Spaßbremse

Feb 20 2025 86 ep. 56 mins 248
Spaßbremse Podcast artwork

Michelle and Ted dissect German politics from Spargel to the Schwarze Null, and tell us why Germany isn't as seen on TV. Support us at https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse

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65 - Realism and imperialism w/Matthew Specter

Feb 20 2025 67 mins  
Where does the international relations concept of "realism" come from? Can it be useful for promoting a progressive politics? Or does it support a more imperialist worldview? To discuss, Ted speaks with Matthew Specter of UC Berkeley about his book The Atlantic Realists. They discuss how the school of thought formed and what types of foreign policy mistakes it condemns—as well as

64 - Bundestagswahl 2025 w/ Ingar Solty

Feb 11 2025 70 mins  
Ahead of the next German federal election on February 23rd, what are the main issues for voters, how is the Left doing, and where does Germany find itself in the world? To explain all this and more, Ted speaks to Ingar Solty, a researcher at the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, about what to expect a week from Sunday and beyond.Follow Ingar here:https://x.com/IngarSoltyBuy his book here:ht

63 - The Merkel Memoirs, pt. 1 (w/ Dominik Leusder)

Feb 02 2025 52 mins  
What can we learn from Angela Merkel's recently-published memoir, Freiheit/Freedom? To discuss this massive 700-page book, Ted is joined by Dominik Leusder of Eurotrash. This is part 1, reaching from her childhood to her early political career. Subscribe to our Patreon to hear part 2. Listen to our original Merkel episode "Wir schaffen...was?" here: https://spotifycre

62 - The life, death (and rebirth?) of the Habsburg Empire w/ Natasha Wheatley

Dec 30 2024 46 mins  
How did the Hapsburgs form a massive, multiethnic empire out of some disorganized principalities? Why was Austria-Hungary a thing? Did the Habsburg Empire really collapse because it was an anachronistic "empire of nations?" And is the Habsburg Empire coming back through a dynastic marriage with future "American Caesar," Barron Trump? To get answers to these pressing questions, we s

The Christian Lindner Episode (UNLOCKED)

Nov 13 2024 53 mins  
***this is an unlocked episode from our Patreon, subscribe for more bonus content*** On our first premium bonus episode, Michelle and Ted talk about one of the most exciting, innovative, and "dynamisch" people in German politics: the one and only Christian Lindner, leader of the FDP and likely next German finance minister. This episode's reading is courtesy of Politico: Christian

61 - Napoleon and Hitler? w/ Everett Rummage (Germany and Napoleon pt. 3)

Nov 08 2024 92 mins  
Happy 18 Brumaire! In the honor of the anniversary and this week's election, Spaßbremse has a "guys who don't like democracy" special with special guest Everett Rummage of the Age of Napoleon podcast. We discuss whether comparisons between Hitler and Napoleon are valid and what any traits they share might say about rightwing strongmen in general. Listen to The Age of Napoleon here

From Jena to the Hall of Mirrors w/ Michael Leggiere (preview)

Oct 15 2024 8 mins  
**This is a free preview, subscribe to our Patreon here to hear the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse⁠** ****************** After the disaster at Jena in 1806, how did Prussia recover to defeat Napoleon less than nine years later at Waterloo? What enabled their rise to become the dominant force in the German speaking world? And ho

60 - "In the beginning, there was Napoleon" w/ Prof. Michael Leggiere (Germany and Napoleon pt. 1)

Oct 02 2024 62 mins  
How did Germany go from a chaotic mix of kingdoms and principalities to a unified empire in less than a century? We all know the story of Bismarck, but in this episode Professor Michael Leggiere outlines the ways in which Napoleon Bonaparte--the Corsican-born Emperor of France--was instrumental in forging a unified Germany. This is part one of a three-part series and covers 1789 to

59 - Germany's Antisemitism Bureaucracy w/Peter Kuras

Sep 17 2024 64 mins  
Germany is often lauded for its Vergangenheitsbewältigung. Is the praise it receives for "working through" the past justified? To explore one aspect of how Germany tries to address its dark history, Ted speaks with Berlin-based journalist Peter Kuras about the system of antisemitism commissioners that has risen to prominence since the late 2010s—and has become increas

Berlin, Reguided w/ Ryan Balmer (preview)

Aug 06 2024 14 mins  
**This is a free preview, subscribe to our Patreon here to hear the full episode: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/spassbremse** Summer is in full swing, which means the Berlin tourism season is as well. Aside from the crowded sidewalks, do the tens of thousands of historical tours that take place each year have any larger political and ideological meaning? To find