Chiang Kai-Sheks Paddel

Kürzlich kam mir wieder Chiang Kai-Sheks Paddel in den Sinn, als ich von aktuellen Proteste vor Rheinmetall in Düsseldorf gegen deutsche Waffenexporte hörte. Hartwig Hummel, Politikprofessor, vertrat dabei die Auffassung, dass Deutschland und Europa davon abgehen, Zivilmächte zu sein und zu Militärmächten werden, die militärische Außenpolitik betreiben.

Dabei gibt es schon seit sehr langer Zeit eine militärische Außenpolitik Deutschlands mit Waffenexporten und Vermittlung von Wissen zur Kriegsführung. Hiervon erhielt auch Chiang Kai Sheks Regime auf Taiwan etwas.

Wie es sich für einen ordentlichen Diktator gehört, hatte Chiang Kai-Shek, Paläste und Villen an den schönsten Orten in seinem Herrschaftsgebiet, um sich von den anstrengenden Strapazen des Regierens, dem Verfolgen der politischen Gegner und der Planung zur Rückeroberung des Festlandes zu erholen oder wichtige Gäste, mögliche Allierte für seine Pläne, zu beeindrucken.

Die Landschaft des Sonne-Mond-Sees, 日月潭, so wird geschrieben, erinnerte Chiang Kai-Shek sehr an seinen Geburtsort Xi1 Kou3, 溪口鎮, etwa 39 km westlich von Ningbo auf dem chinesischen Festland.

Der Sonne-Mond-See als taiwanische Fälschung des chinesischen Ting Xia Stausees in der Nähe des Geburtsortes von Chiang Kai-Shek?

Jedenfalls gefielen dem Herrscher über die Republik China offenbar die taiwanische Landschaft und auch Ruderausflüge auf dem See, wie sein am Ufer ausgestelltes Boot zeigen soll.

Bei Luo Yous ersten Besuch im Jahr 2003 gab es auch noch das dazugehörige Paddel mit der Geschichte in einem der großen Touristenrestaurants im Nachbarort Yuchi. Nach der Erzählung sollte ein Angehöriger aus der Familie der Restaurantbesitzer den Diktator regelmäßig über das Wasser gerudert haben.

Bei meinem letzten Besuch konnte ich das Paddel nicht mehr entdecken, vielleicht waren wir auch im falschen Restaurant. Jedenfalls war das Holz schon früher arg wurmstichig, so dass es mich nicht wundert, wenn Klima und Mikrofauna Taiwans das Relikt so weit aufgelöst haben, dass es nicht mehr zum Ausstellungsstück taugt.

Immer noch beindruckt das Lalu Hotel, früher Residenz Chiang Kai-Sheks, in bester Lage am See die Gäste.

Das daneben befindliche alte Hanbi Gebäude wurde unter Chiang Kai-Shek quasi inoffizielles Gästehaus der Regierung.

Unter den im Hanbi Gebäude ausgestellten Fotos findet sich auch ein Bild von Oskar Munzel, der respektvoll den großen Diktator begrüßt.

Wikipedia kennt Oskar Munzel, der auf dem Foto als deutscher Militärberater vorgestellt wird, nur in englischer und bulgarischer Sprache.

Dabei ist der 1899 in Grimmen geborene und 1992 in Bonn Bad Godesberg verstorbene Generalmajor der Wehrmacht und in der Bundeswehr durchaus eine Persönlichkeit, die einen deutschen Eintrag in Wikipedia verdient. 1945 geriet er nach dem letzten Einsatz für „Volk und Heimat“ mit Kriegsende in Gefangenschaft. 1947 wurde er freigelassen. Danach war er ab 1951 vier Jahre Militärberater in Ägypten. Von 1956 bis 1962 diente er der Bundeswehr während der raschen Aufbauphase. Bis 1983 war Oskar Munzel Sprecher der Traditionsgemeinschaft des Reiterregiments 4 bzw. Panzerregiments 6, dessen Kommandeur er zeitweise war. Sogar ein umfangreiches Buch hat er zur Geschichte des Panzerregiments 6 veröffentlicht.

Nach Chern Chen arbeitete schon Ende der 1950er Jahre der BND eng mit den Geheimdiensten in Taiwan zusammen. Weiter beteiligte sich Bonn durch den Verkauf von Rüstungsmaterial und Maschinen zur Munitionserzeugung an der Aufrüstung der Republik China. Das Auswärtige Amt hingegen lehnte eine Tätigkeit deutscher Berater vor Ort ab, um nicht zu sehr in den chinesischen Konflikt hineingezogen zu werden und um keine Option zu verlieren. 1961 plante Chiang Kai Sheks Sohn Wego, der vor dem zweiten Weltkrieg in der deutschen Wehrmacht gedient hatte, eine Beratergruppe zusammen mit dem BND aus pensionierten deutschen Offizieren zu bilden. Als Chefberater wurde Munzel ausgewählt, der 1963 zum ersten Mal nach Taiwan kam. Bis 1972 war er insgesamt achtmal in Taiwan, schien allerdings sehr unter dem subtropischen Klima zu leiden. 1972 folgte die Bundesregierung dem Kurs der amerikanischen neuen Chinapolitik. Nach dem Tod von Chiang Kai-shek 1975 endete vollends die Tätigkeit deutscher Militärberater in Taiwan.

2012 sollte die Kunst des Kämpfens den Deutschen vermittelt werden. Während Luo You - hier beim Panzerklettern auf Kinmen - den Kriegsdienst verweigerte, erteilte die Republik China seiner Frau in der Schulzeit einen fundierten Wehrkundeunterricht. Da muss sich der Ehemann in Konfliktsituationen auf gezielte Tritte und Nackenschläge à la Shaolin einstellen. Also besser immer „Ja“ sagen.

Auch ohne Militärberater, denen es scheinbar egal zu sein scheint, wem sie das Handwerk des effizienten Tötens und Zerstörens beibringen, und die am Ende dafür mit Hitlers Ritterkreuz, dem westdeutschen Bundesverdienstkreuz und einem Handschlag des Gimo belohnt werden, und auch ohne diplomatische Beziehungen zu Deutschland, daraus resultierend einem fehlenden Auslieferungsabkommen, blieb und bleibt Taiwan eine spannende Bühne deutscher militärischer Außenpolitik, wie das Beispiel vom zeitweiligen Taiwanflüchtling Ludwig Holger Pfahls zeigt. Der promovierte Rechtsgelehrte, frühere Richter und ehemals staatstragende politische Beamte nahm Schmiergeld über Schweizer Konten an, damit Panzergeschäfte mit Saudi-Arabien geschmeidig liefen. Womit sich der Kreis zu aktuellen Ereignissen und Erlebnissen schließt.

... two ...

The third advent weekend passed that gave several opportunities to visit some of the local Christmas markets.

At Lüntenbeck House the hosts offered more than sausage, potato pancake and hot chocolate with amaretto.

Also the Kasper, the German correspondent of Mr. Punch, acted out in the afternoon and enjoyed children and adults. After the question of my wife, who is Kasper, Luo You googeled: One origin of the character you can find in British annual village fairs. „Mr. Punch and Judy" is a famous puppet play to enjoy the spectators. If Mr. Punch throws his baby out of the window, struggles with his wife, kills all authorities and let out all his aggressions, he becomes a character the oppressed masses can identify with.

I remembered also this kind of puppet theatre sunday evening, when I watched the so called “motor sport” telecast GRIP at the German tv channel RTL II, that I also like to call asshole tv.

A big part of this telecast contained the ambitious and malicious destruction of three second-hand-cars. So the vehicles lost all of their remaining utility value. Eg the anchorman slitted all four tires of the Opel Astra - shown in the picture above - to total the car on the rims.

For many people in the world those cars could support incredibly their living standard and save their economic existences. Now they were just destroyed to catch for some moments the attention of the spectators and fill the minutes between the commercials.

How the German society deals with values, that were once created by the sweat and the efforts of its members, reflect the media as well as the visible reality. Enough people need more sublimation of their aggressions than to watch “Mr. Punch“ and so called „motor sport telecasts“ including the warning in good fun “Don´t follow our example!” of the smirking Matthias Malmedie.

On the way home at the suburban train station in Wuppertal was almost all broken: the ticket machine, the clock at the platform, the train indicator. The wind protection of the benches was missing. At the platform of the “non smoking” station” the cigarettes ponked, in the train the broken toilett spread its ugly smell. Graffitis covered the seats and the inner walls of the cars.

Employees except thefrustrated train driver in his closed cabin, that shocked passengers could tell their complaints, were missing. At least the doors of the car were working and the train was almost on time - a very rare case in this country. Well, the broken ticket machine allowed a free ride. Otherwise the ticket fares reached almost the British level, means unbelievable expansive especially in comparison to the offered service. I really wonder what we pay for.

So, this is Germany: The working people create value, whereon the entrepeneurs and chief executives like Mr Mehdorn or Mr Demant (27.661 employees of Opel in 2006, 46.000 in 1996) accuse them that they ask for too much money and recommend them better to ask for social support ofthe government.

Next the created values were destroyed by media, in reality or simply by the decision to let them deteriorate (eg the railway infrastructure). The people who created those values got no chance to use them in a suitable way.

Destruction and deterioration are also financed by the working people either

- by the products that they buy and whose companies pay the advertisement of the tv channels like RTL 2 or

- by the social transfer that allows the hooligans to buy the beer and the aerosol cans or

- by the just raised fees for transport or

- by the increased car use because the public transport is inacceptable in relation to safety, service and cleanness or

- by the privatization of the railway company that is equivalent of the waste of public resources in favour of the benefit of few accounts.

Thus I´m not amazed that the former prime minister of the North-RhineWestphalian state, Mr Steinbrück, once cutted extremely my salary and raised my working hours. Later he raised the taxes to reduce my real earnings. Somehow the increasing negative circle of creating and destroying values must be financed.

Seemingly the economic circle in Taiwan moves in the right way. Clean stations - above Tzoying 2004 - with a lot of employees for service inTaiwan, Japan, Hongkong and China, like in Germany 30 years ago, are the normal situation. Reasonable fares cause a good use to capacity. Safety and missing malicious mischief ingratiate the public transport. Instead of complaining about the high expanses by vandalism and malicious mischief the Taiwanese railway administration employs many workers, that do not possess a high income, but show a great working discipline and satisfaction. They create an atmosphere of community and responsibility, that is missing in Germany and displaced by demotivation, frustration and undamped aggression. Paradise Taiwan?

Countdown 2007 - 2nd Alternative

Daily Counting

This is the current calendar in my office. The advent calendar was sponsored by the German post "Deutsche Post", the "Postbank", "DHL" - all those companies that once belonged to the government run "Deutsche Bundespost". Seemingly they still have tied relations, at least on this calendar.

Three little gates are already open. However, Luo You got nothing of the sweet content and chocolate. His female co-worker were much faster this morning. In Taiwan the typical German advent calendar causes more astonishment than round-shaped bellies and the need of a strict diet after christmas.

December 24, 2004 the English teacher´s assistant with the strong German accent could spread some Western culture in a Kindergarten of the second biggest city of Taiwan, Kaohsiung. The little students had the chance to see for the first time in their life a real advent calendar. Because it was the 24th of December and Holy Eve they could open all doors number by number immediately. Fortunately the group had exactly 24 children. Especially fair was that the most shy boy got the biggest piece of chocolate at the end. Only one slight problem appeared: The Taiwanese winter is still warm enough to melt the German cocolate. Well, the students even learned some English by this presentation. Each of kids had to say the current number before they opened the door and when they got the chocolate: "Thank You, Santa!" --- "Ho, Ho, Ho!"

Four ....

This morning Luo You (Fortunately my wife didn´t name me "Mohamed", otherwise pervert guys in some countries got the strange idea to whip her or treat her in other bad ways. Sometimes I have very serious doubts, that the human species belongs to the intelligent live forms.) incended the first candle of the advent wreath and enjoyed his plain breakfast.

The alternative counter 2, the daily counter, is hanging in my office. Thus I could not yet show it in my blog. Maybe tomorrow I can offer you more ...

Countdown 2007

Alternative 1 - The Weekly Counter - Der Wochenzähler

There are only four weeks for Luo You to escape from the winter of the northern latitudes. The (hopefully) spring like Taiwan at the tropic of cancer is waiting for his arrival. Because Luo You´s departure is almost at Christmas the classical German advent wreath is a perfect counter. This Sunday Luo You will incend the first candle.

Simple Taiwanese Dishes in Germany - Einfache taiwanesische Gerichte in Deutschland

It mustn´t be deep-fried guppies, oops, fried sardines to get the real Taiwan food taste in Germany.

German: Es müssen nicht immer frittierte Guppies sein, äh gebratene Sardinen, um auch in Deutschland - wie heute Mittag - ein taiwanesische Essenerlebnis zu haben.

Sometimes simple ingredients, that you can get in every teutonic supermarket are sufficient to feel like in Taiwan.

Manchmal reichen einfache Zutaten, die es in jedem teutonischen Supermarkt gibt, um sich wie in Taiwan zu fühlen.

With salad, eggs, mayonnaise, corn, onions, white bread and thuna in oil it´s very easy to create a formosan breakfast classic. The blogs of countless Taiwanese suffering from the poor food culture in foreign counties describe the exact recipe. Besides, the picture, that I took, shows thuna with vegetable. That´s wrong. Thuna fish with oil is the right choice. The drink the matches this dish perfectly is a big cold coffee with milk and an overload of sugar.

Mit Salat, Eiern, Mayonaise, Mais, Zwiebeln, Toastbrot und Thunfisch ist leicht der formose Frühstücksklassiker herzustellen. Die genaue Rezeptur und Zubereitung findet der dem Chinesischen Kundige in diversen Blogs an schlechter Esskultur leidender Auslandstaiwanesen. „Thunfisch mit Gemüse" war übrigens ein Fehlkauf. Richtigerweise gehört zum Frühstückssandwich nur Thunfisch in Öl. Das passende Getränk dazu ist ein großer, kalter Kaffee mit Milch und unmäßig gesüßt.

The americanized sandwich-breakfast displaced seemingly the classic Chinese breakfast in daily life especially for the younger generation. However, youth hostels and hotels still continue to serve the Chinese version with manto (steamed bread), tofu dishes, vegetable and rice congee, like in the guest house of the Wuling Farm in April 2007:

Das amerikanisierte Sandwich-Frühstück hat wohl das klassische chinesische Frühstück vor allem bei den jüngeren Leuten im Alltag verdrängt. Jugendherbergen und Hotels servieren es aber weiterhin, wie hier im Gästehaus der Wuling Farm im April 2007 mit Manto (gedämofte Brötchen), Tofugerichten, Gemüse und Reisbrei:

The sweet orange-colored stripe in the middle of the picture are called "douzao", „dou zao", "dou4 zao3" or 豆棗, literally translated tofu dates. The product made by soy beans is nowadays diffelt to buy in Taiwan. Even big supermarkets don´t offer it. I found it in a small specialized grocery store.

Die süßlichen, orangefarbenen Streifen in der Bildmitte heißen "douzao", „dou zao", "dou4 zao3" beziehungsweise 豆棗, wörtlich übersetzt Tofudatteln. Das Produkt, hergestellt aus Soja, ist selbst in Taiwan in großen Lebensmittelsupermärkten kaum zu bekommen und nur noch bei kleinen Spezialanbietern zu haben.

Theater without Spectators – Theater ohne Zuschauer

Exactly 6 months ago I saw a very strange performance in Kaohsiung: Squeezed in the small space between the entrance of a parking lot, the concrete wall of the coast line, parking scooters and cars a group of professional actors showed their best. However, nobody was really interested in them - except a stray dog and an innocent LuoYou.


The place where it happened was the former British consulate in Kaohsiung, which is situated at an extremely prominent place of the city. The building, that the British erected in 1865, crowns the rock northern at the entrance to one of the biggest container harbours in the world. There is still a splendid view to the whole city. Few years ago the area was renovated and is now a first class destination for a nice dinner and to observe the sunset.


Next to the consulate is a little temple. The performance was related with the sacred place and served religious purposes. In the Christian culture people order and pay for a mass, in Taiwan people donate for a theater play dedicated to their God. 10 or 20 years ago this activity was a big event that gathered a village or quarter of the city. Meanwhile television, internet and pc-games created alternatives and lowered the number of spectators down to zero.

No problem, the professional actors say, first we are playing for God and second we are paid. But somehow it´s a pity that people don´t look at them, because they make so many efforts. So, the only hope is, that God at least still watches them and did not yet turn to the modern media, too. Well, the loudness reaches a level that even superior creatures can´t ignore them. Next to the enormous loud speakers of the street theater and the noisy music of the restaurant a flutist - engaged by the city government - played his instrument with an electronic booster. First I had the idea he is a part of the theater play. But my wife explained that the actors had their own orchestra behind the stage. The city government wanted to raise the cultural level at this place by the sounds of fluid.


Will the car driver notice the high cultural level of this place, while the barrier of the parking lot permantly squawks „Cordially Welcome!"


As a tourist Luo You was very excited what happened on the stage. The play could compete with every Korean, Japanese or Taiwanese soap opera in the local television. But Luo You´s wife was impatient and had the car keys.

Last Sunday came the déjà vu. The German television channel ARD broadcasted a report about the temple of Cao3 Tun2. According their report the town is quite famous for its puppet play. But, the same phenomenon was visible: no spectators, although the best puppet players of Taiwan gave enthusiastically their best and an excellent show! Only God witnessed their achievements. I wonder how the German television got the inspiration for this report.

The journalist of ARD also met a worshipper in the temple that feels a strong connection to God by burping up. Quite interesting! Even my wife never saw this before.

Rice Cooker

Meanwhile in Taiwan Roomba and Scooba wage the robot war, in Germany still rules the technology of the last millennium.

At Luo2 You1´s home the Tatung TAC 20 offers strong resistance against the German leading culture of Solanum Tuberosum:



In 2005 my wife brought the device from Taiwan. When she acquired it in Kaohsiung first the clerk of the household supply store presented her a big choice of excellent high tech rice cookers, well equipped and chip controlled. The wish of my wife to use the item in Germany and therefor the need to run it with 220 voltage shrinked the selection enormous and also the joy of the Taiwanese - my wife and the clerk - about finest and most advanced technology: Only the Tatung TAC 20 seemingly with the design and technique of the 1960s in the lowest corner of the shelves fulfilled those demands.

Anyway the cooker is robust and daily without any problems in use. Thanks to the internet and downlaodable manuals even Luo You could get the knowledge how to use it. „Wo de Tai Tai" (my wife) had the opinion before her last longer stay in Taiwan, that she didn´t need to give me detailled explanations because of it´s simplicity. Besides she supposed I won´t use it too. But, wrong!

The rice cooker is extremely useful for a fast dinner: 2 cups of rice into the inner pot, fill it up with water til the indication, some water according the measuring cup between the inner pot and the outer container of the heater, then switch it on. After 15 to 20 minutes the slackly-flaky rice is ready.

However, recently there was an expert´s dispute about the right use of the rice cooker: Do you have to cover also the inner pot - means double covered - or only the outer container? How much water has to befilled between the inner pot and the outer container? 2 lines of the measuring cup or half cup for two cups of rice?



The extremely old Taiwanese rice culture competes with the German engineer´s spirit. A human, formed by countless salty potatoes during his childhood and few cooking bags of rice, discusses with a person of a country, that nowadays only know computer controlled rice cookers. The design of the 1960 almost extinguished. Besides, in Taiwan only my mother-in-law cooks the rice. But better not to provocate further more ....

The result of the different preparation of rice - "a la Taiwanesa" and "a la Alemán" - is thoroughly comparable. Here with Kung Bao Qi, Broccoli and "Federweißer" (still fermenting young German wine):

Hot Pot

What Wendel´s Bakery represents for some Germans in Taiwan, is Ho´s Supermarket for many Asians in the area of Düsseldorf and Cologne in Germany.

Due to Ho we got a Chinese hot pot as dinner today:

In Taiwan it looks like this:

Seen in Hsi-tzu-wan (西子灣), eaten and never forgotten.