Germany
Arab spring in Morocco: royalists recognise indigenous language
Large-scale protests, like those seen on 20 February 2011, continue to be a familiar sight in Morocco. We talk to young Moroccans whose demands follow in the footsteps of the Arab spring – democracy, freedom, social justice – albeit with a royalist twist
germany, protest, morocco, society, arab spring, maghreb, revolution
Dario Ivkovic: 'people don’t seem interested in roots of Balkan music'
Best-known as a member of both the German touring group Shantel & The Bucovina Club Orkestar and French band Les Yeux Noirs, the Serbian accordionist is an electrifying personality onstage. We talk music legends, Balkan beats and why 'girls like guitarists better'
Are you confiscating my ipod? EU citizens against ‘Acta’ treaty
A proposed worldwide ‘anti-counterfeiting trade agreement’ (ACTA) would impose a legal framework on online intellectual property rights. The term 'internet' is not even mentioned once in the entire treaty, infuriating European citizens who fear for their freedoms and about censorship
germany, italy, techno-media, censorship, hadopi, internet, france
Salami strategy: the art of ‘wullfing’
With its Hungarian origins, this sausage of a saying provides European inspiration to help the German head of state Christian Wulff worm his way out of the current corruption scandal
germany, corruption, tower of babel, languages, hungary, christian wulff, multilingualism
German medical students head for Latvian university
Just under half of the 500 foreign medical students currently enrolled at Riga’s Stradina University come from Germany – but a medical education in a foreign country doesn’t come cheap
germany, university, bologna process, riga, latvia, medicine, society
Dinner for one in 2012
The Brits have spent the end of year in a 'lull' whilst the Germans are going through 'new year's fatigue'. In their new year's addresses at least, Europe's Franco-German leaders warned us it won't be getting any better this new year
germany, cinema, tower of babel, christmas, alcohol, languages, new year´s eve
Pesetas, liras, franks and drachmas: euro is living on borrowed time
Multiple defaults, a return to the lira, pesetas and francs, the break-up of the monetary union and Europe comes crashing down. Sounds like an endless chain of unreal events? Perhaps not: the end of the common currency is no longer a taboo for European press and economists
germany, italy, economical crisis, euro, best of cafebabel.com, economy, euweek
Europe's new 'Germanophobia': Who's afraid of big bad Germany?
Tones of anger against German chancellor Angela Merkel's lack of action over the eurocrisis and a 'Germanophied' Europe, are getting louder and more intense
germany, economical crisis, angela merkel, dictature, german chancellor, national socialism, nicolas sarkozy
Twins who row – more East Germany than The Social Network in ‘Westwind’
The German 'new wave' theatre director and filmmaker, 37, broaches the history of a divided Germany by moving away from cliches and concentrating on the importance of interpersonal relationships in his third feature film. Released on 19 November, it is based on a true story and set in Hungary in 1988
germany, reunification, hungary, robert thalheim, auschwitz, nazism, film festival
Sexist grammar: the French and German cases
Poor adjectives need take their husband's name no more. Sort of. Whilst one French association has attacked a centuries-old 'oversight', the Germans (or at least their moderate feminists) have taken plural forms to task. In all, the debate succeeds in desexualising our common language
germany, feminism, languages, men and women, best of cafebabel.com, society, france
Buy Nuremberg gingerbread online
On the first weekend of Advent, Nuremberg’s own version of Father Christmas opened the annual Nuremberg Christmas market, recognised across Europe as a must for all gingerbread fiends
germany, nürnberg, lebkuchen, christmas, gastronomy, yum nyam
Big city life: Europe’s pigeons
Doves and pigeons are one and the same except that the former got the 'symbol of peace' gig and the latter became the grey critters affectionately known as ‘rats with wings’. Whence the flight of fancy?
germany, italy, tower of babel, animals, languages, europe, united kingdom
GPS: taking directions from a woman
Most satellite navigation devices predominantly use female voices – and German BMW drivers can’t cope with them. Is this sexism or science fiction?
germany, feminism, gps, techno-media, men and women, best of cafebabel.com, consumers
‘Why can’t German men flirt?’ - a German man answers
A few days ago I came across an article online by a young British girl who describes her experiences with men in Germany. I often stumble across articles from women who claim Germany to be a developing nation with respect to flirting. Yet why is this the case and where are all the emancipated women?
germany, lifestyle, feminism, men and women, lifestyle, society, emancipation
Documentary Italy: love it or leave it in a Fiat 500
When the lease on their flat in Rome was up, film critic Luca Ragazzi convinced television journalist Gustav Hofer to spend a last six months touring their country and understand why they were moving abroad. Little did they know that those were the six months that changed Italy
germany, italy, documentary, cinema, berlin, best of cafebabel.com, culture
Susanne Graf: 'Those who remember the GDR know what it means to be observed constantly'
Berlin’s September elections made her the youngest MP in the parliament at 19, the only woman in her fraction - and a ‘pirate’. We talk data protection, mistakes in politics and why a quota for women in the pirate party wouldn’t make any difference
germany, berlin, brunch, best of cafebabel.com, politics, elections, pirate party
French cartoonist on German neo-nazi terror
Germany has been stunned by the news of three suspects in a secret terror cell in Zwickau which literally got away with murder over the last decade. Is it news well received over the border in France, where Marine Le Pen, head of the national front party well-known for fraternising with neo-nazis itself, is a candidate for 2012 elections?
germany, jean-marie le pen, neo-nazis, right wing extremism, politics, extremism, france
Spain, country in a (property) bubble
Dearest European neighbours: I am sorry to inform you that the crisis in Spain does not have anything to do with the crisis in your countries. Our case is not simply rooted in 'structural problems', as it were, but literally in cement
germany, economical crisis, unemployment, best of cafebabel.com, construction, europe, economy
Meeting Mario Monti, interim Italian prime minister
On 13 November the independent candidate, known as the president of Italian university Bocconi, officially succeeded Silvio Berlusconi in the middle of a deep debt crisis. Ave Mario, cries French newspaper Le Monde. Super Mario, scream spoof websites. We meet at a press conference in Berlin
germany, italy, economical crisis, internal market, berlin, eurozone, european union
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