Bundeswehr, Bundestag

Our guide Gregor had told us to look ‘shiny’ for our last day of the trip, and what he really meant was business attire. I woke up with only 12 minutes till go-time (typical), and through on a dress, dried my hair and put my face on in record time. I even had 3 minutes to make my daily breakfast roll with apricot jam and brie. This part of my day, I will severely miss, but I’m starting to feel like a loaf of bread and am contemplating going gluten- and dairy-free for my month in Israel. But, the thing is, Rittersport is so insanely delicious. This delectable German chocolate brand had recently taken over our groups dietary patterns, punctuating each session and break with a little 15 gram hunk of heaven. We nommed on a 1000 g pure milk-chocolate bar as we walked across town to the Bundeswehr, the foreign ministry building. 

After undergoing intense security and passport checks, we were ushered into the heart of the German Foreign Ministry, where diplomats and ambassadors coordinate the daily affairs and long-term strategies of German interest abroad. The building is nothing short of lavish. There’s a red carpet, a 1930s preserved elevator, and tons of wood paneling and mirrors. In a large conference room, we got to play Model UN under a crystal chandelier, received by a Deputy Director of Transatlantic Affairs. He provided us an off-the-record account of his work in an incredibly unique opportunity – this trip does not cater to the average tourist. This chiseled-cheekboned, suited-up epitome of handsome had served three year stints around the world, most recently in Burma/Myanmar before taking up post in Berlin recently. He showed us a shockingly informational promotional 15-minute film about what the ministry does around the world, from UN Security Council to economics in China to Human Rights at the European Union. After watching, I think all of us wanted to sign up to work in our foreign ministry if it’s half as glam as their’s. 

Then, the hard-hitting questions started flying. I asked, right off the bat, how he reconciles the photo-shoot handshakes, the conference calls, and the suited-up style of diplomatic affairs with the on-the-ground fights from civilian killings in Syria to child labor in Burma to human trafficking in Colombia. His answer was essentially that sometimes, it’s really hard, and it’s important to keep a perspective and balance and focus on believing in your work. I also asked how priorities and budgets are managed at individual embassies, since each one works so hard to build cross-community relationships in their respective nations while working with governments, militaries and financial aid management. It sounds like diplomats are really smart, and really busy. I got the guy’s card so when I decide I want to go join the foreign ministry of my own country, he can give me some advice because he’s clearly awesome at his job.

After the meeting, a bunch of us hopped on the doorless ancient elevator, two-by-two, riding to the top floor of the ministry. On the roof, we got an amazing view of Berlin, and felt like we had conquered the world. It’s weird I would even get in a doorless elevator after what happened last week in Dresden, but I’m glad I did. On the way out, I found out the basement of the fortress had held stolen precious goods from Jewish homes in massive underground safes during the war. Things get awkward fast around here.

The afternoon proceeded with a lunch in the Friedrichstrasse train station and then a walk down to the Bundestag, the Parliament, to meet with 31-year Parliamentarian Hans Ulrich. The Bundestag compounds are a series of glass and cement buildings around the actual Parliament hall. The architecture looks kind of unfinished on the inside, but like a shining model of new age architecture from the outside. It’s confusing. Since Ulrich been in his role forever, he’s 76, and couldn’t really hear a lot of our questions and managed to avoid a lot of the answers. The session was kind of awkward, and I felt like there was just so much more we could have heard from this guy – he saw the wall go up, and come down, he lived in occupied territory, he was 8 when the war ended, he was forced out of the Czech Republic – he has life experience! He gave commentary on the problems with current American government, the ability of the two main parties in the Bundestag to work so well together, his like of opposition Chancellor Angela Merkel, and what he sees as Germany’s key issues in the next few years: immigration, and the aging and shrinking population. I’m still down to be a diplomat, but I don’t think Congress is for me.

We left the session and were escorted through secret tunnels to the main parliament building. There, we had a brief moment to peer down into the assembly hall and see the four towers, where political parties organize themselves. So many average citizens are engaged with their party work – I wish America had more of that grassroots feel to public policy and democracy. The Germans can feel like they own their own government. On this restricted access floor, my guide and I were straggling behind the group which was a great move because I ran into someone I had met from the SPD the night before at dinner. This foreign policy advisor gave me a big hug and kiss and my guide was utterly confused at how I could be running into contacts from the train station in Dresden to the third floor of the Bundestag. I told him that it happens to me everywhere, and he shouldn’t dwell on it. We caught up to the group on the rooftop of the Bundestag, completing the afternoon with a full-on photoshoot overlooking the whole of this crane-infested, not particularly beautiful city. Still, the day was beautiful, our pictures are great, and we feel like we’re on top of the world because, well, we are.