Meet the gay man who changed Berlin

[Melech 9,900]

 

 

Klaus Wowereit, the colourful Berlin mayor who has just resigned after 13 years in the job, is for many Berliners identified with the city’s transformation from a place traumatised by Cold War division into the “cool capital†of Europe today.

Yet it’s surprisingly hard to find a successful policy of Mr Wowereit’s that contributed to the change. In many ways, Wowi, as he was known, turned the job of mayor into one of brand manager for Berlin. His genius lay more in presentation than in policy – and in an uncanny ability to transform perceived weaknesses into strengths.

'Poor but s-xy'

Nowhere was this more evident than in the slogan Mr Wowereit dreamed up for his city: “poor but s-xyâ€.

When he took office in 2001, Berlin was in the grip of an economic crisis. Local industry had collapsed after reunification and unemployment had spiralled to 20 per cent in a country dubbed the 'sick man of Europe'.

But where others saw disaster, Mr Wowereit saw opportunity, and he arguably did more for his city's fortunes with a single phrase than he could have achieved with a raft of economic reforms.

By marketing Berlin as cheap yet exciting, he lured an entire generation of European artists and Bohemians to up sticks and move to the city, and take advantage of rents Londoners and Parisians could only dream of.

Drinking champagne from a shoe

Generally speaking, when the mayor of a city is photographed at a late-night party drinking champagne from a stiletto shoe, it’s a PR disaster. But not for Mr Wowereit.

Snapped quaffing from the shoe of an ambassador’s wife, Mr Wowereit soon symbolised how Berlin was becoming the party capital of Europe.

And when detractors complained he was out late partying rather than paying attention to the city’s problems, he responded that it was at parties that he did his most important networking.

And, in a way, it was true. Wowi arguably did more to transform Berlin’s fortunes by selling it as a party city than he could have done by studying balance sheets.

Cold War memories of spies and the Berlin Wall were banished. The Berlin of Cabaret and Sally Bowles was back. Of course, it had never disappeared – the parties in West Berlin were arguably wilder than anything before or since – but Mr Wowereit did more than anyone to sell 'fun Berlin' to the world once again.

'I’m gay, and that’s okay'

For most politicians, coming out as gay in a socially conservative country as German was in 2001, would have been a minefield. Mr Wowereit however turned it into a publicity coup for his city.

“I’m gay, but that’s okay,†he famously declared, and nothing could have so instantly defined what was different about Berlin.

Munich might have the money, and Frankfurt might have the banks, but Berlin was free of the stuffy Christian values that dominated its rivals.

Berlin was the gay capital of Europe again.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/11289142/The-man-who-made-Berlin-one-of-the-coolest-cities-in-the-world.html

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ucd40hLbt7Y

His famous speech "I'm gay and that is good"

 

Someday I will live in that city. And I can't wait for it  

[SissyFromSpace 20,884]

[monsterdreams 1,529]

Respect to him

[Andy McQueen 4,484]

[Valextra 58]

Amazing man  

[MaybeKermit 5,202]

Ugh Berlin is so nice.... I want to go back :cry:

[HANZ 4,380]

I wish I lived in berlin tbh

[ByeBye49 161]

[Sugarfall 3,723]

I didn't know this, no wonder Berlin is an amazing city. It's led by a gay man

[Guest]

moved there when i was 17

absolutely no regrets

:derpmas:

[Gagaloo911 12,959]

Oh look another thread by Simon.... about Germany   :sleigh:

 

 

On-topic tho, good on him and good on Berlin for being less religious