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Germany's Remembrance, Responsibility and Future (EVZ) Foundation is this month marking 25 years since it first paid compensation to the last survivors forced to work under the Nazi regime. But some have argued that those payments should have begun much sooner after the end of World War II in 1945, and should have been much larger. According to the EVZ, €4.4 billion ($5.1 billion) were paid to 1.66 million former forced laborers and their legal successors in around 100 countries between 2001 and 2007, when the final payments were made. Some 26 million people are believed to have been forced to work for the Nazi regime between 1933 and 1945, around half of them in occupied Europe outside Germany's borders during World War II. Historical studies have found that if the full amount of slave ...

There is no remorse in Waldemar Klingelhöfer's eyes. A picture from the "Einsatzgruppen trial" shows the SS-Sturmbannführer or "assault unit leader" staring calmly into the camera. His checkered shirt is buttoned all the way up; his brows are furrowed, but his face shows no emotion. Waldemar Klingelhöfer at the Einsatzgruppen trial in Nuremberg The photograph would have been taken during the Nuremberg trials in 1947 or 1948, just before Klingelhöfer was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity and membership in a criminal organization. From opera singer to killer for the Nazis  Before he joined Hitler's killing forces, Klingelhöfer was an opera singer. In 1935, he left the Kassel state theater to take over the Cultural Department of the SD, the Nazis' intelligence agency led dir...

Are we alone in this universe? Amid all the unanswered questions related to alien life, Steven Spielberg has more than any other filmmaker shaped the vision that humanity's first encounter with extraterrestrials could be a peaceful and profound experience — as opposed to a threatening invasion. Spielberg's "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" (1977) and "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial" (1982) are iconic movies that fundamentally redefined the science fiction genre. Just like those films, "Disclosure Day" has been described by its lead star, Josh O'Connor, as "a film about hope and humanity and understanding," fitting right into the filmmaker's wondrous view on the phenomenon of extraterrestrial life. 'Overwhelming circumstantial evidence' In "Disclosure Day," O'Connor plays the role of a ...

Why is a sex doll in the German president's primary official seat? Set in a suggestive pose, the green bronze cast reproducing the torso of a Japanese sex doll has made headlines and grabbed attention on social media. The sculpture by Alexandra Bircken, titled "Eva," is just one exhibit among many more contemporary artworks that are on show in the highly symbolic political space associated with the German presidency and state ceremonies, Bellevue Palace. The two-week pop-up exhibition, titled "Freiraum Kunst" (Art as Free Space), runs from June 13-28. 'Eva' by Alexandra Bircken has sparked a conversation on how intimate themes also have a social and political relevance Image: Thomas Brinkmann"We need art," German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier told the press at a preview ahead of th...

Good news about the state of the planet might seem to be in short supply but it's out there. Each week DW's environment desk brings you what went right.

Earlier this year, the Artis Zoo Museum in Amsterdam unveiled a handbag alongside a massive dinosaur skeleton — one made of "lab-grown T. rex leather." The highly publicized item was up for auction on Thursday. But it failed to sell. The Paris auction house Drouot noted that bids were well below expected. Auctioneers Giquello had touted the "one-of-a-kind" piece to sell for more than $500,000, but bids barely broke the $150,000 mark, according to the auction house.  With no precedent to go on, Alexandre Giquello, whose auction house organized the sale, told press agency AFP that they had to "come up with a price" that would reflect both the amount of investment required to create the bag and its rarity.  An experimental product Polish fashion label Enfin Leve designed the bag as part o...

David Hockney, who was one of Britain's favorite artists, a global celebrity, a world citizen and a bohemian, has "passed away peacefully at home" in London on Thursday, a month before his 89th birthday, his publicist Erica Bolton said in a statement to the press. Considered one of the most important figures in contemporary art in both the 20th and 21st centuries, Hockney first gained acclaim as an important contributor to the pop art movement of the 1960s.Hockney was renowned for his colorful paintingsImage: David Hockney Always wanting 'to see more' Born in Bradford in 1937, David Hockney was the fourth of five children. As a child, his favorite place was sitting at the front on the upper floor of a double-decker bus. From there, he had the best view of the city and its landscape. "I...

Skip next section German brigade holds first drill in Lithuania06/10/2026June 10, 2026German brigade holds first drill in LithuaniaGermany has set up the tank brigade in response to what it sees as a Russian threatImage: Kay Nietfeld/dpa/picture allianceGermany's new tank brigade in Lithuania has carried out its first combat exercise in the Baltic state. Commander Christoph Huber said the drill in Pabrade marked a key step toward combat readiness. Huber said the unit is learning from developments in Ukraine and must prepare for future conflict scenarios, not past wars. Germany has set up the brigade in response to what it sees as a growing threat from Russia. The unit is due to reach full strength of about 4,800 soldiers and 200 civilian staff by 2027. Lithuania borders Russia's ally Be...

Erfurt has been ranked Germany’s happiest city, jumping to the top of a nationwide survey. Meanwhile, German exports have posted a surprise third straight monthly increase.