Will Berlin
cancel Christmas this year? Germany's multicutlural capital is experimenting
with religious neutrality to make all its residents feel more at home. DW's
Louise Osborne is all for it.
It may be
too early to start talking about Christmas in August unless you work in the
chocolate industry, but as summer slowly eases into fall, it is already
cropping up in casual conversation as plans are being made.
That's not
because people are particularly looking forward to the festive season.
Personally, I'm hoping to stave of winter as long as possible with an Indian
summer. But it is, nevertheless, now occupying the thoughts of
Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain's district officials due to a row over religious terms
- such as "Christmas" - when referring to the annual, um, winter
markets that are legendary well beyond Germany's borders.
It seems
that some in Berlin's more alternative district have chosen to refer to the Weihnachtsmärkte
(Christmas markets) taking place in the neighborhood under the more neutral and
non-religious term Winterfest (winter festival).
 |
| The Emmauskirche in Berlin-Kreuzberg suffered severe damage during World War II |
An even
playing field
But the
Christmas market is not the only event that has seen its title changed. The
paper also reports the transformation of the feast marking the Muslim month of
fasting, Ramadan, to Sommerfest (summer festival), with the
Kreuzberg-Friedrichshain district apparently saying that religion has no place
in public places. Apparently the district has also removed the word "religion"
from the official criteria for its awards for citizen engagement.
While some
think this equates to an anti-religious sentiment, I don't think that's the
case.
It's not
about having a negative attitude toward faith - but rather providing an even
playing field and promoting equality for those of every religion, as well as
for non-believers aiding integration in a multicultural neighborhood.
Living
close to the Landwehrkanal - the canal that straddles the multicultural
districts of Kreuzberg and Neukölln - I can see the diversity in the way people
live, their religions and traditions, ranging from my Christian Syrian flat
mate to the Muslim Turks running the snack bar on Kottbusser Dam that serves my
favorite takeaway food.
 |
| The Omar ibn Al-Khattab Mosque in Berlin-Kreuzberg opened in 2008 |
Walking
down Skalitzerstrasse toward Görlitzer Park, you pass a modern-looking mosque
with its decorative turrets and glass dome almost opposite Lausitzer Platz,
where there is a church with a towering spire and red façade.
Meanwhile,
religious buildings dedicated to Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and many other
religions are scattered around Berlin's leafy streets creating a feeling of
diversity and color in the cosmopolitan city.
No threat
to Christmas
While it is
wonderful to live in a place surrounded by so many cultures and religions, it
can be difficult to ensure everyone feels like they're valued equally
regardless of their religion - or, as in my case, non-religion.
One way of
trying to achieve this, and the way the Kreuzberg district seems to favor, is
by looking to the US, which has long focused on politically correct terms and
tried to achieve inclusion by promoting secularism.
In the way
Americans say "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry
Christmas," Kreuzberg is saying Winterfest to mean Christmas market. In
countries as deeply Christian as both the US and Germany, the name of the
holiday itself will continue to refer to the celebration of Jesus' birth, but
the change of related terminology at least makes the festivities more
inclusive.
Suppression
versus neutrality
Indeed,
Germany did experience two dictatorships in the 20th century - the Nazis and
the communists in East Germany - which suppressed religious freedom. But
suppression and neutrality are two entirely different situations that cannot be
compared.
I come from
a country that is far from secular, with the state and the Church of England
intertwined, and there, as well as in Berlin, I think changes need to be made
to help everyone feel as if they are respected and equal - regardless of
religion.
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