Category: Trends

Potsdam is growing, rents are rising. This is fueling the dispute over urban development. Should the city continue to sell its own land at a high price?

Currently being demolished: the former technical college, one of the last public GDR sites in Potsdam Photo: dpa

At first glance, the subject of debate seems unremarkable: the Minsk Terrace Restaurant on Potsdam’s Brauhausberg has stood empty and dilapidated for years. An application for demolition is now causing discussion in the city: Although the decision was postponed until June. But everyone involved knows: This is about more than an old house that might be worthy of preservation. It is about the direction of Potsdam’s land and building policy.

Business is still going well at fan manufacturer EBM-Papst. But here, too, sales have slumped: A company visit.

Only with a mask: fan production in Mulfingen, Baden-Wurttemberg Photo: EBM-Papst

It’s not the masks, not the closed canteen or the home office that cause the employees the greatest difficulties. Anja Burkhardt knows this because she talks a lot with her colleagues at EBM-Papst. No, the most difficult thing is that you are no longer allowed to shake hands and have to keep your distance. There are always those situations where, in the past, you might have tapped each other on the shoulder to say hello or given each other a quick hug.

Surely it’s not an easy decision to get involved in an experiment that the whole of Germany is watching?

That’s true. But just waiting for retirement at 60? That’s not for me. Besides, the support is ideal. From the bishop, from my fellow parishioners, through supervision, coaching.

There was a congregational meeting before your appointment. Did skepticism arise there?

Company pensions at ARD and Deutschlandfunk are to rise more slowly than salaries. This is what the broadcasters and the unions have agreed on.

Those who have their headphones on here still often get to hear how privileged they will be in old age Photo: dir

If someone who is not very well-disposed toward public broadcasting wants to illustrate that there is too much milk and honey flowing there, then he points to the pension scheme. Until now, company pensions there have risen dynamically, i.e., at the same rate as the salaries of active employees. That is now to change. ARD and Deutschlandradio have just agreed on this with the Ver.di union, the German Journalists’ Association (DJV) and the German Orchestra Association.