Tag Archives: Nazis

What is it with American Clients and their Nazi Obsession?

I really like to help the victims of Nazi persecution. Or rather their descendants, considering that most people who survived that horror have passed away since. My main focus is on the restitution of German citizenship to those whose ancestors … Continue reading

Posted in German Law, Germany, Law | Tagged , , , | 35 Comments

Vogelsang, the Nazi Castle in the Eifel

Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Artikels. After having hiked up and down all the green hills around Bad Münstereifel, I wanted to hitchhike for a change. No matter where. But in this goal-oriented society, where a plan counts for more than … Continue reading

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

A Postcard from Yerevan

Zur deutschen Fassung. “You are from Germany?” asks Alex, the very friendly owner of the very cozy accommodation in a prefab neighborhood of Yerevan. “Yes.” “Then I have to show you a steel helmet.” He gets up, and I follow … Continue reading

Posted in Armenia, History, Travel, World War II | Tagged , | 15 Comments

One Hundred Years Ago, a German Baron from the Baltics established a Kingdom in Mongolia – March 1921: Roman von Ungern-Sternberg

Zur deutschen Fassung. With the spectacular opening episode of this historical series, I wanted to point out that World War I ended neither with the armistice nor with the peace treaty. Shooting, fighting, conquering, occupying and liberating continued everywhere. The … Continue reading

Posted in China, History, Military, Russia | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

Why is German reunification celebrated on 3 October?

Today, Germany celebrates the 30th anniversary of the reunification of East and West Germany on 3 October 1990. The history buffs among you will know that the Berlin Wall fell almost a year earlier, on 9 November 1989. So why … Continue reading

Posted in Cold War, Germany, History, Holocaust | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

History Lessons in Bolivia

In a remote jungle school in Bolivia, I am surprised by what the children learn about Germany. Continue reading

Posted in Bolivia, Books, Germany, History, Travel, Video Blog | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

“East West Street” by Philippe Sands

As a lawyer and budding historian, I found Philippe Sands‘ idea of telling the story of international criminal law through the biographies of Hersch Lauterpacht and Raphael Lemkin interesting. But the book East West Street is overloaded with the irrelevant … Continue reading

Posted in Books, History, Holocaust, Human Rights, Law, Ukraine | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Our Prisoner of War

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

“Very fine people on both sides”

Posted in Politics, USA | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Germany 1945-1949

These two films illustrate – with quite drastic footage, you are warned – what the Allied powers thought of Germany immediately after the end of World War II. They did see, correctly in my view, a continuity of German militarism … Continue reading

Posted in Cinema, Cold War, Germany, History, Holocaust, Military, USA, World War II | Tagged , , | 6 Comments