Germany

Last Monday, attention was drawn towards a group of young men from the Identity Movement (‘Identitäre Bewegung’) who assaulted a taz newspaper employee in Berlin, who confronted them as they posted flyers outside their premises.  SEE ALSO: German newspaper employee attacked Monday by far-right group They also carried out other activities at other media and political sites throughout Germany in the hours that followed. This has raised a numbers of questions about the movement and their beliefs. Here, we attempt to answer a number of these.  Who are the Identitäre Bewegung? The ‘Identitäre Bewegung’ is the German branch of the pan-European Identitarian movement. Originating in France with ‘Generation Identitaire’, the movement takes its leads from a number of ‘New Right’ thinkers such as Alain de Benoist, who reject the progressive changes that have occurred throughout Europe over the past twenty years. Instead, … [Read more...] about ANALYSIS: Should Germany be worried about the far-right ‘Identity Movement’?

Its neighbour to the south, Switzerland, takes the top seat for the third straight year and is followed by Japan and Canada. This year, Japan jumped from fifth to second, thereby pushing Germany down a slot from 2018. More than 20,000 individuals in 36 countries identified as informed elites, business leaders, and members of the public were surveyed online by US News and World Report in collaboration with BAV Group and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Survey participants were asked to assess a set of attributes to 80 countries. Based on the responses, those traits were further grouped into nine sub-categories such as quality of life and entrepreneurship. Germany no longer leads in entrepreneurship For the past three years, Germany headed the entrepreneurship category, but fell to the number two position in 2019, with Japan taking the number one seat. A country's standing in entrepreneurship was, according to US News and World Report, assessed looking at … [Read more...] about Germany ranked fourth best country in the world

Wednesday newsletters always feature a hotel or flight review. Today (January 23, 2019): Review of The Fontenay Hotel (Hamburg, Germany)  Location: Google maps Hotel website: The Fontenay Hamburg Tip: get complimentary VIP perks when booking via Virtuoso In 1816, Hamburg-based shipbroker John Fontenay acquired a unique plot of land on the beautiful shores of the Alster lake in the heart of the city. Today, it is the site of the Fontenay Hotel, which offers lakeside luxury at its best. The Fontenay is a reflection of modern Hamburg: open-minded, cosmopolitan and exceptionally welcoming. A homage to the Hanseatic city, the luxury hotel is tailor-made for the many national and international visitors who come to discover and rediscover Hamburg. The hotel’s Hamburg-born star architect Jan Störmer titled his initial drawings ‘timelessly modern, modern classic’ and his fascinating, sculpture-like architecture mirrors the … [Read more...] about Review: The Fontenay Hotel Hamburg (Germany)