{"id":1530,"date":"2022-02-01T22:42:41","date_gmt":"2022-02-01T22:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/?p=1530"},"modified":"2024-09-03T21:34:20","modified_gmt":"2024-09-03T20:34:20","slug":"hamburg-swanfather-unique-job","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/hamburg-swanfather-unique-job\/","title":{"rendered":"Hamburg\u2019s swanfather: Keeping birds out of trouble since 1674"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<header class=\"entry-header bg-adp-tan block--article-header alignfull block--article-header\" >\n\n  \n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large entry--image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/1-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0548-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/1-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0548-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/1-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0548-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/1-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0548-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/1-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0548-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/1-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0548-375x250.jpg 375w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/1-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0548.jpg 1800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group entry--title-wrapper\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\"><div class=\"entry--social-share\">\n  <ul>\n    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/hamburg-swanfather-unique-job\/&#038;t=Hamburg\u2019s swanfather: Keeping birds out of trouble since 1674\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/rethink-quarterly\/img\/facebook.svg\" alt=\"Facebook logo - click to share this article on Facebook\"><\/a><\/li>\n    <li><a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=Hamburg\u2019s swanfather: Keeping birds out of trouble since 1674&#038;url=https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/hamburg-swanfather-unique-job\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/rethink-quarterly\/img\/twitter.svg\" alt=\"Twitter logo - click to share this article on Twitter\"><\/a><\/li>\n    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/sharing\/share-offsite\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Frethinkq.adp.com%2Fhamburg-swanfather-unique-job%2F\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/themes\/rethink-quarterly\/img\/linkedin.svg\" alt=\"LinkedIn logo - click to share this article on Facebook\"><\/a><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n            <a class=\"entry--tag tag-style\" href=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/extraordinary-jobs\/\">Extraordinary jobs<\/a>\n\n        \n  <h1 class=\"entry-title\">Hamburg\u2019s swanfather: Keeping birds out of trouble since 1674<\/h1>\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-summary-style\">Olaf Nie\u00df holds one of the oldest civil servant jobs in Germany. His most important task? Taking care of Hamburg\u2019s swans.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n  <div class=\"entry--meta content-width\">\n           <p class=\"authors\">By\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/author\/luisa-rollenhagen\/\">Luisa Rollenhagen<\/a>\n\n             \n          and                <a href=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/author\/melina-morsdorf\/\">Melina M\u00f6rsdorf<\/a>\n\n             \n         \n     <\/p>\n    \n  \n  <p>1 February 2022  <span class=\"desktop-only\">\u2014<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/issue-4-security\/\">Issue 4: Security<\/a> \n  <\/div><!-- .entry-meta -->\n\n<\/header><!-- .entry-header -->\n\t<div class=\"entry-content content-width\">\n\n\n\n<p>On a freezing November day in Hamburg, Olaf Nie\u00df sat in a small motorboat and surveyed the water around him: swans everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps four dozen white swans were congregating in a tributary of the Alster River, chattering loudly. Passers-by threw bits of bread to them, lingering to watch the swans\u2019 elegant necks unfurl to reach the snacks. Occasionally, a more demanding swan stretched out its massive wings and slapped the surface of the petrol-hued water, hissing at the smaller birds to stay away.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">The swans knew something was happening. Nie\u00df chatted with his assistant, sometimes looking up to shout a word of greeting to the police patrol boats that maneuvered up alongside him. Soon, four blue boats lined with dry hay were in formation around Nie\u00df, waiting on his word.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-default\">Nie\u00df has been Hamburg\u2019s <em>Schwanenvater<\/em> \u2014 German for swanfather \u2014 for 35 years. He\u2019s in charge of caring for the birds that are so beloved by the city that they have an entire administrative office. Every November, it\u2019s time to round up the birds and bring them to their safe winter home, a place further north with a warm tent and a lake that\u2019s kept ice-free. To make this journey, the swans must be caught by hand and hauled onto the small boats, their wings and legs tied so they can\u2019t flee, and sailed up the Alster. Dressed in a black double-breasted coat, Nie\u00df has the ease of someone who\u2019s done this many, many times before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Protect and serve<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0111-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1531\" style=\"width:342px;height:512px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0111-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0111-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0111-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0111-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/2-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0111.jpg 1201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The swanfather is one of Germany\u2019s oldest civil servant jobs. The <em>Amt des Schwanenwesens<\/em> \u2014 literally the office of the swans \u2014 has existed since at least 1674. There are city documents dating back to 1591 detailing funds allocated for feeding the swans.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hamburg has kept swans in an official capacity since the 11th century. The major port city, connected to the North Sea by the Elbe River, has been an important trading spot since the Middle Ages. Swans were a symbol of wealth and independence; owning them was a privilege usually only afforded to the aristocracy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact, a city mandate in 1664 made \u201cinsulting, hurting, or killing an Alster swan\u201d a punishable offense. Offending the swans, is akin to offending the city of Hamburg. So taking care of these animals is an important duty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cCivil service has a long tradition in my family,\u201d Nie\u00df says. His father was Hamburg\u2019s swanfather for 46 years. Nie\u00df often accompanied his father while he worked, from the time he was a baby.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt was quite exciting as a child,\u201d he says. \u201cYou\u2019re a kid who gets to go through the Hamburg port with an icebreaker or accompany the fire department on an operation and get a peek behind the scenes. There are some fun photos of me where I\u2019m sleeping in the back of a VW Beetle and a bunch of swans are sitting in front of me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They worked together for a decade before Nie\u00df took over the job of district gamekeeper, his official title. The position\u2019s salary can range from \u20ac3,000 to \u20ac5,000 ($3,400 to $5,700) a month, depending on the location and level of experience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 1797, Hamburg\u2019s swankeeper was paid 30 marks courant (the local currency) per year as well as compensation for the swans\u2019 oats, which totaled 48 barrels per year. In 1875, Hamburg\u2019s total annual budget for swan care was 4,338 marks. The mark at the time was pegged to the price of gold; that would equal about \u20ac89,000 today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As Hamburg\u2019s district gamekeeper, Nie\u00df is in charge of all wild creatures living in Hamburg \u2014 geese, deer, foxes, wild boars, and even occasionally seals who make a wrong turn somewhere up the river. While escorting the swans to and from their winter quarters every year is the most public part of his job, he spends a lot of time taking care of injured or trapped animals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMost of what I do takes place away from the public eye,\u201d he says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before becoming the swanfather, Nie\u00df had to complete a three-year traineeship to become a <em>Berufsj\u00e4ger<\/em> (professional huntsman). Then in 1996, he took over leadership of the office of the swans from his father and became a full-time public sector employee, like 11% of all Germans. In Germany, this type of position forms part of the broader public service sector, which also includes civil servants with unlimited tenure\u2014known as <em>Beamter<\/em>\u2014and soldiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recently, Nie\u00df had to fetch a swan that had crash-landed near a highway and bring it to safety without spooking it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf someone saw me trying to capture the swan on the highway, it may have looked like I very easily rounded him up,\u201d he says. \u201cBut I was incredibly concentrated and tense. Because if the swan tries to take off and flies into traffic, then a creature with a wingspan of 2.2 meters is suddenly crashing toward a car driving 120 kilometers per hour.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Bird alert<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Nie\u00df took the job knowing that he would need to attend to injured or endangered animals no matter the time of day. Emergencies \u2014 whether it\u2019s an oil spill on the river or a pack of wild boars loitering outside the American consulate, which happened in 2012 \u2014 don\u2019t happen on a set schedule. As such, work-life balance is a foreign concept for Nie\u00df, who is also a father of two.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Covid-19 has also created a new set of problems. More people have become interested in outdoor activities on the rivers, such as paddle boarding and boating. But sometimes leisure seekers get too close to the swans\u2019 nesting areas, and the birds get spooked and unsettled. A few years ago, Nie\u00df was mostly able to gather all 120 or so swans in one go. Now, they\u2019re dispersed across Hamburg\u2019s waterways, and collecting them all has become a multiday endeavor.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nie\u00df is also dealing with an infectious disease: bird flu. \u201cFighting infectious disease is increasingly becoming a pillar of our official duties,\u201d he says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With bird flu cases documented in northern Germany in 2020 and 2021, Nie\u00df and his team are on high alert. So far, through quarantining and containment, he\u2019s been able to keep his flock healthy.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe tried everything to ensure that there are no chains of infections in Hamburg,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The tent where the swans will go for the winter also serves as a sort of quarantine, where the flock can be monitored.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cUnfortunately, this continues to happen, and it seems like it\u2019ll become a regular thing,\u201d he says of the quarantine. \u201cAnd we\u2019ll have to adapt and see how we tackle that issue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"gutenslider-pjo2gy1ro\" class=\"wp-block-eedee-block-gutenslider gs-frontend content-change alignnone arrow-style-1 arrow-position-sides arrow-mb-none arrows-lg arrows-md arrows-sm dot-style-1 dots-lg-none dots-md-none dots-sm-none dot-position-bottom is-position-center-center mb-none wrap-auto-height\" data-parallax-direction=\"down\" data-parallax-amount=\"1.3\" data-lg-transition=\"lg-slide\" 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src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G4-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0341-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1541\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G4-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0341-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G4-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0341-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G4-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0341-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G4-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0341-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G4-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0341.jpg 1201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"swiper-slide wp-block-eedee-block-gutenslide is-position-center-center ed-bg-none\" style=\"--slide-min-width:80%;\" data-hash=\"\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div no-media-background\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div__overlay\" style=\"opacity:1;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"slide-content\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G3-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0409-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G3-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0409-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G3-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0409-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G3-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0409-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G3-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0409-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G3-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0409.jpg 1201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"swiper-slide wp-block-eedee-block-gutenslide is-position-center-center ed-bg-none\" style=\"--slide-min-width:80%;\" data-hash=\"\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div no-media-background\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div__overlay\" style=\"opacity:1;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"slide-content\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G6-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0438-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1539\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G6-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0438-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G6-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0438-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G6-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0438-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G6-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0438-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G6-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0438.jpg 1201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"swiper-slide wp-block-eedee-block-gutenslide is-position-center-center ed-bg-none\" style=\"--slide-min-width:80%;\" data-hash=\"\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div no-media-background\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div__overlay\" style=\"opacity:1;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"slide-content\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G7-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0446-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G7-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0446-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G7-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0446-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G7-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0446-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G7-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0446-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G7-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0446.jpg 1201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"swiper-slide wp-block-eedee-block-gutenslide is-position-center-center ed-bg-none\" style=\"--slide-min-width:80%;\" data-hash=\"\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div no-media-background\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div__overlay\" style=\"opacity:1;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"slide-content\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G8-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0493-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1537\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G8-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0493-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G8-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0493-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G8-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0493-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G8-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0493-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G8-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0493.jpg 1201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"swiper-slide wp-block-eedee-block-gutenslide is-position-center-center ed-bg-none\" style=\"--slide-min-width:80%;\" data-hash=\"\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div no-media-background\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div__overlay\" style=\"opacity:1;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"slide-content\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G9-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0502-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G9-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0502-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G9-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0502-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G9-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0502-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G9-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0502-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G9-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0502.jpg 1201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"swiper-slide wp-block-eedee-block-gutenslide is-position-center-center ed-bg-none\" style=\"--slide-min-width:80%;\" data-hash=\"\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div no-media-background\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div__overlay\" style=\"opacity:1;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"slide-content\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G10-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0879-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1535\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G10-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0879-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G10-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0879-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G10-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0879-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G10-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0879-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G10-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0879.jpg 1201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"swiper-slide wp-block-eedee-block-gutenslide is-position-center-center ed-bg-none\" style=\"--slide-min-width:80%;\" data-hash=\"\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div no-media-background\"><div class=\"eedee-background-div__overlay\" style=\"opacity:1;\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"slide-content\">\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G11-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0980-683x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1533\" srcset=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G11-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0980-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G11-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0980-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G11-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0980-768x1151.jpg 768w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G11-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0980-1025x1536.jpg 1025w, https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/G11-Swans-for-ADP-\u00a9Melina-Mo\u0308rsdorf-Photography-0980.jpg 1201w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><button class=\"eedee-gutenslider-nav eedee-gutenslider-prev\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\"><circle class=\"bg\" cx=\"13\" cy=\"12\" r=\"11\" \/><path fill=\"none\" d=\"M0 0h24v24H0z\"\/><path class=\"arrow\" d=\"M10.828 12l4.95 4.95-1.414 1.414L8 12l6.364-6.364 1.414 1.414z\"\/><\/svg><\/button><button class=\"eedee-gutenslider-nav eedee-gutenslider-next\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\"><circle class=\"bg\" cx=\"11\" cy=\"12\" r=\"11\" \/><path fill=\"none\" d=\"M0 0h24v24H0z\"\/><path class=\"arrow\" d=\"M13.172 12l-4.95-4.95 1.414-1.414L16 12l-6.364 6.364-1.414-1.414z\"\/><\/svg><\/button><div class=\"eedee-gutenslider-pagination\"><\/div><div class=\"gutenslider-divider-bottom \" style=\"color:#fff;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:25px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Home for the winter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Back on the water, it\u2019s go time. Accompanied by water police, trained volunteers and his assistants, Nie\u00df begins driving the swans toward a sluice near Hamburg\u2019s city hall. Despite the chilly weather, a crowd of observers has gathered on the bridge above to watch.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>About 50 or so swans are corralled into the channel, and the lockmaster lowers the water level so the birds can\u2019t jump out onto the surrounding platforms. Then the action starts. Nie\u00df\u2019s arms shoot out, grabbing the closest swan, and he heaves the screaming, flapping creature out of the water and onto the boat. A full-grown swan can weigh 9 to 13 kilos \u2014 about the weight of a 2-year-old child.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The swans begin honking indignantly as they get picked out of the water one by one and pulled onto the boat, where their wings and feet are quickly bound with Velcro straps. But once the swans are in the boat they seem to relax \u2014 or at least accept their fate. They stop flailing, and only occasionally shift to accommodate new passengers. The whole process goes as seamlessly as it can go when dealing with animals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s so important that we do this calmly and work well together as a team,\u201d Nie\u00df says. \u201cWhen you\u2019re dealing with animals, being hectic is absolutely the wrong move. The animals shouldn\u2019t be exposed to unnecessary stress.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite the stress of the job, Nie\u00df has no plans for retirement just yet; he expects to stay in his role as swanfather for at least another 10 years. At the moment, he\u2019s got an apprentice learning the ropes, but Nie\u00df says it\u2019s way too early to be talking about any possible replacements just yet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After about an hour, all the swans are safely sitting in the boats, a crowd of long white necks sticking out toward the sky. Nie\u00df and his team navigate the boats out of the sluice and begin their journey north. Local legend says that Hamburg will be a free and prosperous city as long as Hamburg\u2019s swans swim on the Alster. So far, so good.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"block--sidebar bg-adp-navy alignwide\"><div class=\"block--sidebar__inner\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Germany\u2019s public service jobs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>People employed by the federal government, one of Germany\u2019s 16 states or 11,116 municipalities account for more than 1 in 10 of all working people nationwide. In addition to public service employees, <em>Beamte<\/em> \u2014 tenured civil servants \u2014 are a special class of employee in Germany.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of the approximately 5 million <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmi.bund.de\/SharedDocs\/downloads\/EN\/publikationen\/2014\/federal-public-service.pdf?__blob=publicationFile\">public sector workers<\/a> in Germany, about 1.7 million are classified as civil servants, who must fulfill certain obligations. They can\u2019t go on strike, but they have unlimited work contracts, government-paid pensions and higher net income than public sector employees. At the federal level, employees are expected to work 39 hours per week, while civil servants work 41 hours.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of Germany\u2019s 800,000 teachers, about 600,000 are civil servants and 200,000 are employees. Civil servant teachers\u2019 earnings are based on the federal pay grades; employed teachers\u2019 earnings, like all public service employees, are determined by collective agreements.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block--author\">      <div class=\"block-author__inner\">\n        <div class=\"author--image\">\n                      <a href=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/author\/luisa-rollenhagen\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/profile_luisa-rollenhagen-298x305.jpeg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n                  <\/div>\n        <div class=\"author--info\">\n                      <a href=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/author\/luisa-rollenhagen\/\" class=\"author--name\">Luisa Rollenhagen<\/a>\n\n          \n          <p>Luisa Rollenhagen is an Argentinian-German freelance journalist based in Berlin. She\u2019s worked for publications including Deutsche Welle, GQ, The Guardian, and BuzzFeed.<\/p>\n          <div class=\"block--author-social\"><ul class=\"author--socials\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.luisarollenhagen.com\/\" title=\"Author Website\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fas fa-globe\"><\/i><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n       <\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block--author\">      <div class=\"block-author__inner\">\n        <div class=\"author--image\">\n                      <a href=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/author\/melina-morsdorf\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/profile_molina-298x305.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a>\n                  <\/div>\n        <div class=\"author--info\">\n                      <a href=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/author\/melina-morsdorf\/\" class=\"author--name\">Melina M\u00f6rsdorf<\/a>\n\n          \n          <p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Melina M\u00f6rsdorf studied visual communication at the HfbK Hamburg; today she works as a freelance photographer in Hamburg. She has lead the Hamburg chapter of the female photoclub eV since April 2020 and is committed to improving the visibility of women in photography. She is also a member of the DGPh and is represented by the agency laif.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n          <div class=\"block--author-social\"><ul class=\"author--socials\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/melina-mrsdorf-51842b111\/\" title=\"LinkedIn\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fab fa-linkedin\"><\/i><\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.melinamoersdorf.de\/\" title=\"Author Website\" target=\"_blank\"><i class=\"fas fa-globe\"><\/i><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n        <\/div>\n      <\/div>\n       <\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block--recommended-content alignwide is-style-bg-adp-tan\"><div class=\"block-recommended-content__inner\">\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Read more<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"block--article-pushpoint pushpoint__small\">      <div class=\"block-article-pushpoint__inner\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/real-people-talk-pay-athens-greece\/\">\n        <div class=\"pushpoint--image\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/General_Athens-2-1084x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"pushpoint--info\">\n                    <span class=\"pushpoint--title\">How 6 people in Athens earn their euros<\/span>\n          <p>After weathering a financial crisis, people in Greece\u2019s historic capital city are building a brighter future.\n<\/p>        <\/div>\n      <\/a><\/div> <\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block--article-pushpoint pushpoint__small\">      <div class=\"block-article-pushpoint__inner\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/payroll-france-complicated\/\">\n        <div class=\"pushpoint--image\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/2J56R1T-1-1-1084x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"pushpoint--info\">\n                    <span class=\"pushpoint--title\">Why payroll in France is so complicated<\/span>\n          <p>Libert\u00e9, \u00e9galit\u00e9 \u2026 complexit\u00e9? France\u2019s robust social security system means payroll departments have a lot of accounting to do. \n<\/p>        <\/div>\n      <\/a><\/div> <\/div>\n\n<div class=\"block--article-pushpoint pushpoint__small\">      <div class=\"block-article-pushpoint__inner\">\n        <a href=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/gelsenkirchen-schalke-fans-pandemic\/\">\n        <div class=\"pushpoint--image\">\n          <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/rethinkq.adp.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/DSC6314-bosch-1084x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/>\n        <\/div>\n        <div class=\"pushpoint--info\">\n                    <span class=\"pushpoint--title\">How a German city and its football fans weathered the pandemic<\/span>\n          <p>Gelsenkirchen is best known for FC Schalke 04 and for having the highest unemployment rate in Germany. Its strong sense of community has gotten residents and businesses through the pandemic.<\/p>        <\/div>\n      <\/a><\/div> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group alignfull section--sign-up has-background\" style=\"background-color:#7967ae\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center is-style-default has-white-color has-text-color has-large-font-size\"><a href=\"\/sign-up\/\">Sign up<\/a> to keep up to date with ReThink Q.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Olaf Nie\u00df holds one of the oldest civil servant jobs in Germany. His most important task? Taking care of Hamburg\u2019s swans.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1532,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"footnotes":""},"categories":[142],"tags":[170,185,103,171],"coauthors":[30,159],"class_list":["post-1530","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-extraordinary-jobs","tag-civil-service","tag-europe","tag-germany","tag-hamburg","issue-issue-4-security"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Hamburg\u2019s swanfather: Keeping birds out of trouble since 1674 - ADP ReThink Q<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Olaf Nie\u00df holds one of the oldest civil servant jobs in Germany. His most important task? 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