Innovation

Whenever I read about innovations, I immediately think about South Korea, Singapore, or even the US, but I never consider Germany. My country may be good at technology and refining what others have invented, but what about new ideas from scratch?

It surprised me the other day when the Badische Zeitung published an article about a new idea put into practice just two blocks from my apartment. The innovation of Der Wortautomat (the word vending machine) may not be comparable to the iPad. Still, it is a new idea to reuse old cigarette vending machines that no longer meet modern youth-protection standards.

Since last week, two ladies from Freiburg have been selling words in such an old machine where you may select from various categories. Red Baron is too old for words für Verliebte (for young lovers), so I chose the more appropriate category, "Nostalgiker," for 5 euros (roughly 7 U$).

Here is what I got:

A printed box.

When I opened the box, it contained the word Badeanstalt (public swimming baths) in laser-cut wooden letters, correctly painted in blue.

Unboxed

Nowadays, everybody in Germany uses Schwimmbad (public swimming pool), not Badeanstalt. One day the word will be lost, for it lacks all appeal. It contains the word Anstalt (establishment), better used in words like Erziehungsanstalt (borstal) or Irrenanstalt (nuthouse). A famous German political cabaret on TV even bears the title: Neues aus der Anstalt.

Without a shower in my student digs in Göttingen in my early days, Red Baron frequently went to the Städtische Badeanstalt, where it was more for cleaning than swimming. We, students, spent hours under the hot shower with a strong jet hitting our bodies, not just the trickle of modern showers. The energy was cheap in those days.

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