Der, die oder das?

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Maskulinum – Der:

…..er: Wenn ein Beruf: Der Bäcker, der Lehrer, der Politiker, der Koffer, der Pullover ABER das Fenster

…..or: Der Motor, der Doktor, der Traktor

…..ling: Der Lehrling, der Säugling, der Frühling, der Schmetterling

…..ismus: Der Tourismus, der Komunismus, der Terrorismus

…..ist: Der Polizist, der Terrorist

…..and/ant/ent: Der Doktorand, der Proband, der Lieferant, der Demonstrant, der Student

…..eur: Der Friseur, der Masseur

…..loge: Der Gynäkologe, der Urologe, der Meteorologe

…..et: Der Poet, der Profet

Tage, Tageszeiten: Der Mittwoch, der Mittag, der Abend (ABER die Nacht)

Monate, Jahreszeiten: Der Januar, der Sommer, der Frühling

Himmelsrichtungen: Der Norden

Niederschläge: Der Regen, der Schnee, der Hagel

Luftbewegung: Der Sturm, der Wind, der Orkan

Automobilmarken: Der Honda, der Wagen

Viele Geldnamen: Der euro, der Dollar (aber die Krone)

Edelsteine: Der Rubin, der Opal, der Diamant, der Safir

Alkoholische Getränke: Der Wein, der Cognac, der Sekt, der Schnapps (ABER das Bier – und das Wasser)

Nomen ohne Ende von Verben: Der Tanz, der Schlaf

 

Femininum – Die:

90% …..e: die Flasche, die Tasche, die Lampe, die Decke, die Küche. ABER: Der Kaffee, der Tee, das Fräulein

IMMER die:

…..ung: : Die Zeitung, Die Wohnung, die Heizung

…..keit: Die Möglichkeit, die Pünktlichkeit

…..heit: Die Gesundheit, die Krankheit, die Kindheit

…..schaft: Die Freundschaft, die Nachbarschaft

…..ik: Die Politik, die Republik

…..ur: Die Kultur, die Natur, die Literatur

…..ei: Die Bäckerei, die Polizei, die Fleischerei, die Metzgerei

…..ie: Die Melodie, die Familie

…..(t)ät: die Kriminalität, die Diät, die Pubertät

…..(t)ion: Die Agression, die Revolution, die Demonstration

…..thek: Die Bibliotek, die Diskothek

…..enz/anz: Die Bilanz, die Intelligenz, die Distanz

Viele (aber nicht alle) Namen von Blumen, Bäume und Flüße (in Europa meistens die, Rest meistens der)

Zahlen

Motorradmarken (die Honda, ….)

Namen von Schiffen: Die Titanic

Nomen von Verben mit der Endung …..t: Fahren – die Fahrt, Seen – die Sicht, die Vorsicht, die Nachricht, Schreiben – die Schrift

 

Neutrum – Das:

…..at: Das Sekretariat, das Referat, das Plakat

…..o: Das Auto, das Radio, das Büro

…..ment: Das Medikament, das Fundament, das Parlament

…..chen/lein: Das Brötchen, das Würstchen, das Fräulein, das Schwesterchen

…..um: das Album, das Zentrum, das Studium, das Museum

…..zeug: Das Spielzeug

Buchstaben: Das A

Bruchzahlen: Das Drittel

Farben: Das Rot, das Grün

Namen von Hotels, Kinos, Restaurants

ALLE substantivierte Verben: Das Essen, das Trinken, das Schlafen

 

 

 

LUNCH!

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I first met Sulaiman in February 2016 when my new flat in Berlin was being renovated and he was one of the workmen. I learnt that he had fled from Syria in July 2015 and was curious to know more, also about his current situation, in case there was something I could do to help. Back then, between his almost-non-existent, and my rusty, German, communication was difficult but the other workmen helped, and I also got help from another Syrian who already had job, accommodation, and good German.

Sulaiman was desperately looking for somewhere to stay other than in a camp where life can be extremely difficult. His wife and daughters were in a camp in Lebanon, waiting for a visa to join him in Berlin.

It made a big impression on me that he was able to turn up every day with a smile on his face, and it was a pleasure to listen to the quiet Arabic-German language exchange whenever they were working in my flat.

Since then, I have heard more about his flight from Damaskus, where he had his life, and where he lost everything (except his wife and daughters of whom he is clearly very proud), and at one of my house-warming parties he told some of us about his gruelling journey – on foot, then like sardines in a tin in a truck for four days, then likewise on a boat until they were picked up by a container-carrier, then by train from Italy to Berlin, then “living” outside LAGESO (the German authority for refugees) for many days to have his case processed. In other words, a “classic” story which we all hear about all the time, directly and in the media.

His initial accommodation was in one small room which he shared with five other male refugees of different nationalities and without going into detail, tensions arose on a daily basis. The situation was becoming untenable and through his employer, he found a room which he was able to use all by himself, very small (from what I have heard, tiny does not cover it) but at least he could be private and get a full night’s sleep every night and thus be able to hold on to his job.

Sulaiman went to German class every day, but said that the teacher was not very good (there is a severe shortage of trained German teachers here) and he felt he learnt a lot more during the workday. Any which way, communication has become a lot easier.

Needless to say, he was sorely missing his family – wife and two daughters aged six and seven. Earlier this week, he sent me a text message to tell me that a couple of weeks ago, they were FINALLY reunited in Berlin. In terms of collecting heart-warming moments in my life, that one certainly comes close to the top of my list.

Today they are coming to lunch! I am so looking forward to meeting them. I also have not seen Sulaiman for a while since there is not much more work to be done in may flat, and the most recent house-warming party is already a couple of months away.

How do you pick up where you left off after 18 months, especially considering what they have been through in the meantime? How do you heal, individually and as a family, while at the same time tackling the emotional, practical and financial challenges ahead? How are the girls coping? How about accommodation? I am hoping to learn a lot more about that in the future while finding out how I can help. But first: lunch.

By the way, if you are in Berlin and looking for halal meat, Istanbul Supermarket, Kottbusser Tor, is good. There is also a butcher round the corner in Kottbusser Straße. (I am not sure I approve of the method, but until I know how strict – or not – my guests are, I am willing to use halal-butchered meat).

This is some of what we are having:

IN PROGRESS ……..

 CHICKEN BRAISED IN SPICES

Ten chicken pieces (I am using thighs and drumsticks)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground Ceylon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Olive oil
2 brown onions, sliced
100 grams ginger, cut into matchsticks
5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 small red chillies, or to taste
2 tomatoes, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
5 sprigs thyme, leaves only
1 lemon, juiced and zested
2 tablespoons honey
300 ml chicken or vegetable stock
½ bunch coriander, leaves only

Coat the chicken pieces in the mixture of salt, cumin, cinnamon, pepper and turmeric.

Brown the chicken pieces on all sides in the olive oil. Remove chicken and add onion, ginger, garlic and chili and cook for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes, cumin seeds and thyme and cook for another couple of minutes.

Return chicken and add the lemon juice and zest, honey, stock powder and enough water to just cover the chicken.

Cover and simmer over medium heat for 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer for another ten to 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through, and the sauce is slightly reduced.

Stir in the coriander and serve with couscous or rice.

 

AUBERGINE-DATE STEW

 

100 g onion, chopped

At least one clove garlic, chopped

1 chili, chopped

1 lemon

400 g aubergine, cut in 2 cm dice

50 g dates, quartered

50 g hazelnuts, coarsely chopped and dry-roasted

1 tsp cumin seeds, roasted and ground

1 tsp sumak

1/2 tsp cardamom seeds, roasted and ground

1 tsp coriander seeds, roasted and ground

Olive oil

1 tblsp tomato paste

300 ml chicken or vegetable stock

Heat the oil and lightly fry cumin, sumak, cardamom and coriander. Add onion and garlic and simmer for a couple of minutes. Add aubergine and chili for another couple of minutes. Add stock and tomato paste, stir, cover and simmer for about ten minutes.

Add nuts and dates, stir well, turn off heat and let sit for ten minutes.

Serve with rice or couscous and yoghurt mixed with herbs (f.ex. mint).

 

Photography Berlin 2016

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Wrocław, March 2016

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How to make basmati rice in an OBH rice cooker

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Rinse and soak 500 g rice as you would normally, till the water runs clear.

Put a little bit of oil in the bottom of the cooker.

Add the drained rice, salt and 800 ml water. Et voilà – the cooker does the rest.

Berlin Art Week and photography course September 2015

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Saturday 12 September

Arrival. Spent a good part of the afternoon trying to find out what to do about my missing wallet which disappeared on the way from the airport to Bahnhof Zoo. Saw for the first time the less friendly and helpful side of Berlin that everybody talks about.

In the evening a self-indulgent dinner with two friends at Les Solistes by Pierre Gagnaire.

Sunday 13 September

Köpenicker Strasse, Engelbecken, Am Lokdepot, Park am Gleisdreieck

Monday 14 September

Tuesday 15 September

Day 1 of a four-day course in basic photography by Tomàs Correa @Pentaprisma. Highly recommended. Every day we met at a café for about an hour’s theory and then went out to practise and ended up having our photos evaluated.

Afterwards some more walking around Berlin, a.o. to the pomposity that ís Karl-Marx-Allee.

 

Wednesday 16 September

Day 2 of the photography course – Tempelhofer Feld (one of my favourite places in Berlin).

Later a gallery walk (posted as an event on internations.org) in the Potsdamer Strasse area.

Galleries visited during the evening’s gallery walk: Aurel Scheibler, Esther Schipper, Barbara Wien, Plan B, Nolan Judin, Guido W. Baudach, Blain Southern, Arndt, Tanja Wagner, and Exile.

Thursday 17 September

The photography course continued at Schöneberger Südgelände

 

Friday 18 September

Day four of photography course. Theory in Café Wahrhaft Nahrhaft, practice in RAW Gelände, an area which is soon to succumb to “development”.

Visit to Positions Berlin Art Fair.

Dinner in Tapas y Más.

Saturday 19 September

ABC Art Fair. Dinner in Greek restaurant Mandragoras.

Sunday 20 September

A meeting in a projektbau showroom in Stralau, and a walk around to see (again) if I might want to live on Halbinsel Stralau.

Berliner Liste Art Fair.

Dinner in Marinehaus Restaurant und Kneipe

Painting by Josef Petersen for sale

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DSC_0190

66 cm x 82 cm. From the early 1950s.

Josef Petersen was the grandson of the Norwegian Poet Johan Sebastian Cammermeyer Welhaven and I don’t know much about him, nor the painting, except it was first given to Mr and Mrs Harremoes, Lundtofte, Denmark, for the silver wedding, by Mr Carl Castenskjold. Mrs Harremoes then gave it to my mother, Marie Møller, f. Skovmand, when she moved to Buegården, Bagsværd, in 1984. Contact me if interested.

A walk on Stralau peninsula

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Water on three sides, so centrally located, such wasted opportunities. A lot of really nice flats built and being built, and very idyllic surroundings, but no character, no “personality”, not ONE café or restaurant or shop, apart from a small bakery. Not even any people to be seen, really, for that matter, despite the fact it was a Saturday and many people already live in the area.

 

A walk around Alt-Moabit and Wedding Süd 28 June 2015

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Thomasiusstrasse, just north of Bellevue S-Bahn Station, is a very short stree, so judging by the number of Stolpersteine, it either housed a high concentration of Jewish residents, or one very zealous snitch:

Moving on:

 

The life of a Danish pensioner in Berlin