Germany’s most beloved witch has been making mischief for more than 50 years, but now she’s caused an uproar that goes to the heart of what it means to be German in the 21st century.
Germany
From Death Strip to Tech Campus
Although Berlin still lags behind other European tech hubs like London in terms of available capital or qualified developers, the German capital’s scruffy, anything-goes attitude is attracting talent.
At Peace With the Past
Seventy years ago, Soviet forces surrounded and crushed Hitler’s Sixth Army at Stalingrad. Now an exhibition in Dresden returns to that wintry hell on the Volga.
Taking on Merkel
Bespectacled and balding, Peer Steinbrück has the charm of a bank manager. The only moment I saw him betray any emotion was when he punched the air at the end of the delegates’ 10-minute standing ovation.
Up in the Air
Berlin’s new airport, which was supposed to be the city’s gateway to the world, has turned into a symbol of its provincialism.
Hands Off Germany’s Neo-Nazi Party
Far-right parties are a scourge of many European democracies. But trying to prohibit them does nothing to uproot chauvinism or stop racist violence. It only creates the illusion that politicians are taking action.
Party Like It’s 2012
The ritual extravaganza to celebrate Germany’s fourth estate would have been a great night out — were the country’s media not facing their biggest crisis since World War II.
Tie Me Up, Tie Me Down
Russian nationalists’ embrace of Nazi ideology might seem especially masochistic given Hitler’s plans to enslave and butcher his eastern neighbors. But on the whole, Russians and Germans have gotten along just fine over the past 1,000 years.
Faraway, So Close
Vladimir Putin arrived in Berlin an hour late after first visiting Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko. The symbolism was clear: Angela Merkel, Germany and the West can wait – and not just an hour but two whole weeks.
We Were Victims Too: The Rediscovery of German Civilian Suffering in World War II
For decades, the Third Reich could be reduced to the most basic formula: Germans = perpetrators, Jews = victims. Two bestsellers published in 2002 allowed Germans to recognize World War II victims among their own.
