Of course, the people of Nuremberg are simply too Protestant – the nasty ones say: too dumb – for proper self-marketing, as they know in (southern) Bavaria. Actually have everything, but don’t know how to get it across, purely from a marketing point of view. Wear the fur inside, mimic the modest, get pimples with self-praise, sympathetic, but that’s not the way to go with the Champions League. It is based in the south.
Examples? There will be more and more. An extreme may suffice here. There is a place that distinguishes Nuremberg from any other German city with more than half a million inhabitants. In this place high above the roofs, large parts of the most important constitution of the Holy Empire were written down. History students who cannot recite the basics of the “Golden Bull” without stumbling may be deprived of their seminar space. Rightly. After all, something that continues to exist as “German federalism” was poured into chapters: How is the king elected? Who chooses him? How do the regional princes contribute to this?
This place is historically significant, suitable for folklore (knight armor) and touristic outstanding (view). But they managed to treat this place so neglected that guests have not even been able to have a coffee there since time immemorial. Out of stupidity? Well, one would have to say that. Out of sheer stupidity.
It may have already become clear that we’re talking about the imperial castle. And, oops, there is now a hole in the narrative of Nuremberg as a notorious marketing loser. The castle is owned by Bavaria. So it screwed up for decades: the Free State.
Why? Belongs to the mysteries of everyday life. And who corrected it? Belongs to the embarrassments of a modern, non-absolutist land state. Oh no, a Nuremberg man – a certain Markus S. – had to become finance minister in order not to let this place deteriorate any further. In other words: to arrange an appropriate exhibition. And – drum roll – a café.
For a week now, guests have actually been able to have a coffee at the castle. Oh sign, oh wonder. And who is the marketing idiot? In any case, it wasn’t Nuremberg this time.