I was out and about in the city again recently and took a few snapshots. One thing I found quite amusing was the sign prohibiting the feeding of pigeons: ‘Anyone who feeds pigeons puts them in danger.’ Naturally, this sentence raises a number of questions. Firstly, who is being put in danger? The pigeons? (But only if the food is poisoned, surely?) Or even you? And what kind of danger? Will the pigeons attack you? Or will they be shot by brave marksmen trying to stop people feeding them?

Prohibition sign with a crossed-out pigeon: Feeding pigeons puts them at risk — A clear sign beneath a dense canopy of leaves reminds passers-by to protect the city’s pigeons.
Photo: © Georg Franz

While I was pondering the many possibilities, the police arrived and took two passers-by away for identification because they had just thought about dropping breadcrumbs for the birds.

Traybake and a mug of coffee

I strolled on and came to a café. Curious, I ordered a slice of traybake and a mug of coffee. It turned out that the cake was not actually baked on a tray and that the coffee did not get you ‘stoned’ after all – here, a ‘mug of coffee’ means filter coffee.

Chalkboard outside a café: 1 slice of traybake + 1 mug of coffee, €2.30 — A chalkboard with a breakfast offer brightens the pavement outside a café.
Photo: © Georg Franz

Imaginative street names

The people of Hannover are very imaginative when it comes to street names. Even so, I would not want to live on ‘Knochenhauerstraße’ or at Feldbuschwende. Our recently deceased former Federal President (Kurt Waldheim, who died in June 2007) has not only a street of his own here, but even an entire district.

Waldheimstraße street sign in front of a white house — Street signs in front of a house and trees under a blue summer sky.
Photo: © Georg Franz

Knochenhauerstraße street sign with a no stopping sign — Street sign and no-stopping sign in front of towering scaffolding wrapped in blue.
Photo: © Georg Franz

I also had to think a little longer about the following inscription on a bin: ‘For waste intended for energy recovery only.’ Does the average German know what energy recovery is? Thanks to Google, I found an explanation.

Green bin with sticker: For waste for energy recovery only — Green waste bin with a note on energy recovery at the roadside.
Photo: © Georg Franz

Advancement through education

Fortunately, I no longer have to go to school. But if I did have to go back, I would like to attend the Dr. Buhmann School.

Illuminated advert for a school with the motto “Aufstieg durch Bildung” (advancement through education).

Is the logo a) a woman showing her breasts or b) a strange bird?

Hannover – in brief

Traybake and a mug of coffee

Imaginative street names

Advancement through education

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