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World’s First Hydrogen Trains Debut in Germany

Monday, November 26th, 2018

On 16 October 2018, the world’s first two environmentally friendly hydrogen trains began providing passenger service in Germany. A prototype of the new train model, called Coradia iLint, was first introduced at InnoTrans 2016 in Berlin, an International Trade Fair for Transport Technology. Now, just two years later, the first two trains operate commercially.

On 16 October 2018, the world’s first two environmentally friendly hydrogen trains, began providing passenger service in Germany. Photo courtesy of Alstom.com. www.walled-in-berlin.com

For now, the Coradia iLint trains operate on a 62-mile rail stretch between the northern German towns of Cuxhaven and Buxtehude and can travel up to 87 miles/hour. They have a range of up to 600 miles without refueling, which is similar to that of diesel trains according to Shawn Litster, professor of mechanical engineering at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/17/germany-launches-worlds-first-hydrogen-powered-train

How Hydrogen trains work

Hydrogen trains are equipped with fuel cells that produce electricity via chemical reactions between hydrogen and oxygen. The process leaves steam and water as the only emissions. Ion lithium batteries store the excess electricity on board until it is needed. The Coradia trains are considered zero-emissions vehicles because they release only water and steam. Diesel-powered train, on the other hand, emit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases that can lead to a variety of health problems.

Who builds hydrogen trains?

The Coradia iLint was designed and built by the French railroad company Alstrom. Teams in Salzgitter, Germany, and in Tarbes, France, cooperated on the project. The undertaking received support from the German government as part of the National Innovation Program for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology.

Hydrogen trains and the environment

Hydrogen technology ushers in a long-awaited era of moving away from polluting diesel trains and closer to clean energy. Although hydrogen trains cost more to build than diesel trains, they are less expensive to operate, partly because hydrogen fuel is relatively easy to produce. Anything that can generate electricity can also generate hydrogen. That means that wind farms, solar farms, dams and natural gas –renewable energy sources – can be used to produce hydrogen.

Alstom plans to deliver an additional 14 hydrogen trains to Germany by 2021. France expects its first hydrogen train to be up and running by 2022. Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway have also expressed an interest in developing hydrogen train systems.

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.

Tags: Alstrom, Buxtehude, carbon dioxide, Coradia iLint, Cuxhaven, diesel trains, greenhouse gases, hydrogen trains, InnoTrans 2016, Shawn Litster, zero-emissions
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Piefke – Synanomous with Schmock

Monday, November 19th, 2018

Piefke is a rude and derogatory term for anyone from north Germany, a so-called Prussian. The idiom originated in 1864 in Vienna, Austria, and is still part of the German language. I grew up in Berlin, Germany, and used the term to describe a pompous a… or a schmock. At the time, I had no idea that Piefke applied, and still applies, to all north Germans, me included. At the root of the expression is Johann Gottfried Piefke (1871 to 1884), a Prussian bandmaster in the 8^thInfantry Regiment in Berlin.

Johann Gottfried Piefke (1871 to 1884) was a bandmaster in the 8th Infantry Regiment, stationed in Berlin, Germany. “Piefke” became a derogatory term for north Germans. www.walled-in-berlin.com

The hilarious story of Piefke

In 1864, Austria and Prussia were allies and went to war with the Danes to snatch the German-speaking provinces of Schleswig and Holstein from Denmark. The Austrian Army performed impressively, but the Prussian troops were hopelessly stalled at the Danish fortifications by Dueppel. In disgust, Prussia’s KingWilhelm I sacked his army commander, replaced him with his nephew Prince Friedrich Karl, and tasked the prince with finally conquering Dueppel. To boost his chances of victory, the king also sent along Johann Gottfried Piefke, his favorite composer. At the critical moment, Piefke’s military band stormed Dueppel along with 10,000 Prussian soldiers. According to an Austrian observer, Piefke stood on a wooden platform directing the band when Danish sharpshooters fired at him and knocked the baton right out of his hand. Still, Piefke never missed a beat. He drew his dagger and continued to direct as the band played Piefke’s latest composition, the Dueppeler Schanzen-Sturmmarsch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE3Ak1av6_o

Why the term “Piefke” became so popular

Austrians considered Prussian military culture to be way too stern and humorless. While the Austrian officers read novels, their Prussian counterparts read military manuals. Austrian officers liked to play cards. The Prussians played war games. Austria allowed commoners in the cavalry. Prussians commissioned only aristocrats. At first, only the Austrian military used the term to refer to Prussian militarymen. But eventually, Viennese society began to call all north Germans Piefkes.

However, when German tourism in Austria soared in the 1980s, Johann Gottfried Piefke’s music became very popular in Vienna. He is known for his famous marches: Preussens Gloria (Prussia’s Glory), the Koeniggraetzer Marsch and the Dueppeler Schanzen-Sturmmarsch. But his name remains best-known as a put-down for north Germans.

Tags: ., Dueppel, Dueppeler Schanzen-Sturmmarsch, Johann Gottfried Piefke, King Wilhelm I, Piefke, Prince Friedrich Karl, schmock
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Elevate your pretzel experience

Monday, November 12th, 2018

A pretzel is a long strip of baked dough, ends intertwined and then twisted back into itself. Why is it twisted like that? Should it be soft or hard-baked? Did the pretzel originate in Germany? There are many questions surrounding this popular bakery item and just as many answers because pretzels have a very long and convoluted history. Although they are often regarded as an integral part of German Oktoberfest and Christmas Market traditions, pretzels are found in many forms and in many parts of the world. Every region has its own way of making them.

Pretzel wreath in Munich, Germany. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2014. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Where did the name “Pretzel” come from?

The name “pretzel” is derived from the German word Bretzel” which in turn evolved from the Latin word Brachium. Brachium means “arm” and most likely refers to the crossed strip of dough that looks like arms crossing the chest.

When and where did the Pretzel originate?

The origin of the pretzel is attributed to the ancient Greeks or Romans more than 2,000 years ago, to Italian or French monks during the 7^thcentury or to German bakers during the 8^thcentury. It depends entirely on who you ask. Neither of the claims can be substantiated. Most assume though that pretzels are rooted in Christianity because the ingredients and the shape of the pretzel probably point to potential religious significance within the Christian Church. Pretzels that are made with nothing more than flour and water could be eaten during Lent when Christians were forbidden to eat eggs, lard or dairy products. Their knot shape reminds of hands in prayer, and the three holes within the pretzel may have been seen as representing the Holy Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Some scholars suspect the origin of pretzels to be the result of a ban on heathen baking traditions, and the pretzel may have emerged as a substitute.

In the late 18th century, southern German and Swiss German immigrants introduced the pretzel to North America. The immigrants became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch. In the 20th century, soft pretzels became popular in other regions of the United States.

Varieties of Pretzels

If there are many theories surrounding the origin of pretzels, there are even more varieties of pretzels. To start with, there are soft pretzels, which must be eaten shortly after baking, and hard-baked pretzels, which have a long shelf life. In Germany, soft pretzels are usually sprinkled with salt, sesame seeds, sugar, chocolate, cheese or nuts. Lye pretzels are popular in southern Germany, Austria, and German-speaking Switzerland. Lye gives pretzels their traditional skin and flavor. In the Rhineland region, on the other hand, soft pretzels are made with pudding-filled loops.

Now, that you know all there is to know about the origin of pretzels, elevate your pretzel experience and enjoy a glass of Gluehwein and a hot pretzel at the next Oktoberfest or Christmas Market.

Tags: brachium, Bretzel, Christmas Market, Gluehwein, hard-baked pretzels, Oktoberfest, pretzel, soft pretzels
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“The Day the Wall Came Down” Sculpture

Monday, November 5th, 2018

Berlin’s THE DAY THE WALL CAME DOWN sculpture is located near the Allied Museum on Clayallee, a wide boulevard named in honor of U.S. General Lucius D. Clay. A gift of friendship from the American people to the people of Germany, the spirited 1-1/4 life size bronze symbolizes victory of the human spirit. The bronze was unveiled on the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift.

Berlin’s THE DAY THE WALL CAME DOWN sculpture symbolizes victory of the human spirit. It was unveiled on the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2015. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Creator of THE DAY THE WALL CAME DOWN sculpture

American artist Veryl Goodnight created the sculpture, which consists of five horses leaping to freedom over the rubble of the collapsed Berlin Wall. Although Ms. Goodnight is widely known for her realistic depiction of horses, THE DAY THE WALL CAME DOWN sculpture is not about horses. It is about Freedom, inspired by the Fall of the Berlin Wall on 9 November 1989.

For 28 years, the Berlin Wall was a visual reminder of oppression. Goodnight’s horses symbolize the deep-seated human desire for freedom, a yearning that is shared by all people. In addition to sculpting the animals – one stallion and four mares – the artist replicated four-foot-wide and 14-foot high concrete panels, just like the ones that extended for 105 miles around West Berlin prior to the fall of the wall. She then broke the reconstructed panels beneath the horses, showing graffiti on the western side of the wall. To further symbolize the East-West separation, Ms. Goodnight then placed the stallion inside what would have been East Berlin while the mares gallop to the free West.

Inspiration for THE DAY THE WALL CAME DOWN sculpture

Veryl Goodnight conceived the idea of horses leaping to freedom on the evening of 9 November 1989. After having worked on a small horse sculpture earlier in the month, she watched on television thousands of East Berliners push through the openings of the Berlin Wall. That night she dreamt that her sculpted horses represented people galloping through the rubble of the fallen Berlin Wall. THE DAY THE WALL CAME DOWN was born.

Two identical castings of Ms. Goodnight’s THE DAY THE WALL CAME DOWN sculpture exist. One of her artworks is located in Berlin, the other is on display in the central courtyard of the George Bush Presidential Library, adjacent to the campus of Texas A&M University. Each sculpture is 30 feet long, 18 feet wide, 12 feet high and weighs approximately 7 tons. In 2016, Ms. Goodnight was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas.

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 and feel free to follow my blog about anything German: historic or current events, people, places or food.

Tags: "The Day the Wall Came Down" sculpture, 9 November 1989, Berlin Airlift, fall of the Berlin Wall, General Lucius. D. Clay, Veryl Goodnight
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Berlin’s Lietzensee – Escape the Everyday

Monday, October 29th, 2018

The Lietzensee is a small hourglass-shaped lake, located in the heart of Berlin, not far from the radio tower and the exhibition grounds. It is my favorite stop-by place when I am in Berlin and want a reprieve from the city’s hustle and bustle or spend an entire afternoon on a secluded park bench watching the world go by.

The Lietzensee is surrounded by a beautifully maintained park, created by garden director Erwin Barth in 1918-1920. The park’s southwest and northeast segments form roughly a figure eight, sinched at its center by the Neue Kantstrasse, an embankment road that divides the lake in two. Since 1954 the two lake halves are surrounded by parkland and connected by an underpass and a canal.

View of the southern half of Lietzensee with the Great Lietzensee Cascade in the background. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2014. www.walled-in-berlin.com

The southern half of the Lietzensee Park is quiet and invites introspection. The Great Lietzensee Cascade splashes from the park’s southernmost entrance. Meandering paths weave their way along the shore past maple, sycamore and willow trees until they reach a tunnel, which leads to the northern half of the park. There you find activities for all ages. There is a children’s playground, grassy fields for sun worshippers and ball players, exercise equipment for seniors, lots of benches and best of all, the popular “Bootshaus Stella.” This is an idyllic café and biergarten with a sun terrace from which to watch the swans, ducks and grebes float by.

History of the Lietzensee and its surrounding park

The Lietzensee is the northernmost lake of a chain of lakes formed during the ice ages. It is completely fed by groundwater and drains through pipes into the River Spree. Since it does not have any inflow, aeration devices keep its water from becoming stagnant. The history of the park goes back almost 200 years. Once entirely surrounded by woods, the Lietzensee Park belonged to the Benedictine convent of St. Mary. The nuns fished in the lake. When Lieutenant-General Job von Witzleben, an army officer, was rewarded 20,000 thalers by King Friedrich Wilhelm III in 1823, he used the money to acquire the parkland and constructed a summer residence for his wife and eight children. After his death in 1837, the family sold the property. At the turn of the century, a developer built prestigious multi-family residences along the water’s edge. He also opened the lake and park to the public. In 1910, the then city of Charlottenburg (now a district of Berlin) purchased the Lietzensee Park.

How the Lietzensee got its name

The name Lietzensee derives from the village Lietzow or Luetzow, which was incorporated in 1719 into the former city of Charlottenburg. Lietzow or Luetzow are derived from the Slavic word luccina, which means “swamp“ or “ pool.“ Although the lake reaches a depth of 13 feet now, there were times in the 1800s when it was only one foot deep.

Tags: Berlin, Bootshaus Stella, Erwin Barth, Great Lietzensee Cascade, Job von Witzleben, Lietzensee, Lietzow, Luetzow
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conservative versus liberal – what’s the difference?

Monday, October 22nd, 2018

I used to describe myself as being conservative because I weigh the alternatives before acting, I do a rough cost-benefit analysis before purchasing, and I consider the consequences before deciding. Clearly, I am not impulsive. Doesn’t that inherently mean that I am a “conservative”? Lately, I have started to wonder. There are plenty of impulsive actions coming out of our Conservative Party. Then, how can they call themselves “Conservatives”? Could it be that there is one definition for fiscal and social conservatism and another for political conservatism? I looked to Merriam-Webster for answers.

Merriam-Webster definition of “conservative”

Merriam-Webster defines political conservatism as a philosophy preferring an existing situation to change and lists die-hardism and traditionalism as synonyms and open-mindedness and progressivism as antonyms. I like to think that I am open-minded and progressive, not someone who does something just because it has always been done that way. Therefore, I must be politically liberal and socially and fiscally conservative. But why wouldn’t the term “conservative” mean the same thing in all instances?

Conservative versus Liberal – What’s the Difference. www.walled-in-berlin.com

What the term “conservative” means to Americans

According to my research, there is no agreement whatsoever on the definition of the term “conservative”. In a 2012 Atlantic Magazine article, Conor Friedersdorf questioned members of the American public and ended up with twenty-one definitions for the meaning of the word. Here are what Americans said “conservative” meant to them:

An aversion to rapid change; a belief that tradition and prevailing social norms often contain within them handed down wisdom; and mistrust of attempts to remake society so that it conforms to an abstract account of what would be just or efficient.
A desire to preserve the political philosophy and rules of government articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.
A belief that it is imperative to preserve traditional morality, as it is articulated in the Bible, through cultural norms.
A belief that it is imperative to preserve traditional morality, as it is articulated in the Bible, using cultural norms and the power of the state.
An embrace of free-market capitalism, and a belief in the legitimacy of market outcomes.
A belief that America is an exceptional nation, a shining city on a hill, whose rightful role is leader of the free world.
A belief that America should export its brand of democracy through force of arms.
The conviction that government should undertake, on behalf of the American society, grand projects that advance our “national greatness” and ennoble our characters.
An embrace of localism, community and family ties, human scale, and a responsibility to the future.
A belief that America shouldn’t intervene in the affairs of other nations except to defend ourselves from aggression and enforce contracts and treaties.
The desire to return to the way things once were.
Affinity for, identification with, or embrace of Red America’s various cultural cues. (For example, gun ownership, a preference for single-family homes oriented around highways rather than urban enclaves organized around public transit, embrace of country music, disdain for arugula and fancy mustard, etc.)
Disdain for American liberalism, multiculturalism, identity politics, affirmative action, welfare, European-style social policies, and the left and its ideas generally.
A desire to be left alone by government, often coupled with a belief that being left alone is a natural right.
A principled belief in federalism.
The belief that taxes should be lower and government smaller.
The belief that the national debt and deficits put America in peril.
The belief that whenever possible, government budgets should be balanced.
Consciousness of the fallibility of man, and an awareness of the value of skepticism, doubt and humility.
Realism in foreign policy.
Non-interventionism in foreign policy.

No wonder we have trouble communicating if we can’t even agree on the underlying meaning of the words we use. This is election time! What does that say relative to our voting behavior?

Tags: Conor Friedersdorf, conservative, elections, fiscal conservatism, liberal, social and political conservatism, voting
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Schrebergarten Movement Entrenched in Germany

Monday, October 15th, 2018

The term “Schrebergarten” (known in English as allotments or community gardens) was coined during the second half of the 19^thcentury in Leipzig, Germany. It refers to a small plot of land in the outskirts of the city, where city dwellers can dig in the dirt to their heart’s content. Because many live in apartments or condominiums without yards, a Schrebergarten gives them an outdoor space of their own. The “Schreber movement,” as it came to be called, spread across Germany and then out to other countries in Europe.

German Schrebergarten colonies are particularly obvious when traveling by train because they are often located along the rail lines. Flanked by neat flowerbeds, well-tended fruit trees and small patches of grass, small sheds or cottages are often tucked in next to the train tracks as far as the eye can see.

History of the Schrebergarten

The garden movement was not invented by Moritz Schreber, as is commonly assumed, but by a Leipzig school principal. In 1864, Ernst Innozenz Hauschild established the first Schrebergarten by starting a club in cooperation with parents and students and leasing land to provide a playground for the children of factory workers. The children could play and perform gymnastics under the supervision of a teacher. Moritz Schreber had long championed playgrounds for children. Since Hausschild did not want to name the club after the school, he decided to name it in honor of Schreber who had passed away three years earlier. A teacher by the name of Heinrich Karl Gesell planted the first garden.

Initially, parents gardened while the children played, but eventually the use shifted. Fences went up, and parents created individual garden plots. By the start of World War I, most of the garden plots had already been converted to Schrebergarten plots. During the two World Wars, they became spaces where families could grow badly needed food. The small sheds, initially erected for storage and shelter from the elements served as temporary housing. For many, the gardens were all that kept them from starvation. Later, in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, the Schrebergarten became a weekend destination.

Berlin Schrebergarten in the 1950’s with garden cottage. Photo © Karl Umbach. www. walled-in-berlin.com

No Schrebergarten without rules

Owning a Schrebergarten, like anything else in Germany, involves rules. The Bundeskleingartengesetz (Federal Small Garden Law) regulates how large a Schrebergarten can be – the garden plot may not exceed 4,305 S.F. and the shed/cottage, which you may not live in, cannot exceed 258 S.F. – and describes in nine pages every aspect of what is and what isn’t allowed. In addition, there are Garden Club Committees (similar to homeowners’ associations) that set local rules for how high the hedge may be, how often you may grill, etc.

Today’s Schrebergarten

Today, there are more than one million such gardens in Germany. Together, they cover an area of over 175 square miles. The plots are leased and cost about $1.25/day. They are in high demand, and demand often exceeds supply. Although the Schreber movement started in Leipzig, it is very visible in Berlin where, at the end of the 19th century, workers were granted access to land along railway lines to plant potato patches. These Schrebergarten colonies still exist, and the Berlin association has 500,000 environment-conscious members with 97% using only rainwater for irrigation, 96% composting, 61% refraining from the use of artificial fertilizers and 82% from using chemical pest control. There’s even a move afoot to transform the vast acreage of the decommissioned Tempelhof Airport into a Schrebergarten colony.

Tags: Ernst Innozenz Hauschild, Heinrich Karl Gesell, Moritz Schreber, Schreber movement, Schrebergarten
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Practical gift giving strategy

Thursday, October 11th, 2018

Give the gift of your absence to those who do not appreciate your presence.

— Anonymous

Give the gift of your absence to those who do not appreciate your presence. www.walled-in-berlin.com

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.

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

Tags: appreciation, compromise, gift giving strategy, solution
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Moritz Schreber versus Benjamin Spock

Monday, October 8th, 2018

Although Moritz Schreber and Benjamin Spock stood on opposite ends of the parenting spectrum, they shared certain similarities. Both men were physicians and both wrote best-selling books on child rearing. But that’s where the parallel ends. Living 100 years apart (Moritz Schreber was born in Leipzig, Germany, in 1808 and Benjamin Spock in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1903), Schreber promoted unconditional obedience through harsh discipline while Spock advocated independent thinking over strict adherence to rules.

Moritz Schreber – advice to parents

Dr. Daniel Gottlieb Moritz Schreber was a physician and self-proclaimed child psychiatrist and taught at the University of Leipzig. He became a recognized authority on childcare in Germany, France, England and America. His books predominantly dealt with children’s health and the social consequences of urbanization and went through forty reprints between 1858 and the 1950’s.

Schreber aimed at creating obedient children from the day the baby is born. Harsh discipline started with cold baths. The child’s comfort and self-esteem were never considerations, and stroking, cuddling and kissing were forbidden. As a result, generations of Germans went without direct, loving contact with their parents.

Along with his books, Schreber introduced paraphernalia designed to create obedient children with perfect posture. For example, he invented shoulder bands to keep their shoulders back, equipment that forced them to sit up straight, and a head holder with chin clamp to hold their head straightway. He even invented mechanical devices to prevent masturbation in adolescents. When the Nazi movement started in Germany in the 1920s, there were still many “Schreberian” children around, which may have explained in part why fascism was more readily accepted in Germany than in other countries. Even by 1958, the Schreber Association still had two million members.

Benjamin Spock – advice to parents

In 1946, Dr. Benjamin McLaine Spock, a child psychoanalyst, published his first book, “The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care”, which became an all-time bestseller. Its message to mothers was that you know more than you think you do and to trust your instincts. According to the 17 March 1998 edition of the New York Times, the book had sold more than 50 million copies by that time and had been translated into 42 languages. Many new parents still follow Spock’s advice today.

At a time when physical punishment was the norm, Dr. Benjamin Spock advocated a parenting style that replaced unconditional obedience with emotional attachment: Hug and kiss your children, show them your love, feed them when they are hungry, discipline with words not corporal punishment, and encourage them to express their individuality. The assumption was that when a loving bond was firmly in place between parent and child, everything else would fall into place. Spock’s books were idolized by many new parents and helped to bring about major changes. During the Vietnam era Spock parents were also criticized for having produced children that were unprepared for the world.

The brighter side of Moritz Schreber’s contributions

If tormenting children was on the darker side of Schreber’s accomplishments, then promoting the concept of the Schrebergarten certainly was on the brighter side of his contributions. Moritz Schreber became the father of the Schrebergarten, the German term for what is known in English as an allotment or community garden. By leasing small pieces of urban land, generations of parents helped their children become active in the outdoors. These gardens are still very popular in Germany today.

Moritz Schreber promoted unconditional obedience through harsh discipline while Benjamin Spock advocated independent thinking over strict adherence to rules. www.walled-in-berlin.com

Tags: "The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care", Benjamin Spock, Moritz Schreber, obedience, parenting styles, Schrebergarten
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Ratsherrenbrunnen – Powerful Metaphor

Monday, October 1st, 2018

The first time I laid eyes on the Ratsherrenbrunnen (Councilmember Fountain) remains etched into my memory. In our current political climate, I have often contemplated the relevancy of this one-of-a-kind fountain. The Ratsherrenbrunnen stands in the town square of Linz am Rhein (Linz on the Rhine River), a small town with less than 6,000 inhabitants in the German State of Rhineland-Palatinate. Located on the right bank of the Rhine River – the sunny side of the river – as Linzers will tell y0u, the community is nestled roughly between Bonn, the former German capital, and Koblenz. Colorful half-timbered houses, spanning five centuries, surround the town’s market square. But the most unusual and striking feature is the fountain in the center of town.

Ratsherrenbrunnen (Councilmember fountain)

The Ratsherrenbrunnen stands in front of the town’s city hall. The attraction is not the water feature itself, but the artwork that adorns it. Seated on the rim of the fountain are bronze replicas of the city’s mayor and its councilmembers. Their heads, legs and arms are movable and can be manipulated at will by passersby. From the top of the fountain the citizens of Linz watch their council members at work. With this 1993 creation, the sculptor Bonifatius Stirnberg reminds the town’s politicians that they serve at the pleasure of the people and that they are accountable to the citizens who keep a watchful eye on their elected politicians.

Ratsherrenbrunnen (Councilmember fountain) in Linz, Germany, reminding politicians that they serve at the pleasure of and are accountable to the people. Photo © J. Elke Ertle, 2012. www.walled-in-berlin.com

It seems to me that it might not be a bad time for us to remind our own politicians that they, too, are accountable to the electorate. Do we need similar fountains in front of the White House and the State Capitols to drive that message home?

Brief History of Linz

Linz, originally called “Lincesce,” was first mentioned in 874, although the town is undoubtedly much older. The Archbishop of Cologne, Heinrich II of Vimeburg, one of the electors of the Holy Roman Empire, awarded Linz the city status in the early 1300s. In 1365, the town started to build Burg Linz (Castle Linz), and the town hall was constructed in 1517. In 1815, Linz became part of Prussia, and one year later, Linz became a Kreisstadt (district town). But it lost that status again only six years later when it became part of Neuwied county. In 1946, following World War II, Linz was incorporated into the Rhineland-Palatinate.

Tags: accountability to the electorate, Bonifatius Stirnberg, Burg Linz, Councilmember fountain, Germany, Heinrich II of Vimeburg, Linz am Rhein, Linz Castle, Linz on the Rhein River, Metaphor, political relevancy, Ratsherrenbrunnen
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