1.
Is there a brand new baroque palace in Berlin?
If this weren't a "plague year" (Margarete Stokowski), it would be the undisputed news of the day: After seven years of construction, the
Humboldt Forum,
a multifunctional building with three historical-looking facades,
opens in Berlin
.
When you stand in front of it and look at the facades, you involuntarily look for the monarch's apartments, because what else is a castle used for?
But is such a building without a king, in which no one has lived and hopefully never will live, a castle at all?
It's a big, expensive building, but it doesn't make sense yet.
Icon: enlarge
Ars gratia artis: Berlin's new city palace.
Kind of at least.
Photo: Milos Djuric / DER SPIEGEL
They all rhyme differently: The Humboldt Forum should heal the wound in the middle of the city and at the same time represent a cosmopolitan Germany, it should be a
showcase for art and culture of
the world and offer an open platform for everything and everyone, it will be a Show better Prussia and global postmodernism - almost everyone who is asked about the topic has a different expectation.
That is why it may be convenient for some dignitaries that the opening today only takes place digitally.
After thirty years of debate, it is finally difficult to find a new argument and the building offers a bit of everything.
My colleague Ulrike Knöfel and I already had the opportunity to look at the matter.
Read the full story here: The Haunted Castle
2.
What is Angela Merkel thinking?
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Popular with French taxi drivers: Angela Merkel
Photo: REUTERS // POOL New
Today there was a photo of the
Chancellor
showing her Christmas shopping.
These are images that drive people crazy in France, for example: unthinkable that the president would go shopping in the supermarket or department store - at least not without the shop being cordoned off.
I once talked to a French taxi driver about Merkel, he was full of praise: her competence, modesty, never a scandal, never an affair - women could just do better, said the man.
And that is why he will vote for Marine Le Pen.
I had every effort to explain to him the differences between the Christian Democrat and the right-wing extremist.
This year
Merkel's qualities became
particularly clear, but the further development will be exciting.
My colleague Christiane Hoffmann wrote this great portrait with analysis.
Read the full portrait here: The Merkel Bonus
3.
How is Europe getting out of the corona crisis again?
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Ski tourism on the Titlis despite Corona: Switzerland remains neutral
Photo:
Manuel Geisser / imago images
It is a good idea for Commission President
Ursula von der Leyen to
strive for
a common European start to the
vaccination campaign
.
It would be a sign of coordination and common political will within Europe, both of which are sorely lacking.
No country can recover on its own.
And even if it is not part of the EU - Switzerland's policy poses particular puzzles in this regard.
This can be done better.
Read the full story here: People are dying, life goes on happily
What else is important today
Deutsche Post expects up to 20 percent more parcels:
Deutsche Post expects enormous amounts of parcel deliveries due to the second Corona shutdown.
The company therefore wants to »provide every available and mobilizable capacity«.
Resettlement of five villages - the ministry kept explosive reports under lock and key:
For around a year, the Ministry of Economic Affairs refused to issue an opinion that was the basis for the coal phase-out law.
The public debate was manipulated in this way.
Air pollution contributes to the death of a girl:
A nine-year-old girl died of asthma in London.
Now the family has won a unique verdict in British judicial history.
MacKenzie Scott donates 4.2 billion dollars - in four months:
In the summer she donated a billion sum, now the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has refilled again.
It supports 384 non-profit organizations.
Giant
iceberg
on a collision course with South Georgia:
The huge iceberg A-68A is heading towards South Georgia in the Southern Ocean and threatens the rich fauna.
Satellite images show that the block may already be scratching the island's shelf.
What we recommend today at SPIEGEL +
This climate policy benefits the rich in particular
:
Germany and Europe want to lead the way in the fight against climate change.
But unfortunately it is unfair.
Teachers come up against absurd hurdles:
Before and after the Christmas holidays, schools should return to distance teaching and offer digital learning.
Teachers see progress - but some of them are still struggling with serious technical problems.
This is how the knee specialist works, whom the professionals trust:
Christian Fink is considered one of the best sports traumatologists in the world, he operated on Lindsey Vonn, Leroy Sané and Joshua Kimmich.
Here he is talking about new approaches to treatment.
How to get your child through the shutdown safely:
Many children are feeling the tension from the corona crisis.
This only becomes dangerous when their caregivers are overwhelmed by the situation.
Which is less important
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Action by far: Tom Cruise on the set in Rome
Photo: Riccardo Antimiani / EPA-EFE / Shutterstock
The situation is getting on my nerves, even if you master every Mission Impossible.
A recording from the set of the latest episode became known today, on which
Tom Cruise
becomes very clear about violating AHA rules.
Typo of the day
, now corrected: "The question of who should pay the pandemic bill played a major role in this."
Cartoon of the day:
last minute gift
Icon: enlarge Photo: Klaus Stuttmann
Do you have any plans for this evening?
Icon: enlarge Photo: Fabian Sommer / dpa
Have fun at the opening of the
Humboldt Forum: In
the 21st century you don't have the opportunity to watch the inauguration of a palace that often.
Which is of course not a lock.
Oh, it's complicated.
Today from 7 p.m.
Yours Nils Minkmar
Here you can order the "Lage am Abend" by email.