A German journalist gives his views on the English/UK rioting

Thomas Kielinger has been a London correspondent of the German newspaper Die Welt for over twenty years, has been made an OBE by Her Majesty the Queen and has been interviewed by German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.

I think his views are worth listening to because they are from an interested and probably pretty knowledgable 'outsider' who has never seemed to me, whenever I have read his writings or seen him on various television programmes in the past (mainly on the BBC News channel, where he often in the panel on the programme Dateline London, but occasionally in other situations, too) to have any particular axe to grind. I don't necessarily agree with everything he says in the interview, because it is clear that whilst many (perhaps most) of the persons involved in carrying out the recent rioting and looting have been 'black' mainly Afro-Caribbeans (hardly any 'Asians' were involved at all, so far as I understand, although a number were certainly victims), there have also been a significant number of 'white' youths and children of both sexes who have been actively involved. Nevertheless I think Kielinger's views do merit careful consideration; let's hope he is correct in his comments about Germany.

I don't have any useful comments to make about the underlying causes of what has happened in various large urban settings across England; there are people much more competent than me who can perhaps comment sensibly. All that I will say is that I am thankful that this contagion has not spread to major Scottish cities such as Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee or Aberdeen and it is pleasing to have seen that some police personnel have been sent to assist their English colleagues in various parts of the country with restoring and maintaining law and order - last night seems to have been considerably more peaceful with no major incidents reported.

Now I am watching the emergency debate in the House of Commons. I have so far heard the Prime Minister, David Cameron, make a statement, followed by the response of the Leader of the Opposition, Ed Milliband. Both have spoken well and I think broadly constructively, although there are perhaps too many 'platitudes' from the Labour leader and the PM is not entirely guilt-free in this regard either - now I am listening to Daviod Cameron making his follow-on comments. That's really all I've got to say for the present. Perhaps there will be more later.

The destruction of the Berlin Wall twenty years on

Twenty years ago today the Berlin Wall was opened and East and West Berliners could mingle with each other freely for the first time in very many years. Although most people in the capital of the now-defunct East Germany welcomed the new freedom it gave them, not everyone there was so sanguine, as the linked article mentions; whether that nostalgia for a failed systen is simply viewing history through rose-tinted spectacles is perhaps not for me to judge (although I do think it completely idiotic). Undoubtedly, though, many former East Germans have suffered economic hardship, even with the support provided by the newly-unified Federal Republic, but I surmise that the greatest damage remains pyschological - however bad the old Communist regime was, it provided a framework (or a prison) for life and there was certainty of a kind; I accept that the self-esteem of many people there took a severe hit in the aftermath of the disappearance of a State many of them will have been born into. All that, and secure (if badly-paid) employment, disappeared. However I confess I cannot work up much sympathy for the man in the linked story whose firm was acquired by a West German company which asked him to move 120 Km - he preferred to lose his job; well tough, that's life, get used to it! If Angela Merkel (a former East German citizen, too) had adopted that attitude she certainly wouldn't be Chancellor of Germany today. The initial doubts that many East Germans expressed about the possibility of re-uniting the two parts of the country soon evapaorated, and their desire to retain a 'socialist' system (which is what they had been brought up to consider as the norm) soon disappeared, when they became accustomed to the practical benefits which their new political freedoms allowed them to aspire to .

I don't imagine that even President Reagan could have imagined that his 1987 speech in West Berlin, against the backdrop of the Brandenburg Gate, could have brought about the end of the discredited East German puppet regime so rapidly and that it would be followed only a couple of years later by the break-up of the Soviet Union itself:

US President Ronald Reagan:
"Mr Gorbachev. Tear down this wall!"


- Helmut Kohl, West German Chancellor at the time, beams and claps in approval.

Naturally a lot of people have been drawn to Berlin in the days, weeks, months and years since those heady days 20 years ago (I was in Dubai/Abu Dhabi at the time - I travelled frequently between the two and lived in both then, but have not been to Berlin so far), and apart from Berliners there were obviously a lot of others there at the time I suppose and not just foreign journalists, but it seems that [now President] Nicolas Sarkozy wasn't amongst their number for the 'big event' as his 'Facebook' entry apparently said he had been, although he may well have been there a day or two later; no doubt the memory plays tricks [ahem!] after so many years.

During the roughly 28 years of the wall's existence most people were trying to get out of East Germany, but just a very few were headed in the other direction, including this British person [and Communist 'fellow-traveller']. Having joined the British Communnist Party on his 18th birthday in 1948 and working as a Party organiser for 18 years, he moved to East Germany in 1976, where he acted as a Stasi (secret police) informer on British citizens there. John Tarver, who is now 79, says he regrets supporting Communism with such zeal [and I suppose it is good that he has learned this lesson at long last], but his explanation that as a person brought up in the Catholic faith he needed "a strong belief system" is a poor kind of excuse. Apparently he has now gone back to his Catholic roots. Good luck to him and I hope he lives out his days peacefully; it is just a pity that his personal 'crisis of faith' caused him to live his life so despicably for so many years by making life unbearable for those whom he chose to inform on. But that is 'socialists' for you, full of excuses and self-justification for their outrageous behaviour! If anyone is offended by my blanket categorisation of all 'socialists' and 'socialism' as odious, I really don't care - they can get lost(!), so far as I am concerned.

To end this article on a more cordial note, I look back on today twenty years ago as a very positive development, not just for Germany, but for the whole of Europe.

David Haye beats Nikolai Valuev

The British boxer has triumphed in Germany in the WBA heavyweight boxing championship against his Russian opponent and title-holder.

I can't say I'm particularly interested in boxing (the sight of two grown men pummelling each other doesn't appeal to me), but I have to confess to some surprise - I had been doubtful that Haye would survive, never mind win, when I saw their pre-match 'spar' a few days ago.

Moral of the story ... Never judge a book by its cover.

European Parliament elections - 7 Jun - day 4

Today is the fourth and final day of voting in the elections for the European Parliament; voting is taking place today in 19 countries:

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Italy (*)
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
(*) Second day of voting in Italy.

Austria - Public opinion in Austria is much against use of GMOs in agriculture - there's an embedded video via the link that's worth watching. Estimates are that only around 20 per cent of Austrians will vote today. Austria's economic fate is cloesly aligned with the economies of eastern Europe, given the massive extent of its investments in and lending to countries in that region, so the world recession which has affected the region will have a strong impact on Austria, too. Some facts about Austria are in the European Parliament website here.

Belgium - Voting is compulsory so there is normally a 90 per cent plus turnout in votes here, but despite this these elections are likely to be overshadowed in importance by local issues in the regional elections. The economic crisis is likely to push the European elections even further than is usual to the sidelines in importance. Some facts about Belgium are in the European Parliament website here.

Bulgaria - European elections are probably still something of a novelty here, but as often happens elsewhere national self-interest overrides community cohesion. A desire to combat domestic corruption in the use of EU funds is thought likely to keep voting numbers high. Some facts about Bulgaria are in the European Parliament website here.

Denmark - A poll estimates that voter turnout may reach 56 per cent, the second-highest in the EU after Luxembourg and Belgium; voting may be boosted because there is a simultaneous national referendum on changing the Danish Act of Succession to remove gender as a factor in deciding the order of accession to the throne. As in other countries lack of media interest is criticised for reducing public awareness of the issues at stake. Some facts about Denmark are in the European Parliament website here.

Estonia - The country where Skype originated is commonly-agreed to be at the forefront of internet usage and is using i-voting for the first time in European elections, having tried the idea for the first time in 2005 for local elections then later in 2007 for national elections, although whether this will boost voter turnout is open to question; at the last elections in 2004 the turnout was only 27 per cent, one of the lowest in the EU. More here. Some facts about Estonia are in the European Parliament website here.

Finland - The trappings of EU membership (the flag, the anthem) are of little importance to most Finns, when compared with the practical benefits it is hoped it will bring. There is relatively low voter turnout, reflecting the value Finns place on it and its perceived legitimacy. The highly eurosceptic True Finns party has been gaining in support in recent elections, as has the National Coalition party of the Finance Minister, both to the detriment of the Prime Minister's Centre party. Some facts about Finland are in the European Parliament website here.

France - According to this Telegraph article President Sarkozy has been keen to turn the European elections into a referendum on his Presidency as despite his own relative unpopularity the opposition is even less liked. There are 161 list candidates for the 72 French seats, with only 47 per cent expected to vote. Some facts about France are in the European Parliament website here.

Germany - Turnout may be lower than the 43 per cent last time in 2004, and may not exceed 40 per cent for the 99 seats on offer, the largest national representation by far in the 736 seat European Parliament. According to this report only a trickle of voters had made it to the polling stations by midday, indicating the electorate may be ignoring the pleas from the major parties to use their votes. National elections are scheduled for September this year and despite the rising unemployment, lower order books and a somewhat gloomy feeling amongst the electorate, polling suggests Angela Merkel's ruling centre-right coalition is likely to do well in both the European and national elections. Some facts about Germany are in the European Parliament website here.

Greece - According to polling the main opposition party, PASOK, is likely to do best in the elections, followed by the ruling New Democracy Party of Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis. Recent corruption scandals mean that the elections are focussing almost entirely on national issues, specially after the riots of last year. Control of [illegal] immigration is a major issue. Some facts about Greece are in the European Parliament website here.

Hungary - The 'far-right' Jobbik party is thought likely to win at least one seat; the language they use in relation to the country's gypsy (Roma) population is quite shocking, although such policies are not limited to Hungary, but extend to several other eastern European countries with Roma populations. Some facts about Hungary are in the European Parliament website here.

Italy - Italy holds its European Parliament elections over two days. The country's parlous economic and unemployment situation, not to mention domestic political controversy involving the personal life of its Prime Minister are, together with worries about immigration, the hot topics of interest to Italian voters. Some facts about Italy are in the European Parliament website here.

Lithuania - The country recently elected its first female President. it is suffering badly in the present economic crisis. The President-elect is urging people to vote and not to succumb to indifference. Some facts about Lithuania are in the European Parliament website here.

Luxembourg - The attack on banking secrecy, principally orchestrated from Berlin and Paris, together with the financial crisis, is forcing Luxembourg to reassess its policies. Comments from German SPD leader Franz Müntefering, who in all seriousness, explained that in the past, Berlin would have settled the matter "by sending in the troops" were obviously not designed to massage the tiny country's sensibilities! Some facts about Luxembourg are in the European Parliament website here.

Poland - Predictions are that the country will favour 'right-leaning' political parties, which could pose a problem for the UK Conservative party in its plans to leave the EPP and set up a new partnership involving the Polish Law and Justice party, widely believed to espouse homophobic, eccentric and nationalistic policies. Some facts about Poland are in the European Parliament website here.

Portugal - Only one in eight of Portuguese say they know when the elections are held, and turnout is projected to reach only 24 per cent. There is some anti-capitalist campaigning here, noted also in other EU member states, perhaps a worry for the future if the economic crisis continues. Some facts about Portugal are in the European Parliament website here.

Romania - The country is voting for the first time in European Parliament elections, but these are being overshadowed by the Presidential elections due in the Autumn. Whilst membership of the EU seems popular, the country is still getting used to having a market economy. Some facts about Romania are in the European Parliament website here.

Slovenia - Some facts about Slovenia are in the European Parliament website here.

Spain - A new third party is attempting to break the duopoly of power in Spain held by the two major political parties. Some facts about Spain are in the European Parliament website here.

Sweden - A curiosity here is the new Pirates Party, campaigning to implement a sweeping reform of copyright law and an end to patents. Some facts about Sweden are in the European Parliament website here.

Inverness-Dusseldorf flights summer 2009

(Note: this post has been heavily-amended since I first wrote it)

I had missed the announcement last October that there are to be direct flights between Inverness and Dusseldorf weekly on Saturdays, operated by Lufthansa, during the summer months (July-September) of 2009; however, I did spot this today - workshops designed to help local businesses in the north of Scotland make use of the new route to Europe's wealthiest country; businesses need all the help they can get even at the best of times, but during the current recession/depression it may well be vital.

As for passenger traffic, I did a few sample journeys on the Lufthansa website and whilst the costs are quite high (about GBP250- to GBP270- depending on date, for a return journey), it involves a journey time of less than two hours and the flight times seem pretty convenient (mid-morning/early-afternoon). With luck these summer flights might help to bring in additional tourists from Germany and other nearby areas (in the Netherlands or Belgium most likely) to the north of Scotland and there will undoubtedly be those from here who could make use of this route, too, for trips to that part of Europe.

Even using Ryanair or easyJet to fly at that time of year (from Inverness via Luton or East Midlands) the costs would probably not be very much lower and the journey times would certainly be longer. NB/ However, closer study of these two websites shows their flights are completely impractical - where they exist - because either one would have to spend a night in transit, or get oneself to a UK airport not served from Inverness, eg. London Stansted.

PS/ I've just been checking the flybe website and indirect flights (via various places such as Manchester, Birmingham and Southampton) are available between Inverness and Dusseldorf for less than GBP100- in June this year; generally much longer journeys times, of course, than for a direct flight and naturally you have to contend with flybe's reliability record when considering the wisdom of some of the connecting flights.

That inimitable Germanic humour

Frankly I had never heard of this Freddy Frinton sketch before, but I read it is a cult classic in Germany, where it has been broadcast on television every year on New Year's Eve for around forty years. I've now watched it for the first time (that I can recall); it is certainly mildly amusing and probably at least as good as much of the rubbish that passes for Hogmanay entertainment here. See what you think:

"Dinner for One"

Midweek YouTube - Nescafé instant coffee (Germany)

This advertisement dates from 1978. How to describe this ad.? Well, shall we put this delicately? The word 'thrusting' comes to mind, 'phallic' too. Then the phrase 'ūber alle' gets an airing. Yes, definitely a product that seems to be aimed squarely at a German market!

On a lighter note, the use of the dramatic music (Richard Strauss - 'Thus spake Zarathustra') made me think not of the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, but rather the 'Naked Gun' film series with Leslie Nielsen and Patricia Presley, whose love-making was usually accompanied with similar dramatic music and visual inter-cuts. On the other hand you could read the book the title came from and plunge deep into philosophy.

Jews in modern Germany - it's not all, but mainly, good news ...

... and this story provides me with my first ever use in this blog of the phrase Quote of the day, attributed to Rabbi Walter Homolka, the principal of the Berlin Rabbinical Seminary:

"But it's always a sign of healing when Jews fight with each other because it means there is no outside enemy to unite against."

That's good, I suppose. I think.