Germany
Tree huggers
The times in which eco-warriors and nature lovers raged unrest in the downtown areas whilst kitted out in hand-knitted wool jumpers and Birkenstocks are now over. Now that the trend of being eco-aware has come to the forefront of society, the whole of Europe is witnessing a bloom in eco-green ‘cusswords’
germany, italy, bioethics, tower of babel, lifestyle, green cities, food
Europe's political scandals: Alicante-gate, MP scandals and Berlusconi
Italy's playboy PM, Britain's MP guzzlers and Germany’s 'Minister Shameless' (according to the Berliner Zeitung) are sharing the heat: the lull in the traditional summer silly season has prompted mass media coverage of affairs and scandals
germany, money, italy, summer, ulla schmidt, united kingdom, tax
Cologne hits the high waters
'Köln' (pronounced 'Keuhln') stands discreet but turbulent in its touristic and economic crossroads in Europe. From one side, 60, 000 students argue about the European university harmonisation process called 'Bologna'. On the other side, the local extreme-right Pro Köln party provokes islam- and religious freedom defenders. Add to that the biggest national gay pride gathering activists of the homosexual struggle. Five EU journalists take the temperature of a city which gave its name to the famous Eau de Cologne perfume - read the final stop of our twelve-city writing mission, 'EUdebate on the ground' (video and photo gallery below)
European elections night: I was watching TV
The night that most centre-left governments took their batterings, you might have caught a show about an unemployed mother-of-two in Spain or the final of 'The Apprentice' in the UK. Glance at the programmes for which viewers gave up the EU election coverage ghost on the evening of 7 June; results came out at 8pm, signalling a lower voter turnout than 2004
germany, european elections 2009, abstentionism, bulgaria, culture, poll, best of cafebabel.com
Giovanni di Lorenzo: 'the values which inspired the creation of the EU are pathetic today'
We speak to an Italian born in Sweden, raised in Rome, who moved to Hannover aged eleven, speaking little German. Today he is the director of German weekly Die Zeit, co-editor of Der Tagesspiegel, author of a bestseller and a TV presenter. We meet in Berlin to discuss the crisis of a marriage of 27 countries on the eve of the European elections between 4 – 7 June 2009: the passion is dead and not enough economic gains to hold it together
germany, identity, european elections 2009, culture, european media, enlargement, eudebate2009
Spotlight on fighting prostitution in Strasbourg
In the last year, the picturesque city of Strasbourg has become known as the red light district of Alsace, a veritable European capital of prostitution. Is Strasbourg really a big brothel, where locals and EU officials indulge their peccadilloes?
germany, prostitution, strasbourg, men and women, villes, mep, red light district
London and Berlin reviews of Mark Ravenhill's 'Over There' play
Mark Ravenhill’s unconventional play about identical twins who are reunited after growing up in east and west Germany travelled from London to Berlin this spring. Our London reviewer calls it a timely commentary on the EU’s current political troubles. Our Berlin reviewer wonders if the British director reproaches the Germans with the repression of history. Cross-reviews from the Royal Court and Schaubühne theatres
germany, identity, reunification, berlin wall, london, culture, best of cafebabel.com
Sarkozy and Merkel: Franco-German reconciliation
The so-called ‘divorce’ of the Franco-German couple was lamented after the French EU presidency. The air has now been cleared; the two leaders were reunited on 10 May 2009 in Berlin regarding the upcoming European elections. There wasn’t a single drop of bad blood either
germany, angela merkel, élections européennes, nicolas sarkozy, france, power
CAP? The queen farms on EU money
Normally the EU doesn't shrink from using showing citizens with golden plaques and stardust whereabouts European money goes. With regards to cereal, meat and milk this is somewhat different. The agricultural subsidies, which were originally meant to support the agricultural community, now flow in quite different directions. Latest news titbit from Brussels
germany, cap, food, globalisation, common agricultural policy, international trade, euweek
Israeli-German theatre: the Holocaust, Nazi and Palestinian 'Third Generation'
Together with the dramaturges Amit Epstein and Irina Szodruck, Israeli director Yael Ronen ventured on an experiment with Third Generation. The theatre project has already been performed as a work in progress in Halle (Germany), Tel Aviv and Parma (Italy). A newly finished version hit the Berliner Schaubühne in early May. Review and interview
germany, nationalism, palestine occupied territory, auschwitz, culture, youth, theatre
Gerhard Glück:'I live a middle-class life and make middle-class art'
Something’s not right in next door’s garden – at home with the award-winning German caricaturist, 65, who paints miniature scenes from across the Swiss border
germany, satire, culture, art, european media, kassel, karikaturen
Germany, Italy vs. Döner Kebab
At the end of January 2009, the Turkish daily newspaper Hürriyet reported that the German town of Viersen had ruled that its retailers must replace the Turkish word 'döner' (which means “rotisserie”) with its German equivalent 'Drehspieß'. In Italy, the city council of Lucca banned 'ethnic fastfood' in the city centre. Is the döner kebab the target of an anti-Turkish conspiracy?
Cem Özdemir: ‘The biggest disgrace is when the modern generation walks out on its responsibilities’
He joined the green party at 15, and today the 43-year-old is the first non-German native party chairman. His ethnic background has led to the national press giving him the epithet of ‘the green party’s Obama’, and a Facebook group called ‘Yes, we Cem’
germany, belgium, green cities, energy, environmental protection, european elections 2009, cem özdemir
Berlin is not Germany
After Tallinn, Paris and Clermont-Ferrand, four journalists and one photographer from our network explore the fourth stop in cafebabel.com's monthly 'cities' mission, 'EUdebate on the Ground'. This month, a city which was divided just twenty years ago in the cold war. Since then, not only its geography has changed. Relations with neighbouring Poland are vibrant, but very often one-sided. Germans debate about a data retention law and how they can consume more fairly. There's also a little role for the crisis, seen in images
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