Germany

Germany’s election: shattering the illusion of stability

As Germany prepares to go to the polls, Kevin Ovenden assesses the fragmentation of German politics
The Ratline and The Good Germans - book review

Lindsey German reviews two case studies of the Nazi period, which, from above and from below, reveal the class nature of the regime and the resistance to it
The Communist Movement at a Crossroads: Plenums of the Communist International’s Executive Committee, 1922-1923 - book review

The newly available records of the Comintern Executive Committee from 1922-23 show the importance of the organisation before its later Stalinisation, argues Chris Bambery
The fight against Trumpism: lessons of Hitler’s Munich Putsch

As far as historical parallels can be made, we must draw the lessons from the past in the fight against fascism, writes John Westmoreland
Rosa Luxemburg: an interview with Dana Mills

Katherine Connelly interviews Dana Mills, author of a new biography on Rosa Luxemburg, on her crucial contribution to revolutionary thought
From Golden Dawn to the AfD, the far right is being beaten back by a fighting left

The far right are not unstoppable, but neither is their decline inevitable; the radical left is key to the anti-fascist movements halting their march, argues Kevin Ovenden
If VE Day never came: It Happened Here - film review

On the 75th anniversary of VE Day, Tom Griffiths finds Brownlow and Mollo's alternative vision of Nazi-led Britain in the 1940s still resonates powerfully
Coronavirus: a test for Europe

The pandemic is proving to be a test for European solidarity and is adding strain to an already fragile EU, argues Alan McGuire from Madrid
Lockdown reading on revolution: some novels set in times of great upheaval

Lindsey German's pick of novels set in revolutionary times
A People’s History of the German Revolution 1918-19 - book review

William Pelz’s People’s History of the German Revolution is a vivid and accessible introduction to socialism’s greatest lost revolution, finds Tom Whittaker
A Socialist Defector: From Harvard to Karl-Marx-Allee - book review

An American socialist’s memoir of his life in East Germany overturns many standard assumptions about the contrasts of West and East, finds Dominic Alexander
Imperial calculations: why World War Two was declared 80 years ago today

Britain declared war on Germany not to fight fascism but to secure the interests of its own ruling class, writes Chris Bambery
The Treaty of Versailles 1919: a peace pregnant with war

The Treaty of Versailles was the continuation of the First World War by other means, finds Dragan Plavšić
Ten things they don't tell you about D-Day

As the commemorations of the 75 year anniversary of D-Day take place, Lindsey German reminds us of the truth about the end of the Second World War
A Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank merger spells trouble

The proposed merger of German banks is a disaster waiting to happen and exposes the weaknesses at the heart of European capitalism, argues Chris Bambery
Rosa Luxemburg, von Trotta's 1986 film, receives digital restoration - review

In this moving biopic, Rosa Luxemburg emerges as a vibrant, sensual, intellectually brilliant, morally and physically courageous woman, whose legacy proves timeless, writes Tom Lock Griffiths
Rosa Luxemburg, Karl Liebknecht and the 100 year revolution

One hundred years on from the murders of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, their revolution still breathes, writes Evan Sedgwick-Jell
Rosa Luxemburg: a revolutionary for our times

Rosa's commitment to her class against the greatest of odds is an enduring inspiration, writes Dana Mills
Standing on the shoulders of a giant: Rosa Luxemburg and The Mass Strike

Marking the centenary of her assassination, Richard Allday looks at Rosa Luxemburg's The Mass Strike and the lessons it holds for revolutionary socialists today
Europe in turmoil: what to expect in 2019

Chris Bambery explores European political economy and what developments of the last twelve months can lead us to expect about the year ahead
A state of disunion: Europe after Brexit

Liberals lament Britain leaving the European Union, but the politics of the bloc is increasingly right wing and nasty, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
World War One was stupid, tragic and futile

World War One was a brutal and unnecessary waste of human life and sowed the seeds for the second war, argues Chris Bambery
Germany after Merkel: how the right can be beaten

With the departure of Angela Merkel, centrist hopes for maintaining the status quo are withering, while the left is at a strategic cross roads, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica
Aftermath: Art in the wake of World War One - review

Modern art was a way of actively willing war towards an end says Alistair Cartwright in his review of the Aftermath exhibition at the Tate
Why fascists hate trade unions

Fascists hate unions because they are a vehicle for working class power. The past can inform our fight today, argues Chris Bambery
France also: a cynical attempt to divide anti-racism in the service of the government right

Unite the left and anti-racist movements in a fight back against cynical right-wing disruption, argues Kevin Ovenden
Organised workers in Germany massively reject AfD

It is unity amongst the working class that can keep the far right at bay
The SPD, grand coalitions, and European social democracy

In Germany, the left is at a crossroads, and what path it takes depends on the strength of the movements, argues Evan Sedgwick-Jell
Social democratic suicide? What’s going on in Germany? Interview with Mark Bergfeld - podcast

As the SPD go into another 'grand coalition' with the CDU, Mark Bergfeld looks at the prospects for the left in Germany
Germany: why did the SPD membership vote for the coalition?

The decision to join the government throws up big questions for the left and for the movements
The SPD is dead: long live the grand coalition!

There has been much opposition to Groko. Still, another Grand Coalition looms in Germany. Evan Sedgwick-Jell examines the reasons why
Fighting fascism in the 1930s: Trotsky and the United Front - video

The strategy of the united front was central to Trotsky's politics and has been used many times since to fight fascism. Katherine Connelly discusses the history, what we can learn from it, and what it means for politics today.
Where is Germany heading?

The political crisis in Germany presents both dangers and opportunities for the European anti-capitalist left argues Evan Sedgwick-Jell
A life sentence of low wages and public sector cuts - weekly briefing

Despite dire forecasts for the economy and living standards, the Tories are continuing with more austerity. It can't go on argues Lindsey German
Now is the time to fight back - Counterfire Freesheet October 2017

Tories in crisis, Catalonia, German elections and more - Counterfire freesheet edition 21, October 2017
AfD breakthrough: the threat of fascism never went away

After the far-right party's success in the German election, we must look at the root causes of their rise, if we are to know how to fight back
The shock at Germany’s election result is sinking in across Europe

The centre has collapsed and the result is a serious advance for the far right. Hope is not lost, though, argues Kevin Ovenden
Corbyn's a winner, but this is only the beginning of the fight - weekly briefing

The left have cemented their position within Labour, but we must build strength as a wider movement if we are to take on vested interests and really change society
German elections: 'The first time in decades that a party with a fascist wing is going to enter parliament'

Mark Bergfeld talks to Counterfire about Merkel‘s popularity and the deeper roots of the rise of the right-wing AfD
Eyewitness account: G20 protests in Hamburg

Hamburg's G20 protests can provide immense inspiration, argues Marta Music
Working-Class Politics in the German Revolution

The Revolutionary Shop Stewards are a neglected part of the German Revolution of 1918-23, but the political lessons need clear understanding, argues Dominic Alexander
7 reasons anti-imperialists should vote for Lexit

Anti-imperialists must vote leave, argues Sean Ledwith
Sexual assault allegations exacerbate German racism

Sexism and racism have to be challenged without bowing to the far right, who are using sexual assaults to attack refugees, argues Kaveh Yazdani
Rosa Luxemburg on parliament and political power - key texts

Vladimir Unkovski-Korica introduces a chapter from Reform or Revolution by Polish revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg as part of our 'key texts' series
Refugees, solidarity and anti-racism

Tens of thousands of refugees have organised and triggered a wave of social solidarity which in some countries is unprecedented writes Kevin Ovenden
VE Day and the comic book history of World War Two

Celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War are an opportunity for Western governments to re-write History argues Chris Bambery
Blockupy in perspective

Thousands of demonstrators converged on Frankfurt on Wednesday to disrupt the opening ceremony of the European Central Bank. Mark Bergfeld reports
Greece: reparations and the politics of austerity‏

The political symbolism behind Alexis Tsipras' speech on reparations is explored by Kevin Ovenden in his latest dispatch from Athens

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Germany

Germany

As Germany prepares to go to the polls, Kevin Ovenden assesses the fragmentation of German politics

Lindsey German reviews two case studies of the Nazi period, which, from above and from below, reveal the class nature of the regime and the resistance to it

The newly available records of the Comintern Executive Committee from 1922-23 show the importance of the organisation before its later Stalinisation, argues Chris Bambery

As far as historical parallels can be made, we must draw the lessons from the past in the fight against fascism, writes John Westmoreland

Katherine Connelly interviews Dana Mills, author of a new biography on Rosa Luxemburg, on her crucial contribution to revolutionary thought

The far right are not unstoppable, but neither is their decline inevitable; the radical left is key to the anti-fascist movements halting their march, argues Kevin Ovenden

On the 75th anniversary of VE Day, Tom Griffiths finds Brownlow and Mollo's alternative vision of Nazi-led Britain in the 1940s still resonates powerfully

The pandemic is proving to be a test for European solidarity and is adding strain to an already fragile EU, argues Alan McGuire from Madrid

Lindsey German's pick of novels set in revolutionary times

William Pelz’s People’s History of the German Revolution is a vivid and accessible introduction to socialism’s greatest lost revolution, finds Tom Whittaker

An American socialist’s memoir of his life in East Germany overturns many standard assumptions about the contrasts of West and East, finds Dominic Alexander

Britain declared war on Germany not to fight fascism but to secure the interests of its own ruling class, writes Chris Bambery

The Treaty of Versailles was the continuation of the First World War by other means, finds Dragan Plavšić

As the commemorations of the 75 year anniversary of D-Day take place, Lindsey German reminds us of the truth about the end of the Second World War

The proposed merger of German banks is a disaster waiting to happen and exposes the weaknesses at the heart of European capitalism, argues Chris Bambery

In this moving biopic, Rosa Luxemburg emerges as a vibrant, sensual, intellectually brilliant, morally and physically courageous woman, whose legacy proves timeless, writes Tom Lock Griffiths

One hundred years on from the murders of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, their revolution still breathes, writes Evan Sedgwick-Jell

Rosa's commitment to her class against the greatest of odds is an enduring inspiration, writes Dana Mills

Marking the centenary of her assassination, Richard Allday looks at Rosa Luxemburg's The Mass Strike and the lessons it holds for revolutionary socialists today

Chris Bambery explores European political economy and what developments of the last twelve months can lead us to expect about the year ahead

Liberals lament Britain leaving the European Union, but the politics of the bloc is increasingly right wing and nasty, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

World War One was a brutal and unnecessary waste of human life and sowed the seeds for the second war, argues Chris Bambery

With the departure of Angela Merkel, centrist hopes for maintaining the status quo are withering, while the left is at a strategic cross roads, argues Vladimir Unkovski-Korica

Modern art was a way of actively willing war towards an end says Alistair Cartwright in his review of the Aftermath exhibition at the Tate

Fascists hate unions because they are a vehicle for working class power. The past can inform our fight today, argues Chris Bambery

Unite the left and anti-racist movements in a fight back against cynical right-wing disruption, argues Kevin Ovenden

It is unity amongst the working class that can keep the far right at bay

In Germany, the left is at a crossroads, and what path it takes depends on the strength of the movements, argues Evan Sedgwick-Jell

As the SPD go into another 'grand coalition' with the CDU, Mark Bergfeld looks at the prospects for the left in Germany

The decision to join the government throws up big questions for the left and for the movements

There has been much opposition to Groko. Still, another Grand Coalition looms in Germany. Evan Sedgwick-Jell examines the reasons why

The strategy of the united front was central to Trotsky's politics and has been used many times since to fight fascism. Katherine Connelly discusses the history, what we can learn from it, and what it means for politics today.

The political crisis in Germany presents both dangers and opportunities for the European anti-capitalist left argues Evan Sedgwick-Jell

Despite dire forecasts for the economy and living standards, the Tories are continuing with more austerity. It can't go on argues Lindsey German

Tories in crisis, Catalonia, German elections and more - Counterfire freesheet edition 21, October 2017

After the far-right party's success in the German election, we must look at the root causes of their rise, if we are to know how to fight back

The centre has collapsed and the result is a serious advance for the far right. Hope is not lost, though, argues Kevin Ovenden

The left have cemented their position within Labour, but we must build strength as a wider movement if we are to take on vested interests and really change society

Mark Bergfeld talks to Counterfire about Merkel‘s popularity and the deeper roots of the rise of the right-wing AfD

Hamburg's G20 protests can provide immense inspiration, argues Marta Music

The Revolutionary Shop Stewards are a neglected part of the German Revolution of 1918-23, but the political lessons need clear understanding, argues Dominic Alexander

Anti-imperialists must vote leave, argues Sean Ledwith

Sexism and racism have to be challenged without bowing to the far right, who are using sexual assaults to attack refugees, argues Kaveh Yazdani

Vladimir Unkovski-Korica introduces a chapter from Reform or Revolution by Polish revolutionary Rosa Luxemburg as part of our 'key texts' series

Tens of thousands of refugees have organised and triggered a wave of social solidarity which in some countries is unprecedented writes Kevin Ovenden

Celebrations to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War are an opportunity for Western governments to re-write History argues Chris Bambery

Thousands of demonstrators converged on Frankfurt on Wednesday to disrupt the opening ceremony of the European Central Bank. Mark Bergfeld reports

The political symbolism behind Alexis Tsipras' speech on reparations is explored by Kevin Ovenden in his latest dispatch from Athens