Trier: Aspiration

2006-05-02

A typical sight in every larger German city. Punks

Sure, a lot of people who style themselves this way just like the look and are otherwise nice normal people. And they do not have to be dumb slackers or feckless criminals. In fact, the brightest student of my entire age group in school wore his hair like that. Dyeing your hair in bright colors does not lower your intelligence. Furthermore, I highly appreciate smart (!) individualism, direct action, environmentalism, skepticism towards authorities and opposition to unjustified discrimination. And I am definitely not a fashion nazi either, I enjoy pluralism. I would like the people in pedestrian zones to be as diverse in appearance as the guests in the Mos Eisley Cantina. Because if you ask me, our streets suffer from a distinctive lack of medieval Sorceresses, Trill scientists, well-built Amazons, fabulous Royals, bearded Dwarfs and fine Victorian Gentlemen. Tastes may differ, of course

The problem is that far too many Punks are simply hipsters without money and ambition: Extremely conformist members of a shallow subculture mainly comprised of white teens and twens who constantly try to shock and distinguish themselves from the rest of society in order to create the illusion of independence, self-confidence and originality. And you know what I think of hipsters...


The cross is the "Marktkreuz" ("Market Cross") of the "Hauptmarkt" ("Main Market") in Trier. Market crosses are visible structures - not necessarily crosses - that mark the place of a settlement's market. The right to host a permanent market was a privilege and of great benefit for the local economy. Markets are usually large free spaces that were occupied not only for economic, but also social and political purposes. Quite often they are in the center of the city with the city hall and a "Ratskeller" nearby. The "Ratskeller" (literal translation: "Council's Cellar") is a tavern located near or even beneath the city hall. Furthermore, in many cities "Marktbrunnen" ("Market Fountains") can be found that provided a public water supply in the Middle Ages. Nowadays pipes bring clean water into every household and the fountains are maintained for decoration. While tap water in Germany is safe to drink in general, it is not advisable to do the same with water from fountains; exceptions are special "Trinkwasserbrunnen" ("Drinking Water Fountains") that some cities generously offer


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General Information: Trier is a city in the Federal Republic of Germany with a population of 100,000. It is located in the Western part of Germany only 15 km from the border of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and lies on the banks of the Moselle River. It claims to be the oldest recognized city in Germany, being founded by the Romans 2000 years ago. Besides its numerous buildings from the Roman and the frequency of archaeological discoveries, it is very famous as a wine-growing region.