Not Verified
Berlin, State of Berlin, Germany
@PUPPETDIPLOMAT
Member since 2011
CURRENT MISSION Puppet theatre, arts, nhistgory ABOUT ME Youth in a suburb of Berlin, left East Germany at the age of 16, apprenticeship telecommunication in Hannover, back to (west) Berlin autumn 1956, working for theatre, film, schoo assistant physics an chemistry with French teachers, free lance journalist for more than 30 years, TV documantaries, mainly radio work. Organized festivals in 1987 and 1988 in Berlin, member of Union Internationale de la Marionnette since 1966; translated plays and poetry, travelled to many countries as observer, researcher, reporter, consultant in Europe, US, Canada, Uzbekistan, very often to former Yugoslavia (one language became many). I am father and grandfather (son and family in the Netherlands since 25 years) Research on family entanglement in Nazi crimes, which resulted in a well documented exhibition and with the help of professional historians to a permanent memorial place in Erfurt opened recently. www. topfundsoehne.de (crematoria for the death camps) PHILOSOPHY Freedom of thought, mutual respect and tolerance, environmental responsibility. Optimism (even without reason, being sceptic for various reasons). No personal violence, love and understanding are simply much better.
Interested in Art
Fluent in Bosnian
Learning Italian
Pioneer Badge
Why I'm on Couchsurfing
HOW I PARTICIPATE IN COUCHSURFING First of all I need a place for some days in Copenhagen in March, as I want to attend a little festival of puppetry for adults; that took me to couchsurfing, as hotels are beyond my budget and the festival can not invite me to one. Very often I have slept in friends homes, and people came to stay in my flat or I showed them around in my town (actually I can not offer even a couch, unfortunately; but sometimes my friends here offered help and shelter. COUCHSURFING EXPERIENCE None yet in this orgaisation, but in younger years in international exchanges (Hannover-Bristol), in international youth camps (after the flood in Holland 1953, in Summer schools of music in Cornwall and in Istria)
Music, Movies, and Books
Classical films, (Chaplin, Chabrol, Wajda, Hitchcock, Truffaut, some Italians like Fellini, Bergmann, Eisenstein. Mozart, Beatles, Jazz (Miles Davies, Eric Dolphy, west coast cool jazz), Schubert, Beethoven, Liszt, Chopin, Phil Glass Books: Too many to tell, from many countriesand times.
One Amazing Thing I've Done
Two things: Brought up my son alone since his 5th birthday, and it went well for all. he has now a family of his own and made me a happy grandfather 23 years ago. Second: Stirring up the almost forgotten and officially neglected story of the crematoria built for the most harrible Nazi concentration- and extermination camps by a company with my name, owned by two younger cousins of my father. Against much restance the project resulted in solid research, an exhibition, a memorial. I have been honoured with the Federal Cross of Merits for my efforts in this matter.
Teach, Learn, Share
Teaching puppetry knowledge and skills, learning from fighting dictators and their systems, sharing personal experience, books and other goods if needed. Spending time with others, who need attention and patience, even school assistance and help with authorities, offices etc.
My Interests
History, languages, puppetry, sometimes museums, fine arts, theatre in general, buskers, music, classical, experimental, authentic folklor. People and their landscapes.
