Scaring and mysterious event.

[Cosmos]

It does really sound strange and since the local government and schools aren't saying much. In Germany such photo companies are normal, that pictures are taken of school classes and kids for example and is done every several years. Looking at the website of Foto Raabe the main employees are female and many have foreign names which point to eastern Europe, with that there could be a connection to Macedonia? But right now we don't know more about it and foto raabe doesn't mention such a project on it's website at all and would be something worth mentioning if they are helping foreign schools to buy equipment etc, because it is public relations. I think what is needed are more facts, who was really involved. Maybe Foto Raabe was a cover up and someone used the name of the company? If you like I could call the company on Monday and ask a very general question if they are taking part in international projects too.

The bolted part above could certainly be a possibility. But judging on the last post of angelburst29 about "Foto Raabe" and what they are doing in Albania (I'm not sure if the report is talking about happenings in Albania, but the translation software identifies the language as Albania) it seems that it is more likely that Foto Raabe is really involved. But it certainly could also be a possibility that whatever organization is really behind it, could be using "Foto Raabe" as a cover because it is a big photo company in europe. But then, would the local authorities really be so stupid to not check if the people they are working with are really from "Foto Raabe"?

As uncovered by angelburst29, Foto Raabe is really quite a big photo company here in europe. 5 to 10 Million Euros in turnover in 2012 according to this link:

http://de.statista.com/unternehmen/126987/foto-raabe-gmbh

As Gawan mentioned that business of kindergarden and school photography seems to be rather common also here in germany.
Here are two interesting german articles from "Der Spiegel" about this business:

http://www.spiegel.de/schulspiegel/wissen/regeln-fuer-schulfotografie-bundesgerichtshof-fordert-bestechungs-test-a-765147.html
http://www.spiegel.de/schulspiegel/wissen/urteil-schulfotografen-duerfen-sich-auftraege-erkaufen-a-694397.html

I've looked a the "Foto Raabe" website (http://fotoraabe.de/) and I find it kind of interesting since I wasn't aware of such business before.
The primary business model through which they seem to make their money is by mainly photographing children in kindergardens and schools in order to sell them to children and/or their parents, at least officially. The rational behind it being apparently that the children and parents have records of their lives in picture form so that they can always later, as they get older, look at the old pictures, kind of like a photo album of the past. Foto Raabe is an old company. According to this link over 50 years old in 2007:

http://www.yelp.de/biz/foto-raabe-gelsenkirchen-2

Their special services (which they market as "Das gibt`s nur hier" ("That is only available here [in our company]" include apart from pictures also:

- Student cards, if wanted with bar codes on it

- Database CD in which the customers are enabled to search for the children names and the pictures and other data which can be used by the school (or whoever) to search for the children, their data and how they are connected in school (with whom they are in the same class for example). Apparently some schools are using that Database in order to find fast who is who and where they are in the school. It seems to be there for school personal like teachers for example.

- Special money-envelopes:

An money-enelope system, by Raabe, which makes it easy to collect money.
With that system the usually high personnel expenditure reduses for teachers.
The envelopes include a picture of the student with the name and a assigned barcode by Raabe


Source: http://fotoraabe.de/de_Das_gibts_nur_hier.html

Foto Raabe seems to be connected to "Ringfoto":
http://gelsenkirchen.branchen-info.net/fp_4659588.php

which says from itself to be "Europe's biggest Photonetwork":
http://www.ringfoto.de/ringfoto-gruppe

Apart from that I wasn't able to find much about the Foto Raabe company itself and "Volker Raabe" (http://fotoraabe.de/de_Ansprechpartner.html) the chief executive officer of the company.

One thing I found though; Foto Raabe is a donator and/or helper of the "Royal Fishing Kinderhilfe e.V" ("Royal Fishing children's aid"):

http://www.royal-fishing.de/spender_helfer/category_alphabet/F.html

"Royal Fishing Kinderhilfe", which is a non profit, has following to say about itself:

”DEUTSCHLANDS FÜHRENDER VEREIN ZUR UNTERSTÜTZUNG BENACHTEILIGTER KINDER UND JUGENDLICHE DURCH DEN ANGELSPORT”

”Germany's leading union for the support of disadvantaged children and teenagers through the fishing sport”

About their philosophy we can read the following:
http://www.royal-fishing.de/philosophie.html

Die idee hinter royal fishing:

Nicht jedes Kind hat die Möglichkeit, ein Hobby zu erlernen. Zu viele junge Menschen leiden unter den Auswirkungen unserer Gesellschaft. Vereinsamung, Drogen, sozialer Abstieg, Gewalt und Verwahrlosung drohen das Leben vieler Kinder zu zerstören. Sie verbringen ihre Freizeit auf der Straße, anstatt die Natur zu erleben.

Die Royal Fishing Kinderhilfe kümmert sich seit ihrer Gründung 1999 um sozial benachteiligte Kinder und Jugendliche, vorwiegend aus Kinderheimen, und sorgt für eine sinnvolle und spannende Freizeitbeschäftigung.

Über 5.200 Kinder und Jugendliche nahmen durch die Royal Fishing Kinderhilfe an Fischereilehrgängen, Angelsafaris etc. teil und lernten den Umgang mit Tier und Natur. Mit vereinten Kräften wollen wir sie unterstützen, ihnen Hoffnung und Perspektiven für ihr Leben zu geben. Zu den Unterstützern der Kinderhilfe gehören auch etliche prominente Mitglieder aus Sport, Medien und Wirtschaft.

Wir finanzieren uns über Mitgliedsbeiträge, Spenden und Veranstaltungen, die zugunsten der Royal Fishing Kinderhilfe ausgerichet werden, wie z.B. der GOLF MAGAZIN Charity Cup und viele weitere Events.

The idea behind royal fishing

Not every child has the opportunity to learn a hobby. To many young humans suffer under the effects of our society.
Loneliness, drugs, social decline, violence and belittlement threatens to destroy the lives of many children. They spend their time on the streets, instead of experiencing nature.

Since its founding in 1999, The Royal Fishing children's aid helps disadvantaged children and young people, mainly out of children's homes, and provides a meaningful and exciting pastime.

Over 5,200 children and young people participated through the Royal Fishing Children's Aid in Fisheries courses, fishing safaris, etc. and learned how to deal with animals and nature. Together, through consolidating efforts, we want to support them, to give them hope and prospects for their lives. Among the supporters of the Children's Aid are also a number of prominent members of sports, media and business.

We finance ourselves through membership dues, donations and events that are carried out for taking in money for Royal Fishing child care, such as GOLF MAGAZINE Charity Cup and many other events.

Some of those prominent members are listed there as "ambassadors" of that non profit:
http://www.royal-fishing.de/botschafter.html

Quite a number of well known and prominent members of the mainstream here in germany... I don't know all of them, but quite a number of those prominent people I know. What springs out that non of those that I know there I would describe as "caring". In fact a number of those I would describe as nasty. For example Markus Lanz is a very famous TV-Moderator here in germany and is known for being a mouthpiece for propaganda. A sneaky person that knows exactly how he can say things and treat people in order that they fall into a sandtrap. Another one is Jens Riwa a former Tagesschau speaker, probably one of the most famous newsreader we had in germany, who is also notoriously known as somebody who seeks publicity in every way he can. Another one is Prof. Dr. med. Werner Mang, probably the most famous plastic surgeon for the high society here in germany.

That alone makes me kind of skeptical about "the good intentions" of the "Royal Fishing child care".

Under "Numbers & Facts" (http://www.royal-fishing.de/zahlen_fakten.html) you can read, that as of october 2014, 5288 children were benefited. After the children got their fisher permit, they get a reward in form of an invitation to a fishing safari here in germany or in Denmark, Holland, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Spain or Turkey.

The Caretakers and Psychologists there have following to say:

"Young people who are otherwise under permanent mental stress, come to a rest when they are fishing, they are reachable."

"Children and young people, of whom one would have thought they would never make it, are suddenly motivated to take the hitherto insurmountable hurdle of the alphabet . "

"Royal Fishing has grown into an irreplaceable role."

By the way on the "Foto Raabe" website under the category "kindergartens" you can see a number of sample pictures of children:
http://fotoraabe.de/index.php?css=standard&lang=de&id=151&root_id=1&op=0

Under following subcategories:

- Mirrow series http://fotoraabe.de/de_Spiegelserie.html
- Vegetable series http://fotoraabe.de/de_Gemueseserie.html
- Basket series http://fotoraabe.de/de_Korbserie.html
- Ladder series http://fotoraabe.de/de_Leiterserie.html

So I dunno what to think here but one could surely think that something could not smell right here?
Are "Foto Raabe" and "Royal Fishing children's aid" just a cover for something else?

 

[loreta]

Your story reminds something, another similar case related with pictures in a school but I can not put the finger on. Where did I read about it? But for sure, I have in mind the Dutroux business, even if maybe is totally different but who knows? So be careful.

 

[MusicMan]

The whole business smells fishy.
I see a big red flag waving.

Eight countries involved, and a large company.
Konstantin may have uncovered something really big, with a really good cover story.
Good investigation so far, well done!.

I would be taking my children out of school until the business was properly settled, and rallying the support of other parents and schools, and as much publicity as could be arranged.

A class action may be in order.

 

[Konstantin]

The bolted part above could certainly be a possibility. But judging on the last post of angelburst29 about "Foto Raabe" and what they are doing in Albania (I'm not sure if the report is talking about happenings in Albania, but the translation software identifies the language as Albania) it seems that it is more likely that Foto Raabe is really involved. But it certainly could also be a possibility that whatever organization is really behind it, could be using "Foto Raabe" as a cover because it is a big photo company in europe. But then, would the local authorities really be so stupid to not check if the people they are working with are really from "Foto Raabe"?

The event you are talking about was in Macedonia too. In Struga. Its a town about 100 km south of Gostivar, where i live. The language is on Albanian because in the western part of Macedonia there are predominantly Albanians.

Like all of you have said , it smells really fishy and it can be something realy big in the background of all this. Big money and big companies involved, big cover up from authorities and something is not right here. I`ll wait for an answer from the company , since yesterday i have sent them an e-mail.

We will see how all this will develop. I`m also glad that parents have smelled that something is wrong with all this and all of them react in a such way, to protect their own children.

 

[Konstantin]

It's really scary and probably only the top of the iceberg.

Why is such a big cover up by authorities for this matter. Even if they arrested some of them they still have pictures and personal informations from thousands of children, and why they need it. Were they " marking" their prey, or they need all that informations for some illegal activity ?

I think they could use these pictures for some illegal activity such as children sex slavery. Why cover-up by local authorities? Either they are too gullible or bribed or use it for their own purposes (pedophilia).

Konstantin, maybe the above is part of this:

http://www.sott.net/article/295639-Terrorism-conveniently-strikes-Macedonia-just-as-Russian-Balkan-Stream-project-gains-traction

So, when chaos hits Macedonia these children that were photographed and so on are ready to be taken out of the country by a human trafficking gang and/or pedophile ring, because the PTB know what is in the cards? AFAIK these criminals are all interconnected. Just a suggestion, I could be wrong.

I have never connected this two events. Like i have said , everything is possible. Its disgusting how their ( psychopathic ) minds work and think.
One of the parents post an image on FB of the photograph that was taking photos of the children. I`m posting the image here.

Its something big and something very suspicious.

 

[Tui]

Kontantin, this is very upsetting. The whole thing very vague. The school principle's evasive actions are suspicious too. Take the whole thing to the Minister of the Department of Education and make big media noise. In today's dangerous environment for children, photographing children for whatever reason is just not something that should happen so casually.

 

[angelburst29]

(snip)

I've looked a the "Foto Raabe" website (http://fotoraabe.de/) and I find it kind of interesting since I wasn't aware of such business before.
The primary business model through which they seem to make their money is by mainly photographing children in kindergardens and schools in order to sell them to children and/or their parents, at least officially. The rational behind it being apparently that the children and parents have records of their lives in picture form so that they can always later, as they get older, look at the old pictures, kind of like a photo album of the past. Foto Raabe is an old company. According to this link over 50 years old in 2007:

http://www.yelp.de/biz/foto-raabe-gelsenkirchen-2

Their special services (which they market as "Das gibt`s nur hier" ("That is only available here [in our company]" include apart from pictures also:

- Student cards, if wanted with bar codes on it

- Database CD in which the customers are enabled to search for the children names and the pictures and other data which can be used by the school (or whoever) to search for the children, their data and how they are connected in school (with whom they are in the same class for example). Apparently some schools are using that Database in order to find fast who is who and where they are in the school. It seems to be there for school personal like teachers for example.

(snip)

Source: http://fotoraabe.de/de_Das_gibts_nur_hier.html

Foto Raabe seems to be connected to "Ringfoto":
http://gelsenkirchen.branchen-info.net/fp_4659588.php

which says from itself to be "Europe's biggest Photonetwork":
http://www.ringfoto.de/ringfoto-gruppe

Pashalis, I think you might have uncovered a key element to the mystery? Refer to bolded part above.

Foto Raabe's primary "business model" is mainly photographing children in kindergardens and schools. Their Special Services include Student cards with bar codes on them, which contain personal information, which are then transferred to a Database CD.

What better way - to start a database - then to systematically approach each School in a targeted area, start with kids from Kindergarden and up - photo ID them for facial recognition - register identifying personal information (name, address, school and grade) - then add a bar code for identification into a National Database!!!

 

[Konstantin]

(snip)

I've looked a the "Foto Raabe" website (http://fotoraabe.de/) and I find it kind of interesting since I wasn't aware of such business before.
The primary business model through which they seem to make their money is by mainly photographing children in kindergardens and schools in order to sell them to children and/or their parents, at least officially. The rational behind it being apparently that the children and parents have records of their lives in picture form so that they can always later, as they get older, look at the old pictures, kind of like a photo album of the past. Foto Raabe is an old company. According to this link over 50 years old in 2007:

http://www.yelp.de/biz/foto-raabe-gelsenkirchen-2

Their special services (which they market as "Das gibt`s nur hier" ("That is only available here [in our company]" include apart from pictures also:

- Student cards, if wanted with bar codes on it

- Database CD in which the customers are enabled to search for the children names and the pictures and other data which can be used by the school (or whoever) to search for the children, their data and how they are connected in school (with whom they are in the same class for example). Apparently some schools are using that Database in order to find fast who is who and where they are in the school. It seems to be there for school personal like teachers for example.

(snip)

Source: http://fotoraabe.de/de_Das_gibts_nur_hier.html

Foto Raabe seems to be connected to "Ringfoto":
http://gelsenkirchen.branchen-info.net/fp_4659588.php

which says from itself to be "Europe's biggest Photonetwork":
http://www.ringfoto.de/ringfoto-gruppe

Pashalis, I think you might have uncovered a key element to the mystery? Refer to bolded part above.

Foto Raabe's primary "business model" is mainly photographing children in kindergardens and schools. Their Special Services include Student cards with bar codes on them, which contain personal information, which are then transferred to a Database CD.

What better way - to start a database - then to systematically approach each School in a targeted area, start with kids from Kindergarden and up - photo ID them for facial recognition - register identifying personal information (name, address, school and grade) - then add a bar code for identification into a National Database!!!

Yesterday while i was hiking with my son i meet one older teacher in one of the secondary schools in my town. I asked him what is going on about this incident and he said that something is now right. That its a big thing but until now he dont know any details and what is really going on. He told me that he heard some rumors that all this have some connections with an illegal organs trafficking, but that its just a rumor, talking between some people. I`m still waiting for a mail from the company.

 

[Deleted member 11729]

Did you contacted directly Foto Raabe and ask them about this job in Macedonia? I think you should contact them directly as a parent of the kid that was involved in this photo session.

We all know that in ex you countries you can't really relay on the authorities that will protect you and kids, they are corrupted slaves of bigger political players. This and and the recent "terrorist" attack from Kosovo to Macedonia, ex NATO secretary as a president of Crotia, Bosina proclaimed to be as a muslim terrorist enclave, pressure on Serbia to join EU, etc etc is showing clearly that it is something going on at the balkans that is not yet so obvious, but feels like preparation for another mess designed by NATO ...

The good move will be to send written note to school that you are not allowing them to do photo shoot or any other activities, without your written permition, apart from teaching them school program during the school hours.

Thank you for sharing this, we shall all be aware of this in Balkans.

Stupid enough, now with all EU protections, this year for the first time we had to sign to school allowance to photograph kids and use that for school purposes. So you are now even more protected if you didn't sign anything like that, while we who are part of "better" system are pulled into the trap for "our own good" ...

this is pretty scary ... take care and let us know how this investigation progressed ...

 

[Gwenllian]

Foto Raabe's primary "business model" is mainly photographing children in kindergardens and schools. Their Special Services include Student cards with bar codes on them, which contain personal information, which are then transferred to a Database CD.

What better way - to start a database - then to systematically approach each School in a targeted area, start with kids from Kindergarden and up - photo ID them for facial recognition - register identifying personal information (name, address, school and grade) - then add a bar code for identification into a National Database!!!

We have to ask ourselves: what will they be doing with these data? In Holland all kinds of data were kept and then the WWII broke out. Everything was so neat and tidy, the Nazis and Dutch collaborators were able to deport Jews and others without much difficulty. That is how I understood it anyway.

 

[casper]

Konstantine, turned to the Ombudsman for Children in Macedonia, they per application (doubts) respond, investigate the case, in such a way working in Croatia.
The Ombudsman contacted (queries) the Ministry of Interior in the Republic of Croatia and they initiate investigations, it would be good to gather as many signatures parents.

 

[angelburst29]

Foto Raabe's primary "business model" is mainly photographing children in kindergardens and schools. Their Special Services include Student cards with bar codes on them, which contain personal information, which are then transferred to a Database CD.

What better way - to start a database - then to systematically approach each School in a targeted area, start with kids from Kindergarden and up - photo ID them for facial recognition - register identifying personal information (name, address, school and grade) - then add a bar code for identification into a National Database!!!

We have to ask ourselves: what will they be doing with these data? In Holland all kinds of data were kept and then the WWII broke out. Everything was so neat and tidy, the Nazis and Dutch collaborators were able to deport Jews and others without much difficulty. That is how I understood it anyway.

That's the ultimate question, "What will they be doing with these data?" And why did the School's Administrator's allow Foto Raabe to set up shop, take photo's and identifying information, without notifying even their Teacher's and Staff of the procedure, until Foto Raabe was on site?

There may be the possibility, Foto Raabe - Ringfoto ("Europe's biggest Photonetwork") are under Government Contract by one of the Security Agencies, to systematically enter each of the Schools and collect Photo ID and identifying information, to be entered into a National Database?

The School's Administrator's are promised school supplies and donations while Foto Raabe slips in and catalogs the information they are after, (probably done in a one day session) and leave before Teacher's and Staff can react and the Parent's become aware of what happened.

Foto Raabe may have enough employees, to hit several Schools in the area, on the same day, consolidating their effects and moving to a different area (to do the same) before anyone is wise to what they're doing and interfere with their under handed business tactics? Question is, why perform overt tactics to obtain access to Student enrollment, then collect personal information, without giving proper prior notification to teaching Staff and Parent's? Why is there a need to "get in and out" before the Parent's are aware of what happened?

 

[Woodsman]

Maybe it's time for parent meetings on the subject. Get organized. All it takes is one or two persuasive parents to get the ball rolling.

A parent/teacher collective could set up a website which warns other parents, teachers and admin staff of this problem, lists incidents and shares data, suggests courses of action. It would help other regions which will almost certainly be targeted by the same group; A group which clearly has an agenda. Unless something changes, what reason have they to stop? A little light might go a long way.

As it stands, when I Google, "children being photographed in schools", I get nothing back which would help me were I a concerned parent or teacher. -All there is are a small number of .pdf documents stating local policies for a small number of schools. .pdf pages are among the least approachable data sharing sources on the web.

However, an interactive, up-to-date HTML site hosting a discussion forum of some kind is *much* more useful for sharing knowledge, arming people against of this kind of organized predatory tactic.

Networking allows parents to circle the wagons and help each other out, pool information and come up with solutions nobody has even thought of yet.

Starting a website is inexpensive and relatively easy.

 

[Konstantin]

Today i received an e-mail with the answer by foto Raabe

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

vielen Dank für Ihre Anfrage.

Wir, die Firma Foto Raabe GmbH, sind seit mehr als 50 Jahren auf dem Markt der Schul- und Kindergartenfotografie in Deutschland etabliert.

Unsere Fotografie dient für Erinnerungen. Wir sind nicht an persönlichen Daten interessiert.
Wir unterliegen dem Datenschutz und handeln demnach.

Herr Mazar Abduramani leitet für uns das Projekt in Mazedonien.

Wir hoffen, dass Ihnen die Fotos gefallen und wir Ihnen damit eine Freude machen konnten.

Sollten Sie noch weitere Fragen haben, stehen wir Ihnen selbstverständlich gerne jederzeit zur Verfügung.


Dear Sir or Madam,

thank you for your inquiry.

We, Foto Raabe GmbH, have been for more than 50 years established in the market of school- and Kindergartenphotography in germany.

Our photography is used for reminders. We are not interested in personal data.
We are subject to data production.

Mr. Mazar Abduramani is leading the project in Macedonia for us.

We hope you enjoy the photos and we could make you happy with them.

If you have any further questions, don´t hesitate to contact us.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Melanie Grüger

Foto Raabe GmbH
Engelbertstr. 43
45892 Gelsenkirchen

Phone: +49 (0)209 - 70 70 711
Fax: +49 (0)209- 70 70 822
email: melanie.grueger@fotoraabe.de
Ust. Nr.: DE 124981152

Besuchen Sie uns auf unserer Homepage: www.fotoraabe.de

So, now we know that the signed document is legal,and that a foto Raabe is really involved in this project and not used just as cover. So know i must find out why all that cover up from the authorities.

 

[Woodsman]

Last night I listened to the SOTT radio show dealing with corruption in the US child protective services and the reality of the human trafficking market. It was chilling and upsetting, but vital information to have.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sottradionetwork/2015/04/25/the-truth-perspective--tammi-stefano-the-truth-about-child-protecive-services

When considering the high levels of organization involved and the depth of corruption, I cannot help but think that this issue with strange agencies photographing children may well be linked. Others had mentioned this before and I instinctively recoiled from the idea but I think it's entirely possible now. That photograph posted earlier of the heavily tattooed man filling out a document struck me as very "organized crime". That may be an unfair reaction, but heavy tattoos of that type always set off my alarms.