Spaßbremse

As a follow up to our previous episode on the "fascism debate", writer John Ganz argues for the "yes" side, addressing the points Danny Bessner and other critics have made. He and Ted discuss parallels between the current far right and interwar fascism, suggesting there are important similarities we can learn from.Listen to part 1 (episode 66) here: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/fjeZVKb9ASbBuy John's book here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374605445/whentheclockbroke/Read his Substack here: https://www.unpopularfront.news/*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.Support us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

Over his long career, Friedrich Merz has gone from rising CDU star to Blackrock executive and back to the very top of German politics. To discuss his trajectory—and the country's likely future—Ted speaks with NYC-based journalist Lukas Hermsmeier to discuss the "back to the future" qualities of Merz's political outlook.Read Lukas' NYT piece on Merz here: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/opinion/friedrich-merz-germany-chancellor.htmlFollow Lukas here: https://bsky.app/profile/lukashermsmeier.bsky.socialRead one of the scary pieces on Germany and the A-Bomb here: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/deutschland-welt/braucht-deutschland-eigene-atomwaffen-analyse,Ug5NOIkWatch Merz's retro campaign ad here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxuJekayt0M&ab_channel=FriedrichMerz*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.Support us on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

Is America (and Europe) descending into fascism? And can the term ever be applicable outside the specific historical context of interwar Europe? To review the "fascism debate" of Trump I and revisit it given the political shifts in the US and Europe since 2020, Ted speaks with Daniel Bessner of the American Prestige podcast. Danny is a firm "no" and he tries to stop Ted from drifting into the "yes" camp. Listen and decide for yourself.Read Danny's piece in TNR here: https://newrepublic.com/article/170890/does-american-fascism-existFor one of the prominent "yes" voices, see John Ganz here: https://www.unpopularfront.news/p/the-march-on-rome-one-century-laterSee the meme Ted made that (re)started the conversation: https://x.com/ted_knudsen/status/1899556117916573975*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.Support us on Patreon here: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

Support us on Patreon here to listen to the full thing: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse⁠****What does "military Keynesianism" portend for Germany and the world? On this subscriber-only episode, Ted breaks down the recent momentous changes in German attitudes toward debt and defense, with Merz's rewriting of the Schuldenbremse and a massive infrastructure and defense fund on the agenda.Listen to Tooze and Pistor here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whP2OD-VUQc&ab_channel=GlobalThoughtCUSee Ted's TV appearance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikRr82K91Uw&ab_channel=Roundtable*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Written and produced by Ted Knudsen. Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Where does the international relations concept of "realism" come from? Can it be useful for promoting a progressive politics? Or does it support a more imperialist worldview? To discuss, Ted speaks with Matthew Specter of UC Berkeley about his book The Atlantic Realists. They discuss how the school of thought formed and what types of foreign policy mistakes it condemns—as well as other sins that it may condone.Buy his book here: https://www.sup.org/books/history/atlantic-realists*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.Support us on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

Ahead of the next German federal election on February 23rd, what are the main issues for voters, how is the Left doing, and where does Germany find itself in the world? To explain all this and more, Ted speaks to Ingar Solty, a researcher at the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, about what to expect a week from Sunday and beyond.Follow Ingar here:https://x.com/IngarSoltyBuy his book here:https://www.vsa-verlag.de/nc/buecher/detail/artikel/usa-nach-der-wahl/*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.Support us on Patreon here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

What can we learn from Angela Merkel's recently-published memoir, Freiheit/Freedom? To discuss this massive 700-page book, Ted is joined by Dominik Leusder of Eurotrash. This is part 1, reaching from her childhood to her early political career. Subscribe to our Patreon to hear part 2. Listen to our original Merkel episode "Wir schaffen...was?" here: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/jYZlNuSyDQb Follow Dominik here: https://x.com/NewLeftEViews Read Dominik's 2021 Jacobin article on Merkel here and Ted's piece from the same year in Project Syndicate. ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider. Support us on Patreon here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

How did the Hapsburgs form a massive, multiethnic empire out of some disorganized principalities? Why was Austria-Hungary a thing? Did the Habsburg Empire really collapse because it was an anachronistic "empire of nations?" And is the Habsburg Empire coming back through a dynastic marriage with future "American Caesar," Barron Trump? To get answers to these pressing questions, we speak with Natasha Wheatley of Princeton University about her book The Life and Death of States: Central Europe and the Transformation of Modern Sovereignty. Ted and Natasha discuss the early history of the empire, the pressures of the 1848 revolutions, and legal innovations of the empire, and speculate as to why people are still compelled by monarchical structures. Buy the book here: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691244075/the-life-and-death-of-states Read her Dial piece here: https://www.thedial.world/articles/news/issue-20/eduard-habsburg-the-habsburg-way-review See the insane Twitter thread about Barron's potential princess wives here: https://x.com/Shahenshah_Chud/status/1789716792325062871 Follow Eduard here: https://x.com/EduardHabsburg and (preferably) Natasha here: https://x.com/natasha_wheatl Thanks so much to everyone who listened to Spaßbremse in 2024! Wishing you a Happy New Year and looking forward to a great 2025 (for the podcast and its listeners at least, if not the world at large). ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider. Support us on Patreon here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

***this is an unlocked episode from our Patreon, subscribe for more bonus content*** On our first premium bonus episode, Michelle and Ted talk about one of the most exciting, innovative, and "dynamisch" people in German politics: the one and only Christian Lindner, leader of the FDP and likely next German finance minister.  This episode's reading is courtesy of Politico: Christian Lindner - The Radical from their 2018 list of "the 28 people who are shaping, shaking and stirring Europe."  Our boy Lindner's been catching a lot of people's attention lately, and our competitors over at Deutsche Welle beat us to a profile earlier this week. You can check it out (if you must) here: Christian Lindner - The FDP's clever tactician   To see some of the incredible Lindner photos mocked on this episode, check out the biography page on his website. You can find the oft-mentioned TV spot from 1997 about the young Lindner's ad business on YouTube.  Produced by Isaac Würmann. Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider. Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter: @spassbremse_pod. Subscribe to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

Happy 18 Brumaire! In the honor of the anniversary and this week's election, Spaßbremse has a "guys who don't like democracy" special with special guest Everett Rummage of the Age of Napoleon podcast. We discuss whether comparisons between Hitler and Napoleon are valid and what any traits they share might say about rightwing strongmen in general. Listen to The Age of Napoleon here: https://ageofnapoleon.com/ ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider. Support us on Patreon here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

**This is a free preview, subscribe to our Patreon here to hear the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse⁠** ****************** After the disaster at Jena in 1806, how did Prussia recover to defeat Napoleon less than nine years later at Waterloo? What enabled their rise to become the dominant force in the German speaking world? And how did the mythology of the Befreiungskrieg play into subsequent German nationalism? To discuss, Prof. Michael Leggiere comes back on the pod to take us from 1806 to 1871 for part 2 of our series on Napoleon and Germany. Part 3 will discuss the Napoleonic war's legacy during the Third Reich and examine whether parallels between Napoleon and Hitler are accurate. -Read Prof. Leggiere's book on Napoleon and Germany here: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/napoleon-and-the-struggle-for-germany/4E88DDB613B7258659CF6AF4CB57E4B3 -Read his article on the military campaigns in Germany here: https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/29/article/40473/pdf ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Written and produced by Ted Knudsen. Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

How did Germany go from a chaotic mix of kingdoms and principalities to a unified empire in less than a century? We all know the story of Bismarck, but in this episode Professor Michael Leggiere outlines the ways in which Napoleon Bonaparte--the Corsican-born Emperor of France--was instrumental in forging a unified Germany. This is part one of a three-part series and covers 1789 to 1806. Part 2 will cover 1807 to 1815, and part 3 will conclude. -Read Prof. Leggiere's book on Napoleon and Germany here: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/napoleon-and-the-struggle-for-germany/4E88DDB613B7258659CF6AF4CB57E4B3 -Read his article on the military campaigns in Germany here: https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/29/article/40473/pdf ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider. Support us on Patreon here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

Germany is often lauded for its Vergangenheitsbewältigung. Is the praise it receives for "working through" the past justified? To explore one aspect of how Germany tries to address its dark history, Ted speaks with Berlin-based journalist Peter Kuras about the system of antisemitism commissioners that has risen to prominence since the late 2010s—and has become increasingly controversial over the past year. They explore the role that these institutions play in cultural and political life, ask whether Germany now represents a "historical reckoning gone haywire," and discuss whether the admirable aim of atoning for Nazi crimes can be achieved in a more inclusive and just way. -Read Peter's Jewish Currents piece on "The Strange Logic of Germany's Antisemitism Bureaucrats" https://jewishcurrents.org/the-strange-logic-of-germanys-antisemitism-bureaucrats -Read his Guardian piece on those six little words that no German antisemitism commissioner wants to hear: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/aug/16/germany-free-speech-israel-gaza-war -Follow Peter on Twitter here: https://x.com/plk -Read the Susan Neiman NYRB piece on "Historical Reckoning Gone Haywire" here: https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/10/19/historical-reckoning-gone-haywire-germany-susan-neiman/ ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider. Support us on Patreon here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

**This is a free preview, subscribe to our Patreon here to hear the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse** Summer is in full swing, which means the Berlin tourism season is as well. Aside from the crowded sidewalks, do the tens of thousands of historical tours that take place each year have any larger political and ideological meaning? To find out, Ted speaks with longtime (and excellent) Berlin tour guide Ryan Balmer to examine what people come to Berlin looking for, what they tend to walk away with, and what this all means for both the city itself and how the rest of world understands German history. Find Ryan on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/berlin_reguided/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet Check out his videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpwsE8V1YrJ8Mevb2vKfd4g Read Ghosts of Berlin here: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/G/bo28471172.html -- Hosted by Ted. Edited by Nick. Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider. Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter: @spassbremse_pod. Photo courtesy of Johannes Novy.

EU electoral politics expert Ciarán of Corner Späti joins to discuss the results from last weekend's European Parliament vote. From the big political shifts to the Continent's most obscure parties, Ciarán and Ted break it down and speculate about what the next five years could hold. ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider. Edited by Nick. Support us on Patreon here ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

Continuing our series on German diaspora communities, in this episode we move away from the national-level stories to zoom in to one particular place: the "Queen City" of Cincinnati, Ohio. To help us, Ted and Michelle (!) are joined by a native son of the city: Chris Wade of Chapo Trap House. We talk history, beer, baseball, and what the resurgence of interest in German heritage means for culture and politics more broadly -Follow Chris on Twitter here, check out his personal webpage here and listen to ⁠And introducing, here⁠ -Listen to Hell of Presidents here and Hell on Earth here (both featuring past guest Matt Christman) ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider. Edited by Nick. Support us on Patreon here ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

With a month to go until the European Parliament elections—and the right's vote share expected to surge—what is the state of conservatism in the EU? To find out, Ted speaks with returning guest Hans Kundnani (@hanskundnani), a fellow at NYU's Remarque Institute and Chatham House. They discuss his recent book Eurowhiteness as well as several recent articles on Germany's relationship with the rest of the world and what it means for Europe. -Buy the book here: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/eurowhiteness/ -Read the Dissent Piece on Germany-Israel here: https://www.dissentmagazine.org/online_articles/zionism-uber-alles/ -Read his article on the "Berlin Blob" here: https://theideasletter.substack.com/p/the-berlin-blob ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider. Edited by Nick. Support us on Patreon here ⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

In honor of International Worker's Day, this episode features Autumn Chen, designer of the online game "Social Democracy: an Alternate History" to discuss how the late Weimar period could have gone differently--perhaps ending in an SPD or even KPD-led government. She and Ted explore this period through the lens of the game and also talk about the role of computer games in history education more broadly. Thanks to all the Patreon patrons for making this May Day special episode possible. Stay safe out there and happy May Day! Follow Autumn's game site here: https://red-autumn.itch.io/ ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider. Support us on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse.

Boeing's myriad crises are well known, but what explains the success of its (relatively) new European rival, Airbus? To find out, Ted speaks with aviation analyst Scott Hamilton about the history of the firm, Germany's role in it, and what has allowed Airbus to overtake Boeing. They also discuss the different approaches toward the aircraft manufacturing business on both sides of the Atlantic and ask what it says about their respective economies. Finally, they explore the future of "sustainable" aviation and the rise of Chinese competition. Buy Scott's book here: https://www.12spublications.com/ Check out Leeham News and Analysis here: https://leehamnews.com/ Read about Strauß and aviation here: https://aviationtrivia.blogspot.com/2015/05/franz-josef-strauss-bavarian-politician.html Read Airbus on it's own history: https://www.airbus.com/en/who-we-are/our-history/commercial-aircraft-history/trouble-and-strife-1968-1969 FT on the rise of COMAC: https://www.ft.com/content/19319a2f-b913-4711-a94b-7915248ee67a ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠). Music by ⁠⁠Lee Rosevere⁠⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

The economic news from Germany is bad. But is the reality as dire as it's portrayed? To find out if Germany is really the "sick man of Europe" again, Ted speaks with Professor Sebastian Dullien of the Hans Böckler Foundation's Macroeconomic Policy Institute (IMK). They discuss the problems Germany faces and what it needs to do to escape them. For background, listen to Episode 1 on Hartz IV here and Episode 8 on the Schuldenbremse here.  Prof. Dullien's podcast is here: https://www.boeckler.de/de/podcasts-22421.htm  And the Adam Tooze piece Ted referenced at the end is here: https://adamtooze.substack.com/p/chartbook-71-the-inflation-debate  ***** Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠). Music by ⁠Lee Rosevere⁠. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Acknowledging and atoning for the crimes of the Third Reich is now an essential part of Germany's national identity. This process is comparatively straightforward for ethnic Germans, whose family members may have been complicit during the Nazi era. But where does this "emotional social contract" leave post-WWII immigrants to Germany, particularly those of Muslim backgrounds? To explore these tensions, Ted speaks with Esra Özyürek, professor at Cambridge University, about her recent book Subcontractors of Guilt: Holocaust Memory and Muslim Belonging in Postwar Germany. They discuss the ways in which Muslim-Germans navigate the complex politics of victimhood and perpetration, often in ways that contradict official narratives. -- Support Spaßbremse on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse⁠⁠⁠⁠ Co-hosted by Ted (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@ted_knudsen⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Michelle (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@shhellgames⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠). Edited by Nick of ⁠⁠⁠⁠@cornerspaeti⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠⁠). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

What explains Germany's steadfast support for Israel? Even as Israel's response to the October 7th Hamas attacks has drawn increasing international condemnation, Germany has doubled down on support, proclaiming that Israel's security is its Staatsräson and cracking down on speech deemed insufficiently supportive of Israel. To answer this question from a historical perspective, Ted speaks with Daniel Marwecki, a lecturer at Hong Kong University, about his book Germany and Israel: Whitewashing and Statebuilding. He argues that German support for Israel did not always stem from guilt and the need to atone for historical crimes, but instead from clear-eyed Realpolitik. A German version of the book comes out in early 2024. -Susan Neiman in the NYRB on Germany, memory culture, and Israel https://www.nybooks.com/articles/2023/10/19/historical-reckoning-gone-haywire-germany-susan-neiman/ -Read Daniel's piece in Le Monde Diplomatique here: https://mondediplo.com/2020/05germany-israel -Haaretz on German-Israeli history: https://www.haaretz.com/2015-05-12/ty-article/.premium/the-complicated-israel-germany-love-affair/0000017f-dbbe-d3a5-af7f-fbbe05ad0000?v=1699498553307 -- Support Spaßbremse on Patreon here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse⁠⁠⁠ Co-hosted by Ted (⁠⁠⁠⁠@ted_knudsen⁠⁠⁠⁠) and Michelle (⁠⁠⁠⁠@shhellgames⁠⁠⁠⁠). Edited by Nick of ⁠⁠⁠@cornerspaeti⁠⁠⁠ Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠⁠). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

German media and politicians say that the country is experiencing another "migration crisis." But has it ever not been? To explore the history of migration politics in the BRD, Ted speaks with Lauren Stokes (@laurenstokes), a historian at Northwestern University, about her book Fear of the Family (2022) and article "The Permanent Refugee Crisis in the Federal Republic of Germany" (2019). They discuss the recurring arguments and contradictory policy responses that surround the German migration debate. -Buy the book here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/fear-of-the-family-9780197558416?cc=gb&lang=en& -Read the article here: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/central-european-history/article/permanent-refugee-crisis-in-the-federal-republic-of-germany-1949/137BEF2AD9044E733AC147E86C62F638 -- Support Spaßbremse on Patreon here: ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse⁠⁠ Co-hosted by Ted (⁠⁠⁠@ted_knudsen⁠⁠⁠) and Michelle (⁠⁠⁠@shhellgames⁠⁠⁠). Edited by Nick of ⁠⁠@cornerspaeti⁠⁠ Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠⁠). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

What is the NATO alliance really for? Grey Anderson's recent book Natopolitanism offers some hints, and the answer is (shockingly) not always what proponents of the Alliance say it is. On this episode, we speak with Grey—an editor and historian based in New York—about the book, the history of NATO, and what the future of the transatlantic relationship might look like. Buy his book here: https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3093-natopolitanism Read his NLR piece here: https://newleftreview.org/issues/ii140/articles/grey-anderson-weapon-of-power-matrix-of-management Read his NYT piece here: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/11/opinion/nato-summit-vilnius-europe.html -- Support Spaßbremse on Patreon here: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse⁠ Co-hosted by Ted (⁠⁠@ted_knudsen⁠⁠) and Michelle (⁠⁠@shhellgames⁠⁠). Edited by Nick of ⁠@cornerspaeti⁠ Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (⁠@spassbremse_pod⁠). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

During a demoralizing year for Twitter, there's been one notable bright spot: the relentless and inspired posting of Austrian economist Gunther Fehlinger (@GunterFehlinger). With political opinions (and matching selfies) ranging from #exRussia and #exChina to the need for Austria to join NATO, Gunther has risen quickly to become one of the world's most legendary commentators on geopolitics (my favorite "NATO is our sunscreen" Tweet is here). To further explore Fehlinger Thought, we speak with Gunther about how he transformed from a free market economist to one of the most passionate advocates for the expansion of the US-led world order, even daring to cheer on the dissolution of many major world powers. We also chat Balkan food and how to get the best flag pins. Follow him for all this thoughts here: https://twitter.com/GunterFehlinger (also on YouTube). Listen to Corner Späti's profile of him here: https://www.operationglad.io/247 Get your tickets for our live show in Berlin, (October 14th at noon) here: https://www.podfestberlin.com/event-details/halfdaypass-1014-am. -- Support Spaßbremse on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse Co-hosted by Ted (⁠@ted_knudsen⁠) and Michelle (⁠@shhellgames⁠). Edited by Nick of @cornerspaeti Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

The far-right Alternative für Deutschland party is surging across Germany and the CDU seems increasingly willing to cooperate with them. Is the "firewall/Brandmauer" taboo of working with the radical right finally crumbling? To answer this, Ted speaks with historian Ned Richardson-Little (@HistoryNed) about the postwar history of the far right in both East and West Germany. They discuss how the AfD emerged and evolved and speculate about how its role in German politics might change in the coming years. -Read the AfD's most racist comments here: https://www.dw.com/en/afd-leaders-and-their-most-offensive-remarks/g-37651099 -Check out Ned's writing here: https://historyned.blog/about/ -Weep at the latest polling here: https://www.wahlrecht.de/umfragen/ We also have a LIVE SHOW October 14th at noon in Berlin. More details to follow. -- Support Spaßbremse on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse Co-hosted by Ted (⁠@ted_knudsen⁠) and Michelle (⁠@shhellgames⁠). Edited by Nick of @cornerspaeti Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Ted is joined by historian Quinn Slobodian to discuss his latest book, "Crack up Capitalism," including how his recent work on economic "zones" relates to his earlier thinking on neoliberalism and the tensions between capitalism and democracy. They also discuss the microstate of Lichtenstein and the rise of the far right in Germany. You can buy Quinn's latest book here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250753892/crackupcapitalism And read his interview in the New Statesman here: https://www.newstatesman.com/the-weekend-interview/2023/04/quinn-slobodian-interview-fantasies-fever-dreams-neoliberalism -- Support Spaßbremse on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse Co-hosted by Ted (⁠@ted_knudsen⁠) and Michelle (⁠@shhellgames⁠). Edited by Nick of @cornerspaeti Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Talk is heating up of an impending split in the German Left Party, Die Linke. Sahra Wagenknecht, who has long been a controversial figure in the party, is now openly considering forming a breakaway party. On this episode, we have Loren Balhorn of Jacobin Germany and the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung on to discuss what this would mean for the Die Linke and the potential new party. Ted and Loren also go beyond the recent developments in the party to give more context for the party rift and discuss how the divide could play out, both for Die Linke and the German political landscape more broadly. They also look at the new CDU-SPD government in Berlin and the changes it's bringing. Subscribe to hear all of our premium episodes here Or give a one-time donation via PayPal (knudsenedward@gmail.com) here Loren's Jacobin piece on the party divisions Loren's NLR piece on the Berlin election Quinn Slobodian and William Callison's Dissent article on the "Aufstehen" movement German Jacobin piece on the prospects of a Wagenknecht party -- Co-hosted by Ted (⁠@ted_knudsen⁠) and Michelle (⁠@shhellgames⁠). Edited by Nick of @cornerspaeti Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

With the finals of this year's Eurovision Song Contest taking place this evening, we thought it would be a perfect time to reflect on the weird and sometimes surprising political and cultural history of the world's most-watched non-sporting event. Ted is joined by Kat Friege, a modern European historian at the University of Oxford. For some more info about Eurovision, check out this article that Isaac wrote last year: https://xtramagazine.com/culture/music/eurovision-geopolitics-queer-trans-representation-222579 -- Co-hosted by Ted (⁠@ted_knudsen⁠) and Michelle (⁠@shhellgames⁠). Produced by Isaac (⁠@wuermann⁠). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Ted interviews Arne Semsrott of Freiheitsfonds, a bail fund for people who have been imprisoned for riding public transit without a ticket. Check out the Freiheitsfonds website for more info: https://www.freiheitsfonds.de/ We encourage you to donate if you can! -- Co-hosted by Ted (⁠@ted_knudsen⁠) and Michelle (⁠@shhellgames⁠). Produced by Isaac Würmann (⁠@wuermann⁠). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Ted talks to transport researcher Giulio Mattioli about recent transit-related German news, including Germany's recent efforts to block a measure ending the sale of internal combustion engine cars at the EU-level. You can read more about that here.  For more from Giulio, you can follow him on Twitter: ⁠@giulio_mattioli⁠. Following the interview, we consider a recent article in Der Spiegel that says, come on, give the FDP a break! (Spoiler: we will not be giving the FDP a break.) You can check out that article for yourself here.  -- Co-hosted by Ted (⁠@ted_knudsen⁠) and Michelle (⁠@shhellgames⁠). Produced by Isaac Würmann (⁠@wuermann⁠). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

We're talking about something a bit different on this episode, and about a time period much earlier than we usually discuss: the witch trials of early-modern Germany. Why? Because it's Witchy Zeit in Germany! Carnival/Fasching/Fastnacht just happened last month and at the end of April is Walpurgisnacht, also known as Hexenbrennen (witch burning). Michelle and Isaac give a bit of background about these witchy festivals at the start of the episode, before getting into an interview with Dr. Laura Kounine, lecturer in early modern history at the University of Sussex. Dr. Kounine published her book Imagining the Witch: Emotions, Gender and Selfhood in Early Modern Germany in 2018, and has some fascinating insights into the experiences of being put on trial for witchcraft during this period. You can find more from Dr. Kounine on Twitter: @LauraKounine To learn more about Fasching and Walpurgisnacht, check out these articles we cited: Fasching: Tracing the Roots of South Germany's 'Dark Carnival' in The Local Are You Reading for Walpurgisnacht, Germany's Night of Witches? in The Local -- Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Here's a preview of our latest premium episode, where Ted talks about tanks! Specifically, he laments the anglophone media's gratuitous hand-wringing over Germany's alleged reluctance to adequately support Ukraine. To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse -- Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

The whole team's back together again to discuss the upcoming repeat election happening in Berlin on Sunday, February 12. Here's a link to the candidates' debate that we reference throughout the episode: https://www.rbb24.de/politik/hintergrund/livestream-ihre-wahl-kandidatencheck-berlin-abgeordnetenhaus.html You can check out the latest polls and coalition possibilities here: https://interaktiv.tagesspiegel.de/lab/wahl-wiederholung-abgeordnetenhaus-2023-umfragen-prognosen-analysen-ergebnisse-wahlkarten/ And for some more background to the repeat election, check out this article from Deutsche Welle: https://www.dw.com/en/berlin-gears-up-to-repeat-botched-elections/a-64621620 -- Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

We're joined by journalist Ruairi Casey to talk about the evacuation of the climate protest in Lützerath earlier this month, and what it can tell us about climate politics in Germany. Read the piece Ruairi wrote on this subject here: www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2023/january/in-luetzerath For more from Ruairi, follow him on Twitter: @Ruairi_Casey -- Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Happy (belated) New Year! Here's a short preview of our latest premium episode featuring part two of Ted's interview with Fritz Bartel, Assistant Professor of International Affairs at Texas A&M at the George H. W. Bush School of Government and Public Service, about his new book The Triumph of Broken Promises: The End of the Cold War and the Rise of Neoliberalism. After the interview, Ted and Michelle share some of their reflections. To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse And make sure to listen to part one of the interview with Professor Bartel if you haven't already! You can find it here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/OPdcBUDmKwb We'll be back soon with some more episodes on the main feed, including a Wahlupdate about Berlin's repeat state election that's coming up next month. -- Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Back by popular demand, we're joined by Nathan to talk about this year's Christmas market scandals! Check out last year's two-part episode “The Twelve Days of Christmas Market Scandals” for more holiday drama. This year, we're discussing six different scandals: 1. Not heeding the energy-saving restrictions https://www.insuedthueringen.de/inhalt.eisenach-trotz-energiekrise-weihnachtsmarkt-ohne-einschraenkungen.c3f15953-26ef-4833-9abf-758482dd6cf4.html 2. Tax evasion and not following the receipt obligations https://www.zeit.de/wirtschaft/2019-12/steuerbetrug-bonpflicht-registrierkassen-haendler-handel-finanzamt?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F 3. Pickpockets in Niedersachsen! https://www.lka.polizei-nds.de/a/presse/pressemeldungen/taschendiebe-unterwegs-auf-weihnachtsmaerkten--polizei-gibt-tipps-114196.html 4. Corrupt allocation of market stalls https://www.welt.de/print/die_welt/hamburg/article11049506/Razzia-in-Rathaus-Korruption-auf-dem-Weihnachtsmarkt.html https://www.sn.at/panorama/oesterreich/marktfahrer-protestieren-gegen-vergabe-der-staende-beim-christkindlmarkt-130281856 5. Nazis https://wo-magazin.de/rechte-nutzen-weihnachtsmarkt-fuer-nazi-propaganda/ https://www.rnd.de/panorama/hakenkreuz-skandal-auf-dem-weihnachtsmarkt-DBVYGVANC6T4MIGQOSVB5E5XGI.html https://www.eimsbuetteler-nachrichten.de/osterstrasse-eimsbuettel-streit-um-nazi-codes-auf-weihnachtsmarkt/ https://www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de/nazi-propaganda-weihnachten-unter-dem-hakenkreuz-100.html 6. Fur being sold at the Weihnachtsmarkt https://www.t-online.de/region/hamburg/id_100093252/hundepelz-skandal-auf-roncalli-weihnachtsmarkt-in-hamburg-stand-musste-schliessen.html Many thanks to Nathan for joining us again this year! You can find him on Twitter if you don't follow him already: @nthnashma Join us again next year for days 19 - 24 of your Christmas market scandal advent calendar. We'll also be back in the New Year with some exciting new episodes. Happy holidays! -- Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Despite the many controversies—from the deaths of thousands of labourers in horrible working conditions to the corrupt bidding process—the 2022 FIFA World Cup is happening now in Qatar. Instead of focusing on the World Cup, we sat down with journalist Dave Braneck to talk about the politics of German soccer/football. Here are some of the sources we referenced on this episode: Too cool for their own good? Union Berlin's fight to retain their identity by Kit Holden in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/sep/16/union-berlin-fight-to-retain-identity-bundesliga-book Fan-Owned Clubs Can Help Democratize Football by Dave Braneck in Jacobin: https://jacobin.com/2021/04/fan-owned-clubs-democratization-football-bundesliga-commercialization Dave Braneck on Twitter: @braneck  -- Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Ted talks to Fritz Bartel, Assistant Professor of International Affairs at Texas A&M at the George H. W. Bush School of Government and Public Service, about his new book The Triumph of Broken Promises: The End of the Cold War and the Rise of Neoliberalism. It's a fascinating account of how two processes that we agree happened roughly simultaneously—the end of political tensions between the US and the USSR and the rise of neoliberal policies like financialization and austerity—didn't just happen to overlap, but that they were deeply connected. You can find Professor Bartel on Twitter: @fritz_bartel. You can learn more about his book here: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674976788 We are posting the first half of Ted's interview with Professor Bartel here on the main feed, and we'll be posting the second half with some commentary from Ted and Michelle over on Patreon very soon. So go check us out on Patreon, if you haven't already: www.patreon.com/spassbremse -- Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Ted chats with the hosts of the Eurotrash podcast: Anton Jäger, Postdoctoral Researcher at KU Leuven and Dominik Leusder, Research Director of the LSE Global Economic Governance Commission. The three discuss all things EU, from the union's economic and political crises, the way these crises get talked about in the media, and how things could have gone differently. You can find Eurotrash on Twitter @eurotrashpod and listen to them wherever you find podcasts. You can find Anton on Twitter @AntonJaegermm and Dominik on Twitter @NewLeftEViews. Dominik is also Spaßbremse's first three-time guest, you can listen to him on Episode 15 where he discusses German economic policy and on Episode 24 where we he discusses German foreign policy. You can also catch Anton and Dominik on a recent episode of The Dig: Europe w/ Anton Jäger and Dominik Leusder We will be posting Part 2 of Ted's conversation with Anton and Dominik, where they dive into greater detail about the Eurozone, on our Patreon shortly. Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann). -- Thank so much to everyone who has already started supporting us on Patreon! We'll still be publishing full-length episodes twice monthly available on our main podcast feed, but Patreon supporters will also get access to some bonus episodes per month. It's a tough time out there so we totally understand if you don't have the capacity to support right now, but if you're able we'd really appreciate you becoming a subscriber. All the details here: www.patreon.com/spassbremse Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

A short preview of our latest premium episode, which features part two of Ted's interview with economic sociologist Wolfgang Streeck and reflections from Ted and Michelle on the interview. To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse And make sure to listen to part one of the interview with Professor Streeck if you haven't already! You can find it here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/JMY8wAnPiub -- Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Ted talks with economic sociologist Wolfgang Streeck, emeritus director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne and one of the leading scholars and commentators on European capitalism. In this exciting conversation, they discuss Germany's foreign policy role in Europe at this moment of the so-called "Zeitenwende." On this main feed episode, we're releasing the first 45 - 50 minutes of the interview. We'll release the final bit of the interview on our Patreon some time next week, where Ted and Michelle will also be sharing some of their reflections on the conversation. You can subscribe to us on Patreon to get access to this segment: www.patreon.com/spassbremse. These contributions are really significant in helping us keep this show going — from helping us get better gear to allowing us to pay a bit for the amazing space where we record — so we really appreciate all the support! Check out some of these recent posts by Professor Streeck for more of his insights: "Means of Destruction," published on Sidecare on July 2, 2022 "Pipe Dreams," published on Sidecar on September 12, 2022 "The End of the German Empire," published on Brave New Europe on August 28, 2022 "Strategic Desperation," published on Brave New Europe on September 11, 2022 -- Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

A short preview of our latest premium episode, in which Ted and Michelle dive into the history of Germany's love affair with sparkling water -- or Sprudelwasser, auf Deutsch -- and sample an assortment of bubbly offerings with the most Sprudel-pilled guy out there, Nick from Corner Späti. To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back soon with another full-length episode.

We're moving on from trains to talk about what is by far the most dominant mode of transport in Germany: the car. What is it about Germany's history that paved the way for such a pervasive car culture, and what's up with the Autobahn?? Luckily, we have a great guest who recently published a book on exactly these questions. Dr. Conrad Kunze is a researcher at the Research Centre for Sustainability at FU Berlin and author of Deutschland als Autobahn: Eine Kulturgeschichte von Männlichkeit, Moderne und Nationalismus (English translation: Germany as Autobahn: A Cultural History of Masculinity, Modernity and Nationalism). You can read Conrad's book here: https://www.transcript-verlag.de/978-3-8376-5943-6/deutschland-als-autobahn/ Conrad is also part of an anti-Autobahn climate camp that's taking place **right now** in the village of Gimritz. You can learn more about that initiative here: http://klimacamp-saaletal.de/en/ Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). -- Thank so much to everyone who has already started supporting us on Patreon! We'll still be publishing full-length episodes on our main podcast feed, but Patreon supporters will also get access to bonus episodes. It's a tough time out there so we totally understand if you don't have the capacity to support right now, but if you're able we'd really appreciate you becoming a subscriber. All the details here: www.patreon.com/spassbremse Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

We return from our Sommerpause to talk about one of the things dominating conversations in Germany over the past few months: trains! From inter-Europe rail travel to Deutsche Bahn woes to the 9-Euro-Ticket, Ted goes through it all with Jon Worth, a Berlin-based writer and communications consultant who has been documenting his experience crossing every possible internal European border by train this summer. Follow Jon on Twitter: @jonworth. To learn more about Jon's cross-border rail experience: https://www.capital.de/wirtschaft-politik/jon-worth--vom-brexit-kritiker-zum-bahn-enthusiast-31978856.html To learn more about the end and potential future of the 9-Euro-Ticket: https://www.spiegel.de/wirtschaft/9-euro-ticket-bundesregierung-streitet-ueber-preis-fuer-nachfolger-a-74230b3c-9492-4bf8-9bb1-818d87a96bf8 To learn more about Bavaria's reluctance to pay for a successor to the 9-Euro-Ticket: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/nachfolger-fuer-9-euro-ticket-bayern-will-nicht-zahlen,TGYi8I0 Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). -- Thank so much to everyone who has already started supporting us on Patreon! We'll still be publishing full-length episodes on our main podcast feed, but Patreon supporters will also get access to bonus episodes. It's a tough time out there so we totally understand if you don't have the capacity to support right now, but if you're able we'd really appreciate you becoming a subscriber. All the details here: www.patreon.com/spassbremse Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

First, thanks to our listeners who have been so patient with us as we have been taking a little Sommerpause. Some of us have been travelling, some of us have have COVID, and it's been taking a little longer than usual to put a new episode out. That's why we're unlocking one of our premium episodes that was published on our Patreon back in April. The episode is part two of our series we've been doing on Patreon about Germany's border regions; on this episode we talk about the modern German-Polish border, aka the Oder-Neiße Line. For some more reading on this topic, here are some of the sources we cited on this episode: Gott behüte from Der Spiegel on May 3, 1970 Kohl riskierte seine Kanzlerschaft für deutsch-polnische Grenzfrage by Klaus Wiegrefe for Der Spiegel on July 23, 2021 Kohl Retreats, Says He Accepts Polish Borders : Europe: Warsaw cautiously welcomes the news. West Germany will propose a formal treaty Thursday. by William Tuohy for the LA Times on March 7, 1990 Waigel: Oder-Neiße- Grenze bitterer Preis from TAZ on June 25, 1990 Die Ziele der NPD? Österreich, Polen, Tschechien, Russland, Litauen from Die Zeit on December 17, 2007 And here's a link to Ted's Twitter thread from February that was mentioned several times, featuring some pretty astounding CDU election posters: https://twitter.com/ted_knudsen/status/1496103102537252865 To hear the rest of the Spaßbremse Grenzen series, subscribe to us on Patreon! We have other episodes discussing the histories of the German-Czech border, the German-Danish border, and the German-French border. -- Co-hosted by Michelle and Ted. Produced by Isaac. Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider. Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter: @spassbremse_pod.

A short preview of our latest premium episode, in which Ted and Michelle round out our Spaßbremse Grenzen series by discussing the Alsace-Lorraine region on the France-German border. To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back soon with another full-length episode.

The far-right Alternative für Deutschland could soon have its own state-funded political foundation called the Desiderius Erasmus Stiftung (DES). We speak with freelance journalist Ruairi Casey about why this matters, and ask him what the deal is with all these political Stiftungen anyway. Read Ruairi's recent article in Foreign Policy on the subject: Germany May Soon Pay Millions to Far-Right Operatives And follow Ruairi on Twitter for more from him! @Ruairi_Casey Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). -- Thank so much to everyone who has already started supporting us on Patreon! We'll still be publishing full-length episodes twice monthly available on our main podcast feed, but Patreon supporters will also get access to a couple bonus episodes per month. It's a tough time out there so we totally understand if you don't have the capacity to support right now, but if you're able we'd really appreciate you becoming a subscriber. All the details here: www.patreon.com/spassbremse Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Pride Month in North America may have just ended, but here in Germany the local Pride festivals — or "Christopher Street Days" — are just beginning. To talk about the complicated history of Germany's queer movements, we're joined on this episode by writer and historian Ben Miller, co-host of the podcast Bad Gays and co-author of the book Bad Gays: A Homosexual History, which just came out last month. To learn more about Ben's podcast and book, check out www.badgayspod.com. If you're in Berlin, you can join Ben and Bad Gays co-author Huw Lemmey at Prinz Eisenherz on Tuesday, July 5th at 8:30 p.m.! For more from Ben, check out his Twitter: @benwritesthings. You can also learn more about the Schwules Museum, the Gay Museum in Berlin where Ben is on the board, at www.schwulesmuseum.de. Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). -- Thank so much to everyone who has already started supporting us on Patreon! We'll still be publishing full-length episodes twice monthly available on our main podcast feed, but Patreon supporters will also get access to a couple bonus episodes per month. It's a tough time out there so we totally understand if you don't have the capacity to support right now, but if you're able we'd really appreciate you becoming a subscriber. All the details here: www.patreon.com/spassbremse Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

On our thirtieth episode on the main feed (!!) we have an interview that Ted did with historian Jan Tattenberg about the "clean Wehrmacht" myth, or the idea that members of the German Wehrmacht were not complicit in the crimes and atrocities of the Holocaust. Ted and Jan go into quite a bit of detail about why this myth doesn't hold water, so we have abut 45 minutes of their conversation on this episode, and you can listen to the rest over on our Patreon (www.patreon.com/spassbremse). For more from Jan, you can read his piece in 1/200 about German rearmament: https://www.1of200.nz/articles/germany-rearms You can (and should!) also follow him on Twitter: @jantattenberg Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). -- Thank so much to everyone who has already started supporting us on Patreon! We'll still be publishing full-length episodes twice monthly available on our main podcast feed, but Patreon supporters will also get access to a couple bonus episodes per month. It's a tough time out there so we totally understand if you don't have the capacity to support right now, but if you're able we'd really appreciate you becoming a subscriber. All the details here: www.patreon.com/spassbremse Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.

Ted and Michelle sit down with journalist David de Jong to talk about his new book, Nazi Billionaires: The Dark History of Germany's Wealthiest Dynasties. Longtime listeners will know that this is a recurring subject on Spaßbremse. You can listen to our three-part series about the history of some specific Nazi businesses on Patreon: Pt. 1: Nazi Pizzas, Pt. 2: Nazi Soda, Pt. 3: Nazi Washing Machines For more on this subject, you can of course read David's book, which you can order from the publisher here. You can also read his guest essay in the New York Times, called "They Are the Heirs of Nazi Fortunes, and They Aren't Apologizing," and you can find David on Twitter: @davidthejong. Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann). -- Thank so much to everyone who has already started supporting us on Patreon! We'll still be publishing full-length episodes twice monthly available on our main podcast feed, but Patreon supporters will also get access to a couple bonus episodes per month. It's a tough time out there so we totally understand if you don't have the capacity to support right now, but if you're able we'd really appreciate you becoming a subscriber. All the details here: www.patreon.com/spassbremse Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.