Germans Hate America

Why should they be the only ones who don’t?

But…

German companies love America. According to the German-American Chamber of Commerce, around 5,600 of them have invested in the US market. As of September 2022, that’s an investment volume of almost $650 billion (€605 billion). And it’s not only big firms like Siemens, Volkswagen, or Linde that are currently looking to strengthen their commitment to the United States — in some instances, even building entire new production facilities.

Everything Is Going To Plan

You didn’t really believe that Germany was going to spend that 100 billion euro special fund for the military for the military, did you?

German military in worse shape than before Russia’s invasion – The German military is suffering from a greater shortage of weapons and equipment than before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine a year ago, the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces said in her annual report on Tuesday.

“The Bundeswehr has too little of everything, and it has even less since (Russia’s invasion on) Feb. 24, 2022,” Eva Hoegl, who acts as an advocate defending the rights of the troops, told reporters in Berlin.

German Red Tape And Officialese In English?

I can hardly wait!

German call for English to be second official language amid labour shortage – Politician from governing FDP says skilled foreign workers are being put off by unwieldy bureaucratic German.

“When it comes to ordinances and laws, the official language in this country applies for reasons of legal certainty, and that is German,” a spokesperson for the Civil Servants’ Association said.

He Was Only Able To Run Over The Guy’s Foot?

That’s pretty schwach (weak, a weak performance).

Hey, what’s the big deal? When you’re one of the “last generation,” you’ve already got one foot in the grave.

“Last generation” blocks traffic in Berlin: motorist apparently drives over foot of climate activist – The RBB reported on Monday evening that a car driver had run over the foot of a climate activist at Messedamm and published a corresponding video. On it, two people can be seen dragging two climate activists off the street. Then a white car drives up and hits the foot of an activist sitting on the street. When the activist shouts loudly, the vehicle reverses.

More Engineers And Scientists Are On The Way

Thanks to Germany’s clever immigration policy.

The avalanche Angela Merkel set off back in 2015 is finally starting to pay off!

Shortage of engineers, scientists threatens German industry – Germany’s homegrown population is declining, and with it the number of science and engineering students.

German engineering is known worldwide for its quality and innovation. But that brand is under threat. The number of students beginning university degrees in STEM fields — shorthand for science, technology, engineering, and math — fell 6% in just one year, according to a recent study from the nation’s federal statistics agency.

Norway

Beautiful German weapons sale of the week.

Because somebody has to admire them.

Norway to order 54 new army tanks from Germany – Norway will order 54 new German-made Leopard 2 tanks for its army from the Krauss-Maffei Wegmann Group, and will get an option to buy a further 18 tanks at a later time, the government said on Friday.

The Mighty German Bundeswehr Is Threatening Russia

With tanks that don’t roll, aircraft that don’t fly, ships that don’t sail and broomsticks instead of guns.

The Bundeswehr couldn’t threaten its way out of a paper bag, Vlad. But tanks for the backhanded compliment anyway.

Putin says Russia faces German tanks, just like at Stalingrad, but hints that this time Moscow has nukes – Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday leveled another veiled nuclear threat in relation to the war in Ukraine as he ripped into Germany for providing battle tanks to Kyiv, while comparing Russia’s unprovoked invasion of its next-door neighbor to the Soviet Union’s fight against the Nazis during World War II.

German Of The Day: Hybrid Identities

That means… The hell if I know.

Other than maybe meaning German citizenship will soon be selling like heiße Kuchen (hotcakes). Of course, it could also mean “lets let our own German identity roll over and die.”

Hybrid identities’: why Germany is updating its citizenship rules – The draft law would allow people to apply for citizenship after just five years of residence in Germany, rather than eight years currently. It also states that: “Those who have made a particular effort to integrate — such as becoming proficient in German, doing voluntary work or performing well in school — can apply after three years.”

“The idea that you have only one homeland is completely outdated.”

German Of The Day: Rezessionsängste

That means recession fears.

German economy unexpectedly shrinks in Q4, reviving spectre of recession – The German economy unexpectedly shrank in the fourth quarter, data showed on Monday, a sign that Europe’s largest economy may be entering a much-predicted recession, though likely a shallower one than originally feared.

Gross domestic product decreased 0.2% quarter on quarter in adjusted terms, the federal statistics office said. A Reuters poll of analysts had forecast the economy would stagnate.

German Of The Day: Eskalation

That means escalation.

Remember this decision when we look back from the future (I’m an optimist).

US and Germany ready to send tanks to Ukraine – After months of reluctance, the US and Germany reportedly plan to send tanks to Ukraine, in what Kyiv hopes will be a game-changer on the battlefield.

US President Joe Biden’s administration is expected to announce plans to send at least 30 M1 Abrams tanks.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has also reportedly decided to send at least 14 Leopard 2 tanks. He is set to speak in parliament on Wednesday morning.