WorldcrunchStay updated on Germany with Worldcrunch. Comprehensive articles on German politics, economic strategies, societal issues, and cultural highlights with translations from leading international sources. Focus on Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, German engineering, philosophy, modern art, and events like Oktoberfest and Art Basel.
Luxembourg is Europe’s luxury car capital, boasting one high-end ride for every 13 residents. Luxembourgers’ love for high-powered engines remains strong, even as the crackdown on carbon emissions intensifies. Take a ride through roads where roaring engines still rule.
Donald Trump suggested that U.S. aid to Ukraine could be secured through the country’s rare earth deposits — those precious metals over which China holds a global monopoly. In reality, the idea was first pitched by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who knew exactly what kind of argument would resonate with Trump.
In economics, disruption describes an ordinary process: innovations replace outdated technologies. But in politics? It takes on a far darker meaning, writes German weekly Die Zeit.
In another sign of changing power relations in the ‘post-Western’ world, the BRICS group of emerging economies could frustrate the United States’ bid to sink communism in Cuba by strangling its economy.
How Germany, like other countries in the West, can avoid sweeping judgments and take a clear-eyed approach to a complex reality.
Cheap cocaine is flooding the European drug market, escalating conflicts in open drug scenes, everywhere except the historically drug-tolerant Zurich. A visit to this Swiss city — known as an open-air hotspot for crack and heroin in the 1990s — with a different approach for taking on drug addiction.
Having your own car means unlimited freedom. Right? A study shows that yes, it can increase life satisfaction. But freedom is a myth, and dependency on your vehicle will reduce overall happiness.
The Holocaust was based on the same ultranationalist ideas that the New Right refers to today. Even if Elon Musk, Donald Trump and Germany’s AfD leader Alice Weidel try to distance themselves from the words associated with Nazism, their politics cannot fool us.
With the global rise of the far-right, many Germans are afraid that the past is about to repeat itself. German writer Florian Illies explains the trap about such analogies — even as other dangers lurk.
Birkenstock shoes are more popular than ever, selling some 30 million pairs in 2023. The German brand, founded in 1897, and others — from Dr. Scholl’s wooden sandals to barefoot shoes by Leguano, Joe Nimble or Vivobarefoot — have an aura of being healthy and good for your feet. But does the science support this clog craze?
To the German author, watching Elon Musk stretching his right arm out at a Trump political rally could mean only one thing. The Neo-Nazis agree. But what is the billionaire’s real game? A view from Die Zeit on the Hitler Salute outrage.
The precious metal is the asset of choice for cushioning market shocks and navigating uncertain geopolitical times. But that’s not the only reason analysts are forecasting an ounce at $3,000 within the next year or two.
Insects like ants heal their fellow species, and they even perform surgeries. Biologist Erik Frank is researching their methods. He believes that humans can also benefit from them.
Both pessimism and optimism are stored in our genes: They helped us be watchful, while giving us the possibility to hope for a better future. But which one helps us lead a better life? For Die Zeit, Harald Martenstein, a self-declared pessimist, looks at the benefits of both.
Greenland, Canada and Panama: Why is Donald Trump using maps for his politics? And what does Elon Musk’s Nazi-loving grandfather have to do with mapped utopias?
Germans have plenty of names for those who choose not to work: “Drückeberger”, “Bummelantinnen”, “Faulpelze”. But what are the risks of cutting sick pay to reduce absenteeism?
Europeans expected to deal with the return of Donald Trump, but now face both Trump and Elon Musk, who continue to make provocative statements. Yet the EU is divided, with Italy’s Giorgia Meloni going her own way and positioning herself as Trump’s main interlocutor in Europe.
Nick Littlehales was Cristiano Ronaldo’s sleep coach. Now he looks at a Die Zeit journalist’s sleepless nights through cycles and diagrams, returning to a central paradoxical conviction.
Many parents give their toddlers a smartphone or tablet. Is this a total disaster or can children adapt to the new media? For Die Zeit, Wenke Husmann takes a closer look at what scientists say about how screens influence the development of children’s brains.
Elon Musk is hosting Alice Weidel in an interview on X, having tried to convince the American tech billionaire she’s not an extremist. But who is Weidel, really? She’s described the Germans as “slaves” of the U.S. and quotes the infamous text of a nationalist philosopher that is a dog-whistle for the far right in Germany.
Motivate them or leave them alone? Be honest or say nothing? It is not easy to deal well with depressed people. But psychology professionals say that those closest can often help even more than trained experts. That doesn’t mean it’s easy. Here’s how to help…
Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer, and Olaf Scholz have all responded in the past few days to Elon Musk statements siding with Europe’s far right. Among top European leaders, U.S. tech billionaire seems to only have eyes for Italy’s Giorgia Meloni.
In the workplace, we found out that standing desks weren’t much better than sitting. Is a walking pad the healthiest solution for maximizing life and work? Stimulating creativity and productivity? Our author tested it for 30 days in the office
The refusal of Syrian transition leader Ahmed al-Sharaa to shake hands with the German minister sparked controversy. However, Europeans, who fear a resurgence of ISIS if Syria plunges into chaos, have a vested interest in the success of this transition, despite their reservations.
In the German city of Mannheim, the museum of modern and contemporary art is re-staging its iconic 1925 exhibition on the art movement. One hundred years on, it resonates strongly with our current era. Does our restless present demand a New Objectivity? Or does it serve as a warning?
Bone fragments and weapons, as well as destroyed settlements and mass graves, can tell archeologists a lot about the violence of the past. But when did humanity first embrace organized killing — and why?
Germany needs 400,000 skilled workers from abroad every year. So why does the visa application process make it incredibly difficult for them to come to the country? For Die Zeit, Simon Langemann reports on one young Ivorian’s efforts to move legally to Germany as a migrant worker.
Many couples only live side-by-side.The children or the house still keep them together — and they open up their relationship. It may sound at first like a logical solution, but it’s more often than not the worst of all the options.
Although science and research dominate our lives, many people continue to believe in miracles. There are understandable reasons for this.
How the housing shortage was tackled in the Weimar Republic – and what we can learn from it today.
Every day, parts of the Internet disappear, because they are not profitable or nobody cares. It’s the silent loss of decades of culture.
Food companies fatten us up only for Big Pharma to let us inject ourselves slim again. Crazy? Perhaps it’s the beginning of the end for a destructive business model.
A new blood test, designed to detect more than 50 types of cancer, could be the future of early cancer detection. Is it the next big thing, or just another marketing gimmick?
Europe’s electric car battery dreams are crumbling. From halted construction to creditor protection filings, the once-promising industry is on the brink of collapse. Meanwhile the incoming Trump administration says it plans to undo Biden-era policies supporting electric vehicles and emissions standards.
The Chancellor has lost the voters’ trust—and his finger-pointing and failure to take responsibility only deepens the damage. The fallout will be felt far beyond his own tenure and may weigh on Germany for years to come.
As the world’s most celebrated techno club celebrates two decades, Germany’s Die Zeit revisits the iconic venue. Inside, the pulsating beats, exposed bodies, and elusive atmosphere remain unchanged, while outside, Berlin’s landscape evolves around this enduring monument to hedonism and freedom.
We always want to go higher, faster, further. Understandable. But ambition creates pressure, making our everyday lives harder than they need to be. Die Zeit columnist Kilian Trotier makes the case for enjoying the average.
Misleading videos on the platform are said to have influenced the election in Romania, with accusations against Russian influence. Have we learned anything about manipulation and disinformation since Facebook faced a similar outcry in 2016?
Only 5% of German couples are formed by East-West partners. So why, 35 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification, does an invisible wall still seem to keep Germans apart romantically?
France is the latest European country to fall victim of destabilizing, anti-establishment forces. Now that the French government has collapsed, the question remains as to how Europe can integrate these powerful, far-right forces in its governing bodies without sweeping away democratic ideals.