Archive for January, 2010

No Roman Polanski at 2010 Berlinale – Internationalen Filmfestspiele Berlin

Sunday, January 31st, 2010

Berlin 31-01-2010

 

Roman Polanski won’t be coming to the Berlin Film Festival next month – in spite of a premier of his latest film -and there won’t be any videotaped message as had been speculated.

Roman Polanski is under house arrest in Switzerland and has been to the Berlinale many times in the past – he says he loves the positive artistic atmosphere in Berlin.

Polanski’s new film ‘The Ghost Writer’ was filmed in Germany and has already received around 4 million Euro in German film subsidy financing.

He  has had a number of films showcased in the Berlinale in the past.

The film has a strong political statement – however it was chosen not for that reason but rather because of its artistic merit – organizers have said.

The Berlinale which is an annual event   -one of the world’s three most important film  festivals –  will be held this year  from the 11th till the 21st of February in various Berlin locations.

For these two weeks the city is totally enraptured by the Berlinale – one of the world’s three most important festivals -the Berlinale fully captures the dynamic ‘Berlin Spirit’.

Film Directors and actors from around the world will come to Berlin and many consider Berlin as the artistic centre of German film – it provides a home to both a thriving cinema scene and a discerning and enthusiastic public.

This is a nice combination to have for any film festival organizers!

Merkel goes against public opinion – increases German troop numbers in Afghanistan

Saturday, January 30th, 2010

  Berlin 30-01-2010

Almost 80 percent – four in five Germans – oppose Berlin’s plans to increase its number of troops in Afghanistan.

This, according to a poll released Wednesday, a day before the international London conference on Afghanistan.

Germany presently has 4,300 troops in the northern part of the Afghanistan, the third largest contingent in the US led mission.

The number of German defence personnel in Afghanistan is explicitly limited by a Bundestag parliamentary mandate and has been capped at 4,500. The decision to increase the number of troops has come after extensive and acrimonious argument between political parties and government ministries in Berlin – the US had asked the German government for 2,000 or more troops.

Even among chancellor Merkel’s conservative CDU a large majority have said they objected to adding soldiers – among members of the junior coalition partner, the FDP, the rate was even higher.

Given the domestic political constraints Merkel is under, her action can be seen as either foolishly stubborn or courageous – depending on your political point of view.

In Germany, the horrors of World War II still loom large on any debates regarding military missions abroad. All parties in parliament –some more than others and in varying degrees – support the 8 yr old Afghan deployment, with the exception of the former Communist party, ‘Die Linke’.

British Architect Norman Foster at ‘Berlinale’ to discuss ‘Future of Cinemas’

Friday, January 29th, 2010

 

Berlin   29-01-2010

Renowned British architect Norman Foster will take part in a debate about the future of cinema buildings and their changing role in world cities as part of the ‘Berlin International Film Festival’ on 14th February.

He is best known for his modern glass and steel structures, which have included the restoration of the Berlin Reichstag building in Berlin, the Hong Kong-Shanghai Bank and new airport in Hong Kong, and the millennium bridge in London.

Other invited participants include French film producer Marin Karmitz, German film-maker Heinz Emigholz , Deyan Sudjic, the director of the ‘Design Museum’ in London, and the Austrian architect Wolf Prix.

The debate will be part of the Berlin International Film festival ‘Keynotes’ event which explores issues that will shape movie theatres of the future.

The international architects and film directors will also discuss the impact of  large multi-theatre ‘Cineplex’s’ on urban environments today and in the future.

Terminberichtigung: Einladung zum Klavierabend am 30.01.2010 um 20.30h – Berlin Piano Salon Christophori -

Thursday, January 28th, 2010

 

Berlin   28 – 01- 2010

Liebe Freunde der Klaviermusik,

eine wichtige Berichtigung, die Wasserleitung wird am Freitag instand gesetzt, so daß wir das für Donnerstag geplante Konzert nun am Samstag, dem 30.01. um 20.3o h stattfinden lassen können:

Nach all den unglaublichen Pianisten, welche in den letzten Wochen im Piano Salon zu hören waren, darf ich in dieser Woche zu einem weiteren großen und zu meinen persönlichen Favoriten zählenden Pianisten einladen, Michael Abramovich. Am Samstag, dem 30.01. um 20.30h wird der als Pianist und Dirigent international bekannt gewordene Michael Abramovich einen Abend mit Werken Schumanns, Beethovens, Chopins und Debussys an einem Erard Flügel geben.

Zu den Sonaten Appasionata Beethovens und der f-moll Sonate Schumanns muß man kaum etwas sagen, da sie nicht ohne Grund zum meistgespielten Konzertrepertoire gehören.

Ganz selten hören können wird man die wirklich atemberaubende Stringenz der Interpretationen Abramovichs.

Ganz herzlich

Christoph Schreiber

Piano Salon Christophori

Pappelallee 3-4, Remise

[U-Bahn Eberswalderstrasse]
D-10437 BERLIN

Einladung zum Klavierabend am 28.01.2010 um 20.30h – Piano Salon Christophori – Berlin Prenzlauerberg

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

Berlin    27 – 01 – 2010 

Liebe Freunde der Klaviermusik,  nach all den unglaublichen Pianisten, welche in den letzten Wochen im Piano Salon zu hören waren, darf ich in dieser Woche zu einem weiteren großen und zu meinen persönlichen Favoriten zählenden Pianisten einladen, Michael Abramovich.

Am Donnerstag, dem 28.01. um 20.30h wird der als Pianist und Dirigent international bekannt gewordene Michael Abramovich einen Abend mit Werken Schumanns, Beethovens, Chopins und Debussys an einem Erard Flügel geben.

Zu den Sonaten Appasionata und der f-moll Sonate Schumanns muß man kaum etwas sagen, da sie nicht ohne Grund zum meistgespielten Konzertrepertoire gehören.

Ganz selten hören können wird man die wirklich atemberaubende Stringenz der Interpretationen Abramovichs. 

EIN WICHTIGER HINWEIS: Aus metereologischen Gründen steht die Durchführung des Konzertes auf tönernen Füßen, da die Wasserzuleitung heute eingefroren ist. Der Vermieter hat zugesichert, dies morgen zu beheben. Ich möchte alle die bitten, die sich selbst zu den potentiellen und geschätzten Besuchern des Konzertes zählen, am Donnerstag Nachmittag noch einmal unsere dann aktualisierte website unter www.konzertfluegel.com/konzerte zu besuchen, da sich dort, falls der Schaden wider die Hoffnung nicht zu beheben ist, ein Hinweis finden wird, daß das Konzert für diesen Falle vertagt werden wird. 

Ganz herzlich Christoph Schreiber

Piano Salon Christophori

Pappelallee 3-4, Remise

[U-Bahn Eberswalderstrasse]
D-10437 BERLIN

Israeli president Peres visits Berlin ‘Grunewald Track 17’ memorial and to speak in ‘Bundestag’ – unprecedented security in place

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010

Berlin  27 – 01 – 2010 

Mr Simon Peres is visiting Berlin for ‘Holocaust Memorial Day’ on Wednesday, which in 2010 marks the 65th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concetration camp by the victorious Red Army. 

Today a delegation of Holocaust survivors along with German President Horst Koehler and Mr Peres will visit former ‘Grunewald railway station’ in north-west Berlin. Its’ infamous ‘Track # 17’ was used during the war as a departure point for most of the 55,000 Berlin Jews who were forced from their homes and deported to Nazi concentration camps in the 2nd World War.

 A commemorative plaque and a memorial mark the spot where Jews from Berlin were loaded onto trains from 1941 until 1945.  It has since become an impressive and painful memorial to the 6 million Jews who were murdered in the Holocaust.

Since Peres has arrived in Berlin on Monday, there have been many security road closures put in place which have caused traffic jams in the centre of the city – which is also under a Siberian cold spell where temperatures have plunged to -21C.  

This unprecendent security has called on duty 3,000 police officers who have been deployed all over the city, 

Photos of last weeks OTA-Berlin’s sponsored Concert at ‘Piano Salon Christophori’

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

Berlin   26-01-2010

Piano Concert January 2010Pianist  -  Carson Becke       Violinist –  Daniel Pioro   [Fotos: Peter Freudenreich]

Last week’s OTA-Berlin sponsored concerts at the Piano Salon Christophori were well attended and enthusiastically reviewed.

We hope to see them both back in Berlin soon again – they have a ‘fan-base’ slowly growing here.

Both young artists returned to London to immediately perform other concerts – with Carson Becke performing at ‘St Martins in the Fields’ this Friday;Piano Concert January 2010

“Canadian pianist and composer Carson Becke performs for the first of St Martin’s 2010 Pianists of the World Series. The series, which takes place on the last Friday of each month, invites exceptional pianists from around the world to perform, always including a work by a composer from their native country in their programmes. This Friday, Carson will perform one of his own works alongside pieces by Mozart, Brahms and Wagner.” 

 [http://www2.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/page/music/lunchtime.html]

G-20 Nations to meet in Berlin this May

Tuesday, January 26th, 2010

 Berlin    26-01-2010

Germany will host a meeting of finance ministers of 19 major industrialised and developing nations in Berlin this coming May, a month ahead of the G-20 Summit in to be held in Canada in June.

 Theme of that conference will be how best to regulate international financial markets in the future.

The German government and its Finance Ministry want to actively participate in this conference to give their impetus to all the G-20 nations – they want to be sure that the present economic crisis does not repeat itself. 

Leading economists and representatives from regulatory authorities and central banks have been invited, along with finance officials from G-20 and EU nations, probably not at ministerial level.

Also today the German Finance Minister Schaeuble has welcomed US President Obama’s proposed financial sector reforms.  

The German governments initial reaction has been that Obama’s proposals which will bar US banks from risky investments and  prevent them from using a  ‘too big to fail’ strategy were encouraging and would aid efforts to reform global financial markets.

Foreign Policy Challenges for Berlin – Afghanistan and Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Monday, January 25th, 2010

Berlin    25-01-2010

There are some foreign policies that Angela Merkel seems not to like to talk about. One is Afghanistan and the other is the on-going strife between Israelis and Palestinians.

While Merkel seems willing to go against the very strong public will of the German electorate and increase Germany’s troop numbers in Afghanistan, she lacks the courage to oppose the ultra-nationalist, right-wing Israeli Netanyahu government.

Regarding the later – and in something of a first – the present Netanyahu Israeli government was actually ‘welcome’ somewhere outside its own borders recently.

In Berlin the German and Israeli cabinets met jointly for one day last week.  Ms. Merkel initiated these special consultations, reserved only for a few countries, including France, Poland and Russia, after her 2008 state visit to Israel, where she was given the rare honour [especially as a German] of addressing the Israeli Parliament.

Successive German governments have found it difficult to criticize Israel because of WWII and the Holocaust – this is commendable and this is as it should be – unless you get an Israeli government who deserves only opprobrium like the present one.

Ms. Merkel’s policy does seem inconsistent – she has met non-governmental organizations that oppose Vladimir Putin, she has criticized China’s human rights policy, receiving the Dalai Lama, in her Berlin Chancellery office in 2007 and she criticized Iran last year for using force against the opposition who claimed that the presidential elections had been fixed.

But regarding Israel Ms. Merkel has remained a bemuzzled mute – she has not addressed the deplorable living conditions of Palestinians in Gaza nor has she condemned the illegal Israeli settlements and its detention policies.  

The deafening silence of Ms. Merkel during Israel’s bombing of the Gaza Strip in late 2008, which killed many civilians, was to say the least both grievous and dishonourable. 

According to an ‘New York Times’ article on Jan.20th called  “Embracing Israel Costs Merkel Clout” – the newspaper makes the somewhat absurd claim that Ms Merkel pro-Israel tendencies are a result of trying to compensate for her earlier up-bringing in Eastern Germany which did not recognize Israel. [?]

Whether this is just so much psychobabble – to create an impression of plausibility through mystification – or whether it is actually true …. Ms Merkel better get over it quickly!

As chancellor of Germany, her position is making it more difficult for the EU to speak with one united voice on the Middle East and will make it impossible for Germany to wield any influence in helping end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

A realist will see that it is just in this precarious time – the true friends of  Israel will take a stand for peace and actively oppose the building of any more settlements and even stop selling weapons to Israel unless they change their policy.

It would be courageous move and in-line with the official German position of unequivocal support for the peace process and a two-state solution that would accept both the security of Israel security and Palestinian aspiration of statehood with their capital in East Jerusalem.

Regarding Afghanistan Merkel has called a meeting to discuss Afghanistan strategy and is reportedly considering a troop surge ahead of an international conference in London on Thursday.  

The German government wants to consolidate its strategy and therefore Ms. Merkel will hold a meeting with four key ministers later this evening in Berlin.

The ministers are; Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, Defense Minister zu Guttenberg, Interior Minister de Maiziere, and Development Minister Niebel.

Merkel wants to make her government’s stance on Afghanistan public on Wednesday, following Monday’s ministers meeting and after 2 days of talks with the Afghan President Karzai .

Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, who will represent Berlin in London conference, while not ruling out a small German troop increase, would prefer to use the present German contingent in “the best way possible”. 

Berlin has to play to its strengths – Creative Energy – properly channelled has the potential to make Berlin boom.

Monday, January 25th, 2010
Bridge Art Fair 2008 at OTA-Berlin
Bridge Art Fair at OTA-Berlin

Berlin     24-01-2010

While circa 20% per cent of Berliners are dependent on some sort of social or state support to survive – in the comparatively rich southern state of Bavaria, only about 5% of people live on or need state aid.

From an economic standpoint Berlin is a bit of a basket case – the jobless rate is around 17% and the municipal debt stands currently at nearly 65 billion Euro.

After the reunion of East & West Berlin in 1989, many thought that Berlin would regain its role as an industrial transportation and production hub – a gateway to the rest of central Europe.

However instead it has since then lost almost 70% of its manufacturing jobs because state subsidies which were previously paid out -in both east & West Berlin -were in the main stopped after unification.

So much for the negatives.

The other side to this distressed economic situation is the rise of a new increasingly important group of ‘artistic-workers’ – in the spheres of music, design and the visual arts – which have the potential to remake Berlin.

The ‘Berlinale’, the Berlin International Film festival, and ‘Bread&Butter’ Berlin Fashion Week are symbols of Berlin’s cultural and creative strength and rebirth.

One positive legacy of its having been ‘two-cities’ previously is that it now has three separate opera houses and three universities.

While Paris, New York and London still have their own particular attractions for musicians and artists, at the moment it seems everyone is raving about Berlin – and that goes especially for those who just want to rave & dance – clubbers attracted by Berlin’s 250 nightclubs.

All of this has not gone un-noticed outside of Germany.

With Air Berlin, EasyJet, Germanwings, and Ryanair, all offering low-cost flights to the city, many younger tourists are just coming to spend a weekend and often spend entire evenings/mornings on the dance floor!

Compared to Paris and London entrance fees and drinks cost just a fraction in Berlin.

Many British, American, Canadian, Russian and artists from other  European nations are contributing to the creative economy.

With affordable rents, a multitude of empty spaces in the city centre, and a general level of tolerance and permissive attitudes to modern arts – Berlin has found itself the centre for a whole generation of creativity.

The music industry – everything from rock to classical – has been calculated to be Berlin’s 3rd largest money earner which employs  14,000 people.

This ‘new creative economy’ alone is now calculated to worth more than 20% of Berlin’s GDP!