Achtung

Here's a sign on a back gate to a garden (owned by Number 11). The gates face into back alleyways and are used by pedestrians, dog walkers, kids, and for access to garages.

Why do people sign their house in this way?* Do you put up signs against the place you live?

But of the sign above? I don't believe it's so we passers-by can think the residents are German. Or that the family at Number 11 would like to use this covert method to slyly tell us they've visited Germany and brought back a souvenir. Or that they would like to be judged as socially superior to the residents at Number 9 who don't have a sign.

If they are saying anything, then it might be, 'Look at us! We are mad, aren't we, putting up signage that's alien to our context, that mashes together different worlds ... we're unpredictable, huh?!'

Maybe, if they're post-modern fine art students, they might add, 'out of this clash of World War 2 battlefield signage and domestic back garden we hope there's something that approaches irony and social commentary, but if there isn't, then that's okay... Enjoy!'

Which gets me to my point. I think people put up signs like this because they want to a) identify their belonging to a particular property b) publicly celebrate their identities in what is otherwise a fairly anonymous and 'unclaimed' alleyway, and c) use that moment when I pause to share their whimsical take on life, and make me smile.

Which it does.

The word sprayed out is MINEN. I pause briefly to reflect that the people at Number 11 probably haven't laid mines in their own back garden to blow up invaders, unwanted wanderers, or burglers. But I have no answer why someone sprayed out the word. Have you?


* I have a large metal-backed number, probably used in a sports scoreboard before they went digital. I don't play any sports. I like the big number, unfancifully presented. It's positioned where no-one except the family can see it.