Reflection on Rammstein
The initial choice to write the blog on Rammstein was based on the fact that both of us had heard of the band before, and we both enjoy their music. We decided to write about the band because we were interested in learning about their history and how they came to be who they are today. At first, we thought that they were just some hardcore band that played heavier-style music, but learning that the group members grew up in East Berlin and/or East Germany helped us to better understand their roots, and how their particular style evolved. The oppression that the band members endured while growing up in the GDR showed us that music was more than just a pastime for them, but also a way of release and expression that wasn’t allowed during their childhoods. Many also came from households with poor home relations, such as Kruspe who fought constantly with his step-father and ran away several times before he even turned 16 years old. Our sympathy for their poor situations growing up quickly became amazement as we read about their amazingly quick rise to the top of the charts in many German and Germanic speaking countries in Europe. Equally amazing was the band’s rise to international popularity – only three years after their formation they were already headlining worldwide with the likes of Korn and Limp Bizkit.
Reflecting on the information that we gathered throughout the writing of our blog, not everything associated with the band brings positive feelings to mind. As a result of the somewhat radical nature of Rammstein’s lyrics, the band’s music has been attributed to several atrocities such as the Columbus Massacre in 1999 and the Isla Vista Killings in 2014. While the band members themselves had nothing to do with these atrocities, their music has been cited as a potential factor in the killers’ motivation for committing them. Several of the band’s songs, music videos, and albums have also been banned in various places around the world as a result of some of the disturbing themes that the band references, and one of their albums is even banned from German shelves for graphic cover art and highly sexualized lyrics. In interviews, band members have said that they love to create music that is “on the fringe of bad taste,” which is clearly represented by the many controversies that surround their songs. We also learned that the band deliberately tries to remain apolitical in their music (although they did eventually produce a song, “Links, 2-3-4”, the purpose of which was to show that if they had to choose a political side, it would be the political left) despite enjoying controversy. We felt that this fits very well with the band’s rebellious roots, where they aren’t very concerned with the government and its running as long as they have the freedom to make the music that they want to.
Despite the negative aspects of the band’s music that we learned about, we also learned that Rammstein continues to affect German culture in positive – or at least interesting – ways. For example, Rammstein makes extensive use of pyrotechnics during their performances, flamethrowers in particular, and walking around Berlin we saw a news article showing Helene Fischer dual wielding flamethrowers in practice for an upcoming concert. The article made brief reference to Rammstein, which showed us how the band’s behavior has become iconic since their inception.
Isn’t she glorious?
Similarities and Differences
Matt – Berlin vs. Bolton
Bolton and Berlin are extremely different places. Bolton is a smaller town with a population of roughly 26 thousand whereas Berlin boasts a population of over 3.5 million. The most striking difference is definitely the sheer size difference. Berlin is huge and requires extensive public transit; in Bolton, most everything is within a twenty minute walk from the city centre. Another glaring difference is that the people in Berlin are from all different backgrounds and walks of life; Turkish immigrants with their döner kebab places and German schoolchildren all interacting and living cohesively. Bolton is comprised mostly of middle-class white families that have been in Canada for at least two generations. They may come from different backgrounds – Italy, Spain, USA – but because they have been in Canada longer, they all are used to the same way of life. This difference is most obvious when talking to people you meet in the different countries. Many of the people I have gotten to know came from different countries and came to Berlin to find work or because a significant other wanted to move there. These people come to Berlin to try to make it big in their life whereas people who move to Bolton are already established in the workforce for the most part. Young people are represented in a higher percentage in Bolton than they are in Bolton. The people I see walking around Berlin are usually middle-aged or older, but in Bolton one will see many more young people walking around town and hanging out. Most of the time I see teenagers it is because school ended and they are heading to the S-Bahn to get back home often, but I remember walking downtown Bolton after school ended to hang out with friends and just walk around; talking to my sisters who are still in high school, this still happens.
While the two cities are so different, there are also a few similarities. The most obvious similarity is the variety of food that is available at different restaurants. Both cities have restaurants that provide foods from all over the world, but there is a difference in that the people running them are not always from that country. Bolton has sushi bars, Thai food, Italian, and Chinese, as well as Berlin. Another similarity is that festivals/markets pop up around town. These markets are much more frequent in Berlin, with several markets happening in different parts of the city on any given day, but Bolton will have one or two central markets/fairs every few weeks or so.
Alex – Berlin vs. Columbus
Although they are radically different cities, Columbus and Berlin still share many similarities. For example, the area that our hotel is located in feels like a good analogy for Upper Arlington. There are many schools surrounding the hotel, and you see schoolchildren walking home at the end of the school day. It is also a wealthier area and, unlike in many other parts of the city where apartments are the norm, there are many self-standing houses. Continuing with comparisons: Mitte’s mixture of corporate and consumer buildings bares resemblance to downtown Columbus, restaurant filled areas such as Kreuzberg and Charlottenberg have a somewhat similar feeling to the Short North, and parks such as Tiergarten, albeit quite smaller, can also be found in Columbus. Although Berlin is a much more international city, both cities are still very multicultural with many international citizens, restaurants and stores everywhere.
On the other hand, there are also many differences between Columbus and Berlin. Columbus has a clear central downtown while Berlin has many individual centers in each of its twelve districts, and Berlin has a population nearly four times bigger than that of Columbus. Berlin also feels much more urban, and has significantly better public transportation. This makes the entire city relatively quickly accessible without a car, while Columbus’ sprawling suburbs make a car essentially mandatory unless you are living on OSU’s campus. In Berlin, Turkish culture is also much more prevalent than any culture is in Columbus. It’s nearly impossible to go anywhere in the city and not find a döner shop, sort of like a Turkish version of McDonald’s. Berlin’s night life is also much more active than Columbus – Clubs, pubs, and biergartens are open throughout the night and can also be found in basically every part of the city – which makes Columbus feel sleepy in comparison.