Klaus Störtebeker is “Everyone’s Enemy”

June 18, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Mid June can only mean one thing – it’s time to head to Rügen to see the Störtebeker Festspiele. Last year the story ended with Klaus being removed access to the harbours commanded by the Mecklenburg family and being outlawed, after which the garrison of Stockholm is said to have fallen.

The story now fast forwards to 1397. On the island of Gotland off the coast of Sweden the pirates are able to find a harbour in Visby that will let them stay, for a price. The local ruler, Sophie of Pomerania-Wolgast (Susanne Szell) fears that knights of the Teutonic Order may attack them and is also happy to have the extra manpower on hand. Visby is the new set on the left of the stage and it just so happens that their old friend and inventor Hugo (Charles Lemming) has somehow already made it there and owns the local public house.

Bastian Semm as Klaus Störtebeker in Novgorod

Bastian Semm as Klaus Störtebeker in Novgorod

The other side of the stage represents Novgorod which, according to Wikipedia, was one of the most important cities in Russia and was indeed connected to the Hanseatic League. It is here that Grand Prince (Mario Ramos) keeps a tight reign on his people and is prepared to do deals both the league and Sophie, whilst not actually intending to necessarily honour them. [Read more…]

Filed Under: What's On Tagged With: , , , , ,

The Railway and Technical Museum on Rügen

June 4, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Rügen’s Railway and Technical Museum (“Eisenbahn & Technik Museum”) is located in Prora, between the “Koloss” and the railway line. In fact, it is only a short walk from Prora’s station.

The sign at the entrance is a welcome sight for any museum visitor, but especially for bloggers: “entry includes free use of the toilets, the car park and unrestricted photography and filming”. There is indeed a large car park and flash photography is not a problem. Although the museum is so large, that in the main hall a small compact camera’s flash may not have much effect. The toilets, however, are at the furthest possible point in the museum from the entrance.

The entrance to the railway museum on Rügen is through a tramThe entrance to the museum is through a tram

The entrance itself is an usually but fitting way in – through a tram. You climb in at the middle, pay, and go out through one end. For those not able to climb up the steps into the carriage there is, however, a level way in as well. [Read more…]

Filed Under: East Germany, Museums Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The day the terror threat came to Oberursel

May 3, 2015 By 1 Comment

It was Thursday, 30th April, 2015.  I don’t know exactly when I read the message, but the post on Facebook at 5.32am simply read “Does anyone what was happening in Oberursel last night?  SWAT team, explosives unit… where was it and why?”

Just as I was leaving to head into town the local radio answered the “where” part of that question: near Edeka on the Hohemarkstraße.  Somewhere I was about to drive past.  Minutes later as I passed the house number 143, there were police vehicles everywhere.  I estimate that there were about 10 police cars and at least one van containing special equipment.

Hohemarkstrasse 143 in OberurselHohemarkstraße 143 in Oberursel where the arrests took place

Soon information started to come out about the arrests of a couple who had been living there, apparently police had searched a flat and a car, finding explosives and firearms. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Current affairs Tagged With: , , , , , ,

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