Nobody cares about Germany

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Yeah, Walmart's failure in Germany is the tale of legends and well researched by now.

But it failed for the same reason many American companies before did: failure to do market research, to understand the local market and adapt.

For example I do know an European cable company which long time ago was sold to Corning. First thing Corning did was do fire many sales people, because they didn't saw the need for so many bi- or tri-lingual people in that team when the whole world speaks English. Technical documentation suffered the same fate.

So you can guess how this went: order volume for much stuff was at least around 1 million. So when French customers didn't receive their manuals in French any longer, only English let's just say their satisfaction went quite down the hill.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

German head of state Frank-Walter Steinmeier is visiting the UK right now, and has already met with King Charles.

It is the first visit of a German president there since 27 years.

At 10 Downing Street, before holding private talks with prime minister Keir Starmer, Steinmeier said the UK-German relationship was in “far better shape” than in the “difficult” post-Brexit period, and relations had improved with the Kensington treaty.

“We have a new security situation in Europe, if not in the whole world. So therefore there is a need of closer cooperation. But we were talking also about economic and closer ties between our companies, about the exchange of people. So therefore, after some years with growing difficulties after 2016 I think we are in a far better shape and we have to engage in improving the situation and coming closer in this changing world with new threats to all of us,” he said.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/dec/03/german-president-state-visit-uk-windsor-king-charles

 

[Soen Eber]

Why so long? 27 years? The British and German governments have historically been close to each other, 2 World Wars not withstanding, going back ... Well, not since the year dot, but mostly they've friendly for at least a couple centuries, haven't they?

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

I don't know exactly, but let's not forget that the German head of state is just for representation and that's it. The politcal daily business is done by the chancellor, and chancellors have been visiting the UK quite frequently.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Tomorrow there will be a crucial vote to adapt the pension scheme in Germany. Pensions for normal workers, not civil servants, do work here as apportionment procedure: as long as you are working, a certain share of your salary goes into the pension fund. When you are retired, all people then paying into the fund are paying your pension.

There is no share based component yet.

Problem with this and the aging demography is that the ratio of people paying the rent for one to one getting the rent is decreasing: in 1992 there were around 2,7 people paying for one rent, nowadays it is around 2 people and up to 2050 probably 1,3 to 1.

The federal administration led by Friedrich Merz (CDU) wants to stabilize the current level at 48% until 2031. This would mean about 11 bn. euros more in cost up to 2031 per year.

Already the current level of pensions is only manageable because the federal government is spending 100 bn. euro/year into the fund.

Merz party is mostly elected by the generation of baby boomers and older. The baby boomers are now starting their retirement round, which can take until 2036. So in short many consider this plan of action again as Merz doing politics for the majority of his voters.

Unusually though for the CDU there is an open rebellion against the plans of Merz. The youth organisation, Junge Union, openly criticised Merz's plans and announced to disapprove it in the voting. Since the majority in the parliament is not so comfortable, the JU could really prevent that change from passing the parliament.

Also the youth organisation of the coalition partner SPD, Die Jusos, is not happy about the package, but for other reasons: for the Jusos the level should be increased, while the JU wants a decrease. Both youth organisations though realised that the current system is doomed to operate much longer without meaningful reforms.

To help the law getting pass the left wing party "Die Linke" announced that they are going to vote with abstention to minimise the impact of the JU.

It is not for the first time that Merz' administration really struggles to get its laws passed in parliament. Should it not pass it could furthermore undermine his dwindling power in the interior.

Compared to other countries in Europe the German pensions are nowadays really on the lower end of the spectrum.

Germany’s far left saves Merz from potential humiliation on pensions

The Left party’s decision to abstain from a vote on pensions bails Merz out of a political mess that threatened to undermine his coalition.

www.politico.eu

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

The pension bill passed the Bundestag last Friday. It passed with the Linkspartei voting abstinent and the Green Party against it.

18 members of the chancellor party addressed their denial of this package before the vote, about 7 of them then really voted against it. Now as next step the 2nd paliamentary chamber, the Bundesrat, has to accept it as well.

Also Germany activated mandatory military conscription for males again. Starting with being born 2008 or earlier men and women will get a questionnaire to categorise their military potential. Males must answer that questionnaire, while it is optional for females.

Also young men will have to undergo mandatory physical exams again very soon. The principle behind it is what the politicians do call "voluntary military service." The hopes are when young people get adressed that way again the people willing joining the army will rise again.

In case these hopes will not manifest the Merz administration considers making military service mandatory by lot again until the demand has been met.

Germany news: Merz locks in majority on pension bill

Germany's ruling coalition has passed a test of unity after voting on a pension reform bill. Earlier, lawmakers approved a controversial government plan to boost the country's military. DW has more.

www.dw.com

The passing of that law caused nation wide protests by young people against it. A very common argument by the youth is that politics always pressures them into doing things, but never listens to them, which undermindes the legitimation of the German state in their eyes.

Typical line then goes like this: "we have been raised in shitholes of schools, which are more ruins than anything. We suffered most during COVID, because they told us this is necessary to protect the old. We are unable to start standing on our own, because the real estate market is so overpriced and job market is so down. All are just ridiculing us, and also putting more and more tax load on us to keep the ball running with us getting almost nothing out of that. But now we are still good enough to go somewhare to war and die for these people, because they are too old. We downright refuse to do that."

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Shitty ideas from Germany: developing own nuclear arms. Reason why is that many don't trust America any longer to protect Europe against Russia.

Would it be doable? Sure thing; Germany has enough material to do so and knowledge. It is wise? Not really.

At the moment there is a bilateral solution in place: the jet fighters are German, but nuclear arms are American, which is in NATO terms called nuclear sharing. Germany can only use these weapon systems with American consent.

In the past this was considered enough as nuclear deterrence. With Trumpster in da house many consider it not being enough any longer.

So developing own arms is one topic, which is now discussed frequently by our politicians. Problem is a) Germany being Germany, so probably many European countries would not like to see that happen considering the past, b) there are several international treaties in place, which forbid Germany getting own nuclear arms, like the 2+4 treaty back then which enabled the reunification.

Another idea is getting under the umbrella of France, which though has its own problems because the French military doctrine clearly states these weapons are there to protect only France and nothing more.

WSJ is from 2024, but this discussion is on-going since quite a while.

Then again an old friend of mine, now in the 70s, is of the opinion that it does not matter who is in the White House because he is convinced that America will never give up its influence upon Europe voluntarily, despite which idiot is in the Oval Office. Or stuff like Ramstein Air Base.

https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/germans-debatethe-once-unthinkable-do-we-need-nuclear-weapons-13fa7e68

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Is growing and selling cacti your thing? Good luck for you, because the world's oldest cactus cultivation company (over 200 years old) in Erfurt, Germany, is looking for a successor.

Nachfolge bei Kakteen-Haage: Wer übernimmt die älteste Kakteenzucht der Welt? | MDR.DE

Nach 30 Jahren sucht Ulrich Haage einen Nachfolger für die älteste Kakteenzüchterei der Welt in Erfurt. Die Zukunft des Traditionsbetriebs ist ungewiss.

www.mdr.de

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Damascus, the capital of Syria, is undergoing Germanisation right now. Due to an influx of former Syrian refuges returning from Germany to there, as well people visiting their families, many young people do speak German there now better than Arabic.

Deutsch als Brückensprache in Syrien

Millionen Syrer haben in Deutschland gelebt, gelernt und gearbeitet. Für viele ist Deutsch Teil ihrer Identität - damit kehren sie zurück.

www.sueddeutsche.de

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Descendants of holocaust survivors have the right to gain the German citizenship without questions asked on point. This is part of the constitution as compensation for the caused suffering.

Thanks to Trump jews in New York and America have increasing interest in that opportunity, and are gaining the German citizenship aside their American one.

In 2025 1771 jews took the opportunity, before 894.

Since summer 2024 Americans also do not need a permit to keep their old passport, which is probably another reason for the increased interest.

Auch wegen Trump: Immer mehr New Yorker Juden werden Deutsche

In New York steigt die Zahl der Juden, die einen Antrag auf Einbürgerung nach Deutschland stellen, rasant an. Das hat teils auch mit dem politischen Klima in den USA zu tun. Eindrücke von einer Einbürgerungszeremonie. Von Giselle Ucar.

www.tagesschau.de

 

[detrius]

German citizenship means being able to live and work anywhere in the EU, of course.

So that doesn't necessarily mean they're moving here.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

The IOC is selling a t-shirt named "1936 Berlin Games Olympic Heritage T-Shirt" on its web site. That offer is raising many eye brows here in Germany.

https://shop.olympics.com/de/olympic-games/mens-natural-1936-berlin-games-olympic-heritage-t-shirt/t-10259387+p-0222349001530+z-7-4279097087

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

At the 20. and 21. of February there will be the party congress of the CDU, the party of chancellor Friedrich Merz. Merz is also its president.

Former chancellor Angela Merkel (also CDU), who reigned for 16 years, announced that she is going to attend this congress. She didn't participate for over 6 years, so many people are now puzzled about why Merkel suddenly will go there.

It is only known that she will not make a speech. Merkel and Merz have a strained history. When Merkel became chancellor Merz was the party whip for about 2 years. Then Merkel dismissed him and took that position by herself. This incident deeply wounded Merz, and he never really overcame with.

Which is why he made several attempts to take over the CDU, but it only was successful after Merkel left.

Anyway the question is: why will Merkel attend? And what is she going to do? For sure Merz will dislike it.

During the term of Olaf Scholz Merkel remained mostly silent in her retirement. This changed though when Merz became chancellor. she repeatedly made comments about Merz' political decisions and criticised some openly.

Merkels Parteitagsbesuch bei der Union: Was die Ex-Kanzlerin dort vorhat

Angela Merkel kehrt erstmals seit 2019 auf einen CDU-Bundesparteitag zurück. Ob sie auch zu den Parteimitgliedern spricht, war bislang offen.

www.morgenpost.de

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

This is Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian born in 1861 and death in Dornach 1925. He's maybe lesser known but left a legacy, which is still very active today all around the globe.

Steiner was a writer and theosoph. In 1919 he opened a school for children and members of the Waldorf Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart. This school was based on his own philosophy he called Anthroposophy, which is highly esoteric and criticised today.

The school became the blue print for Waldorf education, and there are now Waldorf schools in over 60 countries around the globe. While in foreign countries they are often highly regarded, many Germans view Waldorf education as schools with lower standards for troublemakers and weirdos, who are not fit enough for a normal school.

Steiner also designed buildings, most notably the Goetheanum as center of his association and university. The first Goetheanum - named after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - was made out of wood, and burned down probably due to arson, so the second one was made out of concrete. This style of architecture was later labeled as organic architecture. It is known that Steiner's organic architecture influenced the architects Le Corbusier, Henry van de Velde, Frank Lloyd Wright, Erich Mendelsohn, Hans Scharoun, Frank O. Gehry and Hinrich Baller.


Steiner also created his own type of medicine, anthroposophic medicine, which you can still study today, but is not backed up by science. Also biodynamic farming based on his ideas is a thing as well.

Of course there are also such schools in America. All of his legacy is controversial, most of it though anthroposophy.

 

[detrius]

Another fun fact, the German word "Geschwurbel" can mean "gibberish", "twaddle", "waffle" or "mumbo jumbo" in English.

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

Germany has outpaced China and is now the 4th biggest weapon exporting country on the planet according to the Sipri insitute in Stockholm. Most systems are going to Ukraine.

This index is based on volumes of weapons sent, not value.

Rüstungsexporte: Deutschland steigt auf Platz vier der größten Waffenexporteure

Die Bundesrepublik hat laut dem Friedensforschungsinstitut Sipri die Ausfuhr schwerer Waffen deutlich gesteigert und liegt damit vor China auf Platz vier. Hauptabnehmer ist Europa, fast ein Viertel geht in die Ukraine.

www.spiegel.de

 

[Bartholomew Gallacher]

German law has a specialty called Betriebsrat - a workers' council. If the company is big enough its employees have the right to erect and elect one, and the employer has no right to deny or prevent that.

The Betriebsrat then has special rights, for example he must be informed/heared when firing people, he can contribute to shift plans (time/end), overtime work, rules for vacation, wage agreements and much more. Also the Betriebsrat can protect workers' rights/interests against the managemeant. It's a quite powerful institution.

Members of the Betriebsrat must be released from the normal work duties when they are working on Betriebsrat stuff. If a company has >= 200 employees, some members of the Betriebsrat must be released from normaly work duty full time. Still the employer has to pay them in full.

Tesla has a nice factory in Grünheide. Guess who hates the Betriebsrat with a vengeance? Right: Musk.

There have been several attempts in the past to erect and elect a Betriebsrat by the IG Metall, the metal worker union in Germany. Musk always tried to prevent that from happening, also stating that he will only expand the workforce and continue to invest there if there will be no IG Metall ruled Betriebsrat.

The new Betriebsrat has now been elected, and most votes went to a list namend "Giga United", which is a pro Musk movement. IG Metall got 30% of the votes.

IG Metall bei den Tesla-Betriebsratswahlen erneut unterlegen

Von 37 Sitzen im Tesla-Betriebsrat hat die IG Metall 13 errungen. Die Liste Giga United darf damit erneut den Vorsitz stellen. Im Gegensatz zu anderen Autofabriken in Deutschland hat die IG Metall wenig Macht. Von Griet von Petersdorff.

www.tagesschau.de