Well it’s taken a year but I’ve finally got round to reading Wie ich Hauptmann von Köpenick wurde, an interesting little story.
Despite his best efforts Wilhelm Voigt doesn’t come across as a particularly sympathetic figure, most of the time up until the main event is a litany of “I didn’t do it” or “it wasn’t my fault” that would be familiar to any modern copper. Even the actual robbery itself was apparently only carried out so that he could get the passport that had been denied to him by the authorities, in fact he took the money against his will when the clerk insisted. Right.
I liked his reference to Hans Kohlhase, another nice little story previously unknown to me.
Part of the reason for the posting gap (apart from sloth) was my recent trip to Brandenburg an der Havel, a lovely town to which I hope to return later this year. I was disappointed not to be able to find the Bund der Vertriebenen museum, which didn’t appear to be where it said it was, maybe it was me… “Ein Viertel der Stadtbevölkerung hat Vorfahren in Pommern, Ostpreußen beziehungsweise Schlesien oder sind Sudetendeutsche und Donauschwaben.”
While there I took the opportunity to hop on the train and visit Sanssouci for the first time, in the rain unfortunately. The palace tour itself was one of those awful audioguide affairs, which I declined to join in with, but just being there was pleasure enough, although I have to say that Frederician Rococo is a little much for my taste. I also confirmed that the print on my wall of the famous Anton Graff portrait of Frederick is indeed a mirror image, facing right instead of left. Nobody else will know hopefully.
Most of the photos of the interior are enough to make your eyes bleed, but I had to visit the great man himself, here’s the proof. I forgot to bring potatoes, they probably sell them for a tenner each in the tourist shop where I bought my classy fridge magnets.
