That particularly many people with a 'migration background' live in Wedding is very apparent. The amount of foreign nationals is at around 30%, and dual nationality is not a rarity. The largest group has Turkish roots.
Typically, the Turks who live or have grown up outside of Turkey, speak a different Turkish compared to those who have always called Turkey their home. The term 'Almancı' is comprised of 'Alman' (which means 'the German person') and '-cı' (a suffix, which in Turkish, transforms the noun into an occupational title). The word was invented by Turks living in Turkey as a derogatory term. Meanwhile many Turkish-Germans use the term tongue in cheek and with self-confidence.
The motif is captured in the colors of the Turkish flag. The red area respresents the borough of Wedding. Naturally, the word 'Almancı' carries meaning beyond this boundary. Two examples:
'Beyond belonging III: Almancı' was the name of the festival in Istanbul in June 2009, during which productions covering the topic in film, music and theater were shown. The project was curated by Shermin Langhoff, the artistic director of the Berliner Ballhaus Naunynstraße.
Same topic, different method of expression: German speaking rapper Alpa Gun – born in Berlin to Turkish parents – brought his album “Almanci" to the market in July 2010 – interestingly, spelled with a German 'i' instead of a Turkish 'ı'.
T-shirts, tops and hoodies with Almancı-Motif
How to get there:
Instructions on getting there would be superfluous at this point – corresponding motifs are also found in other Berlin boroughs and cities. As a starting point for a discovery tour, Wedding offers:
The Müllerstraße: U6 or U9 to Leopoldplatz
The Badstraße: S41 or S42 or U8 to Gesundbrunnen
This Product was added to our catalogue on Tuesday 07 September, 2010.
