Unwanted Guests
The foundations affiliated with Germany's major political parties are playing an important role in the upheavals in the Middle East, attracting the attention of the region's rulers -- and making them the targets of harassment. The organizations' troubles are by no means limited to Egypt, where the offices of one German organization were recently searched. By SPIEGEL Staff more...
Exile in Chile
She may be "tough" and "sporty," but the exiled widow of East Germany's former leader still misses home. Margot Honecker longs for the forests and wild mushrooms of Germany, the author of a new book about her husband says. more...
New Allegation Against President
German President Christian Wulff, accused of using his public office for personal gain, is facing a new controversy. In 2010, when he was still a state governor, he received a discount on a Skoda SUV he leased. Critics say the head of state's behavior is undermining efforts to fight corruption. By SPIEGEL Staff more...
Sharia in Germany?
Does Sharia have a place in Germany? The interior minister of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate thinks it could, particularly in civil cases relating to marriage and divorce. But criticism of his comments has been fierce. more...
His Own Harshest Critic
Gerhard Richter is one of the world's most important contemporary artists. But he is also his own harshest critic. Recently surfaced photos show works of art that he destroyed half a century ago. Today, they would have been worth hundreds of millions of euros. By Ulrike Knöfel more...
Zwickau Cell Arrest
A suspect arrested this week in connection with a murderous neo-Nazi terrorist group has been identified as a former member of the far-right National Democratic Party. His affiliation is likely to spark renewed calls for the party to be banned in Germany. more...
Constitutional Concerns
The revelation that lawmakers for the Left Party are under observation by the German intelligence service has triggered a debate about the agency's powers. The country's highest court is expected to provide much-needed clarification this year. At what point should spies be allowed snoop on elected representatives? By SPIEGEL Staff more... [ Forum ]
The Hard Sell
Many in Europe have been eyeing Beijing's trillions as a possible solution to the continent's debt crisis. During her trip to China, German Chancellor Angela Merkel plans to promote investments in the debt-ridden euro-zone countries. But the Chinese have so far been tight with their money. Will Merkel succeed in getting Beijing to bend? By Philipp Wittrock more...
'Directly in its Path'
Last October, the German research satellite Rosat plunged into the Bay of Bengal, more than 20 years after it had been launched into orbit. But had it remained aloft for just seven more minutes, it would have landed in Beijing instead, new calculations show. By Christian Schwägerl more...
Wulff's Lair
Investigators have searched the presidential office of Olaf Glaeseker, the former spokesman of German President Christian Wulff, in a corruption probe. Opposition politicians say the affair poses further embarrassment for the beleaguered president, who is already under fire over his private loan arrangements. more...
