49th Anniversary Of The Building Of The Berlin Wall

Our right wing friends probably got the idea for the 'Tortilla Curtain' from what happened 49 years ago today, the start of construction for the Berlin Wall and the subsequent Inner German Border fence.



For you peeps who were toddlers or weren't even thought of, while I was a year from being born myself when the Berlin Wall went up, it was a reality for people of my generation who grew up during the Cold War and remember 'duck and cover' drills and Checkpoint Charlie.

Here's an excellent documentary from the German national network Deutsche Welle called 'Walled In'. It gives you an idea what The Wall looked like through the magic of computer animation circa the 1980s in the Bernauer Strasse area and a glimpse of the IGB.



Much of it has been dismantled since its fall in 1989, but sections of it are still preserved in Germany as memorials to the people who died trying to cross it to freedom.

The Berlin Wall Falls-20th Anniversary

For much of my life, the Berlin Wall was part of the world I grew up in.

It was created on August 13, 1961, eight months before I was born. It was strengthened and improved over several decades and symbolized not only the dividing line between West and East Berlin, but between communism and democracy.

It cost 136 East Germans their lives trying to cross it to freedom in West Berlin and billions for the East German government to maintain it and a similar barrier between the two Germanys.

It even became part of my own lexicon. If I had a 'no way in Hades' intention of doing something, I'd say, "That'll happen when the Berlin Wall comes down."

On November 9, 1989 it did.

The pump had been primed by demonstrations in Leipzig, East Germany that summer. They were allowed to happen despite a massive police and military presence. Remember the East Germans were the first to congratulate the Chinese government after the violent suppression of the June 4 Tienanmen Square demonstrations in Beijing.

Those demonstrations were fueled by Hungary and Czechoslovakia's August decision to open their border with Austria and allowing East German citizens on vacation there to leave their countries for the West.

At a routine late afternoon news conference, East German Politburo member Gunter Schabowski casually declared that East Germans would be free to travel to the West immediately.

The decision had already been made, but Schabowski got the date it was going to start crossed up. He tried to clarify his comments and said the new rules would take hold at midnight, but events moved faster as the word spread.

Thousands of East Germans surged toward the Wall checkpoints, including future German chancellor Angela Merkel, overwhelming the border guards. With no orders from the top forthcoming, they opened the gates and kicked off the biggest celebration in history.

The Wall fell, and months later East Germany ceased to exist as well.

Hard to believe twenty years have passed since then.

Angela Merkel Reelected German Chancellor

While we were sleeping on this side of the Pond, the Germans were headed to the polls today. The results were the opposite of what happened in the States and Japan.

German voters reelected their popular chancellor Angela Merkel to a second term.

While Merkel's Christian Democratic Union party CDU/CSU lost some support from the 35.2% they garnered in 2005 to 33%, another coalition partner, the pro-business Free Democrats (FDU) share of the German electorate rose from 9.8% to 14.5%

That means the center-right coalition she put together has a narrow majority over the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the two other major leftist parties which increased their share of the vote. The Greens picked up 12% white the Left grabbed 10% of the German electorate

"My understanding was, and my understanding is, that I want to be the chancellor of all Germans," Merkel told supporters, adding that protecting and creating jobs "will be my highest aim."

This election was also occurring at a critical time for Europe's largest economy, which is like everywhere else on the planet recovering from its deepest recession of the post-war era.

The resulting center-right government she's forming will allow her to pursue more conservative policies such as extending the life of German nuclear plants and renewing the increasingly controversial deployment of German troops to Afghanistan.

The last time a center right government led Germany was when Helmut Kohl was chancellor from 1982-1998.

Her challenger in the vote was Social Democrat (SPD) Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He appeared on television shortly after the first projections came out and conceded that his party had suffered a "bitter defeat", garnering only 22.5% support.

Merkel has ruled for the past four years in a "grand coalition" with the SPD but can now end that partnership and work with the FDP. She has stated that it's a grouping better placed to help nurture Europe's largest economy back to health.

We'll see in four years if Chancellor Merkel is right.

Black CDU Politician In Germany Getting Death Threats

No matter where we reside in the world as part of the African Diaspora, sooner or later, despite our best efforts, racism will rear its ugly head and we'll have to deal with it.

That message was driven home once again after I read on CNN.com and watched the news story about 45 year old Zeca Schall. He's a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling Christian Democratic Union party, was born in Angola, moved to Germany to live in 1988 and became a German citizen in 2004.

Schall has been named as a CDU expert for the integration of minorities.

I have much love for Germany. I took German in high school and I'm fascinated by its history, scientific and technological prowess, its politics, its people and its culture.

It's also where some world transgender history was made. Much of the research that made it possible for us to deal with our gender issues was done by people such as Dr. Magnus Hirschfeld.

But there is that twelve year period from 1933-1945 in which Germany lost their damned minds and succumbed to right wing madness. They elected that failed Austrian painter and author of Mein Kampf as chancellor to the detriment of Germany and the world.

I'm also concerned about what's happening to Schall because I have family members who live in Germany. Schall resides in Thuringia, a state bordering the Czech Republic that used to be part of the former East Germany.

While its not as problematic in the western states that made up the former West Germany where my cousins reside, in those five eastern states they still have problems with fascist and racist behavior.

There was an October 1993 incident in Oberhof in which African-American luger Robert Pipkins was verbally and physically attacked by 15 neo-Nazi skinheads while visiting a disco during an international luge competition. Duncan Kennedy received facial and chest injuries while coming to the aid of his teammate.

The denizens of Oberhof were so disgusted by the incident the then mayor of Oberhof sent a letter of apology to then President Bill Clinton. The owner of the disco offered to treat both American lugers to free drinks and admission during their next visit to the town.

Schall has attracted the ire of a far-right anti-immigration German party. The National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD) is channelling their inner Nazis and called on him to leave the country.

The NPD has been under surveillance by Germany's Office for the Protection of the Constitution for alleged contacts with illegal neo-Nazi groups. However, past efforts to ban the party have failed on technicalities.

But judging by their rhetoric, they ain't exactly rolling out the welcome mat for him either. A statement posted on their website said, "The CDU seems to be realizing that even after years of re-education, negroes cannot be accepted as permanent guests in our state."

Schall has the support of the CDU and the denizens of his adopted hometown of Hildburghausen, where he is a volunteer firefighter. But even the residents admit they still have some rockheads who want to turn the clock back to 1933.

The situation escalated to a worrisome level Wednesday when the NPD held a rally in Hildburghausen. They attempted to get to Schall's home but police dispacted to protect him thwarted the attempt.

NPD Party Chairman Udo Voigt claims in a press rel;ease all they wanted to do was speak to Schall "and persuade Mr. Schall that he is needed more in Angola than in Germany."

Yeah, right.

Because of the numerous death threats he has received in the runup to this state election in Thuringia, Schall has been pulled from campaign events because the CDP feels it's too risky for him to do them.

Schall told CNN he had never before been subjected to such a level of racial hatred.

"I am shocked," he said Thursday at a campaign event in Erfurt, the capital of Thuringia. "I simply cannot believe that people would do this to fellow humans."

"I have police patrolling at my house day and night, and some officers stay in my house overnight," he said.

Schall, who appears on a CDU election poster, said he is scared but won't be intimidated by far right thugs.

Nevertheless, I'll still be saying a little prayer on your behalf for your safety.

Sarah Gronert Cleared By WTA To Play Women's Tennis Events

22 year old German tennis player Sarah Gronert was born intersex, had surgery to correct her ambiguous genitalia, and identifies as and was raised female.

Should be an open an shut case in terms of her gender identity, correct?

Not when you're playing professional tennis and you have people like Schlomo Tzoref ignorantly asserting she has an unfair advantage by dint of her intersex status.

"This is not a woman, it's a man. She does not have the power of a woman and no woman has such a technique."

Tzoref's comments have the strong whiff of sour grapes. They came in the wake of Gronert serving 20 aces to beat down Julia Glushko, one of the tour players he coaches in the quarterfinals of a tournament Gronert went on to win.

Gronert is making rapid progress climbing up in the world tennis rankings. She's currently as of this writing ranked a career high 555th in the world. She has played in 9 tournaments over the last three years, won two of them, but has yet to win a major.

There is growing unrest among some people in tennis who claim her intersex birth status may give her an edge over other cisgender female players. Under WTA Tour rules, if there is "any question as to the eligibility" of a player, the WTA has the right to "require a player to submit to gender verification to determine sexual status".

Gronert has also been subjected to cruel and derogatory comments similar to Tzoref's to the point that she nearly quit playing the sport.

Despite a WTA spokeperson admitting that he wasn't directly aware of any complaint being filed against Gronert by other players or coaches, her case was recently reviewed by a Women's Tennis Association Tour medical delegate to make sure that she satisfied all the requirements to compete in the women's game.

The delegate concluded that there was "sufficient independent and verifiable evidence" to show that Gronert was eligible to play women's tennis. The positive ruling means that Gronert is eligible to compete in any tennis event that her rankings and wild cards allow her to play in.

"The Tour's gender determination rule is similar to the International Olympic Committee's rule, and under this rule, Gronert is allowed to play Tour events as a female," a spokesman said.

That affirmative gender determination also clears Gronert to play in International Tennis Federation tour events as well.

An ITF spokeswoman said that like the WTA, the governing body had never received any formal inquiry or complaint about Gronert's eligibility.

"Sarah Gronert is legally and biologically a woman," the spokeswoman said, "and as such perfectly entitled to compete in ITF Pro Circuit events and, at some point if her ranking warrants it, in WTA Tour events."

Yo Schlomo, Sarah can play, so deal with it. While you're at it, deal with your intersexphobic behavior as well.

Germany's Transgender Community

Germany's transgender community has an interesting and tumultuous history. In 1930 the first surgery was performed there in Berlin with Danish transsexual pioneer Lili Elbe. Tragically, Lili is also buried in Dresden after dying from complications from an additional surgery in 1931.

In addition to supervising Elbe's groundbreaking surgery, much of the research and terminology concerning transsexual issues was either done by or coined by Magnus Hirschfeld at his Institut für Sexualwissenschaft housed in Berlin.

It's also no accident that one of the first public book burnings after the Nazis gained power took place on May 6, 1933 in front of Hirschfeld's office. Years of research and volumes of books were burned in what a New York Times writer called a 'bibliocaust'.

It also ushered in the dark period in which some of the first concentration camp internees into Dachau were gay and transgender persons who wore the pink triangles on their prison uniform. The pink triangle is now in addition to the rainbow flag the universal symbol for the GLBT community.

Germany has a transgender law on its legal books since 1980 called the Transsexuellengesetz or the TSG in German. It has come under fire from German transpeople because it allows for first name changes, but not for legal gender changes unless you had SRS. If you were married, you had to divorce your spouse and have SRS before the gender change was allowed.

Thanks to a June 2008 court case, that is no longer the case, and the court also ordered the German legislature to modernize the TSG within a year.

It's also home to Kim Petras, who at 16 is believed to be the youngest person to have undergone GRS. Kim's case has been closely followed for several years, and as of this writing has arguably become to the rest of the world the most well known person representing the German transgender community. Kim has also signed a recording contract and is doing some modeling in her homeland as well.

Kim's not the only German transperson whose recently garnered international attention. In the wake of the East German Olympic athletic doping scandal Andreas Krieger was front page news as he testified in 2000 at the trial of former East German sports official Manfred Ewald and doctor Manfred Höppner.

Recently transman Bailian Buschbaum has also been in the news in the wake of his transition after retiring from international pole vaulting competition in 2007.

While German transpeople still report facing some challenges, organizations such as Transgender Network Berlin, a consortium of 21 Berlin based transgender groups are trying to keep the positive momentum going while seeking to expand outside the German capital city.

The other thing they want to expand is their civil rights and continue to ensure that things improve for all German transpeople as well.

Balian Buschbaum's New Life

In a December 2007 post I talked about the retirement of junior world record holding German pole vaulter Yvonne Buschbaum from international competition for an interesting reason. His transition from female to male.

He said at the time,"I feel as if I am a man and have to live my life in the body of a woman. I am aware of the fact that transsexuality is a fringe issue, and I do not want to be responsible for it remaining on the fringe."

Well, two years later he is now the very handsome Balian Buschbaum, and in a diary entry on his website stated, "Courage is the road to freedom. I woke up in complete freedom today. The sky is wide open."

Balian chose his new name in January 2008, after the blacksmith in the movie Kingdom of Heaven.

Since taking his first testosterone shot on Christmas Day 2007, Balian has documented the metamorphosis from Yvonne to the handsome guy he is now. He's appeared on a few talk shows and has received support from his former colleagues in the athletics (track and field) world.

He was required to quit pole vaulting under IAAF rules because testosterone, one of the primary drugs used for a female to male gender change is considered a doping substance. Buschbaum won European championship bronze medals in 1998 and 2002 and had a personal best vault of 4.70 meters (15 feet 4.2 inches)

On the other side of the gender fence Balian wore his hair shortly-cropped, but now he has facial hair, growing muscles and a deeper voice to complement his new ID card. He's also endured the initial surgeries to complete his metamorphosis from female to male.

Thanks to his gender transformation, he also has a ringside seat concerning the effects of testosterone because he's living through the effects of the changes. He told the German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeinen Sonntagszeitung that "I felt like an over-bred pitbull."

He also noted that he was far more aggressive in training and could jump with poles Yvonne Buschbaum could only dream of using.

He changed his mind about retiring from the sport, and is staying in shape by continuing to vault in preparation for his new role as a coach for the USC Mainz club in central Germany.

Yvonne Buschbaum's Retirement With A Twist

German Olympian Yvonne Buschbaum, the world junior record holder in the pole vault, announced her retirement November 21 from the sport. She finished third in the European championships in 1998 in Budapest, Hungary, won the European junior title in 1999 and placed sixth at the Sydney Games in 2000. Buschbaum's best year was 2002, when she finished second in the European Indoor Championships in Vienna, Austria and third at the European Championships contested on home soil in Munich, Germany.

The interesting twist in this story is that the other reason she cited for her retirement decision in addition to her persistent injuries was a desire to transition to male.

In a statement from her web site, Buschbaum said, "I feel as if I am a man and have to live my life in the body of a woman. I am aware of the fact that transsexuality is a fringe issue, and I do not want to be responsible for it remaining on the fringe."

Buschbaum also asked for respect for her decision and urged observers not to draw false conclusions. "I do not dope," she said and added that her upcoming hormone treatments to facilitate her transition contributed to her decision to quit along with the persistent injury.

As I keep saying over and over, transsexuality is an international medical and social issue that cuts across class, race, religious and geographic boundaries. Just as transpeople exist who are in politics, business, education, law, and the arts and sciences, we have transgender athletes as well. It's why the IOC and other international sports governing bodies allow transgender people to participate.

I wish Yvonne much happiness and success as a new chapter unfolds in her life.