1 Year in 96

 

1 Year in 96

I have officially lived in Hannover for over a year. This is now my fourth lived in city in Germany. It isn’t my favorite but it has grown upon me and I never plan on leaving. The beauty of living in Germany is you can up and go anywhere different in a few hours. You can chase a different language, climate, cuisine … literally alternate universe yourself anytime. So why should I ever leave Hannover when there is a cheap airport and a major train station within minutes of my place? Besides the rent is cheap and the vibes are immaculate. We have an Ikea off the bus line. Our Wochenmarkts are klasse. There is a Primark even if it is a tad mid it exists. We also have good food despite what some may say. The home delivery game is quite luxurious because there are Turkish grocers who can drop off things like bleach and ground lamb in the same order. The afro shops alone are worth it. There must be five within walking distance of my house. So whats the catch? Not 22 but 96. A sub-culture that rules the city. They literally paint the town black, green and white. No, that electrical box isn't painted as an ode to Palestine but the handiwork of a Fußball supporter club gone mad. 

There are plenty of other distractions in the city. Hannover does have its fair share of homeless, beggars and or crazies (ahem more on that Stadtbild here). The youth alone is quite a handful with so many schools and institutes. There are plenty of lil mobs mobbin’ posted up at all the places you wish to visit discouraging you from entering. If you are neutral they may ask you to hit the pen. They could also roast you for simply wearing weather appropriate shoes. I look young so I tend to get both at the same time. It didn’t help that in the past I would be wearing my badge which clearly stated I worked in a school. Sadly, I always declined the puff and let it pass to the next random person on the lift. There is a lot of thievery and public shenanigans especially in and around the HBF. Typically the cops let that slide. But when the 96 have a match they show up in numbers deeper than the Hannover swat. They may have all their shields out and shit but it seems a lil counter productive as the vendors always stop selling alcohol and glass bottles just before a match. This isn’t a thing for foot races or concerts just for the 96 and personally I think they are really tame. What came first? The 96 or the overpolicing? The blame or the tame? I’ll never know but I’ll take them over those Hamburgers anyday. Now those fuckers need cages and ritalin. I said what I said. Mutherfuckers play next to a known bunker for nazis that been converted into a Hard Rock. They fight like the Irish during those matches in the seats and on the field. Might as well be back home and out on the streets after a U.Mich game.

I’m really fond of our pride versus other cities teams rage. Everyone seems to like the drunken serenades and quarterbacking entourages with the 96. It is rather charming how they walk from the Machsee through the wald into the Altstadt for refills and nourshinment. That is a long journey and sometimes Hannover needs a bit of energy and color through all the cookie cutter homes, artsy establishments and wine bars. There is a very niche old money plague here that needs a bit of a rumble. Wake those dignitaries, debutants and dauphines up! Honk horns, yell after dark and spray paint a utility box. I love watching from my plant lined balcony. It’s a syndicated show of mayhem and merriment. The episodes fade to black as the players pour back into the north end suburbs. By then they are basically sober having eaten every pommes and wurst within a three kilometer radius. The pfand is surrendered downtown. The win or the loss left behind too. Now all that is left is a sticker or two silently stuck to a light pole. What a refreshing difference from Celle’s horseshit and Köln’s piss. A sticker and a bit of street art is quite alright with me.

Now if someone sees this and takes offense and wishes to show me a good time. Sorry but I’m in a penthouse. I wish I were exaggerating. I’m in Vuitton Louis aka Vahrenwalder-List. I am not in a dachwohnung either but a true penthouse where if I don’t open my windows I can’t hear or see shit. I have an automatic ice maker and fiber optic internet, I barely leave the confines of my castle in the sky. I have a balcony compost full of worms. I plan on growing a bit of weed. I’m a prepper so I have translated a lot of my ways into German living. If I didn’t leave my apartment and Wolt stopped being so fucking convenient, I wouldn’t know what the 96 is doing. But I do like to shop on Sundays and the HBF Lidl is always open with its nasty floors and banana tossing fights. So when I’m out trying to get scallions, the team fanfare and intense police presence is duly noted. Please feel free to graduate to French celebratory techniques like flipping cars and setting things on fire. I will be too high and too high to notice. Maybe that is also the appeal of Hannover. The haves and the have nots. The ebb and the flow. The joy and judgement. The döner and the falafel. Right next to each other, facing each other or best yet above and below each other. And we still have a Kaufhof, pfft, Galeria egal.