Letters From Germany

Episodes

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01Matthias Politycki20121126Leading German novelist, poet and satirist Matthias Politycki, writes the first in a series of letters exploring the shifting and often darkening image of his native country as the European economic crisis deepens.

The European Economic crisis has been broadly portrayed as a tale of north versus south with the north, and particularly Germany, portrayed as either the frugal, hardworking nation forced to prop up its profligate southern neighbours, or as the heavy-handed bully forcing those same neighbours into yet more penury. With each developing twist, starting first in Greece and then Spain, Portugal and Italy, Germany has been the 'other' side. Pressure has built and attitudes have become stark and, much to the horror of many in Germany, old and ugly stereotypes have been unleashed. It reached something of a watershed during Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent visit to Athens with Nazi flags there to greet her.

In this series Radio Four invites a range of leading German figures, a writer a politician, a churchwoman, a historian and an economist, to write a letter putting forward their notion of national identity and the version of Germany they believe should inform the views of their British and broader European partners.

Novelist and poet Matthias Politycki explores the shifting image of his native country.

Leading German figures write about the country they know and the way it is perceived

02Marina Schuster20121127Marina Schuster is a leading member of Germany's FDP Free Democratic Party; often compared to the Liberal Democrats in Britain. In her roll as party spokeswoman on human rights she has a keen interest in the way Germany is perceived in a global and European context.

In this, the second of Radio Four's 'Letters from Germany' Marina writes of her beliefs about the country she serves and the changes in that perception over the last year.

The European Economic crisis has been broadly portrayed as a tale of north versus south with the north, and particularly Germany, portrayed as either the frugal, hardworking nation forced to prop up its profligate southern neighbours, or as the heavy-handed bully forcing those same neighbours into yet more penury. With each developing twist, starting first in Greece and then Spain, Portugal and Italy, Germany has been the 'other' side. Pressure has built and attitudes have become stark and, much to the horror of many in Germany, old and ugly stereotypes have been unleashed. It reached something of a watershed during Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent visit to Athens with Nazi flags there to greet her.

In this series Radio Four invites a range of leading German figures, a writer, a politician, a churchwoman, a historian and an economist, to write a letter putting forward their notion of national identity and the version of Germany they believe should inform the views of their British and broader European partners.

German politician Marina Schuster writes of her beliefs about the country she serves.

Leading German figures write about the country they know and the way it is perceived

03Michael Sturmer20121128The leading German historian Michael Stürmer is the third in Radio Four's series 'Letters from Germany' to write about his country's shifting image in the light of the current European economic crisis. Michael, a chief correspondent with Die Welt and at one time a speech writer for Chancellor Helmut Kohl, takes the broad view of Germany's position as seen from his towerblock Berlin office.

The European Economic crisis has been broadly portrayed as a tale of north versus south with the north, and particularly Germany, portrayed as either the frugal, hardworking nation forced to prop up its profligate southern neighbours, or as the heavy-handed bully forcing those same neighbours into yet more penury. With each developing twist, starting first in Greece and then Spain, Portugal and Italy, Germany has been the 'other' side. Pressure has built and attitudes have become stark and, much to the horror of many in Germany, old and ugly stereotypes have been unleashed. It reached something of a watershed during Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent visit to Athens with Nazi flags there to greet her.

In this series Radio Four invites a range of leading German figures, a writer, a politician, a churchwoman, a historian and an economist, to write a letter putting forward their notion of national identity and the version of Germany they believe should inform the views of their British and broader European partners.

Producer: Tom Alban.

Historian and journalist Michael Sturmer on the shifting perceptions of his country.

Leading German figures write about the country they know and the way it is perceived

04Margot Kaessmann2012112920121130 (R4)In the fourth of our series 'Letters from Germany' Prof Margot K䀀߀mann the former Bishop of Hannover and one of the most senior figures in the German church, writes about her country and the way it is perceived.

The European Economic crisis has been broadly portrayed as a tale of north versus south with the north, and particularly Germany, portrayed as either the frugal, hardworking nation forced to prop up its profligate southern neighbours, or as the heavy-handed bully forcing those same neighbours into yet more penury. With each developing twist, starting first in Greece and then Spain, Portugal and Italy, Germany has been the 'other' side. Pressure has built and attitudes have become stark and, much to the horror of many in Germany, old and ugly stereotypes have been unleashed. It reached something of a watershed during Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent visit to Athens with Nazi flags there to greet her.

In this series Radio Four invites a range of leading German figures, a writer, a politician, a churchwoman, a historian and an economist, to write a letter putting forward their notion of national identity and the version of Germany they believe should inform the views of their British and broader European partners.

Producer: Tom Alban.

German cleric and theologian Margot Kaessmann writes about her country's shifting image.

Leading German figures write about the country they know and the way it is perceived