Two sailing beauties at sea. The old Gorch Fock is docked in Stralsund (left). Gorch Fock 2 just set sail for South America (Photos: WikimediaCommons.org)

Stepsisters at Sea.

Two ships, the same name, yet two very different stories. The Cruise Days have hardly been over than Hamburg citizens have come to witness another maritime spectacle. The city’s pride and joy, the sailing school vessel Gorch Fock, returned after 21 years of absence. Befitting her rank, the sixty-year-old Blohm & Voss navy sailship was welcomed back by hundreds of onlookers, while Hamburg’s famous stood in line to spend Saturday evening aboard the official “godship” of the city's Senate (state cabinet). Too soon after that, it seemed, did the old lady set sail again. As of Monday morning, crew and captain are headed for South America, leaving Hamburg citizens to wonder whether another 21 years will have to pass before the navy matron will grace the city with her presence again.

Political and cultural contact point for Sternschanze residents - Hamburg's Rote Flora (Photo:www.karostar.de)

Selling a part of history.

Rumours about a possible sale of Hamburg's Rote Flora (Red Flora) have once again caused a stir in Hamburg's Sternschanzenviertel (district of Sternschanze). According to the investor and owner of the former theatre, Klausmartin Kretschmer, he has received several buying offers- ranging between 8 and 19 million euros- from various interested parties - among them a US security company. Apprehensive that such a change in ownership might spell trouble for the traditionally rather leftist Hamburg district, the city’s administration had been pondering a possible buy-back. Kretschmer had bought the property from the city of Hamburg in 2001, after he had agreed to preserve the current status of the building. Negotiations between city officials and Kretschmer have now come to an abrupt halt, rendering the future of Hamburg's Rote Flora uncertain.