Dusseldorf?

[November Rain]

Nope. He's English. Gotta finish this thread, actually. Will try at weekend

[November Rain]

Apologies for the break. A lot has happened & I never felt like finishing the thread.

OK, the Altstadt








Nothing like peeing in public with just a semi opaque door between you and the rest of the world!

[November Rain]

[November Rain]

This is the view across the square from where we sat outside the restaurant immediately above. Really good German food!

[CNF55]

^ ...and drinks!

Attended many exhibitions over the years in Duesseldorf and almost every evening was spent in the Altstadt.

Lots of good - if sometimes 'hazy' - memories...

[November Rain]

A couple taken on Mr NR's mobile...




No idea where the Sept 83 came from. Maybe the type of effect?

[panama hat]

Brilliant, thanks . . . excellent city to spend a few days in, or even live. Large contingent of Japanese, so very many good Japanese restaurants as well.

[November Rain]

It is a nice city. A huge tattoo convention is on after the motorhome one, so I'd like to stay longer next year...

[Rainfall]

I am guessing you didn't have hordes of people rushing up to you lamenting how the British carpet-bombed the place in WWII . . .

Just a guess, mind.

That's what I thought when I saw the first series of pics, severe bomb damage. And 'Jeez, what a terrible place with all those faceless boxes for buildings.' Never been to Duesseldorf myself. The newer pictures changed my mind, though. Did you meet a German who complained about the WW2 bombings?

[chassamui]

Did you meet a German who complained about the WW2 bombings?

Never. I lived in northern Germany for over 10 years and found them affable and proud. What I learned, apart from colloquial language skills was that they have an ethos worthy of some respect and a love of all things family.
I am also addicted to Jaegerschnitzel.

[Bettyboo]

Thanks for the pics, NR.

It's a bit of a shithole isn't it?

But, everyone loves a photothread.

[November Rain]

I liked it. And, no, I didn't meet any Germans that complained. They were far nicer than the Brits that live in Donny, IMO

[panama hat]

Did you meet a German who complained about the WW2 bombings?

Nope. Not one. Not a single one. It's in the past yet the Brits and Americans seem to want/need to keep WWII alive.

Jaegerschnitzel

Our favourite Frittenbude had the best Zigeunerwurst mit Fritten . . . Malzbier and then off to the Eisdiele for some Spaghettieis or my favourite Hazelnuss- or Pistazieneis after school or Uni.

Also loved the Nordsee chain for their snacks.

Ah, so much to like about the country and its people . . . though their kleinkarriertheit does get bothersome at times

Only lived there for a few years but did love it

[Morden]

I am guessing you didn't have hordes of people rushing up to you lamenting how the British carpet-bombed the place in WWII . . .

Just a guess, mind.

That's what I thought when I saw the first series of pics, severe bomb damage. And 'Jeez, what a terrible place with all those faceless boxes for buildings.' Never been to Duesseldorf myself. The newer pictures changed my mind, though. Did you meet a German who complained about the WW2 bombings?

Just one and he's from East Germany. Like some people in Dussledorf about whom I have heard, he claims that the Allied bombing was unprovoked, preferring to ignore the previous similar bombings by the Luftwaffe in Britain. He was born after WWII but would like a replay with a different result and referred to the recent England v Germany football match as 'World War III'. Other Germans have ostracised him (sent him to Coventry (which was all but destroyed by bombs by Jove), referring to him as 'That f'in' Nazi'.

Other Germans whom I know seem content to let it all pass and recognise the benefit of the financial help given to their country after the end of the war.

[panama hat]

Just one and he's from East Germany.

Ah, one. Definitely worth mentioning . . .

Like some people in Dussledorf about whom I have heard

Ah, those Dusseldorfers - I've heard they eat little Belgian children

Other Germans have ostracised him (sent him to Coventry

They actually sent him to Coventry . . . to see what the Luftwaffe did . . . Sent him there . . . to the UK.

Believable, definitely believable, like the rest of your stories


You really do have a bug up your arse about the whole WWII thing, eh . . . Dad's Army your favourite show?

[Morden]

Just one and he's from East Germany.

Ah, one. Definitely worth mentioning . . .

Like some people in Dussledorf about whom I have heard

Ah, those Dusseldorfers - I've heard they eat little Belgian children

Other Germans have ostracised him (sent him to Coventry

They actually sent him to Coventry . . . to see what the Luftwaffe did . . . Sent him there . . . to the UK.

Believable, definitely believable, like the rest of your stories


You really do have a bug up your arse about the whole WWII thing, eh . . . Dad's Army your favourite show?

If you took the trouble to read and think rather than react you might have seen better what I wrote.

Yes, only one and I said that other Germans ostracised him. Do you see that I was showing a balance between one who complains and the majority who object to his views?

Perhaps you don't know the expression 'Sent to Coventry'. It means ignored, ostracised. It was irony.

I have no bug regarding WWII even though my family suffered during it and may well have suffered more if Hitler had been successful for much longer.

[panama hat]

Perhaps you don't know the expression 'Sent to Coventry'. It means ignored, ostracised. It was irony.

Quite convenient for you to use that phrase relating to Coventry . . . and all these 'dour' (your words) Germans have turned into one guy . . . you happen to know one guy- out of 80 million - . ..

sent him to Coventry (which was all but destroyed by bombs by Jove

Coventry deaths 176
Dusseldorf deaths 5863

Other Germans whom I know seem content to let it all pass and recognise the benefit of the financial help given to their country after the end of the war.

So, from hordes confronting you about the bombing you now have these same hordes prostrating themselves in front of you, thanking you for your generosity . . .

I guess my experience in Germany is very different from you . . . not one single person ever cried about how mean the western powers were in bombing them . . . and none have come up to give thanks for the financial aid given them under the Marshal Plan . . . which was needed because of the Soviet presence just a stone's throw away.

Oh, and there's this of course, aside from the factory dismantling and exporting:

Science Technology and Reparations: Exploitation and Plunder in Post-war Germany, that the "intellectual reparations" taken by the U.S. and the UK amounted to close to 10 billion dollars, equivalent to around 100 billion dollars in 2006 (Ref: Norman M. Naimark The Russians in Germany pg. 206)

Yes, good-hearted toy were.

Have I thanked you yet?

[Rainfall]

Don't mention it, long ago. The folks of coventry were amongst the most generous donators to rebuild the cathedral in Dresden, that's how to fix old wounds.

[panama hat]

that's how to fix old wounds.

Indeed