Election posters

On the occasion of election in the state of Lower Saxony today, here a potpourri of election posters by kaska's snap shots. The selection is absolutely random. I just gathered here all pictures I ever took of any election poster.

Found 2012 in a second hand whole sale in Poland, near Jaslo (Subcarpathian Region): An election poster of the extreme left party "Die Linke". Karl Voßkühler was a candidate in Mainz, in Southern West of Germany, for the Bundestag, election 2009. I did not know it before, I googled it afterwards. Why I took this picture was the fact that apparently this Polish second hand distributor collects anything he finds in Germany to sell it as a second hand article. In Subcarpathian Region. True story.

From extreme left to extreme right: NPD, a national-socialistic party, a constant controversy: should the party be delegalized? Anyway, the party can still legally participate in this federal state election. I took the picture this week. The reason is the following: the xenophobic, populistic, neo-nazi party placed their poster in front of the Hannover's city hall sticking it directly to the CDU-poster showing Aygül Özgan, the Minister for social welfare, women, family, health and integration in the State Lower Saxony. Mrs. Özgan is the first muslim person to become a minister of a federal state in Germany. As a daughter of Gastarbeiter-family she made a career par excellence and is the paradigm of successful integration for the whole of Germany. By hanging their poster under Christian-Democrats represented by Mrs. Özgan, NPD confirmed that they are out of the element.

Well, anyway, the extreme right has to hang their election posters very high. Otherwise they would be torn down and thrown away. By citizens. Here an example: Kiel Mönkeberg, 2009, a poster drifting away in the Baltic Sea.

The two former examples are small extreme political directions. Now to the two big ones, the two catch-all Parties, number one Social Democrats: 

 

Here a snap shot from Hanover, 2011 - local election. The guy on the poster, to the right side is Stephan Weil, the top candidate of the Social-Democrats back then and a popular Lord Mayor of Hanover since 2006 till today. Today he is a top candidate on the federal state level. Who knows how the evening will end for him. I took the picture because the place is unique. There is a big roundabout in the very center of Hanover, at Steintor. The architects of this traffic solution cut an ancient cemetery in two halves, the grave stones remained though. So when you stand there you are in the middle of some "Sleepy Hollow" scenery and in the middle of big city traffic at the same time. Strange atmosphere. And then the modern billboards next to the stone grave reliefs darkened by smog.

Another catch-all party of Germany: Christ-Democrats:

Here an election poster from Schleswig-Holstein, federal state election 2009. "Der Landesvater" - this is how Germans call their Prime Ministers of federal states. (My Non-German readers should by now be realizing that the German political system is quite unique and a real understanding of federalism takes time and energy.) Here the former Prime Minister of Schleswig-Holstein Peter Harry Carstensen. A born-and-bred North Frisian, with all what it takes: bullheaded, down to earth, charismatic and passionate for big machines. Controversial as well. I have heard people on the street calling him "Lügenpeter"- a "Lie Peter". Lie-Peter is history though, Torsten Albig from SPD (Social-Democrats) is Landesvater now. They call him Kojak. Check why:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torsten_Albig

Local Election, Hanover 2011: Somebody made a joke(r) out of Dr. Schäuble who is currently Minister of Finance in Germany. Unique features: Swabian accent, wheelchair.

Away from Germany: Ukrainian beauty - Julia Tymoschenko, best hair style in politics ever. According to me at least.

Away from the poster - live act during election campaign for German Bundestag 2009 for a Hanover SPD-candidate, the Hip Hop artist Spax, the last one to perform in this video is a colleague of mine. A good dude.

Holy Odin!

I started the topic with the Carpathian Troy and now I can't stop: There is an open air museum I really enjoyed over many years of living in the high   
  north of Germany. 

On the northern coast of the German Baltic Sea, the shore line is very irregular. The land is flat and hilly at the same time. Hills which are spread along the east coast of Schleswig Holstein had been formed by the glacier. The water forged ahead and built flat but very long zigzag-shaped fjords. One of them is called Schlei, here sweet and salty water are mixed and the fjord looks like a lake as you cannot recognize the connection to the sea when standing on the shore.

A replica of a Viking boat on the Schlei

When you look twice, you recognize 
the roofs of Viking houses above the reed bed.

On the very end of the Schlei, on the heartland there is an ancient medieval city called Schleswig with a cathedral out of red brick dominating the landscape. On the suburbs of Schleswig, you will find Haithabu, a Viking museum, a must see for people interested in history of Middle Ages and in Vikings. 
Haithabu used to be a flourishing metropole, center of trade between Scandinavia and the rest of Europe. Between the 8th and 11th century these were the Vikings who built the city and traded here. The end of Haithabu came with Christianity. Schleswig as a new Christian settlement took over the leading part.

The opposite side of the Schlei curve:
The Cathedral of Schleswig

The houses of Haithabu are reconstructions,
situated in the very place where the ancient
Viking settlement once stood.

A glimpse through the window of one of the Haithabu houses

For four centuries Vikings have been leaving remains of their existence. These findings are an enormous treasure to nowadays archeologists. The amount of excavations is huge - also due to the fact that nobody ever tried to build in this place anything new. The ground is swampy.

Bones of animals found around the settlement

A huge boat reconstructed based on remains found in the Schlei

Archeologists digged out of the swampy ground enormous evidence. Tools of everyday life, fragments of clothing, ritual figures and especially interesting - animal bones. This part is so interesting, according to what I learned in the museum, mostly because it gives us clues on the diet, the way of breeding and customs of killing and exploiting domestic animals. It gives us a glimpse how sophisticated the tool making of the Vikings was. Also there are parts of a huge Viking boat that has been elevated from the bottom of the Schlei. Of course the findings give much broader information on trading connections between European centers of early Middle Ages too.

A God or a toy? or both?

The swampy ground in the surroundings of Haithabu and Schleswig is a true paradise for archeologists researching another periods of time as well. Older ethnic groups living in this area left numerous traces of their rituals, of every day life and above all, the customs of dealing with death and the burial of important members of their society. The swamp revealed a sophisticated range of rites-de-passage by the pre-Viking societies. This is why there are two very important archeologic museums in a direct neighbouhood. The one of Haithabu with the reconstruction of a Viking city and the other one for even earlier communities from this region - in Schloß Gottorf, in Schleswig.

The museum of Schloß Gottorf is most known for the so called Moorleichen - bog people. The human remains have beed mummified by the lack of oxygen and special chemical condition of the swamp.

Next to the bodies, rich artifacts have been found, equipment of representative burial rituals.

The shooting star of the Museum Schloß Gottorf: Nydamboot. The boat measures 23 meters and this year the museum celebrates the most precious exhibit of its collection by a special show for the 150th anniversary of its elevation out of the swamp. The boat is such an archeological sensation that for decades it used to be a controversy between two countries: both Germany and Danmark claimed rights to own the boat. Nowadays both countries co-operate on scientific research and expositions.

Apart of the many archeologists, Schleswig and Haithabu attract a high number of freaks too. There is plenty of people who play the Vikings, especially in  the summer time. They spend almost all summer by dressing, living, eating and doing like Vikings. Some groups are allowed as residents to the Haithabu open air museum.

One of the most interesting and surprising things I have learned in Haithabu: the Viking society was based on matriarchy. Women were the ones who decided to take a husband, they chose the man and they were able to send him away and re-marry.

You can learn from contemporary Vikings in Haithabu the old technics of making honey, forming ceramic pots and building bows and arrows.

The modern Vikings sell their products to tourists. They are no fools!

But the most amazing guy, I ever met there was a guide, an archeologist pensioner, who looking like retired Indiana Jones (he only did not carry the whip around - at least not on the day I met him) was able to make a three-hours-tour in a most fascinating way showing very vivid insights into the world of Vikings and into the methods of work of archeologists.

The Haithabu-Indiana-Jones demonstrates to a group of tourists the usage of tools for a bow production.

At the crossroads of both, archeologists and role playing groups: there are the very few so called experimental archeologists. They are scientists who imitate in the most authentic way the production and functioning of ancient tools and weapons to check how close they can get by simulation to historical truth of the civilizational achievements back then. Apparently, one of the most significant of them is Harm Paulsen, associated with the Museum of Schleswig. He is not only representing one of the most exceptional forms of a profession but he also does something for living that many children dream about while their adults tell them to build a career on realistic expectations. 

I have never met Harm Paulsen in person. I came across his professional career by watching a documentary on Ötzi, the iceman. I have found for you some links with Harm Paulsen. Enjoy! The guy is quite entertaining, unfortunately the links are in German though. And go to Schleswig and Haithabu!

http://www.planet-wissen.de/politik_geschichte/archaeologie/methoden_der_archaeologie/av_archaeo_paulsen.jsp

Der Aalstecher:

Here the link for both museums, Haithabu and Schloß Gottorf:
http://www.schloss-gottorf.de

Karpacka Troja - Carpathian Troy 

There is a new super star among sightseeing spots of the still very undiscovered Subcarpathian Region: the open air museum of Trzcinica. When leaving Jaslo in the western direction, towards Biecz, Gorlice and Nowy Sacz you should watch out not to miss a plain turn to the right, just after leaving behind the city limits. Trust me, you simply do not want to miss it!

https://maps.google.de/maps?hl=de&q=karpacka+troja&ie=UTF-8&ei=W2zoUP3mM9DmtQb-woDwCA&sqi=2&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAA

A view towards Jaslo from the hills of Trzcinica

First thing to know when looking for an open air museum in Poland is the Polish Non-Polish name for this sort of museum: Skansen. Skansen is originally a place in Sweden with the first open air museum in the world. Polish just took the name of the Swedish town to create a Polish description for this kind of exposition. So in case you get lost on your way, you should ask for the skansen and no one would send you to Sweden: they will show you the way to the local museum. You may indeed get lost as sometimes road signs in Poland tend to be incomplete, hidden or just not there. Your navigation might as well not have the intercultural competence to understand the Polish way of building roads and send you on your way to the museum through serpentines and farmers' back yards. And when you accept the fact that asking for directions is still an adequate contemporary way to find places, you may eventually have troubles pronouncing the name of the village: Trzcinica. It contains all of the challenges of Polish language and non-Polish people say "Bless you!" when you speak the word in a correct way. So when lost, ask for skansen, use your Swedish.

It was quite not a surprise for archeologists to find in Trzcinica evidence of an ancient settlement. The place has ideal features when seen from the perspective of ancient settlement planners: remarkably steep to three sides. And above all, the scientists had more hints: on the top of the hill unnatural therefore artificial earthwalls were clearly visible. First professional archaeologic excavations have been performed in the 50s of the 20th century. Nobody really knew back then that the discoveries will be that big and will reach so far in the past.

The reconstruction of the earliest settlement of Trzcinica

Due to the archeological discoveries, which reached their peak in the 90s of the 20th century, three major drafts of the settlement could be determined. Both oldest ones are ascribed to the Otomani-Füzesabony culture living in the Bronze Age. The latest settlement reaches the early middle ages and has been raised by Slavic population. All three milestones of development are nicely visualized in miniature in the museum belonging to the skansen. 

Talking of the museum: you can only enter the museum with a guide. This makes sense for the very important reason - the guides are trained to translate the professional historical and archeological terminology into a common sense of an average visitor. And they are doing a great job on that!

The museum shows next to original artifacts explored in the layers of ground of Trzcinica's settlement, scenes of the every day life of the cultures who lived in this place. The amount of evidence and the undamaged state of the findings of Trzcinica were so overwhelming that soon the archeologists started to compare the place with a discovery of Troy. This is how the official name of the skansen has been established.

The place has such a good strategic localization that for centuries it remained untouched. This is the reason for the good shape of the remains discovered in course of the 20th century. The most spectacular finding was a silver treasure spotted right underneath the ground surface. Due to what scientists were able to find out, the objects of highest value, among them a silver sword, had been hidden during a siege of the colony just before its final fall. The owner was in hurry and never came back to pick up the treasure...

After this very appealing, not at any time boring historical introduction inside the museum, your guide will take you outside to slender through the ground of the skansen. There are two parts of the concept. At the foot of the hill, you can visit houses reconstructed to visualize the three different stages of civilization that followed after one another in Trzcinica. 

The houses exemplify the different construction solutions and you will be told about the different use of each room. There are also some scenes of every day life set in scene here too.

Talking about the guide: the internet site of the museum recommends making an appointment before arriving so that they make sure you get inside on preferable time and get a guided tour in the language of your choice. Our little German-Polish group visited the place fully spontaneously. The museum is not overcrowded - at least not on a working day in the end of October. However we caused a small panic to the ladies at the reception. They were incredibly polite to us and upset at the same time that they might be not able to find us at a short notice a guide who would speak a foreign language. One of the ladies disappeared then for a while in the section for the museum stuff. After 10 minutes she returned with red cheeks and announced with a disappointment that... there is only one guide who could give us a German speaking tour... My German family danced a dance of joy when they have found out.

The story goes on: The lady who found the German speaking guide informed us that we need to wait ten more minutes - the group ahead of us needs to leave the museum building first so that there is no traffic jam at the exhibition and also ... our guide needs to collect his courage. He apparently got a little bit under pressure that he will be guiding tourists in German spontaneously. Ten minutes later a young man approaches us and speaks in a perfect, fluent, very sophisticated German and explains to us the exposition. We were truly impressed by the language competence of a guy who works in a small town somewhere on the brink of Carpathian mountains. So one more encouraging to non-Polish speakers: go visit the place, they will find a solution fitting your needs!

Our guide, named Pawel, was also very well informed when it comes to historical details of the ancient settlement. We posed a lot of questions and he was able to answer them all. Soon he was taking us out of the area of the reconstructed houses to the steep hill. For this reason it makes sense to put on flat shoes when going on this trip.

However, you don't have to be an alpinist to manage the parcours - grid stairs are leading to the top, see below, on the left side.

Parts of fortifications have been reconstructed up there to give an impression of how difficult for invaders the siege of the place must have been.

As you can see by the colors on the following pictures, it is very rewarding to visit the place in autumn.

And from now on, I am going to leave you just with the pictures of the hill to enjoy, I guess there has been enough said. Last but not least, I am going to say thank you to Pawel who was such a good guide!

Here are some links, you might find interesting:

The official site of the museum

http://www.karpackatroja.pl/home.html

Internet site of the network of open air museums

http://openarchaeology.info/venues/skansen-archeologiczny-karpacka-troja-pl

Jaslo seen from Karpacka Troja