DER WHISKEY RABBI

Geoff Berner, kanadischer Klezmerpunk mit osteuropäisch-jüdischen Wurzeln, zur Zeit auf Europatournee, hat mit Datum von heute seinen Fans einen Bericht aus dem Dresden von gestern geschickt:

„Dear Everybody,

The Berner Industries Blimp is tied off at the Societaetheater culture centre here in Dresden, where we play tonight. Everybody we know in Dresden is fabulous.

But last night was Pegida night in Dresden. Apparently it’s some kind of weekly thing. This awful political party or whatever is the new face of the old nazis. Their focus is Syrians and other refugees this time. So just so Brad Wall, Premier of Saskatchewan knows, he’s totally got somewhere to hang out in Germany where he’ll feel comfortable.
There was a somewhat reassuring counter-demonstration of mostly young people but it was only somewhat reassuring on account of how the anti-nazis were outnumbered 4-1 by the massive flag waving crowd in the square. The large police presence faced outward at the lefties, as if the cops felt the need to protect the giant throng of bastards from attack by kids in Refugees Welcome, Bring Your Families! t-shirts.  Amidst the usual anti-nationalist cheers, one of the boys from our side shouted „Angela Merkel is a Radical Leftist!“ everybody laughed.
At the start of the rally, I had some trouble finding the counter-rally. In the crowd of nasties I noticed a strange flag. Lots of people were waving it. It looked like nothing so much as a Norwegian flag that had been marinating in the urine of an alcoholic pensioner for several decades. I went up to one of the flag wavers.
„Hey! What’s that flag there? Are you Norwegian?“
„This? No. See the yellow? This is the Stauffenberg flag. It is the flag of the resistance. The ones who tried to kill hitler used it.“
Right. Waving the flag of a guy who 
“basically approved of the racial principle of National Socialism, but considered it to be exaggerated and excessive.“ Got it. You guys are the good nazis. I just walked away in search of the counter demo. I went up to a policeman. 
„Hey! Isn’t there two demonstrations?“ 
„Yes.“
„So where are the good guys?“
He looked bemused. He clearly felt that it wasn’t his place to say who the good guys were. So I helped him out. „Well, the nazis are over there. Where’s the other guys?“
He pointed the way. They taught me in kindergarten that If you’re lost, you can always ask a policeman.
What an interesting time to be doing a big tour in Europe. (…)“
17.11.2015 Dresden – Societaetstheater 18.11.2015 Erfurt – Offene Arbeit 19.11.2015 Bremen – Karton 20.11.2015 Hamburg – Kleiner Donner 21.11.2015 Haarlem, NL – Patronaat, with Curtis Eller! 23.11.2015 Berlin – Villa Neukölln 24.11.2015 Bielefeld – Bunker Ulmenwall 25.11.2015 Bremerhaven – Pferdestall 26.11.2015 Hannover – Feinkost Lampe (It’s my birthday party!)27.11.2015 Münster – Schnabulenz 28.11.2015 Duisburg – Steinbruch 29.11.2015 Mainz – Hafeneck 30.11.2015 Trier – Brunnenhof 01.12.2015 Speyer – Kulturzentrum Eckpunkt 02.12.2015 Darmstadt – Zucker 04.12.2015 Augsburg – City Club 05.12.2015 Geislingen – Seemühle 06.12.2015 Basel – Bar Salon 07.12.2015 St. Gallen – La Buena Onda 10.12.2015 Dachau – Cafe Gramsci, with Mäkkelä 11.12.2015 Murnau – Westtor 12.12.2015 Wien – U4
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