"The main articles are:
Climate
Main article: Climate in Europe
Geography
History
Main article: History of Germany
Cities
Population of Germany
Main article: Population of Germany
Nationality
2024: Reducing the period of residence for citizenship from 8 to 3-5 years
In January 2024, it became known that Germany, thirsty for labor resources, will facilitate the procedure for obtaining citizenship, despite migration disputes. According to the new rules, citizenship can be obtained after 5 years of residence in the country (from 8 years earlier), which corresponds to neighboring countries such as France. For people who have "exceptionally well integrated," 3 years will be enough. The dual citizenship rules, which are now only allowed to citizens of other EU countries, will be relaxed.
2018: Visa-free entry to 176 countries
Bundestag - unicameral parliament
2024: Die Heimat party stripped of state funding for threatening Germany's "basic democratic order"
Germany's highest court ruled in January 2024 to ban election funding for one of the country's most prominent political parties in a decision made amid growing calls to restrict far-right campaigning - the FT.
On January 23, judges at the federal constitutional court in Karlsruhe ruled that Die Heimat, or "Homeland" - a small party formerly known as the NPD - should lose access to public funding for the next six years as it poses a threat to Germany's "basic democratic order."
2023: Far-right AfD soars above 20% amid economic slowdown due to Ukraine conflict
By November 2023, the far-right in Germany is on the rise, and Chancellor Scholz is at a loss. AfD has seen a surge in support.
As the EU's biggest economy grapples with a steady decline and surge in immigration, the spectre of German nationalism is back. Citizens are in such a contradictory state about the direction of development of the country, which has not happened since the Second World War.
2022
The share of seats of the far-right AfD party (Alternative für Deutschland) - 11%
Proportion of women in parliament - 39.4%
1966: Formation of the extra-parliamentary opposition due to its absence from parliament
The extra-parliamentary opposition (Ausserparlamentarische Opposition, APO) - in the 1960s in Germany is almost synonymous with the entire protest movement. It is finally formed after the coming to power of the large coalition of the SPD/CDU/CSU in 1966 - due to the actual absence of opposition within parliament. The main forms of activity are discussions, demonstrations, congresses; the main topics are protest against the law on the state of emergency, against the Vietnam War, support for liberation movements in third world countries, criticism of imperialism.
Unlike the French student opposition, which is supported by trade unions and young workers, APO in Germany effectively remains a university and near-university political phenomenon. After 1968, APO ceases to act as a single force and breaks up into numerous circles, clubs and groupings.
One of the goals of the extra-parliamentary opposition is to claim public spaces, primarily universities. The three main forms of such "appropriation" are go in (students turn a lecture into a debate), teach in (collective, public study of an important public topic, a kind of political information) and seat in (sit-in). These are all distant ancestors of the later "occupy." The most famous go in will take place in 1968 during a lecture by Theodore V. Adorno, who recently returned to Frankfurt from exile: a dozen students (according to other sources, three), who believe that the professor does not pay enough attention to the topic of gender equality, rise from their places and partially undress, remaining standing in front of the topless lecturer. Adorno, whose writings for protesting students are kind of foundational, is very surprised to realize that he is being treated like an academic reactionary.
For more details see: Freie Universitat Berlin (Free University of Berlin)
Government
Main article: German Federal Government
Foreign policy
N'KO
2024
Niger refuses to sever relations with Russia under German pressure
In January 2024, there were reports that Germany demanded to Niger terminate relations with, threatening Russia to break off relations and close its embassy in the country.
"If Germany wants to close its embassy, so be it, we will not beg anyone. Whoever wants to leave, let him leave. Who needs Germany? The Europeans brought nothing to Africa except the exploitation of our resources, our wars, terrorists and our dictators, "said Abd al-Rahman Chiani, head of the Niger Transitional Military Council, in an interview with local television.
Delivery to Ukraine of 10 infantry fighting vehicles, 2 radars, 47 trucks, 2 demining and ammunition vehicles
In January 2024, the German government published data on the first package of military assistance to Ukraine this year. It included:
- ammunition for Leopard 2A6 tanks;
- ten Marder infantry fighting vehicles;
- missiles for Iris-T air defense system;
- Oerlikon Skynex anti-aircraft artillery complex. This production complex Rheinmetall was first sent to Ukraine.
- two multifunctional TRML-4D radars;
- 9 thousand artillery shells of caliber 155-mm;
- two "Wisent 1 MC" demining vehicles
- tank bridge-laying device "BIBER";
- 47 trucks of various models;
- 6.7 million rounds for small arms;
- 1.1 thousand winter masking networks.
In addition, four Iris-T SLM air defense systems and one Oerlikon Skynex anti-aircraft artillery complex are being prepared for shipment to Ukraine in Berlin.
2023
Delivery of shells, cartridges and cars to Ukraine
In early December 2023, the German Federal Government published information on the next package of military assistance to Ukraine, which includes:
- 3840 artillery shells of caliber 155-mm;
- 2 armored border vehicles;
- 1 mobile antenna mast;
- 25 laser rangefinders;
- 5 devices for BpA detection;
- 4 MAN HX81 8X8 truck tractors;
- 8 Zetros trucks;
- 3 passenger cars;
- 15 HLR338 sniper rifles and 60 thousand rounds of ammunition.
The cost of military aid transferred from Germany to Ukraine reached 7.4 billion euros
In early November 2023, [1] information about the next package of military assistance for Ukraine appeared on the Bundeswehr website. It included:
- 12 armored personnel carriers;
- 2 TRML-4D airspace monitoring radars;
- 7 Primoco ONE reconnaissance drones;
- 5 surface drones,
- 30,000 sets of winter clothing and other weapons and equipment.
In addition, plans for the future supply of Leopard 1A5 tanks to Ukraine have changed: if earlier it was about transferring 90 tanks in addition to the already delivered 20, now this number has grown to 115. As noted on the website of the German Defense Ministry, the tanks will be handed over indefinitely, since part of the equipment planned for transfer may still be in production.
The cost of military assistance transferred from Germany to Ukraine has already amounted to 7.4 billion euros for 2022-2023, and another 10.5 billion has been pledged in the form of obligations for the next years.
2022
Deliveries to Ukraine 7 ZSU, 8 surface drones and 12 border vehicles
As part of a new package of military assistance to Ukraine, which became known in early December 2022, the German government will transfer, and are also planned for delivery, the following types of equipment and weapons:
- 14 Themis ground-based unmanned systems
- 7 ZSU "Cheetah"
- 100 thousand first-aid kits
- 3 armored bridge-laying machines BIBER
- 8 surface drones
- 12 Border Vehicles
- 4 thousand sleeping bags
- Spare parts for Mi-24
- 30 ambulances
Allocation of $1.20 billion as military assistance to Ukraine
1970: German Chancellor Willy Brandt kneels in Warsaw ghetto
Armed Forces
Ministry of Defence
Bundeswehr
Main article: Bundeswehr
Economy
Main article: German economy
Ecology
2023: Carbon dioxide emissions fall to lowest level in 70 years as industry slumps
Germany's carbon dioxide emissions have fallen to their lowest level in 70 years, due to reduced industrial production and reduced coal generation.
At the same time, Europe's largest economy has not yet achieved its climate goals.
2019
Export of plastic waste
Germany leads by share of recyclable waste
Germany installed the first vacuum cleaners to clean car exhausts
In mid-May 2019, the first vacuum cleaners began to be installed in Germany to clean street air from harmful exhausts. 17 mobile cleaners were placed on one of Stuttgart's main highways, Necator Avenue. Read more here.
Information Technology
German IT Market
Main article: German IT market
Information security
Main article: Information security in Germany
Social media
Communication
Main article: Communication (German market)
Health care
Main article: Health care in Germany
Culture
Music
2024: Bayreuth Festival Friends Association cuts its funding
The Bayreuth Festival Friends Association plans to reduce its stake in the show by almost half, bringing it to 15%. This decision was made at a meeting in Berlin at the end of April 2024.
At this time, Friends owns a 29% stake in the festival - along with the federal government and the government of the state of Bavaria. According to the Association, in 2024 it will transfer 2.4 million euros to the festival budget, which is about a million less than before. The rest of the shareholders will have to compensate for the missing money, otherwise the festival will have to save. The issue of reducing the number of choristers and cuts in the orchestra is no longer on the agenda.
2016:122 metal-playing bands
Language
Literature
- August von Kotzebue (1781-1819) was a writer and publicist.
Painting
Religion
2022
39.4% of the population believes in life after death
24% of the population attends divine services at least once a month
2021
11% of the population say religion is important in their lives
Religious groups in Germany
Churches
Education
Libraries
2021: Germany has 8,195 public libraries
Education costs
Literacy rate
Science and Research
2020: More than 1 million animals used for scientific purposes
Almost 8 million animals are used for scientific purposes in Europe and half of them are laboratory mice and rats.
Weapons in Germany
Main article: Weapons in Germany
Crime
2023: Teenage immigrant gangs attack firefighters
During the riots on New Year's Eve from 2022 to 2023, numerous attacks on emergency workers took place in Berlin and other German cities. Interior Minister Nancy Feather and Berlin Mayor Francisca Giffay spoke to firefighters who they say are facing a new kind of violence.
Karsten Homrighausen, head of the Berlin fire brigades:
- This is a new phenomenon. Our firefighters tell how they are, for example, trapped and attacked.
According to eyewitnesses, aggressive teenagers attacked primarily firefighters. The city authorities are not yet ready to paint a collective portrait of these people. The German Interior Minister believes that the police should reveal the nationality of the attackers.
It is characteristic that in Germany, as well as, for example, in Spain, the decisive role of immigrants in the growth of crime is hushed up: they are afraid to anger visitors.
Nancy Feather, German Interior Minister:
- It is impossible to be silent about the fact that many had foreign origin. But neither should it be abused for political debate. Many people living here in Neukoelln are of foreign origin, and they are the most upset and require a strong reaction from the state.
Berlin's Commissioner for Integration and Migration, Katharina Nivedzial, believes that punishing migrants will further distance them from German society:
- We give young people perspective and we see them as our compatriots. They are not strangers. We have to let them know, "You're yours." If we stigmatise them and make them outsiders, then we will exacerbate a similar feeling and the danger of the group getting bigger. And we have to prevent that at all costs.
2022: Arrest of 25 right-wing extremists preparing an assault on the Bundestag
On the night of December 7, 2022, German police special forces conducted an operation in 11 federal states to arrest 25 people who belong to a right-wing radical organization.
About 3,000 members of the security forces searched 130 objects at the same time, 50 people are under investigation.
What is known about those arrested?
According to German media, they were detained: a former member of parliament from the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, 58-year-old Birgit Malsak-Winkemann and a judge from Berlin, as well as several former members of the command of the special forces (KSK) and paratroopers of the Bundeswehr.
Prince Royce, a 71-year-old entrepreneur from Frankfurt am Main, Henry XIII, is considered the main organizer of the "rebellion."
Also among the detainees there is a Russian citizen named Vitaly B.
All of them belong to a right-wing radical group called the "Reichsbürger" (Reichsbürger/" Citizens of the Reich ").
The organization allegedly planned the violent overthrow of power in Germany from November 2021, and during searches, weapons were found from members of the movement.
Right-wing extremists were planning the killing of Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the NYT reported on December 13, citing its own sources.
What does this mean for German politics?
The largest anti-terrorist operation of the special services in the history of the country, as well as active media lighting and mountains of prepared information, leave no space for discussion about the guilt of the suspects, the Rybar channel noted.
Given the small number of detainees and the dubious reputation of the suspects, whose organization is often compared with American supporters of QAnon conspiracy theories, it suggests that the Scholz government, under this pretext, decided to crack down on the right-wing opposition with one blow.
There have already been statements by the prosecutor's office of the Federal Republic of Germany that the suspects in the preparation of the coup allegedly contacted representatives of the Russian Federation, but did not receive support.
Apparently, the upcoming criminal case on terrorism will silence AfD deputies for a long time, who often allowed themselves to criticize sanctions against Russia and generally disagree with the pro-American course of the current government.