AIDAN O’ROURKE Writer Photographer Coach

I produce multilingual articles & videos and teach languages

  • Home
  • Photography Courses
    • 121 Photo Tuition
    • The Liverpool Photo Walk
    • The Manchester Photo Walk
    • Victoria Baths Photo Workshop
  • Language Courses
    • Private tuition in German
    • Learn English as a Foreign Language
    • Learn French
  • About
    • Clients
    • Archive
      • Archived Eyewitness in Manchester website 1997-2005
  • Contact
  • AVZINE – My YouTube channel
    • AVZINE – in German

Video review: Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg World’s Biggest & Most Detailed Model Railway & Tiniest Airport

2021-02-12 By Aidan O'Rourke Leave a Comment

Miniatur Wunderland is the largest model railway in the world! But it’s more than ‘just’ a model railway. It’s a scaled-down version of the world. It is located in Hamburg’s Speicherstadt, not far from the Elbphilharmonie and was founded in 2001 by twin brothers Frederik and Gerrit Braun.

Here are some statistics: there are 1040 locomotives, 280 moving cars, 390,000 lights, 263,000 miniature figures and 15,400 metres of track. The layout has an area of more than 1,499 square metres and is controlled by 50 computers.

The model world is populated by thousands of miniature figures. They are called ‘Preiserlein’ after the company that makes them, Paul M. Preiser GmbH. There are different areas: Hamburg, Scandinavia, America, Austria, Switzerland, Central Germany, Italy, Venice and the airport.

Every 15 minutes it goes dark and thousands of LEDs are switched on. The effect is beautiful. There’s no Berlin but Hamburg is proudly represented. The Elbe, the Landungsbrücken, the Hochbahn, the S-Bahn,the Hauptbahnhof, the TV tower and the Elbphilharmonie are all therre. We see the port, the ships and the Köhlbrand bridge by daylight and at night.

All models are designed to be as lifelike as possible. As in the real Sweden, the trains run on the left. In America we start in Key West and right next to it is Las Vegas. At dusk, the city looks fantastic We continue to the Grand Canyon, but there is no Chicago or New York.

The small trains come from all directions. We don’t know where they are coming from or where they are going. A few metres further and we’re in hilly Mitteldeutschland. The ICE crosses a modern railway bridge. At night, a UFO flies down from the sky. An alien hunter is waiting. Famous conspiracy theories are represented humorously. In an underground studio, for example, the moon landings are filmed.

The airport is probably the smallest commercial airport in the world. More than 40 miniature planes take off and land just like real planes. I don’t know exactly how it works. Every now and then a Star Wars spaceship or a big bee flies along the runway. The model of Venice was completed in 2018. There is also Rome, Vatican City and other regions in Italy here.

The layout is constantly being expanded. Coming soon is Provence and a working Monaco Grand Prix. Britain was due to arrive in 2020, but it seems to have gone off the radar. You can look at the workshops and take a behind-the-scenes tour.

The attraction is open 365 days a year. Millions of people have visited Miniatur Wunderland. The model world so detailed, so impressive and so realistic that you look at the real world with completely new eyes. At Miniatur Wunderland, the keyword is wonder. Here you can really learn to… bewundern – to look in wonder at our world. Soon the real world starts to look like a model, as here, the Alexanderplatz seen from the Berlin TV Tower.

Miniatur Wunderland is an expression of the European idea as not only Germany is presented, but also several European countries as well as regions on other continents.

Soon visitors will be able to walk on a new footbridge over the water into the neighbouring warehouse to see South America. The future at Miniatur Wunderland looks exciting.

More info about the video and this article

This is a new version of an older video, now in German with English subtitles.

I’m attracted to Miniatur Wunderland because I love all types of models and I love trains and all forms of transport. It fits into the AVZINE channel’s theme of cities and journeys, as a number of cities are represented in miniature size – Hamburg, Rome, Venice, Las Vegas and others, but not Berlin, New York or Chicago.

It’s also about journeys as the trains run on thousands of journeys each day. There are also ships, planes, buses, cars, vans, a UFO and a strange bee-like creature.

The music is by the amazing Bad Snacks – the Los Angeles based musician, a genius with synthesizers and the violin, which she has played since she was a child. Thanks to her as always for making her music available via the YouTube Audio Library.

There is a students’ PDF for this video with script, side by side translation and questions. It’s available to my students, or just contact me and I’ll send you a copy.

Filed Under: Architecture, AVZINE-EN, German, Travel & Transport, Video Tagged With: Hamburg, Hamburg tourist attractions, model railways, model trains, modelleisenbahnen, Modelllokomotive, Modellzüge

Review of “Do Not Refreeze” exhibition of East German photography 2007

2021-01-16 By Aidan O'Rourke

Do Not Refreeze was an exhibition at the Cornerhouse Manchester that was on in 2007. I wrote an article about it, uploaded on the 26th of April 2oo7. It went offline due to technical issues with my legacy aidan.co.uk website. After receiving a request to see the article, I imported it and the photos into my main aidan.co.uk WordPress site. Since 2007 I have returned to teaching German and it is now my main career alongside producing multilingual articles, podcasts and videos for my AVZINE YouTube channel. The Cornerhouse closed in 2015 and the nearby HOME  became Manchester’s premier combined centre for cinema, theatre and art. Below is the article I wrote back in 2007. The photos are as powerful as ever. And I am going to recommend this article to my many German language students. Many thanks to Julian Pardo for requesting to see the article.

Do Not Refreeze is an exhibition of photographs by East German photographers from the 1950s to the 1980s. It’s a big exhibition, laid out on three floors with a huge variety of images. It takes you on a journey through the changing cityscapes of the GDR, and the people who inhabited that mostly grey and decrepit country. Despite the restrictions, life behind the Berlin Wall could be surprisingly rich, though not in a material sense. That’s the message we get from this remarkable and fascinating exhibition.

The first level of the exhibition takes us into the GDR during the 1950s. The first and only socialist state on German soil was founded in 1949, but it continued to be referred to by many as ‘the Zone’, short for Soviet Zone of Occupation, for many years after.

In the first photos by Arno Fischer (28 years old in 1955) we see people standing in bombed out buildings with pockmarked facades, a familiar theme of photography in Europe in the years just after the war. But in East Germany the ruins survived into the 1950s and beyond, often standing side by side with new construction.

Do Not Refreeze Exhibition Esat Berlin Tatra car by Arno Fischer

In another image by Arno Fischer, a Tatra car, preferred transport of the communist elite of that time, is pictured on an empty Strausberger Platz, just off Karl-Marx-Allee in East Berlin. It’s surrounded by recently built Soviet-style residential blocks.

Cars are a recurring theme and mark the passage of time.

Like other photographers in the exhibition Arno Fischer focuses on individuals within crowd scenes. Their expressions give a clue as to what people really about their situation, especially in the two photographs at the funeral of Wilhelm Pieck in 1960.

Do Not Refreeze Exhibition Esat Berlin Wilhelm Pieck by Arno FischerFuneral of Wilhelm Pieck 1960 photo by Arno Fischer

In the GDR, all arts were subject to rigid guidelines. Socialist Realism was the only permitted style. Workers and peasants were to be depicted heroically defending and supporting the communist state and its authoritarian leaders.

Photography was however regarded as an applied art and not as prestigious as painting or sculpture. For this reason, photographers were able to achieve a much greater degree of realism and creative independence than their colleagues working in other media.

All of the photographers featured in this exhibition attended the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst in Leipzig. It was the only place in the GDR where it was possible to study photography and it continues to be an important institution today. One of the photographers featured in the exhibition, Erasmus Schröter, teaches photography there.

Arno Fischer’s striking portrait of John Heartfield, whose subversive pro-communist posters and paintings created a stir in the Weimar Republic three decades earlier, is another gem of the exhibition. Heartfield settled in the GDR after the war, but looking at his face we can only speculate on what he thought of his adopted country.

Arno Fischer photographed Marlene Dietrich in Leningrad 1964 as well as workers in Ecuatorial Guinea, who are given the stark monochrome ‘GDR’ treatment.

The GDR at the time had interests and projects in various parts of the world. Photographers had to be in favour with the authorities in order to be allowed to travel to ‘non-Socialist’ parts of the world.

Sibylle Bergemann’s views of East Berlin, the Soviet Union and a wintry Sellin on the Balitic are haunting. Startlingly she also has a photograph from Hollywood – it’s a half derelict looking house, perhaps part of a film lot.

Another recurring theme in this exhibition is the enigmatic quality of many of the photos, which raise more questions than they answer. There is no description or background information with any of the images, just a title. The intention is for people to look and form their own impressions. Background information is available in the book to accompany the exhibition (see cover image upper left).

The photography of East Germany is mostly unknown in the UK, but if we can speak of an archetypal image, it’s of decrepit half derelict buildings and empty streets with lone figures and parked Trabants. This may have been the sad reality that people had to live through for 40 years but it makes an ideal photographic subject for black and white photography.

Some of Sibylle Bergemann’s photos fulfil this archetype and they are superbly crafted and fascinating to look at.

Do Not Refreeze exhibition GDR East Berlin Palast der Republik S Bergemann 1978
Berlin Palace of the Republic 1978 Photo by Sibylle Bergemann

In her ‘Berlin Palace of the Republic’, we return to the theme of faces within a crowd. Looking at the ceiling lamps in the upper part of the picture we can see why people called it ‘Erichs Lampenladen’ or ‘Erich’s lamp shop’.

Under the lamps, we see the backs of people looking down over a balcony. Our eyes are drawn to the child in the lower right. What is that child doing now?

I went into that building many times on my visits to East Berlin, and in the restaurants there, ate delicious and very cheap meals often with Soviet-influenced names.

That’s also a question we ask of the signature image of a pale-faced blond-haired 10-year-old girl. The picture is entitled ‘Kirsten Hoppenrade’ and also appears on the cover of the catalogue (upper left).

To me it doesn’t really sum up the content of the exhibition, but it is a haunting image that should capture the attention of a wide audience and draw them in.

Some images from the Communist East can defy expectations. This is the case of the fashion-style images of women by the river in east Berlin taken in the 80s. This could almost be Paris.

These images taken by Sibylle Bergemann appeared in the GDR fashion magazine, also coincidentally named Sibylle.

The exhibition contains much that is unexpected and perhaps the most surprising thing of all is that these images by virtually unknown photographers are of a standard equal to the best photographers of the 20th century. Forgotten and ignored for decades, they can now be seen in this exhibition.

We continue on Level 2 with images by Evelyn Richter (30 years old in 1960)

Her photos carve out a sharp and grainy monochrome vision of her homeland. Her technical and creative powers are evident from the first glance.

At Plänterwald Station, East Berlin we can just see the blocks of flats through the open doors of one of the 1930s style suburban railway trains that were a signature of Berlin until quite recently. Another image of hers taken at Plänterwald Station shows just the blocks of flats which have a monolithic quality.

Do Not Refreeze Exhibition Magdeburg by E Richter

Magdeburg 1968 Photo by Evelyn Richter

The same is true of her startling image of tenement blocks in Magdeburg seen over empty ground and tramlines. These are familiar images of the east: grim, grainy and haunting.

But by contrast, the photo of the River Spree in East Berlin by Museum Island has a Parisian quality, softened by the mist. An element of irony is provided by the passing barge whose title is ‘Traumland’ or Dreamland. What were the East Berliners dreaming of? Paris maybe?

In many of Evelyn Richter’s photos there is a picture within a picture, giving an extra dimension of meaning to the image.

Ursula Arnold (born 1929) presents us with candid images of people within the streetscape of 1950s Leipzig. There is an old woman bent over and shadowy staircase, a couple just married and celebrating within a cobbled street overlooked by crumbling tenement facades. Children are pictured playing on a similar street, and here I’m reminded of the street photos of Shirley Baker taken in Salford during the 1960s.

The street scenes are a stark reminder of how the East was and now mostly no longer looks today.

Cars and other forms of transport are a focal point and give some clues as to when the photos were taken, though many vehicles were kept running for years so dating a picture can be difficult. The clapped out three-wheeled vehicle in Rykestrasse looks like something from another age. There are decrepit trams, vans, and other vehicles it’s now very difficult to put a name to. We are looking at a lost world, which thank goodness, these photographers have captured for posterity.

In more of Ursula Arnold’s photos, we return to the theme of faces within a crowd, especially those of children. The little boy with the balloon, May 1965 stands out.

A prominent feature of Ostalgie or nostalgia for the GDR is the memory of brand names a few of which are visible in some of the photos.

Helga Paris (born 1938) continues the familiar theme of East Germans portrayed in their environment. Despite the decrepitude of the surroundings, the individuality and humanity of the people shines through.

As a photographer of street scenes myself, I am irresistibly drawn to the images of the empty, ghostly streets of the east, particularly the unnamed street in Halle, devoid of anything apart from three figures and a parked Trabant.

Do Not Refreeze Exhibition Halle cars by Helga Paris

Halle 1984 Photo by Helga Paris

In one photo by Helga Paris we have what looks like a sports car from the 1950s, next to a Wartburg and a Trabant. In matters automotive, variety wasn’t the spice of life in East Germany

Further street scenes provide a precious document of Halle as it once looked. In fact most of East Germany and the communist east looked like this. And I can also remember the ever-present smell of two-stroke mix from the 3 cylinder engines.

It is still shocking to see beautiful original half-timbered houses abandoned and practically falling down. How many of them are still there today?

A shop window is almost empty, like the street it looks onto, which is reflected in the glass. Such was the reality of life in East Germany.

Do Not Refreeze Exhibition Halle by Helga Paris

Halle buildings in snow 1984 Photo by Helga Paris

In one wintry image, the snow seems to mask the decay, until you look more closely and see that between the snow-covered roof timbers there is nothing at all, as the roof has fallen in.

If there is beauty in dereliction and decay, then the GDR was the most beautiful country in the world!

I’m reminded here of the paintings and drawings of  Trevor Grimshaw, who found a stark beauty in the townscapes of northern England.

We have now reached the top floor of the Cornerhouse gallery, and Erasmus Schröter’s large format images of street scenes continue the theme of derelict but atmospheric cityscapes, with more of those ubiquitous Trabants and Wartburgs.

Do Not Refreeze Exhibition Dresden by Erasmus Schröter

Dresden 1985 Photo by Erasmus Schröter

It’s a vision that’s often empty of people but it starts to take on a grim fascination the more you stare at it. The photo of Dresden tramlines over cobblestones with a blank wall and peeling paintwork speaks volumes about the economic state of the GDR in its fourth decade of existence. Even if colour film had been used, it wouldn’t have picked out very much, apart from the peeling day-glow orange paint I remember seeing on roadside railings in the East.

These large size photos are of superb quality and are original GDR prints. I wonder how these street scenes look today. And it’s impossible to appreciate the quality and detail unless you come to the exhibition. A web page image cannot do justice to the original

Erasmus Schröter’s infra-red night scenes provide a totally unexpected view of the East and caused a sensation when they were first exhibited in the West. He used an infra-red flash, which is invisible to the human eye. The subjects – including the llama being led into a ballroom – didn’t know they were being photographed. The effect is surreal and humorous.

Llama Leipzig DDR by Erasmus Schröter 1981
Llama Leipzig 1981 by Erasmus Schröter

In the photos of Maria Sewcz (25 years old in 1985) we get a different focus, directed towards details of the now-familiar East Berlin streetscape. Cars feature again prominently and signal the progression of time. We are in the eighties, the final decade of the GDR, though almost no one foresaw it at the time.

Her photo of parked Volvo cars and drivers may present a puzzle to the uninitiated. As a regular visitor to East Berlin, I recognise the location: It’s behind the Palace of the Republic, the ‘Erich’s lamp shop’ building we saw earlier, which also housed the GDR’s rubber-stamp parliament, the Volkskammer. The cars – all Volvos – are the official transport of the Communist elite. By this time they had given up on the Tatras and Zils of earlier decades.

DDR East Berlin Cars M Sewcz 1984
East Berlin 1984 Photo by Maria Sewcz

Maria told me she took this photo surreptitiously with an Olympus compact camera loaded with East German ORWO film. She ran quite a risk in capturing this photo. She had applied to be an official photographer at the event but had been turned down. As a kind of revenge, she took this photo which was to be ‘her’ record of the of the event from which she had been excluded.

Another of her photos is of a plane seen above a building facade. Again, local knowledge allows me to read a meaning into this photo which others might not be aware of. East Berliners saw British and French airliners banking over East Berlin on their final approach to Tegel Airport in the West. The planes were a constant reminder of the world beyond the Berlin Wall and all the exotic travel destinations which people in the east could only dream of. But not for long.

A sequence from the GDR film Solo Sunny, made in 1980, features a longing glance at a British BAC 1-11 flying over East Berlin.

Maria insists that her photos should not be described in any way, not even with a title. Originally this was a way of beating the censor, but this principle is still adhered to.

More Wartburgs, trams and Trabants, shot from the hip in an East Berlin that was about to experience its biggest upheaval in decades, the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

A sign of the times is a West German tv crew photographed on a street in East Berlin in mid-1989, which Maria took spontaneously from the hip as she was passing.

The series by Ulrich Wüst depicting statues departs from the main theme, though there are some inescapable icons of Communism, such as the face of Karl Marx.

In the end room, the series by Gundula Schulze-Eldowy (31 in 1985) entitled ‘Berlin on a Dog’s Night’ begins with an unexpectedly frivolous self-portrait of the photographer with an unknown man who has his head under her jumper.

Her landscapes of East Germany and Poland are filled with a chilly beauty. I loved the dusk view of the train at a station with a misty backdrop, but where is this?

Her series of photos of an old lady in stages of decline is shocking, partly because of the subject matter, and partly because we wonder how on earth any photographer could get away with producing images like this in the GDR. Some might see the old lady a symbol of the decline of the East German state but that might be going a bit too far with the symbolism.

Her portraits of East Germans clothed and unclothed continues a theme of unflinching and unflattering realism, but as before the individuality and dignity of the sitters comes through.

Her series of street photographs seems at first sight to satisfy the dictates of Socialist Realism, but on closer inspection it is subverted by the eccentricity of the people, some of whom appear to be on the edge of madness and have a surreal ‘Diane Arbus’ quality. It’s a good example of how the photographers were able to be subversive, while the authorities were not perceptive enough – or maybe not intelligent enough – to notice.

DDR East Beriln Mielke by G Schulze 1984

Hoffman, Kulikowski and Mielke 1984 Photo by Gundula Schulze Eldowy

One very striking image sums up the East German regime very well. It’s the photo of Hoffman, Kulikowski and Mielke at the May 1st parade 1984. Mielke was the head of the Stasi from 1957 until 1989. They are indulging in some Soviet-GDR pleasantries on the podium at the foot of which, a stern and comical plainclothes security man peers suspiciously to one side, lips pursed. This seems to sum up the GDR as a state of party functionaries and military big wigs in big Soviet-style hats supported and protected by an army of zealous and petty-minded Stasi agents. This might perhaps have been my choice as signature image for the exhibition, but I doubt if it would have the pulling power of ‘Kirsten Hopperade’.

The date above the podium is May 1984. Five and a half years later the entire structure of Communist control in East Germany would have collapsed, and soon the big Soviet hats would be on sale as souvenirs in front of the re-opened Brandenburg gate. Few realised how close the end was, least of all Erich Honecker, who predicted the Wall would still be there in ’50 and even 100 years’. I also had no idea of what was around the corner.

Do Not Refreeze takes us on a journey through a lost world, which then as now, has been seriously neglected and overlooked both here in the UK and in West Germany.

The photographs touch on a very wide range of themes and use many different techniques and formats, though colour photography isn’t one of them, and I think the exhibition is all the better for this. East Germany was often described as ‘grau in grau’ or ‘grey in grey’ and so black and white is the ideal medium in which to depict it. In any case, colour film was for most photographers in the East prohibitively expensive.

Anyone who appreciates photography – particularly black and white photography – will enjoy these pictures as they are of world-class quality.

And anyone with any knowledge of the eastern part of Germany whether before the Wall came down or in more recent times should find these images irrisistably fascinating, and of great historical value.

The exhibition was curated by Matthew Shaul, Head of Programming at the University of Hertfordshire Galleries. He told me the idea for the exhibition came to him after seeing some of the work of East German photographers at an exhibition at the Neue Nationalgalerie Berlin in 2003. Though he found the sculptures and paintings mostly little more than historical curios, he was bowled over by the quality and universal appeal of the photography and resolved to bring an exhibition of these photographs the UK.

After four years and a huge amount of work, ‘Do Not Refreeze’ is the result, and it is fantastic.

Only someone with first-hand experience of Germany could have pulled this exhibition together. With his excellent knowledge of the language and professional awareness of the artistic and cultural scene in both countries, Matthew provides the essential link between the UK and Germany. A German curator would probably have found it difficult to find their way around the British art scene. And no British curator would have been aware of the depth and quality of the East German photographers without being introduced to it in Germany, as Matthew Shaul was.

He is very pleased that the exhibition was taken up so enthusiastically by Manchester’s Cornerhouse, which he regards as the pre-eminent exhibition space in the North West.

If I was still teaching German I would have instructed every student of mine to go to the Cornerhouse and see it.

This is a five-star exhibition of world-class photography and I recommend everyone to go and see it.

After Cornerhouse Manchester, the show is moving to the University of Hertfordshire’s gallery in Hatfield, then Focal Point Southampton and finally the Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Museum.

Admission is free so you there is no excuse whatsoever for not attending! Learn about photography, learn about an important and forgotten world that is part of the history of Europe, go and see ‘Do Not Refreeze Photography Behind the Berlin Wall’ while you can!

Filed Under: About Photography, Berlin, German Tagged With: black and white photography, Communist bloc, Cornerhouse Manchester, East German photography, GDR, monochrome photography, photography

Der walisische Einfluss in Liverpool, der Scouse-Dialekt und die “Welsh Streets”

2020-10-08 By Aidan O'Rourke

Artikel und Videopodcast in deutscher und englischer Sprache

Es gibt viele Verbindungen zwischen Liverpool und Wales. Es wird gesagt, dass viele Menschen in Nordwales Liverpool als ihre Hauptstadt ansehen, nicht Cardiff. Der walisische Dialekt hat den Liverpooler Dialekt beeinflusst. Die Grenze zu Wales liegt nur 20 Kilometer von Birkenhead entfernt. Man kann die Hügel in Wales von vielen Teilen der Stadt sehen, auch von Toxteth im Süden.

Aussicht in Richtung Clwydian Hills von Liverpool Everton Park aus

Der Blick von der A55 in Flintshire, Nord-Wales auf die Region Liverpool ist großartig.

Einwanderer aus Wales begannen im frühen 18. Jahrhundert nach Liverpool zu kommen.

Im Jahre 1813 lebten ungefähr 8000 Menschen walisischer Herkunft in Liverpool, etwa 10 Prozent der Einwohner.

Sie gründeten Gemeinden überall in der Stadt. Walisisch war dort die dominierende Sprache.

Wie in anderen britischen Städten gibt es Straßen, die nach Orten in Wales benannt sind, zum Beispiel Denbigh Road in Walton und Barmouth Way in Vauxhall.

Das wichtigste Symbol des walisischen Einflusses in Liverpool ist jedoch das Viertel der Welsh Streets in Toxteth, in der Nähe des Princes Park. Sie liegt ungefähr 10 Minuten mit dem Bus südlich des Stadtzentrums.

Die Straßen sind nach Ortsnamen in Wales benannt. Ich versuche sie auf walisische Art zu sagen: Die Wynnstay Street, die Voelas Street, die Rhiwlas Street, die Powis Street, die Madryn Street, die Kinmel Street, die Gwydir Street, die Pengwern Srteet, die Treborth Street, die Dovey Street, die Teilo Street und die Elwy Street.

Diese Straßen wurden im 19. Jahrhundert von walisischen Bauarbeitern gebaut. Die Häuser wurden vom walisischen Architekten Richard Owens entworfen, der auch viele Reihenhäuser in Liverpool, sowie Kirchen in Nordwales entwarf.

9 Madryn Street before 06.05.2018 renovation

9 Madryn Street 06.05.2018 vor der Sanierung

Im Laufe der Jahre ist das Viertel heruntergekommen. In den 2000er Jahren gab es Pläne, die Welsh Streets komplett abzureißen, auch das Haus, in dem Ringo Starr geboren wurde, Madryn Street 9.

Die Anwohner waren generell für die Sanierung und nicht für den Abriss, aber die Häuser wurden geräumt und für den Abbruch vorbereitet.

Die Beatles-Touren haben die Madryn Street weiterbesucht. Die Fans schrieben Mitteilungen an die Fassade des kleinen Hauses.

Die Organisationen SAVE Britain’s Heritage und der National Trust setzten sich für die Renovierung des Viertels ein, insbesondere wegen seiner Bedeutung in der Geschichte der Beatles.

Ein neuer Plan wurde von Placefirst ausgearbeitet. Placefirst ist ein in Manchester ansässiges Unternehmen, das Mietwohnungen entwirft, baut und renoviert. Rund drei Viertel der Häuser in den Welsh Streets wurden erhalten und renoviert. Heute sieht das alte Haus von Ringo Starr fast neu aus.

Im Oktober 2019 wurde die Umgestaltung der Welsh Streets durch Placefirst zum besten Wohnprojekt Großbritanniens im Wettbewerb der Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors ernannt.

Der walisische Einfluss in Liverpool nahm im 20. Jahrhundert ab. Laut der Volkszählung von 2001 sind nur 1,17% der Bevölkerung in Wales geboren, aber es gibt noch viele andere Menschen, die walisische Vorfahren haben.

Für mich ist der Dialekt von Liverpool, der sogenannte Scouse, der deutlichste Beweis für den walisischen Einfluss in Liverpool. Seine Auf- und Ab-Intonation erinnert an den walisischen Dialekt auf Englisch oder an die walisische Sprache selbst. Beim Scouse-Dialekt können wir den Einfluss der walisischen Einwanderer aus vergangenen Jahrhunderten tatsächlich hören.

Es gibt auch einen irischen Einfluss auf den Scouse, aber das ist eine andere Geschichte.

Der Schutzpatron von Wales ist Sankt David oder Dewi Sant auf Walisisch. Der Tag des Heiligen David wird jedes Jahr am 1. März in Liverpool, in Wales und auf der ganzen Welt gefeiert.

Sunset over the Mersey from the Albert Dock 28.08.2020

Filed Under: Architecture, AVZINE-DE, D-List, German, Liverpool Tagged With: Abriss in Liverpool, Geschichte von Liverpool, Liverpool, Scouse Dialekt, Wales, walisische Einwanderer, walisische Sprache, Wohnprojekte Liverpool

The UK and German healthcare systems compared

2020-10-08 By Aidan O'Rourke 2 Comments

I am a coach in languages and I’m keen to explore issues concerning the UK and Germany. This presentation is mostly in English but I also include some examples of German words and phrases to do with healthcare. You can’t talk about healthcare in Germany without using some German.

Following a suggestion from a fellow pro-European campaigner, she was campaigning in favour of the NHS, I decided to look at the question of how the UK’s National Health Service compares to the health system in Germany.

This is just a very brief overview of a complex subject. I’m going to give some personal opinions as well as general information based on my research. There are some statistics as well.

I’ve tried to ensure everything is factually correct, though some information may not be completely accurate and it will go out of date.

Revised version published by Aidan O’Rourke | Sunday the 30th of August, 2020

So which health system is better? The British NHS or the German healthcare system?

Es ist kompliziert! It’s complicated!

OK, so what is the fundamental difference between the UK system and the German system?
The UK’s NHS is owned and run by the state and it’s free at the point of use.

The German system is mostly free at the point of use but it’s paid for through contributions to a health insurance scheme that’s closely regulated by the state.

The money to pay for your healthcare is taken directly out of your salary. The amount appears on your wage slip. This money goes into a health fund – ein Gesundheitsfonds and then into your chosen Krankenkasse or health insurance ‘pot’. In the UK, the money to support the health system is provided by the government, mostly through general taxation.

The NHS was launched in 1948 at what was then called Park Hospital in Urmston near Manchester. Today it’s Trafford General Hospital. A blue plaque commemorates the launch.

British people are proud of their NHS and they often compare it to the US system. They like the fact that it’s free, unlike the American system which relies mostly on private health insurance.

Aneurin Bevan – he was from Wales and that’s a Welsh name – was Labour health minister from 1945 and he is credited as the father of the NHS. There’s a statue of him on Queen Street in the Welsh capital, Cardiff.

The Charité hospital, East Berlin (GDR) 1985.

The UK system is more like the old GDR system and that’s not a criticism. The East German health system provided a good, basic service, though without the expensive equipment found in the West.

After the end of Communism – nach der Wende – the West German system was introduced into the East.
The German system goes back to the late 19th century, when under Otto von Bismarck, Germany pioneered the welfare state.

That system is still in use today. Krankenkassen are non-profit making organisations that are governed by strict regulations.

The biggest state-run Krankenkasse is the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse – which you could translate as the general local health insurance organisation. It’s not easy to translate so we’ll just say Krankenkasse.

You’ll find a wide range of private Krankenkassen offering a range of health insurance packages at different contribution levels.

You are required by law to pay into a Krankenkasse. If you earn above a certain amount, you can insure yourself with a private Krankenkasse. Many cater for specific professions.

Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital

In the UK, the National Health Service is paid for by the government. The amount paid by the government varies depending on which political party is in power.

Statistics indicate that the NHS received considerably more money under Labour governments than the Conservatives, though of course, the Conservatives dispute this.

Uniklinik Köln / Cologne

Cologne Uniklinikum

It’s important to note that the UK also has a private healthcare system which people can gain access to by paying for private health insurance. People also receive private healthcare as a benefit or perk of their job.

So in theory, whether you are in Germany or in the UK, if you have a higher income and/or a better job, you can get better healthcare by paying more.

The NHS has had a funding crisis for many years – German system is not perfect but it’s well-funded.
Due to Brexit, the NHS now has a serious staffing crisis. Many staff have left and fewer people than before are being recruited from the rest of Europe.

Brexit is bad for the NHS for three reasons: The staffing problems, the effects on the NHS of a possible US trade deal and simply the fact that the NHS is paid for through ongoing taxation.

Brexit is costing the UK a huge amount. Less money from taxation means less money for the NHS.
The claim by the Leave campaign that the UK sends £350m a week to the EU and that this money can instead be paid to the NHS was false and deliberately misleading.

Which hospitals are reputed to be the best in the UK and in Germany? I don’t think it’s possible to give a reliable answer to that question, but there are certainly some famous hospitals: in the UK, Guy’s Hospital in London, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, The Christie in Manchester and more.

In Germany we would think of the Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, the Charité in Berlin, Asklepios Klinik Barmbek – Hamburg and the Uniklinikum Köln, are all highly regarded. And by the way Klinik in German can refer to a hospital, not just a small health centre, as in English.

So what are the practical differences between UK and German hospitals? To gain an impression, I went for a walk around a few hospitals in the UK and in Germany.

One thing I noticed walking around the Uniklinik in Cologne is that each department or unit functions as an independent practice. For instance I saw a Notfallpraxis – an emergency practice for children and young people.

In the UK most departments and units display the NHS logo. Healthcare services including hospitals, health centres and emergency ambulance services are organised under NHS trusts. An NHS trust is a non-profit making organisation set up to provide healthcare services.

As of April 2020 there are 217 trusts, and they employ around 800,000 of the NHS’s 1.2 million staff, information from Wikipedia.

Many hospitals in Germany are run by religious organisations, such as the Evangelische Kirche, Germany’s Lutheran Protestant church.

Fresenius Medical Care, Stockport NHS Dialysis Unit

Some medical services are provided to the NHS by outside companies, for instance Fresenius, a German-based company that provides dialysis services.

At UK hospitals you’ll see adverts for fundraising – which is often needed to pay for basic hospital equipment, such as scanners.

In Germany you just don’t see this. Pretty much all the main medical services in Germany are fully funded. This is especially true of hospices. St Ann’s Hospice near Manchester receives just over a third of its funding from the NHS. That means it needs to raise around £20,000 every day just to keep the hospice running.

They organise glamorous celebrity dinners, midnight runs and many other events. They also run charity shops, but is it right that a facility providing a basic healthcare service needs to do this to raise money? In Germany hospices are fully funded.

Here are some more differences I found: The emergency ambulances in Germany have a two-tone sound, but in the UK, they have an oscillating tone. The German siren is called the Martinshorn, named after the company that makes it.

In the UK the emergency ambulances are yellow and green and in Germany they’re red, like the trains. In both countries you’ll often see the same basic vehicle, the German-built Mercedes Sprinter.
On the side of the ambulance in the UK, you’ll see the emergency number 999 and you can dial 111 for non-emergency medical issues and advice.

Ambulances in the UK and Germany

In Germany and other mainland European countries, the emergency number for fire brigade and ambulance is 112. The 112 number also works in the UK and on any GSM phone anywhere in the world.
In recent years in the UK, smaller hospitals have closed and their services, including A&E – Accident and Emergency – have transferred to larger single-site hospitals.

At hospitals in Germany, car parking is generally free for a period, then there’s a charge. This is also the case in Britain, though some have very expensive charges, for instance Stepping Hill hospital in Stockport.

Examples of hospital parking charges UK and Germany

If you are a citizen of another EU state visiting Germany, you can receive healthcare on the same basis as German nationals

This is one of the many advantages of EU membership. The cost of any treatment is charged to the home country of the visitor.

You can travel throughout the whole of the EU plus some additional countries, and receive treatment on the same basis as nationals. It’s not necessary to take out medical insurance, as you do when travelling to the United States, for instance.

I once had a bike accident in Germany, and I was given first class treatment at the local hospital. I just showed them my British passport, the bill was charged to the UK. I didn’t have to pay anything.

The loss of this intelligent and cost-effective healthcare arrangement for the UK and its citizens, especially older people living in other parts of Europe, is one of the many dreadful consequences of Brexit.

If you’re from the UK and suffer illness or have an accident in Germany, you will, thanks to Brexit, most likely have to pay for it yourself, or buy travel insurance before you leave.

At least you’ll be able to gain first hand experience of healthcare in Germany and so you’ll be better able to answer the question of which country has the better system, the UK or Germany.
In the course of my research I found an interesting video on the BBC website with some useful information:

Waiting times for operations are shorter in Germany, typically three to four weeks. In England most people have to wait 22 months for orthopaedic operations. Orthopaedic, that’s the branch of medicine that deals with problems of bones or muscles.

  • Germany has three doctors per 1000 population. The UK has two.
  • Germany has three times as many hospital beds compared to the UK.
  • Germany spends 11.7% of its GDP on health, Britain 10%.
  • Most Germans pay 7% of their income for healthcare. Their employer pays the same.

Most people I’ve spoken to who are familiar with the German healthcare system say it offers a higher standard of service.But people in Germany have to pay for their system directly out of their salary. Some pay many hundreds of euros each month. That’s possible because of Germany’s strong economy.

The British healthcare system provides a good service, and though people don’t pay contributions directly towards the health system, the NHS is paid for through taxation and a share of National Insurance contributions.

Despite its current difficulties, the majority of people in Britain are proud of their health service and they appreciate the work done by medical professionals at all levels.

By a large majority they still support the original idea of the NHS, that is, to provide universal healthcare that’s free at the point of use.

So that’s it, a quick, hopefully informative and maybe entertaining overview of a very complex subject, which I hope will arouse your curiosity to find out more.

If you’re interested in learning German, go to www.aidan.co.uk.

If you’re visiting Germany, I wish you gute Reise! and if you’ve visiting the UK, enjoy your trip. And to all EU nationals visiting another EU country, don’t forget to bring your EHIC card!

Here’s the link to the BBC video I found.

Filed Under: AVZINE-EN, German, Manchester, Popular, Stockport Tagged With: British hospitals, das britische Gesundheitswesen, das deutsche Gesundheitswesen, doctors in Germany, German health system, German hospitals, travelling in Germany, UK healthcare

Die Bayreuther Festspiele und das Glyndebourne Festival ein Videopodcast

2020-09-10 By Aidan O'Rourke

The Audiovisual Magazine masthead

Artikel und Videopodcast in deutscher und englischer Sprache

ENGLISH VERSION

Es geht in diesem Beitrag um zwei Musik-Events in Europa: Bayreuth und Glyndebourne.

Beide Festivals sind Familienbetriebe und finden jedes Jahr statt.

Auf dem ‘Grünen Hügel’ in Bayreuth gibt es seit 1876 die Bayreuther Festspiele.

Auf dem Spielplan stehen die letzten zehn Opern von Richard Wagner. Ab und zu wird auch Beethovens Neunte Sinfonie gespielt.

Die Festspiele laufen von Ende Juli bis Ende August. Die Aufführungen beginnen generell um 16:00 Uhr und enden gegen 22:00 Uhr.

Es gibt zwei Pausen von je einer Stunde. In dieser Zeit können die Gäste die Gastronomie ausprobieren oder im schönen Garten spazieren gehen.

Zu den Premieren kommen Prominente wie der Bundespräsident, der bayerische Ministerpräsident und Bundeskanzlerin Angela Merkel.

Richard Wagner wurde 1813 in Leipzig geboren. Seine Werke hatten einen großen Einfluss auf die europäische Musik. Er wählte die Stadt Bayreuth für seine Vision: Ein Festspielhaus mit einmaligem Design und besonderer Akustik. Dort sollen nur seine Werke gespielt werden.

Die Finanzierung der Festspiele erfolgte durch Patronatsscheine. König Ludwig II von Bayern bot einen Kredit an.

Die ersten Festspiele begannen am 13. August 1876 mit dem kompletten Ring des Nibelungen.

Wagner starb 1883 in Venedig. Seine Witwe Cosima führte ab 1886 Regie.

Am Anfang gab es finanzielle Probleme, aber die Lage wurde im Laufe der Jahre besser.

1908 gab Cosima ihrem Sohn Siegfried Wagner die Leitung der Festspiele. Seine Frau war die in London geborene Winifred Wagner.

Prominente Gäste zu dieser Zeit waren Thomas Mann, Igor Strawinsky und William Somerset Maugham.

Nach dem Ersten Weltkrieg wurden wieder Patronatsscheine verkauft.

1930 starb Siegfried Wagner im Alter von 61 und Winifred übernahm die Leitung der Festspiele.

Sie war eine Freundin Adolf Hitlers und nach 1933 bekamen die Festspiele staatliche Finanzierung.

Später wurden sie vom NSDAP-Regime zu propagandistischen Zwecken missbraucht.

Nach dem Krieg übergab Winifred die Leitung an ihre Söhne Wieland und Wolfgang, Enkelkinder von Richard Wagner.

Seit 1950 finden die Festspiele jedes Jahr außer 2020 statt.

Katharina Wagner, Urenkelin des Komponisten, ist heute Leiterin.

Mit seiner glanzvollen Atmosphäre ist das Festival ein einmaliges Erlebnis. Besucher sagen, der Geist von Richard Wagner sei auf dem Grünen Hügel noch zu spüren.

Und jetzt gehen wir zu Glyndebourne in Südengland. Das Opernhaus entstand 1933 auf dem Grundstück von Glyndebourne House, einem Landhaus aus dem 16. Jahrhundert.

Gründer des Festivals war John Christie, ein reicher Landbesitzer und Musikfreund.
1931 heiratete er die kanadische Sopranistin Audrey Mildmay. Zusammen besuchten sie die Salzburger und Bayreuther Festspiele.

Sie planten ein eigenes Festival mit Schwerpunkt im Mozart-Repertoire.

Zu dieser Zeit kamen der Dirigent Fritz Busch aus Dresden und Carl Ebert, Intendant der Städtischen Oper Berlin, nach England.

Beide waren gegen die Vertreibung von jüdischen Musikern und mussten deshalb Deutschland verlassen. Dazu kam aus Österreich der Operndirektor Rudolf Bing, der aus einer jüdischen Familie stammte.

Zusammen mit John Christie gründeten sie 1934 die Glyndebourne Festival Opera.
Das erste Festival wurde am 28. Mai 1934 mit Mozarts Hochzeit des Figaro und Così fan tutte eröffnet.

Es war ein großer Erfolg.

In den Kriegsjahren gab es kein Festival.

Nach dem Tod von John Christie 1962 übernahm sein Sohn George und ab 2000 dessen Sohn Gus die Leitung des Festivals.

Zwischen 1992 und 1994 wurde ein neues Opernhaus mit 1200 Sitzplätzen gebaut. Architekt war Michael Hopkins.

Man sagt, Glyndebourne sei ein Musikerlebnis britischer Art. Die Opernfreunde nutzen die langen Pausen traditionell für ein Picknick im Park, wo es schöne Aussichten auf die Landschaft von Sussex gibt.

Erst im Jahre 2003 wurde zum ersten Mal eine Wagner-Oper aufgeführt, nämlich Tristan und Isolde.

Es war die ursprüngliche Idee des Gründers John Christie, ein britisches Bayreuth zu errichten.

Ob in England oder Deutschland: Die klassische Musik gehört zu Europa und der Welt.

Bayreuth und Glyndebourne sind schöne Beispiele der europäischen kulturellen Zusammenarbeit.

Filed Under: About Music, AVZINE-DE, German

Der Abschied von Liverpool aufgrund des Brexits – Musikvideo und Interview mit Zinney Sonnenberg

2020-07-12 By Aidan O'Rourke Leave a Comment

Im Juli 2020 habe ich eine Dia-Show für ein Video des Sängers Zinney Sonnenberg gemacht. Das Video erschien am 04.07.2020 im Global-Liverpool-Facebook-Event. Der Song ‘Liverhearts – Where can I find me another river’ handelt von der Liebe des Künstlers zu seiner Wahlheimat Liverpool und den Schmerz, sie verlassen zu müssen. Hier präsentiere ich das Slide-Show-Video mit meinen Fotos sowie das Transkript des Interviews.

Geschrieben von Aidan O’Rourke | Sonntag den zwölften Juli 2020

ENGLISCHE VERSION | DEUTSCHE VERSION.

Für das Video habe ich ungefähr fünfzig meiner Fotos von Liverpool ausgewählt. Ich wollte mehr über Zinney Sonnenberg herausfinden, also habe ich mit ihm ein Interview per Zoom geführt. Das Audio und das Transkript erscheinen hier auf Deutsch sowie auf Englisch.

Aidan O’Rourke Productions · Der Abschied von Liverpool wegen dem Brexit – Interview mit Zinney Sonnenberg
Interview-Transkript

Guten Tag! Zuerst möchte ich fragen: Wie ist dein Name? Woher kommst du und wo wohnst du jetzt?

Mein Name ist Gerd Zinsmeister. Mein Künstlername ist Zinney Sonnenberg. Ich komme ursprünglich aus dem Saarland. Es ist an der Dreiländerecke Deutschland, Luxemburg und Frankreich. Seit einem Jahr wohne ich in Bayern, in Dachau, bekannt durch das Konzentrationslager in Dachau.

Okay, und was machst du von Beruf?
Ich bin Musiker von Beruf und arbeite in der Dachauer Musikschule als Musiklehrer und unterrichte Gitarre, Klavier und Gesang. Ansonsten nehme ich Platten auf und spiele live in Deutschland, England und Holland.

Was für Musik spielst du?

Meine Musik könnte man als Folk-Musik mit Einflüssen von Pop und Rock und Worldmusic beschreiben.

Und wie lange warst du in Liverpool?
Ich habe 21 Jahre in Liverpool gewohnt.

Wann und warum bist du nach Liverpool gezogen?
Ich bin am 10. August 1998 mit meiner Frau und meiner dreijährigen Tochter nach Liverpool gezogen, um einen Kurs an dem Liverpool Institut für Performing Arts zu machen.

Was waren deine frühen Eindrücke von Liverpool?
Ich hatte mich sofort in Liverpool verliebt, eine tolle Stadt mit netten, weltoffenen Menschen, ein ganz besonderes Licht, ein reges Nachtleben und ein ganz besonderer Dialekt, an den ich mich erst gewöhnen musste.

Wo habt ihr gewohnt?
In den ersten drei Jahren wohnten wir in Toxteth in der Pengwern Street, hinter der Saint-Silas-Schule in dem Walisischen Viertel. Unser Haus war das zweitletzte Hause am Ende der Straße mit Blick auf den Schulhof von der Saint-Silas-Schule. Später haben wir vierzehn Jahre lang in Aigburth gewohnt.

Warum bist du in Liverpool geblieben?
Nachdem mein Studium an der LIPA war beendet war, hatten wir uns gut akklimatisiert in Liverpool. Ich arbeitete als Krankenpfleger in einem Pflegeheim in der Mill Street in Toxteth.

Meine Frau machte einen Kurs am Arts College in der Myrtle Street. Unsere Tochter Zoe hatte an der Windsor School schon viele Freunde gemacht.

Wie ist Liverpool anders als andere Städte?
Als Hafenstadt beherbergt Liverpool Menschen aus vielen kulturellen Hintergründen. So waren in der Grundschulklasse meiner Tochter Kinder aus dreizehn verschiedenen Ländern.

Architektonisch ist die Innenstadt von Liverpool sehr kompakt. Der Fluss Mersey, der über Jahrzehnte die Lebensader von Liverpool war, prägt das Stadtbild.

Aber die herausragende Besonderheit ist die humorvolle, freundliche und weltoffene Mentalität der Scouser.

Was sind deine Top-10 Empfehlungen für Besucher?
Es gibt viele interessante Sehenswürdigkeiten in Liverpool und viele Dinge, die man tun kann.

Auf jeden Fall sollte man die Anthony-Gormley-Ausstellung ‘Another Place’ in Waterloo besuchen. Der Philharmonic ist der größte und prächtigste Pub in Liverpool. Außerdem sind die beiden Kathedralen, die von der Hope Street verbunden werden, sehr sehenswert.

Alle Museen in Liverpool sind kostenlos, und vor allem das Maritime Museum mit seiner Sklaverei-Abteilung, ist ein absolutes Muss für jeden Besucher. Das neue Museum an den Docks ist interaktiv und beschreibt die Geschichte von Liverpool. Im zweiten Stock hat man einen herrlichen Blick auf das Liver Building und die Flussmündung des Mersey.

Auf jeden Fall sollte man sich in das Nachtleben von Liverpool stürzen. Man sollte die verschiedenen Restaurants, Pubs, Clubs, Live-Music-Venues oder Comedy Clubs ein einfach mal besuchen.

Für Kunstinteressierte gibt es die Walker Art Gallery und die Tate am Albert Dock. Den Besuch des Palm Houses in Sefton Park kann man mit einem Glas Wein in der Lark Lane oder in der Penny Lane verbinden.

Für Fußballfans ist es ein absolutes Muss, einmal im Leben in Anfield You’ll Never Walk Alone zu hören.

Die Sonnenuntergänge in Liverpool sind einzigartig und so kann ich einen Spaziergang zwischen Aigburth und dem City Centre in Liverpool nur wärmstens empfehlen.

Was ist dein persönlicher Lieblingsort?
Mein Lieblingsort in Liverpool ist Otterspool Park. Der Spaziergang, der durch den Park führt und am Mersey endet ist ein wundervoller Spaziergang und ist deshalb sehr bedeutungsvoll für mich, weil ich da jeden Tag mit dem Hund spazieren war.

Kannst du deine Karriere auf der Musikszene in Liverpool beschreiben?
Ja, nach meinem Studium an der LIPA habe ich erst einmal gearbeitet, um mehr Aufnahmegeräte zu kaufen. So habe ich eine analoge Bandmaschine von den Christians gekauft und später einen Computer, mit dem ich aufnehmen konnte.

Zwischendurch bin ich immer wieder zu Open-Mike-Events gegangen, um dort zwei bis drei Lieder zu spielen. 2004 habe ich Jeff Davis von Probe Plus Records in Berlin auf einer Musikmesse kennengelernt.

2007 haben wir dann mit meiner Band unter dem Namen Sonnenberg mein erstes Album ‘Fishing In The Pool’ unter dem Probe-Plus-Label veröffentlicht.

Dann haben wir noch zwei weitere Alben ‘The End of the Rain’ und ‘Into The Light’ veröffentlicht.

Zwischen 2004 und 2018 war ich mit meiner Band oder auch solo in Skandinavien, Großbritannien, Deutschland und Holland auf Tour und habe als Vorgruppe von Half Man Half Biscuit in vor allem größere Venues in Großbritannien gespielt, wie zum Beispiel, das Shepherds Bush Theatre in London oder auch die Liverpool Academy.

Warum hast du dich entschieden, Liverpool zu verlassen?
Der Grund, Liverpool zu verlassen, war eindeutig der Brexit. Wir wollten nicht außerhalb der EU leben und in Großbritannien Bürger zweiter Klasse ohne Wahlrecht sein.

Wann hast du Liverpool verlassen und wohin in Deutschland bist du gegangen?
Wir haben Liverpool am 19. Juli, 2019 verlassen. Dann sind wir nach Bayern, nach Dachau gezogen.

Wann und warum hast du den Song ‘Where can I find me another river?’ geschrieben?
Das Lied ‘Liverhearts Another River’ habe ich 2018 geschrieben. Er soll meine Liebe zu Liverpool reflektieren, sowie den Schmerz und die Trauer, seine Wahlheimat verlassen zu müssen, weil es gesellschaftliche oder politische Umstände erforderlich machen.

Generell versucht man als Liedermacher oder Musiker seine Gefühle auszudrücken oder sich Luft zu verschaffen. In diesem Fall war es die Frustration über die politische Wende 2016, die einige meiner Lieder zwischen 2016 und 2019 beeinflussten

Vielen Dank! Es tut mir leid wegen dem Brexit, aber ich hoffe, du kannst irgendwann zurück nach Liverpool kommen.

Das hoffe ich auch!

Filed Under: AVZINE-DE, D-List, German, Interviews, Liverpool, Video Tagged With: Brexit Liverpool, das Walisische Viertel, Deutsche Einwanderer, Deutsche in Liverpool, Deutscher Einfluss Liverpool, Fluss Mersey, Folk Musik Liverpool, Liverpool Musiker, Liverpool Touristenattraktionen, Mersey songs, Merseyside, Musik Liverpool, Rock Musik Liverpool, Studium LIPA, the3million, World-Musik

Top 50 der besten und schlechtesten Gebäude in Manchester

2020-06-24 By Aidan O'Rourke

Ich habe im Juli 2018 dieses Video gemacht. Es präsentiert meine Auswahl der fünfzig besten und schlechtesten Gebäude in Manchester. Ich interessiere mich seit meiner Kindheit für die Architektur von Manchester. Seit ich dieses Video gemacht habe, sind viele neue Gebäude entstanden. Vielleicht schreibe ich einen neuen Beitrag zu diesem Thema. Hier das Transkript des Videos.

Hallo und Willkommen in Manchester. In diesem Video präsentiere ich meine Top Fünfzig der besten und schlechtesten Gebäude in Manchester und Umgebung.

Zuerst die schlechten…

Manchester Arndale Market St facade 04.05.2003

Nummer 50, das Arndale Centre, von Hugh Wilson und Lewis Womersley 1972 bis 1979
Hässlich und viel zu groß, aber als Einkaufszentrum sehr erfolgreich.

49. Das Library Walk Link Building 2015
Zerstört das Effekt der beiden Klassik-Gebäude und blockiert die Fußgängerpassage.

48. Der Piccadilly-Gardens-Pavilion und die Piccadilly-Mauer von Tadao Ando, 2002
Einfach hässlich und erinnerte mich sofort an die Berliner Mauer.

47. Number One Piccadilly Gardens von Allies and Morrison 2003.
Es wurde auf einer Grünfläche gebaut und blockiert die Ansicht der historischen Gebäude.

46. Dieser Wohnblock entstand 2014 im Vorort Northenden
Das Design ist nicht schlecht aber hier im Dorf ist es zu groß und zu dominierend. Das Gebäude ist größer als in den ursprünglichen Plänen.

und jetzt zu den besseren…

45. Piccadilly Plaza von Covell Mathews and Partners, 1965
Viele hassen es aber für mich ist es spannend und futuristisch.

Bernard House Piccadilly Plaza

Bernard House Piccadilly Plaza

44. Bernard House, Piccadilly Plaza, 1965
Hatte ein sehr interessantes Dach. Leider wurde es 2001 abgerissen.

43. Der Beetham Hilton Tower von Ian Simpson Architects, 2007

42. Das Trafford Centre von Chapman Taylor and Leach Rhodes Walker, 1998
Architekten kritisieren es, aber Millionen Besucher finden es gut!

Nummer 41, der Maths Tower der Universität Manchester 1968
Schön aber nicht mehr mit einer modernen Universität kompatibel und 2005 abgerissen. An seiner Stelle entstand…

40. University Place von John McAslan + Partners, 2008
An der Uni heißt es ‘the tin can’ – die Blechdose.

und nun zu den guten…

39. Wythenshawe Park Tennis und Bowls Pavilion vom offiziellen Stadtarchitekten LC Howitt 1960
Ein kleines Meisterwerk der modernen Architektur.

38. Number One Deansgate von Ian Simpson, 2002
Schön aber, wenn Sie Ihre Privatsphäre schätzen, nicht so gut!

37. Furness House, auch Manchester Liners building – 1969
In den ehemaligen Manchester Docks, jetzt Salford Quays – erinnert mich an die Liberty Hall in Dublin

36. Das 1962 gebaute Terminal am Manchester Flughafen, von LC Howitt und Besant Roberts
War für mich als Kind spannend und futuristisch. Hier mein Foto aus dem Jahr 1973.

35. Manchester Airport ATC Tower by CPM Architects 2013
Beeindruckend und sieht ähnlich aus wie andere Tower überall in der Welt.

34. Pall Mall Court von Brett und Pollen 1969
Ein schönes Gebäude der sechziger Jahre.

33. 55 King Street von Casson, Conder & Partners. 1969
War eine Bank und ist jetzt eine Boutique.

32. Das City of Manchester Stadion von Arup, 2002

31. Owens Park Tower von Building Design Partership, BDP, 1968
Ein Studentenwohnheim mit schönen Aussichten.

30. Peter House von Ansell and Bailey – 1958
So alt wie ich und mit einer nach außen gewölbten Fassade. Gegenüber steht…

29. Number One St Peters Square von Glenn Howells Architects, 2015
Ein elegantes Gebäude mit einer nach innen gebogenen Fassade.

28. Das Granada TV Building von Ralph Tubbs, 1956,
Erinnert an die goldene Ära des britischen Fernsehens.

The Lowry Hotel Edge Apartments and River Irwell. Blackfriars Bridge and Manchester Cathedral can be seen straight ahead.

The Lowry Hotel Edge Apartments and River Irwell. Blackfriars Bridge

27. Das Lowry Hotel von Consarc Design Architects, 2001.

26. das Contact-Theatre von Alan Short and Associates, 1999
Ein schönes, interessantes und auch verrücktes Gebäude

Islington Wharf apartment building 27.07.2008

25. Islington Wharf von Broadway Malyan, 2000
Futuristisch mit schönen Aussichten.

24. Oxford Road Station von William Robert Headly and Max Clendinning, 1960.
Der Bahnhof ist aus Holz gebaut und erinnert an das Sydney-Opernhaus.

23. The Royal Exchange Theatre by Levitt Bernstein, 1976
Ein Gebäude in einem Gebäude. Sieht aus wie das Lunar Module.

22. Die Bridgewater Hall von Renton Howard Wood Levin, 1996.
Das neue Zuhause des Halle Orchesters, das vom deutsch-britischen Musiker Sir Charles Hallé 1854 gegründet wurde.

21. The Toast Rack – Hollings Campus von Leonard Cecil Howitt, 1960
War eine Cateringschule. Die Form repräsentiert die Funktion.

20. Manchester Cancer Research Centre von Capital Symonds – 2015

19. Das Nationale Graphene-Institut von Jestico + Whiles – 2015
Hat Facetten wie ein Juwel.

18. The Quay Bar von Stephenson Bell, 1998

hat Preise gewonnen, war aber als Bar nicht erfolgreich und wurde 2007 abgerissen.

17. MMU Business School & Student Hub von FCB Studios 2012
Ein sehr schönes Gebäude aus Glas.

16. Das Stockport Pyramid 1992, ein Wahrzeichen von Stockport.

15. Manchester International Office Centre former Renold Chain – Cruikshank & Seward, 1955
In der Nähe vom Flughafen, ein sehr frühes Beispiel der modernen Büroarchitektur. Ich unterrichte in diesem Gebäude.

14. Der neue Bahnhof Piccadilly von BDP 2002
Meiner Meinung nach, der schönste moderne Bahnhof von Großbritannien. Ich nutze diesen Bahnhof täglich.

13. Gateway House von Richard Seifert and Partners, 1969 wurde in den letzten Jahren renoviert und sieht jetzt sehr schön aus.

12. The Lowry von Michael Wilford, 2000
Mit seiner Fassade aus Metall und seinen verrückten Formen unverkennbar.

11. The Maths and Social Science Building von Cruikshank and Seward 1968
Für mich als Kind, ein Symbol der Moderne.

Manchester University (former UMIST) Renold Building 06.05.2018

10. The Renold Building von W.A. Gibbon des Architektenbüros Cruikshank and Seward, 1962
Ein Meisterwerk der modernen Architektur.

09. Der Hexagon Tower von Richard Seifert, 1973
Dieses futuristische Gebäude sieht wie der moderne PC-Tower aus.

08. Das Daily-Express-Building von Sir Owen Williams 1939
Visionär und zukunftsorientiert – im Gegensatz zur Zeitung, die vor vielen Jahren ausgezogen ist. Das Design beeinflusste Sir Norman Foster.

07. HOME von Mecanoo. 2015
Dieses Zuhause für Kino, Theater und Kunst sieht bei Tag und Nacht toll aus.

06. Das Siemens-Gebäude von Buttress Architects ,1989
In Süd-Manchester, vom Bauhaus-Stil beeinflusst.

05. Das Imperial War Museum North von Daniel Libeskind , 2002
Repräsentiert eine vom Krieg erschütterte Welt.

04. The Civil Justice Centre by Denton Corker Marshall, 2008
Sehr groß, sehr teuer, aber meiner Meinung nach ein Meisterwerk der modernen Architektur.

03. Urbis von Ian Simpson, 2001
Ein tolles, spannendes Gebäude. Mein Manchester-Megaphoto wurde hier ausgestellt. Seit 2012 ist es das Nationale Fußballmuseum

02. One Angel Square von 3DReid, 2013
Für viele Leute das beste moderne Gebäude von Manchester, aber meine Nummer Eins… ist…

01. The CIS Tower von Gordon Tait, 1962 beeinflusst vom Inland Steel Gebäude, Chicago von Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. 1956. Seit 2004 ein riesiges Solar-Projekt. Ich habe im CIS-Tower unterrichtet.

Chicago Inland Steel Building and Manchester CIS Tower

Und was ist dein Lieblingsgebäude? Bitte schreib es in die Kommentare unten.

Bitte liken und abonnieren, danke.

Vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen und auf Wiedersehen in Manchester.

Bitte liken und abonnieren.

909 Wörter

Filed Under: Architecture, D-List, German, Stockport

George Best 1946-2005 – deutsche Version geschrieben und gesprochen von Aidan O’Rourke

2020-06-20 By Aidan O'Rourke 1 Comment

die Audiovisuelle Zeitschrift - Titelkopf

GEORGE BEST 1946-2005

BITTE HIER KLICKEN, UM DIE ENGLISCHE VERSION ZU SEHEN.

Wenn wir an George Best denken, denken wir dann an seinen Fußball, oder an seinen Alkoholismus? Diese Frage haben sich viele Leute auch während seines allzu kurzen Lebens gestellt. Wie wird er in Erinnerung bleiben?

George Best wurde am 22. Mai 1946 in Belfast, Nordirland geboren. Sein Vater Dickie war Werftarbeiter, seine Mutter Annie ehemalige Hockeyspielerin. Sie haben presbyterianischen Hintergrund und wohnen im Wohnviertel Cregagh, Südost-Belfast, Burren Way Nummer 16.

Die Familie Best hat sechs Kinder und George ist ihr erstes Kind. In jeder freien Minute kickt er auf der Straße und auf dem benachbarten Sportplatz. Mit fünfzehn Jahren wird er vom Talentscout des Manchester United Bob Bishop entdeckt.

Sir Matt Busby statue MUFCDer Verein war auf der Suche nach neuem Talent, denn drei Jahre zuvor musste er einen schweren Schlag erleiden. Es geschah am Donnerstag den 6. Februar, 1958 am Flughafen München-Riem. Das Team hatte für den Europapokal gegen Roter Stern Belgrad gespielt und waren auf dem Rückweg nach Manchester.

Ihre Maschine, ein Airspeed Ambassador, machte zum Auftanken einen Zwischenstopp in München. Es schneite und war eisig kalt. Beim dritten Startversuch kam die Maschine von der Startbahn ab und explodierte. Die Hälfte der Mannschaft starb. Cheftrainer Matt Busby wurde schwer verletzt und schwebte in Lebensgefahr. Neun Mannschaftsmitglieder überlebten. Matt Busby erholte sich und begann ein neues Team aufzubauen.

1961 schreibt Talentscout Bob Bishop in einem Telegramm an Matt Busby: “Ich glaube, ich habe für Sie ein Genie entdeckt”. Best kommt nach Manchester, geht aber schon nach einem Tag wieder zurück nach Belfast. Er fühlt sich im weltberühmten Verein nicht wohl und hat Heimweh. Matt Busby schreibt an seinen Vater. Er spricht mit seinem Sohn, antwortet und Best kehrt nach Manchester zurück. Danach wird Busby zu einer Vaterfigur für ihn.

George wohnt in einem kleinen Haus in der Aycliffe Avenue, Chorlton, Süd-Manchester bei der Witwe Fullaway und ihrem Sohn Steve, einem Fan von Manchester United. Sie kümmert sich um ihn wie um ihren eigenen Sohn.

Bald werden seine Kameraden auf seine Talente aufmerksam. “Sensationell”, sagt Pat Crerand im BBC-Film von 2017 “aber auch ein sehr netter und ruhiger Junge”. Sein erster Einsatz ist am 14. September 1963 im Spiel gegen West Bromwich Albion.

Es ist das gemeinsame Ziel von Manchester United, den Europapokal zu gewinnen. 1966 spielt United gegen Benfica im Viertelfinale des Europapokals. Es steht 3 zu 2 vom Hinspiel. Nach dem Freistoß von Tony Dunne erzielt George Best mit einem Kopfstoß das erste Tor. Fünf Minuten später lässt er mehrere Benfica-Spieler aussteigen und trifft zum zweiten Mal. Manchester United gewinnt die Partie mit 5 zu 1 aber nicht den Pokal.

Im BBC-Dokumentar kommentiert Torwart Harry Gregg: “Der Abend, an dem George zu einer anderen Person wurde, war der Abend, an dem George zwei Tore gegen Benfica erzielte. An dem Abend wurde er zur Legende George Best.”

George Best wird zum ersten Fußball-Popstar mit extravagantem Lebensstil: Partys, teure Autos, Champagner, Glücksspiele, Frauen. Der Eigentümer von zwei Modeboutiquen tritt in Fernsehshows auf und wird ‘fünfter Beatle’ genannt.

Lissabon 1968, im Endspiel des europäischen Landesmeisterwettbewerbs gegen Benfica gelangt Best ein Treffer. United siegt mit 4:1. Best wird zum Fußballer des Jahres in Europa und in England gewählt.

Zehn Jahre nach der Luftkatastrophe hat Matt Busby sein Ziel erreicht. Mit 22 Jahren erreicht George Best den Höhepunkt seiner Karriere. Aber wohin kann es nun gehen? Für George Best geht es leider bergab.

Am 26. April 1969 tritt Sir Matt Busby als Cheftrainer zurück, bleibt aber als General Manager im Verein. Ihm folgen mehrere Trainer, aber bei Manchester United sind die großen Zeiten vorbei.

Bests Alkoholeskapaden werden immer häufiger. Er kommt betrunken oder überhaupt nicht zum Training. Überall wird er von der Presse gejagt.

George Best mural Blythe St Belfast

George-Best-Wandmalerei, Blythe Street, Belfast

George lässt ein Traumhaus in der Blossoms Lane südlich von Manchester bauen. Die hochmoderne Jungesellenbude bietet jedoch nur weitere Möglichkeiten für Partys, Rendezvous mit hübschen Fotomodellen und Alkohol. Einmal bleibt George mehrere Tage vermisst und wird dann in London aufgefunden. Sir Matt stipuliert, dass er zurück zu Frau Fullaway muss.

Wegen seiner Spielsucht und seiner erfolglosen Geschäftsaktivitäten hat er Schulden aufgebaut.

1972 erklärt Best seinen Rücktritt, macht aber neun Monate später ein Comeback, jedoch ohne Erfolg. Er ist nicht fit und trainiert nicht oft genug, geschweige denn die Effekte des Alkohols.

Nach elf Jahren bei Manchester United tritt er zum letzten Mal am 1. Januar 1974 auf. Er hatte in 470 Spielen 179 Tore geschossen, spielte aber weder eine WM oder EM.

Dann folgt eine Reihe von Auftritten: für die Jewish Guild of Johannesburg, Dunstable Town, Stockport County, Cork Celtic, Los Angeles Aztecks. Elton John war damals Miteigentümer des Vereins.

Dort wird er zum Kultstar und kann das Leben in Kalifornien genießen: Am Tag Fußball, dann Racquetball am Strand, am Abend Pool und Getränke mit Freunden. In Hermosa Beach lernt er das Fotomodell und ehemalige Playboy-Bunny Angie MacDonald kennen. 1978 heiraten sie in Las Vegas.

Die Stabilität dauert aber nicht lange. George eröffnet eine Bar, Bestie’s Bar und die Alkoholprobleme kehren zurück. Angie wird schwanger, Calum wird 1981 geboren.

Schon wieder erscheint er nicht zum Training. Er wird vom Verein gesperrt, wechselt zu Fort Lauderdale Strikers, spielt bei FC Fulham, Hibernian Edinburgh, dann San Jose Earthquakes. Dort dort macht er dreimal eine Alkoholtherapie, aber diese brachte nichts und er kehrt endlich zurück nach Großbritannien.

Manchester United 'Trinity' statue, Old Trafford Ground

Trinity-Statue, MUFC-Stadion, Old Trafford

Best spielt 37 Mal für die Nationalmannschaft Nordirlands und erzielt neun Tore. Er erklärt, dass er für ein vereinigtes irisches Nord-Süd-Nationalteam sei. Nach Auftritten bei AFC Bournemouth und den australischen Brisbane Lions, beendet Best seine Karriere.

Im Jahr 1984 wird er betrunken am Steuer von einem Polizisten erwischt. Weil er einen Polizisten auch beleidigt, muss er für zwei Monate ins Gefängnis.

Im Jahr 1986 lässt er sich von Angie scheiden. In den späten 80er Jahren arbeitet für verschiedene Zeitungen und wird Kommentator für Sky Sports. Er spricht offen über seine Alkoholprobleme. Über seine Eskapaden wird in der britischen Boulevardpresse fast jeden Tag berichtet.

1995 heiratet er das Fotomodell Alex Pursey. Im BBC-Film bekennt sie, er sei ohne Alkohol der ideale Ehemann. Unter Alkoholeinfluss werde er aber oft aggressiv.

Im Dezember 2001 bekommt er die Ehrendoktorwürde an der Queens University Belfast. Eine Lebertransplantation erfolgt im August 2002, aber er kommt vom Alkohol nicht weg. Im Jahr 2004 verliert er wegen Trunkenheit am Steuer den Führerschein und seine Ehe mit Alex endet in einer Scheidung.

Im Oktober 2005 wird er ins Londoner Cromwell Hospital eingeliefert. Das Ende kommt am 25. November 2005 um 13:00 Uhr. Vor dem Krankenhaus sagt sein Sohn Callum. Ich habe nicht nur meinen Vater verloren, sondern wir alle haben einen wunderbaren Menschen verloren.

In seiner Heimatstadt Belfast kommen 100.000 Menschen zur Beerdigung.

Im Jahre 2007 wird der Flughafen in George Best City Airport umbenannt. Aber die Entscheidung ist umstritten. Im Volksentscheid waren 52% dafür, 48% dagegen.

Wenn wir also an George Best denken, kommt sein Fußball oder sein Alkoholismus in den Sinn? Die Antwort ist beide, denn es sind die zwei Seiten eines tragischen Helden.

In seiner Heimat wird sein Name noch mit Ehrfurcht von Protestanten wie Katholiken ausgesprochen. In vielen Gegenden sieht man George-Best-Wandmalereien. Bei YouTube werden Videos seiner legendären Dribbel-Künste millionenmal angeschaut. Die George Best Facebook-Seite hat heute mehr als 300.000 Mitglieder, mehr als irgend ein anderer verstorbener Fußballer.

Was kann man letztendlich über George Best sagen? Genie auf dem Rasen, bekanntester Fußballer der Beat-Generation, tragischer Held. Doch für seine Fans, jung und alt, bleibt George Best der beste Fußballer aller Zeiten.

Filed Under: AVZINE-DE, D-List, German, Manchester Tagged With: George Best Biografie, George Best Fußballer

The German influence in Manchester

2020-05-08 By Aidan O'Rourke 2 Comments

Manchester, a city in North West England – a British city with international and European influences, a city where migration has played a key role.

The German influence in Manchester is significant but often hidden. In this video, I look for the traces of German language and culture and some of the people from the German speaking countries who helped to make Manchester what it is today.

The name Albert is famous all over the UK. Streets, buildings and monuments are named after him. But how many people know where he came from?

Prinz Albert von Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha, to give him his correct title, was born in 1819. In English we say Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg and Gotha.

He married Queen Victoria and became Prince Consort. Sadly he died in 1861 at the age of 42. His birthplace, Schloss Rosenau, now in Bavaria near the former East German border, is open to the public and I intend to visit.

Round the corner – um die Ecke – from Albert Square you’ll find Alberts Schloss – a self-proclaimed palace of Bavarian and Bohemian-inspired food and drink. It’s on the ground floor of the Albert Hall on Peter Street.

Opposite Alberts Schloss is the Free Trade Hall, former home of the Hallé Orchestra founded by Sir Charles Hallé. Karl Halle was born in the town of Hagen, now in the federal state of Nordrhein-Westfalen. He came to England and changed his name to Hallé with an accent on the letter ‘e’ so people wouldn’t call him Mr ‘Hall’.

In 1858 he founded the Hallé Orchestra – Im Jahre 1858 gründete er das Hallé Orchester – and brought many German musicians over from Germany. He had a distinguished career. His gravestone is in Weaste Cemetery, Salford.

Friedrich Engels was born in Barmen, Wuppertal in 1820. He came to Manchester to work in the family textile business. He studied the English working class and wrote ‘die Lage der Arbeitenden Klasse in England’ – ‘The condition of the working class in England’. In 2017 a statue of Friedrich Engels was brought from Ukraine to Manchester. It stands in front of Manchester’s HOME arts centre.

In the 19th century German-speaking immigrants came to Manchester. Many went on to generate huge wealth and helped to make Manchester the city it is today. Hans Renold wurde 1852 in Aarau geboren – Hans Renold was born in 1852 in Aarau, west of Zürich in the German-speaking part of Switzerland He came to Manchester and founded Renold Chain. The Renold Building in Manchester University is named after his son Sir Charles Renold. Renold is a worldwide company and its head office is near Manchester Airport.

Siemens is a German company that is a major player in the UK. You’ll find the Siemens name in many places, such as on the doors of these trains.

Simon is a name familiar to people from Manchester. Henry Simon and Simon Carves are prominent local companies. In Wythenshawe you’ll find Simonsway and in Manchester city centre, Shena Simon Campus of the Manchester College. Where does the name come from? It doesn’t sound very German. Gustav Heinrich Victor Amandus Simon wurde 1835 geboren – He was born in 1835 in the Prussian town of Brieg, now Brzeg in Poland. He moved to Manchester, changed his name to Henry Simon and founded Simon Carves and Simon Engineering.

Henry Simon revolutionierte die britische Mehlindustrie – He revolutionised the British flour industry. His son Ernest Simon, 1st Baron Simon of Wythenshawe was a politician and former Lord Mayor of Manchester. His wife Lady Simon was a politician, feminist and educationalist.

He bought Wythenshawe Hall and donated it to the city in 1926. On the estate a new town was built, named Wythenshawe. With its wide roads and yellow trams it looks like Germany – es sieht aus wie in Deutschland.

In England we don’t explain our street names. I think the Simonsway sign should have information about Ernest Simon so I made a version in Photoshop.

Only a short distance away in West Didsbury are Marie Louise Gardens, given to the city by Mrs Silkenstadt, the widow of a wealthy German merchant, in memory of their daughter.

Die Gardens haben eine besondere Ambiente – the gardens have a special atmosphere, like other parts of West Didsbury. Many German musicians, industrialists and scientists lived here, the name Palatine Road recalls Rhineland-Pfalz, but it’s so called because it links the two palatinates of Lancashire and Cheshire across the river Mersey

The River Irwell has a Germanic name. In German ‘irre’ means ‘crazy’, or meandering. ’Welle’ means wave or water so the ‘Irre Welle’ the ‘crazy wave’ might be the origin of Irwell, though it’s not certain. Anglo-Saxon migrants brought their Germanic language to England from around the 5th century onwards and it eventually became the language I’m speaking now, English.

Die Spuren der deutschen – the traces of German people – can be seen around the conurbation. There is a large German community living in the Manchester area today and some of them attend the Martin-Luther-Kirche in Stretford.

In Stockport there is an intriguing sign on a row of cottages on the A6. Germans buildings. Woher kommt der Name? – Where does the name come from? I would love to know.

In the Edgeley district of Stockport where I grew up, there are streets named after European capitals including Berlin and Vienna. As a child I loved these street names, Berliner Straße und Wiener Straße.

In central Manchester there is an area called Brunswick – the anglicised name for the German city of Braunschweig in North Germany. Brunswick Street runs from Ardwick to Manchester University where it was turned into a park.

Woher kommt der Name? Where does the name come from? Caroline of Brunswick was Queen Caroline, Königin von Großbritannien, Irland und Hannover von 1820 bis 1821. She was Queen of Great Britain, Ireland and Hanover from 1820 to 1821. She has a remarkable story I intend to return to.

On Brunswick Street, now Brunswick Park on the Manchester University campus there is the Simon building, named after Henry Simon and the Schuster Building, named after Arthur Schuster, ein Physiker deutscher Abstammung – a physicist of German origin. He was born in Frankfurt in 1851 and became professor of Applied Physics at Manchester University.

Another German physicist was Hans Geiger. Er wurde 1882 in Neustadt an der Haardt geboren – he was born in Neustadt an der Haardt in 1882. He worked with Ernest Rutherford and gave his name to the Geiger Counter. He is not to be confused with the Austrian Kurt Geiger who founded the shop of the same name in London in 1963. There’s a branch in Manchester.

Other German-sounding high street names are Deichmann – der größte Schuhhändler in Europa – the biggest shoe retailer in Europe, founded by Heinrich Deichmann and based in Essen. schuh is a British company founded in 1981 in Scotland. They chose the German spelling for the name of their store.

Remember when you shop at Spar, they are telling you to save. Spar was founded in the Netherlands and the word spar in Dutch and in German means ‘save’.

Not far from Piccadilly Station is Elbe Street – Elbestraße, next to Raven Street – Raabestraße. The street is named after the wide magnificent river Elbe, which flows through Dresden and Hamburg. Elbe Street is neither wide nor magnificent, more Elbegasse than Elbestraße. The origin of the name is a mystery I would like to uncover.

Radium Street in Ancoats was originally called German Street – aber der Name wurde geändert – the name was changed. At the end of the First World War, many references to Germany were erased. The Royal Family changed their name from Saxe-Coburg Gotha to Windsor. Rutherford experimented with Radium at Manchester University and so German Street became Radium Street. I think the name German Street should be revived.

Not far away is Dantzic Street, named after the former German city of Danzig, now Gdansk in Poland. The spelling has been anglicised to give the correct pronunciation. The name probably arose from Manchester’s trading links with the Baltic area. I would love to know who chose the name and why.

Der deutsche Einfluss in Manchester ist kaum sichtbar, oft wird er sogar verschwiegen – the German influence in Manchester is mostly invisible and is often hidden, not spoken about.

Dantzic Street crosses Hanover Street. Das Haus Hannover produced five of Britain’s monarchs, from George the 1st to Queen Victoria.

Am Ende der Hannoverstraße – at the end of Hanover Street is Victoria Station where you’ll find a large nineteenth century map of the Lancashire and Yorkshire railway. In the far top right are the names of German cities across the North Sea – once called the German Ocean.

Stettin – now Szczecin in Poland, Hamburg and Bremen. In those days you could travel by train to Hull and by ship direct to Germany. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries many Jewish people came from Germany and central Europe to Manchester via this route.

They brought their customs, German-sounding names and Yiddish language, which is closely related to German. You can find out more about Jewish-German heritage at the Manchester Jewish Museum.

And at Manchester’s other station, Piccadilly, there are multilingual signs – The one in German says: Willkommen bei Metrolink – welcome to Metrolink. It continues: Fahrkarten sind nicht in der Bahn erhältlich – tickets are not available in the tram – Bitte kaufen Sie Ihre Fahrkarte auf dem Bahnsteig. Please buy your ticket on the platform. Vielen Dank. From here it’s just a short tram ride to the Christmas markets – die Weihnachtsmärkte – held in November and Dezember.

Auf den Weihnachtsmärkten kann man Essen und Trinken aus Deutschland genießen – at the Christmas Markets you can enjoy food and drink from Germany. You can try Bratwust, fried sausage, Bockwurst boiled sausage, deutsches Bier und vielleicht Bratkartoffeln – maybe fried potatoes. The prices are higher than in Germany but you can sample German culture and cuisine right in the heart of Manchester!

There’s plenty of Weihnachtsstimmung – Christmas atmosphere. And did you know the wooden tower with a rotor at the top is called a Weihnachtspyramide, a Christmas pyramid. The Christmas Markets are on St Peters Square and Albert Square, where we began.

And so to the Zusammenfassung…

Der deutsche Einfluss in Manchester ist bedeutend. Im 19. Jahrhundert kamen deutschsprachige Einwanderer nach Manchester. Der Ingenieur Henry Simon revolutionierte die britische Mehlindustrie. Der Musiker Charles Hallé gründete das Hallé Orchester. Friedrich Engels studierte die englische Arbeiterklasse. Es gibt zwar den Albert Square, die Dantzic Street und die Brunswick Street, aber der deutsche Einfluss in Manchester ist kaum sichtbar, oft wird er sogar verschwiegen. Auf den Weihnachtsmärkten kann man Essen und Trinken aus Deutschland genießen.

The German influence in Manchester is significant. In the 19th century German-speaking immigrants came to Manchester. The engineer Henry Simon revolutionised the British flour industry. The musician Charles Hallé founded the Hallé Orchestra. Friedrich Engels studied the English working class. There is Albert Square, Dantzic Street and Brunswick Street, but the German influence is hardly visible. It’s often hidden, not spoken about. At the Christmas markets you can enjoy food and drink from Germany.

If you’re interested in learning German, go to aidan.co.uk/german

Vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen und auf Wiedersehen in Manchester.

Filed Under: German, Manchester, Uncategorized

What does the EU do? Information video in English and German

2019-03-12 By Aidan O'Rourke

London, capital of the UK. A great world city. A great European city. In early 2019 MPs here in Westminster had an important decision to take. To help them I made a list of 24 things made possible through European cooperation which we the people of Britain, the people of Europe, benefit from.

My name is Aidan O’Rourke and I’m a photographer video maker and language coach. This video is bilingual 90% English 10% German to facilitate language learning, cross-cultural exchange and knowledge.

Please play the video to the end to hear an intriguing story from the dark final years of the Second World War that’s still relevant to us today.

1. In the single market – im Binnenmarkt – companies can trade with 500 million potential customers without restrictions.

2. Through free trade agreements – Freihandelsabkommen – they can enjoy free access to additional markets all over the world.

3. We have minimum rights in the workplace Mindestrechte am Arbeitsplatz.

4. We can use a stable currency across Europe, the euro – der Euro.

5. We can travel in the Schengen zone and there are no border checks keine Grenzkontrollen.

6. There’s an open border in Ireland – eine offene Grenze – in Irland.

7. We can find a job – einen Job finden – in our neighbouring countries with the minimum of formalities.

8. We can take pets across borders more easily using the pet passport or Heimtierausweis.

9. We can enjoy cheap flights – Billigflüge.

10. We can use our mobile phones outside the home network and there are no roaming charges keine Roaminggebühren.

11. We can buy a house or a flat – ein Haus oder eine Wohnung – in one of our neighbouring countries.

12. Disadvantaged regions can receive financial support – Fördermittel – through the ERDF.

13. Billions of euros are paid out through the Horizon 2020 program for science and research Wissenschaft und Forschung.

14. We can enjoy high food standards – hohe Lebensmittelstandards – higher than in the US.

15. We can buy products from Europe – Produkte aus Europa – at lower prices because there are no tariffs.

16. Car manufacturers can import and export parts without formalities for just-in-time delivery – Just-in-time-Lieferung.

17. It’s possible to drive in mainland Europe using your national driving license – mit dem nationalen Führerschein.

18. We can enjoy clean beaches – saubere Strände.

19. We can use credit cards without extra fees Kreditkarten ohne Extragebühren.

20. Whenever we are on the continent we can feel at home – Wir können uns zu Hause fühlen.

21. Employers can bring in the best workers – die besten Arbeiter.

22. Young people can do an Erasmus exchange – einen Erasmus-Austasuch – and improve their languages.

23. Europeans turning 18 can apply for a free Interrail ticket – ein kostenloses Interrail-Ticket.

24. We can all enjoy peace in Europe – Wir können alle in Europa den Frieden genießen – European cooperation makes it possible die europäische Zusammenarbeit macht es möglich.

And the cost to each UK citizen? Around 37 pence per day – zirka siebenunddreißig pence pro Tag.

I’ll finish with a story from history. This is Gedenkstätte Plötzensee – Plötzensee Memorial Berlin, a grim time capsule of the final years of the Second World War – der zweite Weltkrieg – where resistance fighters were executed by the Nazi regime.

Their crimes? They distributed leaflets criticising the regime, they saved the lives of Jewish people and they supported each other. They dreamed of a new Europe. They called themselves die Europäische Union – the European Union.

Thank you very much for watching, please like, comment and subscribe and I’ll see you in the next video. Auf Wiedersehen.

For more information do a search for Madeleina Kay’s excellent book 24 Reasons to Remain.

If you’re interested in learning German go to aidan.co.uk/german

Filed Under: German, Video

Video: Eleven reasons to learn German from job finding to brain jogging.

2019-01-22 By Aidan O'Rourke

This article is adapted from the script I wrote for this video for my Explore Learn German YouTube channel, launched 9.1.2019. Using bilingual headings I outline 11 reasons why it’s a good idea to learn the German language.

1. Viele Leute sprechen Deutsch! – Many people speak German.

In fact German is the most widely spoken language in the EU. Over 100 million people speak German as their first language in Germany, Austria Switzerland, Liechtenstein, in the east of Belgium, in the north of Italy and in Luxembourg. German will take you from the border with Denmark in the north, down to Vienna in the east of Austria, or from the border with France in the south west to Berlin, Leipzig and Dresden next to Poland and the Czech Republic. That’s a large part of Europe.

2. Deutschland ist ein fantastisches Land – Germany is a fantastic country.
Here’s my photo of Dresden on the River Elbe. And this is the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. Here’s Köln – Cologne, the magnificent view across the Rhine to the Kölner Dom – Cologne Cathedral. This is an attractive corner of Leipzig and here’s the skyline of Nürnberg, Nuremberg with its cathedral and this is Schloss Neuschwanstein – Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria. Germany has many amazing attractions you probably don’t know about, like Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg or the Einstein Tower in Potsdam. It’s all there to discover and your knowledge of the language will help you to discover it.

3. Man kann einen Job finden – You can find a job with German. For most jobs in the country, a good knowledge of German is essential. There are some areas, for example IT and Travel where you might be able to get by with just English, but it’s much better if you know the language. Ihre Karrere startet hier! Your career will take off here. This advert says Wir suchen Verkäufer und Verkäuferinnen in voll- und Teilzeit – We’re looking for sales people, male and female, full and part time. For these jobs, German is essential. Startbahn für Ihre Laufbahn – runway for your career. This leaflet has informaiton about jobs and training at Hamburg Airport. In general people who know Fremdsprachen – foreign languages – have better job prospects.

Die Deutsche Sprache ist eine wichtige Sprache – The German language is an important language for art music culture philosophy science. Here is a list of some famous German scientists. Alois Alzheimer, who identified the disease called Alzheimers, Emil von Behring, the Nobel prize-winning physiologist saved children from diphtheria and Melitta Bentz, who invented the coffee filter and Albert Einstein, who needs no introduction. And by the way, this music is by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart born in Salzburg, Austria. It’s Eine Kleine Nachtmusik – a little night music or a small evening serenade. This plaque commemorates Werner von Siemens, inventor of the electric railway. Germany and the other German-speaking countries have played a very positive role in the development of Europe and the world. There is a large but often hidden German influence in the UK and the United States. That’s one of the themes of this channel.

Man kann die deutschen Medien erkunden – You can explore the German media, like these magazines and newspapers. The German media are in many ways superior to the media in the English-speaking countries, with greater choice and better quality – but that’s just my opinion – das ist nur meine Meinung. Nowadays thanks to the Internet its possible to access these media in a way that was impossible before. The more German you know the more you’ll be able to appreciate them.

Englisch ist eine germanische Sprache – English is a germanic language, alongside Dutch, Frisian, Icelandic, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and of course German. That means that you will know many German words already. For instance Haus, muss, Traum, Mann, gehen, Schwester, Wunder and many more.

Die deutsche Sprache ist eine schöne Sprache – German is a beautiful language.
I love the architecture of the German language, how the sentences are built as well as the sound of the words. The spelling is regular, it’s easy to work out the pronunciation, nouns have a capital letter, and there are many wonderful compound words. But there is a prejudice against German. Many believe it is not as beautiful as other languages, aber das istfalsch! Thats wrong! To me German is like the Kölner Dom – ancient, solid, dominating and with many secrets. The more German you learn, the more you will appreciate its unique quality.

Deutsch lernen ist Gehirnjogging – Learning German is brainjogging. Like learning any other language, it promotes brain power, and studies suggest it can help against Alzheimer’s disease. There are many fascinating studies on how knowing a second language improves your thinking and even your ability to take decisions. You also get a feeling of achievement when you make progress in the language. Learning a language is a form of mental exercise that can benefit you in a similar way that physical exercise helps your body.

Man kann neue Freunde finden und vielleicht auch die Liebe – You can make new friends and even find love, if that’s what you’re looking for. It’s great to make friends with people from a different culture and language and to be able to speak to them in their own language. You can start practicing in your home country. There are local groups with a mixture of German and English speakers who like to meet up and speak German. Many of my students are in mixed relationships. And being with a German-speaking partner will help you learn the language even faster.

Man kann über die eigene Kultur und Sprache lernen. – You can learn about your own culture and language. Another very important benefit of knowing a foreign language is that you can look at your own culture from a different point of view. People who only know English are often less aware of aspects of their culture and language. It’s fascinating to see your own culture through through different eyes. The only way you can really get to experience this fully is to make progress in the language until you start to see things from the point of view of the foreign culture. In fact, it’s no longer is foreign, it becomes part of who you are.

Machen Sie mehr aus Ihren Reisen – Get more out of your trips to the German-speaking countries. Even a small amount of German will make a big difference to your trip, for example to read important signs, ordering things in shops and when travelling by bus or train. Knowing some German can make your trip go a lot more smoothly and help avoid problems. You get so much more out of your visit when you can understand and appreciate the cultural background. A vocabuary of just a hundred words will help you a lot. Thousand will take you a lot further.

And so we come to the Zusammenfassung – the summary

  1. Viele Leute sprechen Deutsch!
  2. Deutschland ist ein fantastisches Land.
  3. Man kann einen Job finden.
  4. Deutsch ist eine wichtige Sprache.
  5. Man kann die deutschen Medien erkunden.
  6. Englisch ist eine germanische Sprache.
  7. Die deutsche Sprache ist eine schöne Sprache.
  8. Deutsch lernen ist Gehirnjogging.
  9. Man kann neue Freunde finden und vielleicht die Liebe!
  10. Man kann über die eigene Kultur und Sprache lernen.
  11. Machen Sie mehr aus Ihren Reisen.

If you’re interested in learning German, go to www.aidan.co.uk/german

Filed Under: German Tagged With: Deutsch lernen, Deutsche Sprache, German courses, German Liverpool, German Manchester, learn german, learn German language, one-to-one German lessons, private tutor German

Review of Kraftwerk live in Brighton, 07.06.2017

2017-06-08 By Aidan O'Rourke

Kraftwerk live in Brighton 07.06.2017Kraftwerk are a contradiction. They use synthesisers and computers yet their music is full of expressiveness. They deal with complex themes of modernity and technology, yet their lyrics are often slogans or single words, often in multiple languages. On stage the four band members barely tap their feet to the music, and yet their electronic beat is so infectious, it has been the inspiration for dance genres including Hip-Hop, Techno and House.

I saw Kraftwerk at the Brighton Centre on 7 June, 2017. I travelled 260 miles from Manchester by Megabus and Southern Railway, and it was well worth the journey.

There were queues in front of the hall, which overlooks the sea, and after a long wait while the audience took their seats, the lights went down, the electronic beat started, four men walked onto the stage, each wearing a body suit stamped with a wireframe design. They stood behind four electronic musical instruments, futuristic  lecterns, lit up from inside.

On a huge screen behind them, shapes, patterns and words danced in 3D. We viewed them through stereoscopic glasses provided on entry. Each band member operated his electronic control centre – or was it a keyboard – gently tapping a foot or pressing a hand on a button or key.

The show progressed with dazzling and pulsating beats, patterns and slogans: “Eins zwei drei vier fünf sechs sieben acht.” For people, like me, who understand German, it was great. Kraftwerk make German sound cool.

They performed many of their greatest hits, some instrumental, others with words, sung by co-founder Ralf Hütter, who stood on the left. It was clear that he was actually playing the keyboard and singing live. The versions were quite different from the records and had an improvised feel.

I loved their live version of Autobahn with its computer-generated images of a VW Beetle and classic Mercedes driving on an imagined motorway in Germany some time in the seventies.

Radioaktivität has gained new significance since the seventies. The place names flashed up on screen told their own story: “HIROSHIMA – HARRISBURG – TSCHERNOBYL – SELLAFIELD – FUKUSHIMA”.

Each song and its accompanying graphics was an exploration in sound and graphics. Tour de France, Trans Europe Express show Kraftwerk are not just a German but European phenomenon.

The time went quickly and sadly the curtains closed. But there was a surprise in store, I won’t say what it is because it would be a spoiler! Suffice to say it was intriguing, humorous and typically Kraftwerk!

They returned for an encore, and played long, mesmerising tracks with that infectious, groundbreaking electro beat. Abstract waveforms and patterns flashed hypnotically on the screen above. A few people got up and danced at the front enjoying a mini-rave.

Finally each member went off separately, taking the final bow. Ralf Hütter was the last to depart, and that was the end of the Kraftwerk concert, an experience I won’t forget for a long time.

 

Save

Filed Under: German, Music Tagged With: concerts, electronic, German, gigs, Krautrock

Follow Aidan O'Rourke @Aidan4Europe on Twitter Link up with Aidan O'Rourke on Facebook Subscribe to my AVZ YouTube channel Instagram Linked In

Recent Articles + Videos

47 Beatles Locations Map and Yellow Submarine Thumbnail
Manchester in Artists' Eyes
AVZINE Architectural Disasters
Building boom in Manchester
Healthcare UK vs Germany
AVZ The Welsh Influence in Liverpool
Bayreuth + Glyndebourne English version
Gander Airport - English version
Interview with CP Lee
AVZ GEORGE BEST 1946-2005
Commentary by Aidan O'Rourke - Remembering Kodachrome
Exhibition of the Moon - English version

Copyright Aidan O'Rourke © 2021 - Privacy Policy

On some pages, this website uses cookies. You can opt-out if you wish.Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.