This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/06/world/europe/berlin-holger-bleck.html

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Berlin’s ‘Newspaper Poet’ Walks in a Long Line of Eccentrics Berlin’s ‘Newspaper Poet’ Walks in a Long Line of Eccentrics
(about 13 hours later)
As the moon hovered in an electric blue sky, Holger Bleck found a bench in a park tucked away in Berlin’s elegant government district. Hunching a little, the 44-year-old newspaper seller started his nightly rounds as he always does, leafing quickly through one of the next morning’s editions of Die Welt, the paper he hawks.As the moon hovered in an electric blue sky, Holger Bleck found a bench in a park tucked away in Berlin’s elegant government district. Hunching a little, the 44-year-old newspaper seller started his nightly rounds as he always does, leafing quickly through one of the next morning’s editions of Die Welt, the paper he hawks.
He looks at the front-page story — which might be about the German elections, natural disasters, American politics or, like tonight, the retirement of Vladimir Klitschko, the Ukrainian boxer — and begins to try out a few rhymes. “No longer does the boxer linger,” murmured Mr. Bleck. “Was there a stiffness in his fingers?” He looked at the front-page story — which might be about the German elections, natural disasters, American politics or, like tonight, the retirement of Vladimir Klitschko, the Ukrainian boxer — and began to try out a few rhymes. “No longer does the boxer linger,” murmured Mr. Bleck. “Was there a stiffness in his fingers?”
Next, he adds cheeky rhyming lines about the scandals of the day, from German diesel emissions to tainted Dutch eggs, and after checking the arts section, might wind up with a mini-paean to a cultural phenomenon like “the killer new ‘Blade Runner.’ Next, he added cheeky rhyming lines about the scandals of the day, from German diesel emissions to tainted Dutch eggs, and after checking the arts section, considered a mini-paean to a cultural phenomenon like “the killer new ‘Blade Runner.’”
Fifteen minutes later, poems memorized, Mr. Bleck set off on foot for the restaurant Paris Moskau, his first stop of the night. “I get stage fright every time,” he said, beads of sweat forming on his brow. “I start to think, ‘Maybe this is going to be the night people realize I’m not so great. That tonight, everything ends.’ Fifteen minutes later, poems memorized, Mr. Bleck set off on foot for the restaurant Paris Moskau, his first stop of the night. “I get stage fright every time,” he said, beads of sweat forming on his brow. “I start to think, ‘Maybe this is going to be the night people realize I’m not so great. That tonight, everything ends.’”
So far, in the 20 years Mr. Bleck has been working as the German capital’s unofficial “newspaper poet,” that night has yet to come. In spite of the digitalization of newspapers and Mr. Bleck’s own struggles with attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder, he has managed to carve out a niche — and earn a modest living — reciting rhyming versions of the news and selling printed papers, night by night, table by table, in some of the city’s fanciest establishments. So far, in the 20 years Mr. Bleck has been working as the German capital’s unofficial newspaper poet, that night has yet to come. In spite of the digitalization of newspapers and Mr. Bleck’s own struggles with attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder, he has managed to carve out a niche — and earn a modest living — reciting rhyming versions of the news and selling printed papers, night by night, table by table, in some of the city’s fanciest establishments.
Along the way, Mr. Bleck has become a kind of cultural fixture, joining a tradition of beloved oddball Berlin characters that dates to the 19th century.Along the way, Mr. Bleck has become a kind of cultural fixture, joining a tradition of beloved oddball Berlin characters that dates to the 19th century.
Back then, Jewish Berliners imported Parisian-style cafe and cabaret culture to their city, said Burkhard Meyer-Sickendiek, a literature professor at Berlin’s Free University. “It was a funny way of engaging with bourgeois Prussian society, and became an important part of Jewish intellectual life.”Back then, Jewish Berliners imported Parisian-style cafe and cabaret culture to their city, said Burkhard Meyer-Sickendiek, a literature professor at Berlin’s Free University. “It was a funny way of engaging with bourgeois Prussian society, and became an important part of Jewish intellectual life.”
In Mr. Bleck — whose recent rhymes include “Kiss kiss, smoochy smoochy, how embarrassing! It’s Scaramucci,” which works in German as well as English — Mr. Meyer-Sickendiek sees an heir to the Jewish humorists of that time. (One of those in the 19th century, Julius Stettenheim, had a routine in which he pretended to be reporting from the front during the Russian-Turkish War while wearing a bathrobe and drinking a beer.)In Mr. Bleck — whose recent rhymes include “Kiss kiss, smoochy smoochy, how embarrassing! It’s Scaramucci,” which works in German as well as English — Mr. Meyer-Sickendiek sees an heir to the Jewish humorists of that time. (One of those in the 19th century, Julius Stettenheim, had a routine in which he pretended to be reporting from the front during the Russian-Turkish War while wearing a bathrobe and drinking a beer.)
“Berlin loves these kinds of people,” Mr. Meyer-Sickendiek added. “People who don’t behave as you’re expected to.”“Berlin loves these kinds of people,” Mr. Meyer-Sickendiek added. “People who don’t behave as you’re expected to.”
Mr. Bleck has a lengthy list of longtime fans. In one evening, those professing admiration included multiple waitresses, the deputy editor in chief of the giant national tabloid Bild, Florian von Heintze, and a former German defense minister, Volker Rühe. “I’ve known him for 20 years and I hope he does this for another 20,” Mr. Rühe said. Mr. Bleck has a lengthy list of longtime fans. In one evening, those professing admiration included multiple waitresses; the deputy editor in chief of the giant national tabloid Bild, Florian von Heintze; and a former German defense minister, Volker Rühe. “I’ve known him for 20 years and I hope he does this for another 20,” Mr. Rühe said.
Nevertheless, Mr. Bleck still faces a nightly challenge of winning over the vast majority of his public, the tourists and local people who have never heard of him. “At first, I always stutter and stumble,” he said. “My self-confidence vacillates a lot, from day to day. Sometimes people think I’m homeless, selling this ‘street sheet.’ Nevertheless, Mr. Bleck still faces a nightly challenge of winning over the vast majority of his public, the tourists and local people who have never heard of him. “At first, I always stutter and stumble,” he said. “My self-confidence vacillates a lot, from day to day. Sometimes people think I’m homeless, selling this ‘street sheet.’”
On this particular night, Paris Moskau was almost empty. Mr. Bleck got into position next to a table — papers across his chest like a shield, eyes fixed to the ground — and, in his lyrical voice, began reciting. After a sale, he headed quickly to Zollpackhof, a riverside beer garden with a view of the German chancellery.On this particular night, Paris Moskau was almost empty. Mr. Bleck got into position next to a table — papers across his chest like a shield, eyes fixed to the ground — and, in his lyrical voice, began reciting. After a sale, he headed quickly to Zollpackhof, a riverside beer garden with a view of the German chancellery.
The first tables ignored him, as he urged, “Pay 250 cents! If not for the paper, then for the talent!”The first tables ignored him, as he urged, “Pay 250 cents! If not for the paper, then for the talent!”
By the fourth table, though, under a grand old chestnut tree, Mr. Bleck hit his stride: the guests beamed up at him, throwing their heads back with laughter. One drinker protested he was no longer capable of reading the paper. “You’ll be sober in the morning!” countered Mr. Bleck. A quarter of an hour later he had sold 16 papers and was off, walking briskly through the darkened government district toward more lively streets.By the fourth table, though, under a grand old chestnut tree, Mr. Bleck hit his stride: the guests beamed up at him, throwing their heads back with laughter. One drinker protested he was no longer capable of reading the paper. “You’ll be sober in the morning!” countered Mr. Bleck. A quarter of an hour later he had sold 16 papers and was off, walking briskly through the darkened government district toward more lively streets.
At the upscale wine bar and restaurant Lutter & Wegner, the manager, Sasha-Michael Gruel, smiled at Mr. Bleck as he came in. “Anyone who comes to Berlin, or lives here, they recognize he belongs to traditional Berlin,” said Mr. Gruel. At the upscale wine bar and restaurant Lutter & Wegner, the manager, Sasha-Michael Gruel, smiled at Mr. Bleck as he came in. “Anyone who comes to Berlin, or lives here, they recognize he belongs to traditional Berlin,” Mr. Gruel said.
While it is not entirely clear that everyone who buys a paper from Mr. Bleck ever reads it, Ulf Poschardt, editor in chief of Die Welt, is happy that Mr. Bleck now sells his exclusively. “I was always fascinated by him,” said Mr. Poschardt, who said he always buys a copy from the poet when he sees him, but has never told Mr. Bleck that he actually runs the newspaper.While it is not entirely clear that everyone who buys a paper from Mr. Bleck ever reads it, Ulf Poschardt, editor in chief of Die Welt, is happy that Mr. Bleck now sells his exclusively. “I was always fascinated by him,” said Mr. Poschardt, who said he always buys a copy from the poet when he sees him, but has never told Mr. Bleck that he actually runs the newspaper.
“We all know the future is digital,” he said. “ But people like him show all the romanticism of old journalism. He makes this effort we put into our newspaper really poetic.”“We all know the future is digital,” he said. “ But people like him show all the romanticism of old journalism. He makes this effort we put into our newspaper really poetic.”
Poetry initially played only a small role in Mr. Bleck’s life. He did win a poetry prize as a teenager in East Germany, but he dropped out of a poetry club out of boredom and moved on to other things. Poetry initially played only a small role in Mr. Bleck’s life. He won a poetry prize as a teenager in East Germany, but he dropped out of a poetry club out of boredom and moved on to other things.
Trained to operate an offset printing press, he became so nervous before his qualifying test that he failed. Later, having passed the test, he found the work unbearably dull. “If you’re creative, it’s really monotonous,” he said.Trained to operate an offset printing press, he became so nervous before his qualifying test that he failed. Later, having passed the test, he found the work unbearably dull. “If you’re creative, it’s really monotonous,” he said.
Mr. Bleck began by selling newspapers part-time. His first night on the job, he sold only 20. “The guy I was working for said, ‘That won’t do!’ Then Mr. Bleck remembered the Christmas poems he had to recite as a child before he could receive his presents. “I decided to make a poem, out of desperation,” he said. It worked, and his unusual career was launched. Mr. Bleck began by selling newspapers part time. His first night on the job, he sold only 20. “The guy I was working for said, ‘That won’t do!’” Then Mr. Bleck remembered the Christmas poems he had to recite as a child before he could receive his presents. “I decided to make a poem, out of desperation,” he said. It worked, and his unusual career began.
It was only in 2008 that Mr. Bleck discovered he had ADHD. “I thought maybe I had it,” he said. “I’m chaotic, sometimes I have a hard time sending in my bills on time. I know that I dumbfound people.”It was only in 2008 that Mr. Bleck discovered he had ADHD. “I thought maybe I had it,” he said. “I’m chaotic, sometimes I have a hard time sending in my bills on time. I know that I dumbfound people.”
Ultimately, he decided against taking medication, reasoning that he was happy with his current life, working three hours a day, five days a week, and living in a small, unrenovated apartment. “I’m getting older,” he said. “Sometimes I worry that I have nothing saved, and think I should get a different job, not just live from reciting poems for people at night.”Ultimately, he decided against taking medication, reasoning that he was happy with his current life, working three hours a day, five days a week, and living in a small, unrenovated apartment. “I’m getting older,” he said. “Sometimes I worry that I have nothing saved, and think I should get a different job, not just live from reciting poems for people at night.”
As the night stretched on, the poet found his flow. In low-lit dining rooms and at sidewalk tables, the responses grew warmer and warmer. “It touches the heart,” said Sabine Dozel, visiting from Hamburg, as she bought a paper from Mr. Bleck at the French restaurant Entrecôte.As the night stretched on, the poet found his flow. In low-lit dining rooms and at sidewalk tables, the responses grew warmer and warmer. “It touches the heart,” said Sabine Dozel, visiting from Hamburg, as she bought a paper from Mr. Bleck at the French restaurant Entrecôte.
“He should be the press speaker for the White House,” said Christian Sommer, a movie industry lobbyist who was sitting nearby.“He should be the press speaker for the White House,” said Christian Sommer, a movie industry lobbyist who was sitting nearby.
Outside Borchardt, where the creative class drinks champagne, a woman in silver high heels asked Mr. Bleck if he had another job, too. “No,” he said. “That’s why I can really blossom here.” Outside Borchardt, where the creative class drinks champagne, a woman in silver high heels asked Mr. Bleck if he had another job. “No,” he said. “That’s why I can really blossom here.”
At the end of the night, Mr. Bleck rested at the bar in the back of an Italian eatery that has a standing order for one copy of Die Welt. He admitted he often feels has not accomplished enough, that his fear of larger, cabaret theater-style audiences can be debilitating. Still, he said, he is happy with what he does. At the end of the night, Mr. Bleck rested at the bar in the back of an Italian eatery that has a standing order for one copy of Die Welt. He admitted he often feels he has not accomplished enough, that his fear of larger, cabaret theater-style audiences can be debilitating. Still, he said, he is happy with what he does.
Setting down his Coke, Mr. Bleck picked up one of the few unsold papers. “Studies show it’s much easier to concentrate on the printed word, that you can pay a lot more attention without things flashing at you all the time,” Mr. Bleck said. “In our world, everything is too fast, it’s all rushing by us. But a newspaper, it’s something you can hold on to.”Setting down his Coke, Mr. Bleck picked up one of the few unsold papers. “Studies show it’s much easier to concentrate on the printed word, that you can pay a lot more attention without things flashing at you all the time,” Mr. Bleck said. “In our world, everything is too fast, it’s all rushing by us. But a newspaper, it’s something you can hold on to.”