This news is still very fresh – and puts you in a good mood: Berlin-Spandau will be hosting the Pacific island states of Micronesia, Kiribati and Nauru at the “Special Olympics 2023” (largest sports festival for people with multiple disabilities in the world with 7000 athletes, 20,000 helpers and so on). This information was just sent by Spandau’s sports councilor Frank Bewig, CDU – and that was of course one of the top topics in the Spandau newsletter from the Tagesspiegel.
Jesus, where is the beloved Diercke world atlas?! Where are these three island states located? Let’s just take Google Maps: This is Nauru, in the middle of the undulating nowhere between the USA and Australia. And at the top an aerial photo that could be found at dpa. breathtaking.
It’s a 13,700-kilometer flight from Berlin-Gatow Airport to Nauru. The island state is the second smallest in the world and has fewer inhabitants than Kladow, namely 11,600. They have an airport there, endless beaches and no hotel called “Spandau”, but one called “Budapest”.
There are more churches on the beach than Spätis here in the old town. And the Nazis themselves bombed this island during the war. I didn’t discover a sports field from the air, but I did in Kiribati – although the football pitch looked like the meadow in Münsingerpark in midsummer without rain. It’s currently 29 degrees there. So much for the quick check for the Spandau newsletter.
[The Spandau newsletter is available in full length – with specific district news, tips and dates – here and free of charge: leute.tagesspiegel.de].
“We are already looking forward to our guests from the island states of Micronesia, Nauru and Kiribati,” said Sports Councilor Bewig. “Of course we have already thought about suitable accommodation options and collected initial ideas for leisure activities, but now we can start planning intensively. As soon as we know which sports our guests are active in, we will also deal with the question of suitable training facilities.”
The competitions take place in our immediate vicinity. For example in the ice rink on Glockenturmstraße (about 300 meters as the crow flies to Spandau), in the Olympic Park or in front of Kladow on the Wannsee. “Our sailing competitions take place at the Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee e.V. directly at the popular Wannsee,” the organizers announced.
There are beds in the water sports center in Berlin-Gatow directly on the Havel, unfortunately the house is not at all handicapped accessible, as the Tagesspiegel reported: “No elevator, only stairs”. As an alternative, the district office suggested the Hotel Christophorus in the beautiful Johannesstift in its application papers. This is now considered a favorite, I hear in the hallways of the town hall.
I also reported extensively on my first free-time ideas here in the Tagesspiegel (“dance evening, steamer trip, trip to Florida…”). The guests will be accommodated and also train here in the summer of 2023. Bewig’s appeal: “Offers of support from our Spandau clubs are always welcome.”
By the way, two other Berlin districts are also receiving visitors: Lichtenberg will receive a delegation from Fiji, Marzahn-Hellersdorf will welcome sporting guests from the Marshall Islands, according to City Councilor Bewig.
[More specific district news, dates, tips and links: Always in the Tagesspiegel district newsletters with over 260,000 subscriptions – now free: leute.tagesspiegel.de]
PS My reading tip: My Diercke world atlas and I have a very special relationship that was spoiled one day during the Abitur exam: I have a red-green weakness. Mean. The story about me in the Tagesspiegel even touched the Diercke headquarters. Get out the tissues!
If you would like to read more from Spandau: you are very welcome. Here are the topics from the current Spandau newsletter from the Tagesspiegel. I look forward to meeting you!
– Bureaucracy farce about the Jewish theater ship in Spandau: is the premiere about to burst? The story is in the newsletter, which has long since reached the Senate and federal authorities.
– Police inaugurate new monument in Spandau – but newsletter evaluation shows: Ironically, in Spandau more monuments are damaged than anywhere else
– Who is the woman who set up the singles walk in Gatow: Interview with one – of course! – Newsletter reader about Gatow, singles, her books and pooping crows
– Tram plans for Spandau: The newsletter explains the plans to you and reports on the initial public response
– 25 years of Spandau station: the anniversary
– Exhibition in Ruhleben shows the history of the emigrant station
– Brewery and vanilla pastry: delicious Spandau tips
– “All come in green”: VfV Spandau in the cup final, part II
– Neighborhood Day and Volunteering Festival
– No more crab fishing: The last fisherman from Tiefwerder doesn’t want to anymore – but has new ideas
– Mega construction site Rudolf Wissell Bridge: Who was that again? And where else in Spandau is he remembered?
– Citizens’ office in Staaken – and when will the citizens’ office in Kladow open again after Corona?
– Neighborhood festivals, cultural tips, many dates from Spandau’s cultural life
– Photo puzzles from Kladow: two postcards from the 1930s – with one difference
The Tagesspiegel newsletter for Berlin’s districts already has more than 260,000 subscriptions: choose your district newsletter now! In it we inform you about district news, neighborhood debates, name dates, links and tips. We look forward to you.
