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DW
2 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Eastern Germany in Western Hands – DW – 07/21/2025
Even 35 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, there's still an imbalance between eastern and western Germany. Many executive positions in the former East are still held by people from the former West Germany. What are the reasons for this? Since the fall of the Wall, the former East Germanyhas undergone an unprecedented transformation, in which immigrants from former West Germany still play a significant role. Often, they arrived as young people, networked and rose to leadership positions. From here, they shaped and continue to shape eastern Germany today. According to figures published by the Federal Government Commissioner for Eastern Germany in September 2024, more than 3 decades after reunification, only around 12 per cent of the leadership elite in eastern Germany were actually born there. The documentary ponders the reasons for this - and its consequences. Does it go some way to explaining the widespread rejection of the democratic system and the great popularity of the far-right AfD party in eastern Germany? The fact is that immediately after the fall of the Wall, West Germans were urgently needed - for example in the judiciary. Many East German lawyers didn't make the grade. Iris Goerke-Berzau came to Saxony-Anhalt from West Germany in the 1990s and helped to rebuild the judiciary. She has stayed to this day. When it came to the economy in the new federal states, the rebuilding process also relied on skills of West Germans like Ludwig Koehne. The Oxford graduate came to the former East Germany in 1992 and worked for the Treuhandanstalt, a government agency set up to privatize East German state-owned enterprises. When the agency was dissolved in 1994, he took over a railway crane manufacturer in Leipzig and turned it into the global market leader in its sector. Koehne says this economic salvage operation wouldn't have been possible without western knowledge and capital. Angela Merkel and Joachim Gauck are prominent exceptions - former East Germans who have excelled in their field. Another is 45-year-old Manja Kliese, who heads the crisis response center at the Federal Foreign Office. "Many East Germans wouldn't even dare to apply for careers like mine,' she says. Eastern Germans are also underrepresented in senior positions at the Federal Foreign Office. "We have a huge democracy problem,' says Kliese, "when people in the East have been controlled by others for decades.' This is another reason why people feel very distant from elite groups and are more likely to support right-wing extremists, she says. But still, she encourages other eastern Germans to get involved -- and better represent their part of the country. Broadcasting Hours: DW English THU 31.07.2025 – 01:15 UTC THU 31.07.2025 – 04:15 UTC FRI 01.08.2025 – 09:15 UTC FRI 01.08.2025 – 16:15 UTC FRI 01.08.2025 – 21:15 UTC SAT 02.08.2025 – 19:15 UTC SUN 03.08.2025 – 02:15 UTC MON 04.08.2025 – 12:15 UTC Lagos UTC +1 | Cape Town UTC +2 | Nairobi UTC +3 Delhi UTC +5,5 | Bangkok UTC +7 | Hong Kong UTC +8 London UTC +1 | Berlin UTC +2 | Moscow UTC +3 San Francisco UTC -7 | Edmonton UTC -6 | New York UTC -4
Euronews
5 days ago
- Politics
- Euronews
Germany deports 81 Afghans under tougher migration policy
Germany deported 81 Afghanistan nationals to their country of origin on Friday, marking the second such operation since the Taliban seized power in 2021 and the first under Chancellor Friedrich Merz's new government, which has promised a firmer stance on immigration. In a statement, the Interior Ministry confirmed that the men, all of whom had previously come to the attention of judicial authorities, were returned on a flight organised in cooperation with Qatar. 'These are Afghan men who are legally required to leave the country and who have a criminal record,' the ministry said, according to local media. Each deportee was issued up to €1,000 in financial support, as German courts can block removals if returnees face destitution. Critics are sceptical about deportations to Afghanistan due to the threat of human rights violations in the country. "Afghanistan is not safe," says the Pro Asyl website. The Federal Foreign Office also warns of systematic human rights violations in Afghanistan, for example through "torture, extrajudicial killings, corporal punishment and public executions". Over 10 months ago, Germany resumed deportations to Taliban-ruled Afghanistan after a pause, with then-Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledging a more assertive approach to removals. His successor, Merz, placed stricter migration controls at the centre of his February election campaign and moved quickly to implement them after taking office in May. These included enhanced border checks and the suspension of family reunification for many migrants. Asylum applications in the country decreased from 329,120 in 2023 to 229,751 in 2024, with the numbers continuing to decline this year. "These figures clearly show we're on the right track, but we're not there yet," Merz said. Although Merz said Germany doesn't recognise the Taliban, ties have not been formally severed. 'The decisive question is how one deals with this regime, and it will remain in technical coordination until further notice," he added. Friday's flight comes just hours before German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is set to host a high-level meeting with counterparts from France, Poland, Austria, Denmark and the Czech Republic, and the EU's migration commissioner, Magnus Brunner. The summit, taking place atop Germany's highest mountain, the Zugspitze, aims to coordinate responses to migration challenges across Europe.
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Business Standard
6 days ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Germany freelance visa: With ₹1.27 lakh, Indians can work without employer
Are you a journalist, lawyer, engineer, or self-employed professional thinking of working in Germany without an employer? Germany's Freelance Visa—officially known as the Freiberufler visa, allows non-EU residents, including Indians, to live and work independently in the country, according to German Missions in India, Germany's Federal Foreign Office. This national visa (Type D) is valid for up to three years and allows multiple entries. It costs €75 (about Rs 7,477) and serves as a pathway to a residence permit and, later, permanent residency. Applicants must choose between two tracks: The visa type is the same, but the eligibility conditions depend on how your profession is classified under German law. Freelance professions listed under German law Section 18 of the German Income Tax Act identifies the following freelance professions: • Scientists, artists, and educators • Lawyers, notaries, patent attorneys • Surveyors, engineers, architects • Doctors, dentists, physiotherapists, non-medical practitioners • Tax consultants, sworn accountants, economists • Journalists, photojournalists, interpreters, translators • Pilots and comparable roles What you need to qualify Here's what Indian applicants need for the freelance visa: • A valid passport with two blank pages (issued within 10 years) • Minimum monthly income of €1,280.06 (about ₹1.27 lakh) • Proof of professional qualification (e.g. university or vocational degree) • Detailed description of your freelance work • Health insurance valid in Germany • Proof of clients or business contacts in Germany or Europe • Recent CV and passport photos (taken within 6 months) • Those over 45 need pension proof or retirement benefits • €75 visa fee (roughly ₹7,486) Applying from India: Step-by-step The application is submitted before travelling to Germany. Indian applicants must apply through German Missions in India. • Fill out the National D Visa application form and print it • Book an appointment at your nearest German consulate or embassy • Gather all required documents, checking language requirements • Attend the appointment and provide biometric data • Once granted, the National D Visa is valid for 3–6 months • After arriving in Germany, register your address within two weeks • Visit the local foreigner's office to convert your visa into a residence permit Freelancers also need to register with the local tax office (Finanzamt) and obtain a tax identification number. After five years of continuous residence, German language proficiency, and proof of steady income, you may become eligible for permanent residency. Why some Indians are choosing Germany 'Germany's Freelance Visa can be a valuable opportunity for Indian professionals, especially in fields like IT, media, design, consulting, and language training where independent work is common,' said Mayank Kumar, co-founder and CEO at BorderPlus. 'It allows individuals to live and work in Germany while offering services to local clients. The benefits include flexible work arrangements, access to the European market, and potential long-term residency if structured well,' he said. 'Those who come to us for jobs abroad (mostly nurses in the case of BorderPlus), they look at career growth, job security, long-term settlement options, and a better quality of life. We do observe a steady interest in Germany as a possible destination for skilled work and long-term planning,' Kumar told Business Standard.
Deccan Herald
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Deccan Herald
'Completely unacceptable': Germany condemns China for targeting German aircraft with laser, summons envoy
The Chinese military employed a laser targeting a German aircraft in the EU operation #ASPIDES. Endangering German personnel & disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable. The Chinese ambassador was summoned to the Federal Foreign Office today.
Miami Herald
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
China Military Uses Laser on US Ally's Aircraft: What to Know
Germany's Foreign Office has accused the Chinese military of targeting one of its aircraft with a laser during a European Union (EU) operation. The aircraft was taking part in the EU's Operation ASPIDES, a defensive maritime security operation to protect international shipping in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf against Houthi attacks. "Endangering German personnel & disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable," the foreign office said in a July 8 post on X, formerly Twitter. "The Chinese ambassador was summoned to the Federal Foreign Office today." Newsweek has contacted the Chinese foreign ministry and Germany's Federal Foreign Office for comment. The incident comes amid growing concern about China's influence on critical technologies and security infrastructure in Europe. Up to 700 German armed forces personnel were taking part in the EU-led operation in the Red Sea to prepare for Houthi attacks on key trade routes, according to German newspaper Der Spiegel, after Berlin had extended its participation in the mission in January. As well as Germany, the mission involves Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands and Sweden. The U.S. carried out a bombing campaign against the Houthis earlier this year to protect freedom of navigation in the Red Sea. The paper said that China had targeted a German reconnaissance aircraft off the coast of Yemen, without specifying the model of plane. Der Spiegel said the incident occurred when the aircraft was approaching a Chinese frigate. "Possible damage is still unclear and is still being investigated," the paper added, according to a translation. Another German outlet, Taggeschau, reported an unspecified Chinese warship directed a laser at the aircraft. China's defense ministry announced its military presence in the area on June 10. It said its 47th naval escort taskforce was in the Gulf of Aden where it was conducting underway replenishment (UNREP) in which fuel, munitions, and stores are transferred from one ship to another. The statement named the supply ship Gaoyouhu and the guided-missile destroyer Baotou. The taskforce also carried out training for ship-borne helicopter flights and light weapons live-fire shooting. German foreign ministry on X: "Endangering German personnel & disrupting the operation is entirely unacceptable." The Chinese ambassador has been summoned to Germany's Federal Foreign Office so there will be anticipation over the diplomatic fallout following Berlin's claims, which have not been confirmed by Beijing. Related Articles US Flexes Air Power With Ally in Contested South China SeaThe Limits of the New Anti-Western Axis | OpinionChina Scolds Marco Rubio for Dalai Lama CommentsUS Navy Stealth Ship Shows Up on China's Doorstep 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
