After having written some 1050 blogs in German, and a few in English, having received, all together over 400 000 views, worldwide, I now authorize myself to write a blog in two different languages. We'll see what happens. Also, einmal auf Englisch und dann wieder auf Deutsch. Since Brexit, which is a new word for We want to leave the European Union, so much seems to have changed. There could be over 130 000 Germans in this country. I am one of them. Married, years ago, back in the Black Forest, to a British wife, with, to our own surprise, not too many bureaucratic hurdles. Und immer noch glücklich, obwohl wir im Brexit-England leben. A country, where both immigrants and non-Brexiteers seem to feel less welcome.
And, what do I read in today's Guardian, one of, if not, the best British newspapers? Was steht heute im Guardian? Dass zur Zeit fast 500 jüdische Bürger in England Anträge auf deutsche Staatsbürgerschaft abgeben werden oder abgegeben haben. That up to 500 Jewish citizens will apply this year for German citizenship. Kate Connolly a Guardian correspondent reports from Berlin. Descendants of Jewish citizens have the legal right to apply for German or Austrian citizenship. Only some 25 per year did that before. Brext has changed this. The feeling of belonging to a precise country like UK has somewhat been replaced by a dark assumption of being not welcome anymore.
Having lived for many years with and without my wife Cath in different European countries, and being financially independant, and having a permanent home in Germany, we do not feel the same. How one feels as a Brit in Germany, or as a German in UK, seems relatively simple to understand, and, by the way, the European Union still does exist. But it is most complex to imagine what thoughts go through your head when you are one of the tens of thousands of Jewish refugees or descendants from Nazi Germany having found generous shelter in this country. And, now after the Brexit vote, where everything seems so uncertain. Was muss durch die Köpfe ehemaliger jüdischer Flüchtlinge und deren Nachfahren gehen, jetzt, nach der Unsicherheit, die das Brexit ausgelöst hat?
What is new in history? Millions of refugees came poring into our wealthy countries, seek shelter and protection. For all sorts of good reasons. I never voted for Angela Merkel, when being in Germany. But what she did when saying "wir schaffen das" (we can do it) signalizing that one million people could come to her country, was a historical welcome, accepted by the entire World. Das hat auch mich nach den Jahren der Judenverfolgung durch die Nazis ein bisschen stolz gemacht. A good decicion of a leading European politician after the outrageous events of the holocaust.
When I was four or five, my dear Grandfather, one dark November evening took me to a friend as he explained to me, Herr Neumann. After long (and for a little boy) boring talks, we went home. The next morning Grandfather came home, white in his face, and told Grandmother, not me, that Herr Neumann had shot himself. Almost 70 years passed by, before I asked my 90 year old Aunt whether she remembered a certain Herr Neumann. Oh, yes, said she. He was a friend of my father, a Jew. His wife and 2 daughters had emigrated to the USA, while he was hoping that Hitler's regime would collapse. Nobody had explained anything to the little boy, who did not ask questions.
Dear German descendants of refugees of all sorts, dear descendants of Jewish Germans living in the UK, feeling very British or a bit insecure now after Brexit, feel free to take your decisions as to your new and/or old citizenship, keep in mind, that there are Nigel Farages everywhere. In Germany they are called AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) or PEGIDA or something else. They hate to mention what happened in 1933 and after. They deny any common sense and have to stay a lunatic minority of under 5%, just as UKIP or the French Front National. Just don't care. We other Germans will do everything to let Brexit not degenerate into something destroying the European Union, or letting Germany ever again become hostile to our Jewish co-citizens.
Life in Germany or in UK ist not always easy. But in both countries we have lots to share. Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser, man tut es! (Erich Kästner). What a difficult blog! Critizise me! Tell me that I am an idiot. But do not think that I am one of those..........
Having lived for many years with and without my wife Cath in different European countries, and being financially independant, and having a permanent home in Germany, we do not feel the same. How one feels as a Brit in Germany, or as a German in UK, seems relatively simple to understand, and, by the way, the European Union still does exist. But it is most complex to imagine what thoughts go through your head when you are one of the tens of thousands of Jewish refugees or descendants from Nazi Germany having found generous shelter in this country. And, now after the Brexit vote, where everything seems so uncertain. Was muss durch die Köpfe ehemaliger jüdischer Flüchtlinge und deren Nachfahren gehen, jetzt, nach der Unsicherheit, die das Brexit ausgelöst hat?
What is new in history? Millions of refugees came poring into our wealthy countries, seek shelter and protection. For all sorts of good reasons. I never voted for Angela Merkel, when being in Germany. But what she did when saying "wir schaffen das" (we can do it) signalizing that one million people could come to her country, was a historical welcome, accepted by the entire World. Das hat auch mich nach den Jahren der Judenverfolgung durch die Nazis ein bisschen stolz gemacht. A good decicion of a leading European politician after the outrageous events of the holocaust.
 |
Lotti Huber was sent to England, then came to Cyprus, died in Berlin. She was a wonderful Jewish writer and actress. |
Dear German descendants of refugees of all sorts, dear descendants of Jewish Germans living in the UK, feeling very British or a bit insecure now after Brexit, feel free to take your decisions as to your new and/or old citizenship, keep in mind, that there are Nigel Farages everywhere. In Germany they are called AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) or PEGIDA or something else. They hate to mention what happened in 1933 and after. They deny any common sense and have to stay a lunatic minority of under 5%, just as UKIP or the French Front National. Just don't care. We other Germans will do everything to let Brexit not degenerate into something destroying the European Union, or letting Germany ever again become hostile to our Jewish co-citizens.
Life in Germany or in UK ist not always easy. But in both countries we have lots to share. Es gibt nichts Gutes, ausser, man tut es! (Erich Kästner). What a difficult blog! Critizise me! Tell me that I am an idiot. But do not think that I am one of those..........
Keine Kommentare:
Kommentar veröffentlichen