SPIEGEL ONLINE
- June 19, 2013
In July 1988, Bruce Springsteen gave East Germany the biggest rock concert it ever saw. In a new book, journalist Erik Kirschbaum says the Boss inspired an entire generation to strive for more freedom -- and deserves some credit for the fall of the Berlin Wall. By David Crossland more... [ Comment ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- June 12, 2013
The cornerstone was laid on Wednesday on the reconstruction of the Berlin palace that was once home to Prussian rulers. The need for such a structure is debatable, and funding looks shaky. It could become yet another addition to Germany's collection of cursed construction projects. more... [ Comment ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- June 04, 2013
Starting in 1987, Robert Conrad risked his freedom to secretly photograph Adolf Hitler's decaying bunker in what was then East Berlin. Disguised as a construction worker, he snuck inside some 30 times, and has now finally revealed his work. By Christoph Gunkel more... [ Comment ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 22, 2013
It wasn't just the East German government that benefited from risky patient drug trials commissioned by Western pharmaceutical manufacturers decades ago. These companies also sent liaisons with lavish gifts to bribe and influence doctors to participate. By Nicola Kuhrt and Peter Wensierski more... [ Comment ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 16, 2013
Ever wondered what Angela Merkel had in mind with her decision to phase out nuclear energy? Dependency on Russian energy, if you believe some prominent conspiracy theorists. They'd like you to believe the German chancellor is some kind of KGB "sleeper agent" installed by Moscow at the end of the Cold War. By Jan Fleischhauer more... [ Comment ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 14, 2013
Until the fall of the Wall, Western pharmaceutical companies conducted drug trials in East German hospitals. More than 50,000 patients served as subjects, often without their knowledge, and many died. The human experiments haven't been fully investigated to this day despite fresh evidence of wrongdoing. By Nicola Kuhrt and Peter Wensierski more... [ Comment ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- May 14, 2013
A biography focusing on Chancellor Angela Merkel's time growing up in East Germany is making headlines because it suggests she was closer to the communist system than hitherto known. Her spokesman has denied she has covered anything up. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- April 12, 2013
After Germany's reunification, factories across former East Germany shut down, fracturing communities and falling into disrepair. A new photo book details the abandoned workshops of a planned economy cut loose. By Fabienne Hurst more... [ Comment ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- February 15, 2013
East Germany decriminalized homosexuality early on, a move that was touted as an example of its progressivism. But a documentary that premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival this week shows the regime was still deeply homophobic. By James Kirchick more... [ Comment ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- December 05, 2012
Although Berlin was split into four sectors in 1945, the Soviets were determined to see a unified city under their control. Their tactics for undermining the other occupying powers ranged from seductive to brutal, and a desperate blockade backfired into a 40-year divide. more... [ Comment ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- December 05, 2012
Prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall, East Germany sold patients as unwitting guinea pigs in drug trials conducted on behalf of Western pharmaceutical companies, according to a TV documentary. Journalists have spoken to former patients and their relatives and unearthed official documents proving secret collusion between the East and West. By Nicola Kuhrt more... [ Comment ]
