Court Rules that East Germans are not an Ethnic Group
This Der Spiegel article follows up on the Stuttgart labor court case charging a West German company with discriminating against a woman born in the former GDR. The court ruled that East Germans are not an ethnic group, a conclusion that many journalists seem to support. (See the excepted reaction articles.) However, as the writer […]
Gedenken an Befreiung der Konzentrationslager
Memorials were held at Germany’s concentration camps in Brandenburg and Niedersachsen to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the liberation. Spokespeople from the CDU and SPD were present to give speeches about how critical the National Socialist reign was in defining modern German identity and the lessons it taught the nation. Read the full article here.
“Jetzt haengt Deutschland drin” (“Now Germany is in the midst of things”)
The topic of the article “Jetzt haengt Deutschland drin” (“Now Germany is in the midst of things”) is the current financial situation of Greece. Greece is receiving help from the European Union, and Germany is bearing the largest burden. Not everyone approves this. For example, Hans-Werner Sinn, head of Ifo-Institut, is concerned that Athens might […]
Being Jewish in the new Germany
Chapter four of Peck’s book is entitled “Representing Jews in Germany Today.” Peck shares his own personal experiences, bringing up the point that though he would be considered Jewish in the United States, in Germany the fact that he has a Gentile mother would keep him from becoming a member of the Jewish community there, […]
Court to Decide if East Germans are Ethnic Group
This week in Stuttgart a labor court will decide on the issue of East German ethnic identity after a East German born woman filed a anti-discrimination lawsuit against a West German window manufacturer for rejecting her application on the basis of her origin. The returned resume had the words “Ossi” and a minus sign written […]
A Difficult Friendship with Obama: A Wall Separates Merkel and the Land of Her Dreams
The Wall in Berlin fell decades ago, now the US has built another one – it appears to be a division in politics. According to the article, German Chancellor Angela Merkel disapproves of President Obama’s political game. Calling Obama all talk and no walk, Merkel found herself in a similar situation of being a people […]
The Third Generation: German Jihad Colonies Sprout Up in Waziristan
The following article from the Spiegel discusses the third generation of Islamist terrorists since 9/11 and their relatively swift radicalization and departure for Jihad training grounds around the border of Afghanistan and Pakistan. The article focuses mainly on the story of a few of these potential terrorists, ethnic Germans or those raised in Germany. Most […]
Jewish Group Praises Germany for its Prosecution of Nazis
The Simon Wiesenthal Center, a self-described “human rights” group named after Holocaust survivor and author of the novel The Sunflower Simon Wiesenthal, has given Germany an “A” in its pursuit and prosecution of former World War II Nazis. The U.S., where the Center is headquartered, is the only other country to receive an “A” for […]
Mehr ausländische Arbeitnehmer mit akademischem Abschluss
The article “Mehr ausländische Arbeitnehmer mit akademischem Abschluss” details the recent rise of more highly qualified workers from non-German families within the Federal Republic. In the state of Baden-Württemberg the percentage of non-German employees with vocational training has increased from 37 to 42 percent in the past decade. Similarly the number of migrant employees with […]
Turkish – German writer criticized
This article talks about a Turkish-German writer who defends democracy, freedom, enlightenment, secular order and civil society. Necla Kelek’s new book “casts a critical look at Islam and condemns the oppression and lack of freedom within Turkish communities and families in Germany.” This comes from her own life experience, which she has often shared: Before […]