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Union politician Ziemiak, Kuban, Blume: "Work it, make it, do it"
Photo:
R4964 Jens Krick / picture alliance / Flashpic
Go there, they had said, just take a look, not from the perspective of the political editor, but from the perspective of the culture editor.
That was of course a trick, a belittling of wage labor.
As far as the rhetorical tricks are concerned, politicians and department heads are polarized in a similar way.
So they obediently got on the train in Hamburg and made their way to Munster.
This is where Germany's Day, the »Young Union's family reunion«, takes place.
Admittedly: not an uninteresting appointment at the moment.
After the CDU's defeat in the elections, it will take stock for the first time.
For the two-and-a-half hour drive, you are looking for a sensible setting.
On Spotify you can find the playlist under “DLT21 Roadtrip Junge Union”, the soundtrack for the Germany Days, and listen to it that way.
Who created the playlist cannot be finally clarified later, even after repeated inquiries.
Some refer to an unspecified intern.
One quickly realizes that the Junge Union's taste in music seems to be as disparate as the party itself is currently divided. Follow the “Pur Party Mix Part 2”: Willie Nelson, “On the Road” again. And: "Major Tom from Paul Schilling". You can hear yourself through "Greek Wine" by Udo Jürgens. Short irritation: Is that possibly Markus Söder's playlist? Fortunately, there is also Fritz Kalkbrenner, Apache 207, David Bowie and Coolio with »Gangsta`s Paradise«. Who created the playlist cannot be finally clarified later, even after repeated inquiries. Some refer to an unspecified intern.
Arrival in Münster (very good student city, generally rather stuffy, but a few good clubs.) It's still very early in the day, before 9:30 in Germany. In the Halle Münsterland, where the »family reunion« takes place, you don't feel tired. The Junge Union seems to be in a good mood and ambitious despite the poor election results. Free products are offered at the stands. Cotton candy, whiskey, candy bars, cigarettes. In a lounge you can play Nintendo Swift on sofas: Super Mario Kart and Fifa. For a moment it feels like you were in the 90s on the YOU.
And somehow this is also the youth fair here today.
Only with Armin Laschet, Jens Spahn and the political agenda.
And obscure taste in music.
So. sit down.
Press room, large screen.
The respective state representatives sit around you, equipped with small flags.
So now you are here, at this event, whose name could also be the new novel by Moritz von Uslar, and calmly watch the Union youth.
All children are suddenly very good
The Junge Union has problems with its base and with Armin Laschet.
At first they angrily announced a settlement.
A big bang was expected.
But Laschet comes and is maximally remorseful.
There is no big bang.
All children are suddenly very good.
The own base expects a pop-cultural view of the young people here, but to rave about young people is really too simple.
And also: Young Union clichés are well known.
Conservative, stuffy, funny.
But: The people here are anything but unsympathetic per se.
Some of them open up for canned beer in the meeting very confidently from 2 p.m.
Most of them wear sneakers, almost out of spite.
In one room, the social media team provides Twitter and Instagram with impressively ambitious Deutschlandtag content.
Nobody gets any money, all volunteer work.
"Just a great job," says a young guy in a hoodie.
According to the staging, the whole thing here should of course be casual.
And not as conservative as the reputation of the Junge Union is.
This is also because, as Philipp Despot, the press spokesman, explains, that there is such a saying, an insider.
It goes like this: People who wear jackets on Germany Day actually have nothing to say.
OK.
And the sneakers?
“That comes from Tilman Kuban, the chairman of the Junge Union.
He coined the term sneaker conservatism.
And the Germany sneakers of the JU were given away during the election campaign. «Angela Merkel is said to have received a pair too - and the speakers at the Germany Days are also given presents.
By the way, except for Dorothee Bär, they are all men.
But now Jens Spahn comes first.
Every speaker has a kind of running-in music with which he or she enters the exhibition hall like a Rocky Balboa.
Surrounded by security, video cameras and photographers.
It booms from the speakers: "Work it, make it, do it // Makes us harder, better, faster, stronger // N-now th-that that don't kill me // Can only make me stronger." could be the soundtrack of the opposition CDU.
Funnily enough, Kanye West once said that Friedrich Nietzsche inspired him to write the song.
Laschet ran into The Black Eyed Peas' "I gotta Feeling" at Germany Day.
Hendrik Wüst, the future Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, had asked the Höhners to say "Let's start".
At least they left out the worst sexist line ("Where do I see cleavage - your husband is at the buffet!") And for the federal chairman of the Seniors' Union Otto Wulff there is the German army march Prussian Gloria.
Who will choose these songs, please?
"Either the federal office or they were wanted," says Despot.
The day is drawing to a close.
The tables are littered with beer cans and merchandise.
Outside in front of the exhibition hall, buses that will cart the Union youth into the cathedral are already waiting for the service.
"Not in the mood at all," says a JUler.
But then the big party in Jovel finally begins.
Unfortunately, the press is not allowed at this high point of the day.
In front of the hand you can also find out why: You really want to shoot yourself today.
Totally ok.
Actually pretty smart.
The Union youth apparently has a lot ahead of Armin Laschet.
She knows: when embarrassing, always without the press.
You yourself are already 35. Limit age JU.
One would have loved to know what the DJ is playing tonight and which songs are wanted.
And which song the white sneakers rocked to.
One taps on the »PUR Partymix Part 1«.
But that's all just speculation.
