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Donna Swarthout

~ Writer, Editor, Berliner

Donna Swarthout

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Trading Rights for Privileges

26 Friday Dec 2014

Posted by Donna Swarthout in Uncategorized

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Castle Doctrine, Diren Dede, Germany, gun ownership, Markus Kaarma, Montana, stand-your-ground

Were there more tragedies around the world this year than in most years? It feels that way, as if the tempo of human cruelty grew at a steady pace throughout the year that wrung every last ounce of shock and sorrow from us. One tragedy that hit me especially hard as a Montanan living in Germany was the death of Diren Dede, a German exchange student who was shot and killed in April for trespassing in a Missoula man’s garage. The vigilante act of one Montana homeowner destroyed a family and gave the world one more display of the ugly face of America’s gun culture.

Markus Kaarma, the man who shot and killed Dede, was found guilty of deliberate homicide last week, a verdict that brought relief and a sense of justice to many. A jury agreed that there are limits to what are considered reasonable acts of self defense under the “stand-your-ground” and “Castle Doctrine” laws that have proliferated throughout the U.S. But the verdict in Kaarma’s trial will do little to change a culture that perpetuates gun rights as a sacred part of individual liberty. When the Montana State Legislature convenes next month, it will consider further expansions of gun rights, including “a bill that would prevent state-run universities from banning firearms on campus, [and] a bill that would allow people to carry concealed weapons in cities and towns without a permit.”

I gave up my right to own a gun when I moved from Montana to Germany, a country where gun ownership is a privilege rather than a right. The chance that one of my children will be shot to death is lower in Germany than in the States. NPR Berlin reported last year that while Germany has a relatively high rate of gun ownership, it also has a low rate of gun homicides compared to the U.S. One reason is that gun ownership in Germany must be justified as “necessary,” and personal protection or self-defense do not count for this purpose. Germany also requires owners to store guns in a locked safe and allows law enforcement to make random house checks for compliance.

Diren Dede’s parents said their son described Missoula as a paradise. That’s how my children describe the state that they are so proud to call home. We express our sorrow along with many others in Montana, Germany, and elsewhere. The tragedy that struck this German exchange student in paradise shows why I’m willing to give up one of my civil rights for the privilege of living in a more secure society.

After the Rally

01 Wednesday Oct 2014

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anti-Semitism, Brandenburger Tor rally, Jewish Berlin, tikkun

Is there a leadership vacuum in Jewish Berlin? Do community members have ample opportunities to help build a more tolerant society? I’ve outlined my current perspective on these questions in an article for Tikkun, I Rallied Against Anti-Semitism: Now What?. I’m hoping to stimulate dialogue about where we go from here. Feel free to join the discussion on this blog or on the Tikkun site, a space for sharing ideas “to mend, repair, and transform the world.”

Do Not Disturb

08 Monday Sep 2014

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Germany, Google, privacy

At my first parent evening of the new school year, my son’s 5th grade teacher stated her desire to post photos of the kids on her password-protected website. She was met with emphatic opposition from a number of parents and I’m pretty sure none of the parental opponents were American. The opposition was so strident that the teacher chose to move on…”next topic!”….rather than discuss moving forward with some sort of informed consent policy.

streetview

Google Street View of our building

our building

Whether they are still haunted by a past when citizens rabidly spied on each other, or are reacting to all of the recent hacking and spying scandals, Germans have good reason to be suspicious of any invasion of their privacy. But how effective are their efforts to protect themselves? Although you can’t see my apartment building on Google Street View, I can still post a picture of it online (I decided to omit the address though).

As a result of an EU court ruling, Google is now legally required to remove links to outdated personal information about users upon request. German requests are coming in by the thousands, but will Google’s removal of these links (on European search engines) guarantee erasure from cyberspace? Can we put up a Do Not Disturb sign and expect to keep the world at bay? We do need policies to protect our privacy, but Europe’s battle to tame Google must contend with the public’s insatiable thirst for information. Our fear of Google shouldn’t lead us to make too many compromises of our “right to know” and our freedom of expression.

Although I will be online every day of the school year, I probably won’t have the chance to look at pictures of my son with his class. I’ll miss having that window into his time at school, but in this case I’ve decided not to resist the German preference for privacy.

Catching the Third Wave

04 Monday Aug 2014

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Berlin, third wave coffee

It’s been a relaxed and sultry summer in Berlin despite the demonstrations that have taken place over the conflict in Gaza. The usual crowds are filling the Biergartens, Eiscafes, and coffee houses in search of their refreshment of choice. Absent an invitation to demonstrate for a lasting peace and a two-state solution, I’ve opted for coffee research over political activism for the time being. Little did I know that following the java trail in Berlin would be the latest of many recent “I must be over the hill” experiences.

As if I hadn’t already been left in the dust by all the newest technological and cultural trends, I’ve now discovered that I’m on the sidelines of Berlin’s “third wave coffee” culture. While I prowl the streets of Berlin in search of old world cafes that remind me of the places my nana and papa brought me as a child, the rest of Berlin’s coffee addicts are sipping flat whites in bare bones coffee shrines tucked into hip little pockets of the urban landscape. Even the rich and blood-pumping brew that I used to drink on a daily basis at Peet’s Coffee in Berkeley no longer makes the cut among those who’ve relegated that cuppa joe to the Second Wave.

endederwelt.aspxTo initiate ourselves, Brian and I are making our way through Slow Travel Berlin’s Guide to Berlin’s 3rd Wave Coffee Shops. Aside from a few lukewarm espresso drinks at places I won’t mention, our third wave coffee tour has pumped some energy into our limbs during hot summer afternoons in the city. Am Ende der Welt has come closest to serving up the perfect cup, and it’s not as hard to find as the name suggests. But I’m not yet ready to give up my quest for old world cafe culture. Fortunately we’ll be in Leipzig next week where we’ll have a chance to stop in at one of the oldest coffee houses in Europe.

The Next 100?

15 Tuesday Jul 2014

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Berlin, Diaspora Jews, German Jews

imagesThis is my 100th blog post. My self-indulgent musings on this forum over the past four years have been a kind of word therapy for me. I felt gratified when the words came together in just the right way, and inspired when my posts built bridges to people in over 100 countries. Although I felt compelled to hit the keyboard on a regular basis, I often struggled with insecurities and creative malaise. I wanted to share our experiences as a German American Jewish family in Berlin, but why be so public about it?

I’m now ready to try something different and am mulling over whether to change my focus, start a new blog, or just disappear into cyberspace. While I’m figuring this out, I’d like to invite my readers to become writers for Full Circle. Many of you have incredible personal stories that will resonate with a broader audience. If you are an aspiring or novice writer like me, this is a place where you can share your work. I’ve posted some guidelines for guest submissions and encourage you to get in touch (dswartho@aol.com) if you’re interested.

Thanks to everyone who has followed along with my reflections and reached out to me. I’ve corresponded with many of you and even met some of you in Berlin. If you have comments or suggestions for the next 100 posts, please let me know.

School’s Out

03 Thursday Jul 2014

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Berlin, John F. Kennedy School Berlin

breitenbachSchool is finally out in Berlin and the year brought some changes for our family. When our kids were little, I used to teach them German, but now the tables are turned. I often find myself asking them the meaning of a word and feel like they’ve left me in the dust. While all of my work is conducted in English and mostly done from home, the kids take classes in German and speak it daily at school. At least they’ve helped to expand my vocabulary with words like “Dingsbums” (thingamajig), “verprügeln” (beat up), and “Depp” (twit).

dfs_wl_d_berlin_steglitz_stern_sfcThe school year went quite well aside from my daily battles with Sam about the importance of school work over soccer. Now that he came through fourth grade with stellar marks, I can admit to developing an obsession with soccer myself. Sam’s got talent and is about to step up his game with his new membership in SFC Stern 1900, the Berlin city team that plays in our neighborhood. Long before the first signs of World Cup mania, Sam had saturated our brains with his unrelenting stream of commentary about the world’s top teams and players. Sam is especially inspired by professional soccer players who started out at local clubs in Berlin.

The two teenagers didn’t wreak as much havoc on our domestic life as I expected this year. They were absorbed with thirteen classes each semester at the John F. Kennedy School, getting their social lives and after-school activities underway, going through puberty, and various electronic devices. I’m not sure what secrets they’re keeping, but from all appearances they are well-adjusted. With an absence of drama at home, at least there’s plenty of drama on the streets of Berlin to keep us all occupied in our free time this summer.

Am Liepnitzsee

06 Sunday Apr 2014

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Berlin-Brandenburg, Liepnitzsee

Every Monday morning I board the S-bahn in Steglitz and head south of Berlin into Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, to teach business English at a scientific institute. If I were to head east, west, or north of Berlin, I would also arrive in Brandenburg, the German state which completely surrounds the city-state of Berlin. The geographical division of the former Kingdom of Prussia that left Berlin as an island in the middle of Brandenburg doesn’t make much sense. But Brandenburgers are somehow different from Berliners, which is probably why they rejected a merger between the two states in 1996.

wanderungThe Berlin-Brandenburg region has dozens of beautiful lakes, many of which are just the right size for a day hike. Yesterday’s Wanderung was around Liepnitzsee, more than 60 kilometers north of Steglitz. It took some time to get there, but we had all afternoon for the 9 km hike around the lake and a lunch of stuffed peppers and goulash at the Jägerheim Ützdorf Hotel.

Our group of nine included people from Germany, the U.S., Argentina, and Peru. The Berlin-Brandenburg region is quite flat so hiking and holding a conversation at the same time is a lot easier than it was back in Montana. We’ve traded the rugged Rockies for a less dramatic, but still beautiful environment, and one without snow in the Spring! We’re looking forward to discovering more of the region’s lakes, but not before we make our first trip to Israel next week.

Untroubled Teen

18 Tuesday Feb 2014

Posted by Donna Swarthout in Uncategorized

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Berlin, John F. Kennedy School Berlin, Olivia Swarthout

UnknownIt’s no wonder that so many people ask me about how our kids are adjusting to life in Berlin. We moved from Montana to Berlin in 2010, back to Montana in 2012, and then back to Berlin again in 2013. The kids are like three Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls, flopping about from one continent to another with a perpetual dazed smile on their faces. They do seem happy, but how can a parent measure the welfare of their children or know whether they can trust their own judgment about where it is best to raise them?

bowtieI go right to the source and check in on a regular basis with the kids. I learn the most from Olivia, who is introverted, well outside the mainstream, and good at talking about her feelings. She recently told me that there is less of a “structured social hierarchy” in her current school environment than there was back home. Berlin’s youth reflect a broad range of dress, activities, and socially acceptable behavior. Our kids benefit from an internationally diverse atmosphere that helps to reduce peer pressure. In the treacherous teen years, it’s good to know that Olivia feels comfortable sporting a bow tie or publishing her poetry in Haywire, the John F. Kennedy School magazine.

Olivia is thinking about becoming a writer, or an astronomer, or a biologist, or a diplomat. Here’s her poem that was published in Haywire.

autumn’s march
 
the treetops burning red as sin
the days bleed out, now carve a grin
and dream away the sparrow’s flight
hail those who walk the night
 
burn up in a storm of gold
fall asleep as days grow cold
ashes fall and fires rise
walk among a thousand eyes
 
cast aside your leafy crown
in the rain you’ll strike me down
shroud the world in sheets of gray
stop the clock and mark the days
 
on the wind a cloud of flame
lose your voice and forget your name
sing a hymn to the dying sun
kingdoms fall and demons run

Age Appropriate

30 Thursday Jan 2014

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Berlin, drinking age, Germany

I’m still getting used to the idea that my son went out for a few beers to celebrate his 16th birthday last weekend. Yes, it’s legal to consume beer and wine at age 16 in Germany. A quick check on Wikipedia let’s me know that “the German laws regulating alcohol use and sale are some of the least restrictive ones in the world.” The rationale behind Germany’s liberal approach is that earlier exposure will help young people learn appropriate drinking habits.

the day after...

the day after…

Avery arrived home from his birthday festivities at a bar in Teltow with a huge grin on his face and the sweet smell of beer on his breath. He was not drunk and he made his journey home on Berlin’s highly safe and reliable public transit system.  Whether he will now adopt “appropriate drinking habits” remains to be seen. As a parent, I prefer that he learn his limits in a safe and legal environment rather than get caught with alcohol as a minor while waiting to turn 21 in the U.S.

The good news is that Avery will not be eligible to get his driver’s license in Germany until he is 18. Drinking at 16 and driving at 18 makes more sense to me than driving at 15, voting at 18, and drinking at 21. I’d prefer a legal drinking age of 18, but time will tell how the German tolerance of undistilled spirits for 16 year olds impacts our family.

Made in Germany

16 Thursday Jan 2014

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German exports, Germany, trade surplus

Being a consumer in Germany is a lot different from being a consumer in the U.S. Instead of living in a country with a $34 billion trade deficit, we now live in a country with a $24 billion trade surplus. The numbers may not say a lot, but try going shopping for household items in Germany and you will be amazed at how many goods are produced here. My new bed was made in Germany, along with my new toaster and coffee pot. My daughter’s flat-iron is a German product and so are the book bags my husband and I have purchased.

get-attachment-2.aspxThe Wall Street Journal recently ran an article about the U.S. Treasury’s renewed “criticism of the German economy’s dependence on foreign exports.”  I’m sure there are downsides to a large trade surplus, but I bet all those foreign consumers are as happy as I am with the high quality of their German-made products. I especially like my new Melitta coffee pot. I thought Melitta was an American company until I recently discovered that the company was founded by a housewife from Dresden who invented the first paper coffee filter in 1908.

Living in Germany has meant fewer dilemmas about spending a great deal more money to avoid products that are made in China. Most German products are not only high quality, they are also affordable. For someone who left almost all of their household goods back in Montana, it’s now a pleasure to “buy local.”

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