SPIEGEL ONLINE
- February 07, 2012
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...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- December 19, 2011
Leaders from the Czech Republic, Europe and beyond have expressed their sorrow at the death of Velvet Revolution leader Vaclav Havel. Thousands gathered in the heart of Prague on Sunday evening to mourn the passing of one of the communist-era's greatest dissidents. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- October 04, 2011
Newly released documents from the CIA and State Department suggest that former German Chancellor Ludwig Erhard wanted to purchase German unity from the Soviet Union for around $25 billion. But the Americans didn't take the German leaders suggestion very seriously at the time. By Jan Friedmann and Axel Frohn more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- September 15, 2011
This week's release of interviews with former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy has revealed a new side of the demure fashion icon. Among the unsparing criticism of her husband's political contemporaries were also a few comments about the Germans, who were apparently the source of great aggravation. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- August 15, 2011
Universal education, no unemployment and "lusty sex:" These are some of the things that East Germans should be grateful for, according to a far-left German newspaper which listed 13 good things about the Berlin Wall on its front page. The cover has prompted harsh criticism from a prominent historian. more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- August 10, 2011
The Berlin Wall, built 50 years ago this month, may be gone, but modern barriers can still be found around the world. Some are designed to keep people in, others are designed to keep people out while some are simply in place to keep people apart. SPIEGEL ONLINE correspondents profile modern-day walls on five continents. By Andreas Lorenz, Katharina Peters, Marc Pitzke, Ulrike Putz and Carsten Volkery more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- August 09, 2011
Ulrich Pfeifer, an engineer who worked on four escape tunnels under the Berlin Wall to retaliate against a regime that locked up his girlfriend, recalls the outrage he felt the day it was built 50 years ago. In his view, it is tasteless that people now pose for photos in fake Cold War uniforms. By David Crossland more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- August 08, 2011
Politicians in Berlin are searching for a suitable way to commemorate the construction of the Berlin Wall. But the most prominent scenes around the former partition are increasingly being exploited by creative entrepreneurs. By Frank Hornig more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- August 05, 2011
East Germany began building the Berlin Wall on Aug. 13, 1961. A scathing article published by SPIEGEL 10 days later captures the outrage of West Berliners' over the Allies' failure to intervene. As the 50th anniversary of the barrier's construction approaches, we revisit our archive. more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- August 05, 2011
An article from SPIEGEL's archive highlights the West Berliners' anger that the Allies didn't stop the construction of the Berlin Wall. But political scientist and historian Klaus Schroeder says there was nothing the Western forces could do. Berlin wasn't worth a war. more...