In this series, we will interview Germans from all around the world about their German identity and their general ”German-ness.” Everybody will receive the same questions, which will allow you to gain a better understanding of how we Germans really are.
Who are you?
Sabine Ursula O’Hara geb. Maier
Where were you born?
Ludwigsburg, Baden-Württemberg.
Where do live and how (1-Zimmer-Whg/house...)
Washington DC. A few years ago I sold my house after my husband died. I now live in a two-bedroom apartment on Connecticut Ave in DC. I also have a two-bedroom apartment in Berlin.
How old are you?
65
What do you work?
Until recently I was the founding dean of the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences at the University of DC. This is the only exclusively urban agriculture program in the United States. It was great fun to build this new college, but it was also exhausting. I now work as a Professor and Director of the first Ph.D. program of the university. The Ph.D. is as interdisciplinary as the college and it is entitled Urban Leadership and Entrepreneurship. There are three tracks – sustainability leadership, policy leadership, and entrepreneurial leadership. After only two years of operation, we have 24 active Ph.D. students.
I am an active researcher and my work has been published internationally. My focus is on community-based economic development. Much of it also qualifies as PAR – Participatory Action Research. This means I engage local stakeholders in my work, especially those who are negatively impacted by development decisions.
Have you lived in other German states? Where, how long why?
I grew up in Kornwestheim, which is located between Stuttgart and Ludwigsburg in Baden-Wuerttemberg. I then moved to Goettingen in Niedersachsen and studied there for ten years until I received my doctorate. I also met my American husband in Goettingen. We both sang in the Goettiger Stadtkantorei.
Do you speak a German dialect and if so how often? Do you understand some?
I am fluent in Hochdeutsch und Schwaebisch. My 92-year old mother speaks both as well. My grandmother only spoke Schwaebisch.
What other languages do you speak and how well and why?
I took English, Latin, and French in school. My French is very poor these days. I have not used it much since I left Germany in 1984. My last husband spoke German since he had studied and lived there for 13 years. German was our family language. My three sons, now in their 30s, all speak German. One has lived in Berlin for the past five years.
What do you think is your responsibility towards the community?
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What is the government’s responsibility towards you?
Which government? I have both German and US citizenship. I would expect both governments to provide affordable health insurance, education, and social security (Altersversorgung) to all citizens incl. me.
What is Germany’s biggest challenge?
Developing an economy that meets the criteria of sustainability. We must operate our institutions within the systems of nature and must therefore pattern our human operations on the operations (systems) of nature. Instead, we have designed an economy that is in conflict and friction with nature and undermines its systems. This is a recipe for disaster. Germany is certainly getting closer to committing to a sustainable economy than the US.
What is the world’s biggest challenge?
Climate change. However, this is only one example of how our human-made systems undermine the systems of nature that ultimately sustain us as humans. More generally, climate change exemplifies the loss of ecosystem services and the many contributions they make.
Do you feel “German guilt” for the
· Shoah/Holocaust yes, sometimes
· Second World War yes, sometimes
· First World War no
· Other atrocities (which) no
Do you define yourself as a German or otherwise (for example German, Berliner, etc)?
German. I don’t really define myself much as Schwaebin anymore. I feel closer to Berlin than to Stuttgart now. Stuttgart is too narrow. I like the cosmopolitan and edgy atmosphere of Berlin.
Do you consider yourself a European?
Yes.
What does the EU mean to you?
It is a valiant attempt to deal with tribalism. Europe is very tribal. Germans are themselves tribal. Tribalism requires a commitment to collaboration and ongoing dialogue. I see the EU as expressing this commitment although it does not always live up to this ideal.
Are you religious and if so, which one do you subscribe to?
Not sure. I would not consider myself an atheist, but I don’t consider myself religious either. I used to go to church regularly. My primary connection to the church was always the music. I used to sing in church choirs for decades starting at a young age. In recent years I drifted away, starting when my husband became very ill and I had a difficult time attending choir.
Have you ever been part of the German military? What are your feelings towards the German Bundeswehr?
No. I have not served and my brother was a conscientious objector. Since it is a defensive military I think the Bundeswehr is about as good as it gets in terms of militaries go. I am concerned about right-wing fascist infiltration of the Bundeswehr and any other military, esp. the US military.
What is “typisch Deutsch”?
Being organized, disciplined, serious, and committed to durability. I also associate music, literature, and the sciences with being Deutsch.
What is the German identity?
Not sure there is one. Germany is rather tribal. I mean how many versions of Kartoffelsalat or Sauerbraten do we have. I guess a relatively common identity is to be hard working. There is also a sense of melancholy about Germans.
What is the best thing about Germany?
Today’s Germany is a very open country and increasingly committed to sustainability. I like both of these things.
And what is the worst thing about Germany?
Not sure. Maybe the rigidity Germans have. This is a bit regional though and I don’t perceive the same rigidity in Berlin that in Muenchen or Stuttgart, for example.
What does the German Reunification mean to you?
It’s great. Not easy, but great. It’s worth continuing the process of becoming a truly united Germany. There were many mistakes made though during reunification that I wished has not been made. In the social sciences, for example, most of the universities closed their departments in the east, especially in the field of economics. That was a huge mistake. There were many food researchers and teachers in these departments and we lost tremendous knowledge when they were pushed out and their departments close.
What does the DDR mean to you?
I don’t have a lot of associations with it. The few times I visited it seemed very dark and repressive. As students, we sometimes went to East Berlin to buy books and sheet music which were much cheaper over there than in the west. My brother studied at the Freie Universitaet in Berlin, so we could visit more easily.
Is there a difference between “Ossis” and “Wessis”?
Absolutely. The difference is still noticeable, although I wished it were not so. The Wessis showed themselves as pretty arrogant, particularly in the university system. Not sure I know the Ossis well enough.
What should everybody know about Germany?
That today’s Germany is an open-minded country with overall hard-working people who have a pretty strong sense of social responsibility. Germans are still quite good at precision work and the country is very steeped in music.
What should one know before coming to Germany?
Germans are more reserved than Americans. Don’t give up if you don’t make connections right away. In the cities, there are more opportunities to connect with people. If you are a singer it matters little where you are. There is always a choir.
Sabine Ursula O’Hara, Washington, DC
If you are German and would like to participate in this series, please feel free to reach out to us!
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