23.03.1952
(*)
Born in Berlin to
a German Mother and an Iraki Father, both qualified industrial-engineers
which were taught at the TU-Berlin.
With two and a half years
old in the Berlin Children's Zoo – and
from there onto the Mid-pages
of the BZ (German).
1958 - 1970
School in Berlin and Damascus,
in which I skipped the 3rd and 4th class in the same
summer vacancies. Head editor at the scientific Student-Newspaper
of the Ibn Khaldoun High School. Graduate with an Arabic Higher School Certificate,
French system, scientific branch.
Since 1963
Member of the Syrian Scout-association.
1969
Opening of the first ever
Record Store in Damascus: 'Blow Up'; Specialty: Rock and Underground.
October 1970 – March 1971
Internship machine engineering, expertizing in Aerospace
technology at MBB, Hamburg-Finkenwerder.
Early activity... right in the second row. Thanks to Michael Schott for
the photo!
Since 1971
Neurological Experiments and Experiences, diverse Documentation.
1971 – 1976
Scientific freelancer for
'Brennpunkt Systemtechnik' in the department of aerospace engineering; 'KONPLAN'
(public contact-point planning) and at 'TU-Transfer', the technology transfer
center, all at the TU-Berlin.
Also project work at the 'Center for Futuristic Studies Berlin', specifically
research, organization and information networking.
Sitting midst the KONPLAN-Team
of the TU-Berlin.
1972 – 1975
Early involvement and prime
vendor at the first German city magazine HOBO in Berlin (later: Zitty); Sale
of Syrian artesian craft work on the Kudamm. Hippie: the 'mystical
Achmed'.
After the first of May
demonstration. - Music-session on the Mariannenplatz.
since
1973
Dealing with the topic 'Renewable Energy' (then called alternative energy)
in consequence of the so-called first oil war.
since
1975
Preoccupation with the conflict 'religion, environment and energy'; Publication
of proclamations, visions and modern, ecologically oriented Koranic interpretations
with the goal of world salvation.
1977
- 1989
Head of engineering office 'Dipl.-Ing. M. Khammas Engineering' in Damascus;
Industry representation, technical and legal consulting, organization optimization,
marketing, and technology follow-up examinations.
Our
office in the right building, 3rd floor, parked in front of it: Our green
Opel Kadett - and this on an 'official' postcard ... of course only because
the headquarters of the Baath party on the left (btw.: exactly between the
two buildings, in the early 1980s, the first bomb exploded in the attempted
militant overthrow by the Muslim-brothers).
1977
- 1993
Half-time interpreter and translator for the Foreign Office, the BMZ, KfW,
GTZ, the Goethe Institute, law firms and business enterprises in Syria, Jordan
and Germany.
1978
Interpreter at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Damascus,
including accompanying the Syrian President Hafez al-Assad at
his five-day state visit to Bonn and Hamburg.
As an interpreter on the
go with President Hazef al-Assad.
1980
- 1989
Development and manufacture of solar
thermal systems (article in German),
development of an own production, staff training, sales and service; Development
and manufacture of autonomous water supply systems; publications, exhibitions
and lectures on energy and environment; information transfer and data networking
in the environmental technology and ecology area; voluntary supervision of
undergraduates at the University of Damascus (solar and wind power).
Since 1980
Member of Mensa
International.
May 1981
State
examination 'Translator Arabic / German' in Berlin; Examination of the Syrian
Ministry of Justice and sworn in as interpreter, Damascus.
1982
- 1988
A total of four Holographic exhibitions in Syria (own collection); various
lectures and events for cultural, environmental and technology-oriented topics.
1983
Music experiments with
own band 'Sufi Rockers', Damascus.
The Sufi
Rockers: Left the Armenian singer Jack Sakajan from
Aleppo, right guitarist Aziz Khani, a Turkish-Syrian mixture.
1984
Property
bought in Syria; Implementation of chemical-free agriculture, reclamation
of desert soil, use of wind energy systems as well as import and implementation
of new irrigation systems.
1986
Optimization
and patenting a highly innovative aerodynamic structure under the title 'Slit
rotor blade' (article in German).
September
1989 - June 1992
Sales Director of Development and Environmental analytics company LAR
- Laser and Analytical Research GmbH, Berlin (TU-spin-off), among
others almost cover all parts of the water and sewerage companies in the GDR
and the 'former east German states' with laboratory equipment for pollutant
and heavy metal analysis.
At Midday, the 10th of
November 1989, in front of the Brandenburger Tor.
1990 – 1991
Voluntary work as a news editor and spokesman of the Arab editors of Radio
100, Berlin
since
1991
Part-time and free journalistic work (own Friday-heading:
'The TAZ reports in
10 years', in German); Lectures on energy
and ecology, among others Robin Wood, BUND, ZEGG, AAS, OASE, ufaFabrik,
the UFO Congress Berlin. Performance at '2nd Electronic Art syndrome ', Berlin.
since
1992
Aesthetic optimization of the highly innovative aerodynamic structure 'Slit
rotor blade' in cooperation with the Berlin artist Jörg Reckhenrich,
development of a high-tech designs, joint construction of the 'Office for Art,
Invisible Sculpture and science'.
With Jörg Reckhenrich
and the later awarded Design-Rotor.
since
1992
Voluntary work in the construction of 'E-SMOG-archive' in
Berlin, together with Pit Schulz and Bernhard Harrer (carrier: Embassy e.V.,
sponsored by the Cultural Office Berlin Mitte); Co-founder of DATA
DIWAN e.V., information networking and building a database to
border areas of science; Carrying out coordination and communication for establishing
the SOLAR SYSTEMS Foundation (planned financial technical
instrument for guarantee financing alternative energy technologies) in collaboration
with Dr. Boris Schubert (McKinsey) and Dieter Reincke (Ökobank co-founder).
July
1992 - June 1993
Auto-didactic education for the structured use of information networks (Intra-net & Internet).
since
July 1993
Freelance Translator and Interpreter in Berlin (promoted
by the Senator for Labor and Women); in particular working for the log of
the Senate Chancellery, the State-press, the SFB, the House of World Cultures,
the 'Deutsche Welle', various Senate administrations and media institutions,
the Foreign Ministry, among others. Supervision of 'Future Page' of the scene
magazine PRINZ.
November
1993
'Recognition for outstanding design' for the design of the high-tech 'Slotted
rotor blade', 1993 a Swiss Design Award in Solothurn, together with Jörg
Reckhenrich.
1994 – 1995
Freelance location scout for a major Hamburg banner advertising
company.
from
September 1994
Cooperation with the TFH Wildau, the Technical University of Berlin and the
2. OSZ Berlin in the optimization of the rotor blade; Participation
in the preparation of various research proposals.
1994 - 1996
System Operator at Compuserve; own sections in Gerwin and
Pl@net-Forum; Editorial, moderation, chat and community education organization;
Design and management of virtual
online tours (in German).
March-October
1995
Participation in the Framework Programme for climate summit Berlin
'95: Project 'Lindentunnel', joint action with the artist Ben Wargin,
among others, about irrigation systems for the 3rd world and renewable energy;
Model of the 'Messiah-Machine' (sponsorship by SKF
GmbH, Gemmel metals GmbH and Röhm Plexiglas GmbH); diverse Lectures at
the Humboldt University, Berlin.
June / July 1995
Project 'Airship over the Wrapped
Reichstag' (unfortunately
could not be realized).
Since 1995
Consultant at the publicly funded project Pi (Patient Information
for Naturopathy), Berlin.
1995 – 1996
Sales and marketing consultant of HanfHaus GmbH, Berlin (Innovator and market
leader in the product distribution of the renewable resource fibrehemp).
With the ufaFabrik- and HanfHaus-friends 'in the Hemp'
(left to right: Achmed, Scotty, Mathias, Juppy, Povl).
September 1996
Organization and implementation of the 1. Industrial Hemp Conference and Exhibition
'ERNTE 96'
(in German) at the International Cultural Center ufaFabrik,
Berlin-Tempelhof, Patron: Berlin environmental Senator Peter Strieder;
personally opened by Brandenburg's environment Minister Matthias Platzek,
promoted by the Environmental Senate Berlin.
1997 - 1998
Networking Manager at the
'Bernhard Harrer - Knowledge Transfer', Berlin; Construction
of a Naturopathic advisory service with telephone hot-line; Assisting in
the planning and development of intra-net solutions.
since August 1998
Technical preparations for the implementation of the patented
rotor blade; Cooperation with the HTW Karlshorst, the 2nd OSZ Spandau, the
Steinbeis Transfer Center and the ufaFabrik
Before departure, accompanied by Federal Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin
(2004).
1999 - 2000
Planning and organizing the event ID22 'Festival of
Ecology - Culture - Community' under URBAN 21, the Global Conference on Urban
Future, in Berlin, together with Michael LaFond and the team of the International
Cultural Center ufaFabrik, Berlin.
March 2000
Second prize at the founder competition Multimedia 1999 of
the Federal Ministry of Economyand Technology for the Innovation 'NETradio -
an independent, pocket radio receiver for audio channels from the Internet'.
01
- 09 July 2000
Implementation of the ID22; in particular responsible for the 1st
Berlin Water Parade with solar boats and music ships, sponsored
by the Federal Environment Ministry and the Federal Environment Agency, personally
opened by Federal Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin.
Since 01.07.2001
Working full-time as an interpreter and translator in
Germany and the Middle East.
January 2002
In Damascus: a burnt offering to the ancient rain god BAAL causes
a rain in Syria not seen for 10 years.
To August 2002
Continuation of work on new irrigation systems, solar thermal
systems for heating swimming pools and solar cookers in
Syria.
December 2002
Activation of this page (www.khammas.de); general certification as
a sworn translator for the Berlin courts and notaries.
2003
Grant of experimental Islam
lessons at a European school
in Berlin-Neukölln (in German).
As
Arab voice of Günter Grass in Yemen (2004), thanks
to Karin Ney for this great photo!
2004
In January, in the company of Nobel laureate Günter Grass during
his week-long trip to Yemen establishing a, himself-funded, Clay building school
- in March, accompanied by Environment Minister Jürgen Trittin during
his three-day trip to Yemen to prepare for the international conference renewables
2005 in Bonn.
2004
Takeover of complete translations for the 'Presence of the Arab world' as guest
of honor at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2004 - on behalf of the League
of Arab States.
January / February 2005
Activity as a technical translator for the International Organization
for Migration (IOM) in Berlin in preparation for the first abroad
elections of the Iraqi Republic; translation of a far spread Iraqi 'lexicon
of democracy' within the project ElectionRadio.
March
2005
Performing a mentality course for engineers and managers in
Berlin.
With son Jannis Aziz on the Kawasaki (2005), thanks to
Christiane Schott for the photo!
2005
Complete translation of the Arabic-language versions of multiple homepages www.germantimber.com and www.planned-in-germany.de (now
offline).
May 2005
Activation of the Arab translation of neuro comic by Timothy
Leary on the occasion of his 10th death anniversary on 31.05. under www.learycomic.com.
With
the Iraqi anti-war activist Eman Ahmad Khammas (2008), whom
I am not related to though.
November
2005
Start of cooperation with the 'West-Eastern Divan e.V.' from
Iraqi lyricist Amal al-Jubouri, Berlin.
2006
Participation in the 'Show of failure' (with the innovative
'Slit blade', see above); First lecture at the Summer University of
Berlin (FU); Translator in the film project by Romuald Karmakar Hamburg
Lectures.
With the Ruler of Dubai,
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashed Al Maktoum, Vice President and
Prime Minister of the UAE (2008), at the Pergamon Museum, Berlin
2006
Collaboration on the book
'The lifestyle event - of climate change as an opportunity for a new way
of life' (ed. Sepp Fiedler & Andreas Eickelkamp), my text is published
on this website here
(in German).
Since November 2006
Presence as Blogger Data Sheikh in the same name TAZ
Blog.
2007 -
2016
Honorary Member of the VBB-passenger
Forums (Verkehrsverbund Berlin-Brandenburg).
With my daugthers Miriam Mey and Nadina Shirin at a gala (2008).
23.03.2007
Activation of the 2.500 pages world's most comprehensive website on the history,
present and future of renewable energy under the title Book
of Synergy (comments here,
mostly German).
February 2009
The Book of synergy recorded the first time more than 1 million clicks per
month.
August 2009
Founding member of the 1. Association of Arabic SF authors,
Damascus / Syria.
Since 2011
Examiner at the State Examination Office for translators in
Berlin.
Since 2012
Contract interpreter and translator of the Chamber of Commerce Berlin.
With son Joel
Salim on the Suzuki (2013).
Since 2012
Columnist at zenith,
the magazine for the Orient (see Almanach
of energies, German).
Languages:
Bilingual German and Arabic, English good, French satisfactory.
Selected publications:
VIDEO:
"DIE MASCHINE" (Berlin/Damaskus 1975)
SCIENCE FICTION SHORT STORIES:
"DER WETTBEWERB" (1984), "DIE VISION" (1987), "TRÄUME VOR DEM ANBRUCH DER NACHT" (1989), all these stories were published in the series 'International Science Fiction Stories', Heyne-Verlag, under the pseudonyme ‘Ghassan Homsi’.
SCIENTIFIC AND OTHER ARTICLES in:
Zero (1975), Kompost (1976), Weltspirale (1976), Kosmische Evolution (1976),
Humus (1977), Die Rutschbahn (1979), Sphinx-Magazin (1979), Energy Unlimited
(1980), Home-Made (1981), Implosion (1981), Nachbarschaft (1982), Raum & Zeit (1983), Future? (1985), Hologramm (1985), Einblick (1986), Öko-Journal
(1987), Sonnenenergie (1988), TU-International (1989), Jupiter-Journal (1990),
The Journal of Borderland Research (1990), and many more.
LITERARY TRANSLATIONS:
Zeitschrift für Kulturaustausch (1982)
JOURNALISM:
A special column, 'Die TAZ berichtet in 10 Jahren' (Juni-September 1992).
Additionally he has published diverse articles for the publishing company
Werner Pieper 'Die Grüne Kraft / MedienXperimente', Löhrbach., for example in the books, ‘Willkommen’ (Wellcome), ‘Die Deutsche Kakerlake’ (The German Kockroach), ‘Das Scheißbuch’,
and many more.
Since 1994, publications of various articles and stories have appreared on
the internet, for example the SciFi story "10 TO THE 23RD" about the famous ‘Crystal
Skull’ from
South America, which is shown at the British Museum, London.
(*) On the same day and in
Berlin as well, actress Pola Kinski is born – and
in Waukegan, Illinois, the later Sci-Fi author Kim Stanley Robinson.
Also on a 23rd March,
the Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy (1900) was born, who
became famous with his innovative Mud-houses; just like – exactly
40 years before me – Werner Von Braun (1912), the
Idol of my youth … even long before I knew his birth-date.