The sands of time never cease..

[weemonkey]

Extraordinary scenes from Strasbourg as the German defence minister prepares to leave.

...what were they thinking???

https://twitter.com/patrick_edery/status/1162650453420777475?s=19

[Imagegear]

Are we back in 1938?

This looks rather ominous, are we seeing the emergence of a new "European" order?

The significance is not lost on anyone.

IG

[[email protected]]

Sending Boris a message - destabilise Europe at your peril:E

[Melchett01]

Well I suppose it is a bit different from the traditionally reserved British way of doing it - publicly fire the individual in question before making them walk back to their new broom cupboard in Portculis House!

[NutLoose]

Jesus, are they for real, do they not realise how this will be perceived?

[sharpend]

Think I have seen this before... many years ago.

[Lima Juliet]

Think I have seen this before... many years ago.

Yes, to all of you, the Germans/Austrians have done this since at least 1596 when the Großer Zapfenstreich ("Grand Tattoo") started. They have also had torch-bearers at such events for over 400 years - how very dare they?? [sarcastic] :ugh:

[SASless]

Amen! LJ!

History.....especially recent history must be discussed in context.

That seems lost upon some I would suggest.

The Invasion has already happened but it was not from traditional sources as some seem to fear.

[weemonkey]

Yes, to all of you, the Germans/Austrians have done this since at least 1596 when the Großer Zapfenstreich ("Grand Tattoo") started. They have also had torch-bearers at such events for over 400 years - how very dare they?? [sarcastic] :ugh:




I first came upon this practice one Rosenmontag mid 80's. Germans and marching bands [without the torches/helmets] Goosebumps for a short while but ok.

But I know that "young*germans ain't so keen on this ****, and haven't been for many decades. So as nutty says, what is the message indeed?









The message is DESPERATION.

[weemonkey]

Sending Boris a message - destabilise Europe at your peril:E


Really? Grow up.

[BDAttitude]

Yes, to all of you, the Germans/Austrians have done this since at least 1596 when the Großer Zapfenstreich ("Grand Tattoo") started. They have also had torch-bearers at such events for over 400 years - how very dare they?? [sarcastic] :ugh:
And every leaving minister of defence, ​​​​​​president and chancellor has been getting th​​​e very same party if he managed to step back in time before being discharged in dishonor.
Another tempest in a tea cup by some twitter mob.

[Chugalug2]

A lot of what was done in the name of National Socialism was pure evil it is true, but the very familiar newsreel footage of troops marching past in lockstep with a military band opposite the reviewing platform playing them through wasn't, it was traditional Prussian ceremonial. Ditto the torchlight parades. As BDA says every dignitary, leaving or visiting gets the treatment, see numerous videos on YouTube. Here's a recent daylight visit :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSgVa7sxCSM

Mind you, they've long since dropped the lock/goosestep to distance themselves from those terrible times. You'll notice that they sit for their national anthems. A procedure recently adopted following the Chancellor's well publicised shaking episodes.

[Less Hair]

Only the east germans had the goose step until 1990. Bundeswehr never had it and is intentionally less formal in many details exactly for the reason to not replicate rituals spoiled by the Nazis. Grosser Zapfenstreich (originally like ordering „no more drinks, lights off and go to bed“) is a prussian drill.
Today it‘s the highest ranking german military protocol event. VIPs are permitted to get the military orchestra to play whatever song they request even the most terrible former soft hits or similar.

[Chugalug2]

LH correctly credits the NVA with continuing with the full blown Prussian ceremonial. Here is their 38th Anniversary Parade (they made 40 but not 50!). It shows well the change to lockstep, Drums and Fifes leading the Band (reverse of British Tradition), Band turning off the line of March to end up facing the Reviewing Platform, Troops marching through in lockstep to the NVA March, and ends with Band advancing to reviewing platform, before joining line of march in lockstep to rear of parade. All Prussian ceremonial :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zozbrarqjE&t=36s

The only Army doing the full Monty these days is that of Chile. Again on YouTube for aficionados,

[TBM-Legend]

Sending Boris a message - destabilise Europe at your perilhttps://www.pprune.org/images/smilies/evil.gif

​​​​​​​Remember the score so far is: UK + friends 2 Germany + friends 0

[langleybaston]

The state that the German armed forces is reportedly in, they would do better devoting less time to swanning up and down.

[Blossy]

The state that the German armed forces is reportedly in, they would do better devoting less time to swanning up and down.

But swanning up and down is considerably cheaper than aviation fuel or tank spares. I bet their bean counters are delighted!

[BEagle]

What an utterly puerile thread this is!

Mods, please close this affront to our NATO allies.