Germany edition

Military

The following articles have been tagged with "Military":

De Maizière urges more military might in Europe

National: 4 Feb 12
German Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière said Europe should not fear a renewed US focus on Asia and must increasingly look after its own backyard militarily, in remarks made during the 48th annual Munich Security Conference. READ »

Thousands of US troops leaving Bavaria

National: 3 Feb 12
The US military will close bases at Bamberg and Schweinfurt in the German state of Bavaria by 2015 as part of a planned drawdown of its forces stationed in Europe. READ »

Ramstein to host NATO missile shield command

National: 2 Feb 12
NATO will locate the command centre for its missile shield at the US airbase Ramstein in Germany, a base spokesman confirmed on Thursday. READ »

Westerwelle demands 'urgent' action on Syria

National: 31 Jan 12
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle called on Tuesday for the UN Security Council to act "urgently" on Syria, telling a Cairo news conference a strong text on the crisis was "absolutely important." READ »

Bismarck recordings found in Edison's lab

Science & Technology: 31 Jan 12
The only known recordings of Germany’s legendary Chancellor Otto von Bismarck have surfaced in the former laboratory of US inventor Thomas Edison. READ »

Investigations of soldiers deployed abroad surge

National: 30 Jan 12
The German military is trying to determine why the number of criminal investigations of soldiers on foreign deployments is rising – the number of cases last year surged to the same amount as the years 2002 and 2006 combined. READ »

Poland aims to boost tourism at Hitler's lair

National: 25 Jan 12
Polish authorities have announced plans to boost tourism at Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler's notorious "Wolf's Lair" headquarters in what was once East Prussia. READ »

Frederick the Great celebrations kick off

Society: 24 Jan 12
Germans marked the 300th birthday of Prussian king Frederick the Great’s on Tuesday. His admirers visited his grave in Potsdam to lay flowers and potatoes in honour of the enlightened monarch. READ »

Secret files: Communist Honecker cheated on wife

Politics: 23 Jan 12
East German communist leader Erich Honecker had a difficult marriage with his wife Margot, new intelligence reports reveal, with both partners having affairs. READ »

UN envoy urges more action on Syria

Politics: 19 Jan 12
German's UN envoy has accused Russia of preventing the UN Security Council from taking decisive action over the deadly crackdown on anti regime protests in Syria. READ »

At least two Germans killed in Ethiopia attack

National: 18 Jan 12
At least two German tourists were killed on Tuesday in an attack on a group of foreigners visiting a remote part of Ethiopia, the German government confirmed on Wednesday. READ »

Thousands of US soldiers to leave Germany

National: 13 Jan 12
The US military will withdraw thousands of soldiers from Germany as the American military takes half of its troops out of Europe as part of a forces redeployment to focus more on the Middle East and Asia. READ »

Frederick the Great's 300th birthday nears

National: 12 Jan 12
Warrior, patron of the arts and all-powerful King of Prussia, Frederick the Great captured Germany’s imagination after ascending to the throne in 1740. As his 300th birthday on January 24 approaches, the country is preparing to celebrate. READ »

German support for new North Africa underlined

Politics: 10 Jan 12
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has thrown strong support behind North Africa’s emerging democracies during an historic visit to Algeria, Libya and Tunisia, saying Germany wants to play a key role in helping them succeed. READ »

Jihadist killer deserves life say prosecutors

National: 9 Jan 12
A man who shot dead two American soldiers in Germany last March should go to jail for life, prosecutors demanded on Monday as a court heard closing arguments in his trial READ »

For rent: One WWII U-boat bunker

Society: 5 Jan 12
Two government authorities are in conflict over a huge World War II submarine bunker near the northern German city-state of Bremen, which is to be rented out for commercial use. READ »

Political foundation office re-opens in Cairo

National: 4 Jan 12
The Konrad Adenauer Foundation office in Cairo, the German political party foundation branch raided by Egyptian authorities at the end of December, has been allowed to re-open, the organization announced Tuesday. READ »

Historian wants ban on communist uniforms

Society: 27 Dec 11
A prominent historian of communist East Germany and its Stasi secret police has called for a ban on the public display of communist era uniforms or insignia. READ »

Siemens hires sacked US general McChrystal

National: 20 Dec 11
German industrial giant Siemens has hired the American general fired for criticising US President Barack Obama in public – to head up its attempt to get more US government contracts. READ »

Berlin hails 'turning point' in Afghan war

National: 15 Dec 11
During a Bundestag debate on the German army’s future mission in Afghanistan Thursday, Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said a planned draw-down of troops heralded a “turning point” in the ten-year NATO-led war in Afghanistan. READ »

ThyssenKrupp sells shipyards business

Business & Money: 12 Dec 11
German heavy industry giant ThyssenKrupp said on Monday it had agreed to sell its non-military shipbuilding activities Blohm + Voss to British investment fund Star Capital Partners. READ »

Cops search for more anarchist letter bombs

National: 9 Dec 11
Police on Friday were still searching for explosive packages after an Italian far-left group claimed responsibility for a letter bomb sent to Deutsche Bank's CEO and said that others were in the post. READ »

Deutsche Bank letter bomb was operational

National: 8 Dec 11
A suspected letter bomb addressed to Deutsche Bank chief Josef Ackermann which was intercepted on Wednesday at the bank's Frankfurt headquarters, could have exploded, German police have confirmed. READ »

WWII bombs defused after huge evacuation

National: 4 Dec 11
Explosive experts said they succeeded in defusing an enormous British World War II bomb and another, smaller American one nearby, after nearly half the people of Koblenz evacuated the city for the operation on Sunday. READ »

Karzai slams Pakistan for boycotting Bonn talks

National: 4 Dec 11
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has accused Pakistan of undermining negotiations with the ban by boycotting an international conference on Afghanistan starting Monday in Bonn. READ »

‘Nazi ideology is filled with terrorist spirit’

National: 2 Dec 11
A former neo-Nazi tells The Local how he broke out of extremism, describes violence in the far-right scene and offers his view of the latest revelations about neo-Nazi terrorism in Germany. READ »

Elvis museum rocks quiet Düsseldorf

Society: 2 Dec 11
The biggest Elvis museum outside the States opened in Düsseldorf this week, with exhibits including a guitar he bought while on military service in Germany – and practised on so he could go straight back to playing on his return home. READ »

Iran 'planning attacks on US bases in Germany'

National: 1 Dec 11
Tehran may be planning attacks on US bases in Germany in the event of an American military strike against targets in Iran, German investigators have reportedly said. READ »

Germany backs peace talks with the Taliban

National: 27 Nov 11
Germany's foreign and defence ministers called Sunday for the Taliban to be included in Afghanistan peace talks, ahead of a major international conference for the war-ravaged country next month. READ »

Repentant Catholics drop erotica publisher

Society: 22 Nov 11
The German Bishops’ Conference, which represents the country’s Catholic dioceses, will cut its ties with the publisher Weltbild amid outrage that its catalogue included risqué titles like “The new Kama Sutra” and “Tempted to Sin.” READ »

Allianz counts down to space insurance launch

Business & Money: 18 Nov 11
German insurance giant Allianz will launch special insurance to so-called “space tourists” next year, according to a media report. READ »

British troops to start pullout in January

National: 10 Nov 11
British soldiers stationed across Germany are preparing to leave in as soon as a few months, after the UK Ministry of Defence on Thursday released details of its mass withdrawal of forces from the country. READ »

The top ten most influential foreigners in Germany

Society: 10 Nov 11
From military leaders to artists, CEOs to footballers, Germany is teeming with foreign talent. The Local kicks of its new series with a countdown of influential foreigners in an array of fields. READ »

Police raid Heckler & Koch in bribery probe

National: 10 Nov 11
Police have raided the headquarters of German gun maker Heckler & Koch as part of an investigation into illegal gun sales to the Mexican government. READ »

Nuke report angers Germany and its allies

National: 9 Nov 11
Germany and its allies have angrily lashed out against Iran after the UN nuclear watchdog published its harshest report yet on Tehran's nuclear programme, saying it had sought to build atomic warheads. READ »

Germany to pressure Iran over nuclear programme

National: 7 Nov 11
Germany said Monday it would call for fresh "pressure" on Iran to comply with international commitments on its nuclear programme if a key report this week reveals further defiance. READ »

German diplomat falls for alleged Russian secret agent

Society: 6 Nov 11
A German diplomat apparently revealed sensitive information about NATO and visiting US politicians in a string of emails and texts sent to a young Russian woman – actually a secret agent, according to a magazine report. READ »

NATO leader praises German role in Libya

Politics: 2 Nov 11
NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has praised Germany’s role in the transatlantic alliance’s military operation in Libya, even though the German government refused to support it at the United Nations. READ »

Germany offers help finding Libyan weapons

National: 1 Nov 11
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has offered to help Libya follow a United Nations resolution ratified on Monday that obliges the country’s new government to control and destroy small arms and chemical weapons. READ »

Voluntary service shows signs of acceptance

Society: 1 Nov 11
The Federal Voluntary Service (BFD), which replaced the civilian national service alternative to military conscription, is finally managing to attract volunteers after a slow start, but there is still unease about the scheme. READ »

Nervy Checkpoint Charlie stand-off remembered

Society: 27 Oct 11
Fifty years ago on October 27, 1961, US and Soviet forces took the world to the brink of war at Berlin's Checkpoint Charlie. Hannah Cleaver takes the temperature of the legendary Cold War flashpoint today. READ »

Missing link in Roman conquest of Germany a 'sensational find'

Society: 27 Oct 11
Archaeologists are celebrating the find of a Roman military camp which was a crucial link in Emperor Augustus’ conquest of Germany – after more than a century of looking for it. READ »

Big cuts in store for Bundeswehr

National: 26 Oct 11
The German government announced the biggest cuts in its military since the end of World War Two on Wednesday, closing or significantly scaling down more than 100 of its 400 bases and cutting 15,000 soldiering jobs. READ »

US airman: I saw hate in Frankfurt shooter's eyes

National: 25 Oct 11
A US airman told a court he saw “hatred” in the eyes of Arid Uka as the 21-year-old tried to shoot him in the face after killing two American military personnel during a rampage at Frankfurt Airport. READ »

Over 600 German WWII soldiers buried in Poland

National: 22 Oct 11
The remains of 618 German soldiers who died during Nazi Germany's World War II retreat through Poland and were buried in mass graves were laid to rest Friday, a memorial organisation said. READ »

Berlin welcomes departure of Qaddafi

Politics: 21 Oct 11
The death of Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi and the accompanying hope that the country could now begin a new era, has been welcomed by German politicians – although many regretted the fact that he will never now face justice. READ »

US medic training on live pigs faces opposition

National: 18 Oct 11
A US company that trains military medics in field operations using live pigs is trying to bring its courses to Germany. Animal rights group PETA believes the company is using US Army protection to bypass German animal protection laws. READ »

German cooking leaves more than 200 soldiers sick in Afghanistan

National: 14 Oct 11
More than 200 soldiers in Afghanistan have fallen ill after eating at a German canteen in Mazar-e-Sharif. READ »

Dresden's Military History Museum gets Libeskind revamp

Society: 13 Oct 11
The Military History Museum in Dresden reopens this week after being completely revamped by star US architect Daniel Libeskind. Erin Huggins assesses the exhibition after the building’s stark transformation. READ »

German military unveils super drone

Science & Technology: 12 Oct 11
The German military on Wednesday unveiled the new “Euro Hawk” super drone, whose size and range is set to revolutionize the Bundeswehr’s intelligence-gathering capabilities. READ »

Making a castle your home

Lifestyle: 11 Oct 11
Rich in castles and stately manors, Germany has plenty for sale to both commoners and bluebloods alike. Sally McGrane reports on buying your own fairytale home. READ »

Leftist extremists claim rail arson attacks

National: 10 Oct 11
Train services between Berlin and Hamburg were severely disrupted on Monday after a sabotage attack on rail lines claimed by leftist extremists. Police also said they had foiled an arson attack on the German capital’s main train station. READ »

Nearly 50 US paratroopers hurt in Bavarian training exercise

National: 7 Oct 11
Nearly 50 American army paratroopers were injured – some seriously – during a mass parachute training exercise in southern Germany this week. READ »

The Local's guide to German castles

Lifestyle: 6 Oct 11
Kicking off a month focusing on Germany’s castles, palaces and crumbling ruins, The Local introduces 12 of the best – and one of the spookiest – royal locales. READ »

FDP rebels force party member vote on euro rescue plans

Politics: 5 Oct 11
Angela Merkel’s junior coalition party, the Free Democrats (FDP), is being forced by its members to take an internal referendum on whether to oppose Germany’s involvement in measures to rescue the euro. READ »

Joy as Herero skulls arrive in Namibia

National: 4 Oct 11
Thousands of Namibia's ethnic Hereros and Namas gave an heroic welcome Tuesday to 20 skulls of their ancestors returned from Germany, where colonial authorities had taken them a century ago. READ »

Crime claims against Qaddafi son were ignored

Politics: 2 Oct 11
German officials buried numerous criminal allegations against ousted Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi's son Saif al-Arab for fear of damaging bilateral ties, the weekly Der Spiegel reported at the weekend. READ »

Education minister spent €150,000 on flight to pope

Politics: 1 Oct 11
Education Minister Annette Schavan flew to a personal audience with Pope Benedict XVI using a military jet, at a cost of around €150,000 – despite commercial flights being available - according to a report in Der Spiegel. READ »

Reopened embassy signals new era in German-Libyan relations

National: 27 Sep 11
Germany has reopened its embassy in Tripoli in what is being seen as a symbolic measure to signal the country’s desire to help rebuild Libya. READ »

De Maizière worried about army quitters

National: 26 Sep 11
German Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière said Sunday he wants to find out why so many volunteers are leaving the army during training. Over 20 percent have quit training since the Bundeswehr became an all-volunteer force in July. READ »

Germany, allies storm out on Ahmadinejad rant

National: 23 Sep 11
Germany and its US and European allies stormed out of the United Nations’ General Assembly Thursday when Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched an attack on Western nations and cast doubt on the Holocaust. READ »

Rommel's family complains about film profile plans

Society: 20 Sep 11
The family of German World War II General Erwin Rommel is complaining that a planned film by public broadcaster Südwestrundfunk (SWR) doesn’t do enough to portray Rommel as an opponent of Hitler. READ »

The Local's guide to Oktoberfest

Lifestyle: 15 Sep 11
Looking to head to Munich this year for Oktoberfest? The Local has put together a guide to the world’s biggest beer bash that might get you out of Bavaria alive. READ »

Frankfurt shooter deep into jihad: prosecutors

National: 14 Sep 11
German prosecutors on Wednesday said the Kosovar man accused of killing two US airmen at Frankfurt’s Airport in March had a long fascination with Islamist propaganda, contradicting his previous statements. READ »

Debate flares on protecting remains of Hitler's mountain retreat

Society: 13 Sep 11
A debate has flared up about whether to protect what remains of Adolf Hitler's Bavarian mountain retreat, known as the "Berghof", his favourite residence for more than 10 years until his suicide in a Berlin bunker in 1945. READ »

100 Germans involved in NATO Libya mission

National: 10 Sep 11
More than 100 German soldiers took part in NATO’s Libya operation, 10 times more than previously thought, the government has admitted. READ »

Discovering the Eifel on two wheels

Travel: 7 Sep 11
North Rhine-Westphalia might be Germany’s most populous state, but a vast expanse of untouched nature lies not far from the dense urban area surrounding Cologne. Alexander Bakst goes cycling in the Eifel. READ »

Obama 'very pleased' with German role in Libya

National: 6 Sep 11
After several months of strife between the United States and Germany over its Libya policies, an advisor to US President Barack Obama said Germany had been more involved in the NATO air campaign than widely thought. READ »

Friedrich: 1,000 potential terrorists in Germany

National: 5 Sep 11
Around 1,000 potential Islamist terrorists live in Germany, 128 of whom could be classed as capable of carrying out attacks, Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said Monday. READ »

Westerwelle: Germany 'very worried' about flotilla row

National: 3 Sep 11
Germany joined top diplomats in piling pressure on Turkey and Israel to make up Saturday, after Ankara's decision to expel the Jewish state's ambassador in retaliation for last year's deadly Gaza flotilla raid. READ »

Germany's foreign policy zombie

Analysis & Opinion: 2 Sep 11
Unloved, ineffective and on his political deathbed, Guido Westerwelle has become a foreign policy liability for Germany, writes The Local's Marc Young. READ »

Relatives of Kunduz bomb victims to sue

National: 1 Sep 11
A lawyer representing 74 relatives of those killed in an airstrike ordered by a German colonel in Afghanistan two years ago, announced Thursday that they would be seeking damages from the German government. READ »

Frankfurt man confesses to killing US airmen

National: 31 Aug 11
A 21-year-old man from Kosovo apologised in court Wednesday for killing two US soldiers at Frankfurt Airport as they headed to Afghanistan, saying he had been influenced by Islamist propaganda. READ »

Libyan rebels use German weapons

National: 31 Aug 11
Libyan rebels have reportedly been using Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifles in their struggle against dictator Muammar Qaddafi. The German company denies that it sold weapons to anyone in the embargoed country. READ »

Foreigners face pricey prep for universities

Education: 30 Aug 11
Germany’s affordable universities have long attracted foreign students, but free language and introductory classes could soon be a thing of the past. Erin Huggins explores the trend toward pricey preparatory courses. READ »

Berlin resets Libya policy

Politics: 29 Aug 11
Germany sought to turn a new leaf on Monday by stressing its readiness to help with reconstruction and aid in Libya after failing to provide military assistance to the campaign against Muammar Qaddafi. READ »

Ex-spy chief says BND 'misused' for Iraq War

National: 28 Aug 11
Germany's BND foreign intelligence service was "misused" by the US government to justify the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, according to the former head of the spy agency. READ »

FDP leadership backs beleaguered Westerwelle

Politics: 28 Aug 11
Guido Westerwelle’s Free Democratic Party is sticking with him, despite speculation that the party wanted to replace Germany's beleaguered foreign minister. READ »

Merkel praises NATO for Libya campaign

National: 27 Aug 11
Chancellor Angela Merkel has defended Germany’s decision not to participate in NATO's military campaign in Libya, but praised Berlin's allies for helping oust dictator Muammar Qaddafi. READ »

Defence officials split over troops for Libya

National: 26 Aug 11
Defence Ministry officials gave conflicting views Friday about whether Germany will need to take part in a peacekeeping mission to stabilize Libya after fighting ends. There was also rare German praise for the NATO effort against Qaddafi. READ »

Beloved humorist Loriot dies

Society: 23 Aug 11
One of the most popular German comedians of the post-war period, Vicco von Bülow, better known by his stage name Loriot, has died at the age of 87. READ »

Media roundup: Libya after Qaddafi

Analysis & Opinion: 23 Aug 11
As the end of Libyan despot Muammar Qaddafi's reign nears, commentators in The Local’s media roundup examine what’s next for the North African country and the impact of Germany’s decision to break with its NATO allies. READ »

Westerwelle plays down engagement in Libya

National: 23 Aug 11
Although Germany is eager to help Libya after the ousting of dictator Muammar Qaddafi, discussion of any potential engagement in the North African country is premature, said Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Monday evening. READ »

Berlin mulls troops for post-Qaddafi Libya

National: 22 Aug 11
As the regime of Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi teetered on the brink Monday, German Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière said Bundeswehr troops could soon help secure the peace in the North African nation. READ »

Friedrich welcomes arming German cargo ships

National: 20 Aug 11
German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich has welcomed the suggestion to put privately-hired armed guards on cargo vessels to stop pirate attacks. READ »

Husband of post-war journalism legend charged with her murder

Society: 19 Aug 11
The fantasist husband of a grande dame of German journalism, Viola Drath, has been charged with her murder after the 91-year-old was found battered and strangled in the bath of her Washington, DC home. READ »

Germany, France and UK tell Syria's Assad to go

Politics: 18 Aug 11
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy of France and British Prime Minister David Cameron on Thursday jointly urged Syria's embattled leader Bashar Al-Assad to step down. READ »

Court allows students to offset uni costs from future income taxes

Education: 18 Aug 11
Students in Germany should start collecting receipts – a court has ruled their university costs can be offset against income taxes once they start working. READ »

Universities bracing for flood of students

Education: 11 Aug 11
An end to military conscription and growing interest in higher education mean German universities are about to be flooded with an unprecedented number of new students this autumn. Moises Mendoza reports. READ »

Hackers gather around the computer campfire

Science & Technology: 11 Aug 11
Thousands of hackers and computer enthusiasts are flocking this week to a camp outside Berlin hosted by the Chaos Computer Club (CCC) for five days of discussion and IT exploits. READ »

'I don’t think people expected the Wall would last 30 years'

Society: 10 Aug 11
As Germany prepares to mark the 50th anniversary of the construction of the Berlin Wall, Erin Huggins spoke with Russell Swenson, who witnessed the birth of the Iron Curtain while stationed in the city with the US Army in 1961. READ »

Swedish queen's probe shows father was hero, not Nazi

National: 9 Aug 11
A probe launched by Sweden's German-born Queen Silvia into ties between her father and the Nazi regime concludes he may actually have been a hero who helped a Jewish businessman leave Germany. READ »

Germany says Syria's Assad losing legitimacy

Politics: 8 Aug 11
The German government warned on Monday that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will forfeit legitimacy if his regime continues to carry out acts of violence against demonstrators. There were also calls to boycott Syrian gas and oil. READ »

Franco-German alliance for warships mooted

National: 1 Aug 11
Germany and France are reportedly considering a military ship-building alliance, an "EADS of the Seas," that could resemble their current arrangement for military aircraft. READ »

Despite skills shortage, many qualified workers remain jobless

Business & Money: 1 Aug 11
Despite the serious skills shortage facing the German economy, qualified workers are continuing to lose their jobs, a union study has found. READ »

Germany demands UN meeting on Syria

Politics: 1 Aug 11
Germany has called for the UN Security Council to meet urgently on Monday to deal with the Syrian government crackdown on demonstrators that reportedly left 80 people dead on Sunday. READ »

Bundeswehr recruits quitting voluntary service

National: 22 Jul 11
The Bundeswehr has a new problem after moving from conscription to voluntary service: New recruits are quitting after just a few days military training. READ »

Niebel says arms sales 'compatible' with human rights

Politics: 20 Jul 11
Development Minister Dirk Niebel has waded into the controversy surrounding a deal to sell tanks to Saudi Arabia, saying German weapons exports can be compatible with human rights by stabilizing an entire region. READ »

De Maizière promises to equip soldiers better

National: 17 Jul 11
Reacting to a parliamentary report that German soldiers in Afghanistan are being endangered by a shortage of equipment, Defence Minister Thomas de Maizière promised that problems would be addressed immediately. READ »

Arms deals raise human rights questions

National: 14 Jul 11
Arms deals with Saudi Arabia and Angola have sparked outrage in Germany and highlighted the country's emergence as the world's third-largest weapons exporter. But is Berlin guilty of hypocrisy or just poor political judgement? READ »

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