German Of The Day: Widerspruch

That means contradiction. This is a word that is in constant demand in Germany.

Germany’s Energy Crisis Plan Contradicts Itself – The German government is desperately trying to conserve gas—and subsidizing its use.

Germany’s self-imposed target is to cut back gas use by 20 percent, which is roughly the shortfall caused by Russia’s discontinuation of gas supplies amid its war in Ukraine. Yet…

The federal government has said it will set price caps on gas and electricity by the end of the year. So… Contrary to the greater goal of throttling back consumption, price caps and subsidies will have a positive effect on demand. By easing the burden on consumers, they dilute the price signal to save. “This increases the risk of brownouts and blackouts over the winter,” said Toby Couture of the energy consulting firm E3 Analytics, “as citizens and businesses consume more power than the system can effectively supply.”

German Of The Day: Alarmstufe Rot

That means red alert.

Red alert for the German economy. After months of speculation, it is now official: Russia is turning off the gas tap on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline indefinitely. Germany is facing difficult times. Not only a cold winter is looming, but an industrial ice age.

German economy to shrink all winter as gas taps are turned off, Bundesbank says – The German economy is contracting already and will likely get worse over the winter months as gas consumption is cut or rationed, the country’s central bank said on Monday.

Germany To Begin Refining Oil That Doesn’t Exist

Once Russia turns off the supply. If it hasn’t already.

Germany takes control of Russian-owned refinery – The German subsidiary of Russian oil giant Rosneft was placed under trusteeship, giving Germany’s federal regulator control of a key source of fuel for Berlin.

The German subsidiary of Russian oil giant Rosneft was placed under trusteeship on Friday, giving Germany’s federal regulator control of the PCK refinery in Schwedt, a key source of fuel for the city of Berlin…

Rosneft Deutschland accounts for about 12% of Germany’s oil processing capacity and is one of the largest oil processing companies in the country, the ministry said.

German Of The Day: Verstaatlichung

That means nationalization.

Sound familiar? Ever more “We’re from the government, and we’re here to help” from the people who created the problem in the first place.

Gas importer Uniper in nationalisation talks with German government – Terms under discussion include increasing state’s holding to 50% as pressure on supplies continues.

The German state took a 30% stake in the group in a rescue package in July, amounting to about €15bn. Credit lines were further extended by about €4bn last month but the situation has worsened since Russia severed gas supplies to Germany via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, forcing Uniper to find alternatives.

The Next Berlin Airlift?

Only without the allies flying everything in. What could possibly go wrong?

Scholz channels Berlin Airlift spirit to gird Germans for winter – Chancellor Olaf Scholz invoked the spirit of the Berlin Airlift on Tuesday to implore Germans that “the seemingly impossible can succeed”, urging them to brace for a tough winter and to rise to the challenge of a shift in energy supply away from Russian gas.

He spoke to business leaders at Tempelhof Airport, which was the focal point of the Airlift between 1948 and 1949, when Western forces flew hundreds of thousands of tonnes of supplies into divided Berlin after the Soviets blocked rail and street access to the city’s Western-occupied sectors.

Germans Thinking About Reducing Their Dependency On China

Why on earth for? It worked great with Russia.

German economy ministry reviews measures to curb China business – Germany’s economy ministry is considering a raft of measures to make business with China less attractive as it seeks to reduce its dependency on Asia’s economic superpower, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The measures could include reducing or even scrapping investment and export guarantees for China and no longer promoting trade fairs and manager training there, those people said. Loans from state lender KfW could be re-directed to projects in other Asian countries, such as Indonesia, in line with attempts to diversify trade and increase business with democracies.

Germans Demand More Free Stuff From The Government

Otherwise they would have to pay for it themselves.

Energy crisis: Germans call for help from the government – People in Germany are beginning to feel the pinch, in the face of skyrocketing electricity, fuel, and food prices. As inflation rises, concern is mounting — and so is dissatisfaction with the government.

German Of The Day: “Egal, was meine deutschen Wähler denken”

That means it doesn’t matter what my German voters think.

We know what’s best for you. Sheeple. Just shut up and go with the plan already. Like you did with the Covid madness, for instance. You did that really well. And Merkel’s Migrant Madness, of course. Good job. So what’s with this hysteria about the currrent Green energy turnaround with built-in Russian gas dependency? It’ll work out. Just give us some more time. Who is in a better position to fix this problem? We created it, after all. Just trust us and do what you’re told. We’ll get back to you if we have any questions. Not.

According to the foreign minister (Annalena Baerbock, Greens), sanctions against Russia will not be lifted even if there are protests over high energy prices.

“Weaponizing Energy Supplies?”

Sure. If you voluntarily give them that weapon. What else would you expect?

Nord Stream 1: Russia’s Gazprom halts gas supply to Germany – Russian energy giant Gazprom said due to maintenance on the Nord Stream 1 pipeline there would be no gas flow to Germany between August 31 and September 3. Berlin has accused Moscow of weaponizing energy supplies.

After sanctions were imposed on Russia following Moscow’s “special military operation” in Ukraine, Russia has also cut off supply to Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Poland completely, and reduced flows via other pipelines.

German Of The Day: Bittere Realität

That means bitter reality. You know, like the bitter reality others have been warning Germans about for many years now?

German economy minister says ‘bitter reality’ is Russia will not resume gas supply – Germany faces the “bitter reality” that Russia will not restore gas supplies to the country, the German economy minister said on Monday, ahead of planned halt by state energy giant Gazprom (GAZP.MM) of exports to Europe via the Nord Stream 1 pipeline.

“It won’t come back … It is the bitter reality,” Robert Habeck said in a panel with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.