Donation
If you find this blog funny, clever or even useful, you can keep it alive with a small donation. Thank you!
$10.00
-
Recent Posts
-
Join 8,777 other subscribers
Category Archives: Germany
An idea for Kaliningrad
From the letters to the editor in The Economist: SIR – I suggest taking another page from Mr Putin’s playbook to resolve the lingering issue of Kaliningrad. This Russian-governed territory sits squarely isolated in the midst of the European Union and … Continue reading
Posted in Germany, History, Military, Russia, Ukraine, World War II
Tagged Crimea, Kaliningrad, Königsberg
1 Comment
Commemorating World War I
For the 100th anniversary of World War I in 2014, the participating countries have different plans to commemorate this 4-year long war: The United Kingdom will hold a military parade in London and bask in memories of the Empire that once spun … Continue reading
“The Liberator” by Alex Kershaw
The full title of the book The Liberator: one World War II soldier’s 500-day odyssey from the beaches of Sicily to the gates of Dachau gives you the gist of the story already. It recounts the experience of Felix Sparks who served … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Germany, History, Holocaust, Italy, Military, Sicily, USA, World War II
Tagged Alex Kershaw, Dachau
8 Comments
“Italia dei Valori” explain anti-German election campaign
“Europeans, not Germans,” the posters of the Italian party Italia dei Valori (“Italy of Values”) are screaming out in an effort to gain votes in the upcoming elections to the European Parliament. As I have pointed out already, I find that a … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, Europe, Germany, Italy, Politics
Tagged Ignazio Messina, Italia dei Valori
4 Comments
Emigrants are better people
Emigrants are bolder, willing to take on more risk, more active and more appreciative of freedom than those staying behind. General Patton already knew that. From his letter to the Allied forces before they first stepped onto the European continent by landing … Continue reading
Posted in Germany, History, Italy, Military, Sicily, USA, World War II
Tagged immigration, Operation Husky, Patton
1 Comment
Easily confused (34) Holocaust denial
There are people who deny that the Holocaust really happened, and then there is someone who claims that Germany denies the historical facts of the Holocaust. This is rather illogical because – for example – the Holocaust denier depicted above, … Continue reading
“The Cold War Swap” by Ross Thomas
There is probably no better time than now to read a novel about two NSA employees who have absconded to the Soviet Union and about the US government’s attempts to get them back. Yes, I wrote Soviet Union instead of Russia, … Continue reading
Anti-German election campaign in Italy
Finally I know what it feels like to be part of a group of foreigners used as scapegoats in an election campaign. It feels weird. Despite being aware that they are not targeted against me personally, I always feel affected by … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Germany, Italy, Politics
Tagged European elections 2014, European parliament, Italia dei Valori
18 Comments
Sad Things (9) BND palm tree
One of two alibi trees in front of an ugly concrete block which will house the BND, Germany’s Intelligence Service, in Berlin. This one tree is even worse than if there was no tree at all. It’s like rubbing it … Continue reading
There are more important things than territorial integrity
Democracy and self-determination are great. But nobody should believe that a referendum hastily pulled out of a hat, with limited choices and without a proper prior public debate about the question posed at the polls is a good example of direct … Continue reading
Posted in Afghanistan, Cold War, Estonia, Europe, Germany, History, Human Rights, Latvia, Law, Lithuania, Military, Politics, Russia, Ukraine
Tagged Crimea, Human Rights, international law, Maps
18 Comments
The Happy Hermit 