Podcast appearances and mentions of Philip Oltermann

Thanks to a troubled economy and gains by the far right in the European elections, Germany's sense of identity is in the balance. Could footballing success bring the country back together? Philip Oltermann reports. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

The end of Nagorno-Karabakh, Greece's Syriza party has a new leader, the race is on to find Montenegro's laziest citizen, and in praise of all things coffee. Also on Inside Europe: The Guardian's European Culture Editor, Philip Oltermann, kicks off a half hour of programming devoted to all things cultural...and sporting!

Hugh Jackman talks to Samira Ahmed about his role in Florian Zeller's new film The Son, in which he plays a father struggling with his child's mental health issues. Kevin Jared Hosein, who won the Commonwealth Short Story Prize in 2018, talks about his first novel for adults. Hungry Ghosts tells the stories of the marginalised Hindu people of Trinidad, focusing on a family who, close by a luxurious estate, live in poverty in a ‘barrack', in the early 1940s. Philip Oltermann, the Guardian's Berlin bureau chief tells us why, despite it winning Best Film at the BAFTAs last night, critics in Germany are not showering praise on Netflix's German-language film, All Quiet on the Western Front. And in the light of funding cuts and plans for English National Opera to be moved out of London, the former head of Opera Europa Nicholas Payne and English Touring Opera's chief Robin Norton-Hale discuss what a strategy for opera in the UK could look like. Presenter: Samira Ahmed Producer: Paul Waters

Have you heard the one about the former paratrooper, politician and ‘prince' who walk into a hunting lodge and allegedly plot to overthrow the German government? Philip Oltermann in Berlin explains why it was no joke. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

Angela has read yet another book about East Germany (this one by Philip Oltermann) and explains how it was believed that loyalty to the Communist regime could be secured, not just by suppressing dissent and spying on your neighbours, but also with encouraging pro-government poetry . (Includes a hastily-penned socialist limerick written by John.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Moldova represents a prime example of social media giants' failure to tackle disinformation in smaller and less wealthy countries ⁠— in this case, with hugely dangerous potential consequences. This week we speak to civil society activist Diana Filimon about the propaganda war that Russia has been waging in countries neighbouring Ukraine. We're also talking about Germany's €9 transport experiment, the morality of a lockdown for cats, and scallop discothèques. You can find out more about Diana's work at Forum Apulum here and read Philip Oltermann's reporting on racism claims against Berlin ticket inspectors here. This week's Isolation Inspiration: The Truffle Hunters, and the New York Times' reporting on the legacy of Haiti's reparations to enslavers. You can read more about the methods used for the NYT's reporting here and more on reactions to the story here. A video of dancing scallops can be found here. Thanks for listening! If you enjoy our podcast and would like to help us keep making it, we'd love it if you'd consider chipping in a few bucks a month at patreon.com/europeanspodcast (many currencies are available). You can also help new listeners find the show by leaving us a review or giving us five stars on Spotify. And this week, why not #TellASwede about this podcast's existence? 02:51 Good Week: Germany's €9 transport experiment 09:40 Bad Week: Walldorf's lockdown for cats 17:12 Interview: Diana Filimon on disinformation in Moldova 33:06 Isolation Inspiration: 'The Truffle Hunters' and the NYT's reporting on Haiti's reparations to enslavers 38:19 Happy Ending: Scallop disco Producers: Katy Lee and Wojciech Oleksiak, with thanks to Katz Laszlo Music: Jim Barne and Mariska Martina This podcast is part of the Are We Europe family. Find more like-minded European podcasts at areweeurope.com/audio-family. Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | hello@europeanspodcast.com

Es war ein eigentümlich exklusiver Lyrikkreis: dichtende Grenzsoldaten in der DDR. Einmal im Monat trafen sie sich und lasen sich ihre Gedichte vor. Einige von ihnen wurden selbst Opfer von Bespitzelung. Philip Oltermann erzählt ihre Geschichte und leuchtet tief in die politischen Zustände der DDR hinein.Von Michael Meyerwww.deutschlandfunk.de, BüchermarktDirekter Link zur Audiodatei

1-Braccio di ferro Stati Uniti – Russia sul grano ucraino. Per togliere il blocco navale Mosca chiede la revoca delle sanzioni internazionali. Sullo sfondo una gravissima crisi del cibo. ( Martina Stefanoni) Reportage dalla Polonia sui rischi che corrono soprattutto le rifugiati ucraine. ( Valentina D'Amico) 2-Joe Biden diffida Boris Johnson sulla Brexit. Da oggi una delegazione americana di alto livello in Europa per costringere Londra a non modificare il protocollo sull'Irlanda del Nord. ( Daniele Fisichella) 3-Francia, Il nuovo governo all'insegna della continuità ma anche del coraggio. La scuola affidata a un francese di seconda generazione Pap Ndiaye e la cultura alla Franco libanese Rima Abdul Malek. 4-Mondialità. Le disuguaglianze e il miraggio della Global Tax. Lo speciale di Esteri con il punto di Alfredo Somoza e l'intervista all'attivista sudafricana Mamphela Ramphele, co presidente del Club di Roma. 4-Il libro del venerdì mercoledì. Il circolo di poesia della Stasi di Philip Oltermann. ( Vincenzo mantovani)

In 1982, East Germany's fearsome secret police - convinced that writers were embedding subversive messages in their work - decided to train their own writers, weaponising poetry in the struggle against the class enemy. Journalist Philip Oltermann spent five years rifling through Stasi files, digging up lost volumes of poetry from musty basements, and tracking down the surviving members of the circle to uncover the little-known story of this famously ruthless intelligence agency's obsession with literature. In this episode of the podcast, he joins us to reveal what he discovered. Praise for Philip Oltermann's The Stasi Poetry Circle: 'A magnificent book . . . at once touching, exquisite, devastating and extraordinary.' - Philippe Sands 'A vivid, funny, and imperturbable portrait of Soviet Russia's most loyal satellite.' - Nell Zink 'Grippingly well-written' Anthony Quinn, Observer 'Oltermann's own prose is fast-moving and lucid, with a enjoyably pulpy, hardboiled quality' Telegraph The podcast is presented in partnership with Surfshark. Get Surfshark VPN at https://surfshark.deals/HOWTOPOD - Enter promo code HOWTOPOD for 83% off and 3 extra months free. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The leaders of the East German state encouraged all the population to write and set up writing groups in factories and government departments across the country. One of the most surprising was a poetry circle established within the Stasi - the secret police who were monitoring the population's every move. Their goal was to bring down capitalism through verse. Philip Oltermann has dug through the Stasi archives to find this incredible true story.

In this episode, we're taking listeners back to the Cold War, covering everything from '80s pop culture to perestroika. We were joined from Berlin by The Guardian's bureau chief, Philip Oltermann, to discuss his fascinating new book, 'The Stasi Poetry Circle.' This unique Cold War story charts the history of East Germany's brutal secret police through their unlikely monthly poetry club. What sounds like a Monty Python sketch is revealed to be a complex and elaborate scheme likely designed to equip spies with the necessary tools to decode works of East German literature for material that ran counter to the prevailing Marxist-Leninist ideology. We also discuss Oltermann's experiences tracking down these men today to see what has become of their lives since the wall came down. Mr. Gorbachev, turn up this podcast.Hosted by Ryan Edgington and Matt Hennessey.

In 1982 the East German Ministry for State Security is hunting for creative new weapons in the war against the class enemy – and their solution is stranger than fiction. Rather than guns, tanks, or bombs, the Stasi develop a programme to fight capitalism through rhyme and verse, winning the culture war through poetry – and the result is the most bizarre book club in history.I speak with Philip Oltermann the author of The Stasi Poetry Circle. Philip has used unseen archival material and exclusive interviews with surviving members to tell the incredible hidden story of a unique experiment: weaponising poetry for politics. Now if you think there is a vast army of research assistants, audio engineers and producers putting together this podcast you'd be wrong. This podcast relies on your support to enable me to continue to capture these incredible stories and make them available to everyone for free. If you'd like to help to preserve Cold War history and enable me to continue to produce this podcast you can via one off or monthly donations.Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ for more details. Do join our facebook discussion group where the cold war conversation continues between episodes. Just search Cold War Conversations in Facebook.I am delighted to welcome Philip Oltermann to our Cold War conversation…Book giveaway and further information here. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode223/Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye.Have a look at our store and find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life? Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/Support the show (https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/)

My guest in this week's Book Club podcast is Philip Oltermann, whose new book The Stasi Poetry Circle: The Creative Writing Class that Tried to Win the Cold War, unearths one of the most unexpected corners of East German history. At the height of the Cold War, members of the GDR's notorious secret police got together regularly to workshop their poems. Was this a surveillance exercise, a training module for propagandists – or something stranger than either? And were their poems any good? Philip tells me about why poetry was such a big deal in the Eastern Bloc, how – had Petrarch but known – the sonnet was the perfect model for dialectical materialism, and where those poets are now...

Sam's guest in this week's Book Club podcast is Philip Oltermann, whose new book The Stasi Poetry Circle: The Creative Writing Class that Tried to Win the Cold War, unearths one of the most unexpected corners of East German history. At the height of the Cold War, members of the GDR's notorious secret police got together regularly to workshop their poems. Was this a surveillance exercise, a training module for propagandists – or something stranger than either? And were their poems any good? Philip tells me about why poetry was such a big deal in the Eastern Bloc, how – had Petrarch but known – the sonnet was the perfect model for dialectical materialism, and where those poets are now...

It's Tee trinken time! Hosts Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) are joined by producer Isaac (@wuermann) and friend of the pod Alice (@aalicerrose) to talk about Germans' bizarre obsession with alternative medicines such as homeopathy and anthroposophy. The articles referenced on this episode are: - Homeopathy doesn't work. So why do so many Germans believe in it? by Sami Emory in Bloomberg - Ginger root and meteorite dust: The Steiner 'Covid cures' offered in Germany by Philip Oltermann in the Guardian On this episode we also announced our new 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.

It's Tee trinken time! Hosts Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) are joined by producer Isaac (@wuermann) and friend of the pod Alice (@aalicerrose) to talk about Germans' bizarre obsession with alternative medicines such as homeopathy and anthroposophy. The articles referenced on this episode are: - Homeopathy doesn't work. So why do so many Germans believe in it? by Sami Emory in Bloomberg - Ginger root and meteorite dust: The Steiner 'Covid cures' offered in Germany by Philip Oltermann in the Guardian On this episode we also announced our new 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.

In early summer, as darkness descends, Berlin resonates with the sound of nightingales. You can hear their haunting, ever-changing songs in parks, woodlands and gardens across the city. From Kreuzberg to Treptower, Tempelhof to Hasenheide, Berlin has become a refuge for one of the most celebrated and mythologised birds on earth. The city is the summer home for over one and a half thousand nesting pairs. Nobody's quite sure why nightingales have adopted the city so enthusiastically. Maybe it's Berlin's enlightened policy towards park management which leaves areas of untended scrub and dense bushes providing ground-nesting nightingales with perfect cover. Whatever the reason, this blossoming of nightingales means that their song has become the soundtrack to countless moments in Berlin's residents' lives: lovers listening to the nightingale's melody in the depths of the night; a childhood memory of illness soothed by hearing the song – and the German name Nachtigall – for the first time; and a visit to one of the few architectural remnants of Germania, Hitler's megalomaniacal plan for a new city on the site of Berlin. This programme gathers memories of the nightingale's lingering, multi-faceted song and the sounds of city evenings to create an audio portrait of Berlin, its people and the bird to whom it's given refuge. We hear too from a group of musicians who seek out nightingales in the city's parks to play alongside them. They describe feeling their way into the nightingale's song, the call-and-response between bird and human and the sense of each listening to the other. Some even describe themselves as nightingales: they've travelled from far countries to make music in Berlin. The programme is made in collaboration with Berlin Museum of Natural History's Forschungsfall Nachtigall project that asks members of the public to record nightingales and send in their recordings – along with stories and memories of the bird which has become a symbol of the city. With the voices of Sarah Darwin, Korhan Erel, Gaby Hartel, Volker Lankow, Christopher and Erika Lehmpfuhl, Charlotte Neidhardt, Philip Oltermann, Sascha Penshorn, Tina Roeske, David Rothenberg and Cymin Samawatie. Featuring music from David Rothenberg's 'Nightingale Cities' project and 'Berlin Bülbül by David Rothenberg and Korhan Erel. Location recordings in Berlin by Martyna Poznańska and Monika Dorniak. Producer: Jeremy Grange Photograph courtesy of Kim Mortega

In early summer, as darkness descends, Berlin resonates with the sound of nightingales. You can hear their haunting, ever-changing songs in parks, woodlands and gardens across the city. From Kreuzberg to Treptower, Tempelhof to Hasenheide, Berlin has become a refuge for one of the most celebrated and mythologised birds on earth. The city is the summer home for over one and a half thousand nesting pairs. Nobody's quite sure why nightingales have adopted the city so enthusiastically. Maybe it's Berlin's enlightened policy towards park management which leaves areas of untended scrub and dense bushes providing ground-nesting nightingales with perfect cover. Whatever the reason, this blossoming of nightingales means that their song has become the soundtrack to countless moments in Berlin's residents' lives: lovers listening to the nightingale's melody in the depths of the night; a childhood memory of illness soothed by hearing the song – and the German name Nachtigall – for the first time; and a visit to one of the few architectural remnants of Germania, Hitler's megalomaniacal plan for a new city on the site of Berlin. This programme gathers memories of the nightingale's lingering, multi-faceted song and the sounds of city evenings to create an audio portrait of Berlin, its people and the bird to whom it's given refuge. We hear too from a group of musicians who seek out nightingales in the city's parks to play alongside them. They describe feeling their way into the nightingale's song, the call-and-response between bird and human and the sense of each listening to the other. Some even describe themselves as nightingales: they've travelled from far countries to make music in Berlin. The programme is made in collaboration with Berlin Museum of Natural History's Forschungsfall Nachtigall project which asks members of the public to record nightingales and send in their recordings – along with stories and memories of the bird which has become a symbol of the city. With the voices of Sarah Darwin, Korhan Erel, Gaby Hartel, Volker Lankow, Christopher and Erika Lehmpfuhl, Charlotte Neidhardt, Philip Oltermann, Sascha Penshorn, Tina Roeske, David Rothenberg and Cymin Samawatie. Featuring music from David Rothenberg's 'Nightingale Cities' project and 'Berlin Bülbül by David Rothenberg and Korhan Erel. Location recordings in Berlin by Martyna Poznańska and Monika Dorniak. Producer: Jeremy Grange Photograph courtesy of Kim Mortega

Journalists Stefanie Bolzen from 'Die Welt' and Philip Oltermann from 'The Guardian' discuss whether journalism connects Germany and the UK, or whether it too often focuses on societal differences. What does each country's different style of journalism say about its political culture? How have the pandemic and Brexit changed how journalists report?

When Nigel Mallender headed to Ischgl from the UK in March, he was looking forward to a fun-packed break with friends. Just four days later, he and thousands of other tourists were desperately trying to leave after authorities became aware of coronavirus cases. Mallender and the Guardian’s Philip Oltermann discuss the fallout from that week

When Nigel Mallender headed to Ischgl in March, he was looking forward to a fun-packed break with friends. Just four days later, he and thousands of other tourists were desperately trying to leave after authorities became aware of coronavirus cases. Mallender and the Guardian’s Philip Oltermann discuss the fallout from that week. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

In February, the UK and Germany were taking a similar approach to testing for coronavirus. But over the subsequent weeks, the two countries began to go in very different directions. Guardian health editor Sarah Boseley and Berlin bureau chief Philip Oltermann look at what happened next. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

A terrorist attack in Hanau was the latest incident of far-right violence in Germany. It’s a growing problem, says the Guardian’s Philip Oltermann. Also today: Amy Hodge on her series of films on Europe after Brexit. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/infocus

After a rocky few weeks over migration policy, have German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Interior Minister Horst Seehofer finally reconciled? On this week's podcast, Stammtisch hosts Damien McGuinness and Michaela Küfner are joined by agony aunts The Guardian's Philip Oltermann and The Economist's Jeremy Cliffe to offer some political relationship advice.

My name is Andrew Denton. I’m a writer and broadcaster who lives in Sydney, Australia. In October 2015, I delivered a public address arguing for an assisted dying law in my country. This podcast is the end result of that process. In it, you will hear the voices of those who I spoke to for my research and learn the reasons that led me to argue for a new, and merciful, law. Kit and Andrew Denton — Photo: supplied Who am I to be talking to you about a subject as complex as assisted dying? It’s true, I have no expertise … other than the expertise too many of us share: I saw someone I love die badly. My dad, Kit, did not go gentle. Although clearly dying of heart failure, and obviously in great pain, he was assisted to die in the only way that Australia’s law then – and now – would allow: he was given increasing doses of morphine to settle the pain. But morphine never did settle the pain. Not his and not ours. The images of those final three days will never be erased. So, prompted by the death of my father, and based on a year of research, I’ve tried to seek out the truth about assisted dying. How does it work, who is it for … and is it safe? To do that, I’ve travelled to countries where laws to help people die already exist. And I’ve spoken to people on all sides of this debate: doctors, nurses, activists, opponents and, most particularly, the dying and their families. 'In Australia, we have no law to help the terminally or chronically ill die, which means that good people are being forced to die bad deaths. I want to find out why.' Andrew Denton 'It was definitely life-affirming. My father in that sense had a great death, if you can say something is a great death': Margaretta Pos talks about her father, Hugo (pictured, right), who suffered from terminal cancer and chose euthanasia at his home in the Netherlands — Photo: Michiel van Kempen (supplied) You may not know this, but Australia was the first place in the world to pass a law giving terminally ill people the legal right to be helped to die. That was in the Northern Territory in 1995. But, within a year, that law had been overturned by the newly-elected conservative Federal Government. Only four people had been able to use it. Were Australians happy to see the law gone? No. Every opinion poll taken in this country since, shows overwhelming public support – in excess of 70% – for assisted dying. But of the 27 attempts to pass a new law in the last 15 years, not one has come close to succeeding. It doesn’t make sense. Why can’t we help people who are in great pain and beyond medical help to die? Welcome to Better Off Dead. Please note: this podcast is not about suicide. If you are interested in increasing your understanding of suicide and how to support someone experiencing suicidal ideation, visit the Conversations Matter or beyondblue websites.If you (or someone you know) require immediate assistance, contact one of the following 24/7 crisis support services: Lifeline (13 11 14), Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), MensLine (1300 78 99 78), beyondblue (1300 22 4636), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800) or eheadspace (1800 650 890). Hear more Andrew Bunn from Essential Research takes you through the polling on assisted dying in contemporary Australia. Embed player Listen Better Off Dead: Interview with Andrew Bunn (Essential Research) Know more Article and video: 'Andrew Denton on dying' – 6minutes, 14 December 2015 Article: 'Death in Amsterdam', by Margaretta Pos – The Monthly, May 2013 Transcript: 'An Argument for Assisted Dying in Australia: Andrew Denton's Di Gribble Argument in full', by Andrew Denton – wheelercentre.com, 2 November 2015 Article: 'Euthanasia and assisted suicide laws around the world', by Sabine Cessou, Kim Willsher, Lauren Gambino, Philip Oltermann and Leo Cendrowicz – Guardian, 18 July 2014 In this episode Jo and Pip Denton Vic Dawson Margaretta Pos Catherine Glenn Foster Paul Russell Brendan Malone Father John Fleming Kevin Yuill Alex Schadenberg Nancy Elliott Liz Our theme music was composed by Zig Zag Lane for Zapruder's Other Films and edited by Jon Tjhia. Music used in this episode includes 'Paris, Texas' (Ry Cooder), 'Miserere' (Gregorio Allegri; performed by Choir of King's College, Cambridge), 'Gentle Piece' (Craig Armstrong), 'Snippet' (Nils Frahm), 'White Mustang II' (Daniel Lanois), 'Me' (Nils Frahm), 'Firestarter' (The Prodigy), 'White Rabbit' (Jefferson Airplane), 'Glory Box' (Portishead), 'Snow Theatre/Final Steps' (tomandandy), 'Sogg' (Amiina), 'Flite' (The Cinematic Orchestra) and 'Forty-Eight Angels' (Paul Kelly). Additional original music and sound design by Jon Tjhia. Your stories If you're suffering, or someone you love has died badly – in a hospital, in palliative care, in a nursing home, or at home – add your voice and tell your story here. Further information Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox and the Wheeler Centre. Executive producers Andrew Denton and Michael Williams. Producer and researcher Bronwen Reid. For Better Off Dead, the Wheeler Centre team includes Director Michael Williams, Head of Programming Emily Sexton, Projects Producer Amita Kirpalani and Digital Manager Jon Tjhia. This episode was edited and mixed by Jon Tjhia. Thank you Jo and Pip Denton, Vic Dawson, Margaretta Pos, Paul Russell and HOPE, Stanley Street Gallery in Sydney, and Paul Kelly and Sony ATV for the use of his song ‘Forty Eight Angels’. The series Subscribe in iTunes, or your favourite podcast app. #betteroffdeadpod This episode was first published in preview form in November 2015. A number of small edits and changes have occurred in the interim. Better Off Dead is produced by Thought Fox in partnership with the Wheeler Centre. It is written and created by Andrew Denton for Thought Fox.

Few people are in a better position to assess different countries and cultures than those caught between them. So it is with Philip Oltermann: a German journalist who came to England while a teenager, and who has lived here and worked here ever since (even managing to marry an English girl). As you would expect from such a background, Philip’s Keeping Up With the Germans: A History of Anglo-German Encounters (Faber and Faber, 2012) is full of closely observed insights about the linkages (and differences) between these two great European rivals. He takes us through familiar territory and introduces us to new ways of seeing, for instance, the way the two square up on the football pitch (with an examination of two of the great players for each country, Bertie Vogts and Kevin Keegan). He brings fresh material to old subjects, such as the apparent gulf between the two when it comes to comedy (the Germans indeed do, he argues, have a sense of humour – but he glories in how the English build humour into so many aspects of their life). And he also brings us (or me at least) into fresh territory – for instance in their approaches to philosophy. There’s a lot to recommend this book, but, above all, it is also extremely timely. The Europe of today is crisis ridden and divided, and the global financial crisis has – through its exposition of the rickety structure upon which the euro is built – called into question the whole nature of European integration. Germany, for so long the willing, uncomplaining engine of integration, has been thrust into an unaccustomed leading role in Europe, while the crisis has also forced Britain into a position where its Euroscepticism may be forced to declare itself beyond sniping from the sidelines. These are interesting times in Europe. The balance of Anglo-German relations will be one of the main determinants of how the continent reinvents itself once the immediate crisis (eventually) begins to subide. This book is a useful, well written and insightful contribution to this relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few people are in a better position to assess different countries and cultures than those caught between them. So it is with Philip Oltermann: a German journalist who came to England while a teenager, and who has lived here and worked here ever since (even managing to marry an English girl). As you would expect from such a background, Philip's Keeping Up With the Germans: A History of Anglo-German Encounters (Faber and Faber, 2012) is full of closely observed insights about the linkages (and differences) between these two great European rivals. He takes us through familiar territory and introduces us to new ways of seeing, for instance, the way the two square up on the football pitch (with an examination of two of the great players for each country, Bertie Vogts and Kevin Keegan). He brings fresh material to old subjects, such as the apparent gulf between the two when it comes to comedy (the Germans indeed do, he argues, have a sense of humour – but he glories in how the English build humour into so many aspects of their life). And he also brings us (or me at least) into fresh territory – for instance in their approaches to philosophy. There's a lot to recommend this book, but, above all, it is also extremely timely. The Europe of today is crisis ridden and divided, and the global financial crisis has – through its exposition of the rickety structure upon which the euro is built – called into question the whole nature of European integration. Germany, for so long the willing, uncomplaining engine of integration, has been thrust into an unaccustomed leading role in Europe, while the crisis has also forced Britain into a position where its Euroscepticism may be forced to declare itself beyond sniping from the sidelines. These are interesting times in Europe. The balance of Anglo-German relations will be one of the main determinants of how the continent reinvents itself once the immediate crisis (eventually) begins to subide. This book is a useful, well written and insightful contribution to this relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few people are in a better position to assess different countries and cultures than those caught between them. So it is with Philip Oltermann: a German journalist who came to England while a teenager, and who has lived here and worked here ever since (even managing to marry an English girl). As you would expect from such a background, Philip’s Keeping Up With the Germans: A History of Anglo-German Encounters (Faber and Faber, 2012) is full of closely observed insights about the linkages (and differences) between these two great European rivals. He takes us through familiar territory and introduces us to new ways of seeing, for instance, the way the two square up on the football pitch (with an examination of two of the great players for each country, Bertie Vogts and Kevin Keegan). He brings fresh material to old subjects, such as the apparent gulf between the two when it comes to comedy (the Germans indeed do, he argues, have a sense of humour – but he glories in how the English build humour into so many aspects of their life). And he also brings us (or me at least) into fresh territory – for instance in their approaches to philosophy. There’s a lot to recommend this book, but, above all, it is also extremely timely. The Europe of today is crisis ridden and divided, and the global financial crisis has – through its exposition of the rickety structure upon which the euro is built – called into question the whole nature of European integration. Germany, for so long the willing, uncomplaining engine of integration, has been thrust into an unaccustomed leading role in Europe, while the crisis has also forced Britain into a position where its Euroscepticism may be forced to declare itself beyond sniping from the sidelines. These are interesting times in Europe. The balance of Anglo-German relations will be one of the main determinants of how the continent reinvents itself once the immediate crisis (eventually) begins to subide. This book is a useful, well written and insightful contribution to this relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few people are in a better position to assess different countries and cultures than those caught between them. So it is with Philip Oltermann: a German journalist who came to England while a teenager, and who has lived here and worked here ever since (even managing to marry an English girl). As you would expect from such a background, Philip’s Keeping Up With the Germans: A History of Anglo-German Encounters (Faber and Faber, 2012) is full of closely observed insights about the linkages (and differences) between these two great European rivals. He takes us through familiar territory and introduces us to new ways of seeing, for instance, the way the two square up on the football pitch (with an examination of two of the great players for each country, Bertie Vogts and Kevin Keegan). He brings fresh material to old subjects, such as the apparent gulf between the two when it comes to comedy (the Germans indeed do, he argues, have a sense of humour – but he glories in how the English build humour into so many aspects of their life). And he also brings us (or me at least) into fresh territory – for instance in their approaches to philosophy. There’s a lot to recommend this book, but, above all, it is also extremely timely. The Europe of today is crisis ridden and divided, and the global financial crisis has – through its exposition of the rickety structure upon which the euro is built – called into question the whole nature of European integration. Germany, for so long the willing, uncomplaining engine of integration, has been thrust into an unaccustomed leading role in Europe, while the crisis has also forced Britain into a position where its Euroscepticism may be forced to declare itself beyond sniping from the sidelines. These are interesting times in Europe. The balance of Anglo-German relations will be one of the main determinants of how the continent reinvents itself once the immediate crisis (eventually) begins to subide. This book is a useful, well written and insightful contribution to this relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philip Oltermann spoke to Ollie Brock for the Granta Podcast about English bathrooms and German car engines, and how his experience as an outsider became the nexus of his forthcoming book.