FREIBURGER ZEITGEISTLITERATURE (Satis Shroff)

PAINT ME A FAIRYTALE TOWN (SAtis SHROFF, FREIBURG IM BREISGAU) A damsel with a mobile, Staufen (c) satisshroff                     Schwarzwaldmädel meets girl from Middle Ages, Staufen (c) satisshroff European Ethnology: PAINT ME A FAIRY TALE TOWN (Satis Shroff) As tradition demands in the Swiss Alps, the cattle were decorated with pine-branches, big bells on their necks, silk roses and, of course, small Swiss flags. After enjoying the freedom of the Alpine meadows in the Flumserbergen, the cows trudged reluctantly again all the way to the Valleys---and eventually the stalls in their cowsheds. What a lovely end to the Alpine summer. It was also on Saturday that the Swiss Fastnacht’s symbolic character named Brother Fritschi returned to his homeland Lucern after languishing for eight months in the custody of the Basler merry-makers of Fasnet or Fastnachtlern, as we call ‘em here. Some 250 inhabitants of Central Switzerl...

The Refugee Issue: What’s Up in Europe’s Borders? (Satis Shroff) The Europeans are not united regarding the distribution of refugees. An agreement was reached only on the 160,000 refugees. They will be sent to different states within the EU, according to Germany’s Thomas de Maiziere (CDU).  The Middle East  European and Baltic states were against setting a fixed quota for the distribution of refugees. Another summit of the heads of governments and states will soon take place because of the freedom of travel in Europe after the Schengen System is endangered. Germany made it clear that it does not want to take such a big number of refugee. Due to the border checks there’ll be chaos in the European borders. Chancellor Merkel rang Jean-Claude Junker (EU-Commission) and informed him about Germany’s decision to close the border to Austria in accordance with the Schengen system. Brussels was shortly thereafter informed about the decision, which was intended as an...

Migration: THE SKY’S NOT REALLY THE LIMIT (Satis Shroff) ‘We’re expecting 40,000 refugees from our southern neighbours,’ said the German Foreign Minister Steinmeier. Nice neighbours,eh? Minister  Steinmeier was in Prague recently: ‘I suggested a quota system for my East European colleagues---to no avail.’ What about CSU and CDU? They’re both on the warpath: a course of confrontation. Berlin, Vienna and Budapest had agreed to allow refugees to enter Germany by train. This is the biggest challenge in the history of the EU and it is expected that the European nations will show solidarity. Steinmeier: Even though the German people helped tremendously, we have finally reached a stage when even we have to say that we’ve reached the migration capacity. In the meantime, more and more refugees are coming along the Balkan route. In Serbia 5540 refugees were registered on Thursday, a new daily record. Hungary’s Viktor Orban warned in no uncertain terms that in f...

Commentary:  The Train to Sweden (Satis Shroff) Come Monday and Jean-Claude Junker wants to talk with the Ministers of Internal Affairs of 28 European states, and debate how to make them share the 120,000 refugees. A concept to distribute 40,000 people is already there.  German Chancellor Merkel’s government desires to distribute the refugees throughout Europe, to ease the pressure off Hungary, Greece and Italy where most of the asylum-seekers are located. Whether the people from Syria, Eritrea and Iraq, who have bigger chances of being accepted as asylum-seekers, also wish to be scattered as planned by Brussels is another question. The welcome-culture on the part of the German people and leaders was inspiring and worth emulating but the refugees had another country in mind, namely Sweden; and the road to Sweden was via Germany and Denmark. The train-route from Germany to Denmark was stopped. Even the autobahn E24 in Jütland was closed in both directions, beca...

  VISITING MOZART: IMPRESSIONS FROM VIENNA (Satis Shroff) In the EC train from Munich to Vienna you get pampered by a brunette stewardess in a tight stretch skirt. She seems to have a Ukranian accent, and you’re served water, newspapers, mags and snacks. A delight in comparison to the German stressed stewardess. Austrians are good at service management. The train is speeding at 140kmph past meadows and forested areas. A big lake to the right, mixed deciduous forests, past maize fields. The sky is blue with scattered fluffy clouds, detached Austrian houses with dark brown, wooden balconies, decorated with geraniums on the windows and house fronts. A saw mill with piles of planks near a forest. Another lake to the right with sailing boats and the vast sky above.  There’s no wifi connection between Munich and Salzburg. The Austrian telecommunication takes over from Salzburg. This is because there’s no agreement between German and Austrian railways in this regar...

  A WALTZ WITH YOU (Satis Shroff) Ah, the sound of Vienna begins. I execute a perfect circular waltz, With you in a gown And I in tails, After the pre-ball sekt.   It’s amazing how even teenagers Go voluntarily to learn How to waltz, And how to kiss a lady’s hands, Impeccably.   I learned it at socials Organised by the nuns of St. Helen’s And the Christian Brothers of Ireland. When the ‘ladies choice’ was announced By the Master of Ceremonies, You could feel the adrelanin Surging in your young blood.   It helps to develop your self-confidence, In a society where balls are a way of life.   But a waltz in Vienna, Is a legacy of Habsburg Emperor Franz Joseph. Strauss and Mozart rule the dancing floors. In palaces, concert halls, posh hotels, The 19 th century Sofiensaal.   You dance in your polished best, For the Viennese or your society. The art of formal ...