News  + Information

  • Germany and Immigration: The Changing Face of the Country
    am 19. April 2018 um 17:24

    Many Germans feel foreign in their own country and are afraid that immigration is changing their homeland rapidly. Every fifth person in Germany comes from an immigration background and that number will continue to climb. What does that mean for the country? By DER SPIEGEL Staff […]

  • German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas: 'Syria Is Not Auschwitz'
    am 16. April 2018 um 16:41

    In a DER SPIEGEL interview, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas discusses Germany's position on Syria, criticizes U.S. President Donald Trump's Twitter diplomacy and calls for a tougher approach to Russia. […]

  • Priced Out: Rising Rents Are Putting the Squeeze on Germans
    am 13. April 2018 um 15:57

    Housing shortages have become a serious issue in many German cities, where there is a shortfall around 2 million affordable apartments. A new study shows that the problem is hitting low-earners hard. […]

  • A Death in Berlin: Deafening Silence After Overdose at Berghain
    am 3. April 2018 um 15:58

    During an around-the-world trip last summer, a couple from California visited Berlin's legendary Berghain techno club. A few hours later, one of them was dead. Even today, no one seems willing to accept responsibility for the tragedy. […]

  • Envy and Prejudice in Germany: An Author's Quest to Explain Muslim Anti-Semitism
    am 28. März 2018 um 10:35

    Israeli author David Ranan spent a year speaking to Muslims in Germany about anti-Semitism, with the goal of understanding prejudices and their root causes. He has transformed his findings into a book that draws surprising conclusions about the extent of the problem. […]

  • The Schism: Merkel's Conservatives Divided and Discordant
    am 23. März 2018 um 17:06

    Chancellor Angela Merkel's contentious relationship with her new interior minister, Horst Seehofer, threatens to overshadow her fourth term in office. The two conservative leaders fundamentally disagree about who their constituents should be. […]

  • The Two Women at the Top: Inside the Relationship Between Berlin's Uncertain New Allies
    am 15. März 2018 um 16:09

    Never before in German history have two governing parties been led by women. The country's political stability will now hinge on the relationship between Andrea Nahles and Angela Merkel. By DER SPIEGEL Staff […]

  • Cyber-Espionage Hits Berlin: The Breach from the East
    am 5. März 2018 um 14:29

    German intelligence officials issued warnings back in 2016 of a cyber-espionage group known as Snake. But the apparently Russian hackers behind the group were able to breach the German government nonetheless. By DER SPIEGEL Staff […]

  • Where's the Enthusiasm?: Germany's New Milquetoast Government
    am 5. März 2018 um 10:44

    With the Social Democrats having approved a new coalition with Chancellor Angela Merkel, Germany finally has a government. Despite the breakthrough, however, enthusiasm is in short supply in Berlin. […]

  • Hope for a New Beginning: Two Years in a German Teen Refugee Home
    am 5. März 2018 um 10:25

    In recent years, thousands of unaccompanied minors have arrived in Germany hoping to be recognized as refugees. DER SPIEGEL followed eight Afghan teenagers in a group home as they inched their way through the asylum process. […]

  • The Diesel Delusion: Court Ruling Could Change Future of Mobility in Germany
    am 2. März 2018 um 18:01

    A major court ruling in Germany on Tuesday means that millions of diesel cars may soon be banned from city centers in the country. The verdict clearly exposes the vast failings of German policymakers over the years and their cozy relationship with the automobile industry. By DER SPIEGEL […]

  • CDU General Secretary Kramp-Karrenbauer: 'The Stability of Our Political System Is at Stake'
    am 26. Februar 2018 um 17:27

    With Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer having been appointed to general secretary of the conservative Christian Democrats, many see her as Angela Merkel's possible successor. DER SPIEGEL spoke with her about what the CDU must do to remain relevant and the things that make her different from the […]

  • The Diesel Disaster: Are Driving Bans Coming for German Cities?
    am 21. Februar 2018 um 17:31

    A court ruling could ban millions of diesel cars from German city centers, rendering the vehicles worthless. The federal government has considered responding with free public transportation and by forcing car manufacturers to submit to new requirements. By DER SPIEGEL Staff […]

  • Big-Tent Blues: The Silver Lining of Germany's Political Chaos
    am 20. Februar 2018 um 8:44

    A wave of political change is crashing over Germany and the country's once-proud big-tent parties are in a state of crisis. As frightening as the development may be, it also presents an opportunity. […]

  • Crumbling Big-Tent Parties: German Politics Enters Era of Instability
    am 16. Februar 2018 um 17:34

    Germany's big-tent parties have ensured political stability for decades. But they are rapidly losing power and influence. The Social Democrats are witnessing an open rebellion against party leadership while many conservatives are beginning to doubt Merkel's abilities. By DER SPIEGEL Staff […]

  • Opinion: Can the Rock of Gibraltar Falter?
    am 15. Februar 2018 um 16:38

    Germany used to be an anchor of international stability. But that's changing. The political chaos surrounding Angela Merkel's attempts to create a new government serve as a warning that the country is not immune to factors that are destabilizing other European countries. […]

  • Chaos in Berlin: Schulz, Merkel and How Not to Negotiate a Coalition
    am 12. Februar 2018 um 16:00

    It looked like Martin Schulz of the Social Democrats had finally one-upped Chancellor Merkel. But then, just as his party secured key cabinet positions in Germany's potential new government, he messed everything up. And Merkel's position isn't much better. […]

  • Breakthrough: Merkel Makes Painful Concessions to Form New Government
    am 7. Februar 2018 um 17:00

    Despite extremely tough talks, Angela Merkel's conservatives and the center-left Social Democrats reached an agreement to form a coalition on Wednesday. If the SPD doesn't veto the deal in a vote of the party base, a new German government could be in place before Easter. […]

  • The 'Mutti' Complex: Why German Politics Can't Move Beyond Merkel
    am 6. Februar 2018 um 10:36

    Angela Merkel has fundamentally changed German politics. With the country's parties focusing on the chancellor rather than true political debate, it's impossible to know who or what might come next. […]

  • History Comes Full Circle: Berlin Before and After the Wall
    am 5. Februar 2018 um 16:30

    The Berlin Wall stood for exactly 28 years, two months and 26 days. It has now been gone for as long as it was in place. These photos show a city that hasn't done badly for itself in the years since reunification. […]