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Letters from Germany: Episode 4: Margot Kaessmann

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Episode 4: Margot Kaessmann

Margot Kaessmann

BBC Radio 4 - Letters from Germany, Margot Kaessmann

German cleric and theologian Margot Kaessmann writes about her country's shifting image.

German cleric and theologian Prof Margot Kaessmann writes about her country's shifting image in the face of the current European economic crisis.

In the fourth of our series 'Letters from Germany' Prof Margot Käßmann the former Bishop of Hannover and one of the most senior figures in the German church, writes about her country and the way it is perceived. 

The European Economic crisis has been broadly portrayed as a tale of north versus south with the north, and particularly Germany, portrayed as either the frugal, hardworking nation forced to prop up its profligate southern neighbours, or as the heavy-handed bully forcing those same neighbours into yet more penury. With each developing twist, starting first in Greece and then Spain, Portugal and Italy, Germany has been the 'other' side. Pressure has built and attitudes have become stark and, much to the horror of many in Germany, old and ugly stereotypes have been unleashed. It reached something of a watershed during Chancellor Angela Merkel's recent visit to Athens with Nazi flags there to greet her.

In this series Radio Four invites a range of leading German figures, a writer, a politician, a churchwoman, a historian and an economist, to write a letter putting forward their notion of national identity and the version of Germany they believe should inform the views of their British and broader European partners.

Producer: Tom Alban.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

Leading German figures write about the country they know and the way it is perceived

A series of letters from a variety of figures from German society, in which they talk about their country and the way it is perceived in the current economic crisis

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