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