Baring it all in Hannover

Hannover has a visitor in town, and he's stirring things up. Vladimir Putin is here for the annual industrial convention. I think I've mentioned in the past that Hannover has a huge convention center that hosts fairs for everything from computer technology to poultry farming. The industrial fair is one of the biggest - it is a combination of eleven international trade shows representing different kinds of industry. Every year, a partner country is represented. Last year it was China and this year it's Russia.

So Vladimir Putin has paid us a visit, and Angela Merkel is here to show him around. This morning they stopped at a cemetery right behind the International School, where about 400 forced laborers and prisoners of war from WWII are buried. Many of them were Russian. I went there, hoping to see the world leaders in my own backyard, but more excited about seeing the protests that were supposed to happen. I guess the protesters decided to sit that one out, because all I saw was the motorcade pulling away.

I did read that Putin is staying at the Grand Hotel, which is where my classmate Mohammad works in housekeeping. Maybe he cleaned Putin's room or something. I'll have to ask tomorrow in class. If so, I hope he got a tip.

The big excitement, though came when Merkel and Putin visited the convention center. There were demonstrators there yesterday, protesting Russia's crackdown on NGOs operating within the country, the arrest of an outspoken punk band last year, and what they regard as general political repression. Yesterday those protesters wore clothes. Today, they went topless.

Four women, who are members of a feminist political group, bared it all and caught a lot of attention. Across their chests and backs they had written "f-- dictator" and other well informed political commentaries. It caught Putin's eye, in a way that only film can capture. Check out this photo of the event:

The expressions on all of their faces are priceless.

Putin was not ashamed to say what he thought of the incident at a press conference:

"Regarding this performance, I liked it. You should be grateful to the girls. They are helping you make the fair more popular."

"I did not catch what they were shouting, I did not even see if they were blondes, brunettes or chestnut-haired..." Of course, his eyes were not on their hair.
"But it's better not to upset the order. If someone wants to have a discussion on some political issues then it's better to do it while you are dressed, and not take your clothes off."
He added: "You should take your clothes off in other places like nude beaches."


This is some sound advice to follow, especially if you are a world leader.
I also liked that he did not alienate nudity-loving Germans and members of the FKK (remember the naked lake?) by saying that it's NEVER ok to be naked in public. That would probably spark another round of protests, and who knows what those people would, or would not, be wearing.


So while Obama sticks his foot in his mouth because he called an attorney general good-looking, Putin is oogling topless protesters. And Merkel is understandably disapproving. Putin may have a point, though. This is probably more press than Hannover has gotten since long before the cookie monster incident. Maybe it will draw more visitors to the forest and wood management fair in May.