German language reports
Recent report in German Radio “Deutschlandfunk” about Regiogeld (local currency), in German.
The German-speaker calls monetary notes “Wertscheine”, meaning something that shows a value (wert=value, sheinen=to show or appear). This word is used interchangeably with the word “Geld” (money). “Wertpapiere” (value-papers) is the name given to other credit instruments like bonds, securities and so on.
The following list is just a small part of the great field of local currencies in German-speaking regions.
http://www.regiogeld.de/links.html
http://www.regiogeld.de/news+M5edf4a00d6f.html
See more German language reports about the Chiemgauer here: http://www.gelleri.com/
Here a real circus of links, all reports in German language: http://www.killerzins.de/news/regiogeld/
GERMAN REGIONAL WWWs
http://www.dreyecker.de/
http://www.augusta-regional.de/
http://www.zschopautaler.info/
http://www.chiemgauer.info/
http://www.regiostar.com/
http://www.regiostar.com/
http://www.eder-taler.de/
http://www.havelblueten.de/
http://www.volmetaler.org/
http://www.buergerbluete.de/
http://www.regio-im-oberland.de/
http://www.kirschbluete-regional.de/
http://www.nahgold.de/
http://www.wirtschaftsring.reinstaedter-landmarkt.de/
http://www.paelzer-regio.de/
http://www.ammerlechtaler.de/
http://www.hallertauer-regional.de/
http://www.roessle-regional.de/
http://www.kannwas.org/
AUSTRIA
http://www.talentiert.at/
http://www.waldviertler-regional.at/
http://www.styrrion.at/
These are just a few of the local currency initiatives in Germany. There many more, many just starting and many in other countries.
WHILE WATCHING THIS VIDEO I was struck by something that doesn’t seem obvious at first:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiwGGkh-tTE (German language)
It tells the story of the “Chiemgauer”, how it was developed by a class of schoolchildren with their economics teacher. In another video you see the children printing the money using a color copier, cutting it by hand laboriously and pasting little stamps on them.
In the above video, it says, “It looks like play money,but it’s not. Whoever wants this money has to purchase it from the bank.” Then it shows a woman going to the bank and purchasing the money using EURO.
Everywhere in these reports I hear the same thing. The Bundesbank is not afraid of the Chiemgauer. The Chiemgauer has been accepted and approved by the Bundesbank. But this is only because the Chiemgauer is presented to the bank, for nothing.
Where does the bank get the Chiemgauer? From the children (now from the local printshop, paid for printing perhaps in Chiemgauer, or in Euro, however it is). So the bank takes the money (for nothing apparently) and sells it to the populace. In so doing the bank gets to appear to be a lawful, useful institution. In truth the bank does not have any place in this cycle, has not earned any right to this. The bankers did not develop the money or the concept, but are more than willing to “capitalize” on the efforts and ideas of others in order to appear legitimate in front of their “customers”.
From where or according to what healthy logic does the official bank acquire the right to co-opt this currency?
That is the question I still have to answer.
Spontaneously while watching this report I find tears flowing. But I don’t feel helpless. It’s a start. Of course, the reports also show the nay-sayers, who may be right when they predict the demise of the new local currencies. These local currencies are not at all free currency. They are hampered in 90% of their effect by being bound to the official currency with chains of fear.
In any case it desensitizes people to the fear of handling other local currencies. It’s then just a short step to at some point completely discard the idea of an official big brother currency as a necessity.
Here a report from a German station on Ithaca Hours: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=encDaaYLamQ
Here a German language video about this job-circus: People forced to take less money for more work, highly qualified people at the mercy of this huge machine. It’s totally unnatural and unnecessary.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nQ_S3_USOU