Monthly Archives: April 2010
Erdogan urges German Turks not to integrate
This article is very interesting because the Turkish government, and particularly the Turkish prime minister urged Turks living in foreign countries not to integrate. He was also quoted as saying assimilation was a “crime against humanity” during a speech in … Continue reading
Germany’s Turks don’t need Papa Erdoğan or Mutti Merkel
This article is interesting because it touches upon the fact that both the German and Turkish governments argue about how to best serve the Turkish immigrants in Germany without really knowing exactly what that entails because both sides are so … Continue reading
Ossis Aren’t Indians
The court reached its verdict on the Gabriela S. Ossi dispute on Thursday, saying that “East Germans could not be seen as a tribe-like group.” Gabriela S., born in the German Democratic Republic, was declined from a window manufacturing job … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
“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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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., … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
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 … Continue reading
Der Rat der Götter (The Council of the Gods)
Der Rat der Götter (Council of the Gods) is a film set in East Germany during World War II and is based on the testimonies from the Nuremberg Trials. The film attempts to reveal the secret plotting of war with … Continue reading
Jerichow
Directed by Christian Petzold, Jerichow (2008) is a dark yet intriguing portrayal of a young German soldier’s struggle to cope with life after his mother’s death. At the beginning of the film, the young soldier Thomas (Benno Furmann) is unemployed … Continue reading
Liberalität ist anstengend
In the April 3, 2010 issue of Der Spiegel there was an article interviewing Bundesverfassungsrichter Di Fabio about the increasing controversy about freedom of religion within Germany concerning the Muslim communities. He claims that the modern concerns about religion, and … Continue reading
