HraniceScout[TM] - The first official isssue 2016

HraniceScout exclusive | 05.2016

Will the bavarian­czech cooperation getting better next years?

The politicans are always speaking about a better bavarian­czech cooperation. The do so since May 2004 as the Czech Republic entered the European Community.

But nothing happend, really nothing.

In the German news, as well as in the reporting of the regional stations, the Czech Republic was only present with the election of the president and with crime.

Especially the regional radio and TV­stations like OTV(.de), existing a period over 20 years, dont report anything relevant about the Czech Republic.

Different problems, in the border region mostly the claim getting back former property inside the Czech Republic, has blocked the cooperation so far.

In the past, some EU supported projects like the "LAG Brückenland Bayern­Böhmen" (LEADER) have shown the problems arrested in the socialization of the Bavarian­Czech border region, in the brain of the citizens living here.

The vast majority of the citizens are progenies of so called "expellees".

Over the past decades the only heared about "Wiedergewinnung der Heimat"/ recovery of the homeland.

The younger residents mostly can not understand this requirement, but the prevailing politicians in the age between 55 and 65 years are from the Generation, which was even brought in position against the former CSSR, and this group is ­ till today ­ represented in the key authorities and other government agencies in the region.

Back to the EU, and back to the "LAG Brückenland Bayern­Böhmen" (www.brueckenland.eu) Anyone who thinks this "Local Action Group" supported by the EU­LEADER program has done a good job in view of the cooperation with the Czech Republic, will be more than disappointed.

They cared well for a lot of things, but most projects had to do with the region on the German side.

If really even Czech citizens were invited ­ such meeetings were realized in the rooms of the "Centrum Bavaria­Bohemia" in the city of Schönsee ­ mostly only the history of both countries based on the expulsion of the Sudeten Germans was discussed Two examples of "worst practice" using EU funding ­ in our meaning dedicate for better cooperation with czech citizens ­ you can see in Eslarn.

1 of 3

HraniceScout ­ exclusive | 05.2016 At first the "Biererlebnis Kommunbrauhaus".

Here an old warehouse, better "a shed" was bought for **80,000 .­­ Euro, and redeveloped into a museum. This is the part the Federal Republic of Germany and the Free State of Bavaria gave own funding. The second part, the part to obtain EU funding, was publishing a few posters with explanations in both German and Czech language.

Is anyone able to explain, how this can promote mutual understanding?

The second project "Infozentrum Fischerei & Gewässer" (Atzmannsee) Another project was realized, also using a blend of german state, bavarian state and EU funding.

This project was called "Infozentrum Fischerei & Gewässer", and in the end the task was, converting an old tourist kiosk with no more contemporary dressing rooms into a meeting room with new stand and new toilets. Oh sorry, in the meeting room even a few signs with information about different types of fish and a home aquarium were suspended/ incorporated.

Till today, we had not seen any bilinguality there, but this does not matter.

We do not think that Czech citizens are interested in seeing posters with fishes ­ as they also will know from school education.

Both projects ultimately were tourism projects, for which ­ with the aspect saving own money ­ they had proclaimed the idea of a better cooperation with the Czech Republic in future. We dont see anything of this. A few czech words can not promote a better cooperation.

Facts These things faces ­ a nonexistent youth room in Eslarn, where teenagers from both countries can meet. ­ a nonexistent bus service from Eslarn to the next bigger town in the Czech Republic, the town of Belá nad Radbouzov . non existing bilingual signs inside the market town of Eslarn, and only one ­ really one ­ tourist promoting announcement on the "Verkehrsamtstafel", the only tourism­related publication spot in town.

The "Groß­Landkreis"?

A few years ago a regional politician had the idea creating a "Groß­Landkreis". A administrative building including the districts Tirschenreuth, Neustadt / Waldnaab and also the independent city of Weiden. Maybe a good idea, but perhaps the thought about an even bigger county including all the territories of the former "Sudetenland"?

We think so, because it was the idea of the "son of parents from the Egerland", a person who also had not consent to the continued validity of the so­called "Prague Agreement of 1973".

2 of 3

HraniceScout ­ exclusive | 05.2016

The "greater" political view Everywhere in Bavaria where we had requested the approval of the continued validity of the contracts concluded since 1973 between the Czech Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany we received no reply.

This may mean they do not accept inquiries of small newspaper offices, but also can mean they do not accept the contracts of two states.

Note: The german cancelor Mrs. Angela Merkel answered our inquiry during three weeks. She was proud getting this inquiry of our small office, and confirmed not pulling in doubt the validity of all relevant contracts between the Federal Republic of German and the Czech Republic.

The future What will happen in future?

Look at the Bavarian­Czech border region. Do you see anything showing a change?

There is some change, otherwise as you can imagine.

Since we had asked the aforementioned journalistic inquiries in Bavaria/ to Bavarian politicans, our editorial staff from the market town Eslarn ­ only these are known by name ­ were attacked in an repressive manner.

In the market town Eslarn the urban development ­ started at the end of 2009 ­ now is delayed of years. We think this way our editors in Eslarn should nearly be starved, because they can not use the property for business, when the perhaps try to start the renovation of the "Tillyplatz" just in time of a store opening.

The behavior of the regional government bodies reminiscent the time more than 70 years ago.

And the Roman­Catholic church is also involved. We really can say, some of their clericies had destroyed the family of some of our editor at Eslarn, for further covering their chil abuse practices and preventing a former pope against prosecution.

The District Government of Upper Palatinate disclaims any request, and also negates other requests, citizens just have as well.

It seems our editorial at Eslarn is surrounded by an excessive number of revanchists, and the do not want any further addressing of the "Sudetendeutschen Frage".

Not for a better collaboration with the Czech Republic, rather waiting for the Concordat between the Roman Catholic Church and the Czech Republic.

Perhaps to get back plots and land in this way, through gifts and legacies of long­dead expellees?

Imprint A DEEZ­issue. Editor in Chief: Michael W. Zach, Ludwig­Müller­Strasse 2, D­92693 Eslarn.

Email: oikos­sms@office.eu.org, Phone: 0049(0)1637093031, Fax: 0049(0)9653 4070001.

3 of 3