Sprechen Sie Deutsch?

My boss suggested that I refrain from checking official e-mail during my 25 day vacation. Much against his suggestion, I was mentally prepared to stay in touch and continue working remotely. As luck would have it, I forgot my VPN and lost motivation to contact the Helpdesk in Houston. Instead I decided to walk out and soak in the charm of a European summer.


Waiting for a taxi outside Frankfurt airport, I reflected on the current political and economic mayhem that has rocked the continent. The Greek crisis, the German hegemony, the British isolation and the Spanish totter, to name a few, speak volumes about the disparity of economic affairs and political motivations in a radius of less than 1600 miles from Berlin. This is not necessarily a new story. While Greece is in turmoil and tasting an absolute dog’s breakfast, the United Kingdom is celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and Olympics with unmatched fanfare and pomp. As the new French President Francoise Hollande advocates growth and more spending, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel is married to economic austerity and reduction in spending. As the stalemate continues, the Spanish struggle with their abysmal economic ennui whilst the former Italian premier Berlusconi suggests that Italy may say ‘ciao’ to the European Union. Meanwhile, the United States watches this Shakespearean drama unfold from a balcony seat across the Atlantic, wondering if the merchants of Venice got lost in the socio-economic tempest in the last decade. Quite understandably, this is not the case of ‘much ado about nothing’.


History has often defined European relationships in the current and future context. The legacy of the extreme past lives till the present day. Whilst some glorify it, some deny it. The creation of the European Union was an attempt to thwart history with political and economic unity. When the United Kingdom decided to stay out of the Euro zone, it was the first sign of a foundation which was dodgy. It may be argued in the present context, the Euro is more of a political problem than an economic one. When someone in the Greek parliament exclaims that they do not want ‘Nazi money’, it stinks with a history no one wants to own. The stereotypical image of the hard working, efficient German overshadows the hedonistic man from the Lower Countries happy with his siesta and sangria. The history may sound gruesome and bloody but it has to be remembered that, history- good or bad, has a lot of do with the present and the future. That constant juggle and struggle, economic, social or political, has often been productive. To quote from the film - The Third Man (1949) "...in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."


A classic Frankfurt evening began with a walk down the Zeil, apfelwein and radler for drinks, and then mingling with the locals at the countless bars and eateries across the city. Looking for a place to watch Deutschland play Portugal tonight in the Euro Cup encounter, we befriended some locals who were more than happy to have us join them for a giant screening at the Commerzbank Arena close to the airport. We walked into the stadium with weiss bier and brezl in our hands, along with more than 20,000 German supporters with black, red and gold colours shining across the fanatic crowd. I had heard that ever since the World Cup was held in Germany in 2006, the people had re-discovered a new sense of patriotism that they could flaunt unlike their previous generations. Within minutes, I witnessed that new found sense of pride and perhaps more, when the 20,000 strong chanted something that sent a chill down my spine: “Sieg Sieg”. Just another word separated 1942 with 2012. As the most prosperous and powerful economy in Europe, the Fatherland had proved that it is truly blessed in more ways than one. Needless to mention, the Germans won and it was time to celebrate.


We got on the efficient U-Bahn to travel to the Hauptbahnhof and then walk to the neighbouring area of Sachsenhausen to get a taste of the steamy Frankfurt nightlife. To the uninitiated, this can be quite an eye-popping experience with the organised structure of the red light district. The openness of the European way of the life, - a far cry from the phoney way this subject is dealt with across the pond, the lack of brouhaha around all this, and the feeling that it was ‘okay’ to walk around this place with a bunch of chaps and not be judged for it, was quite surreal and nice. Of course, there was doener kebab and weissbier for the afters. But then there is more to Germany than all this and Munich was only a train ride away on a cheap rail Schoenewochende (Happy Weekend) pass.


The glory and history of Munich presents a stark contrast to the modernity and panache that Frankfurt commands. The awesomeness of being in Bavaria/Bayern region is quite apparent. With the imposing grandeur of Marienplatz, the stunning architecture of the Frauenkirche, the hustle and bustle of Englischgarten, the bacchanalian spirit of Hofbrauhaus, the stunning palaces and structures – Munich is the quintessential untainted mascot of the Fatherland, its history, culture, cuisine and other paraphernalia. But not far from the glory lies the dark past in the form of a concentration camp memorial at Dachau. Less than an hour by train, this place is the symbol of a time period and its excesses. Without taking a deep dive into the history of the place, it can be easily concluded that humankind is capable of such sinister designs that it questions our existence on the planet.


The next day was reserved for the lovely town of Salzburg in Austria. Nestled in the mountains and with the Sound of Music floating in the air, this place is truly made of dreams where you live in the castles and the fairies serve to your whims and fancies. The Festung Hohensalzburg is a splendiferous castle running on the Moenchberg range. The view from the top is as idyllic, scenic, romantic and as breathtaking as it can get. Perhaps I should have composed this piece there. Being Mozart’s birth place it would have sounded better. But sometimes, one needs to stop being a shutterbug, put the camera in the bag and just sink into what’s around you. That’s Salzburg for you. Perhaps, that’s Europe for you. Almost lost in another time period. Preserved, pure and pristine. Perhaps that causes pandemonium amongst the banks and economic circles. But in my opinion for a continent that has lived through the Black Plague and Two World Wars, this economic crisis will just be another page in its cherished history books. In the meantime, I need to learn more German.


Ja, ich spreche Deutsch. Es ist wunderbar!