The other round ball game

A Berlin Cricket Club player trains on with a smile as the German football team drives past in the team bus. Photo: al

Without question all eyes are focussed on this afternoon's Argentina vs Germany football game at the olympic stadium in Berlin. However, a cricket ball's throw away from the venue, Berlin's cricketers will be slogging it out just as fiercely at one of the olympic stadium's outer sports fields.

Although records indicate that it was played earlier, cricket was first officially organised and played in Berlin after the second world war by the occupying British soldiers. Since then, what used to be the military section of Berlin's olympic sports complex has been specially reserved for the capital's small band of cricketers.

Over the years Berlin's cricket league has developed into a six team affair with places for the national championship always hotly contested at the end of the season. Nationally the game is gathering momentum too. A German team is set to play in the European Cricket Division 2 Championships in Scotland in August in preparation for next year's 'other' World Cup - the Cricket World Cup taking place in the Caribbean. al

Germans flying the flag

It has been a long time coming but it seems that the World Cup has finally given Germans the courage they need to proudly fly their flag.

With Germany successful in the opening round - each day more and more Germans are investing in a flag for their balconies or car. Germany's larger migrant groups have also been very prevalent in their displaying of the German flag.

But it hasn't always been like that. Since its official adoption in post second world war Germany, the German flag's public showing has often been an issue - mainly due to its strong association with Germany's right-wing extremist groups. It's no surprise then that, in order to show impartiality, Berlin's police and council have opted to remain flagless throughout the Cup - a stance that has been harshly criticised in the Berlin media and from various sides of parliament.

The first instance of the current flag being used dates back to the turn of the last century, in the Weimar Republic. Since then it has only been banned once - ironically, by the National Socialists in 1933. al

Germany to ban public smoking?

Whether watching football or meeting with friends, having a smoke in German restaurants and bars is commonplace and has always been accepted as a person's personal right. Until now.

A group bill has been put forward by Bundestag MP Lothar Binding (SPD) calling for an end to smoking in all public areas without exception from 1 January 2007. The MPs supporting the bill, who come from both sides of german politics, are confident of a result when the vote is put to the general assembly of the Bundestag in the coming weeks.

Elsewhere in Europe general public smoking bans are becoming increasingly more prevalent. Extensive bans already exist in Ireland, Norway and Sweden. In England, Westminster is currently also discussing a public smoking ban. In Germany, gastronomy and hotel unions remain concerned that a general ban on smoking will reduce their trade. Initial investigations, done in Ireland, have shown otherwise however. A report from the World Health Organisation actually showed Irish gastronomy profits increased as a result of the ban. Guests had more money to spend on alcohol, so the report claimed. al

No ticket? No worries.

With thousands of german and international football fans missing out on tickets for their desired matches, Berlin has been quick to provide the public with a variety of other viewing options. Most unique amongst the viewing areas is the area in front of the German parliament building (Reichstag) where each game is televised on big screens inside a scale-model of Berlin's Olympic Stadium.

The 40,000 square metre area allows over 10,000 supporters to view the game at any one time and, as befitting a real football stadium complex, the surrounding area also includes football pitches and football skills training sessions, allowing fans to get active themselves. Ironically, prior to the football world cup, it had always been forbidden for the public to play football in this area in front of the parliament.

This author gave the faux-stadium a test-run today in person for the Australia vs Japan match, televised from Kaiserslautern. The Australian side was victorious 3-1, their first victory ever in a football world cup. al

World Cup starts, Berliners disinterested

A report from the University of Hohenheim (nr Stuttgart) released today, showed Berlin to be Germany's most unenthusiastic World Cup host-city. Nationwide interest levels remain high however, with 82% of German citizens in favour of the competition, which starts today in Munich.

Of those Berliners asked, only 70% said they were in favour of the World Cup in Berlin, many citizens citing hooliganism and the expected high costs for the city as their major complaints.
Berliners also expressed disinterest in the festival and concert programme during the games.

Despite this mood from the locals, 250,000 football fans took part in the official opening of the much anticipated Fanmile on 'Straße des 17. Juni' in central Berlin on Wednesday. The long boulevarde linking the Brandenburg Gate with the Siegessäule (in the former West Berlin) will be shut for the duration of the competition. Five large screens have been installed - including one covering the Brandenburg gate (pictured below). Each game of the 33 day competition will be televised there, for those fans who missed out on a ticket. al

Karneval der Kulturen (Carnival of Cultures)

Another weekend in Berlin, another street festival.

This Pentecost long weekend, it was the colourful 'Karneval der Kulturen' which attracted over 800,000 spectators out on to the streets of Berlin's multicultural district of Kreuzberg.

The four-day festival - now in it's 11th year - seeks to showcase the breadth of Berlin's resident international community and always concludes with a popular three and a half kilometre street parade on Sunday afternoon where floats attempt to outdo each other for loudness and boldness.

As is traditional, of the 70 floats taking part in this year's parade the most eye-catching floats were those with the ever-popular "pounding latin-american music/elaborate headwear/salsa dancers" mix....even if the dancers differed a little in their confidence levels!! al

Hysteria at the Hauptbahnhof.

There has been only one theme in the Berlin press this last week - the Hauptbahnhof Amokläufer (or 'main railway station maniac' in English).

After seven years of planning, last weekend's opening of Berlin's new main railway station was meant to be a symbol of progression for the new capital. However the events of friday evening - due to the behaviour of a drunken 16 year old Berlin youth running through the celebrating crowds stabbing people at random - are bound to be remembered for another reason. Or so the press would have us believe.

No less than 25 reports have appeared in the Berlin print and television media following the stabbings. At the very worst, some of these reports may have acted in contempt of the running court process, by televising an apology to victims from the alleged party's solicitor. At the very least, most reports have been characterised by elaborate hypotheses - be it on the likelihood of people contracting HIV from the attack (an early victim was confirmed as HIV+) or by making sweeping assumptions on Berlin's supposed inability to cope with terrorist attacks.

With the Football World Cup less than ten days away, let's hope that Berlin's media can retain it's professionalism infront of it's international audience. Or at least just curb it's fascination with youth violence for a month. al