GERMANY TODAY

Joint Lecture of the Bath German Society and the Economics Group, sponsored by the German Embassy

Hendrik Bebber, German Journalist, on 18 October 2001

Hendrik Bebber was the recipient of the 1998 Anglo-German Prize for Journalism.

The speaker began with a look at the current coalition Federal government and the relationship between the different political parties. The Greens seem to hold a pivotal position.

With the dramatic events in New York on 11 September leading to a different kind of warfare in Afghanistan and perhaps elsewhere, there has been a drastic reappraisal of the role of the German armed forces on the international scene. There had been some earlier developments; a German general was in command in Macedonia at present.

On the economy, a major item was the Solidarity pack a tax to revive East Germany that was likely to continue until 2119. The speaker reported good progress in East Germany, although from a low base. Unemployment there is still twice that in the West.

In the longer term there is concern at the demographic balance of the population: the proportion of elderly was growing and pension provision was a worry. Immigration was always under review, but how to select the best workers? The American Green Card system might be adopted.

Higher education is not well funded; only 28% attend and only 6% of University students are foreigners. There was a shortage of Information Technologists in the country.

In answering questions, Herr Bebber saw no pressure to bring back lands from the East which were once German into Germany. The establishment of Regional Government in East Germany was working well, particularly in Saxony. Where the environment was concerned, there has been a big advance in the greater use of water transport for heavy loads. In Germany, as in the UK, there was much discussion of globalisation, but it seemed an intangible concept to grasp.

The talk gave a reasonably optimisitic review of Germany Today.

Rodney Tye