Opinion of a Portuguese

[loliveira]

Lieber deutsche Leser,
I was shocked when I read about the intentions of your Bundesregierung to move or even completely do away with the Tag der Einheit. I’m not a German citizen and I apologise if I hurt any of you with my comments or if I come across like I’m meddling in your internal affairs. That’s really not my intention. However I felt the need to add my thoughts to this forum, as I’ve lived in Berlin for 12 years and Germany is definitively “meine zweite Heimat”. When I left Portugal in 1984, there was still a wall in Berlin, there were two "Germanies"- a federal one and a “democratic” one. Everything I got to see, hear and feel on both sides of the wall was clear evidence that this partition was everything but natural. It was a wound. And then it happened. I am so privileged to be among those who were there on that 9th November. Call me an idealist and a fool, but yes, I cried as if it were my own country that was coming together again. Fifteen years later it’s quite obvious that Germans are still divided, not physically, but socially and, yes, ideologically. I understand their disenchantment quite well. It all happened so fast (but then, what was the alternative?), lots of mistakes were made (but then, who was checking?).
I have lots of German friends, but it seems like every time we are discussing this chapter in German history I end up as the only one defending it, it’s like they take some enjoyment in inflicting remorse and guilt upon themselves. They look down to their navel and they don’t like what they see, but that’s all, they don’t look beyond that. Throughout centuries Germany has contributed in so many ways to enrich the European continent and, yes, the world. I don’t have to name them, you know them as well. True, out of Germany came great evils as well – the historical burden has indeed become heavy to the broad shoulders of the German people. But it seems to me that this part of the German past should be purged by now, not forgotten, but overcome. Look at the face of Europe as it is today. Do you honestly believe we owe it to Ronald Reagan? No. We owe it to the Czechs, we owe it to the Hungarians, we owe it to Gorbachev, but first and above all we owe it to ALL Germans and they shouldn’t let anybody steal that from them. They weren’t mere spectators, they were the actors!

Now, I would have said that the real Tag der Einheit should have been “der Tag der Wiedervereinigung” and that would have been the 9th of November. Most likely for political reasons it was decided that the Einheit of all Germans would be on 3rd October (1990) but you cannot wind back history. Nevertheless moving or scrapping that date would be denying Germans the respect they have come so hard to deserve.

A German fan from Portugal.
(Sorry for writing in English, but in German it would have taken forever)

[Reality]

I don´t think, that "Der Tag der deutschen Einheit" will abolished by politicians. But on the other hand... The germans have almost no Nationalstolz (I don´t how to say it in english. Maybe you understand it.)

[dra]

Hello loliveira!

Let me first off all thank you for your nice words regarding Germany. Unfortunately, I've found alot of people from all over the world to be prejuidiced against Germany or Germans. What happened in the first half of the 20th century still seems to play a rather large part in making up people's minds about Germany. We must not forget what happened. In fact, we need to remember it. Remember it in order to prevent this, or anything similar, from ever happening again. But the Germany there is today is completely different from the Germany there has been until 1945. Thus, I'm deeply thankful to you for trying as hard as you can to spread the word of the new, modern Germany.

I also dislike the idea of abolishing this historically very important holiday. Despite the way I think of Eastern Germany, this day marked a turning point in German history, and nobody, neither the German gouvernment, nor anybody else should have the right to touch it as long as Germany roughly stays the way it is now, which I hope it will for a long time. To me, this suggestion (which was made by Hans Eichel first, I think), to abolish this holiday in favor of the economy, seems rather ridiculous. There are eight to twelve holidays in Germany, depending on the state. If that's the only way to go, how long will it take until all holidays are used up?

I am neither an economic nor a political scientist. But I think what the gouvernment poposed there is completely irrational and useless, and there certainly better ways of improving the German economy. The administration came up with the "Agenda 2010", a reform packet to overcome the problems of the aging German system (especially retirement and social system), during Schröder's first term as chancellor. And regardless of the effect this agenda will have on particular groups of people (trust me, the ins and outs have been discussed in this forum more than enough), the most important factor for it to succeed is: time. And rushing to take away from the people what shouldn't be taken away from them is thus just not the right thing to do.

Let's hope that the Unreachables (aka: politicians) wash out their heads before it's too late. Virtually every contry has a national holiday. And I think it's not hard to imagine what would happen if the US gouvernment took away the US Independence Day. As I'm not religious so there are plenty of other holidays I'd rather see abolished than our national holiday, but as said before, this is not even the right way to go.

So, from a European to a European: thanks again!

Cheers,
dra

[Roughnecks]

hello loliveira,
the situation here in germany is very complicated. but i will try to tell you about it, in MY oppinion. i speak for myself, as a german, but not for germany.

first of all, the "tag der einheit" is the only holiday the federal government can touch. all the other holidays are in the hands of the 16 federal states. so the explanation why they choose this holiday is very simple: it is the only one they can abolish.

well, i started to quote and answer your posting, but i didn't think it was really interesting or helpful or informative, so i deleted it.

here in germany we need a big change and we need it quickly. it's so very difficult to explain what i feel and think about the future of this country. sacrificing the day of the union for a few extra millions of euro is just a very small piece of the whole thing that is going on here.
if "we" continue to hunt the big quick money, we will not succeed. unfortunately most people think the big quick money is the solution to all of our problems. and, unfortunately, this will not only hit the germans very hard, but europe as well.