@November 28, 2008
Thanks to my new job, I have had the opportunity to travel to Germany a number of times recently, spending the majority of my time in Berlin. Coming from Dubai, it is interesting to note that the two cities have shared some similar growing pains – and gains – in their modern history. The parallels between the two are numerous:
Though both cities were documented hundreds of years ago by scholars and passing travelers – Berlin in 1237 and Dubai in 1095 – unlike many of the world's other major metropolitan centers, it was not until relatively recently that they developed into significant cities.
The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), almost destroyed Berlin, with the city losing about half its population. After which Frederick William, who became ruler in 1640, began a policy of promoting immigration and inter-faith tolerance.
One incident that is worth noting is Frederick William's Edict of Potsdam of 1685, which was issued in response to the French monarch Louis XIV's revocation of the Edict of Nantes effectively outlawed Protestantism in France. Frederick William offered asylum to the French Protestants and more than 6,000 came to settle in Berlin. In fact, by 1700, about one-sixth of Berlin's residents were French speakers. In addition, other immigrants came from Bohemia, Poland, and Salzburg in Austria.
Under the reign of Frederick I (from 1701), Berlin became the capital of the Kingdom of Prussia. In 1740, Frederick II – who would come to be known as Frederick the Great – ascended the throne, and under his rule, Berlin became a center of the Enlightenment.
Similarly, in the early 19th century, the Al BuFalasa clan of the Bani Yas tribe established Dubai, which remained a dependent of Abu Dhabi until 1833. Two catastrophes struck the town during the mid-1800s. First, in 1841, a smallpox epidemic broke out on the Bur Dubai side, forcing residents to move to Deira. Then in 1894, a fire swept through Deira, destroying most of the homes.
However, the town's geographically strategic location continued to attract merchants and other traders from the region. The Ruler of Dubai was keen to attract foreign traders, so he lowered trade tax brackets, which lured merchants away from Sharjah and Bandar Lengeh – the region's main trade hubs at the time.
A quick look at the economic fundamentals of Berlin and Dubai shows interesting common points. According to The Economist, Berlin's growing sectors are communications, life sciences, and services. Also important are information and communication technologies, media and music, advertising and design, biotechnology and environmental services, transportation, and medical engineering. It is also home to Europe's biggest convention center. All these are industries that Dubai aims to lead in the future.
It is almost unnecessary to draw parallels between Frederick I and Sheikh Rashid Bin Saeed and between Frederick the Great and Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid. The first two took the necessary steps to establish their capitals as viable commercial centers, and the second two took the necessary steps to solidify this economic position and develop an intellectual framework by which both cities could not only participate but actually lead the path towards a progressive and open-minded region.
While Dubai was geographically well placed to become the economic center of the region, it would not have achieved such an ambitious goal and in such a short period had there not been a conscious commitment by the leadership to develop a new city; a new city that would promote inter-faith tolerance and welcome people from other nations and races.
This is possibly where the comparison between these two cities is at its strongest, but more similarities can be seen when comparing the formation of the Emirates and Germany's pragmatic federations. The importance of creating national unity while preserving state individuality was paramount, and both countries have been quite successful in achieving that.
Also, when comparing the Gulf and Western Europe, it is clear to see how Western Europe underwent a rapid urban transformation similar to that which the Gulf has experienced. The European peasant of the late 19th century can be likened to the Khaliji Bedouin of the late 1950s and early 1960s: bewildered by change, curious about developments, at times hesitant to embrace the future, yet determined to survive and thrive.
Frederick the Great's famous saying from the 18th century – "Give me people" – is similar to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid's announcement of the creation of Dubai's various free zones: it is a call for partnership.
Development here has its cultural roots and is most certainly not without direction. Dubai started as a commercial center and is evolving into the intellectual heart of the Middle East. It might still be a blank canvas but it has a sense of purpose, and like Berlin, it is destined to develop a post-modern identity. It will be recognized as the world's first truly global city in the making. Berlin was Dubai – and Dubai will be Berlin.