Historic and colorful: Hamburg

When we travel to places, they tell us stories. Every single person, spot, even every moment you walk along there can tell you so much about the world if you are eager to learn with an open mind and heart.

When I walked through Hamburg, there was quite a heaviness on the city, but it was also very beautiful, interesting and at some places very vivid. When I stood on the place of St. Nikolai (the so-called „Nikolaitor“), I could feel such immense sadness flooding my whole system. Seeing this once impressive church bombed into pieces, leaving just the front of it, triggered immediately pictures of 2. World war, the ongoing wars right now and the immense suffering that was imposed by systems like the Nazi Reich and those who stopped the war by using weapons as there was no other measure left as it had progressed so far.

I instantly understood the root of the „anti-fa“ movements that are also deeply rooted in Hamburgs and Berlins history as an opposing movement to oppression from the Nazi regime. Some of them later developed into radicalized groups, still splitting the discussion about what is left and what kind of values „left-wing“ groups entail.

What moves followoursun in our daily work, is the use of all these historic patterns to turn them against people, confuse them and leave them often with no other option than turning to dogmatic belief systems that are oppressive again. But there is a way out: Educate yourself! Do not take anything for granted that others want to impose on you, if it is coming from racist, mysogyn, ableistic, homophobic or other derogatory belief systems.

They should not have a place anywhere (on the conservative to liberal spectrum) and they are still against the law in democratic countries as well as against the values of most religions and spiritual associations. Even if perpetrators use political systems to their own gain, people who stand together in love can never be divided.

I can recommend such historic walks to learn very much. My magic moments in Hamburg were partying with the staff at the headquarters of  FC „St. Pauli“ (an anti-fascist soccer club in Germany), visiting a game and the VIP lounge with stars such as Bella B, Fettes Brot etc. (thank you so much to my friend who made that possible!)… and last but not least, a cruise along the harbor with the impressive „Speicherstadt“, now also the „Elbphilharmonie“ and the beautiful outskirts of Hamburg (there is a local water taxi that can be used like public transport).