1.
Systematic pain?
“Chemnitz trainer accomplishes gymnastics miracle” is the title of an MDR film portrait about Gabriele Frehse, trainer of the
German Gymnastics Federation
at the Olympic base in Saxony, broadcast in January 2016.
Apart from the fact that the gymnastic miracles achieved their athletes, the contribution was full of praise.
Frehse sacrificed everything for his career and sport.
What was meant was her private life.
It looks like the trainer sacrificed her athletes in particular for her career.
Some of them told my colleague Antje Windmann about the
drill
, the
contempt for human beings
and the
lack of
empathy
with which
Frehse was at work when it came to achieving success at world championships and the Olympics.
Produce is probably the right word here.
For Frehse, Pauline Schäfer was above all "a gymnastics robot" that had to work.
In 2017 she became world champion on the balance beam in Montreal.
Mental and physical pain was not only tolerated, but seemed to be part of it.
She was "not beaten," says Schäfer, but robbed of her self-esteem.
Icon: enlarge
Gymnasts Pauline and Helene Schäfer (2015)
Photo: Becker & Bredel / imago images
In the almost 10-minute film that my colleagues Birgit Großekathöfer and Andreas Evelt made accompanying Antje's research, Pauline Schäfer and her four-year-old sister can still be seen the psychological torment.
Both cry while they talk, although the separation from Frehse was some time ago.
"Many who do not have family support simply go under,"
says Pauline of girls who, like her, suffered from the trainer.
It is no secret that the tone in competitive sport is rougher than in popular sport.
The line between severity and sadism is narrower than ten centimeters on a balance beam.
Frehse seems to have lost his balance.
The German Gymnastics Federation wants to examine allegations now.
Read Antje's research here: The »goldsmith« and her two faces
In the video, gymnasts Pauline and Helene Schäfer have their say.
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.)
2. Raise the door, 'the gate', makes a fight
Alcohol is only served from the age of 16.
Supermarkets, pubs and even young people themselves have to adhere to them.
Actually.
But because the government cannot control whether there is abuse here and there, it could consider completely banning the sale of alcohol in supermarkets or restaurants.
With this admittedly not perfectly straight picture I would like to illustrate how incomprehensible I consider the argument of Chancellery Minister Helge Braun to
continue to prevent
hotel stays over Christmas
.
Braun, otherwise a very level-headed and considered man, says that it is impossible to check whether the intention to spend the night is really in connection with Christmas visits.
There is a risk of a tourist offer through the back door.
There is now resistance to this.
If you have already agreed to allow Christmas with up to ten adults, "you must have the chance to be able to spend the night somewhere," says Hesse's Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU).
Berlin and NRW see it similarly and want hotels to allow that.
Icon: enlarge
What to do with grandma and grandpa?
Photo: Monkey Business 2 / imago images / Shotshop
The federal government would have preferred to have stricter corona rules, some countries are more lax.
Both agreed on this compromise: extend the shutdown until December 20th and loosen it for Christmas.
As a consequence, hotels should also be opened for visits to relatives
.
It's like dog training, argues my colleague Martin Knobbe: “If you behave well, there will be a treat at the end.
Now they have to keep their promise. «In a SPIEGEL survey, more than 70 percent of those questioned said they would not spend their party any other way because of the rules.
Only 23 percent have to reschedule and reduce the number of people to 10.
To believe that closed hotels will lead to fewer
Christmas trips
and
fewer
contacts (which Chancellor Merkel expressly wishes) seems just as alien to me as to assume that grandma and grandpa can somehow sleep on the living room couch.
Maybe the grandparents should buy a tent and try out winter camping?
Damn the happy festival one way or another.
And that's not because of politics, but because of a virus called Corona.
Read the leading article here: At the end there is a treat
Click here for the survey on how Germans celebrate Christmas.
3. Is
Erfurt also in Magdeburg?
»We reject cooperation with the AfD and the Left Party
.
For different reasons, but equally decided. «This quote comes from CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak and could be refuted again by reality in mid-December.
Then namely, the CDU parliamentary group in Saxony-Anhalt wants to overturn the state media treaty - alongside the AfD.
A “joint rejection” of the fee increase for public broadcasting is the “litmus test for future cooperation between AfD and CDU,” says AfD parliamentary group leader Oliver Kirchner in Magdeburg, ensnaring the CDU parliamentary group there.
Although he doesn't have to be so flattering: CDU country chief Holger Stahlknecht has long been on the line and underlines the demand to reject the state treaty.
Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff does not seem to get through - he is against a joint vote.
After all, he could not dictate anything to the Members of Parliament.
"At the moment it looks as if the CDU parliamentary group is ignoring all risks and even accepting that it could ultimately topple its own prime minister," says my colleague Veit Medik, who is tracing the case with colleagues.
Icon: enlarge
Does the CDU risk the broadcast deadline for Haseloff?
Photo: imago images
Memories of February 2020 in Thuringia are awakened: The FDP candidate Thomas Kemmerich was elected as short-term prime minister together with votes from the AfD and CDU.
After that, CDU party leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer held out the prospect of her withdrawal.
Now, shortly before her departure, there should just be no new Erfurt.
Because then what the political scientist Ursula Münch already prophesied after Thuringia: "That has the potential to tear a party apart."
Read the full story here: The black and brown danger
What else is important today
Trump wants to clear the White House - as soon as Biden is established as president:
The blockade of the current president crumbles.
Donald Trump has admitted that he will leave the White House.
But only when the Electoral College has made a decision.
»Landshut« is supposed to go to Friedrichshafen:
Unexpected turnaround of a government posse: The wreck of the Lufthansa plane »Landshut«, hijacked in 1977, is now to be exhibited at Lake Constance.
The housekeepers of the Bundestag released 15 million euros in the night.
Schufa allegedly wants to see account statements:
If you have a bad Schufa score, you can give the credit agency insight into your account statements for a reevaluation.
The offer is currently being tested - more are to follow.
Aldi closes "Branch number 1" in Essen:
In the spring of 1919, Karl and Theo Albrecht's parents moved their grocery store to Huestrasse 89 in Essen.
On Saturday the oldest Aldi branch will now close - but the tradition should continue to live.
Scholz would occupy at least half of his cabinet with women:
Should Olaf Scholz become Federal Chancellor, he wants to make the government staff more feminine.
The finance minister has now promised that on Twitter.
My favorite story today:
"The way Merkel speaks of us young people
, it sounds as if we don't waste any thoughts on risk groups, hard-working nurses or people whose jobs are dropping out," writes my colleague Celine Wegert.
She doesn't like the fact that her
generation is
permanently insinuated that she doesn't take Corona seriously and continues to do her thing.
It is people their own age who are particularly hard hit by the pandemic.
When they study, not infrequently under difficult conditions, when they work, often in precarious jobs, they are the first to be kicked out when jobs are cut.
Part-time jobs are lost because pubs are closed, but the rent still has to be paid.
Icon: enlarge
Campus of the University of Hohenheim in Stuttgart
Photo:
Sebastian Gollnow / picture alliance / dpa
Christmas, the Bundesliga and New Year's Eve would be debated with passion.
"But nobody talks about us."
You can read Celine's appeal here: We're still there too
What we recommend today at SPIEGEL +
Rapid tests for everyone?
It would be nice!
The federal and state governments stir up hope with corona tests that can be carried out at home and deliver a result after 15 minutes.
There aren't enough of them.
How Altmaier and Scholz put the blame on each other:
Confidential documents show how the financial supervisory authority slouched in the Wirecard case - and two ministries are now engaged in a skirmish.
Cry for me:
Ingenious, excessive, destructive: Diego Maradona has lost his long, hard relegation battle.
The tragedy of a soccer magician.
Read the SPIEGEL cover story here.
It's that easy to hack your memory:
Psychologist Julia Shaw explains how easy it is to plant false memories in people - and why artificial intelligence can help to recognize them.
A place of hope between civil war and epidemics:
a small miracle is taking place in Shabwa province.
First a hospital was built, and now a holiday resort is being planned.
Now the governor hopes that his example will set a standard.
Which is not so important today
Icon: enlargePhoto:
JIMMY PATINO / AFP
White vest:
A completely white penguin has been discovered in the Galapagos Islands.
The back plumage of these animals is actually darkly colored.
Cases of albinism have been found in sharks, lizards, lobsters and finches - but never in a
Galapagos penguin
.
Researchers suspect a genetic defect.
Hopefully an isolated case, otherwise the more than 55 million year old species could no longer be the godfather for the suit wearers on Dax boards, which are commonly referred to as the penguin floors.
Typo of the day
, corrected in the meantime: "At the moment we couldn't find out whether Minister of State for Culture Grütters would give the plan his blessing."
Cartoon of the day:
I pardon you!
Icon: enlarge Photo: Klaus Stuttmann
And tonight?
When the German
men's national soccer team
plays, there are usually around 80 million coaches in front of the television and know better than coach Joachim Löw.
One of them appears to be Peter Sloterdijk, 73.
The philosopher ("Critique of Cynical Reason") does not see a great future for the national coach.
Icon: enlargePhoto: DER SPIEGEL
When my colleague Volker Weidermann asked whether Löw should step down after the many recent failures, Sloterdijk replied in the book show “Top Title”: “It might be better, yes.” But the author still sees a chance for the 2014 world champion trainer : "He could renew himself and change his hairstyle and then build a new team." Sloterdijk has been described as a lateral thinker for years.
He thinks this is a bad description.
He finds even clearer words about the corona deniers.
Tonight you could see what sportsman Sloterdijk has ready for advice in the current crisis.
That's it for me this week, was fun.
I wish you a pleasant 1st weekend in Advent, and make sure you get into the next week safely.
Yours Janko Tietz
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