German of the day: Verstörend

That means disturbing. Or in this case, beyond disturbing.

Germany’s reaction to Charlie Kirk’s killing was beyond disturbing – The country’s arrogant and blinkered media elite do not understand what democracy is.

The cold-blooded killing of campaigner Charlie Kirk on a university campus in Utah should have been a moment of shared grief for everyone. A young father who believed in and lived by a code of free speech and debate was gunned down in front of horrified students.

As we know, the reaction of certain sections of the Left in Britain and America was appalling. If they offered sympathy it was heavily caveated and, by applying labels like “far-Right”, they appeared to suggest he had brought it on himself.

Yet here in Germany, the response of the media class was even more disturbing. They seemed to revel in it.

German of the day: Falsche Nostalgie

That means false nostalgia.

Germany’s Merz warns against ‘false nostalgia’ over US alliance – The chancellor’s comments show European leaders are girding for a future in which the transatlantic alliance is no longer the bedrock on which the continent’s defense and economy stand.

“We must face the fact that our relationship with the U.S. is changing, The U.S. is reassessing its interests — and not just since yesterday. And so we in Europe must also adjust our interests, without false nostalgia.”

German of the day: AfD

That stands for Another found Dead.

Six candidates from Germany’s rightwing AfD party die 13 days apart in lead up to local elections: reports – Four candidates and two reserves from the right-wing AfD political party in Germany have dropped dead within 13 days of each other — just before elections, according to reports.

The Alternative for Deutschland candidates were set to appear on ballots in North Rhine-Westphalia on September 14.

Officials said no foul play is currently suspected in any of their deaths, the BBC reported.

German of the day: Herbst der Reformen

That means the autumn of reform.

It’s similar to the German spring, summer and winter of reform, only here nothing gets reformed in autumn.

Germany’s Merz faces trouble over ‘autumn of reform’ – Friedrich Merz has decided that the autumn must be the season for tackling Germany’s urgent domestic problems, but that means conflict with his center-left coalition partners.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s “autumn of reform” could turn into a season of coalition strife as he plows ahead with his ambitious plan to reform Germany’s welfare state, while bringing in tax reforms to boost the economy.

The challenges are significant: The German economy now faces a third year without GDP growth, the welfare state and pension system are failing to keep up with demographic challenges, and the federal budget has a hole of some €172 billion ($200 billion) for 2027 to 2029.

Still “managing it…”

Not.

The influx of migrants has been out of control for ten years now and there’s no end in sight.

Germany updates: Merkel’s ‘Wir schaffen das!’ 10 years on – Today marks 10 years since Chancellor Angela Merkel said “we’ll manage it” as Germany welcomed hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

Wir schaffen das” is now “wir sind geschafft.” We’re done. Exhausted.

Of course Germans back voluntary military service

As long as they aren’t expected to volunteer themselves.

German cabinet backs voluntary military service, opening door to conscription – Compulsory military service in Germany was ended in 2011 under then-Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has made boosting Germany’s military a priority given the threat from Russia and said “we are now back on the path to a military service army”.

He summed up his thinking earlier this year saying: “We want to be able to defend ourselves so that we don’t have to defend ourselves.”

German of the day: Abbau

That means reduction, to dismantle or cut.

German car industry sheds 51,500 jobs in a year – The dip equates to almost 7% of the total workforce in the German auto sector. Faltering exports to China and the US play a role, as new tariffs raise barriers to entry in both these core markets.

“The US and China are currently the cause of major concerns.”

German of the day: Keine gute Tat bleibt unbestraft

That means no good deed goes unpunished.

American good Samaritan stabbed by Syrian immigrant in Germany after stepping in to stop harassment – An American has been stabbed by a Syrian national in Germany after allegedly stepping in to help two female passengers being harassed on a tram, according to reports.

The young man was attacked at around 12:25 a.m. on Sunday after intervening when “two men from a group harassed female passengers” on the tram in the eastern German city of Dresden, Saxony police said in a statement.

German of the day: Hochkultur

That means high culture.

And in Germany that means you have to be high to think this stuff up.

A nude visit to the museum? That’s exactly what’s possible on two dates at Stuttgart’s Haus der Geschichte, and it’s even expressly encouraged. Guests can not only explore the exhibition, but also enjoy curator tours and performances.