Taylor Swift in Gelsenkirchen - Why the 'Swiftchurches' signs cause trouble
People's colorful "Swiftchurches" signposts for visiting Popstar Taylor Swift in Gelsenkirchen have attracted much attention. "Some of them have already disappeared," said Sandra Falkenauer, head of city marketing. The signs are often hung high up to prevent theft.
The city had placed 30 "Swiftchurches" signposts at various locations in the inner city since early July. A student had previously started a petition to rename Gelsenkirchen temporarily for the duration of Taylor Swift's three concerts.
This action in honor of the US singer, however, did not seem to have been met with enthusiasm everywhere. Some signs were already covered up shortly after being hung – with soccer stickers, for example. Videos of the signs on social media led to heated discussions in the comment sections about the meaning and nonsense of the renaming. Some users criticized that Gelsenkirchen had more important problems than the singer's concerts.
Taylor-Swift-Signposts: City responds to negative comments
The city marketing responded with a Facebook comment. "Oh people, this bothers us! With all due respect, we obviously have plenty of problems here in GE that we need to solve. But: We expect clear local patriotism and common sense from you!" Gelsenkirchen is currently receiving a lot of positive attention. "Now it's up to you to present ourselves reasonably to the world!"
Around Taylor Swift's three concerts on July 17, 18, and 19, Gelsenkirchen is expecting around 200,000 fans. Further shows in Germany are scheduled to follow in Hamburg and Munich.
Despite the controversy surrounding the Taylor Swift-themed signposts, the city of Gelsenkirchen is excited for the upcoming tourney. Despite the city's challenges, they encourage residents to embrace the entertainment provided by Taylor Swift's concerts, highlighting that these events can showcase Gelsenkirchen positively to a global audience.
Meanwhile, Taylor Swift's fans from all over Germany are eagerly looking forward to attending the tourney in Gelsenkirchen, adding a significant boost to the city's visitor numbers, especially in Germany's historical football city.
