onemark

What is your current citizenship? Also important: do you have a German parent?

Looks like a serious case of German thoroughness gone mad.

Disclaimer: I have no children. But is it possible that some German parents have a problem with the concept of discipline, regarding it as negative rather than positive?

Here in continental Europe the law requires you to report your address to either the local municipal authorities, e.g. Germany and Italy, or the police, e.g. Belgium and Spain, just to name a few. I.A.W., it's not just Germany. Curiously, France has no such system. Residential registration is essentially an administrative instrument but I still fail to understand why it should also be illegal (not just virtually  impossible) to live under the radar. I guess the state here in continental Europe likes to be able to track and trace everyone living here.

OK. Thanks.

Just on this evening's function: is there any kind of advance programme available, e.g. who speaks when, question-time (if any) etc. etc.? Thanks.

Gotcha! No problem. Thanks.

Hi, Tap, Just an afterthought: what - if any - are the catering arrangements at the venue, please? Thanks.

I'm a freelance translator German>English. PM me if you like. onemark.

I'm fine. Thank you. To know why the police wish to check someone's identity if they are not aware of having broken the law is a perfectly reasonable expectation.  Or do you have some kind of problem with that?

@ catjones: Yes it is normal (at least here in Hessen) to expect precisely that. See: Section 18, Subs. 6 of the Hessian State Public Safety and Order Act (§18, Abs. 6, HSOG): "If the personal details of the person affected are taken, that person is to be informed of the reason for establishing their identity provided this does not adversely affect the purpose of this measure." (My translation.) This applies to Hessen. I have not checked any other corresponding legislation elsewhere in Germany. Elaboration: The police have the authority to arrest, detain and use force, up to and including deadly force. The ordinary man/woman in the street does not. These are greater powers that must by definition entail greater responsibility in terms of answerability. One of my views of democracy is that the state is answerable to the citizen, not the other way round, as many members of the police think. If the police get pissed off when people demand their rights, there's something wrong somewhere. So much for "Freund und Helfer", then.

@lisa13 If I'm walking along the road not aware of having broken the law, I expect to be told by the police precisely WHY they wish to check my identity. I accept that we have to be able to identify ourselves but in a democracy I expect the state to be answerable to me. And who says the US is a democracy? The police act like thugs.

I understand all that (honest!) but sometimes the cops don't like people asking "why". We're expected to just shut up and do as we're told.

Hi, Tap, are Irish citizens who are not members of the IBN SW Team also welcome? As a freelancer, I'd be interested.

No, but the innocent citizen is entitled to know why he or she is being checked. In my view at least, that's fair and reasonable.