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Showing results for tags 'nationality tradition history'.
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In the beginning, we had the English concertina and the Deutsche Konzertina. When the early German Konzertina threatened to take over the low-end English market, we got the Anglo-German concertina. In the UK, the Anglo-Chromatic developed from that, while the Deutsche Konzertina grew into the bisonoric Chemnitzer, Carlsfelder and Bandoneon. England also diversified, producing various monosinoric Duet systems. In short, we concertinsísts are a very diverse group, and one of our distinguishing features is the system of concertina we play. So when I joined the Cnet Forum, I chose a forum name that included my concertina system - and my nationality: "Anglo-Irishman," because I'm a native of Ireland, and I play the Anglo concertina. Of course the term Anglo-Irish is used in other contexts. One of my favourite musical genres is the Anglo-Irish ballad - songs that are unequivocally Irish in content and sentiment, but in the English language. In a wider cultural sense, Anglo-Irish can be applied to English-speaking natives of Ireland in general. I belong to that culture by birth and upbringing. So Anglo-Irishman I became on the Forum! But now I may have to change that. Having been born in Northern Ireland, I have always had British citizenship, which I have retained through the forty-odd years I've lived in Germany. It doesn't stop me from being "der Ire" ("The Irishman") in our local music scene! And, as a citizen of the EU, I didn't suffer any disadvantages, except perhaps not being allowed to vote in Parliamentary elections anywhere. But now, things could change. I don't know how all of you stand on the issue of Brexit - and I don't want to know - but if it does take place, I could well find myself a "foreigner" in Europe. Not even able to vote in municipal elections; not able to just nip over the border to France for a good meal, or down to Italy for a short holiday, or up to Holland to get some sea air without immigration formalities. So I applied for and recently received German citizenship. With the UK still in the EU, I was able to get dual nationality, so I haven't had to give anything up. But perhaps I should change my forum name to "Anglo-German-Irishman." After all, "Anglo-German" is a type of concertina, too, and my Irish repertoire will continue to be my musical mainstay. History sometimes comes full circle. My very first concertina was, in fact, a German one from the then GDR, the territory of which is now part of my new home. Cheers / Liebe Grüße, John