it is the first time in history that a sitting American president will participate in the fair. What does it mean to be a partner country?

The Hannover Messe attracts approximately 6,500 exhibitors and 200,000 visitors from around the world. Partner countries are given the opportunity to showcase themselves as an attractive place for investment and to reinforce their reputation as  manufacturers of competitive, high-quality products.

How long has the Hannover Messe been in existence?

The fair had its start in 1947, two years after World War II had ended. Germany’s economy was broken and the country was divided into four occupation zones. (http://www.walled-in-berlin.com/j-elke-ertle/allied-control-council-governs-germany) Hannover was located in the British zone.

Allied Occupation Zones of Germany — 1945 to 1991

Allied Occupation Zones of Germany — 1945 to 1991

In an attempt to give Germany’s shattered economy a shot in the arm, the British military government mandated a trade fair. An “Export Messe Hannover” was put together in just 99 days. Its humble motto was, “Export instead of Resign.” That first fair took place in an undamaged factory building near Hannover. Almost all the exhibitors and visitors were German. The two highlights of the fair were the smallest diesel motor in the world and an artificial tooth. Still, “Export Messe Hannover” was a hit.

From Fischbroetchenmesse to Hannover Messe

In 1947, food rationing was still in effect in Germany. To attract customers and exhibitors, fair officials offered Fischbroetchen (fish hoagies) without requiring ration cards. Fish hoagies are crispy buns filled with fish, onions, sour pickles and tarter sauce. Quickly, the fair became known as the Fischbroetchenmesse (fish hoagie fair). The small trade fair was repeated the next year and the year after that. Eventually, it morphed into the world’s biggest trade fair for industrial technology, surpassing in popularity the already established Leipzig Trade Fair.

U.S. involvement in the 2016 Hannover Messe

Each year, exhibitors showcase new products along the entire industrial chain on 5.3-million square feet of fairgrounds. This year, approximately 250 U.S. companies will exhibit between 25 April and 29 April. American manufacturers will have an opportunity to grow their operations into Europe and Asia,  and German manufacturers may find ways of expanding their operations into the United States.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

Taking care of money and time

January 14th, 2016

Many people take no care of their money till they come nearly to the end of it, and others do just the same with their time.

–Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic or current events, people, places or food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

  

City Pissoir – Urinary Discrimination?

January 11th, 2016

When I focused my camera on the famous Kaiser Wilhelm Gedaechtnis Kirche (Emperor Wilhelm Memorial Church) in Berlin’s city center, a shiny, ultramodern structure obstructed my view. The inscription above the frosted front door read, “City Pissoir.” A caricature on the door instantly reminded me of Manneken Pis, Brussels’ famous 1700s sculpture, and left no doubt that this contemporary edifice provided a terminus for urgent calls.

City Pissoir at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, Germany Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2015. www.walled-in-berlin.com

City Pissoir at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, Germany
Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2015. www.walled-in-berlin.com

What is a pissoir?

The term comes from the Middle French pisser, to urinate. And indeed, a pissoir is a French invention dating back to the mid-1800s. It is a structure that provides support and screening for public urinals without incurring the expense of constructing an enclosed building. Pissoirs were created to reduce the likelihood of urination onto sidewalks and buildings.

History of the Pissoir

In the 1700s, Paris was one of the dirtiest cities in Europe. People openly urinated in the street until the city’s major placed “barrels of easement” on all street corners. These barrels were meant to clean up the streets by clustering the problem in specific locations. Then in 1841, different fixtures took their place in Paris: Crude metal structures that sheltered public urinals. They were called pissoirs or pissotières. In 1850, Napoleon III commissioned Baron Georges-Eugene Haussman to install them throughout the city. By the 1930s, Paris counted about 1,200 of these structures.

Soon, other cities followed the example. In Berlin, the first pissoirs were erected in 1863. By the 1960s pissoirs started to fall out of fashion again, and in the 1980s the present-day Sanisette toilets were introduced in Paris. David Jaggard writes,” Sanisette toilets were developed by the same company that runs the Vélib bike rental system, JCDecaux (corporate motto: ‘From piddles to pedals’.”

Berlin’s City Pissoir

Berlin’s City Pissoir at the Breitscheidplatz is provided by the Wall AG, an International street furniture supplier and outdoor advertiser. It was installed in 2003. Made from power-coated aluminum panels and frosted safety glass, it is definitely high-tech. Motion sensors activate the flushing mechanism and the interior lighting. Motion sensors also activate the basin faucet so that users can wash their hands without having to touch the faucets. But guess what? Berlin’s City Pissoir is for men only, just like in the 1800s! The interior of Berlin’s City Pissoir is divided into urinal and lavatory compartments. A small drain hole is installed in the floor of the urinal section. Definitely not appealing to women. Shall we call this “urinary discrimination?”

Why a pissoir at the Breitscheidplatz?

As it turns out, the Breitscheidplatz where the City Pissoir and the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedaechtniskirche are located is not only popular with tourists. It also appeals to locals, particularly following a soccer game when the men have been drinking. According to Sylvia von Kekulè, pastor at the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedaechtsniskirche, men have lined up regularly along the church walls to relieve themselves. After having received many complaints from the pastor and surrounding businesses, the city of Berlin hired the Wall AG to install this shiny and free City Pissoir. The only complaint is that it doesn’t take women’s needs into account.

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.

 

Responsible for your problems

January 7th, 2016

The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology, or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.

–Albert Ellis

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on the home page of http://www.walled-in-berlin.com. Walled-In is a story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War.

 

 

Poesie Album – Facebook Predecessor?

January 4th, 2016

When I was a schoolgirl in Berlin, Germany, it was popular to own a poesie album. In a way, that little book was a forerunner of today’s Facebook account. Both connect family and friends. While poesie album holders got in touch with only one person at a time, Facebook users can connect with many in just one click. Yesteryear’s poesie album connections were slow and deliberate; today’s Facebook users can continuously stay in touch as long as they have access to the Internet.

History of the Poesie Album

Towards the end of the 16th century it became customary to write a motto into the family register of friends. By the 18th century these aphorisms often also included drawings. Eventually, poesie albums (also known as keepsake books, poetry books or friendship books) replaced family registers and became the depositories of verses and artistic contributions in which members of literary circles “immortalized” each other. Originally, only adults kept a poesie album. In the 20th century, the custom became popular with children – mostly girls – and rare with adults. For a brief period in the early 1980s, it was even fashionable among boys to keep a poesie album.

History of Facebook

Facebook is an online social networking website that was created by Mark Zuckerberg and his Harvard College roommates and fellow students. It made its debut in 2004. Once registered and at least 13 years of age, Facebook users can not only exchange information but also post photos and videos and share links, along with several other applications. Facebook users can even express their appreciation provided by clicking a “Like” button.

My Poesie Album

I was almost ten when my mother gave me a poesie album. It was deep red and measured approximately 6.5 by 5.5 inches. Every girl in my class owned one. It was an honor to be asked to write into someone else’s album. We used our finest handwriting and wrote classic, sentimental or whimsical rhymes and verses into each other’s books. While the right side of an open album bore the quotation, the left side remained reserved for illustrations or photographs.

My Poesie Album, Photo © J. Elke Ertle 2015

My Poesie Album, Photo © J. Elke Ertle 2015

In 1955, my mother made the first entry in my poesie album. Not wanting to miss a teaching moment she wrote, “Honor a mother’s heart as long as it beats. When it is broken, it is too late.” My father passed along a less guilt-producing morsel of wisdom when he penned, “Talk is silver; silence is golden.” A couple of years later, my best friend, a boy by the name of Juergen Bertram, shared his twelve-year-old take on the world. Over a period of five years, most of my girlfriends, teachers, aunts and cousins contributed aphorisms to my album. The verses often mirrored their personalities.

Poesie Album entry, Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2015

Poesie Album entry,
Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2015

In a way, I think it is sad that the poesie album has all but disappeared. Now it is a small window to the past. Can we call it a Facebook’s predecessor? The poesie-album-process was definitely slower, dreamier, quieter and more time-consuming than Facebook. Was it maybe also more selective and permanent? What are your thoughts?

 

For a sneak peek at the first 20+ pages of my memoir, Walled-In: A West Berlin Girl’s Journey to Freedom, click “Download a free excerpt” on my home page and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic and current events, people, places and food.

Walled-In is my story of growing up in Berlin during the Cold War. Juxtaposing the events that engulfed Berlin during the Berlin Blockade, the Berlin Airlift, the Berlin Wall and Kennedy’s Berlin visit with the struggle against my equally insurmountable parental walls, Walled-In is about freedom vs. conformity, conflict vs. harmony, domination vs. submission, loyalty vs. betrayal.