Many people have quit this economic region. Qualified workers are hard to come by.

Transcription

1 KuBus 61 - The EU s expansion to the East The review of a region 00'00" BA 00'03" Görlitz has a population of 60,000 and lies in the Federal State of Saxony. It is the most eastern of Germany s cities. 00'13" The River Neisse is a natural border. Zgorzelec lies on the Polish side. 60 years ago the eastern part of Görlitz was an independent community on the Polish side. 00'27" The border marked by the Rivers Oder and Neisse was established by Allied Powers at the end of the Second World War and today still marks the western boundary of Poland. 00'38" On May 1st 2004 Poland, along with 9 other states, extended the European Union to a community of 25 states. The outer border of the European Union has moved eastwards. 00'52" The opening of the borders is of great significance. But what changes will there be for the people in this region? How does their future look? 01'00" Public buildings and apartment houses testify to centuries of prosperity. This city of the Renaissance was once a trade centre and then later a region of poverty on the edge of Germany. Following the reunification of Germany the problems have increased. 01'19" Many people have quit this economic region. Qualified workers are hard to come by. 01'27" The European Union subsidises the city. Unemployment stands at 26.5%, way above the average. The population has sunk by 20% over the last ten years.

2 01'46" The River Neisse symbolises the split; the construction of the Altstadtbrücke is a symbol of rapprochement. 01'54" For Dietmar Dörfer, a publican on the German side, the building of the bridge has an economic interest. 02'01" Original sound, Dietmar Dörfer, Publican of the Vierradenmühle inn in the Altstadt "Since reunification the Altstadt bridge, which has always been here, began to be rebuilt. So that the divided city could grow together again." 02'10" Mine host Dörfer welcomes customers from Poland does he fear competition from the Polish side? 02'18" Original sound, Dietmar Dörfer "As long as there is a price difference people go to Poland. The beer is cheaper, but our coffee is better. And I think that these customers will come back again. But it is like every new thing, you go over to have a look but you swing back here again." 02'34" The pubs and inns on the Polish side expect a business revival. 02'38" Elzbieta Lech, another publican, is depending upon co-operation. 02'43" Original sound, Elzbieta Lech, Publican (Barbara Szutenbach Interpreter) "As for this question of the bridge. The bridge will not only be a chance of the Polish side but also for the people of Görlitz because there is a lot of tourist activity in the area, there are marvellous alleys and restaurants where the Poles from Zgorzelec can go for a walk, visit the cafes. Everyone, in fact, is interested in co-operation at every level that is possible. Because both sides are the winners in such co-operation and that s why I call it a partnership."

3 03'40" International concerns from the European Union, the United States and the Far East have long been established in Poland. Medium sized businesses already have a share of the Polish market. Viola Krynski negotiates for both sides. 03'56" Original sound, Viola Krynski, Chamber of Trade and Industry, Görlitz "Here it is mainly the smaller businesses, chiefly those in the service industry, and that is exactly where the big chance lies for Görlitz. Görlitz was always a trade centre and it should develop into one again." 04'11" Original sound, Viola Krynski, Chamber of Trade and Industry, Görlitz "There is a great interest from companies based in those states that were part of West Germany as well as the bordering nations like France, Belgium Holland, as well as Austria who want to use Görlitz as a springboard into Eastern Europe to get into Poland, to get into the Czech Republic. They want to get things going in the German area and move outwards and get the other part working along with them, to get their businesses set up, its pioneering in a way." 04'48" Original sound, Viola Krynski, Chamber of Trade and Industry, Görlitz "These are the registered office for Jatzwauk and Sojka, a property development company which also has a partner in Zgorzelec. That is a company called Comfort. They have their offices here as well." 05'01" Cheap labour, poor quality and no real competition are widely spread prejudices that are not shared by this building company. 05'13" Original sound, Peter Jatzwauk, Engineer "We are always asked why we are doing business with a Polish company and why we are not doing business with a German company. The deciding criteria is that the Polish workforce delivers more in the same time than our German work force does. When other people have a negative opinion it is usually an opinion based on a gut feeling chiefly because the business or the businessman has a certain fear. These are people who want to go on living just the same as they always have and that does not apply anymore. He is going to find himself in a competitive situation and he is frightened of the competition."

4 06'05" The American businessman Clark Robbins took over a printing firm in Görlitz in For years he has been looking for a Polish speaking work force so that he can expand into the east. For him the changes of May 1 st 2004 offer chances that are also tied to risks. 06'25" Original sound. W. Clark Robbins, MAXROI owner "I expect that gradually we will get more competition from Poland. But conversely there will also be the possibility of selling certain products in Poland although there will be a problem with prices. Wages in Poland are a lot lower than what we pay here." 06'47" Marius is the first Pole to work in the printing works. He lives in Zgorzelec but works in Görlitz. He crosses the border twice everyday. 07'05" Original sound, Mariusz Kosciuk, Printer "Yeah, yeah, the Poles tell me. You must be a millionaire! But it isn t like that, and in my job it s a poor example because I used to earn quite well in Poland. But the firm I worked for went bankrupt and that s why I am here. I had two possibilities; to move to Danzig or to live in Zgorzelec and work in Germany. And that s why I thought if I go to Germany I will learn something new and improve my German, I shall be paid in Euros which is no bad thing for the Euro is increasing in value in Poland and, when I think about it, everyday I earn a little bit more." 07'52" Original sound, Marek M., Zgorzelec, Maik, Görlitz, Lukas, Zgorzelec, René, Görlitz, G. Polis, Zgorzelec, Spinjef Smitser, Zgorzelec 08'04" A cross border team with a Polish trainer in a German club. In terms of the game both cultures are mixed in sport. 08'19" Original sound, Robert Bienas, Student "In every case we have a really good potential for getting something done. And not just in basketball, there are lots of other events that are held. Friends meet up, just nip over the border to experience another language and another culture there s a different temperament as well which you notice pretty well in basketball." 08'42"

5 Theatrical and cultural activities also know no borders. The Salon is both a stage and a meeting place at the same time. A facility of the Görlitz Theatre on the Polish side. 08'57" Original sound, Dr. Michael Wiler, Theatre Manager "We ve noticed that this place has really built a bridge through culture and the theatrical events we ve put on. Naturally there is a lot of nervousness. That, I think, is because of the very nature of the town. When a town is divided as this one is one can speak of a certain compulsory freezing of the relations between Poland and Germany since 1945 and 1949, but then, of course, all of a sudden there is movement and the borders are raised and one stands facing one another not at first with some curiosity but rather with some alienation and because one doesn t really understand the other s language the situation is escalated. It is simply the anxiety one has when presented with the unknown. And you find a disproportionate amount of that in this town, more so than in any other European country." 09'57" Vox-Pops (short statements from mainly youths and young adults in the City Market) 10'18" 1. We know too little about Poland. 2. It s going to be hard because of jobs. 3. I m concerned about an increase in crime. 4. As a pensioner I am learning Polish, which is what others could do, for a better understanding in the future. 5. There s a lot of thieving and I m nervous about going out in the streets at night. There is considerable prejudice on both sides of the border. This lack of understanding is the result of different languages, different cultures and economic decline. There is also the fear of a further loss of jobs in the region. 10'35" Original sound, Retailer "It s like this, the Polish worker is cheaper than ours, he pays less for his food and for his entertainment; for everything. Nobody can work for that sort of money in Germany." 10'46" Original sound, Retailer "I haven t really thought about it. In any case there will be a mess. 10'59" Original sound, Martina Rissmann, Kindergarten Supervisor

6 "At the window on the side of the German border we say, Guten Tag and at the Polish one we say Djindobre." 11'07" The German-Polish Kindergarten at Görlitz crosses the border with Zgorzelec. Visiting the neighbours. 11'12" The children will grow up with a different situation at the border. Within the Kindergarten, living together for twelve German and thirteen Polish children poses, no problem at all. With the growing together of the town the Kindergarten Supervisor promises one thing above all others: 11'31" Original sound, Martina Rissmann, Kindergarten Supervisor "To breakdown prejudices in the town. So that the children can grow up without prejudice. So that they can be friends with each other. Accept the ties between the two towns in their personal lives. It is important for the children that we lay these foundation stones so that they will keep them for the rest of their lives." 11'50" The changes brought about by Poland s entry into the EU will be a lengthy and deep seated process. Everyone living here will feel the traces. Whether it is in the Kindergarten, in school life at work or in the family. 12'08" Who ever visits Görlitz today can go away with a snapshot. A picture of a region experiencing change, a picture that will soon be history. 12'19" "Tschüß" 12'24" BE