Jessica Jungbauer, who founded the online journal Best wishes from Berlin, values big cities as places of liberation from the binding mentality of the small community, thus granting creative individuals more freedom to independently define themself.
Berlinâs mentality is a bit special, even for us Germans. Native Berliners are associated with three critical attributes: a ready tongue (Schlagfertigkeit), unkindliness (Unfreundlichkeit), and megalomania (GröĂenwahn). Typical example: A boy asks a Gentleman »Hallo! Jawoll, Ihnen meen ick, MĂ€nneken â saren Se mir mal, wie ick hier zum âșRoseneckâč komme!« (âHello, yes, you ⊠manikin. How do I get to the âRoseneckâ?â) The Gentleman: »Couldnât you ask a little bit more polite, please?« The Boy: »Nee, also da verloof ick mir lieber.« (âNever ever⊠I prefer to get lost instead.â) Keeping that attitude in mind, we would never recommend to ask a ârealâ Berliner, why so many people love this city. The answers would be useless. For this (and other reasons) Jessica Jungbauer has chosen another approach. She asked creative New-Berliners, why they live and work in Berlin.