Zeitungszeugen

So here is a good example of something that would only happen in Europe.... Or Germany for that matter. There was recently this newspaper periodical that was released entitled "Zeitungszeugen" in which contains old reprints of communist and nazi newspaper reprints from the years spanning 1933-1945. WELL... as most people know published any nazu related propaganda or anthything with a swastika is typically illegal. However, these newspapers have contemporary poitical comentary in them to explain the contents or whatever, so in essence the newspapers are really nothing more than a gem for all buffs of history to collect. Unfortunately after the second world war the allies handed over the copyrights to all things nazi related including Hitler manifest "mein kampf" and therefore the Bavarian government owns the copyright to these old newspapers. I believe the newspapers are printed in Britain and therefore they are subuect to copyright infringement and therefore these are grounds to halt this re-publication of these historical newspapers. When I went to buy the third issue this morning, all there was to buy was the cover sleeve with words stamped on it in red which read "ZENZIERT... DIE FOLGENDEN ZEITUNGEN FINDEN SIE NICHT" meaning "CENSORED" "THE FOLLOWING NEWSPAPER AS ADVERTISED ON THE COVER IS NOT IN THE SLEEVE" essentially. I was shocked. As it turns out the Bavarian government was able to have all of the newspapers siezed and the subsequent issues censored. Very interesting I find. I was only able to get a hold of 1 issue which features the infamous Reichtag fires which ended up being the basis for the subsequent laws which allowed HItler to gain more power. I looked on ebay immediately to see if I could get a hold of the first issue, and that one in addition to the one I already had had more than tripled in price on ebay. A friend of mine bought several copies of the first one, I may try to convince him to sell me one haha.

First week of actual classes

Since my last post I have finally started classes and been to PAris France! Needless to say it has been quite a productive month. Paris was a very neat city with tons of history all around. The people there were all at least polite and unlike the Germans, when they say they know "a little english they mean a VERY LITTLE english. The prices in Paris were also ridiculously inflated. I swear if they lowered their prices to reasonable costs for anything from a simple 6 euro beer to a 10 euro hotdog, EU core inflation would probably be cut in half. It was well worth it though. Three nights in Paris at a fare and decent hostel cost me less than 300 euros since I brought much of my own food with me. We went up into the Eifel Tower (which by the way is a lot more amazig in person than in the photos) and spent the day in the louv're which was left something to be desired unfortunately. I went with three guys from the program here whom I didn't know very well so it was an interesting experience. I don't suspect I will ever go back though since it is pure agony everytime you have to pull out your wallet for anything, including fast food. I cannot believe how expensive paris was compared with all of the places I have been in my life.

Classes so far are uneventful since we are just getting into them. None of my classes run too late and none start to early. It is a decent schedule, I have Nachkriegsgeschichte in bildern, faschismus, panorama Deutschland, an intensive grammar course, and class about mass media. Then to put everything to practice I have a conversation course. I am still very much in love with where I am living. Although things are very different they are the same in the ways that keep me comfortable. Most of the changes and differences like the people, the language, and the fact that things are actually quiet on sundays are welcome changes. The german language has been slowly but surely more and more integrated into my daily speech. So far eveything has been exactly what I have signed up for and more.