French word of the day: L’Allemagne
Published on Sept 26, 2024
Well it is another grey and rainy day in la région Parisienne. No Indian summers here, we’ve all given up and done the big summer/winter clothes swap. Because after 3 weeks of nearly continuous rain, is there really any hope left for sunshine?
Anyway I shall move on. Speaking of summer, an interesting bit of news caught my eye from the country next door, aka Germany. (Also known as “Allemagne” in French, “Deutschland” in German, “Niemcy” in Polish, and “Saksa” in Finnish. (Yes, bafflingly the country of Germany has many different names, you can read all about it here.))
I say speaking of summer, because as I mentioned in my last newsletter, we went to Alsace this past August and crossed the border into Germany for a bit of bier and bratwurst.
What I didn’t mention, because it didn’t seem important at the time, is that in a fit of bad parenting we had actually forgotten the kids’ id cards at home. And hence we had crossed the Franco-German border like les clandestins“.
In my defence, we are all French citizens and with “EU freedom of movement et al”, we didn’t think about it. We simply jaunted across a bridge over the Rhine river and then wandered back over, with no immigration official the wiser.
Well, there’ll be no more of that happening because as of 10 days ago, Germany has reintroduced border controls.
Maybe it is just me, but it is kinda a big deal no? In the heart of Europe and the great “EU project” with its ideals of peace and cooperation, the largest country has reintroduced border controls.
Apparently it is “only for 6 months, but could be extended”. Like many North Americans, my knowledge of the German language is inexistent so I can’t read German newspapers to assess the local sentiment. But it seems to be a series of stabbings combined with anti-immigration parties winning recent regional elections, pushing the German national govt to take this step.
How long before similar measures come to France, Netherlands, and other countries across Europe? Pros and cons? I’m not a political scientist, so I won’t pretend to have a clue.
But what I do find interesting is that there has been very little journalistic commentary about it in French or in English. To be clear, thousands of people cross these borders everyday as casually as my family did, and this will impact how we live and travel across continental Europe.
To add to the way the winds are blowing, in 2025 both the EU and the UK are going to start imposing “electronic travel authorisations” (online visas) for citizens from the U.S., Canada and a host of other countries. The era of the powerful passport may be ending.
In other news:
- The NY Times explores what we all knew: Paris is dreadful when it it comes to accessibility.
- Emily in Paris has been renewed for a 5th season, and a certain Mrs. Macron will be making a cameo.
- French prime minister Michel Barnier has formed a govt. but whether it lasts till the end of the year is anybody’s guess.
And in the blog:
French Apéro for a hip get-together
The French apéro is not just for hip Parisians. One part cocktail party, one part casual gathering, it is that special mix of friends, drinks, and appetizers thrown in.
Wines from Loire Valley region: From royal vineyards to cellars
The unassuming Loire Valley wines used to be the best in the world for many an aristocrat and royal. These days it has an excellent choice of floral whites and crémant sparkling wines.
Potato egg salad with greek yogurt dressing
This protein-filled potato salad includes eggs and greens tossed in a tangy homemade greek yogurt dressing for a delicious side dish, family dinner, or picnic.