"Barcelona is much more digitized than German cities"

--- What is the KDF and what does it do in Barcelona?

--- We are a Barcelona association of representatives from economic, cultural, and diplomatic sectors who share the German language as a common link. There are German, Swiss, Austrian, and, of course, also Barcelona, Catalan, and Spanish members who, for whatever reason, speak German. Therefore, we are an open club.

--- With what purpose?

--- We have existed for over 40 years, when a group of business executives founded a forum to exchange opinions. If in the Chamber of Commerce the members were and are companies or self-employed individuals, here they were executives. In an era without social networks or email, they needed to connect with people with similar interests. What is now called networking. Then there were about 10 or 15, and now we are already more than 220 members, with a 10% growth this year. What we seek is direct contact; we observe that people want to get away from screens and touch, live, share. That's why we organize a monthly forum, based on economic, social, or political themes. Although politics is usually what interests members the least.

--- And right now, what would be your concerns?

--- On the one hand, connecting with people and developing social relationships in Catalonia and Spain (I want to note, by the way, that there is no Spanish association similar to ours). And, on the other hand, making our concerns known to the economic, social, and political sectors.

--- So, do you act as a lobby?

--- Sometimes, of course. We want to influence. Especially on issues promoting a business friendly society, because on other issues we are as diverse as our society. We have a great diversity of political opinions among our members, but what unites us is an interest in individual and collective economic prosperity. This point, "collective," is important.

--- Elaborate on that.

--- In Germany, we have this concept of "social market economy," where the human factor has the same or more weight than that of wealth. We seek monetary wealth but above all personal wealth, business growth, but also collective growth, and if we are business friendly, we are so because we are more friendly than business. Either we all participate, or the growth is not worth it to us.

---And right now, how do you see Barcelona?

--- We look with great interest at the pre-campaign for the municipal elections, we want someone capable of understanding our concerns to govern. We do not want dogmatic people to govern, who only listen to their flock, but people capable of listening to everyone. I sincerely believe that all of Barcelona is very aware of this.

"In Germany we seek monetary wealth but above all personal wealth, business growth, but also collective growth"

--- Not at all. Barcelona grows on its own, no matter who governs, and there are many new businesses lately. Furthermore, politics seems to have calmed down a bit, there is more capacity for dialogue, and even bureaucratic obstacles have improved quite a lot, apart from the good work that Barcelona Activa does for the creation of new companies. In fact, I always say that there is more digitalization here than in Germany. I think it is due to the post-war culture, we still don't use digital services with the bank but rather communicate with it by postal mail. And we don't use cards as much as they do here.

--- Where does your relationship with Barcelona come from?

--- I fell in love with it more than 25 years ago. I saw a very open city, with a high standard in everything: good taste, good geography, good climate, a comfortable and beautiful city. An ideal place, but above all a very open and welcoming, very European society. With its problems, of course.

--- What are they right now?

--- Surely the price of housing, which I find reprehensible. The cost of living is too high. On the other hand, I don't consider it an excessively unsafe city; it's as unsafe as any other big city that attracts so much tourism. I don't think this issue should be dramatized.

--- So, is Barcelona doing well?

--- It can do much better if it doesn't stagnate, but it's doing well. Many startups, many new technology companies have been brought here. Seat Volkswagen's investment in the battery plant has finally been made in Sagunto, but the positive effect on Barcelona will be brutal. Much more than we all imagine.

--- I see you're optimistic.

--- "Optimism is an obligation," I heard Ludwig Erhard, who was federal chancellor of West Germany, say.

"Seat Volkswagen's investment in the battery plant has finally been made in Sagunto, but the positive effect on Barcelona will be brutal"

--- Indeed, the link has always been there. In 1870, a German Lutheran parish was already here, and then the German school, and the Goethe Institute… But I would highlight above all the economic conception, which is very similar. Do you remember the Four Motors of Europe?

"Barcelona can do much better if it doesn't stagnate, but it's doing well. Many startups, many new technology companies have been brought here"

--- They are still the same. It has never been formalized, but it is an idea that persists: the Catalan company is like the one in Baden-Württemberg, a family business, an SME. Or like Bosch, however big it has become. In a city like Stuttgart, you go up the central tower and what you see around you are forests. We are a local, human-scale society. Like you.

--- And doesn't globalization threaten all of this?

--- Globalization is waves, but the foundation remains the same. We now live in a society of excess, but that will pass. Believe me.

"In a city like Stuttgart, you go up the central tower and what you see around you are forests. We are a local, human-scale society. Like you."

--- I'm not so sure.

--- It seemed there was going to be an economic catastrophe this autumn. And there are people who are having a hard time, here and in Germany (where we don't have the Iberian energy exception), but it hasn't been the debacle they announced. Car sales are decreasing, but look how many people are in restaurants. This is not World War III, no matter how much war there is in Ukraine. We have had a very long period of prosperity, which makes us depressed at any obstacle or any downturn.

--- And prices? And interest rates?

--- I have experienced inflation and interest rates of two tenths, and I understand that there are people who have been caught by surprise by the situation, but we are also willing to help them. This is the social market economy. We are more friendly business than business friendly, and we believe that the family business, like those that exist here, is the model capable of responding to everyone's needs.