Is Germany's Far-right Populist AfD Party Spying for Russia?

DEUTSCHE WELLE (DW): Lawmakers accuse the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party of using its parliamentary powers to gather intelligence on Germany's critical infrastructure to share it with Russia.

Allegations of espionage against the Alternative for Germany (AfD) have been raised by the interior minister of the state of Thuringia. In an interview with Handelsblatt, Social Democrat (SPD) Georg Maier expressed concern that the AfD is abusing its parliamentary powers to gather information about Germany's transport infrastructure, water supply, digital infrastructure and energy supply.

"With its requests, one gets the impression that the AfD is working through a list of tasks assigned by the Kremlin," Maier told the newspaper this week.

He pointed out that the Thuringian branch of the AfD had submitted 47 such inquiries to the state parliament in the past 12 months alone — and with "increasing intensity and depth of detail."

"The AfD is particularly interested in IT and equipment used by the police, for example in the area of drone detection and defense," Maier said. Equipment used in civil protection, health care and Bundeswehr activities are also the subject of inquiries. » | Hans Pfeifer | Sunday, October 26, 2025

How German Politicians Are Responding to the US National Security Strategy | DW News

Dec 10, 2025 | The new US national security strategy has sent shockwaves through Europe. It signals a major shift in US–EU relations and urges Europe to take primary responsibility for its own defense. DW’s political correspondent Simon Young speaks with Metin Hakverdi, the German government’s coordinator for transatlantic cooperation, and Boris Mijatovic, a member of the German parliament, about what this strategy means for US–EU relations and the future of the transatlantic partnership.

Friedrich Merz Challenges US Strategy, Calls Europe Fully Independent Now

Dec 9, 2025 | Friedrich Merz Challenges US Strategy, Calls Europe Fully Independent Now

Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz strongly questions parts of the new US National Security Strategy, warning that Europe does not need American intervention to “save democracy.” His comments come after Washington referred to “civilizational erasure” in Europe, raising concerns across EU capitals. This video explains the debate, the political signals from Berlin, and what this means for Europe’s independence and transatlantic relations.

King Charles Welcomes German President on First State Visit in 27 Years

BBC: King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales have welcomed the German president to the UK for a state visit.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Budenbender landed at Heathrow airport on Wednesday morning and will receive an elaborate ceremonial reception in Windsor, beginning with a carriage ride to the castle.

It is the first German state visit in 27 years.

Such state visits are about projecting soft power and building relationships, and the three-day visit will see a mix of pageantry, politics and culture.

Events for the president will include a state banquet, speaking in Parliament, meeting the PM in Downing Street and visiting German footballers who play in the Premier League.

German flags are flying along Windsor High Street and the visitors will be given a formal welcoming ceremony and will view a military parade on the manicured lawns inside Windsor Castle.

State visits are planned by the Foreign Office to cultivate diplomatic relations with important partners. » | Sean Coughlan, Royal correspondent, Windsor | Wednesday, December 3, 2025

German Christmas Markets: Classics, Highlights and Special Locations

Nov 27, 2025 | Every year, Germany boasts around 2,500 Christmas markets, more than any other country! We'll share everything you need to know: the most beautiful, popular, and unusual markets, the types of food available at each, and the traditions that characterize each region. …

Frederick Trump - The Immigrant Grandfather of Donald Trump | Documentary

Nov 20, 2025 | Frederick Trump was a poor German barber’s son who crossed the Atlantic as a teenager and died a wealthy American businessman. In between, he chased the Gold Rush, ran hotels and brothels on the frontier, and laid the financial foundations for one of the most controversial political dynasties in modern history. This is the story of the immigrant who started the Trump dynasty.

In this full-length biographical documentary, we follow Frederick Trump’s journey from Kallstadt in the Kingdom of Bavaria to the raw, lawless world of the American West and the Klondike Gold Rush. Long before Donald Trump entered politics or became a global celebrity, his grandfather was building the family fortune in an America of opportunity, corruption and rapid change.

German Man with Alleged Neo-Nazi Links Arrested over Darknet Assassination Calls

THE GUARDIAN: Prosecutor says suspect ran platform with lists of politicians’ names and requests for crypto donations, to be offered as ‘bounties’

Germany’s chief federal prosecutor has announced the arrest of a German-Polish national with alleged neo-Nazi ties who is accused of calling on the darknet for the assassination of top politicians and seeking donations for bounties on their heads.

More than 20 people were on the list of potential targets, including former chancellors Angela Merkel and Olaf Scholz as well as judges and ex-government ministers, local media reported.

On his platform Assassination Politics, the 49-year-old suspect, identified only as Martin S, is alleged to have published personal data of prominent people as well as “charge sheets” and “death sentences”.

The suspect, who was arrested late on Monday in the western city of Dortmund, where he lives with his family, faces charges including financing terrorism, inciting others to commit a serious act of violence that endangers the state and committing the dangerous dissemination of personal data. » | Deborah Cole in Berlin | Tuesday, November 11, 2025

Book Burnings: How the Nazis First Burned Books and Then People

May 7, 2023 | Book burnings - in the past and the present - stand as one of the most powerful symbols of intolerance and censorship. On May 10, 1933, only a few months after Hitler's rise to power, tens of thousands of books were burned in more than twenty German cities. Most books were works by Jewish authors. But works by political dissidents were also blacklisted. Numerous writers were forced to go into exile, while many of those who stayed in Germany were imprisoned or murdered. The Nazis replaced the Weimar Republic’s once vibrant culture with Nazi propaganda and a carefully tailored concept of what they wanted “German culture” to be.

In this episode of "Arts Unveiled", DW History Reporter Susanne Spröer sets forth to investigate why the idea to burn books took hold of universities across Germany in 1933. What role did the symbolism of fire play? Which authors were blacklisted? What happened to them afterwards? And what do young people today think about these acts of cultural destruction?

November 9: A Day of Destiny?

Nov 8, 2025 | Why is November 9th such a significant date in Germany and what does it have to do with German democracy? In this History Story we explore the questions: Why did the Nazis choose November 9th, of all days, for marches, festivities - and for their first major violent attack on Jews, known internationally as "Kristallnacht" or "The Night of Broken Glass"? How did the date come to symbolize new beginnings, and freedom? And why is November 9th a day of mourning for so many people? The date, known in Germany as “Schicksalstag” or “Day of Destiny”, has been instrumentalized to overwrite history and decide the fates of German citizens.

We talk to historian and author Wolfgang Niess, who in his book "Der 9. November - Die Deutschen und ihr Schicksalstag", explains the background and historical context of this day. Israeli filmmaker Yael Reuveny shares the feelings and associations that November 9th evokes and how Jewish people feel living in Germany. For many years, Berlin was a refuge for Israelis dissatisfied with their home country's politics. However, since the October 7th multi-front terror attacks on Israel by the militant group Hamas and the ensuing Israeli bombardment of Gaza, Germany is experiencing a wave of antisemitic crimes. Although state policy upholds the protection of Jewish life, antisemitism is nonetheless deeply rooted, and on the rise.

German democracy - a fragile achievement. It's been fought for time and again in Germany. On November 9th, we are reminded of the need to remain vigilant in its defence.

Inside Germany's Massive Spending Spree | Business Beyond

Oct 31, 2025 | After years of economic stagnation, Germany is investing hundreds of billions of euros into modernizing its infrastructure and promoting climate-friendly technology. The huge spending reverses a long period of frugality, in which the country was limited by strict borrowing rules, enshrined in the constitution. Now Chancellor Friedrich Merz is loosening the country`s purse strings and promising swift changes. Can this policy u-turn transform Germany`s economic fortunes and what will it take to turn all this money into growth?

The World They Tried to Erase: How the Nazis DESTROYED 40 Years of Same-Sex History in One Day

Uncover the lost history of a world the Nazis tried to burn from memory.

Tonight, we journey back to 1920s Berlin, a city of vibrant culture and radical ideas. Here, one man built a sanctuary of science and justice—the world's first LGBTQ+ research institute. It was a beacon of hope and a library of souls, holding the untold history of thousands who were searching for acceptance and truth. But as a dark shadow fell over Germany, this incredible world and all its forbidden knowledge became the target of a brutal act of erasure.

The Path to Nazi Genocide | 2025 | Holocaust Education

Oct 20, 2025 | This 38-minute film introduces the history of the Holocaust. It begins by looking back at the major changes from 1918 to 1933 that created the political climate for the birth and rise of the Nazi Party in Germany. It explores the basis for the party’s support among ordinary Germans and the military, government, and business establishment before and after Hitler was appointed chancellor in January 1933.

After 1933, Nazi leaders used violence and intimidation, propaganda, laws and decrees, and parliamentary maneuvers to quickly destroy the remains of democratic rule. Having established a dictatorship, leaders began pursuing ideological goals. These included the purification and strengthening of the “superior” German “race” and the return of Germany to great power status through economic revival and the build-up of the military.

Jews, who were viewed in Nazi ideology as a separate and dangerous “race,” went from being German citizens with full equal rights to outcasts. They were pressured to immigrate and excluded from the racially based “people’s community” that gave many Germans, especially youth, a sense of belonging. Other excluded groups included Roma, persons with disabilities, gay men, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and political opponents.

During World War II, which began in 1939, German military conquests and alliances endangered Jews living in countries across German-dominated Europe. The German invasion of the Soviet Union in summer 1941, envisioned by Nazi leaders and the German military as a “war of annihilation,” was a key turning point on the path to the genocide of Europe’s Jews. The murder of 6 million Jewish men, women, and children required the active participation or acquiescence of countless Germans and Europeans from all walks of life.

German Retirees Who Continue Working Set to Earn €2,000 a Month Tax-free

THE GUARDIAN: Active pension scheme expected to start in January is part of chancellor’s ‘autumn of reforms’ to tackle economic stagnation

Germans who continue in the labour market beyond retirement age will be able to earn up to €2,000 (£1,750) a month tax-free on top of their pension under a scheme aimed at boosting economic growth and labour force participation rates.

The “Aktivrente”, or active pension scheme, due to come into force in January, was promised on the campaign trail by the chancellor, Friedrich Merz, before he came into office five months ago.

The government, a coalition of Merz’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and junior partners the Social Democrats (SPD), hopes the plan will incentivise post-retirement working.

A draft law is expected to be approved by the cabinet on Wednesday – after Merz won over his Social Democrat sceptics earlier this month – then debated in the Bundestag. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin | Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Brit in Germany: Germany's Work Life Balance Myth: What They Don't Show You

Oct 5, 2025 | Germany is often painted as this work-life-balance utopia but is it really true. Is job security still "a thing?" Do people really clock off at 5pm? And is work life balance something we should even be striving for?

Thirty-five Years after Reunification, How Has Germany's Global Role Evolved? | DW News

Oct 4, 2025 | Over the past 35 years, Germans have become reacquainted with each other in many ways. Overcoming decades of division has been an enormous task, guided by only five chancellors. The country's sense of self within Europe and around the world has undergone a profound transformation. This process has been welcomed by some but not by all.

The Last German Empress – Augusta Victoria and the Fate of Her Children

Sep 8, 2025 | A Moving Documentary about the Fate of Germany’s Last Imperial Family In 1918, not only did the German Empire collapse – a completely new and uncertain life also began for the family of Empress Augusta Victoria. This documentary tells the moving story of the last German Empress, her seven children, and an era that was lost forever.

German Cabinet Agrees to Boost Army Recruitment | DW News

Sep 13, 2025 | Germany's cabinet has recently passed a draft law to introduce voluntary military service. The legislation leaves the door open for a return to compulsory conscription, which was suspended in 2011. As the army, or Bundeswehr, struggles to fill the ranks, we asked young Germans how they feel about the plan.

The Dilemma that Could Test the AfD's Rising Popularity | DW News

Sep 11, 2025 | Germany’s far-right AfD is the second largest party in parliament, and gaining support according to polls. But one word—remigration— risks dividing the party. Featuring exclusive interviews, this deep dive reveals the internal battles, extremist ties, and constitutional risks that could make or break the AfD’s future.

The Nazi-Finnish Alliance: How A Desperate Nation Sought Hitler's Help

Sep 6, 2025 | Finland's collaboration with Nazi Germany during World War II was a complex and controversial strategy driven by the threat of Soviet Russia. Led by Carl Gustaf Mannerheim, Finland sought an ally after the 1939 Winter War to reclaim lost territory and secure its independence. While initially defining themselves as "co-belligerents," Finland's cooperation with the Nazis deepened, including the recruitment of volunteers for the Waffen SS. However, Mannerheim's decision to later distance his country from the Nazis and his cunning political maneuvers ultimately allowed Finland to negotiate a separate peace, ensuring its survival and avoiding a Soviet occupation. This unique history raises the question of whether it's possible to be a "good collaborator" when the alternative is annihilation.

EU Willing to Rework Brexit Deal, Says Top German in Brussels

THE TELEGRAPH: War over Britain’s departure is ‘definitely’ over, says Manfred Weber, leader of largest group in European Parliament

The EU is willing to negotiate a better, mutually beneficial trade deal with Britain, one of Brussels’ most powerful conservatives has said.

Manfred Weber is president of the influential centre-Right European People’s Party (EPP), which counts 13 prime ministers among its membership, including Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor.

Mr Weber, the centre-Right Bavarian MEP who leads the largest group in the European Parliament, was once a fierce critic of Brexit. However, he told The Telegraph the EU’s Brexit war with Britain was over, in a sign that Sir Keir Starmer could push for a renegotiation of the reset deal agreed in May.

The Government will be cautious about any concessions the EU could seek after the bloc previously cautioned Britain against any “cherry-picking” – attempting to gain the benefits of single market membership without the obligations.

In the reset deal, Sir Keir agreed to follow EU rules, aligning with European food standards and submitting to the European Court of Justice in exchange for the freedom to export goods with fewer customs checks. » | James Crisp, European Editor, in Berlin | Sunday, August 31, 2025