Manche hatten Krokodile

Decades ago, they ended up in St. Pauli, a borough in the port city of Hamburg, Germany, hoping to escape the narrow-minded confines of the petit bourgeoisie, looking for work and a different kind of life. They struggled as dancers and strippers, barkeepers, sailors and pimps. Now they turn up at their favorite watering holes in broad daylight - the Hong Kong, the Utspann and the Kaffeepause (Coffee Break) - reminiscing about when they were in their primes. Telling stories about gold hunting, sinking ships, the old days in the St. Pauli red light district and contraband crocodiles. And of course the savings clubs, which they continue to be members of to this day, even though they don't consider themselves the money-saving types - they're live-for-today kind of people. When the money was rolling in, they spent it freely, never considering the future. But that savings club case hanging on the bar wall gave them a chance to keep a few marks, a few euros safe - first and foremost from themselves. A little nest egg to get by with. And so these divey establishments and their savings clubs became a home and an anchor to them through the years.