On one Danish island, no pizza if you're German or French

CNEWS ^ | Februari 24 2003 | JAN M. OLSEN

[knighthawk]

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Aage Bjerre has three rules for dining at his pizzeria on the Danish island of Fanoe: No dogs. No Germans. No French.

The owner of Aage's Pizza said Monday that he's tired of French and German attitudes toward the United States, calling them "disloyal" and "anti-American" in their bid to thwart a possible U.S.-led attack against Iraq.

Since hearing news of France and Germany's opposition, which has led to a rift in U.S. relations with Europe, a split in NATO and a feeling of malaise between old friends and stalwart allies, he's made it rule No. 1 to bar service to any French or German tourists in Nordby, the North Sea island's largest town.

"Hadn't the United States helped Europe in defeating Germany, there would have been photos of Adolf Hitler hanging on the walls around here," he said, referring to Nazi Germany's occupation of Europe in World War II.

The island, 320 kilometers (200 miles) southwest of the capital, Copenhagen, is a popular spot for visitors from neighboring Germany. Of the approximately 100,000 tourists who come, some 60 per cent are German, said Birthe Elstroem, head of the island's tourism office. The others are mostly Scandinavians and Dutch.

There are few French visitors to the island, which has a year-round population of 3,300.

The idea of losing euros from German and French tourists hasn't curbed Bjerre's zeal.

On Friday, he put two homemade pictograms on the shop door, much like the ones that show the outline of a dog with a bar across it.

One featured the silhouette of a man colored red, yellow and black - the colors of the German flag. The second was painted blue, white and red - the French Tricolor colors. Both silhouettes had a bar across each man.

The ban has yet to affect his business because tourist season typically starts after Easter and peaks during the summer. "I do what my conscience tells me to do," he said.

Should Germany decide to participate in U.S.-led military action against Iraq, Bjerre, 44, said he would lift his ban.

But the few French tourists who do visit the island will need to fill their bellies elsewhere.

Frenchmen have "a lifetime ban here," Bjerre told The Associated Press. "Their attitude toward the United States will never change."

[knighthawk]

See reply 17!

[Dog]

Count me in...

[Bigg Red]

Is that the complete address? If we each sent him a couple of bucks it could add up.

[cake_crumb]

LOL...we all different ways of protesting the senseless obstruction of the left. Thank you Mr. Bjerre!

I read a story yesterday about a Frenchman whining because the American owner of the American bar the Frenchman once decided to patronize once was less than warm and fuzzy to him (the Frenchman was served though)

I suggest we don't hold our breath waiting to see popular media headlines blaring THOUSANDS OF ESTABLISHMENTS REFUSE TO SERVE GERMANS, FRENCH! or BARS, PIZZARIAS WORLDWIDE JOIN TO PROTEST PROTESTORS!!any time soon.

[Dog]

Knighthawk....because you are closer....can you call him for us...and thank him..

[RobFromGa]

good find, that looks like him...

[tracer]

And it's "No soup for you!!" in Manhattan.....

[Dog]

Can we get this thread put in Breaking News...

[Michael81Dus]

This is irrational and childish. He´s (at least verbally) discriminating those French and Germans who´d like to stand with the "coalition of the willing". And I doubt that many French of Germans travelled to that island to buy his pizzas... :-)

[knighthawk]

I already thought of sending him a card.

[Centurion2000]

Frenchmen have "a lifetime ban here," Bjerre told The Associated Press. "Their attitude toward the United States will never change."

If he gets to Dallas Texas (and doesn't melt from the heat), he's got a beer on me.

[PhiKapMom]

I think Ken5050 had a fantastic idea!

[Dog]

Michael.....this guy is showing more cojones than the whole country of France has..

I wish there were more like him..

[A Texan]

This guy rocks!!!

[RobFromGa]

I'll bet if we sent him patriotic US postcards or something he could display in his pizza parlor, he'd like those as well.

Aage Bjerre
c/o Aages Pizza
Valdemarsvej 14
6720 Fanø
Denmark

Envelope is 80 cents postage, write AIRMAIL next to stamp.
Postcard is 70 cents postage, write AIRMAIL next to stamp.

[shhrubbery!]

I'm so glad to hear that Denmark has been returning to the world of sanity recently -- might just book a vacation there.

[A Texan]

I'm in Dallas too, I'll buy the second round.

[dfwgator]

The Danes bravely resisted Nazi occupation, many Danes warned the Jews about impending deportations in time for almost all Danish Jews to flee to Sweden.

[Dubya]

Count me in. What would be something good to write on a letter to him. I am not good at writting.

[SMEDLEYBUTLER]

This is irrational and childish.

No it's principled. Unlike the selling of components to Iraq necessary for the fabrication of WMD which the French and Germans don't have a problem doing. Aage Bjerre is choosing principle over money whereas the French and Germans are choosing money over principle. Aage Bjerre has discriminating taste. Bravo Zulu to him.