Nazi Database Takes Germans on Personal Journey into Their Families’ Dark Pasts

THE GUARDIAN: Die Zeit’s online database of individuals’ Nazi membership is prompting a reckoning as people uncover ties to regime

Screenshot taken from this Guardian article. | A 1930s Nazi rally in Nuremberg, Germany Photograph: Shutterstock
Olaf Köndgen is 64 years old, a German citizen and a senior European human rights expert who has lived and worked in France for several years. Last month, Köndgen learned that he is also the son of a Nazi.

Despite a strong interest in history and its lessons, Köndgen is typical of many 21st-century Germans in having had only the roughest outlines of his own family’s complicity with Hitler’s regime.

That began to change in early April, when the newspaper Die Zeit launched an online search engine for the vast archives of the National Socialist German Workers’ party (NSDAP), making information about individuals’ Nazi membership easily accessible for the first time.

Die Zeit has described an extraordinary response from the public, reflecting intense interest in unearthing long-buried family secrets more than eight decades after the end of the second world war.

The tool has been accessed “millions of times” and shared “by the thousands”, with more than 1,000 reader comments appearing on the site, according to Christian Staas, the newspaper’s history editor. » | Deborah Cole in Berlin | Monday, May 4, 2026

Republicans ‘Concerned’ after Trump Threatens to Withdraw More US Troops from Germany

THE GUARDIAN: US announced withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers last week after German chancellor said US was being ‘humiliated’ by Iran

Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw more US troops from Germany after stunning European leaders and some senior members of his own party by last week announcing the withdrawal of 5,000 soldiers from Germany.

The move left 30,000 US troops still in the country, according to CNN. But Trump threatened on Saturday that more cuts were coming. “We are going to cut way down, and we’re cutting a lot further than 5,000,” he told reporters on Saturday.

Trump’s initial move to reduce US personnel in Germany came after German chancellor Friedrich Merz said the US was being “humiliated” by Iran.

The Pentagon then announced on Friday it was withdrawing 5,000 troops from Germany. The decision came after a “thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground”, a spokesman said. » | Sam Levine | Sunday, May 3, 2026

U.S. to Withdraw 5,000 Troops From Germany, Pentagon Says

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Officials announced the decision after President Trump expressed annoyance with the German chancellor’s remarks about the Iran war.

Pentagon officials said on Friday that they were pulling 5,000 troops from Germany and would redeploy them to the United States and other posts overseas.

The Defense Department is also canceling a plan developed under the Biden administration to place a missile-equipped artillery unit in Europe.

The moves will return U.S. forces in Europe to the level they were in 2022, before Russia began its war in Ukraine, the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the planning process. Last year, the Pentagon redeployed a brigade in Romania and did not send replacement forces.

Sean Parnell, a Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement that the withdrawal would be completed over the next six to 12 months. » | Julian E. Barnes and Helene Cooper | Reporting from Washington | Friday, May 1, 2026

Trump has had yet another temper tantrum! So, what’s new? Friedrich Merz spoke the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Obviously, Trump doesn’t like to hear the truth. — © Mark Alexander

READ ALSO:

How Germany Misjudged Trump’s Anger on Iran: After Chancellor Friedrich Merz upset President Trump with criticism of the war, he offered no public sign he believed Mr. Trump’s threats to pull troops were serious. »

À LIRE AUSSI :

Le Pentagone annonce le retrait de 5000 soldats américains stationnés en Allemagne : Cette décision, ordonnée par le secrétaire à la Défense, doit être mise en œuvre dans un délai d’un an. »

LESEN SIE AUCH:

Streit mit Merz eskaliert: Trump zieht 5000 Soldaten aus Deutschland ab – Pistorius reagiert: Nach dem angekündigten Abzug von 5000 US-Soldaten aus Deutschland gibt sich die Bundesregierung gelassen. Verteidigungsminister Boris Pistorius nennt den Schritt „absehbar“. »

Trump Tells Merz to ‘Fix His Broken Country’ in New Attack on German Chancellor

THE GUARDIAN: US president’s latest outburst comes a day after he suggested a ‘possible reduction’ in US troops in Germany

Donald Trump has again lashed out at Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, saying he should focus on “fixing his broken country” and trying to end the Russia-Ukraine war – and spend less time “interfering” in Iran.

“The Chancellor of Germany should spend more time on ending the war with Russia/Ukraine (Where he has been totally ineffective!),” Trump wrote in a social media post.

Merz should instead focus on “fixing his broken Country,” he wrote, “especially Immigration and Energy, and less time on interfering with those that are getting rid of the Iran Nuclear threat, thereby making the World, including Germany, a safer place!”

Trump’s latest outburst came a day after he suggested the US military presence in Germany was being reviewed, with a “possible reduction” of troops under consideration. » | Kate Connolly in Berlin and Jakub Krupa | Thursday, April 30, 2026

Trump Threatens to Reduce Troop Numbers in Germany amid Growing Row with Nato Allies

THE GUARDIAN: US president’s threat comes after Germany’s Friedrich Merz suggests Trump team is being outplayed in its negotiations with Iran

The US may reduce its number of troops deployed in Germany, Donald Trump has announced, days after the country’s chancellor said America was being “humiliated” by Iran.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the US president said his administration was “studying and reviewing the possible reduction of troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period of time”.

On Monday, Friedrich Merz suggested the Trump team was being outplayed in its negotiations with Iran to secure an end to the ongoing war and a reopening of the strait of Hormuz.

“The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very skilful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then leave again without any result,” the German chancellor said.

Merz reiterated his criticisms on Wednesday, saying Europe was “suffering” from the consequences of the closure of the strait. » | Jonathan Yerushalmy | Thursday, April 30, 2026

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Pope Opposes German Bishops, Says Church Shouldn’t Bless Same-sex Couples

LGBTQ NATION: LGBTQ+ Catholic groups welcomed the Pope’s comments as an overdue clarification of the Church’s priorities.

Pope Leo XIV has suggested that the Catholic Church should focus more on matters of justice and equality than on sexual morality. He made his comments while responding to a question about blessing same-sex couples.

Speaking with reporters aboard a flight back to Rome last Thursday, following an 11-day tour of Africa, the first American pope was asked about German Cardinal Reinhard Marx’s recent guidance on formalizing blessings for same-sex couples and couples that include people who have been divorced, Reuters reported. » | John Russell | Monday, April 27, 2026

Exploring Hitler’s Munich: The Birthplace of Nazism I SLICE History | Full Documentary

Apr 17, 2026 | Munich was more than a backdrop to Hitler’s rise. It was the city where the Nazi movement took shape, where party ritual, propaganda, architecture, and repression were embedded into the urban landscape.

Documentary: Exploring Hitler's Munich
Directed by: Frank Gensthaler, Michael Kloft
Production: Spiegel TV (2007)

Germany Triggers Debate by Requiring Men under 45 to Get Permit for Trips Longer than Three Months

Apr 7, 2026 | The new military service law requires all men under 45 to seek approval from the Bundeswehr to leave the country for longer than three months. It also obliges the military career center to issue it.

Top German Soldier Warns Russia Threat Is More Urgent Than Ever | BBC News

Mar 27, 2026 | Germany’s most senior soldier has told the BBC that western leaders must “join the dots” on the war in Iran and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, because they can no longer be seen "in separate boxes".

General Carsten Breuer, the head of the Armed Forces also warned that the threat from Russia had never been more urgent.

The General is overseeing a rapid expansion of Germany military might, which is turning the country into the most powerful conventional force in Europe, as our Special Correspondent, Allan Little reports.

Iran War Widens Rift between US and Germany | DW News

Mar 24, 2026 | The Iran war is putting further strain on transatlantic relations. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has now spoken of a 'deep rift' with the United States. In unusually strong comments, he said that 'there will be no going back to before January 20, 2025', when Donald Trump began his second presidential term. And President Steimeier slammed the US administration for starting the war against Iran. DW’s head of German politics Max Hofmann analyzes the impact of Steinmeier’s remarks on relations with Washington.

Why Germany Struggles with National Identity

Mar 22, 2026 | Nationalism in Germany carries a weight it doesn’t in many other countries.

This video explores why German national identity remains so fragile and why this issue can no longer be ignored.

Live: Germany Refuses to Join Iran War – Merz Explains Why in Address to Parliament | DW News

Mar 18, 2026 | Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz is sharpening his tone on the Iran War. After initially supporting President Trump’s goal of toppling the Iranian regime, Friedrich Merz now says Germany will not join the war. He’s warning that it could have a “massive impact” on Germany's energy cost and that it has the potential to trigger large-scale migration.

Berlin, 1933: Hitler’s Rise Through the Eyes of Diplomats I Pure WW2

Mar 10, 2026 | On January 30, 1933, Adolf Hitler was appointed Chancellor of Germany. Within weeks, the Nazi regime began transforming the state from within. While the world watched with curiosity and uncertainty, foreign diplomats stationed in Berlin witnessed the rise of National Socialism first-hand.

Through private reports, personal notebooks and confidential communications, these diplomats tried to understand the rapidly changing political landscape. They observed how the Nazis seized control of institutions while carefully navigating elite social circles that still included aristocrats and influential figures. High-society receptions became strange stages where Nazi leaders such as Hermann Göring, Rudolf Diels and Ernst Hanfstaengel mingled with diplomats and journalists.

Behind the elegance of Berlin’s salons, however, the signs of persecution and dictatorship were already emerging.

Title: Ambassadors in Berlin
Direction: Pierre-Olivier François
Production: APC & BluePrint Gmbh for France Télévisions (2020)


WIKIPEDIA: Vossische Zeitung »

Why Germany Runs on Systems & Britain Runs on Stories

Feb 22, 2026 | Germany is a country shaped by systems: rules, procedures, institutions, and structures designed to hold society together.

Britain, by contrast, runs on stories: tradition, class, symbolism, and narrative continuity, geography played a defining role in how these societies organised themselves by setting the constraints.

This video explores how those foundations shape everything from work and politics to identity and belonging, and why misunderstanding this difference leads to so much confusion about Europe today.

Germany’s Leader Delivers a Blunt Warning to China on Trade

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Chancellor Friedrich Merz laid out his complaints in a frank message to his hosts on a trip to Beijing that China had designed to showcase their relationship.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz of Germany arrived in China on Wednesday with an outstretched hand and a list of complaints for his hosts, asking for closer diplomatic ties but also relief from economic policies that he said were impeding “fair competition.”

Mr. Merz, who took pains before the trip to say he would not be “lecturing” Beijing, laid out his critiques in a speech at a meeting of the Advisory Council of German-Chinese Business, to an audience that included Premier Li Qiang, China’s second-highest ranking official.

The chancellor was more blunt and more specific in his criticism than other western leaders, including the prime ministers of Britain and Canada, who have recently trekked to Beijing to reset relations with China amid the turmoil caused by President Trump.

Mr. Merz called on China to reduce subsidies for its domestic manufacturers, to allow the value of its currency, the renminbi, to strengthen, and to ensure continued exports of raw materials, such as critical minerals — all of which would benefit German industry. Doing so, he said, would allow Germany and China to forge a tighter bond.

“In view of the uncertainties caused by customs policy that we see around the world,” Mr. Merz said, addressing Mr. Li directly, “we can now set a different example in our bilateral relations, through the reliability and security of the economic relations between our two countries.” » | David Pierson and Jim Tankersley | David Pierson reported from Hong Kong, and Jim Tankersley from Berlin. | Wednesday, February 25, 2026

'Can't Go Alone': Germany Defence Minister Fires Back At Rubio, Shows Mirror to Trump over Greenland

Feb 16, 2026 | German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius delivered a stunning speech at the Munich Security Conference where he questioned US reliability and warned against go-it-alone politics amid escalating tensions within NATO.

Germany 1933: The Rise of Hitler and the Persecution of the Jewish People | SLICE | Full Documentary

Feb 5, 2025 | Germany, 1933. Adolf Hitler, at the head of the Nazi Party, has just become Chancellor and is faced with leading a republic in the throes of economic crisis and rampant inflation. He used the cult of personality nurtured by his propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels, who spread the Nazi’s xenophobic and anti-Semitic ideology which Hitler had been touting since the First World War and which he reiterated in Mein Kampf: the Jews, he claimed, were part of an international conspiracy against Germany.

He would use the power of the German state, which had become the Third Reich in 1934, to progressively exclude the 600,000 German citizens of Jewish origin from society, first by forcing them to emigrate, then annihilating them.

Physical violence against Jews became widespread from the summer of 1935, the growing number of exactions leaving German society largely indifferent. Meanwhile, in the interior ministry, Nazis lawyers defined what it meant to be Jewish, thereby identifying who should be excluded. The Nuremberg laws of September 1935 notably withdrew German nationality from the country’s Jews.

On 12 March 1938, the Third Reich annexed Austria without encountering any opposition, and without the slightest reaction on the part of Western democracies. Eichmann set up a central bureau to force Austria’s 100,000 Jews to emigrate, leaving behind all their possessions which were seized by the Reich.

But Western democracies were not prepared to welcome the refugees, and the Evian conference, initiated in July 1938 by US president Franklin Roosevelt, was doomed to failure. As a neutral country bordering Germany, Switzerland called for the passports of Jews fleeing the Reich to be stamped with a “J”, so it could refuse them entry for fear of them wishing to stay in the country.

Documentary: Annihilation EP1 : The End of Illusions (2016)
Director: William Karel & Blanche Finger
Production: ZADIG PRODUCTIONS

Auschwitz: Lessons for Today's US America + Germany | Berlin Briefing Podcast

Jan 30, 2026 | On January 27, 1945, Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated, revealing the scale of Nazi atrocities. 81 years later, the lessons of the Holocaust remain urgent. In this Holocaust Remembrance Day episode, our Berlin Briefing panel asks: What warning signs of authoritarianism should we be watching for today? Together, they explore rising hate crimes in Germany and the US, the politicization of antisemitism, and the broader dangers of state power targeting vulnerable communities. Nina Haase (DW Berlin Briefing host), Shani Rozanes (DW Israel and Middle East expert), Ines Pohl (DW Washington Bureau Chief), and Michaela Küfner (DW Chief Political Editor) highlight how these threats go beyond antisemitism alone — and why it's not just Holocaust survivors who say that remembering Auschwitz is essential to protecting democracy now.

Related video here.

American Jews Reclaim German Citizenship | DW News

Jan 29, 2026 | Once unthinkable: At 103, Holocaust survivor Ruth Gruenthal has reclaimed the German citizenship the Nazi regime stripped from her because she was Jewish. After surviving Nazi persecution and rebuilding her life in the U.S., Ruth became a psychotherapist and raised a family spanning four generations — many of whom have now also reclaimed German citizenship.

Born in Hamburg in 1922, imprisoned in France, and forced to flee Nazi persecution as a teenager, Ruth rebuilt her life in the United States, where she lived for decades. But recent political developments, rising antisemitism, and fears of growing authoritarianism in the U.S. have shaken her sense of security.

Ruth is not alone. An increasing number of Jewish Americans with family histories shaped by the Holocaust are applying to restore German citizenship — not necessarily to leave, but to have a safeguard: the option to move to Germany should conditions in the United States deteriorate further.

Germany allows victims of Nazi persecution and their descendants to reclaim citizenship that was deliberately taken from them. In New York alone, applications have more than doubled in recent years.

Horrific Human Experiments of the Holocaust

Jan 27, 2026 | Adolf Hitler's regime of terror and destruction inflicted brutal horrors throughout the Third Reich. Ideas of making Germany great again and establishing a pure race indoctrinated the German people to support him indefinitely. The Nazi Regime under Adolf Hitler imposed some of the most insane forms of eugenics and medical experiments the world has ever seen.

It’s only a small step from MaGGA (Make Germany Great Again) to MAGA (Make America Great Again). And Hiter’s calls to make Germans a “pure race” again immediately remind one of Trump’s multiple utterances about immigrants “poisoning the blood” of America, for by implication, if Americans’ blood has been poisoned, it is no longer pure. What went on in Hitler’s Germany is so reminiscent of what is going on in Trump’s America. It truly is alarming. — © Mark Alexander