German in the UK

Paul Herwig, actor Probably standing without a brolly under one of those lovely plane trees (which are mostly between 150 and 200 years old and which are so typically London - their trunks truly remind me of elephant's feet and I feel safe and comforted next to them) in the beautiful "Lincolns Inn" in Clerkenwell, before heading to the intimate and cosy "Bea's of Bloomsbury" in 44 Theobald's Road for a homemade lavender shortbread and a perfect cup of tea while drying off my soaking wet shoes and watching the Londoners, black cabs and red busses pass by.

Paul Herwig I have to admit: nothing. Actually, it's the other way round. When I'm in Germany for work, I do lots of things to recreate the UK in Germany, i.e. bringing English tea and biscuits from Fortnum and Mason. I once downloaded the siren of a London police car as a ringtone to my mobile phone. But, most important, I constantly try out the English tolerance, patience, helpfulness and friendliness in Germany's stressed, distrustful and therefore sometimes seemingly uncharming everyday life.

Paul Herwig Oh, there are many! I would recommend the letters of Heinrich von Kleist, one of my all time favorite authors. Reading the letters, you can delve into a truly romantic but real Germany at the beginning of the 19th century. A Germany which was untouched by its murderous and horrifying 20th century history. Moreover you can explore a very German mind with deep thoughts, authentic pain, sickening craving for recognition, an overwhelming ability and clarity to put all this into words and eventually one of the most heartbreaking and seemingly strange love stories and suicides ever learnt of.
Secondly I'd recommend Hans Fallada's famous novel "Little Man What Now". I got to know that one a year ago when rehearsing the lead role Johannes Pinneberg for our stage version for the City of Munich's Theatre "Münchner Kammerspiele" (www.kammerspiele-muenchen.de). The story is set in recession-ridden Germany at the end of the 1920s. It tells the story of a young couple trying to make a living with their newborn baby, while the world around them literally falls apart and steadily threatens their affectionate struggle to survive. Astonishingly enough their love never seems to vanish. Written in 1932 this is a profound document of the pre-Nazi era. Telling an utterly nonpolitical story in a topsy turvy world, it's obviously a highly political novel for the post-Second World War reader.

Paul Herwig A band from Berlin called "Frogg" who released their first Album "Blink Blink" in September 2009 (www.froggmusic.com). London-rooted singer Mills and her husband Mo Delgado from Berlin have created a fantastic album of modern unconventional and daring music and texts, exploring dub music with elements ranging from John Coltrane to Gustav Mahler. A real modern Berlin experience.

Paul Herwig Forget the old "Weisswurst" souvenir thing once and for all.
I bring those paper tea filters one can buy in nearly every supermarket in Germany and which are hard to track down in Britain. They are perfect and easy to use when brewing some nice tea with loose leaves. Doing so, I try to encourage my British friends to get rid of their habit of using tea bags and to go for the superb variety of loose tea sold here in the UK.