Tag Archives: Germany

Flüchtige Prozente

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“Knapp vier Prozent der Menschen in Deutschland sind Geflüchtete. In Ostdeutschland ist ihr Anteil an der Bevölkerung geringer als in den westdeutschen Bundesländern und Berlin.”

Ich weiß nicht, vielleicht bin ich ja farbenblind oder so, aber mir scheint vor allem Bayern mehr helle Flecken zu haben, während vor allem der Nordwesten und die Mitte dunklere Flecken hat. Der Großteil des Ostens ist so mittig (weiß = keine Daten). Wohlgemerkt, es geht nicht um absolute Zahlen sondern prozentuale Anteile. Dann schaue man sich das wirtschaftliche Süd-Nord-Gefälle an und fange an nachzudenken.

Ich formuliere den Satz mal um: In Bayern ist ihr Anteil an der Bevölkerung geringer als vor allem in den nordwestdeutschen und zentralen Bundesländern, einigen Landkreisen im Osten und Berlin.”

Das ist jetzt kein AfD-freundlicher Beitrag oder so. Mehr ein Ausdruck meiner – immer wieder aufkommenden – Überraschungen, wie der Osten dargestellt wird.

https://www.tagesschau.de/…/gefluechtete-abschiebung…

National Holiday: 30 years of German Unity

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This morning my wife, from Malawi and still somewhat disappointed by the German government that doesn’t give us the Monday off, asks me: “So this is your Independence Day?!” Uhmm, I’m from East Germany, that got me thinking. Isn’t it rather Dependence Day? … Now, I intend this ironically, in all seriousness! 😉

Actually, I get the sense that this 30th anniversary is more meaningful: I think we, as East Germans, are becoming who we are. I find it is noticeable, especially these days, and it feels healthy. Less victim of circumstances and world history, more confident. Wir sind der Osten is just one of the shapes this has taken.

Webseite der Initiative Wir sind der Osten
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paläon – research museum

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On my way to Magdeburg I used to pass by the signpost many times. Now it was about time to pay a visit to the paläon research museum in Schöningen (near Braunschweig). When you’re in the region, go. It’s worth it! Here are just some pictures.

Covid-19, music events, and the global North

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30 May 2020

Würzburg Africafestival

eSwatini Bushfire Festival

Aggregate result

Africafestival/Germany/Europe : Bushfire/eSwatini/Africa
0 : 1

Wasn’t there always talk of “developing countries” vs. the “developed world”? I guess that was right: some countries indeed were developing while others started whingeing more and more, and rested comfortably on their “achievements”, and whinged some more when they were asked to share those, or give back. Pathetic.

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9 November ’89 – the Fall of the Berlin Wall, and I’m tired

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October and kingdoms rise
And kingdoms fall
But you go on
And on.
(U2 – October, 1982)

I have two beginnings for this blog post. I’m not sure I have a suitable ending.

Opening one: I’m just back from a discussion, with Naika Foroutan, about East-German migration analogies and prejudices against East-Germans, here at the local Literarisches Zentrum. “Here” means: Göttingen, West-Germany, for me, an East German by origin, my home of seven years now. Diaspora as well as home. “Here” also means: amongst an audience of, primarily, West-Germans. Naika Foroutan and host Robert Pausch are West Germans, too. They (“they”) speak about East Germans (“us”). Some of “us” are in the room. Their safeguard is the “objectivity” of the (social) sciences. “Objectivity” implies an object. An object implies a subject. Who’s who? I can feel I am one of the objects here, regardless whether I want to or not, and someone else assumes the role of the subject-agent. I observe.

on the other side (west) in 1989
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