NEWS FROM BERLIN

“Aquadom” not to be rebuilt

After the bursting of the huge aquarium in a Berlin hotel, no new fish tank is to be built in the lobby. The effort to rebuild the huge aquarium after it burst would be disproportionately high. The 16-metre-high Aquadom aquarium with 1,500 fish in the hotel near Alexanderplatz burst in the early hours of 16 December. As a result, one million litres of water poured out of the destroyed acrylic glass cylinder. Two people were slightly injured. The hotel is still closed and will not reopen this year. The cause of the aquarium’s bursting is still unclear. Source: rbb24

Berlin police probe leak into potential Zelenskyy trip

The news about an investigation, launched by the police, about a possible visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Berlin has reached the media. The information cited statements provided by unnamed sources in Berlin’s police force. Zelenskyy’s trips abroad are usually kept confidential until the last minute for security reasons. Neither the German government nor the Ukrainian Embassy had commented anything on reports of Zelenskyy’s planned visit to the German capital. In an unusual move, Berlin police confirmed the report when asked about it. Police last Thursday defended that decision, saying that by that point the unauthorized leak had already revealed details of the trip. Source: dw

 NEWS FROM GERMANY

Can a Jewish woman be an antisemite?

Judith Bernstein, born in Israel, whose parents had to flee Germany in 1935 and whose grandparents were deported to Auschwitz, feels that she has been unfairly defamed by Uwe Becker (CDU). Without substantiating it, he labelled her an antisemite and placed her close to the antisemitic assassin of Halle. This had enormous consequences for her, and her concern to give the Palestinians a voice in the Middle East conflict was even made impossible. In court, judges interpreted Becker’s statement as violating the principle of objectivity and Bernstein as a person. The report about this case has already been removed from Frankfurt’s city website. Source: faz

Benin bronzes given away: Annalena Baerbock sees no problem

On the last 6th of May, it became known that outgoing Nigerian President Mohammedu Buhari had transferred the bronzes from the historic kingdom of Benin to the successor of the kings of Benin, Oba Ewuare II. They are now in private hands and the Oba decides what to do with them. On the next day, Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens) announced: “Who will keep the returned bronzes, which Nigerian institutions and persons will be involved, and where the responsibility for preservation and accessibility lies, are questions which will be decided in Nigeria.” Source: bz

Nationwide there is a shortage of 378,000 daycare places

Throughout Germany, there is a shortage of 378,000 daycare places – despite the legal right to childcare. This is the answer by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs to a question by the Left Party parliamentary group. In the one to three age group, 291,000 places are lacking; in the three to six age group, 87,000. The information was based on figures from 2021. According to calculations by the Left Party, the annual costs for daycare centres now amount to almost 50 billion euros. The federal government bears about 2.8 billion euros, the rest is borne by the federal States and the municipalities. Source: tagesschau

More tofu, less meat

Tofu sausage or veggie burgers: the market for the often more expensive meat substitutes grew in 2022 despite inflation. Companies in Germany produced 6.5 percent more of these foods than in the previous year, according to the Federal Statistical Office. Greenpeace welcomed the minus for meat and the plus for substitute products, and criticised as well incorrect regulation for the latter ones: “It is an absurdity that, for example, a higher tax is levied on oat drinks than on cow’s milk – and at the same time it is forbidden to call it milk,” Mattin Hofstetter, agricultural expert from that environmental organization, said. Source: taz

Refugee summit: German states demand more money

The heads of government of the federal states have decided in a cohesive way to begin their consultations on the consequences of the increasing number of refugees and asylum seekers. The main point of contention between the federal government and the states is the financing of accommodation, care, and integration of those seeking protection. The Länder (States) are calling for a system in which federal payments increase automatically as more people come into the country who need to be cared for. A consensus among them has to do with safeguarding humanitarian and legal obligations. Source: Morgenpost

NEWS FROM BERLIN

555 criminal charges against “Last Generation” last week

At the end of the “Last Generation” protest week on Friday, the Berlin police presented a preliminary balance of operations. By noon on Friday, 555 criminal charges had been filed and 320 administrative offence procedures initiated. The police also counted a total of 829 participants in the protests at 78 different locations in the capital, 202 of whom, according to the information, had glued themselves to the streets. They said that 21 ambulance operations had been hindered, and 7 emergency personnel had been injured. The climate group is calling for more decisive action against climate change and for the establishment of a social council with members drawn by lot. Source: rbb

Revolutionary May 1^st Demo cut short

The new red-black Berlin state government has welcomed reports of a quiet May 1^st. The revolutionary demonstration was forced to dissolve early at Kottbusser Tor instead of reaching the planned finish at Oranienplatz. This was due to a massive police presence at the newest Police station at Kotti. The organization ‘Rote Hilfe’ (Red Aid) have said that the police formation made it practically impossible for the demonstrators to leave. The police then began to storm into the crowd and arrest individuals. “Several people had panic attacks, it is only thanks to the level-headed reaction of the demonstration participants that there were no mass panics,” explains the Rote Hilfe. The organisers made the decision at this point to dissolve the demonstration. Source: nd-aktuell

Did the new CDU Mayor need the AfDs help?

Kai Wegner (CDU) was only elected governing mayor in the third round of voting. And now the AfD has claimed only thanks to their support. Can this be true? He needed an overall majority of 80 votes, which with the entire support of the 86 CDU and SPD members, he would have had. However, in the first two rounds, Wegner did not make it. In the third round, he got his absolute majority (even though, by this time only needing a relative majority) with 86 votes for, 70 against and 3 abstentions. There was a full turn out. As it is a secret ballet, we can not know who the 86 were. Although it is possible that it was exclusively CDU and SPD, given the results of the rounds before and the fact the AfD claims it told its members to vote for Wegner, it certainly plausible that Wegner only won with the help of the AfD. In any case, the AfD made a direct effort to spread its own spin. Source: taz

NEWS FROM GERMANY

Apology from Döpfner demanded

The Alliance against Islamophobia and Muslimophobia (CLAIM) has called on the CEO of the Axel Springer media company, Mathias Döpfner, to apologise for his racist statement concerning Muslim people. The weekly newspaper “Die Zeit” had reported on messages allegedly sent within the Springer group. The quotes listed also included derogatory comments about East Germans and criticism of former German Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU). “Free west, fuck the intolerant Muslims and all the other Gesochs” reads one of Döpfner’s private messages. Döpfner has publicly apologised for controversial statements made in internal company news, but an apology to the equally defamed group of Muslims has so far not been forthcoming. Source: islamiq

Covid: vaccinate with and without recommendation

The Standing Commission on Vaccination (Stiko) published this week a recommendation, where the urgency of a vaccination has been reduced. According to the report, children and adolescents without previous or underlying medical conditions no longer are receommended to get a vaccination. Such withdrawal of the vaccination recommendation has triggered fierce indignation. The immunologist Carsten Watzl said at the presentation of the report however that this did not mean a ban on vaccinating children and adolescents. The Stiko currently recommends an annual vaccination booster for people over 60 years of age, people with “relevant underlying diseases”, nursing home residents and medical and nursing staff. Source: nd-aktuell

Self-determination law: emancipation comes slowly

The regulation for a simplified change of gender registration is taking shape: people who do not identify with the sex assigned to them at birth are to be able to change their registered gender and first name more easily in future under the Self-Determination Act. Instead of having to submit lengthy and expensive psychological reports in court proceedings, as was previously the case under the Transsexuals Act, it will, in the future, be possible to change one’s civil status by going to the registry office. As before, it is possible to choose between the entries male, female, diverse and no entry. Source: nd-aktuell

Tübingen’s Mayor resigns from the Greens after racist comments

Tübingen’s Mayor Boris Palmer has announced he will be taking “time-off” and has resigned from the Green party. This comes after he publicly used and endorsed the use of racist language, such as the N-word, in a conference in Frankfurt am Main. In a statement, Palmer said he would be taking time off from Mayoral office, however made no mention of resigning from his party. Later that same day, the Green party made an announcement that he will be resigning from the Party, effective immediately. Source: swr

NEWS FROM BERLIN

Warning strike last Friday: BVG was not affected

Last Friday, commuters and travelers prepared themselves for far-reaching restrictions on long-distance and regional services operated by Deutsche Bahn and other transport companies. The Railway and Transport Union (EVG) called for warning strikes lasting several hours. Between 3 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Friday, employees of all railroad companies where negotiations had taken place stopped working. The Berlin transport authority (BVG) announced that its personnel would not be taking part in that strike, though. Regional trains in Berlin and Brandenburg were anyway affected as well since Deutsche Bahn was on strike. Source: berlin.de

Police no longer want to dialogue with climate activists

From Monday on, “Last Generation” wants to make Berlin stop. Only when the federal government agrees to the group’s demands will the protests end. The number of participants has grown: according to the climate group, around 1,000 people signed up for this permanent protest. During the blockade wave last October, there were 80. The public prosecutor’s office in Berlin sees no reason to classify the “Last Generation” as a criminal organisation. On the other hand, the Neuruppin public prosecutor’s office assumes the purpose of the group is to commit offenses of “enough burden”. Source: tagesspiegel

Giffey to become senator for economic affairs

Now that the SPD has voted by a narrow majority to form a coalition with the CDU in Berlin, the group’s senators have been decided. As expected, the former governing mayor Franziska Giffey will take over the economic portfolio. Her party colleague Cansel Kiziltepe will be responsible for labour and social affairs. Iris Spranger will continue to be responsible for the interior. On the CDU side, unsurprisingly, Kai Wegner becomes mayor. Stefan Evers will take over the finance portfolio. Manja Schreiner is to be responsible for transport, Katharina Günther-Wünsch for education. Joe Chialo will be senator for culture. Source: spiegel

 NEWS FROM GERMANY

Basis against Wagenknecht’s confidant

In the Left Party in North Rhine-Westphalia, the pressure is growing around former top candidate Sahra Wagenknecht, who is considering leaving the party. With a clear majority, the Bochum district association passed a resolution last Thursday evening directed “against all threats of splitting by prominent members”. Such a resolution has a sound target: Bochum is the constituency of the close Wagenknecht confidant Sevim Dağdelen. Also, of the six members of the Bundestag elected via the NRW state list, only state party leader Kathrin Vogler has so far “clearly positioned herself against the threat of division.” Source: taz

How AfD grows within the German right

The AfD (Alternative für Deutschland) was created a decade ago, and it has managed to establish itself as a constant presence in Germany’s parliament. Now, it challenges the Christian Democrats, seeking to tear down historic barriers to the far-right. The face of the party has quite changed: whereas conservative Euroscepticism was the dominant theme in its early days, AfD today represents largely a far-right party. Nevertheless, there is a constant: from the beginning, AfD sought to unite the political spectrum to the right of the CDU and its traditional coalition partner, the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP). Source: Jacobin

“Like the citizens’ movement in the GDR”: researchers support Last Generation

Under the motto “Negotiation instead of criminalisation”, a group of German-speaking scientists advocates a better and more objective way of dealing with climate campaigners of the Last Generation. “Individual administrative offences and selective violations of the law”, according to the declaration signed by more than 1,600 researchers, are legitimate forms of protest in view of the urgent need for political action. The researchers see the Last Generation in the tradition of other great protest movements, such as “the civil rights movement in the GDR”. However, social indignation is currently directed against climate activists. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution classifies the group as non-extremist. Source: berliner zeitung

Working hours: trusting is ok, but controlling is even better

Lately, the term “Home office” is often used. But what counts as paid work at home? Who controls it? Already before Christmas, Federal Labour Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) had promised he would present a proposal regarding it. Currently, he plans a legal obligation to record working hours electronically, referring to a corresponding draft law. Employers’ associations and trade unions could also agree on aspects such as “non-electronic” or retrospective recording of working time to be conceivable. There should also be special regulations for small companies. The influential Mechanical Engineering Industry Association (VDMA) is also very critical of Heil’s draft. Source: dw

Germany: new strikes threaten rail and air traffic

After the strike and before the strike: on Wednesday, 26 April, travellers and commuters have to expect restrictions in public transport. There could also be new strikes in rail and air traffic in the coming days and weeks. The trade union ver.di plans actions in Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria and Baden-Wuerttemberg. There could also be strikes at Deutsche Bahn in the next few days. The railway and transport union EVG is threatening new actions if DB does not present a better negotiation offer at the round of talks on Tuesday, 25 April. Source: adac

NEWS FROM BERLIN

Administrative Court confirms ban on pro-Palestinian demo in Berlin

The planned pro-Palestinian demonstration at Hermannplatz in Neukölln last Saturday was banned. This was the decision of the Higher Administrative Court (OVG). The judges cited similar dangers as the police and the previous administrative court, where the case had first been considered. According to their own statements, the police were nevertheless on duty: Berlin police tweeted officers remained on the ground around Hermannplatz in Neukölln. There were squad cars around the registered assembly point at Hermannplatz, and according to a spokesperson, 360 officers were on duty. However, at the originally scheduled time of the rally at 5.30 p.m., everything was calm, there was no crowd. Source: rbb

FU Berlin student representatives´ criticize MPs

Last February, Asta, the student representative´s organisation of Freie Universität (FU) Berlin, sent out warnings about a man on campus committing acts of sexual violence. Asta also recommended those affected to call in the social psychiatric service. People who belong to a marginalised group were advised not to contact the police in view of practices such as racial profiling. The Berlin police, on their turn, accused Asta of protecting perpetrators instead of victims. And, since then, Asta had to answer many parliamentary questions– the organisation can currently hardly do justice to its actual task of representing student interests. Source: tagesspiel

NEWS FROM GERMANY

Germany says goodbye to nuclear power

There has been an ongoing dispute over Germany’s nuclear power plants.  The governing coalition of the SPD, the Greens and the FDP agreed to stick to Germany’s nuclear planned phase-out, decided in 2011 by previous governments. The last nuclear power plants were previously set to close by the end of 2022. But Russia’s war against Ukraine changed everything once Russian gas supplies to Germany stopped and an energy emergency was feared. Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) then pushed the phase-out date back until April 15 2023. The power plants ran for a total of 22,596 days. Source: dw

Last Generation: Imprisonment for another road blockade

Because they had blocked streets again directly after a conviction, three activists of the Last Generation now must spend several months in prison. After a nine-hour trial, the Heilbronn district court sentenced two men and one woman to prison terms of five, four and three months without the possibility of probation. According to the public prosecutor’s office and activists, the sentence is the harshest ever imposed on members of the Last Generation in Germany. Another defendant was sentenced to three months’ probation. The sentence is not yet final. One of the sentenced justified his actions: “Peaceful, civil protest is part of the history of democracy”. Source: taz

NRW Greens: Almost no word on Lützerath

Party conventions are not necessarily the events where parties review decisions from the past: looking forward is usually the order of the day. Certainly no one can blame the Greens for celebrating their success on Sunday morning when the last three German nuclear power plants went off the grid. However, another topic one might have expected to be discussed, was not to be heard. That is; the evacuation of Lützerath in January and the associated lignite mining until 2030. This was despite a long list of signatures from Green Party members before the place´s evacuation. Source: nd-aktuell

Legalisation of cannabis in Germany: some key points

The federal government has initiated the partial legalisation of cannabis. Potentially, in the near future, the purchase and possession of up to 25 grams of cannabis from the age of 18 will be exempt from punishment. The cultivation of few cannabis plants is also to be permitted at home. In addition, the federal government wants to allow the cultivation and distribution of the drug in special associations. In principle, cannabis should no longer be legally classified as a narcotic. The consumption near schools or day-care centres will not be allowed. Source: mdr

NEWS FROM BERLIN

Delays for the “social ticket”

The “social ticket” (Sozialticket) will allow Berliners to use buses and trains in tariff zones A and B for nine euros. But there are issues with the application for the ticket. As announced last Thursday, overloads in the offices and a technical defect make the ticket difficult to apply for. It is not known when the problems might be solved.  Social Senator Katja Kipping (The Left) criticised problems with the social ticket, which affect people who were already living on the edge or below the subsistence level. A possible penalty of 60 euros for missing proof during a check might quickly lead to a debt trap. Source: rbb24

Last Generation and Extinction Rebellion announce actions in Berlin

Climate activists from Extinction Rebellion and Last Generation are calling for protests in Berlin’s government district in the coming days. A protest camp is to be set up in the Invalidenpark from Wednesday until April 17, Extinction Rebellion announced. The park is located between the ministries of transport and economy and climate protection. In addition, Last Generation is calling for “peaceful civil resistance” in Berlin’s government quarter from April 19. There will also be national mobilisation.  Demonstrations and “actions of civil disobedience” are planned for a so-called “spring rebellion.” Source: BZ

Anti-Semitism at demonstration in Berlin

At a Palestinian demonstration in Kreuzberg and Neukölln, hundreds chanted “Death to Israel!” Many apparently made no secret of their hatred against Israel. Police are now investigating several cases of suspected incitement to hatred. Video footage is being analysed as well. Politicians from various parties also expressed their horror at the events. “The right to demonstrate and to defend one’s positions also has limits,” wrote for instance Dennis Radtke (CDU) on Twitter. “Why their transgression was tolerated must be clarified. In the ‘never again’ country, one can only be ashamed of this.” Source: BZ

Hospital reform

“It is the third step before the first,” says Anja Voigt of the Berlin alliance “Health not Profits,” criticising the federal government’s hospital reform proposals. Voigt does not think a shift to outpatient treatment would be wrong if it means patients who did not need inpatient care would not end up in hospitals. “But for that to happen, outpatient care would first have to be expanded before hospitals close down. The patients must go somewhere,” says the nurse. The new CDU-SPD coalition seems to see things similarly: in their coalition agreement, it is written: “We want to ensure health and emergency care close to home even after the reform.” Source: nd-aktuell

NEWS FROM GERMANY

Bicycle parking spaces with light

Bad figures have rarely been presented with such glee: according to a study by the Allgemeiner Deutscher Fahrradclub (ADFC), not even half of the 179 train or S-Bahn stations in Schleswig-Holstein offer bicycle parking considered satisfactory by their users. “But for us, the glass is half full, not half empty,” says ADCF director Jan Voß about the many positive examples, such as parking spaces that have walls made of perforated sheeting, to ensure that it is bright inside, and locks that can be opened by code. Big cities fared poorly in comparison with small towns: they offer such spaces, but clearly too few in view of the large numbers of commuters. Source: taz

Jet thunder over Germany

It’s getting loud over Germany: from June 12 to 23, up to 10,000 soldiers from 24 countries are to take part in NATO’s air war exercise “Air Defender 23.” It is the largest exercise of its kind to date. The bases at Jagel/Hohn (Schleswig-Holstein), Laage (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), Wunstorf (Lower Saxony), Lechfeld (Bavaria), Spangdahlem (Rhineland-Palatinate), as well as Volkel in the Netherlands and Čáslav in the Czech Republic, will be particularly utilized for this purpose. A total of around 200 aircraft are to be transferred to Europe from May onwards, half of them from the USA. Source: nd-aktuell

Strike instead of wage sacrifice

The workers of the insolvent department store chain Galeria Karstadt-Kaufhof (GKK) continue to fight for their rights. On Holy Saturday, they followed a call by the trade union ver.di for an all-day warning strike in three federal states: Baden-Württemberg, the city of Hamburg, and Hesse. The union wants to fight for the recognition of the retail sector regional collective agreements for the approximately 17,000 employees nationwide. So far, the management has refused to return to the national collective agreement, proposing instead a “flexibilisation of working time,” ver.di complained in a press release. Source: jW