Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 02.12.2005

"Mr. Schröder, this is your new cabinet!" is Gerhard Schröder's greeting as he enters his new job as consultant for the Swiss publishing house Ringier. "What a capitulation for journalism," laments Rainer Stadler. "During Schröder's time in government, the Zurich-based media company remained an Alpine refuge for the much-criticised politician who could no longer count on the support of the left-leaning media in his own country. Ringier's positive PR effect is not likely to last. But this banding of thieves is an indication of the concern's international ambitions. Maybe Schröder can put in a good word with Putin so that the media outfit can enter the Russian market. This is the thanks for loyal treatment."

Markus Jakob introduces a film by Argentine director David Mauras, "Who Killed Walter Benjamin", which investigates the question of Walter Benjamin's suicide. Jakob is not unimpressed. "It's certain that Benjamin, who admitted to have been pumping himself full of morphine since the previous evening, gave his suicide letter addressed to Adorno – which has since disappeared - to Henny Gurland on the morning of his death. At the same time, more than the international circle of Benjamin fans and friends, the elder inhabitants of the area confirm that there is solid evidence that speaks against the suicide thesis in addition to a whole series of unanswered questions. To mention just one puzzle: why was the suicide buried in extreme haste with Catholic rites?" (here an essay on the unresolved issue of Benjamin's death)


Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 02.12.2005

German chancellor Angela Merkel is travelling to Poland today, while an exhibition on expulsion and expellees will open tomorrow in Bonn's historical museum Haus der Geschichte. Michael Jeismann uses the occasion to argue for the creation of a Centre Against Expulsion that should do full justice to the European dimension of the topic. "Poles and Czechs cannot have a veto right against German historical commemoration. Germany should make it its goal to create a Centre Against Expulsion, because only such a centre can operate in the European public eye. At that time it will become clear whether the universal, anti-revisionist claims in the centre's name only exist on paper. The Polish and Czech media have criticised the centre in advance of its coming into being. One would hope to find in these countries the same willingness for self-criticism that accompanies all historical commemorations in Germany."


Die Tageszeitung, 02.12.2005

Thomas Winkler has visited the singing hobby preacher Xavier Naidoo (more), touted as the most successful German pop and soul artist in recent years, who has just brought out a new CD. Naidoo, whose music niche is "soul, colour, faith", has won all the music prizes from Echo to M-TV. In his latest CD only one song deals openly with religion, "but he still has plenty of allusions to the Old Testament, and Biblical language. This time, however, Naidoo mostly sings songs of love and edification. He uses rhymes like 'lines of blood' and 'valuable good', he awaits an 'angel on earth' and his soul 'jubilates'. In short: These are 'songs that'll bore into your heart,' but which nonetheless threaten at any moment to degenerate into a sort of Biblical ballyhoo: 'Ask your ancestors, your forefathers / we call them forefathers, although you're the one going forth.' And all the while the poet stares solemnly through the windows of his bus."


Süddeutsche Zeitung, 02.12.2005

In an interview, KGB-trained virus hunter (and software entrepreneur) Yevgeny Kaspersky talks about his fight against hackers: "Anyone who's worked long enough with computers gets a 'computer accent.' I'm slowly starting to think like a computer. Working with computer viruses makes paranoids of everyone, not just me." But as everyone knows, that doesn't mean we are out of harm's reach: "There have already been attempts to fight a virtual war. In April 2001 an American spy plane collided with a Chinese fighter. Hackers from both countries then started attacking the Internet resources of the other side."