Shows
Spaßbremse72 - The Holocaust, Hamas, and Habermas w/Dirk MosesWe've discussed Germany's relationship with Israel and Palestine from several different angles on the show. How can we sum it all up? To offer his perspective, Prof. Dirk Moses outlines the five elements of what he calls the "German Catechism." He and Ted examine its five elements, how it developed, and the ways in which it has evolved after two years Hamas' October 7th attacks and Israel's subsequent assault on Gaza. -Visit Dirk's webpage here: https://www.dirkmoses.com/-Read his "Catechism" essay here: https://geschichtedergegenwart.ch/the-german-catechism/-Read the "...
2025-10-081h 24SpaßbremseWhy does Germany exist? An introduction.Why does Germany exist? The question isn't as simple as it might seem. To answer this massive question—and several related ones—Ted is embarking on a multi-part series that explores how Germany came to be, from the Romans to the Reichsbürgerbewegung and Caesar to the CDU. This short episode introduces the series, with about a dozen more to follow!*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Hosted and produced by Ted. Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.Support us on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse
2025-08-2712 minSpaßbremse71 - At the intersection of sports, politics, and culture w/Dave BraneckWhat's going on in the corrupt and captivating world of sports? To get an update, Berlin-based journalist Dave Braneck comes back on the pod to discuss the rise of women's football/soccer, various corrupt dealings in the men's game, and why American sports are colonizing Germany. -Follow Dave here: https://x.com/braneck-Read Dave's work here: https://www.davebraneck.com/work*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Hosted by Ted. Edited by Nick. Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.Support us on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse
2025-08-041h 16Spaßbremse70 - Nazi, Stasi, Aussie (German memory politics w/ Alexander Wells)The politics of memory is everywhere in Germany. To discuss how Germany selectively uses the history of WWII and the Cold War--and how the memories of these events are invoked abroad--Ted speaks with Berlin-based journalist Alexander Wells about the politics surrounding the bombing of Dresden, the DDR and Stasi, and the heroic "dissident." Plus, how Australian tourists in Europe relate to all this.-Read Alex's pieces on Dresden here, the Stasi here, Aussies in Berlin here, and WWI here.-Check out his website here: https://sites.google.com/view/ajbwells-Listen to our...
2025-07-011h 34Spaßbremse*UNLOCKED* Is Germany's Israel consensus finally shifting? w/ Hanno Hauenstein**UNLOCKED premium episode 40, now available for all listeners. Support us here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse**Germany's material and rhetorical support of Israel has long been unyielding, even in the face of genocide charges from international organizations and other European countries' growing condemnations of it's conduct in Gaza. However, in the last few weeks, a growing chorus of German politicians and media figures have begun to finally criticism Israel. Is something finally changing?To answer, Ted speaks to German journalist Hanno Hauenstein (@hahauenstein), a rare media figure with actual expertise in the region and an important voice...
2025-06-101h 08Spaßbremse69* - The not-so-great GroKo w/ Astrid Zimmermann (*video excerpt)**FIRST SPAßBREMSE VIDEO PODCAST**GroKo is back! But now it's far less "great" than before. To explore what to expect from the new German government, Ted speaks with Astrid Zimmermann (@zimmermann.av) of Jacobin Germany (@jacobinmag_de).-Watch the first Spaßbremse VIDEO PODCAST here: https://youtu.be/HdskRf_FmBIRead her articles here (German): https://jacobin.de/autoren/astrid-zimmermannRead her latest piece on GroKo here (in English): https://jacobin.com/author/astrid-zimmermann*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
2025-05-1225 minSpaßbremse69 - The not-so-great GroKo w/ Astrid ZimmermannGroKo is back! But now it's far less "great" than before. To explore what to expect from the new German government, Ted speaks with Astrid Zimmermann (@zimmermann.av) of Jacobin Germany (@jacobinmag_de).-Watch the first Spaßbremse VIDEO PODCAST here: https://youtu.be/HdskRf_FmBIRead her articles here (German): https://jacobin.de/autoren/astrid-zimmermannRead her latest piece on GroKo here (in English): https://jacobin.com/author/astrid-zimmermann*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.Support us on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse
2025-05-111h 28Spaßbremse68 - Broken clocks (fascism debate pt. 2 w/John Ganz)As a follow up to our previous episode on the "fascism debate", writer John Ganz argues for the "yes" side, addressing the points Danny Bessner and other critics have made. He and Ted discuss parallels between the current far right and interwar fascism, suggesting there are important similarities we can learn from.Listen to part 1 (episode 66) here: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/fjeZVKb9ASbBuy John's book here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780374605445/whentheclockbroke/Read his Substack here: https://www.unpopularfront.news/*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by
2025-04-1859 min
Spaßbremse67 - Merz's Comeback w/ Lukas HermsmeierOver his long career, Friedrich Merz has gone from rising CDU star to Blackrock executive and back to the very top of German politics. To discuss his trajectory—and the country's likely future—Ted speaks with NYC-based journalist Lukas Hermsmeier to discuss the "back to the future" qualities of Merz's political outlook.Read Lukas' NYT piece on Merz here: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/opinion/friedrich-merz-germany-chancellor.htmlFollow Lukas here: https://bsky.app/profile/lukashermsmeier.bsky.socialRead one of the scary pieces on Germany and the A-Bomb here: https://www.br.de/nachrichten/deut...
2025-04-141h 01
Spaßbremse66 - Is it happening there? ("fascism debate" pt. 1 w/Daniel Bessner)Is America (and Europe) descending into fascism? And can the term ever be applicable outside the specific historical context of interwar Europe? To review the "fascism debate" of Trump I and revisit it given the political shifts in the US and Europe since 2020, Ted speaks with Daniel Bessner of the American Prestige podcast. Danny is a firm "no" and he tries to stop Ted from drifting into the "yes" camp. Listen and decide for yourself.Read Danny's piece in TNR here: https://newrepublic.com/article/170890/does-american-fascism-existFor one of the prominent "yes" voices, see John...
2025-03-2658 minSpaßbremsePremium 39: Debt and Defense (preview)Support us on Patreon here to listen to the full thing: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse****What does "military Keynesianism" portend for Germany and the world? On this subscriber-only episode, Ted breaks down the recent momentous changes in German attitudes toward debt and defense, with Merz's rewriting of the Schuldenbremse and a massive infrastructure and defense fund on the agenda.Listen to Tooze and Pistor here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whP2OD-VUQc&ab_channel=GlobalThoughtCUSee Ted's TV appearance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikRr82K91Uw&ab_channel=Roundtable*****Follow...
2025-03-2411 min
DOG-InTalk#9 Angst – hilfreich oder Spaßbremse?
So oft wird traurig auf einen Hund geschaut, der Schlimmes erlebt hat und nun angstvoll und besorgt durchs Leben geht.
Aber ist es richtig, ihn in Watte zu packen?
Diese Podcastfolge ist eine Einladung, die Angst aus einem ganz neuen Blickwinkel zu betrachten.
Denn es hat gravierende Auswirkungen, nicht nur auf dich, sondern insbesondere auf das weitere Leben deines Hundes, wenn du Angst als Entscheidungshilfe nimmst und dich von ihr leiten lässt.
An bewegenden Fallgeschichten zeigt Mirjam auf:
Angst löst immer physiologische Reaktionen aus, egal, ob eine reale Gefahr dr...
2025-03-2420 minSpaßbremse65 - Realism and imperialism w/Matthew SpecterWhere does the international relations concept of "realism" come from? Can it be useful for promoting a progressive politics? Or does it support a more imperialist worldview? To discuss, Ted speaks with Matthew Specter of UC Berkeley about his book The Atlantic Realists. They discuss how the school of thought formed and what types of foreign policy mistakes it condemns—as well as other sins that it may condone.Buy his book here: https://www.sup.org/books/history/atlantic-realists*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music byLee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.Support us on Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse
2025-02-211h 07Spaßbremse64 - Bundestagswahl 2025 w/ Ingar SoltyAhead of the next German federal election on February 23rd, what are the main issues for voters, how is the Left doing, and where does Germany find itself in the world? To explain all this and more, Ted speaks to Ingar Solty, a researcher at the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, about what to expect a week from Sunday and beyond.Follow Ingar here:https://x.com/IngarSoltyBuy his book here:https://www.vsa-verlag.de/nc/buecher/detail/artikel/usa-nach-der-wahl/*****Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music byLee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.Support us on Patreon herehttps://www.
2025-02-121h 10Spaßbremse63 - The Merkel Memoirs, pt. 1 (w/ Dominik Leusder)What can we learn from Angela Merkel's recently-published memoir, Freiheit/Freedom? To discuss this massive 700-page book, Ted is joined by Dominik Leusder of Eurotrash. This is part 1, reaching from her childhood to her early political career. Subscribe to our Patreon to hear part 2.
Listen to our original Merkel episode "Wir schaffen...was?" here: https://spotifycreators-web.app.link/e/jYZlNuSyDQb
Follow Dominik here: https://x.com/NewLeftEViews
Read Dominik's 2021 Jacobin article on Merkel here and Ted's piece from the same year in Project Syndicate.
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Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod...
2025-02-0252 minSpaßbremse62 - The life, death (and rebirth?) of the Habsburg Empire w/ Natasha WheatleyHow did the Hapsburgs form a massive, multiethnic empire out of some disorganized principalities? Why was Austria-Hungary a thing? Did the Habsburg Empire really collapse because it was an anachronistic "empire of nations?" And is the Habsburg Empire coming back through a dynastic marriage with future "American Caesar," Barron Trump?
To get answers to these pressing questions, we speak with Natasha Wheatley of Princeton University about her book The Life and Death of States: Central Europe and the Transformation of Modern Sovereignty. Ted and Natasha discuss the early history of the empire, the pressures of the 1848 revolutions...
2024-12-3146 minSpaßbremseThe Christian Lindner Episode (UNLOCKED)***this is an unlocked episode from our Patreon, subscribe for more bonus content***
On our first premium bonus episode, Michelle and Ted talk about one of the most exciting, innovative, and "dynamisch" people in German politics: the one and only Christian Lindner, leader of the FDP and likely next German finance minister.
This episode's reading is courtesy of Politico: Christian Lindner - The Radical from their 2018 list of "the 28 people who are shaping, shaking and stirring Europe."
Our boy Lindner's been catching a lot of people's attention lately, and our competitors over at De...
2024-11-1353 minSpaßbremse61 - Napoleon and Hitler? w/ Everett Rummage (Germany and Napoleon pt. 3)Happy 18 Brumaire! In the honor of the anniversary and this week's election, Spaßbremse has a "guys who don't like democracy" special with special guest Everett Rummage of the Age of Napoleon podcast.
We discuss whether comparisons between Hitler and Napoleon are valid and what any traits they share might say about rightwing strongmen in general.
Listen to The Age of Napoleon here: https://ageofnapoleon.com/
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Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
Support us on Patreon here https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse
2024-11-081h 32SpaßbremseFrom Jena to the Hall of Mirrors w/ Michael Leggiere (preview)**This is a free preview, subscribe to our Patreon here to hear the full episode: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse**
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After the disaster at Jena in 1806, how did Prussia recover to defeat Napoleon less than nine years later at Waterloo? What enabled their rise to become the dominant force in the German speaking world? And how did the mythology of the Befreiungskrieg play into subsequent German nationalism? To discuss, Prof. Michael Leggiere comes back on the pod to take us from 1806 to 1871 for part 2 of our series on Napoleon and Germany. Part 3 will discuss the Napoleon...
2024-10-1508 minSpaßbremse60 - "In the beginning, there was Napoleon" w/ Prof. Michael Leggiere (Germany and Napoleon pt. 1)How did Germany go from a chaotic mix of kingdoms and principalities to a unified empire in less than a century? We all know the story of Bismarck, but in this episode Professor Michael Leggiere outlines the ways in which Napoleon Bonaparte--the Corsican-born Emperor of France--was instrumental in forging a unified Germany. This is part one of a three-part series and covers 1789 to 1806. Part 2 will cover 1807 to 1815, and part 3 will conclude.
-Read Prof. Leggiere's book on Napoleon and Germany here: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/napoleon-and-the-struggle-for-germany/4E88DDB613B7258659CF6AF4CB57E4B3
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2024-10-021h 02Spaßbremse59 - Germany's Antisemitism Bureaucracy w/Peter KurasGermany is often lauded for its Vergangenheitsbewältigung. Is the praise it receives for "working through" the past justified?
To explore one aspect of how Germany tries to address its dark history, Ted speaks with Berlin-based journalist Peter Kuras about the system of antisemitism commissioners that has risen to prominence since the late 2010s—and has become increasingly controversial over the past year. They explore the role that these institutions play in cultural and political life, ask whether Germany now represents a "historical reckoning gone haywire," and discuss whether the admirable aim of atoning for Nazi crimes can...
2024-09-181h 04SpaßbremseBerlin, Reguided w/ Ryan Balmer (preview)**This is a free preview, subscribe to our Patreon here to hear the full episode: https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse**
Summer is in full swing, which means the Berlin tourism season is as well. Aside from the crowded sidewalks, do the tens of thousands of historical tours that take place each year have any larger political and ideological meaning?
To find out, Ted speaks with longtime (and excellent) Berlin tour guide Ryan Balmer to examine what people come to Berlin looking for, what they tend to walk away with, and what this all means for bot...
2024-08-0614 minSpaßbremse58 - Europawahl 2024 w/Ciarán of Corner SpätiEU electoral politics expert Ciarán of Corner Späti joins to discuss the results from last weekend's European Parliament vote. From the big political shifts to the Continent's most obscure parties, Ciarán and Ted break it down and speculate about what the next five years could hold.
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Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider. Edited by Nick.
Support us on Patreon here https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse
2024-06-131h 19Spaßbremse57 - Zinzinnati w/ Chris Wade of Chapo Trap HouseContinuing our series on German diaspora communities, in this episode we move away from the national-level stories to zoom in to one particular place: the "Queen City" of Cincinnati, Ohio. To help us, Ted and Michelle (!) are joined by a native son of the city: Chris Wade of Chapo Trap House. We talk history, beer, baseball, and what the resurgence of interest in German heritage means for culture and politics more broadly
-Follow Chris on Twitter here, check out his personal webpage here and listen to And introducing, here
-Listen to Hell of Presidents here and...
2024-06-031h 15Spaßbremse56 - Europe's rightward turn w/Hans KundnaniWith a month to go until the European Parliament elections—and the right's vote share expected to surge—what is the state of conservatism in the EU? To find out, Ted speaks with returning guest Hans Kundnani (@hanskundnani), a fellow at NYU's Remarque Institute and Chatham House. They discuss his recent book Eurowhiteness as well as several recent articles on Germany's relationship with the rest of the world and what it means for Europe.
-Buy the book here: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/eurowhiteness/
-Read the Dissent Piece on Germany-Israel here: https://www.dissentmagazine.org/onli...
2024-05-081h 09SpaßbremseMAY DAY SPECIAL: An alternate history of social democracy w/Autumn ChenIn honor of International Worker's Day, this episode features Autumn Chen, designer of the online game "Social Democracy: an Alternate History" to discuss how the late Weimar period could have gone differently--perhaps ending in an SPD or even KPD-led government. She and Ted explore this period through the lens of the game and also talk about the role of computer games in history education more broadly.
Thanks to all the Patreon patrons for making this May Day special episode possible. Stay safe out there and happy May Day!
Follow Autumn's game site here: https://red-autumn.i...
2024-05-0125 minSpaßbremse55 - The History of Airbus w/ Scott HamiltonBoeing's myriad crises are well known, but what explains the success of its (relatively) new European rival, Airbus? To find out, Ted speaks with aviation analyst Scott Hamilton about the history of the firm, Germany's role in it, and what has allowed Airbus to overtake Boeing. They also discuss the different approaches toward the aircraft manufacturing business on both sides of the Atlantic and ask what it says about their respective economies. Finally, they explore the future of "sustainable" aviation and the rise of Chinese competition.
Buy Scott's book here: https://www.12spublications.com/
Check...
2024-04-291h 07Spaßbremse54 - Germany's Economic Malaise w/Sebastian DullienThe economic news from Germany is bad. But is the reality as dire as it's portrayed? To find out if Germany is really the "sick man of Europe" again, Ted speaks with Professor Sebastian Dullien of the Hans Böckler Foundation's Macroeconomic Policy Institute (IMK). They discuss the problems Germany faces and what it needs to do to escape them.
For background, listen to Episode 1 on Hartz IV here and Episode 8 on the Schuldenbremse here.
Prof. Dullien's podcast is here: https://www.boeckler.de/de/podcasts-22421.htm
And the Adam Tooze piece Ted ref...
2024-03-1259 minSpaßbremse53 - 'Importing' Antisemitism, Subcontracting Guilt w/Esra ÖzyürekAcknowledging and atoning for the crimes of the Third Reich is now an essential part of Germany's national identity. This process is comparatively straightforward for ethnic Germans, whose family members may have been complicit during the Nazi era. But where does this "emotional social contract" leave post-WWII immigrants to Germany, particularly those of Muslim backgrounds?
To explore these tensions, Ted speaks with Esra Özyürek, professor at Cambridge University, about her recent book Subcontractors of Guilt: Holocaust Memory and Muslim Belonging in Postwar Germany. They discuss the ways in which Muslim-Germans navigate the complex po...
2024-01-2758 minSpaßbremse52 - Whitewashing and Statebuilding (German-Israeli relations w/Daniel Marwecki)What explains Germany's steadfast support for Israel? Even as Israel's response to the October 7th Hamas attacks has drawn increasing international condemnation, Germany has doubled down on support, proclaiming that Israel's security is its Staatsräson and cracking down on speech deemed insufficiently supportive of Israel.
To answer this question from a historical perspective, Ted speaks with Daniel Marwecki, a lecturer at Hong Kong University, about his book Germany and Israel: Whitewashing and Statebuilding. He argues that German support for Israel did not always stem from guilt and the need to atone for historical crimes, but instead fr...
2023-12-211h 22Spaßbremse51 - Wir schaffen das, nochmal (German migration politics w/Lauren Stokes)German media and politicians say that the country is experiencing another "migration crisis." But has it ever not been?
To explore the history of migration politics in the BRD, Ted speaks with Lauren Stokes (@laurenstokes), a historian at Northwestern University, about her book Fear of the Family (2022) and article "The Permanent Refugee Crisis in the Federal Republic of Germany" (2019). They discuss the recurring arguments and contradictory policy responses that surround the German migration debate.
-Buy the book here: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/fear-of-the-family-9780197558416?cc=gb&lang=en&
2023-11-271h 11Spaßbremse50 - What is NATO really for? w/ Grey AndersonWhat is the NATO alliance really for? Grey Anderson's recent book Natopolitanism offers some hints, and the answer is (shockingly) not always what proponents of the Alliance say it is.
On this episode, we speak with Grey—an editor and historian based in New York—about the book, the history of NATO, and what the future of the transatlantic relationship might look like.
Buy his book here: https://www.versobooks.com/en-gb/products/3093-natopolitanism
Read his NLR piece here: https://newleftreview.org/issues/ii140/articles/grey-anderson-weapon-of-power-matrix-of-management
Re...
2023-11-131h 23
Spaßbremse49 - The Fehlinger Doctrine w/Gunther FehlingerDuring a demoralizing year for Twitter, there's been one notable bright spot: the relentless and inspired posting of Austrian economist Gunther Fehlinger (@GunterFehlinger). With political opinions (and matching selfies) ranging from #exRussia and #exChina to the need for Austria to join NATO, Gunther has risen quickly to become one of the world's most legendary commentators on geopolitics (my favorite "NATO is our sunscreen" Tweet is here).
To further explore Fehlinger Thought, we speak with Gunther about how he transformed from a free market economist to one of the most passionate advocates for the expansion...
2023-09-301h 00Spaßbremse48 - Brandmauerfall? w/ Ned Richardson-LittleThe far-right Alternative für Deutschland party is surging across Germany and the CDU seems increasingly willing to cooperate with them. Is the "firewall/Brandmauer" taboo of working with the radical right finally crumbling? To answer this, Ted speaks with historian Ned Richardson-Little (@HistoryNed) about the postwar history of the far right in both East and West Germany. They discuss how the AfD emerged and evolved and speculate about how its role in German politics might change in the coming years.
-Read the AfD's most racist comments here: https://www.dw.com/en/afd-leaders-and-their-most-offensive-remarks/g...
2023-09-211h 29Spaßbremse47 - Backlashes w/ Quinn SlobodianTed is joined by historian Quinn Slobodian to discuss his latest book, "Crack up Capitalism," including how his recent work on economic "zones" relates to his earlier thinking on neoliberalism and the tensions between capitalism and democracy. They also discuss the microstate of Lichtenstein and the rise of the far right in Germany.
You can buy Quinn's latest book here: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250753892/crackupcapitalism
And read his interview in the New Statesman here: https://www.newstatesman.com/the-weekend-interview/2023/04/quinn-slobodian-interview-fantasies-fever-dreams-neoliberalism
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Support Spaßbremse o...
2023-08-151h 24Spaßbremse46 - Left fracture? w/ Loren BalhornTalk is heating up of an impending split in the German Left Party, Die Linke. Sahra Wagenknecht, who has long been a controversial figure in the party, is now openly considering forming a breakaway party. On this episode, we have Loren Balhorn of Jacobin Germany and the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung on to discuss what this would mean for the Die Linke and the potential new party.
Ted and Loren also go beyond the recent developments in the party to give more context for the party rift and discuss how the divide could play out, both for Die...
2023-07-061h 21Spaßbremse45 - Eurovision w/ Kat FriegeWith the finals of this year's Eurovision Song Contest taking place this evening, we thought it would be a perfect time to reflect on the weird and sometimes surprising political and cultural history of the world's most-watched non-sporting event. Ted is joined by Kat Friege, a modern European historian at the University of Oxford.
For some more info about Eurovision, check out this article that Isaac wrote last year: https://xtramagazine.com/culture/music/eurovision-geopolitics-queer-trans-representation-222579
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Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann).
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2023-05-1352 minSpaßbremse44 - No Ticket to Ride (Freiheitsfonds w/ Arne Semsrott)Ted interviews Arne Semsrott of Freiheitsfonds, a bail fund for people who have been imprisoned for riding public transit without a ticket.
Check out the Freiheitsfonds website for more info: https://www.freiheitsfonds.de/ We encourage you to donate if you can!
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Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
2023-04-271h 03Spaßbremse43 - A Tale of Two ICEs (Transport and climate policy update w/ Giulio Mattioli)Ted talks to transport researcher Giulio Mattioli about recent transit-related German news, including Germany’s recent efforts to block a measure ending the sale of internal combustion engine cars at the EU-level. You can read more about that here.
For more from Giulio, you can follow him on Twitter: @giulio_mattioli.
Following the interview, we consider a recent article in Der Spiegel that says, come on, give the FDP a break! (Spoiler: we will not be giving the FDP a break.) You can check out that article for yourself here.
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Co-hosted...
2023-03-231h 31Spaßbremse42 - Imagining the Witch (German Witch Trials w/ Laura Kounine)We're talking about something a bit different on this episode, and about a time period much earlier than we usually discuss: the witch trials of early-modern Germany. Why? Because it's Witchy Zeit in Germany!
Carnival/Fasching/Fastnacht just happened last month and at the end of April is Walpurgisnacht, also known as Hexenbrennen (witch burning). Michelle and Isaac give a bit of background about these witchy festivals at the start of the episode, before getting into an interview with Dr. Laura Kounine, lecturer in early modern history at the University of Sussex. Dr. Kounine published her book I...
2023-03-041h 11SpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 22 - Ted Talks TanksHere's a preview of our latest premium episode, where Ted talks about tanks! Specifically, he laments the anglophone media's gratuitous hand-wringing over Germany's alleged reluctance to adequately support Ukraine.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
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Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann).
Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
2023-02-1712 minSpaßbremse41 - Wahlball Extra Innings (Berlin Election Repeat Rundown)The whole team's back together again to discuss the upcoming repeat election happening in Berlin on Sunday, February 12.
Here's a link to the candidates' debate that we reference throughout the episode: https://www.rbb24.de/politik/hintergrund/livestream-ihre-wahl-kandidatencheck-berlin-abgeordnetenhaus.html
You can check out the latest polls and coalition possibilities here: https://interaktiv.tagesspiegel.de/lab/wahl-wiederholung-abgeordnetenhaus-2023-umfragen-prognosen-analysen-ergebnisse-wahlkarten/
And for some more background to the repeat election, check out this article from Deutsche Welle: https://www.dw.com/en/berlin-gears-up-to-repeat-botched-elections/a-64621620
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Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Pr...
2023-02-111h 07Spaßbremse40 - Gib mir die Kohle (Lützerath and German climate politics w/ Ruairi Casey)We're joined by journalist Ruairi Casey to talk about the evacuation of the climate protest in Lützerath earlier this month, and what it can tell us about climate politics in Germany.
Read the piece Ruairi wrote on this subject here: www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2023/january/in-luetzerath
For more from Ruairi, follow him on Twitter: @Ruairi_Casey
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Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann).
Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
2023-01-261h 18SpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 21 - Fritz Bartel Extended InterviewHappy (belated) New Year! Here's a short preview of our latest premium episode featuring part two of Ted's interview with Fritz Bartel, Assistant Professor of International Affairs at Texas A&M at the George H. W. Bush School of Government and Public Service, about his new book The Triumph of Broken Promises: The End of the Cold War and the Rise of Neoliberalism. After the interview, Ted and Michelle share some of their reflections.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
And make sure to listen to part o...
2023-01-2010 minSpaßbremse39 - Christmas Market Scandals, 2022 EditionBack by popular demand, we’re joined by Nathan to talk about this year’s Christmas market scandals! Check out last year’s two-part episode “The Twelve Days of Christmas Market Scandals” for more holiday drama.
This year, we’re discussing six different scandals:
1. Not heeding the energy-saving restrictions
https://www.insuedthueringen.de/inhalt.eisenach-trotz-energiekrise-weihnachtsmarkt-ohne-einschraenkungen.c3f15953-26ef-4833-9abf-758482dd6cf4.html
2. Tax evasion and not following the receipt obligations
https://www.zeit.de/wirtschaft/2019-12/steuerbetrug-bonpflicht-registrierkassen-haendler-handel-finanzamt?utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
3. Pickpoc...
2022-12-221h 07Spaßbremse38 - Fußball w/ Dave BraneckDespite the many controversies—from the deaths of thousands of labourers in horrible working conditions to the corrupt bidding process—the 2022 FIFA World Cup is happening now in Qatar. Instead of focusing on the World Cup, we sat down with journalist Dave Braneck to talk about the politics of German soccer/football.
Here are some of the sources we referenced on this episode:
Too cool for their own good? Union Berlin’s fight to retain their identity by Kit Holden in The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/sep/16/union-berlin-fight-to-retain-identity-bundesliga-book
Fan-Owned Clubs Can Help Democratize Football by Dave Braneck in Jacobi...
2022-11-211h 18Spaßbremse37 - The Triumph of Broken Promises w/ Fritz BartelTed talks to Fritz Bartel, Assistant Professor of International Affairs at Texas A&M at the George H. W. Bush School of Government and Public Service, about his new book The Triumph of Broken Promises: The End of the Cold War and the Rise of Neoliberalism. It's a fascinating account of how two processes that we agree happened roughly simultaneously—the end of political tensions between the US and the USSR and the rise of neoliberal policies like financialization and austerity—didn’t just happen to overlap, but that they were deeply connected.
You can find Professor Bartel...
2022-11-1747 minSpaßbremse36 - Declining in Style (Eurotrash w/ Anton Jäger and Dominik Leusder, Pt. 1)Ted chats with the hosts of the Eurotrash podcast: Anton Jäger, Postdoctoral Researcher at KU Leuven and Dominik Leusder, Research Director of the LSE Global Economic Governance Commission. The three discuss all things EU, from the union's economic and political crises, the way these crises get talked about in the media, and how things could have gone differently.
You can find Eurotrash on Twitter @eurotrashpod and listen to them wherever you find podcasts. You can find Anton on Twitter @AntonJaegermm and Dominik on Twitter @NewLeftEViews. Dominik is also Spaßbremse's first three-time guest, you can listen to...
2022-10-301h 02SpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 18 - Wolfgang Streeck Extended InterviewA short preview of our latest premium episode, which features part two of Ted's interview with economic sociologist Wolfgang Streeck and reflections from Ted and Michelle on the interview.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
And make sure to listen to part one of the interview with Professor Streeck if you haven't already! You can find it here: https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/JMY8wAnPiub
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Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann).
Follow Spaßbremse on...
2022-10-2111 minSpaßbremse35 - Zeitenwende? (German foreign policy w/ Wolfgang Streeck)Ted talks with economic sociologist Wolfgang Streeck, emeritus director at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies in Cologne and one of the leading scholars and commentators on European capitalism. In this exciting conversation, they discuss Germany's foreign policy role in Europe at this moment of the so-called "Zeitenwende."
On this main feed episode, we're releasing the first 45 - 50 minutes of the interview. We'll release the final bit of the interview on our Patreon some time next week, where Ted and Michelle will also be sharing some of their reflections on the conversation. You can s...
2022-10-1155 minSpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 16 - Sparkling Water for the Proletariat (Sprudelwasser, Pt. 1)A short preview of our latest premium episode, in which Ted and Michelle dive into the history of Germany's love affair with sparkling water -- or Sprudelwasser, auf Deutsch -- and sample an assortment of bubbly offerings with the most Sprudel-pilled guy out there, Nick from Corner Späti.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back soon with another full-length episode.
2022-09-2709 minSpaßbremse34 - Deutschland als Autobahn (German car culture w/ Conrad Kunze)We're moving on from trains to talk about what is by far the most dominant mode of transport in Germany: the car. What is it about Germany's history that paved the way for such a pervasive car culture, and what's up with the Autobahn?? Luckily, we have a great guest who recently published a book on exactly these questions. Dr. Conrad Kunze is a researcher at the Research Centre for Sustainability at FU Berlin and author of Deutschland als Autobahn: Eine Kulturgeschichte von Männlichkeit, Moderne und Nationalismus (English translation: Germany as Autobahn: A Cultural History of Masculinity, Modernity a...
2022-09-131h 08Spaßbremse33 - Zug fällt aus (European rail w/ Jon Worth)We return from our Sommerpause to talk about one of the things dominating conversations in Germany over the past few months: trains! From inter-Europe rail travel to Deutsche Bahn woes to the 9-Euro-Ticket, Ted goes through it all with Jon Worth, a Berlin-based writer and communications consultant who has been documenting his experience crossing every possible internal European border by train this summer.
Follow Jon on Twitter: @jonworth.
To learn more about Jon’s cross-border rail experience: https://www.capital.de/wirtschaft-politik/jon-worth--vom-brexit-kritiker-zum-bahn-enthusiast-31978856.html
To learn more about the end and potential future of...
2022-09-071h 26SpaßbremseUNLOCKED: Premium 10 - Die geschlossene deutsche Frage (Spaßbremse Grenzen, pt. 2: The Oder-Neiße Line)First, thanks to our listeners who have been so patient with us as we have been taking a little Sommerpause. Some of us have been travelling, some of us have have COVID, and it's been taking a little longer than usual to put a new episode out. That's why we're unlocking one of our premium episodes that was published on our Patreon back in April. The episode is part two of our series we've been doing on Patreon about Germany's border regions; on this episode we talk about the modern German-Polish border, aka the Oder-Neiße Line.
Fo...
2022-08-1644 minSpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 14 - Storks and Germanic Mini Pasta (Spaßbremse Grenzen, pt. 4: Alsace-Lorraine)A short preview of our latest premium episode, in which Ted and Michelle round out our Spaßbremse Grenzen series by discussing the Alsace-Lorraine region on the France-German border.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back soon with another full-length episode.
2022-08-1009 minSpaßbremse32 - DESaster (German political foundations w/ Ruairi Casey)The far-right Alternative für Deutschland could soon have its own state-funded political foundation called the Desiderius Erasmus Stiftung (DES). We speak with freelance journalist Ruairi Casey about why this matters, and ask him what the deal is with all these political Stiftungen anyway.
Read Ruairi's recent article in Foreign Policy on the subject: Germany May Soon Pay Millions to Far-Right Operatives
And follow Ruairi on Twitter for more from him! @Ruairi_Casey
Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac (@wuermann).
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Thank so much to...
2022-07-211h 04
Spaßbremse31 - Bad Gays w/ Ben MillerPride Month in North America may have just ended, but here in Germany the local Pride festivals — or "Christopher Street Days" — are just beginning. To talk about the complicated history of Germany's queer movements, we're joined on this episode by writer and historian Ben Miller, co-host of the podcast Bad Gays and co-author of the book Bad Gays: A Homosexual History, which just came out last month.
To learn more about Ben's podcast and book, check out www.badgayspod.com. If you’re in Berlin, you can join Ben and Bad Gays co-author Huw Lemmey at Prinz Eisenhe...
2022-07-031h 12Spaßbremse30 - The Clean Wehrmacht Myth w/ Jan Tattenberg (extended excerpt)On our thirtieth episode on the main feed (!!) we have an interview that Ted did with historian Jan Tattenberg about the "clean Wehrmacht" myth, or the idea that members of the German Wehrmacht were not complicit in the crimes and atrocities of the Holocaust. Ted and Jan go into quite a bit of detail about why this myth doesn't hold water, so we have abut 45 minutes of their conversation on this episode, and you can listen to the rest over on our Patreon (www.patreon.com/spassbremse).
For more from Jan, you can read his piece in 1/200 a...
2022-06-2249 minSpaßbremse29 - Nazi Billionaires w/ David de JongTed and Michelle sit down with journalist David de Jong to talk about his new book, Nazi Billionaires: The Dark History of Germany's Wealthiest Dynasties.
Longtime listeners will know that this is a recurring subject on Spaßbremse. You can listen to our three-part series about the history of some specific Nazi businesses on Patreon: Pt. 1: Nazi Pizzas, Pt. 2: Nazi Soda, Pt. 3: Nazi Washing Machines
For more on this subject, you can of course read David's book, which you can order from the publisher here.
You can also read his guest essay in the...
2022-06-081h 13SpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 12 - Stuck in the Mittelstand with YouA short preview of our latest premium episode, in which we discuss the beloved German "Mittelstand" and why your favourite family-owned screw company might not be as cool and relatable as you think.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back in a few days with another full-length episode.
2022-06-0108 minSpaßbremse28 - Der Spargelkult (Spargelzeit and agricultural labour w/ Benjamin Luig)It's Spargelzeit! For those of you lucky enough to be unfamiliar, that's the time of year when Germany's most prized vegetable — the white asparagus — is in season. On this episode, we try to get in the mind of the Germans to understand their obsession with this mediocre dish by sitting down with some Spargel and Schnitzel. We give a bit of background to the German Spargelkult before speaking with Benjamin Luig, the branch coordinator for agriculture at IG Bau's Initiative for Fair Work in Agriculture as well as at Fair Mobility, to talk about the labour conditions for the seas...
2022-05-201h 18Spaßbremse27 - Der dritte Weg (The neoliberalisation of left-wing parties w/ Stephanie Mudge)As we celebrate May Day, we’re asking: Why do things keep getting worse for so many workers around the world? For one answer to that question, we look at the neoliberalisation of formerly “left-wing” parties such as the SPD. To walk us through this history, Ted spoke with Stephanie Mudge, a professor of sociology at the University of California at Davis. In 2018, she published Leftism Reinvented: Western Parties from Socialism to Neoliberalism, which analyses the history of four parties in particular: the Swedish Social Democrats, the British Labour Party, the American Democrats and, of course, our very own German...
2022-05-011h 15SpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 11 - Protest Pigs and Lost Lions (Spaßbremse Grenzen, pt. 3: The Danish-German Border)A short preview of our latest premium episode, in which Ted and Isaac discuss the Danish-German border. This is part 3 of our ongoing series "Spaßbremse Grenzen" about the histories and legacies of Germany's borders.
To listen to the full episode and all other premium episodes — including parts 1 and 2 of our Grenzen series, in which we discuss the Czech-German and Polish-German borders — support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back in a few days with a full length episod...
2022-04-2709 minSpaßbremse26 - German Americans w/ Matt Christman of Chapo Trap HouseThey're the largest ethnic group in the United States but remain relatively invisible, despite contributions that include beer, kindergartens, and Kissinger (oops). That's right, we're talking German Americans on this episode, joined by special guest Matt Christman of Chapo Trap House. How, when, and where did Germans immigrate in such huge numbers, what makes them different from other white ethnic groups in the United States, and what are some peculiarities of German Americans today?
You can of course listen to more of Matt over on Chapo Trap House (www.chapotraphouse.com) and you can find him on T...
2022-04-131h 04Spaßbremse25 - Sprit in the Sky (Fossil fuel politics w/ Giulio Mattioli)Transport researcher Giulio Mattioli returns to talk about the ongoing debates over introducing a "Spritpreisbremse"—a limit on the price of fuel—in Germany.
To hear more from Giulio, you can follow him on Twitter: @giulio_mattioli. He also has a recent book chapter out on transport poverty and car dependence.
Co-hosted by Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames). Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
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Thank so much to everyone who has already started supporting us on Patreon! We'll still be publishing full-length episodes twice monthly available on our main podcas...
2022-03-221h 08Spaßbremse24 - Herr Prof. Dr. Dr. Strangelove (German foreign policy, Pt. 4: Sanctions and Russia w/ Dominik Leusder)We have on repeat guest Dominik Leusder, researcher at the economic policy thinktank Dezernat Zukunft and the London School of Economics, to react to the developing situation of sanctions on Russia in the wake of the country's invasion of Ukraine last week.
Sources referenced on this episode include:
America's Generation Gap on Ukraine by Peter Beinart
and Russia's Financial Meltdown and the Global Dollar System by Adam Tooze
You can also listen to our previous episode with Dominik here: Zombie-Ideologien und das Inflationsmonster (German economic policy w/ Dominik Leusder)
C...
2022-03-011h 09SpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 8 - What's Left of German Foreign Policy? (German foreign policy, Pt. 3 w/ Julia Wiedemann)A short preview of our latest premium episode, in which we try to wrap our heads around the rapid changes to Germany's foreign policy since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Featuring a short conversation with Julia Wiedemann of Die Linke's foreign policy department which was recorded prior to the invasion.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back in a few days with part four of our foreign policy series, when Dominik Leusder...
2022-02-2815 minSpaßbremse23 - The Paradox of German Power (German foreign policy, Pt. 2 w/ Hans Kundnani)We continue our series on German foreign policy with an interview with Hans Kundnani (@hanshundnani), director of the Europe Programme at Chatham House and author of the book The Paradox of German Power.
On this episode, Hans references two books: Oliver Nachtwey's Die Abstiegsgesellschaft: Über das Aufbegehren in der regressiven Moderne and Peo Hansen and Stefan Jonsson's Eurafrica: The Untold History of European Integration and Colonialism. Ted also references Hans' recent article in The Guardian, called "Europe's reputation as a cosmopolitan haven has been exposed as a mirage."
You can find more of Hans' work on...
2022-02-171h 30Spaßbremse22 - Ten German Helmets (German foreign policy, Pt. 1 w/ James Jackson)On the first episode of our (long-awaited) German foreign policy series, Ted (@ted_knudsen) sits down with Berlin journalist James Jackson (@derJamesJackson) to talk about why the British and American liberals are mad at Germany. They talk about Ukraine, of course, and end with what may be a Spaßbremse first…
Read James’ piece in Jacobin here: https://jacobinmag.com/2022/02/germany-nato-russia-putin-ukraine-tensions-weapons-export-war
Co-hosted by Michelle (@shhellgames) and produced by Isaac (@wuermann).
Thank so much to everyone who has already started supporting us on Patreon! We'll still be publishing full-length episodes twice monthly available on our main...
2022-02-051h 14SpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 6 - DDR University PurgeA short preview of our latest premium episode, where we discuss the changes to East German universities in the wake of reunification. Featuring an interview with Markus Kienscherf, junior professor of sociology at the JFK Institute of North American Studies at FU Berlin.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back in a few days with another full-length episode for the main podcast feed.
2022-02-0114 minSpaßbremse21 - Spaghettieis, Fax Machines, and the Church Tax (Mailbag episode #1)Ted, Michelle, and Isaac answer some listener questions to start off the new year!
We will be having our second live show ***tomorrow (Jan. 23)*** with our friends at Corner Späti at Donau 115 in Neukölln. Join us at 7:30 p.m. as we celebrate (mourn?) the death of 2021. For more details, see the Facebook event page: https://fb.me/e/315PJyXpt
Some of the sources cited in this episode:
Why Germany Needs to Accelerate into the Digital Fast Lane by Guy Chazan for the Financial Times
Germany: Four Out of 10 Companies St...
2022-01-221h 29SpaßbremseUNLOCKED: Premium 2 - Nazi Pizzas (German companies during WWII, Pt. 1)While we work on putting together some great new episodes for 2022, here's a premium episode we first released on the Patreon back in November to tide you over.
On this episode, producer Isaac joins Michelle and Ted to talk about the Nazi history of some notable German companies. You can listen to parts 2 and 3 of this series by subscribing to our Patreon.
For some of our sources cited on this episode:
Bayer
From the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
Victor Grossman in People's World on 22 September 2016: Bayer-Monsanto merger can't...
2022-01-151h 01Spaßbremse20 - The Twelve Days of Christmas Market Scandals, Pt. 2After a few more mugs of Glühwein, we round out our twelve days of Christmas market scandals with some Schwabenhass and culture wars.
Thanks so much to Nathan for joining us on this episode to share his expertise as a local entrepreneur and thought leader. For more of Nathan, you can find him on Twitter at @nthnashma. You can also find his second-hand furniture curation and recommendations at @furnforall.
If you'd like to read up on the scandals discussed in this episode:
Polizei löst illegalen Weihnachtsmarkt auf - über 100 Besucher - https...
2021-12-251h 39Spaßbremse19 - The Twelve Days of Christmas Market Scandals, Pt. 1To celebrate the holiday season in true Spaßbremse style, we convened a panel with Nathan (@nthnashma) to walk you through the twelve days of Christmas market scandals, from selling Glühwein to minors in Frankfurt to tax evasion in Kiel.
We were drinking some Glühwein (mit Schuss!) ourselves and as we went through the twelve days we went on more and more tangents, so this episode only gets through days one through six. You can look forward to days seven through twelve of Christmas market scandals on Christmas Day.
If you want to rea...
2021-12-1959 minSpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 4 - Nazi Washing Machines (German companies during WWII, Pt. 3)A short preview of our fourth premium episode, where we round out our three-part series about German companies during the Third Reich.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back in a few days with another full-length episode for the main podcast feed.
2021-12-1709 minSpaßbremse18 - Wir verstehen nur Bahnhof (Transport and climate policy w/ Giulio Mattioli)This week, Ted (@ted_knudsen) interviews TU Dortmund transport researcher Giulio Mattioli about German transport and climate policy in light of the recent traffic light coalition agreement and the COP 26 climate summit.
To hear more from Giulio, you can follow him on Twitter: @giulio_mattioli. He also has a recent book chapter out on transport poverty and car dependence.
Co-hosted by Michelle (@shhellgames) and produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
Thank so much to everyone who has already started supporting us on Patreon! We'll still be publishing full-length episodes twice monthly available on our...
2021-12-0854 minSpaßbremse17 - Willkommen in Pullman City (The Indianthusiasm episode)What's with the bizarre obsession that some Germans have with Indigenous people from North America? Every year, thousands of Germans gather to dress up and play "Indianer"—or at least their imagined, naive stereotype of what it's like to be a First Nations person—complete with appropriated powwow dances, regalia, and living in tipis. On this episode, Ted, Michelle, and Isaac go through some of the darker history of this phenomenon, and Ted and Isaac interview Drew Hayden Taylor, a Canadian writer from the Curve Lake First Nation. A few years ago, Drew made a documentary for the Canadian Broa...
2021-11-281h 00SpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 3 - Nazi Soda (German companies during WWII, Pt. 2)A short preview of our third premium episode, where Ted, Michelle, and Isaac talk about the Nazi history of three more German companies.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back in a few days with another full-length episode for the main podcast feed.
2021-11-2609 minSpaßbremseUNLOCKED: Premium 1 - Lindy Talk (The Christian Lindner Episode)To celebrate (???) the traffic light coalition agreement and Christian Lindner's ascension to Finance Minister, we're unlocking our first Patreon Premium episode, in which Ted and Michelle talk us through Lindner's rise to prominence.
We also released an episode on Oct. 31 (15 - Zombie-Ideologien und das Inflationsmonster) in which Ted interviews Dominik Leusder from the London School of Economics and Dezernat Zukunft about what a Lindner-led Finance Ministry might look like (god help us all). Give it a listen, if you haven't already!
It's also worth noting that the coalition agreement announced plans to repeal Section 219a...
2021-11-2551 minSpaßbremse16 - Weg mit §218! (German abortion law w/ Kate Cahoon and Stephanie Schlitt)This week, Michelle (@shhellgames) digs into the criminalization of abortion in Germany. In a Spaßbremse first, she interviews two (2!!) fantastic guests — Kate Cahoon (@katecahoon) of the Bündnis für sexuelle Selbstbestimmung and Stephanie Schlitt (@StSchlitt) of Pro Familia.
SIGN THE PETITION TO REPEAL §218
Get involved with the “Weg mit 218” campaign: https://wegmit218.de/
To learn more about the Bündnis für sexuelle Selbstbestimmung, you can visit their website: https://www.sexuelle-selbstbestimmung.de/ or follow them on Twitter @ProChoice_DE
And for more about Pro Familia and their counseling centers, you...
2021-11-1352 minSpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 2 - Nazi Pizzas (German companies during WWII, Pt. 1)A short preview of our second premium episode, where Isaac joins Michelle and Ted to talk about the Nazi history of some notable German companies.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back next week with another full-length episode for the main podcast feed.
2021-11-1108 minSpaßbremse15 - Zombie-Ideologien und das Inflationsmonster (German economic policy w/ Dominik Leusder)Just in time for Halloween, an interview about the biggest boogeyman in Germany: inflation! Ted (@ted_knudsen) sits down with Dominik Leusder (@NewLeftEViews) of the London School of Economics and economic policy think-tank Dezernat Zukunft to talk about what the aftermath of last month's German elections means for German politics, economics, and the European Union. This episode ties together some ideas and themes discussed in previous Spaßbremse episodes about Hartz IV and the debt brake, so we'd recommend you listen to those if you haven't already for some background.
Before getting into the interview, Ted and Mi...
2021-10-311h 08SpaßbremsePREVIEW: Premium 1 - Lindy Talk (The Christian Lindner Episode)A short preview of our first premium bonus episode, where Michelle and Ted talk about one of the most exciting, innovative, and dynamisch people in German politics: the one and only Christian Lindner, leader of the FDP and likely next German finance minister.
To listen to the full episode, support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/spassbremse
If you're not able to support us monetarily right now, we totally get it! We'll be back next week with another full-length episode for the main podcast feed.
2021-10-2702 minSpaßbremse14 - Tee Trinken (German alternative medicine discussion w/ Alice)It's Tee trinken time! Hosts Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) are joined by producer Isaac (@wuermann) and friend of the pod Alice (@aalicerrose) to talk about Germans' bizarre obsession with alternative medicines such as homeopathy and anthroposophy.
The articles referenced on this episode are:
- Homeopathy doesn't work. So why do so many Germans believe in it? by Sami Emory in Bloomberg
- Ginger root and meteorite dust: The Steiner 'Covid cures' offered in Germany by Philip Oltermann in the Guardian
On this episode we also announced our new Patreon! We'l...
2021-10-201h 23Spaßbremse13 - Linkscrutch (Die Linke analysis w/ Alex Brentler and Loren Balhorn)What's behind Die Linke's abysmal 4.9% result in Germany's latest federal election? Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) conduct their own post-mortem with Alex Brentler (@full_enjoyment) and Loren Balhorn (@fraubalhorn) from Jacobin Germany.
Sources:
Alex Brentler with an election post-mortem for Die Linke
Loren Balhorn on Die Linke's lack of pre-election strategy
Quinn Slobodian on the "Aufstehen" movement
Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
2021-10-091h 17Spaßbremse12 - Der Scholz-Effekt (Election recap w/ Corner Späti)After recovering from their election night hangovers, Spaßbremse hosts Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) sit down with Julia (@KMarxiana), Nick (@sternburgpapi) and Ciarán (@ciarandold) from Corner Späti to hash out the results. Why did die Linke do so poorly? Will Christian Lindner finally become finance minister? Will your Deutsche Wohnen-owned apartment be socialized as soon as the Giffey cabinet takes office? You'll have to listen to find out!
Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
2021-10-021h 06Spaßbremse11 - Septuell Healing (German election update)Hosts Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) are joined by Spaßbremse producer Isaac (@wuermann) to go over the final polls and debates before tomorrow's election.
Join us tomorrow to watch the results! We'll be hanging out with our friends from the Corner Späti podcast at Donau115 in Neukölln from 17:30. Apparently there will be prizes! For more info, check out the Facebook event page.
Follow Spaßbremse on Twitter (@spassbremse_pod). Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
2021-09-2551 min
Corner SpätiFEED DROP: Spaßbremse 10 - It's Partei TimeThis is an episode from the feed of Spaßbremse featuring Ciarán and Nick. They're a great pod who've done episodes on the legacy of Merkel and Reunification and things like that. Check them out!_Ted (@tedknudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames) sit down with Nick (@sternburgpapi) and Ciarán (@ciarandold) from Corner Späti (@cornerspaeti) to break down the major parties in the lead-up to the September 26 elections. Tangents include Armin Laschet's Instagram influencer son and the FDP's bisexual lighting. Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann)._LISTEN TO SPASSBREMSEhttps://anchor.fm/sp...
2021-09-191h 21Spaßbremse10 - It's Partei Time (German election preview w/ Corner Späti)Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames) sit down with Nick (@sternburgpapi) and Ciarán (@ciarandold) from Corner Späti (@cornerspaeti) to break down the major parties in the lead-up to the September 26 elections. Tangents include Armin Laschet's Instagram influencer son and the FDP's bisexual lighting.
Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
On election night we'll be hanging out again with the Corner Späti crew, this time for our first live show! Join us at Donau115 in Neukölln from 17:30 as we make fun of politicians and collectively groan as the results roll in. For more i...
2021-09-191h 25Spaßbremse9 - Die halbe Miete (Housing politics with Thomas McGath)If you live in Berlin or have visited the city in the past few months, you've undoubtedly seen the purple and yellow posters of the Deutsche Wohnen & Co. enteignen referendum campaign lining the streets of every Kiez. With the referendum vote coming up in less than two weeks (!!), Spaßbremse co-host Michelle (@shhellgames) sits down with campaign organizer Thomas McGath (@tamcgath) to discuss what expropriating private landlords could mean for Berlin. Ahead of the interview, Ted (@ted_knudsen) joins Michelle to give a bit of context about housing politics in Berlin.
Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
2021-09-151h 01Spaßbremse8 - Spar'n Spar'n Spar'n on the Autobahn (German fiscal politics w/ Philippa Sigl-Glöckner)What's with the Schuldenbremse and the Schwarze Null? Ted interviews Philippa Sigl-Glöckner (@PhilippaSigl), director of the economic policy think-tank Dezernat Zukunft, about German politicians' aversion to running deficits and how that affects people's lives in Germany and beyond. Following the interview, Ted (@ted_knudsen) and Michelle (@shhellgames) read a piece by Wolfgang Schäuble published earlier this year in the Financial Times so you don't have to. Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
To learn more about Philippa and Dezernat Zukunft, check out their website (www.dezernatzukunft.org) or follow them on Twitter (@DezernatZ).
In a...
2021-09-081h 14Spaßbremse7 - Wir schaffen...was? (the Merkel episode)On this episode of Spaßbremse, Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) dive into the myth of Angela Merkel, the so-called "leader of the free world." As we enter into the final month before the Sept. 26 election that will choose her successor, let's talk about how Merkel became such a beloved figure around the world, while at the same time forcing through an austerity agenda, dropping the ball on climate policy, and creating a more unequal Germany. Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
To read up on some of the finer details discussed in this episode, check ou...
2021-08-301h 02Spaßbremse6 - Kill die Mauer im Kopf (German Reunification, Pt. 4)In the final installment of our series of German reunification, Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) discuss the ways East Germany continues to be (mis)remembered in popular and political culture. Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
To read up on some of the finer details discussed in this episode, check out these links:
- A Second Life for Socialist Realism by Magdalena Moskalewicz
- Judging the Past in Unified Germany by A. James McAdams
Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
2021-08-2443 minSpaßbremse5 - Interview with Victor Grossman (German Reunification, Pt. 3)In the third installment of this series, Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) interview American journalist Victor Grossman about his experience defecting to East German in the early 1950s and living through German reunification. Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann) with help this week from Tom Wills (@tomwills).
To learn more about Victor, check out his two books:
Crossing the River: A Memoir of the American Left, the Cold War, and Life in East Germany
A Socialist Defector: From Harvard to Karl-Marx-Allee
And check out Victor's Berlin Bulletin on theleftberlin.com.
Music by Lee...
2021-08-1359 minSpaßbremse4 - Aufbau West (German Reunification, Pt. 2)In this second instalment of a three-part series, Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) discuss the economic impacts of Treuhand and the mass privatization of East German enterprises, and challenge the "Aufbau Ost" narrative that positions reunification as the saviour of the East German economy. Stay tuned for the final part of this series, where we'll hear from someone who experienced this moment in history firsthand. Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
2021-08-0839 minSpaßbremse3 - Hell or Hochwasser (German climate politics w/ Alex Brentler)Ted (@ted_knudsen) interviews Alex Brentler (@full_enjoyment) of @jacobinmag_de on the recent flooding, the history of climate politics in Germany, the contradictions of the German Greens, and the prospects for a break from the coal-reliant German energy system. Then, Ted and Michelle (@shhellgames) embark on Spaßbreme's first reading series, dissecting a bizarre take on on why emergency warnings are useless. Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann). Part 2 of our reunification series will air next Friday. To read up on the topics discussed in this episode, check out these links: - Alex's piece in Jacobin Germany: "Neoliberalism Won...
2021-07-301h 02Spaßbremse2 - Sind wir ein Volk? (German Reunification, Pt. 1)In this first installment of a three-part series, Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) guide us through the messy months in 1989 and 1990 that resulted in the unified Germany that we know today, and pose the question: Was it really a unification, or rather an annexation? Stay tuned for part two of this series, where we'll hear from someone who experienced this moment in history firsthand. Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
To read up on some of the finer details discussed in this episode, check out these lin...
2021-07-2334 minSpaßbremse1 - Hartz und HerzlosThe first episode of Spaßbremse is here, and Michelle (@shhellgames) and Ted (@ted_knudsen) are discussing Hartz IV—aka Arbeitslosengeld II—the controversial reforms to unemployment benefits introduced by Gerhard Schröder's SPD-Green coalition government in the early 2000s. Produced by Isaac Würmann (@wuermann).
Music by Lee Rosevere. Art by Franziska Schneider.
To learn more about Hartz IV, here are some links to articles and studies cited in this episode:
-German Deunificaton: An interview with Ingar Solty by Darko Vujica in the Monthly Review
-The Low Wage Sector in Germany is...
2021-07-1651 min
Spaßbremse0 - An Introduction to SpaßbremseHosts Michelle and Ted tell us about what to expect on Spaßbremse, including a fair share of gripes about how Germany is portrayed in English-language media.
Music by Lee Rosevere.
2021-07-0811 min
Männerkatalog - 99 Blind DatesSpaßmann oder SpaßbremseSpaßmann oder Spaßbremse. Das ist immer die Frage, wenn Du einen neuen Mann kennenlernst. Ich stelle Dir Kandidaten aus beiden Kategorien vor.
2020-07-2711 min