Neues Jahr in Deutschland

Imagine its New Years Eve and you're at Times Square in New York city. The clock has just struck twelve, the ball has dropped and the fireworks begin to fire into the air. Imagine the rockets bursting, giving way to their colorful flame as you stare in awe at the grand finale of a soon to be long night.

Now imagine yourself at home, out on your front porch or your terrace. And imagine if all of your neighbors were equipped with the same firepower you observed that night in Times Square. And what if your entire town was equipped with ten times that amount of black powder and magnesium? You would be able to see explosions for miles upon miles, only being clouded by the foggy mist that falls to earth after their climax. You would then have a good understanding of what I experienced here in Germany on New Years Eve.

The New Years Celebration started hours before, hearing the occasional squeal of a screamer and a sudden pop of an M80. But from about 2300 to 0100 I was ready to take shelter in the basement. The spectacle of the rockets whizzing through the air and exploding sometimes right outside my window was more that I'd ever thought to expect.

Now this is the only time of year that the German law allows such an event to take place. But when the people to take advantage of this liberty, they do it in style. It makes me envious to see the German's celebrating probably the most insignificant holiday in all of history with so much passion. I envy this because I know when I return to the States, I will not have as much liberty even at home, in my back yard, on the 4th of July, to celebrate that which was payed for in blood to secure my freedom from tyranny and from death. I look forward to the next New Years Eve so that I too can contribute to that late night celebration.