Category Archives: History

Our Prisoner of War

Posted on 2019-11-29 by

Recently, I stayed with my father in Bavaria, where life is informal and one can put the feet on the table and smoke inside the house. We were both preoccupied with reading, my father with the newspaper and me with … Continue reading →

Posted in Germany, History, Military, Russia, Travel, World War II | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Does the Federal Republic of Germany even exist? A discussion with a “Reichsbürger”.

Posted on 2019-08-07 by

Many years ago, someone walked into my law office, showed me a notice about some traffic fine and explained, confusing our respective roles in the attorney-client relationship, why he definitely wouldn’t need to pay the fine. According to him, the … Continue reading →

Posted in German Law, Germany, History, Law, Military, Politics, World War II | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

A Walk along the Semmering Railway

Posted on 2019-07-19 by

At first glance, the landscape in the Vienna Alps looks idyllic. But the expert’s eye realizes immediately that something is missing here: a railroad! Because how are the people supposed to enjoy the picturesque landscape if they can’t get there … Continue reading →

Posted in Austria, History, Photography, Technology, Travel, Video Blog | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Ceaușescu in North Korea

Posted on 2019-06-19 by

When I lived in Romania, some people said about the long-term dictator, who was overthrown in 1989: “You know, in the beginning, Ceaușescu was not even that bad. After he came to power in 1965, he distanced Romania from the … Continue reading →

Posted in Cold War, Economics, History, Music, North Korea, Politics, Romania, Travel | 13 Comments

East Germany and West Germany, seen from the outside

Posted on 2019-03-07 by

In the old days, before Erasmus, academic exchanges were still complicated: visa, health insurance, exchanging money. And then there was no internet, so you couldn’t start looking for accommodation before the move. The first week was usually spent at a hotel, … Continue reading →

Posted in Cold War, Education, Germany, History, Media, UK | Tagged , | 2 Comments

A Walk around Tbilisi

Posted on 2019-02-22 by

Each year for my birthday, I like to explore a new country, preferably alone. In July 2017, I treated myself to a trip to the Caucasus (and ended up celebrating my 42nd birthday with the former president of Azerbaijan). The … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Georgia, History, Islam, Military, Photography, Religion, Travel, World War II | Tagged , , , | 51 Comments

German Migration to the USA

Posted on 2019-01-07 by

Debates on migration often center on whether it is a good or a bad thing. I rather view migration as something completely normal. Migration has been a permanent component of human history. Over centuries, Germany, or rather the territories that … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Germany, History, USA | Tagged , , | 19 Comments