BERLIN DAYS.....

Monday, April 4, 2016

Another nice semi-sunny spring day. People in T.shirts and even shorts can be seen on the streets of Berlin. Paris in spring comes to mind when one sees the small cozy coffee tables and comfortable chairs that are suddenly crowding the pavements where only a few days ago miserable figures in big winter coats were hurrying by. Everyone is in a good mood. Well almost. When I asked a bus driver when we would arrive at Bahnhof Zoo, I was given the quite sensible but rather gruff answer "whenever we get there."

Well, this happened to me on the way back from Bellevue, the German President's residence. I talked to his main planning chief and speech writer and I heard lots of intriguing things about President Gauck's recent state visit to China (Chatham House rules though). Gauck, a former pastor and anti-communist East German dissident, was quite frank in his remarks in Beijing and Shanghai when talking to students and others. He also met with a number of dissidents and attempted to use his influence to get political prisoners freed from prison and allowed to emigrate.

In his uniquely respectful way Gauck gave two major speeches criticizing the Chinese human rights record and the lack of democratic values without, however, offending his hosts or risking an 'eklat.' The problem was that hardly anyone in China found out about it as the Chinese media largely ignored his visit. The German embassy posted his speeches on its website and before they were blocked apparently several ten thousand downloads had occurred. Still despite Gauck's meetings with both the Chinese President and the Prime Minister, the media in China appears to have focused on the visit of the less outspoken Nepalese Prime Minister.

Incidentally, President Gauck did not join my conversation at the Praesidalamt unfortunately. For some reason or other he seems to have been occupied with more important things, lol.