Sixteen years ago the primary language spoken in Dresden was russian. Schools were taught in russian, streets had russian names & the USSR flags waved proudly throughout the city. When the wall fell in 1989, all that changed. Suddenly Dresdeners were again speaking german & their entire infrastructure vanished. To this day many will still stumble when giving directions or referring to buildings because they’re remembering the ‘old’ names.

Imagine what that must be like. In american terms it would be the equivalent of mexico storming the U.S. and saying “Ok, as of today, you’re all now mexicans, your new language is spanish and you will no longer celebrate 4th of july or thanksgiving, but cinco de mayo is mandatory”. Suddenly you have César Chávez national airport & the golden gate bridge is now the Benito Juárez thoroughfare.

And just about the time you get used to all that silliness… oops, it’s america again! Only it’s not really, and you struggle with who & what you are as you’re forced to sit back and watch everyone around you arguing over who, ultimately, will be responsible for your care.

That’s why in the end I can’t help but be impressed by the resilience of this city and its people. They’ve survived massive (and completely unfair) bombing, communism, and then the growing pains of reunification. And the legacy left behind (at least from my perspective) is a city not quite comfortable being completely german, but equally glad to no longer be communist. Perhaps with a bit of a chip on its shoulder… but hey, who could blame it?

On this day..

• Spamalot. - 2008
• German root beer? - 2007
• Buffy -v- The Prez - 2006