Category: Germany

With an estimated number of at least 2.1 million Turks in Germany, they form the largest ethnic minority. The vast majority are found in what used to be West Germany. Berlin, Frankfurt,Hamburg, Rhine-Ruhr (Cologne, Duisburg and Dortmund) have large Turkish communities. The state with the largest Turkish population is North Rhine-Westphalia.

Turkey to grant identification card for German Turks who lost citizenship

Turkey to grant identification card for German Turks who lost citizenship

Turkish government is poised to make legal arrangements that would allow Turks living abroad to vote in their country of residence, Turkish Deputy Premier Bekir Bozdag has said.

Turkish government is poised to make legal arrangements that would allow Turks living abroad to vote in their country of residence, Turkish Deputy Premier Bekir Bozdag has said.

The government’s move is aimed at securing expat voting for as many as two million Turkish voters who were unable to go to polls in last June’s general elections because of a veto from Turkey’s elections supervision authority.

“Our initial efforts for expatriate Turks in the June 12 elections were taken aback by the Supreme Board of Elections, which I believe made a mistake in making that decision. We have prepared a bill which is now circulated. And we will submit the bill to the parliament in the shortest possible time,” Bozdag told the Anadolu Agency.

Bozdag said separate voter registers would be prepared for expat Turks to cast their votes in Turkish diplomatic missions, adding that new consulates could be opened to that end.

Bozdag also said the Turkish government was working on a separate bill to issue a special identification card which would preserve rights of those who gave up Turkish citizenship to win German nationality in their formal procedures in Turkey.

AA

October 13, 2011
First students of German university in İstanbul to start classes next year

11 October 2011, Tuesday / BJÖRN FINKE , İSTANBUL

The new Turkish-German university (TAU) in İstanbul will accept its first students in autumn 2012, Ziya Şanal, university rector, said on Monday evening.

The lectures will take place in provisional buildings, since the university’s premises will not be completed by that time. The foundation of the university, which as many as 5000 students will attend, was laid in Beykoz, a suburb on the Asian side of İstanbul, in October 2010.

The buildings might not be ready to host the students yet, but the institution already has an emblem. The organizers presented it in İstanbul on Monday evening. The logo was created at the end of a contest among mixed teams of design students at Anadolu University in Eskişehir and RheinMain University in Wiesbaden, Germany. The winning logo features the three initial letters of the university’s name, TAU, in the shape of flower petals. According to its designers, the logo symbolizes the connection between technology and nature at TAU. The institution – the biggest German university abroad — will focus on engineering, but at the same time will be committed to having a green campus.

The agreement to establish TAU was signed two-and-a-half years ago between the two countries. At that occasion, the German minister of education and research, Annette Schavan, said that the project could start in autumn 2009. Although this estimate has proven to be overly optimistic, there was a reason for the delay, namely disputes over the prospective curriculum.

Rita Süssmuth, president of the consortium representing the German universities involved in the bilateral project, said, “But now it looks realistic that we can start next autumn.” Rector Şanal added that the biggest challenges now are finishing the construction work on campus and acquiring “very good” faculty members.

Şanal is confident student demand for the university will be high. Both high school graduates from Germany and Turkey can apply. In addition to engineering, economics and law departments, the university will also offer degrees in natural and cultural sciences. The university degrees will be accepted in Germany and Turkey, and the language of education will be mainly German.

TAU is the first Turkish-German university. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan would like to see a second bilateral university open its doors. “If a Turkish-German university is established in İstanbul, why shouldn’t a similar institution start in Germany’s capital Berlin?” he asked in March 2010 when Chancellor Angela Merkel visited Ankara. However, this idea has yet to find followers in Germany.

via First students of German university in İstanbul to start classes next year.

October 12, 2011
Ahmet Davutoğlu to host Germany’s Westerwelle tomorrow

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle will pay a one-day working visit to İstanbul on Thursday, Turkish officials said on Tuesday.

Both German and Turkish officials avoided commenting on the content of Westerwelle’s meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutoğlu. Yet, in addition to regional developments in the Middle East and North Africa, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s claims concerning German foundations operating in Turkey are likely to be high on the agenda of the meeting.

In early October, Erdoğan said he was disturbed by the fact that some German foundations are aiding the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which he said is one of the reasons for the probe into the Kurdish Communities Union (KCK), the political arm of the PKK. German foundations that have branches in Turkey and Germany’s sustainable development agency, GIZ, denied Erdoğan’s claims.

Meanwhile, Westerwelle’s visit to İstanbul will coincide with the opening of an artists’ academy in the summer residence of the German ambassador in the İstanbul suburb of Tarabya on Thursday. Cornelia Pieper, minister of state in the German Foreign Ministry and responsible for cultural policy, will take part in the ceremony. Next year the house will host the first scholarship holders. Each year up to 14 German artists will get stipends for six months so that they get to learn about the arts scene in Turkey. The German federal parliament decided to establish the academy in 2009 but controversies about the concept have delayed the project.

It was not yet clear whether Westerwelle will be able to attend the inauguration ceremony when Today’s Zaman contacted German Embassy officials on Thursday.

via Ahmet Davutoğlu to host Germany’s Westerwelle tomorrow.

October 12, 2011
Oktoberfest Istanbul

Elif Kayaardı / October 06, 2011

How does beer and sausage sound? If you’re nodding, then read on.

Oktoberfest is a beer festival identified with its origin city Munich. It’s been celebrated in Germany and in many other countries all around the world with great enthusiasm.

The hometown of the festival hosted the well-renowned event with the participation of 6 million people during seventeen days from 17th of September to the 3rd of October this year. But don’t worry if you could not go to Bavaria to celebrate it! Oktoberfest is coming to Istanbul for the first time. All beer-lovers and the ones who carry the festival spirit gather at Parkorman on 9th of October to celebrate the first Oktoberfest in Istanbul!

If you can’t make it to Parkorman, get together with your friends and celebrate Oktoberfest at home. Order some chicken from Wienerwald and stock up on beer and let the fun begin!

The festival has kept all the details and authenticity of the Bavarian Oktoberfest. During the festival, you will be able to find Bavarian foods and beverages and dance to Fiddler’s Green, Can Bonomo, Multitap, and German Folk Music Band.

Oktoberfest Istanbul, organized by KafePi Group and Pepeevents, aims to bring thousands of people from different countries and cultures together in a fun, socio-cultural environment. The festival will also mark the first time that you will be able to find all the beers sold in Turkey in one place.

A quick lesson in history:

Oktoberfest’s tradition is based upon the marriage ceremony of Crown Prince Ludwig who later became King Ludwig I. When Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on 12th October 1810, the citizens were invited to celebrate the royal wedding at the festivity fields in front of the city gates. At the end of the celebrations, horse races were arranged. Later, it was decided that horse races would be held on an annual basis and this yearly festivity created the backbone of the Oktoberfest tradition. For many years, the horse races were accompanied by lots of eating and beer-drinking, but later on the tradition of holding horse races died and the modern understanding of Oktoberfest was born.

When: October 9, 12.00 PM

Where: Parkorman

How much: 25 TL; 15 TL (student)

via Oktoberfest Istanbul from The Guide Istanbul.

October 9, 2011
İstanbul to hold its own Oktoberfest with protests

07 October 2011, Friday / BJÖRN FINKE, İSTANBUL

As the world’s biggest beer festival, Oktoberfest, closed it doors on Monday in Munich, İstanbul is set to hold its own Oktoberfest at Parkorman, close to the Darüşşafaka metro station, this weekend.

The event, which will be held on Sunday, will bring German culture and tradition to İstanbul according to its organizers, the İstanbul-based entertainment and gastronomy company KafePi. From 12 p.m. to midnight visitors will be able to taste several kinds of beer and German food.

The teetotal nongovernmental organization Turkish Green Crescent (Yesilay) has criticized the event, saying that it promotes the consumption of beer in Turkey. Nevertheless, Beste Özdeşlik from KafePi`s marketing department told Today’s Zaman that the organizers have not met with political resistance to the plan.

In the past, under the name Oktoberfest, İstanbul played host to some small-sized beer parties, but the event on Sunday is the first celebration of beer of its size. According to Özdeşlik, the event can host up to 10,000 guests. At small Bavarian-style booths and at 10 bars, they can buy food, for example Bretzels and German-style sausages as well as Turkish and international beers like Carlsberg and Becks. At the original Oktoberfest in Munich, which dates back to 1810, beer is sold in one-liter glasses. Four bands will play at the fest and a Bavarian folk music group will be on stage from four p.m. onwards.

What is relatively new for İstanbul is already well known in Antalya, where the third Oktoberfest took place in September. Last year, the city’s mayor came under heavy criticism for promoting the consumption of beer since the municipality supported the event, where one young man died after he drank too much alcohol.

via todayszaman

October 9, 2011
Germany names strong side for Turkey, Belgium

BERLIN (AP) – Germany named its strongest available side for the upcoming European Championship qualifiers against Turkey and Belgium, despite having already qualified for next year’s tournament.

Germany coach Joachim Loew recalled Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez, Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, Stuttgart striker Cacau and Hamburg defender Dennis Aogo to the 24-man squad Friday, when no new call-ups were made.

All four were missing for the September internationals when Germany became the first team to qualify for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine with a 6-2 rout of Austria on Sept. 2.

”It was important for us to qualify as quickly as possible for the European Championships,” Loew said. ”Now we also want to remain fully concentrated on the games against Turkey and Belgium. Our aim is to secure two victories to finish qualification unbeaten and with 10 wins from 10 games.”

Germany plays Turkey in Istanbul on Oct. 7, and hosts Belgium in Duesseldorf four days later.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Sven Bender and defender Marcel Schmelzer were dropped.

”They were both heavily involved (for Dortmund) in recent weeks so we’ll do without them this time,” Loew said. ”I rang them. They should use the coming days to train well with their club.”

Hannover goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler and Borussia Moenchengladbach attacking midfielder Marco Reus are the only uncapped players in the squad.

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Sqaud:

Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)

Defenders: Holger Badstuber (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Arsenal), Jerome Boateng (Bayern Munich), Benedikt Hoewedes (Schalke), Mats Hummels (Borussia Dortmund), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Christian Traesch (Wolfsburg), Dennis Aogo (Hamburger SV)

Midfielders: Mario Goetze (Borussia Dortmund), Sami Khedira (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Bayern Munich), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Cologne), Marco Reus (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Simon Rolfes (Bayer Leverkusen), Andre Schuerrle (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Mesut Oezil (Real Madrid)

Forwards: Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Miroslav Klose (Lazio), Cacau (VfB Stuttgart)

via Germany names strong side for Turkey, Belgium | Fox News Latino.

October 1, 2011