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Yesterday I took all my courage together and dared to do something unmistaked: I called on one German authority to. I already took care of the fact that the evil would end, but what happened then exceeded my expectations. But it had to be, I urgently needed information from the office in a Rhineland city. I got the clerk’s extension three weeks ago after a long back and forth from the headquarters. My 12 to 14 attempts to call have all failed since then: nobody decreased.
So yesterday call to the headquarters. After I had briefly and precise my concern, relaxed between the lady from the headquarters and the following dialogue:
Me: “So, and that’s why I like to know whether the letter I sent you in January have arrived.”
You: “And why are you calling here?”
Me: “Well, because I did not get anyone when you dial through that her colleague gave me three weeks ago.”
Me: “But her colleague gave me …”
You: “Can’t be! It’s wrong!”
Me: “But your colleague has …”
You: “No, it can’t be! We don’t give out any elections!”
Me: “But I got it, just nobody works!”
You “Which colleague should that have been?”
You: “She no longer works as a clerk who is on parental leave!”
Me: “But is there no representation?”
You: “Yes, but I can’t give you the number!”
I, increasingly eaten: “Who should I ask if my letter has arrived?”
You: “Call you again next week!”
Me: “But nobody can do it!”
Me: “Is there an email address that you can give me?”
You: “We don’t make email!”
You: “Not for the public traffic! We only make phone. Or you come here.”
Me: “That’s 400 kilometers! I just want to know if my letter has arrived!”
You: “Try it again later.”
Me: “But the opposition period is running! If something should not have worked correctly and I cannot correct it in time, I am the jack -minded one!”
You: “Call again next week!”
As far as my experience with a German authority. It felt like in absurdist. I suspect: Among them, dear readers, there may be one or the other who have had similar experiences.
Now you may apply: Bureaucracy is just bureaucracy, this is the case in many countries. But I want to contradict. With our penchant for perfection and over -correction, we Germans have created an authority apparatus that World leadership counts. So many laws, ordinances and sub -regulations regulate public life that even bureaucrats no longer see through. No wonder that overwhelmed clerks are dead for weeks or are desperately drawn off desperate citizens.
The problem is original German and survives all time runs. “The clever ones are not sitting in the headquarters, but the clever ones. If you do your little work, you may be smart – it is not smart. If it were, if it were to press,” wrote Kurt Tucholsky 100 years ago in its evil and true satirical work on German administrative hydration. The text has not lost a bit of its topicality.
The German bureaucracy jungle not only annoys private individuals, he also knets the economy: In global competition, it has become a significant location disadvantage. Friedrich Merz And the CDU recognized this and promised in the election campaign to hit the regulations in the regulations with the political machete. “People are tired of being banned only with prohibitions, regulations, incalculable costs and bureaucratic requirements,” said Merz a few weeks ago and promised that everything would be different if he was only in the Chancellery.
What you hear from the coalition negotiations suggests that there is not much. The shrunk to 16 percent, but experienced in government and socialized in the public service SPD professionals Cooking Merz, Linnemann and the other Union people who have never had to prove themselves in a government office. Merz wants to become Chancellor, but the program of the next federal government is likely to be a social democratic in central political fields. The administrative reform, which Germany urgently needs at federal, state and local levels, is therefore expected to be mutilated into a reflection.
As far as the assessment of Florian Harms, who is a long -time journalist, but only one voice among many. Naturally looks very different Ralf Stegner on the location. My colleagues Daniel Mützel and Lisa Raphael talked to the SPD veteran from Schleswig-Holstein-and what Stegner reports from the coalition negotiations is remarkable. So I recommend our podcast today:
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Then I wish you a sunny weekend. The clock will be changed in the night of Sunday, on Monday the day of the day comes from our news chief Mauritius Kloft, and on Tuesday you will read from me again.
Florian Harms
Editor-in-chief T-Online
Email: t-online-newsletter@stroeer.de
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