Where there is smoke, there is fire...

Germany is finally about to join most of the rest of the western world in passing bans on smoking in public places. From an American perspective you might wonder why it has taken them so long to get there. Viewed from within the country, this long development gives you the opportunity to observe something typical of life in Germany: the laborious struggle to decide to change something.

This struggle not only permeates the public sphere; it is an essential part of private life and private relationships as well. Perhaps are trying to change something at work, with friends, or with a government office. When you first announce your desires, chances are the answer you will immediately get will be some variation of, “no that is impossible.” Or perhaps you will hear, “that will be very difficult and uncertain, so I can’t promise you anything, though I will try.” This is the beginning of a sort of opera, for here the battling begins; discussions, arguments, debates, very heated exchanges, and even accusations can all come on stage as the parties involved hash it out and at several times during the whole process declare that nothing will ever come of this. Then, suddenly, out of the blue something happens, and all parties suddenly come to an agreement and in no time consensus and harmony is everywhere, where only a few days ago all looked hopeless.

This song was sung at the beginning of attempts to introduce a smoking ban in Germany. Officials and restaurant owners announced that this is simply impossible. Period. And the debate started. For months, even for over a year, the government has been tossing and turning, discussing, debating, arguing on and on to no end, with several media announcements in the meantime suggesting that the government is powerless before the tobacco lobby. Then, about a week ago, results of a study were published stating that the air in bars, clubs, and discos is often so thick with smoke that it exceeds allowed pollution standards for cities in Europe – in other words, if those levels of micro-particles were present in Leipzig city air, Leipzig would suffer stiff federal fines and have to change things immediately. And so on Friday Berlin suddenly agreed to sweeping changes that will ban all smoking in all public places – any exceptions will require special individual approval. After over a year of debating, mud-slinging, and arguing, harmony and consensus has emerged seemingly out of nowhere.

I really enjoy this, because it is fascinating to try to wager when the consensus will appear. You see, this process also happens in your private life here, too. You may have a disagreement with someone, and while the relationship goes on, the topic comes up again and again and is debated and seems stuck in the mud. Then, suddenly, a breakthrough happens and a solution is found.
I often think this is a manifestation of a good German quality – taking things seriously. So issues, relationships, everything is thought through more (than in the USA at least) and discussed more, and it is important, if you live here, that you show by your actions that you also take the matter seriously.
But looking at it from a different perspective, in America you have probably heard that whoever takes himself too seriously makes himself the object of many jokes. Or, seen for a perspective this side of the Rhine, when the smoke is puffing in matters, you know the people are on fire for something – where there is smoke, there is fire.