Berlin: Poor but Sexy (2006) In November 2003, the governing mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit (SPD), quipped in an interview, “Berlin is poor but sexy” – an allusion to the dire financial state of the city. Although the city fell into financial misery after it stopped receiving federal funding, it continues to exude magnetic appeal, particularly for young, creative types from all over the world. Even after Senator Thilo Sarrazin successfully reorganized Berlin’s finances, “poor but sexy” remained its unofficial motto.