The key to Germany’s survival

For all the bedlam (that’s das Durcheinander to you), modern Germany isn’t so bad. Bismarck’s Second Reich lasted 47 years and ended in the Great War. The 14-year Weimar Republic was easily dissolved by the Nazis, while the Third Reich …

Will East Germans ever feel at home?

In May 1949, something extraordinary happened: exactly four years after Nazi Germany surrendered to the Allies, a new Germany was born. A democratic constitution was signed, which turned three of the country’s four occupation zones into the West German state. …

Why we still believe in gold

Gold, which John Maynard Keynes called the “barbarous relic”, has become so eagerly sought that even Costco has got in on the business. Perhaps this newfound fascination shouldn’t surprise us. For those looking to build nest-eggs, gold is easier to …

Biden won’t win his war with China

When Donald Trump introduced a series of tariffs on Chinese goods, just over five years ago, Joe Biden was among his fiercest critics. Trump, he said, was “crushing” American farmers, workers and consumers by sparking an “irresponsible trade war”, and …