Jan 31, 2024
28th January 2024 recorded live at Zimmer48, with Izzy and Dan plus two guest hosts: Maria Debinska, a research fellow at the Institute for Cultural Inquiry in Berlin and Megan Whittington of German news in English podcast Megan’s Megacan.
Support Radio Spaetkauf: https://www.radiospaetkauf.com/donate/
A bahn-strike started last Wednesday, running six days until the morning of January 29th included the S-Bahn. The rail worker’s union, the GDL, is advocating for a shorter 35-hour work week with full pay, a wage increase of €555 per month immediately as well as a €3,000 one off inflation compensation. Deutsche Bahn has offered only a 4.8% raise for 2024, 5% in 2025 and 2.7% in 2026.
Berlin’s mayor Kai Wegner and education secretary Katharina
Günther-Wünsch revealed they were in a romantic relationship. An
anti-semitism clause proposed by CDU politician Joe Chialo was
deemed a violation of artists’ constitutional rights. Agricultural
sector protestors brought the city centre of Berlin to a
standstill. Emergency vehicles were blocked and streets took hours
to clear. The protests were organised in opposition to the proposed
end of tax exemptions for diesel used in agricultural vehicles.
A meteorite listed as 2024 BX1 crashed near Berlin last Sunday
night and has not yet been found. According to Thomas Becker of
Westhavelland Star Park, it may have crashed in an area east of
Nennhausen. If you come across a suspicious looking rock, don't
touch it.
Members of the AfD and some CDU were present at a secret meeting
last November in a villa outside Potsdam along with extreme right
activists including Martin Sellner of the Identitarian Movement.
Plans to ‘re-migrate’ both foreigners and Germans from a foreign
country were discussed. In response over a million people across
Germany took to the streets, demonstrating against right wing
extremism.
Berlin politicians left in protest when AfD state Chair Kristin
Brinker rose to speak at a recent Assembly session. Green party
leader Bettina Jarasch commented that it would be wrong to ‘listen
to AfD denials’, and Berlin CDU parliamentary group leader Dirk
Strettner said “I don’t listen to right wing radical relativising
and lying.”
January 27th was Holocaust Remembrance Day, and commemorations were
held across the city, including in Reinickendorf where the BVV has
five AfD members who were automatically invited to the ceremony, so
a local alliance against the far right organised an alternative
vigil on another memorial site.
Jonny Tiernan of Ex Berliner Magazine joins us to discuss changes in the print edition and invite us to take part in their research into the sex lives of Berliners. Survey LINK: https://form.typeform.com/to/WwKxHa02
Thanks to Yvonne at Zimmer48 and to Sebastian for the pic
and Joel on his travels.
Next Live Show: Feb 25th