The Germans are punctual, orderly and reliable.
They work for society.
They work a lot and with pleasure.
That gives them strength.
They are open and direct.
Germans accept a lot,
but they also demand
what they think they have earned.
Their money, their liberty, their tradition.

For my mother, being German meant
being able to separate yourself from the family,
weighing out the food for guests
and going to work on time
the day after your mother’s death.

But I
see the Germans differently.
Germans do much for the common good,
even if their own families first have to wait.
The Germans are not frugal.
They just don’t want to waste anything.
And Germans don’t love less.
They simply grieve differently.
They are not only the ones
who were born here,
but everyone
who is pleased to be here.