The Face of Germany’s Far Right

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AfD, Frauke Petry, Germany, refugees

What kind of mother kisses her kids goodbye and goes off to whip the masses into a xenophobic frenzy of opposition to Germany’s refugee policy? That was the question I pondered after reading the latest news stories about weekend clashes in Berlin between asylum activists and the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

At the helm of the AfD is Frauke Petry, a 41-year-old mother of four with a background as a chemist and businesswoman. I didn’t expect a key leader of Germany’s anti-migrant zealots to be a relatively young and attractive woman. She’s been compared to France’s Marine Le Pen and accused of appearing entirely reasonable while supporting the xenophobic far right. This is the face of right-wing extremism in Germany.

I guess the fact that she’s a mom pushed my buttons. I don’t suspect we’ll find her kids doing volunteer work at any refugee shelters or standing around any train stations with “Refugees Welcome” signs. Nor do I suspect that Petry talks to her kids about the moral implications of the refugee crisis or the studies which show that EU countries have the capacity to welcome a vastly larger share of refugees than they have been doing so far. Instead, she calls for stronger ties to Russia and more children for German families, hoping to inspire a new generation of German mothers who follow the AfD’s politics of hate.

The AfD began as an anti-Euro party that pushed for a “Grexit” from the euro. Now that the AfD has staked out a position on the far right as Germany’s anti-immigrant party, let’s hope it will soon make its own exit from Europe.

One Semester, Two Journeys

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German Jews, Germany, Humboldt University, Jewish migration, Oberschöneweide

They came from France, Hungary, Israel, Poland, Turkey, Australia, The Netherlands, Germany, and even a few from the U.S. Though internationally diverse, they were not so different from the college kids who came through my seminar and lecture courses at Montana State University. They engaged with me in a “community of learners” even while I was still learning the ABCs of my new role as a German university instructor.

Inside the classroom I was back in a comfortable and familiar role, but the outside environment was quite different. Instead of trudging through the snow to meet my students on the MSU Bobcat campus, I rode the S-bahn and tram out to Oberschöneweide for my weekly three-hour Business Communications course at the Hochschule für Technik and Wirtschaft. The HTW campus sits on the site of a former cable factory in the middle of one of Berlin’s oldest industrial districts. The area was a major economic center under the former communist GDR, but fell on hard times after the wall came down. Located right on the river Spree, this revitalized industrial setting offers the campus community a sandy beach and terrace complete with refreshments and plenty of space to study or socialize. I’ll be back there next semester.

On Mondays I travelled to Hausvogteiplatz in Mitte for my weekly seminar on Jewish migration to Germany at Humboldt University. Developed and taught with Dr. Agnieszka Pufelska, a colleague and friend from the University of Potsdam, this course allowed me to compile and share what I have learned (and am still learning) about the Jewish experience in Germany. Our international group of students journeyed with us through turbulent chapters of history from the late 19th century until today, and delved into difficult topics such as right and left-wing contemporary anti-Semitism and the hazards of child-bearing in Displaced Persons camps after WWII. We look forward to offering this seminar again, both at Humboldt and other universities.

Now it’s time for a summer break and a chance to hang out on the beach with my family in Sardinia. But it won’t be long before I begin my next new assignment, teaching for the Council on International Educational Exchange’s new Global Institute Berlin.

HTW photo courtesy of Avery Swarthout

Higher Ed: Ins and Outs

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Berlin, Germany, Humboldt University of Berlin, Jewish migration

A tiny ripple in the realm of American higher education occurred last week as a result of National Adjunct Walkout Day. Here in Berlin I felt a passing sense of solidarity with all those faculty who agitated for better terms of employment. Having endured close to fifteen years of sub-par working conditions as a Montana State University adjunct, I was cheered by the prospect of better pay, job security, and benefits for my colleagues back in Bozeman and the rest of the country.

The walkout day came at a time when I am preparing to walk back in to university teaching in Germany. I’ll be co-teaching a seminar at Humboldt University’s Berlin Perspectives program next semester. Since undergraduate education is free in Germany, I shouldn’t have been surprised to discover that I’ll receive substantially less pay than what I earned as an adjunct in the States. That’s okay. The seminar is on Jewish migration to Germany, a topic I’m already deeply engaged with and eager to facilitate with a group of international students in Berlin. My co-instructor is a Jewish Studies professor who is giving me a crash course on Germany’s higher education system.

So far I’ve learned that attendance at classes is not mandatory and that students tend to come and go as they please. German professors seem to have a higher academic ladder to climb than their counterparts in the States, in many cases needing the habilitation, a process which can require doing something like a second dissertation. I’m still confused by German academic ranks and titles, but I do know that I’ll be a Lehrbeauftragter, a nice German word for an adjunct.

I’ll also soon find out what it’s like to teach at a German Hochschule. These higher education institutions are not high schools, but specialized colleges that offer vocational and technical degrees. Although I won’t earn as much as a German autoworker or an American adjunct, I’m looking forward to walking into my first classes.

Trading Rights for Privileges

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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.

L.A. Dispatch

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elderly care, Germany, Vintage Burbank

I’ve been in Los Angeles for over a week now and can’t seem to stop talking to strangers. I guess my extroverted nature has been bursting for air, leading me to shed the artificial reserve that serves me well for daily life in Germany. I also find myself wanting to board the occasional bus that I see pulling up to empty street corners with nary a smoker waiting to get on board. I’ve had my fill of crime stories, entertainment news, and sales tax, but can’t get enough of pumpkin scones, iced drinks, and free toilets.

Sami has to move too.

I’m here because of an urgent need to move my mother to a new residence. It seems that Vintage Burbank, the upscale facility that we chose for her just over a year ago, cannot currently provide the level of care that we were assured she would be able to receive when we signed a contract and paid their hefty entrance fee. Her monthly expenses have now tripled due to a decline in her health and the outside care we have been required to obtain. The emotional strain of wrenching her out of her new home combined with the financial stress of our situation have made this trip to sunny California something less than a vacation.

I am convinced that the corporate “bottom line” is behind the facility’s lack of effort to help find a workable solution for our family. Would this have happened in Germany? Something to look into after my return to Berlin next week.

Do Not Disturb

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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.

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.

Age Appropriate

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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…

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

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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.

The 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.”

Good Timing

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Germany

Sometimes I feel guilty about leaving the U.S. While some of my friends back home participated in demonstrations against the government shutdown, I felt relieved to be as far away from the Tea Party as possible. It’s painful to watch the breakdown of democratic government in the U.S., but I can’t help feeling that our family is in a better place. Germany has its problems and challenges, but it keeps the government functioning for the people.

I sat down this week and tried to put into words some of the reasons why our family might be better off living in Germany. Here is the result of that effort: United States to Germany: Why My Family Moved. Though we had good timing for our move, I won’t ever give up my American citizenship and I may eventually return to the States. If and when I do return, I hope it will be to a more civil and democratic society.

Packing up Memories

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Berlin, Diaspora Jews, Germany

As if packing up our 2800 square foot house and finding a tenant for it didn’t keep us busy enough, we have also begun planning my 80-year-old mother’s move from Bozeman to Los Angeles. After an extensive visit with a neuropsychologist, my sister and I received definitive confirmation that mom should no longer be living independently. Both moves are now scheduled to take place in July. The only member of our family who will be left in Bozeman is my father. He is buried in the Bozeman City Cemetery, which sits in the center of a park and trail network that is just a short walk from our house.

My mom feels terrible about leaving dad behind and often says she would like to take him to California. Perhaps she could stow him with her luggage on the plane, but I’d like him to stay just where he is, the place where he saw two of his grandchildren come into the world and where he fully enjoyed his retirement until he became ill. I don’t feel that I will be leaving my dad behind, but will carry his memory with me back to the country of his birth.

As the physical packing process gets underway, the back aches have also arrived, but they pale compared with the emotional strain of parting with our friends for the second time in the last three years. Our excitement about returning to Berlin is tempered by sadness and nostalgia. We arrived in Bozeman as newlyweds in 1996 and we will leave with many treasured memories and three beautiful children who define “home” for us wherever we are.