Bild: Uschi Glas: My father was in the Waffen-SS / Uschi Glas: Mein Vater war bei der Waffen-SS
FAZ: Steinmeier warns against political cooperation with extremists / Steinmeier warnt vor politischer Zusammenarbeit mit Extremisten
Funke: Steinmeier calls for resistance against right-wing extremism / Steinmeier verlangt Widerstand gegen Rechtsextremismus
Handelsblatt: Municipal utilities lack money / Stadtwerken fehlt Geld
RND: BBC boss resigns after criticism of Trump documentary – speech misleadingly edited? / BBC-Chef tritt nach Kritik an Trump-Doku zurück – Rede irreführend geschnitten?
SZ: Steinmeier: „We must act“ / Steinmeier: „Wir müssen handeln“
Tagesspiegel: Speech for November 9 – President Steinmeier warns against far-right forces / Rede zum 9. November – Bundespräsident Steinmeier warnt vor rechtsextremen Kräften
taz: Climate conference opens in Brazil / Klimakonferenz in Brasilien eröffnet
Welt: Climate neutrality „only if we remain economically strong“ / Klimaneutral, „nur wenn wir wirtschaftlich stark bleiben”
9. November
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier warns of a far-right threat to democracy: At the central memorial event on November 9 at Bellevue Palace, Steinmeier urged the defense of democratic values. He spoke of a growing danger from far-right forces and called on politics and society to show determined resistance. Steinmeier stressed there must be no political cooperation with extremists. A potential party ban procedure should also be considered as a last resort to protect democracy.tagesspiegel.de, rnd.de, handelsblatt.com, zdfheute.de, spiegel.de
- German history remembers both the 1938 Pogrom Night and the 1989 fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9. While November 9, 1938, stands for the crimes of National Socialism, November 9, 1989, marks the end of Germany’s division and the beginning of reunification. tagesschau.de
- Family Minister Karin Prien called for decisive action against antisemitism on the anniversary of the Pogrom Night. Speaking in Amsterdam, she recalled the atrocities of 1938, emphasized the importance of remembrance, and referred to her own family history. Prien was born in Amsterdam.
- The Left Party warned of rising antisemitism in Germany while rejecting blanket accusations against the left. Party leaders and parliamentary chairs stressed that remembrance must go hand in hand with active commitment against Jew-hatred. spiegel.de
- Israel’s ambassador Ron Prosor sees left-wing antisemitism as the greatest danger, as it often hides behind moral and intellectual pretense. He warned that the line between opinion and incitement has long been crossed in universities and cultural institutions.
- Charlotte Knobloch called for an end to social passivity toward right-wing extremism on the anniversary of the 1938 pogroms. In view of high polling numbers for far-right parties, she urged people not to hope that the threat would simply pass.
- The Frankfurt Jewish community remains concerned for its security despite the ceasefire in Gaza. Chairman Benjamin Graumann expressed deep concern about the current situation on the anniversary of the Pogrom Night.
- Minister of State for Culture Wolfram Weimer described the fall of the Berlin Wall as „the harvest of a hard-fought struggle by hopeful people.“ Speaking in Mödlareuth, he recalled the peaceful revolution of 1989 and, in light of social polarization, urged the defense of democratic values. tagesschau.de
- Berlin commemorated the 36th anniversary of the fall of the Wall with roses and a memorial ceremony. Axel Klausmeier, director of the Berlin Wall Foundation, emphasized the responsibility to preserve democracy, freedom, and human rights.
GAZA
Hamas hands over several bodies of Israeli hostages: The militant Islamist group Hamas has transferred several bodies to the Red Cross in Gaza, which were then brought to Israel. One of them was Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier abducted in Rafah in 2014 during a military operation. Israel had earlier confirmed the identities of two other hostages returned — an Israeli-Argentinian citizen and a student from Tanzania — both kidnapped and killed in a kibbutz on October 7, 2023. Former hostages held a rally in Tel Aviv calling for the return of all remaining bodies from Gaza. spiegel.de, welt.de, n-tv.de
- Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have again caused several fatalities. According to Lebanon’s state news agency NNA, two men were killed in their car on a rural road in the southeast. Earlier, seven people were injured in an Israeli strike on the southern town of Bint Jbeil. The Israeli army said it was targeting a militia allied with Hezbollah.
- Israel’s former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sharply criticized attacks by extremist settlers in the West Bank, accusing the army of inaction. He said the violence contradicts Jewish tradition and Israeli values. Olmert also recalled his failed 2009 proposal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for a two-state solution.
Ukraine imposes new sanctions on Putin’s inner circle: Kyiv has sanctioned several influential figures close to the Russian president, including government officials, an oligarch, a military intelligence officer, and an alleged collaborator. Among those affected is reportedly Kirill Dmitriev, an investment banker involved in international negotiations.
- US President Donald Trump nominates John Coale, previously Deputy Special Envoy for Ukraine, as Special Envoy for Belarus. Coale played a key role in negotiations to secure the release of prisoners from Belarus and is expected to continue these efforts. The United States has recently intensified its diplomatic activities toward the authoritarian state, sending several delegations to Minsk this year.
- Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico announces he will block EU plans to use frozen Russian assets to fund military aid for Ukraine. He rejects any participation in measures that would channel the funds for military purposes, warning that such steps would only prolong the war.
- The United States is reviewing a Russian proposal to extend the nuclear arms reduction limits defined in the “New START” treaty by another year, according to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Washington has not yet issued a substantive response; President Vladimir Putin tied the offer to a corresponding commitment from the US.
- Austria’s Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger sharply condemned a drone strike on a journalist and aid workers’ vehicle marked with a humanitarian logo in eastern Ukraine, calling deliberate attacks on civilians and journalists unacceptable. The Austrian correspondent and his team near the city of Kostyantynivka were able to leave the vehicle in time. handelsblatt.com
- US President Donald Trump signals that Hungary may receive a possible exemption from new US sanctions against Russian oil companies, citing the country’s particular dependence on Russian energy. The US imposed sanctions in mid-October on Russian oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil. During a meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the White House, Trump also reaffirmed his intention to hold a summit with President Putin in Budapest. zdfheute.de
- Ukraine’s Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets demands that the rights of Serhiy K., detained in Italy and on a hunger strike in critical condition, be respected. He is accused in connection with the Nord Stream sabotage. His wife reported that he continues his hunger strike. (n-tv.de)
- The EU will no longer issue multiple-entry Schengen visas to Russian citizens. To ensure consistent and thorough screening, Russians will now need to apply for a new visa for each trip to the EU. euronews.com
ZDF Political Barometer by Forschungsgruppe Wahlen: CDU/CSU 26 percent (-1), AfD 26 percent (+1), SPD 14 percent (-1), Greens 12 percent (+1), Left Party 10 percent, Others 12 percent. (Comparison with two weeks ago) zdf.de
BamS Sunday Trend by Insa: CDU/CSU 25 percent, AfD 26 percent, SPD 15 percent, Greens 12 percent (+1), Left Party 11 percent, BSW 4 percent, FDP 3 percent, Others 4 percent. bild.de
CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann calls for agreement on citizens’ allowance and military service by Thursday: Ahead of the coalition committee meeting, Linnemann is urging a swift compromise on the citizens’ allowance reform and the conscription debate. Speaking on *Bericht aus Berlin*, he expressed confidence that a deal on the new basic security could be reached soon, as talks with the SPD were progressing successfully and a core agreement was already in place. However, it remains unclear whether the new service model will rely on voluntary or mandatory elements. Linnemann emphasized that a solution in this area before the coalition leaders’ meeting would also be desirable.
- The general secretaries of CDU and SPD are calling for unity in reforming the social security systems in a joint article for T-Online* Both parties must challenge established assumptions to ensure the long-term viability of healthcare, nursing, and pensions, wrote Carsten Linnemann and Tim Klüssendorf. t-online.de
- Defense Minister Boris Pistorius believes CDU/CSU and SPD are close to an agreement on the military service reform, which is expected to take effect in early 2026. Still unresolved are mechanisms for cases where there are not enough volunteers, an issue currently under negotiation.
- Black-Red coalition struggles for agreement: dispute over mandatory wage agreements in public contracts. tagesspiegel.de
- The black-red coalition remains divided over the heating law: CSU leader Markus Söder called on *ZDF* for its repeal, referring to the coalition agreement. Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, however, seeks reform instead. He justifies this by pointing to Germany’s failures in meeting climate and transport goals and aims to maintain the existing subsidy structure. zdfheute.de (Söder); tagesschau.de(Schneider)
Left-wing SPD members push internal petition against citizens’ allowance reform plans: Opponents of the coalition’s proposed tightening of the citizens’ allowance rules within the SPD claim to have collected enough signatures for a members’ initiative. Former Juso leader Franziska Drohsel announced that she will submit the lists to the party leadership on Monday. The initiative aims to stop the planned changes to the citizens’ allowance. Drohsel emphasized that „wrong projects remain wrong,“ even if the initiative could strain the coalition further.
Defense Minister Boris Pistorius announces Bundeswehr modernization: He plans to present an agenda by Easter. Speaking at the Bundeswehr conference in Berlin, he called for a new leadership culture that tolerates mistakes to foster decisiveness. He also commissioned evaluations of military training and a growth plan with specific measures and figures for the active force. Pistorius emphasized that defense is a shared responsibility of the state, the economy, and society. ndr.de
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz urges a faster strengthening of Germany’s military capabilities and calls for a shift in mentality within administration and procurement. „Today’s threats cannot be met with yesterday’s bureaucracy,“ he said. zeit.de
- According to Bundeswehr leadership, Germany plays a key role within NATO as a logistical and operational hub. Lieutenant General Bernd Sollfrank, head of the Operational Command, stated at the Bundeswehr conference in Berlin that in the event of a crisis, Germany would serve as NATO’s central deployment base. Due to this role, Russia deliberately targets Germany.
- Inspector General Carsten Breuer called for consistent deterrence against Moscow, stressing that Russia must never believe it could win a war against NATO—or even a single member state.
- The Bundeswehr is to receive 20 additional Airbus helicopters. handelsblatt.com
Afghan protection seekers demand Germany honor its resettlement promises: In an open letter, they rejected an offer by Interior Minister Dobrindt to return to Afghanistan in exchange for money. They emphasized that they fled not from poverty but from violence and death and that many have been waiting in Pakistan for months for their visas. tagesschau.de
Bundestag:
- The gas storage levy for consumers has been abolished. The resulting costs of up to 3.4 billion euros will be covered by the Climate and Transformation Fund until 2025. The levy had been 0.289 cents per kilowatt hour, costing an average four-person household around 30 to 60 euros per year. t-online.de
- Funding for the *Deutschlandticket* is secured until 2030. The federal and state governments will each contribute 1.5 billion euros annually, while the ticket price will rise to 63 euros next year. The Bundestag approved the relevant amendment.zeit.de
- The Bundestag held its first debate on the *Location Promotion Act*, designed to facilitate private investment in infrastructure and financial markets. Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil called it a signal of economic strength and a driver of new jobs.
Care Commissioner Claudia Staffler plans to restrict benefits for recipients with care level 1: household assistance subsidies should only be granted after individual review; physical activity may sometimes be more beneficial than external help. The German Patient Protection Foundation criticized the proposal as insensitive and warned of the potential for additional bureaucracy. Currently, recipients with care level 1 receive up to €131 per month for support services.
Stricter penalties for sexual offenses demanded: Federal and state justice ministers agreed at their autumn conference in Leipzig to criminalize the possession of rape videos and urged the federal government to draft a law. They remain divided on whether voyeuristic recordings or sexually motivated harassment should also be punishable. Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig announced plans for a separate initiative. The ministers also agreed on further digitalization projects for the judiciary, including online procedures and improvements to the judicial portal. stern.de
Number of students in Germany to rise until 2032: According to the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs, the number of pupils will increase to nearly 11.8 million by 2032, followed by a slight decline. Even in 2040, more children and teenagers will be in the education system than today, providing the federal states with key planning data for schools and staffing. zdfheute.de, zeit.de
Other news:
- SPD parliamentary leader Matthias Miersch: „The coalition will hold together.“ handelsblatt.com
- Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger wants to make Germany’s networks more independent.
- CDU General Secretary Carsten Linnemann wants to return not only criminals but also other Syrians to their homeland.
- Economy Minister Reiche announces new investments in raw materials.
- Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul seeks stronger lithium cooperation with Bolivia.
- Drug Commissioner Hendrick Streeck proposes staggered age limits for social media use.
- Consumer advocates and the Greens criticize the coalition’s plan to restrict access to medical records. rnd.de
- Concerns grow over Germany’s international reputation following AfD delegation’s trip to Russia. handelsblatt.com
- Saxony-Anhalt CDU lead candidate Sven Schulze: „The AfD clearly communicates that it wants a different country. Most people don’t want that.“welt.de
- Debate on deportations: BAMF reportedly recognizes less than one percent of Syrians as eligible for protection. tagesspiegel.de
- Research spending in Germany rises only slightly. faz.net
Former Economics Minister Sigmar Gabriel and former Chancellery Chief Peter Altmaier have distanced themselves from cooperation on Nord Stream 2. Before the parliamentary inquiry committee in Schwerin, both denied any coordinated cooperation between the federal government and the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline project. Altmaier said there had been no reason for joint action, while Gabriel emphasized that neither the federal nor the state government had been involved in planning or construction. Gabriel admitted that Germany had underestimated Vladimir Putin and his course toward Europe – a decisive mistake in German Russia policy. The Nord Stream 2 pipeline was never put into operation after the sabotage attack in September 2022. ndr.de
Other news:
- Berlin: Scandal shakes Berlin SPD in Neukölln; district mayor and Berlin SPD co-chair Martin Hikel will not run again after internal party criticism of his handling of clan crime. sueddeutsche.de
- Berlin: Pankow Greens decide against Stefan Gelbhaar as direct candidate for the upcoming state election. tagesspiegel.de
- Brandenburg: BSW yields in dispute over new public broadcasting contracts. spiegel.de
- North Rhine-Westphalia: Thousands demonstrate in Cologne for the release of imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan in Turkey. wdr.de
- Lower Saxony: Uyghur woman deported to China. n-tv.de
- Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Daniel Peters nominated as CDU lead candidate for the 2026 state election. nordkurier.de
- Schleswig-Holstein: Green Party leader Anke Erdmann calls decision passed with AfD support a „serious mistake.“ spiegel.de
- Schleswig-Holstein: Kiel’s mayor Ulf Kämpfer to become SPD’s lead candidate for the 2027 state election. shz.de
- Bavaria: Around 40 pro-Palestinian activists storm Technical University of Munich; university threatens trespassing charges. sueddeutsche.de
- Lower Saxony: The world’s largest agricultural technology fair, Agritechnica, opened in Hanover on Sunday under the motto „Touch Smart Efficiency,“ expecting 430,000 visitors. agrarheute.com
NATO wants to make nuclear deterrence more visible: Secretary General Mark Rutte announced in Welt am Sonntag that the alliance’s nuclear capabilities will be brought more to the forefront in order to deter Russia more credibly. Society, he said, needs to be better informed about nuclear deterrence to respond more calmly to Russian rhetoric. The Kremlin is increasingly using dangerous threats, while NATO focuses on stability and the prevention of war. Currently, only the U.S., France, and the U.K. possess nuclear weapons within the alliance. Russia remains the largest nuclear power with around 5,500 warheads; the U.S. has 5,044. welt.de, tagesschau.de
EPP leader Manfred Weber pushes for broad relief in the EU supply chain law: Ahead of the vote in the European Parliament, Weber urged centrist factions to support a significant weakening of the directive. He is calling for small and medium-sized enterprises in Europe to be completely exempt from its obligations. Weber sees this as a necessary signal to businesses in response to growing frustration over bureaucratic burdens. He announced plans to take determined action to reduce European regulations. focus.de, rnd.de
EU and CELAC agree on a security alliance against organized crime: At the summit in the Colombian coastal city of Santa Marta, the EU and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) agreed to significantly expand their security cooperation. A new alliance is planned to strengthen coordination between police, judicial, and customs authorities from both regions. In addition to fighting drug trafficking and corruption, it will also target smuggling networks, human trafficking, and environmental crimes. Germany is represented in the negotiations by Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. stern.de, zeit.de
World Climate Conference:
- Environmental and development aid organizations criticize Germany for cuts in its development aid budget, which negatively affect international climate financing. According to Oxfam and WWF, the government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also had an unconvincing start on the international climate stage. At a meeting of heads of state and government in Belém, Merz declared that Germany remains committed to EU climate goals but that energy must remain affordable, secure, and reliably available in the long term.
- Chancellor Merz announced Germany’s participation in Brazil’s rainforest fund but did not specify an amount. The fund, „Tropical Forests Forever,“ aims to reward countries for preserving their forests and penalize destruction, with a total volume of 125 billion dollars.
- Greenpeace is calling on Germany to make binding climate commitments at the UN conference. It is important to clarify Germany’s contribution, said Greenpeace head Martin Kaiser in an interview with DLF. He criticized Chancellor Friedrich Merz for a lack of clarity regarding the financing of Brazil’s rainforest fund. tagesschau.de
- Green Party parliamentary leader Katharina Dröge accuses the government of backsliding on climate policy and failing to set an international example. She criticized Merz’s vague promise regarding the rainforest fund and called for ambitious investments to keep up with countries like China in the energy transition and e-mobility. n-tv.de
- Environment Minister Carsten Schneider considers Germany a European leader in climate protection and reaffirmed the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2045. He emphasized technological innovation and German engineering as key to achieving this goal.
- UN: Climate crisis has already forced millions of people to flee. zdfheute.de
Increasing cases of cyberbullying among adults: According to a new study by the „Alliance Against Cyberbullying,“ digital violence is no longer just a youth phenomenon. Association head Uwe Leest said that attacks among adults are becoming more frequent, especially in the workplace, on social networks, and within circles of friends. The representative study shows that both perpetrators and victims are increasingly older. mdr.de
Other news:
- Institute of the German Economy: Shortage of skilled workers is greatest in the healthcare sector. zeit.de
- Membership in the AfD is no longer compatible with belonging to the Catholic social association Kolping. welt.de
- Siemens has been awarded a multibillion-euro contract from Switzerland for the construction of suburban trains. handelsblatt.com
- Fewer solar systems have been installed than in the first three quarters of the previous year. zdfheute.de
- Germany has 72 post offices that are fully automated. heise.de
- Council Chair of the Protestant Church (EKD) Kirsten Fehrs responds to the current threat situation: ethical aspects of security and peace must be more closely linked; she rejects the term „fit for war.“ faz.net
- Nobel Prize winner in medicine and discoverer of the DNA double helix, James Watson, has died. tagesspiegel.de
Transform your creative business this spring! Join our Creative Business Club for monthly support in making your business flow naturally with your energy.
New Workshops:
– „Who Are You Really Talking To?“ – Move beyond basic demographics to deeply understand and connect with your ideal clients through bold embodied wisdom.
– „Find Your Creative Voice and Make It Louder“ – Uncover your unique creative expression and learn how to amplify it authentically. Perfect for creatives ready to stand out and be heard.
Both workshops combine embodiment practices with practical business strategies for sustainable success.
Limited spots are available. Details and registration here leonora@letsflow.coach
The German Queue Paradox. Germans are famous for their love of order — except when there’s no actual line to stand in. Whether at a bakery counter or boarding a train, the concept of first come, first served sometimes turns into a polite but intense game of spatial chess. Everyone knows who was there first — somehow — yet no one forms an actual queue. It’s an unspoken system of fairness… enforced by collective side-eye.