Travel allows me to meet people, listen to their stories, and understand how they see the world. From Europe and the United States to Russia and China, I am interested in everyday life; how people work, think, and adapt to change across both urban and rural landscapes.
Experiencing places firsthand helps me move beyond political narratives and develop my own perspective. Cities and urban spaces, in particular, make geopolitical landscapes visible; they reveal how global dynamics shape daily life, social relations, and local realities.
Travel therefore becomes a way of observing the world more closely; understanding how global transformations appear in specific places and communities.
For me, travel is about exchange and observation; learning from others, discovering the many beauties of our world, and recognizing what connects us across borders.
Urban Geopolitics: Shaping is the New Power
Sometimes, the logic of systems appears in the most unexpected places; reduced to symbols and formulas. Music, love, peace; condensed into a simple equation - yet pointing toward something larger.
Systems reward function; but they endure through adaptation. The moment an actor moves beyond execution and begins to shape its environment, power shifts.
Stability is no longer the objective. We see this in the global transition; actors move beyond assigned roles and begin to design their own realities. What appears as disruption is, in fact, intentional multiversal shaping.
Multiversal - the coexistence of multiple, parallel systems of power and meaning; shaped by actors who move beyond single-order structures.
Multiversal sovereignty emerges where shaping defines space; not where systems are maintained.
In a multipolar world, power belongs to those who create direction; who initiate, position, and redefine systems instead of adapting to them.
So, the real question is:
Are you still maintaining the system; or already shaping the multiversal order?
Urban Geopolitics: The Shift Toward Strategic Stability
What escalation destroys; others try to stabilize. Alignment is temporary; sovereignty is a decision.
The world is shifting; and the reactions could not be more different. Some escalate; apply pressure; frame conflicts in terms of dominance.
China moves differently; not louder, but more strategically. While tensions rise; China calls for dialogue, stability, and adherence to international law. Not by avoiding power; but by exercising it differently.
This is where the real shift lies. Power is no longer about control; it is about the ability to preserve balance and face for all actors involved.
In a multipolar world, escalation creates headlines; and deepens divisions. But solutions create influence; and open the space for harmony. And influence is what shapes the future.
Urban Geopolitics: Sovereignty and Self-Empowerment in Transition
I found myself in an unexpected encounter on a quiet street. A moment that felt almost surreal; yet what it revealed was not personal, but systemic. What appeared personal was, in fact, pure power logic. Power does not operate on emotion; it operates on function, control, and continuity.
The pattern feels quite familiar:
States fulfill roles within a system. Once they no longer comply, legitimacy is withdrawn and a replacement is installed. No negotiation; just a silent shift to preserve the system.
Power structures endure as long as roles remain interchangeable. The moment an actor refuses substitution, sovereignty begins to emerge.
We see this dynamic in global politics; especially in the relationship between the West and China. For decades, China fulfilled a function. Then it redefined itself economically, technologically, and strategically. With that, it stepped out of the role assigned to it. The reaction was predictable; pressure, containment, and decoupling narratives.
Sovereignty and self-empowerment begin exactly there:
Not with the conquest of territory; but with the quiet decision to no longer remain functional within someone else’s system. What appears as disruption is, in reality, emancipation.
A rupture is not a defeat; it is the beginning of a new strategic positioning. It is about the courage to close a chapter and to write one’s own story.
This is the essence and dynamic of the multipolar world:
Actors redefine themselves; they decide on their alliances, their space, and the way forward.
Self-empowerment is not granted; it is enacted. And sometimes, its logic becomes visible in the most unexpected places.
Sovereignty and self-empowerment are decisions; taken the moment a system no longer serves you. The future of the multipolar world will not be built on control. It will emerge from respect, human connection, and the courage of actors to follow their own path.
And the real question is:
When does an actor stop being functional; and start being sovereign?
Urban Geopolitics; a pragmatic view on conscription and the Bundeswehr
Germany is debating conscription once again. Not as a historical question; but as a response to a changing world. In a multipolar order, security and resilience are no longer abstract concepts. They are becoming part of our societal reality. Against this backdrop, the Bundeswehr should not be viewed ideologically.
It is a system; one that can be used. It offers structure, skills, and orientation; qualities that extend beyond the military and into society and the economy.
A moment from Paris comes to mind.
Through a personal connection to the Bundeswehr, I attended an event in the courtyard of the École de Guerre. Military representatives from many countries presented culinary specialties from their regions. At the end, the stands were dismantled.
While soldiers from other countries were still discussing, the German stand had already been cleared; quietly, precisely, with few words.
Sitting on a bench opposite, I observed the scene and had to smile. A quiet moment; simple, yet deeply human. One that spoke for itself.
Then, a small circle formed; the two soldiers carrying the equipment back to the depot were thanked and presented with a bottle of wine. And perhaps, subtly and almost unnoticed; this personal connection still links me to the Bundeswehr. Efficiency; and respect. This balance matters.
A modern understanding of the Bundeswehr could go further; beyond capability alone. It could also strengthen communication, responsibility, and diplomatic awareness.
Sapere aude.
Because in the end, strength is not defined by the ability to wage war. But by the ability to preserve peace.
Urban Geopolitics: Berlin’s Global Communication; Structure and Reflections
Berlin tells a powerful story about communication; infrastructure; and geopolitical transformation. RIAS; Berliner Rundfunk; Sender Freies Berlin; and the “voice” of the GDR were not just broadcasters; they were instruments of influence; bridges of information; and tools of narrative shaping in a divided world.
What began in 1947 as a mobile transmission system on a US military truck in Berlin-Britz evolved into a sophisticated communication network; one that carried not only signals; but ideology; identity; and hope.
The RIAS transmission station; active until the 1980s; symbolized the technological backbone of geopolitical communication. Standing today in the Deutsches Technikmuseum; I can almost feel the electric tension of that era; a time when frequencies replaced borders; and sound waves crossed ideological frontlines.
And then; while walking alongside the Havel at Wannsee; the Fernmeldeturm rises quietly on the horizon. Sunlit reflections on the Havel create a moment of calm; an open space of reflection within the flow of communication and history. The reflections on the water; calm and expansive; contrast with the intensity of past information battles. Communication connects; transcends; and reshapes.
In a world moving toward multipolarity; communication is no longer just infrastructure; it is a strategic space. Language; music; and information continue to build bridges; even when political narratives diverge. Technical infrastructure is neutral; understanding and dialogue depend on us.
Berlin; then and now; is more than a city. It is a living laboratory of global communication; where history; technology; and geopolitics converge.
Urban Geopolitics: Kaleidoscopic Spaces in a World in Motion
Being in Kladow feels like looking through a kaleidoscope; a space where different rhythms, perspectives, and worlds quietly meet. Not far from the turbulent political center of Berlin, everything suddenly becomes calm and serene. Sunlight sparkles on the Havel; the gentle sound of the water, sailboats drifting by, and the relaxed, friendly smiles of people create a very special atmosphere.
It reminds me of my time living on Lantau Island in Hong Kong. As soon as the ferry left Hong Kong Island, I would leave behind the intensity and pace of the city.
Today, I often sit at the ferry pier in Kladow, watching the ferry move between two worlds whose rhythms could hardly be more different; and yet, they belong together and form a unity: Berlin and Kladow. The ferry service began in 1944 with two lines: Kladow–Wannsee and a second line from Kladow to Stößenseebrücke/Heerstraße, when bus services had to be suspended due to fuel shortages.
Today, the ferry glides peacefully between Wannsee and Kladow, bringing a sense of lightness and a touch of holiday feeling into everyday life.
It is a quiet reminder that the world is always in motion and constantly changing; and that with sun, openness, and a sense of humanity in our hearts, we can see its beauty and connections everywhere; almost like looking through a kaleidoscope.
Urban Geopolitics; Lessons from Lantau Island, Discovery Bay
Sometimes the most meaningful geopolitical insights arise in the quietest moments. One of these moments happened in Hong Kong.
Shortly before leaving Hong Kong to return to Germany, I met a young artist sitting alone on a low wall in Discovery Bay on Lantau Island, where I had been living. A few drawings leaned beside him while he quietly watched the sea.
I told him that I would fly back to Germany the next day and that I wanted to buy one of his drawings as a memory of that moment.
He was happy; there was not another person around. With great care he wrapped the drawing so it would survive the long journey home. We smiled at each other while he packed it.
Today that drawing hangs framed in my apartment.
Sometimes I think; if that young artist on Lantau Island knew how much joy his drawing still brings me every day.
Moments like this remind me that geopolitics is not only about power, strategy and competing world orders. It is also about people.
And sometimes a simple human encounter can build more bridges than politics ever could.
Urban Geopolitics: Berlin’s Symbols of Division, Blockade and Freedom
Not everything needs to be explained or reacted to.
But when war once again becomes reality, de-escalation is not optional.
It is essential.
Article 2(4) of the UN Charter prohibits the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state,
with the right of self-defense defined in Article 51.
This is not symbolic language.
It is the foundation of international order.
When that framework is eroded or selectively applied, the system itself is at risk.
Political responsibility begins with clearly identifying such breaches and prioritizing de-escalation — independent of power, alignment, or geopolitical interest.
Urban Geopolitics: Berlin’s Lichthof; Clarity and Warmth
Warm light, clear structures and order define the Lichthof, the architectural heart of the Haus des Rundfunks.
The propaganda stagings once associated with this space feel far away today. History remains; yet the atmosphere radiates calm dignity rather than ideological orchestration.
Five floors rise upward; eight glossy black ceramic columns provide quiet strength. The iconic lamps hover like steady suns. Yellow brickwork bathes the atrium in golden light, regardless of the geopolitical climate outside.
While Hans Poelzig designed the Haus des Rundfunks as a landmark of modern broadcasting architecture, Marlene Moeschke-Poelzig, architect and sculptor of the classical modern period, played a decisive role in shaping the interior design of the Lichthof. Working with sculptural forms, ceramic elements and carefully balanced material contrasts, she created spaces that combine functionality with warmth and sensory depth. As a self-confident female architect in a male dominated field, she asserted an independent artistic voice at a time when recognition for women in architecture was rare. Her husband Hans Poelzig advocated strongly for her to receive independent commissions. A remarkable partnership in both artistic and personal terms. A true avant-garde power couple whose collaboration transcended convention.
The Lichthof is both acoustic shield and central distributor; from here, corridors lead to all studios and offices.
I am fascinated; no street noise, only golden light, harmony and a rare sense of composure.
In geopolitical terms, the Lichthof symbolizes what a multipolar world requires; clarity without rigidity, warmth without naivety, structure without domination.
Just as Marlene Moeschke-Poelzig and Hans Poelzig embodied mutual respect and shared creative strength; geopolitics too requires equal and appreciative partnerships. A stable multipolar order can only emerge where all actors meet at eye level and combine structure with empathy.
A space where different voices resonate in balance.
Urban Geopolitics: Power and Time; Warm Acoustics and a Silent Clock at Berlin’s Haus des Rundfunks
The Small Broadcasting Hall in Berlin’s Haus des Rundfunks remains internationally renowned for its extraordinary acoustics. The antique wooden wall panels can still be adjusted depending on whether a choir or chamber ensemble performs. Even today, they ensure optimal sound quality. The room is warm in tone; precise in structure; almost timeless in presence. I stand there, fascinated, absorbing the atmosphere of this historic space.
The hall is also equipped with curtains. It is said that during the period when the Haus des Rundfunks stood on what was known as the “Red Island,” soldiers of the Red Army slept in this very room. History lingers quietly between wood and fabric.
Legends and myths surround the large wall clock. At some point, it stopped. Was it a technical defect? A bullet? No one knows.
Once again, my imagination begins to wander. I picture the soldiers making themselves as comfortable as they could. Did they speak of home? For a brief moment, the hall shifts from abstraction to human presence.
The harsh postwar winters left their mark. Some of the wooden panels were used as firewood for heating. The soldiers eventually withdrew. Later, careful restoration began. Missing panels were meticulously reconstructed in their original form. The clock, however, remained untouched. The myth endured.
This is where urban geopolitics becomes tangible.
Landscapes and cities such as Berlin are archives of power transitions; occupation; ideological confrontation; reconstruction; narrative control. The Haus des Rundfunks embodies Germany’s 20th century fractures and Europe’s contested memory space between East and West.
In today’s multipolar world, questions of narrative sovereignty resurface. Who interprets history? Who defines liberation; occupation; reconstruction? Which memories are amplified; which remain silent?
The silent clock in the Small Broadcasting Hall becomes more than an anecdote. It represents stehende Zeit; standing time; a visible interruption in the linear flow of history. Between occupation and reconstruction; between Cold War binaries and emerging multipolar realities. Time does not simply pass. It lingers.
Today, the Small Broadcasting Hall continues to host concerts and radio recordings. Warm acoustics fill the room once more. Yet the clock remains; a reminder that power leaves traces; and that history, even when silent, continues to shape the present.
In one room; power and time converge. Warm acoustics return and the clock remains.
Berlin’s Haus des Rundfunks becomes what it has always been - a space between.
Urban Geopolitics: Berlin’s Haus des Rundfunks – A Cold War Story of Power and Sound
"Who is sitting in Goebbels’ office now?”
“That no longer exists. It is now part of an open plan office,” I was told, slightly annoyed. I smiled inwardly; already hearing the familiar chorus of my critics whispering: “There she goes again with her questions.” Touché.
Designed by Hans Poelzig in the style of “Neue Sachlichkeit” and built between 1929 and 1931, the Haus des Rundfunks stands like no other broadcasting building as a symbol of radio history. In 1933, the Nazi regime took control and Joseph Goebbels moved into his office as "Reich Minister for Propaganda and Public Enlightenment”. From 1939 to 1945, the building served as the headquarters of the Großdeutscher Rundfunk; all regional stations had lost their independence.
After the end of World War II, although located in the British sector, the building was occupied by the Red Army. The Soviets controlled the Berliner Rundfunk; a "Red Island" in divided Berlin. It was finally returned in 1952. Stripped bare and deserted, it became known as the "House of Silence" until renovation work began in 1956. From 1957 to 2003, Sender Freies Berlin broadcast from here, and since 2003 under the name rbb.
With its acoustics that remain remarkably modern to this day, the legendary Great Broadcasting Hall of the Haus des Rundfunks continues to enchant audiences worldwide with concerts and beautiful music transmitted from Berlin.
The legend lives on. Once caught in the Cold War power struggle; once a Red Island, once the House of Silence. Out of silence, language and music finally found their voice again. The Great Broadcasting Hall continues, steadfast and unshaken, to write new musical stories and to move people just as it did decades ago.
No matter how the geopolitical landscape evolves; music endures. It remains a shared human experience that gives strength and joy in both good times and difficult times; connecting countries and peoples across the world beyond any propaganda.
So turn up the music; let it rise; and let us dance.
Königsberg without Kant would be simply unthinkable. In 1864 the Kant monument was erected on Paradeplatz in Königsberg, the very square where my grandfather once had to line up for parade. After the turmoil of the war, the monument disappeared. A fundraising campaign was launched on the initiative of Marion Gräfin Dönhoff, and the Berlin sculptor Harald Haacke created a replica of the original statue. Since 1992 Kant has once again presided over Paradeplatz, opposite the Immanuel Kant University, formerly the Albertus University.
“Salut Montaigne” — Opposite the Sorbonne on Rue des Écoles sits Montaigne, perfectly at ease. According to tradition, touching his right foot during exam season brings good luck. And yes, it has worked wonderfully for me as well.
With little Grandfather Karl sitting on the Honey Bridge, the Königsberg Homlin family returned in 2018. Grandmother Martha reappeared in the Amber Museum like a gentle memory. Soon came “Witja” and “Ulja” and then Papa “Leo Homlin”. These tender household spirits live hidden among us and quietly bring good fortune to those who believe in them.
Homlins give shape to amber treasures and a few of them have already found a home with me. And in their own timeless way, more amber wonders are certain to find their place in my home.
Outside lies a breathtaking Russian winter landscape at the former summer residence of the tsars in Pushkin, about 25 kilometers from St. Petersburg. Inside, the reconstructed Amber Room shines once again in its old splendor and magnificence. Originally located in the Berliner Stadtschloss, from Frederick William I presented as a gift to Tzar Peter the Great, the amber room was installed the Catherine Palace in Pushkin.
In 1941, the Amber Room was dismantled by the Wehrmacht and taken to the Königsberger Schloss.
From 1944 onward its trail vanished, and numerous mysteries surround its fate: Was it burned in Königsberger Schloss, sunk with the refugee ship Gustloff, or packed into crates and stored in several hidden locations across Germany? The final assumptions seem to the most plausible, as a small amber chest belonging to the Amber Room was discovered in an attic in 1997. Today, it can be admired in the reconstructed Amber Room.
Urban Geopolitics & the Dragon Horse
In Chinese mythology, the Dragon Horse is a symbol of strength, wisdom and heavenly mandate. It unites two powerful forces: the grounded dynamic motion of the horse and the visionary energy of the dragon.
Thus, the Spirit Dragon Horse stands for a new geopolitical mindset.
Continuity; trade routes and connectivity. Economic interdependence remains the backbone of global stability. Supply chains, energy corridors and digital networks tie continents together, whether politics acknowledges it or not.
History, culture, strategic imagination and spiritual identity shape geopolitical behavior just as much as material interests do.
Geopolitics is never only about territory and resources. It is also about memory, perception, culture and identity.
A multipolar order requires more dragon vision and horse discipline; combined, they generate balance, resilience and strategic patience.
The Dragon Horse is moving forward, as we all are. We need to understand the direction, keep the balance and ride it wisely.
May we all embody the spirit of the Dragon Horse.
龙马精神
Geopolitics and the Art of Keeping Out Evil Spirits
In China, the unseen world is richly populated. Benevolent spirits move quietly alongside hungry ghosts and spirits without a fixed abode, lingering at the margins of existence; invisible, yet never without consequence.
Tradition offers ways to deal with them. Evil spirits, it is said, can move only in straight lines. That is why bridges and pathways are built in zigzags, confusing those unable to bend or adapt. Where no such bridge exists, a low threshold will do. Evil spirits have no knees; they cannot bow. They turn away.
Geopolitics is haunted by similar presences.
They, too, move in straight lines; rigid narratives, fixed alliances, absolute truths. They appear at summits and negotiations, convinced that power alone guarantees peace. They also lack knees; no patience for compromise, no inclination toward understanding.
In a multipolar world, peace cannot be achieved by marching straight ahead. It requires detours, dialogue, and the willingness to bend. The principles of the UN Charter point precisely in this direction; toward restraint, mutual recognition, and genuine understanding.
May gentle spirits protect us.
Tempelhof - a Myth
Abandoned, and yet unmistakably alive. Endless corridors; a former "chow hall" of the USAF; towering ceilings; marble. Past and present overlap here. Planned futures, abandoned dreams, and new realities coexist within the same walls.
The legendary departure hall, 120 meters long, feels suspended in time. It seems as though a passenger has only just retrieved a suitcase from the baggage carousel; as if the last guests have merely stepped out of the restaurant, laughing, leaving behind the murmur of voices and the clink of glasses.
Tempelhof whispers constantly. One only has to listen carefully. And before long, one finds oneself immersed in the layered, unsettled, and deeply moving history of this place.
What was once conceived as a grand ballroom never came to be. Instead, the space was repurposed as a sports field for the US Airforce, the “Berlin Braves.” Tempelhof was a kind of US city for the American soldiers stationed in Berlin, complete with shopping facilities, a hairdresser, and a kindergarten. A self-contained American world within the formerly divided city.
And then my imagination takes over. In the long corridors, my mind drifts. Suddenly, the image of the twins from "The Shining" appears, standing still, whispering: “Come and play with us.”