Germany
Pence, Netanyahu use Holocaust event in Israel to rail against Iran
By Bill Van Auken, 24 January 2020
The slander of Iranian “anti-Semitism” and unfounded claims that Tehran is seeking nuclear weapons are propaganda to justify a steady buildup toward war.
Germany: Left Party supports Libya conference and possible military deployment
By Johannes Stern, 24 January 2020
Although the conference was a meeting of imperialist brigands who discussed the military occupation of the resource-rich country and the redivision of the entire continent under the guise of peace, it was acclaimed by the Left Party.
Despite #MeToo protest, Berlin audience applauds opera singer Placido Domingo
By Sybille Fuchs, 23 January 2020
The Berlin Staatsoper refused to comply with a call for an anti-democratic ban on Domingo performing raised by the “Pro Quote Bühne” group and Green Party politicians.
Shots fired at SPD constituency office in Halle, Germany
By Marianne Arens, 22 January 2020
On the morning of January 15, five bullet holes were discovered in the window of Social Democratic Party (SPD) member of parliament Karamba Diaby’s constituency office in Halle.
When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit: A child’s-eye view of the Nazis’ crimes
By Stefan Steinberg, 22 January 2020
The film is an adaptation of the book by Judith Kerr, the German-born British writer, published in 1971 and the first part of her Out of the Hitler Time trilogy.
Berlin conference prepares military occupation of Libya
By Peter Schwarz, 21 January 2020
The Libya conference, which took place last Sunday in Berlin, was not about peace in the war-torn country, but about the distribution of the loot.
Germany: New links found between Lübcke murder, neo-fascist NSU and the secret service
By Dietmar Gaisenkersting, 21 January 2020
The links between the series of murders carried out by the neo-Nazi terrorist group NSU, the murder of Kassel’s District President Walter Lübcke (CDU) and the secret service are closer than previously known.
German government to continue military operations in the Middle East
By Johannes Stern, 18 January 2020
All of the parliamentary parties agree with the government’s policy of escalating Germany military intervention in the region.
No to war against Iran! For an international movement against capitalism and war!
IYSSE holds first meeting in campaign for student parliament elections at Berlin’s Humboldt University
By our reporters, 17 January 2020
The meeting focused on the dangerous developments in the Middle East since the beginning of the year and the need for a socialist and internationalist programme to put an end to war.
Germany: Auto manufacturer Opel to wipe out 4,100 jobs
By Peter Schwarz, 16 January 2020
After these cuts are completed in 2029, less than half of the company’s 19,000 jobs in Germany before its sale to PSA in 2017 will remain.
German captain of refugee rescue ship “Lifeline” acquitted of criminal charges in Malta
By Marianne Arens, 16 January 2020
Despite the acquittal neither Malta nor the EU have retreated from its inhumane and murderous anti-refugee policy with Valletta continuing to prevent NGO ships from entering its waters.
The Suleimani assassination, imperialist strategy and the crisis of the Iranian regime
By Keith Jones, 16 January 2020
The killing of the military leader, widely viewed as second only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in Iran’s power structure, constitutes a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s campaign of “maximum pressure” on Iran.
European powers move toward scrapping nuclear accord with Iran
By Alex Lantier, 15 January 2020
Berlin, London and Paris, emboldened by Tehran’s weak response to the US murder of Iranian General Qassem Suleimani, are escalating attacks against Iran.
Germany’s Süddeutsche Zeitung defends murder of Suleimani
By Peter Schwarz, 15 January 2020
In reaction to the Middle East crisis, Germany’s ruling circles are enthusing about the criminal methods of Trump while pursuing their own imperialist interests more aggressively.
Germany: Response to satirical children’s video exposes self-censorship of the media
By Dietmar Gaisenkersting, 11 January 2020
The week before Christmas, German broadcaster WDR posted an online video of a children’s choir singing an updated version of a satirical song, triggering hysterical denunciations.
World famous pianist Igor Levit victim of anti-Semitic death threats
By Marianne Arens, 11 January 2020
The fact that a Jewish pianist cannot perform publicly without protection indicates the extent of the current turn to the right in German politics.
German government defends US war drive against Iran
By Johannes Stern, 10 January 2020
Having previously defended the US assassination of Gen. Qassim Soleimani, an illegal act of state terror, Berlin condemned Iran’s retaliatory strike.
New Year’s Eve in Leipzig: German media and police spread false reports about left-wing violence
By Christopher Lehmann and Christoph Vandreier, 8 January 2020
The aim of the latest campaign surrounding the events in Leipzig is to intimidate anyone who stands in the way of the far right.
Germany: Greens join Saxony coalition government’s right-wing agenda
By Martin Nowak, 8 January 2020
Shortly before the end of the year, the new state government in Saxony was sworn in. For the first time, a coalition of Christian Democrats, Social Democrats and Greens is taking over the government in the East German state.
European governments defend US state terrorism following assassination of Iranian General Suleimani
By Peter Schwarz, 7 January 2020
While the European governments have called for de-escalation, they have refused to condemn as a war crime the targeted killing of a high-ranking representative of a sovereign country.
The growing fascist influence in German politics: The case of Christian Democratic politician Robert Möritz
By Gregor Link and Johannes Stern, 7 January 2020
At the end of last year, the case of the former Christian Democratic Union (CDU) politician highlighted the sharp shift to the right of the ruling class in Germany.
German authorities shut down investigations into far-right and state crimes
By Dietmar Gaisenkersting, 6 January 2020
The closing of the year 2019 has confirmed that the revival of the far right in Germany is principally due to policies pursued by the country’s ruling elite.
German defence minister supports combat operations in Africa
By Gregor Link and Peter Schwarz, 4 January 2020
Over the holidays, Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer reiterated her call for a massive expansion of the Franco-German campaign in the Sahel region.
Poverty in Germany remains high, 2019 report finds
By Elisabeth Zimmermann, 30 December 2019
Although the poverty rate experienced a slight decline of 0.3 percentage points between 2017 and 2018, it remains at a high level and has even increased in some regions.
The great German artist on war, the working class and the murder of socialist Karl Liebknecht
Exhibition at the Getty Center in Los Angeles: Käthe Kollwitz: Prints, Process, Politics
By Rafael Azul, 28 December 2019
The Getty Center in Los Angeles is hosting an exhibition of intaglios, lithographs and woodcuts by Käthe Kollwitz (1867-1945), one of the most renowned graphic artists from the late 19th to the mid-20th century.
Germany: Daimler workers support the strike wave in France
By K. Nesan, 27 December 2019
Discussions with German workers give a sense of the growing opposition to the hackneyed and hollow promises of the company union.
Germany: Former secret service boss agitates against refugees and plays down right-wing terrorism
By Christoph Vandreier, 24 December 2019
One year after his removal as head of Germany’s domestic secret service, Hans-Georg Maassen (Christian Democratic Union, CDU) has become one of the spokesmen for the extreme right.
German government condemns US sanctions on Nord Stream 2 pipeline
By Johannes Stern, 23 December 2019
The temporary halt to construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline has dramatically intensified tensions between the United States and the European powers.
Germany’s Left Party hails new SPD leadership and grand coalition
By Johannes Stern, 17 December 2019
The efforts to present Saskia Esken and Nobert Walter-Borjans as fighters for a “left-wing camp” that will introduce a new era of social democracy are patently absurd.
Germany: SPD congress backs grand coalition government as class struggle intensifies
By Ulrich Rippert, 11 December 2019
The new SPD leadership is making hollow reformist promises in the hope of controlling growing anti-capitalist sentiment in the working class.
Germany: IG Metall union announces further attacks on Daimler workers
By K. Nesan, 10 December 2019
With the help of the unions and their works council representative, the auto manufacturer wants to destroy 10,000 jobs by 2022.
Right-wing hate campaign in Germany against Nobel Prize winner Peter Handke
By Bernd Reinhardt and Peter Schwarz, 9 December 2019
The tirades levelled against Handke resemble the rantings by criminals intent on covering up their own tracks.
Former head of German Secret Service publishes fascist manifesto
By the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei, 7 December 2019
Maassen’s article contains a thinly-veiled call for building a fascist movement to crush working class opposition to social inequality and militarism.
SPD youth leader defends Germany’s grand coalition government
By Ulrich Rippert, 6 December 2019
In a long interview with the Rheinische Post, Kühnert warned “of the consequences of a hasty exit” from the ruling grand coalition.
NATO summit dominated by growing inter-state conflicts
By Alex Lantier, 5 December 2019
Explosive conflicts over trade and military policy between Washington and its main European allies erupted this week at the NATO summit in London.
Trump denounces Macron’s criticisms of NATO at London summit
By Alex Lantier, 4 December 2019
Bitter conflicts between the United States and the major European powers erupted into the open yesterday, at the start of the two-day NATO summit in London.
Germany: Far-right AfD’s party conference strengthens völkisch-nationalist “wing”
By Peter Schwarz, 4 December 2019
The nationalist “wing” group (Der Flügel) in the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) around Björn Höcke and Andreas Kalbitz has emerged strengthened from its federal party conference.
NATO bitterly divided as London summit begins
By Alex Lantier, 3 December 2019
NATO heads of state arrived yesterday in London for a two-day summit beginning today, 70 years after NATO’s foundation in the aftermath of World War II in 1949.
New leadership in German SPD: Fresh faces—same right-wing policies
By Peter Schwarz, 3 December 2019
Norbert Walter-Borjans and Saskia Esken have been elected as the new co-leaders of the Social Democratic Party. They unexpectedly defeated the current vice-chancellor, Olaf Scholz.
Germany’s budget for 2020: Billions for rearmament and war
By Johannes Stern, 2 December 2019
Five years ago the grand coalition announced Germany’s return to an aggressive foreign and great power policy. The far-reaching consequences of such a policy are increasingly reflected in the current budget.
Right-wing German Army officer Franco A. to be charged for terrorism
By Dietmar Gaisenkersting, 2 December 2019
The details now made public strongly suggest that the 30-year-old ex-Army officer is a neo-Nazi terrorist.
IYSSE, student unions defend students in Germany against right-wing attacks
By our reporters, 2 December 2019
Last week, nearly 100 students at Berlin’s Humboldt University and representatives of student organisations from numerous other universities met to protest against right-wing and militaristic teaching and defend students who criticize it from right-wing attacks.
Mercedes-Benz to cut more than 10,000 jobs
By K. Nesan, 30 November 2019
The announcement is part of a sweeping assault on jobs in the international auto industry.
Berlin Tax Office withdraws charitable status from Nazi victims’ organisation
By Justus Leicht, 30 November 2019
The decision is tantamount to a ban, depriving the organisation of tax concessions vital to fund its work.
German government plans new military interventions, massive rearmament
By Johannes Stern, 29 November 2019
The German army is preparing for new military interventions. The plans were announced by the German defence minister, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, on Monday at a Bundeswehr base in Saarland.
German autoworkers protest as unions sanction wave of jobs cuts
By K. Nesan, 28 November 2019
Hardly a day passes without a large or small company announcing redundancies and savings measures in highly industrialize state of Baden-Württemberg in southwest Germany.
Audio recording refutes Hannah-Jones’ claim that she was falsely quoted by the World Socialist Web Site
By Eric London, 27 November 2019
The World Socialist Web Site publishes the audio of Hannah-Jones’ remarks.
Automaker Audi slashes 9,500 jobs in Germany
By Dietmar Gaisenkersting, 27 November 2019
The job cuts are part of a global offensive against autoworkers, which could cost at least 15 percent of the jobs of Germany’s 820,000 workers in the auto and parts industries.
German bus drivers in state of Hesse on strike
By Marianne Arens, 25 November 2019
The strike has once again brought to light the grueling working conditions faced by around 130,000 bus drivers across the country.
“It’s bordering on slavery how they treat us”
Bus drivers in Hesse, Germany, discuss their strike
By Marianne Arens, 25 November 2019
Striking bus drivers employed by private companies in the German state of Hesse are resisting scandalously low wages and exploitative working conditions.
German student organisation bombarded with far-right hate mail
By Gregor Link, 25 November 2019
The University of Hamburg student organization has been bombarded with hate mail and threats of violence after students protested against a founding member of the far-right Alternative for Germany, Bernd Lucke, returning to his teaching post.
Hamburg: Social Democrats and Greens plan new police law
By Tino Jacobson, 22 November 2019
The Social Democratic Party-Green Party Senate in Germany’s city-state of Hamburg plans to agree on a controversial police law before the state election due in February.
German big business continues its new scramble for Africa
By Peter Schwarz, 22 November 2019
German big business is on the hunt for new markets, raw materials, investment opportunities and cheap labor.
Germany’s Green Party conference—power at any price
By Peter Schwarz, 20 November 2019
The entire party conference was aimed at demonstrating the reliability of the Greens to the ruling circles in politics, business and the media.
German army recruits swear war oath in front of Reichstag building
By Gregor Link, 18 November 2019
Both Schäuble and Kramp-Karrenbauer have made clear in recent weeks that the time has come for the return of German imperialism to the world stage.
Germany: Left Party parliamentary group elects new leadership
By Peter Schwarz, 16 November 2019
The trench warfare within the Left Party expresses tensions and friction stemming inevitably from the right-wing turn undertaken by the whole party.
The German government’s “basic pension” bluff
By Marianne Arens, 15 November 2019
The new measure will not improve the lot of poor pensioners. Rather, the grand coalition government hopes to secure its survival so as to pursue its great power policies and militarist aims.
Germany: Berlin rent cap—a deceptive manoeuvre
By Tino Jacobson and Markus Salzmann, 13 November 2019
The rent cap will not stop the enrichment of the rent sharks, provide affordable housing for all, or hide the right-wing and anti-social policies of the parties controlling the Berlin Senate.
German defence minister calls for expansion of foreign military interventions
By Peter Schwarz, 11 November 2019
In a keynote address, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer declared, “there is broad agreement that, given the strategic challenges, Germany must ... “do more to defend our values and interests.”
German Christian Democrats call for collaboration with the far-right AfD
By Marianne Arens, 9 November 2019
A leader of the CDU said in an interview that, in his opinion, the AfD was “a conservative party” and were “not all Nazis.”
Thirty years since the fall of the Berlin Wall
By Peter Schwarz, 9 November 2019
Thirty years ago, the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the end of the GDR. Republished below is an article by Peter Schwarz that first appeared on the WSWS five years ago, on November 8, 2014, under the headline, “25 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall.”
Flight attendants to take further strike action at Lufthansa
By Marianne Arens, 7 November 2019
Germany’s main airline, Lufthansa, faces a 48-hour strike by cabin crew on Thursday and Friday.
German imperialism’s new drive for world power
By Johannes Stern, 7 November 2019
In a lecture on the theme of “Germany’s role in a globalised world,” the president of the parliament, Wolfgang Schäuble, called for a return to a foreign policy of military violence.
IYSSE meetings in Germany: Stop the shift to the right at the universities!
By our correspondents, 6 November 2019
The meetings are part of a series being organised by the IYSSE across Germany to oppose the rise of the far-right on university campuses and in political life.
Halle, Germany: Government moves to establish a police state after fascist attack
By Gregor Link, 5 November 2019
The government is using the attack as a pretext to further arm the state apparatus and implement long-held plans to spy on journalists and Internet users.
Germany’s grand coalition extends military operations in Syria and Iraq
By Johannes Stern, 2 November 2019
Eighty years after the end of the Second World War, leading politicians from all parties openly advocate policies of war and military violence.
Hamburg senate deploys police against student anti-Nazi protest
By Christoph Vandreier and Johannes Stern, 2 November 2019
Hundreds of Hamburg students have protested against the return of Bernd Lucke, founder of the far-right Alternative for Germany, to their university in the past two weeks.
100 years since the founding of the Bauhaus art school and movement: “A New Era”
By Sybille Fuchs, 2 November 2019
The question arises: what was so special about this school, which existed for just 14 years (1919-1933) and was forced to change its location three times in Germany due to the hostile reaction of conservative and nationalist forces?
Hamburg, Germany: SPD-Green state executive uses police violence to guard lecture by AfD founder
By Christoph Vandreier and Johannes Stern, 1 November 2019
Hundreds of Hamburg students have protested against the return of Bernd Lucke, founder of the far-right Alternative for Germany, to their university in the past two weeks.
Germany: How Hesse authorities covered up the NSU and Lübcke murderers
By Peter Schwarz, 30 October 2019
Temme, an employee of the Hesse state branch of the secret service, maintained an official relationship with the neo-Nazi Stephan Ernst, the alleged murderer of the Kassel district president Walter Lübcke.
Stop the censorship of socialist views by the University of Leipzig student council
By the IYSSE Leipzig, 30 October 2019
The student council refused IYSSE official club status, effectively imposing censorship on left-wing and socialist views on campus.
German state election: the Left Party’s policies open the way for the fascistic AfD
By Johannes Stern, 29 October 2019
The established parties were punished by the electorate for their right-wing and anti-working-class policies, but the main beneficiary is the far-right Alternative for Germany.
German media gripped by war fever
By Peter Schwarz, 28 October 2019
It is remarkable how little effort is made by the journalists to conceal their battle cries behind the usual phrases about “peace,” “human rights,” and “democracy.”
Germany: Humboldt University student parliament supports lawsuit against far-right Professor Baberowski
By Christoph Vandreier, 25 October 2019
The legal complaint is an important step in defending students’ freedom of opinion in the face of an offensive by radical right-wing forces within the academic milieu.
No to the German-European security zone in Syria!
By Johannes Stern, 24 October 2019
The call by German Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer for an international security zone in northern Syria marks a new stage in the revival of German militarism.
Right-wing terror in Germany: the responsibility of the Grand Coalition
By Johannes Stern, 22 October 2019
The responsibility for right-wing terror lies not only with the AfD, but also with the Grand Coalition and its political supporters in the Left Party and the Greens.
Sealed Lips: Dramatizing the Stalinist origins of the former East Germany
By Bernd Reinhardt and Verena Nees, 21 October 2019
Director Bernd Böhlich raises the “birth defect” issue of the GDR, i.e., its silence on the Stalinist purges, primarily directed at leading Bolsheviks, particularly Leon Trotsky and many German Communists.
An open letter to all members of the German Association of University Professors and Lecturers
Stop the shift to the right at the universities!
By the International Youth and Students for Social Equality, 19 October 2019
Bernhard Kempen is using his position as president of the German Association of University Professors and Lecturers to defend the right-wing extremist historian Jörg Baberowski.
Following terrorist attack in Germany, Jewish community strongly criticises police intervention in Halle
By Dietmar Gaisenkersting, 18 October 2019
The fact remains that the injured terrorist was able to escape in a car even though the police units were armed and had blocked the road.
Right-wing networks in the German state exposed
By Peter Schwarz, 18 October 2019
Extreme Security brings together a wealth of material about violent neo-Nazi groups and right-wing extremist networks in the police, the legal system, the Bundeswehr and the secret service.
German defence minister visits Niger and Mali in preparation for massive combat operation in the Sahel
By Gregor Link, 17 October 2019
The German government is preparing to expand its Bundeswehr (Armed Forces) mission in Mali and Niger into a massive combat operation and to extend it indefinitely.
Germany: Thousands of job cuts at Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank
By Gustav Kemper, 16 October 2019
The banks have pursued savage restructuring plans at the expense of their workforces so as to boost payouts to shareholders.
Germany’s IG Metall union calls for alliance with government and corporations against workers
By Dietmar Gaisenkersting, 15 October 2019
IG Metall is offering the services of its apparatus to ensure labour peace in the factories and impose the cuts demanded by Germany’s ruling elite.
Large Berlin solidarity protests against anti-Semitism and right-wing terrorism.
By our reporters, 14 October 2019
This weekend’s protests underscored, once again, the widespread opposition that exists to the return of fascism in Germany.
Thousands protest in Germany against right-wing violence following fascist Yom Kippur attack
By Marianne Arens, 14 October 2019
Last Wednesday’s attack in Halle by a heavily armed fascist, anti-Semite, on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, has evoked horror and a wave of solidarity protests against right-wing violence.
Germany: The election of the SPD leader and the decline of social democracy
By Ulrich Rippert, 14 October 2019
A glance at the list of candidates for the leadership of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) makes clear the wealthy social layers that set the tone and whose reactionary programme they represent.
Right-wing extremist network behind fascist synagogue attack in Germany
By Ulrich Rippert, 12 October 2019
The reality is that the “ideological inciters” of the right-wing terrorist attack in Halle hold top positions within the state and security apparatus, the intelligence agencies, the military and the federal government.
Dortmund, Germany withdraws prestigious award from the author Kamila Shamsie over support for BDS
By Sybille Fuchs, 12 October 2019
The withdrawal of the prize is yet another case of censorship by the German state and local authorities, which claim to oppose anti-Semitism but in fact suppress and criminalise any criticism of the Israeli government’s right-wing policies.
Right-wing extremist network behind fascist synagogue attack in Germany
By Ulrich Rippert, 11 October 2019
The reality is that the “ideological inciters” of the right-wing terrorist attack in Halle hold top positions within the state and security apparatus, the intelligence agencies, the military and the federal government.
German Nazi murders two in Yom Kippur Synagogue attack
By Johannes Stern, 10 October 2019
The Nazi assault on the Halle synagogue is aimed at demonstrating that anti-Semitism is, once again, a significant political force in Germany.
Theatres in Germany take a stand against the far right
By Verena Nees, 4 October 2019
A number of plays by the Austrian-Hungarian dramatist and novelist Ödön von Horváth took a clear stand against the rise of the Nazis and assume new relevance today.
Ahead of state election in German state of Thuringia
Left Party Minister President Bodo Ramelow lauds the right-wing CDU
By Johannes Stern, 3 October 2019
With its right-wing and pro-capitalist policies, the Left Party, whose predecessors reintroduced capitalism into East Germany 30 years ago, bears major responsibility for the rise of the far-right.
Germany: Bus drivers strike in Hesse and Saarland
By Marianne Arens, 1 October 2019
1,500 bus drivers in Frankfurt, Giessen, Darmstadt, Kassel, Offenbach, Hanau and Fulda took part in a 24-hour warning strike Friday for significant wage increases and better holiday arrangements.
Germany: Opel workers support GM strike in the US
By our reporters, 26 September 2019
News of the strike by 46,000 GM workers in America was met with great interest at Opel’s main plant in Rüsselsheim.
Siemens workers resist planned job cuts in Germany
By Gustav Kemper, 26 September 2019
The IG Metall trade unions supports the strategy of Siemens management to hive off the company’s energy division as a separate business and launch it on the stock market. This will lead to thousands of jobs being destroyed and working conditions being “renegotiated.”
German government extends war mission in Middle East
By Johannes Stern, 25 September 2019
The Grand Coalition is continuing the German military mission in Syria and Iraq and will deploy the Bundeswehr beyond its current mandate in the region.
The fascist network behind the murder of Walter Lübcke
By Peter Schwarz, 25 September 2019
Three months after the murder of Kassel’s regional president, there is mounting evidence that the Christian Democratic politician was the victim of an extreme right-wing network reaching deep into the state security apparatus.
Daimler-Benz workers in Germany support GM strikers
By Gregor Link and K. Nesan, 23 September 2019
German autoworkers in the city of Stuttgart support the strike of their American counterparts, against the auto companies and the union, as a model for their own upcoming struggles.
Germany: How the secret service and far-right AfD organised the ban on the “linksunten.indymedia” website
By Peter Schwarz, 20 September 2019
The cessation of criminal proceedings confirms that the ban on the website was an act of political censorship in which the Interior Ministry, the secret service and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) closely collaborated.
German workers support GM strikers in US
By our reporters, 17 September 2019
News of the strike by nearly 50,000 GM workers in the US spread like wildfire through German factories and evoked powerful support.
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