German - US relations: German Chancellor goes to Washington for meeting with Biden re: China or Ukraine ?

A few days before Olaf Scholz's trip to Washington this week, an astonishing transatlantic spectacle unfolded: Joe Biden's National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said in a TV interview that the US president had only agreed to supply American Abrams battle tanks to Ukraine at the German chancellor's urging. The US tanks are to supplement the German Leopard tanks that Germany and other European NATO countries plan to send.

In doing so, Sullivan not only contradicted earlier statements by his boss who insisted that Germany had not made him change his mind, but also the German government, whose spokesman explicitly denied the notion of "a package" of German Leopards and American Abrams.

The German denial is meant to "avoid the impression that the Americans have been put under pressure," Henning Hoff of the German Council on Foreign Relations told DW. "I think what has become clear is that Chancellor Scholz was able to make it clear to Washington: 'I need this backing, otherwise it will be very difficult for me to take this step.'"

He added that this ultimately succeeded because the chancellor and the president have a good personal connection.

Read more at: https://www.dw.com

Nazism: Nazis based their elite schools on top British private schools - by Mark Brown

The historian Helen Roche has written the first comprehensive history of Nazi elite schools, known as Napolas. Drawing on research undertaken in 80 archives in six countries as well as testimonies from more than 100 former pupils, Roche discovered just how keen the Nazis were to learn from the “character-forming” example of the British system.

Between 1934 and 1939 there was a blizzard of reciprocal exchanges between British and German schools, with boys from Britain’s most prestigious private schools spending extended periods at the Napolas.

Roche, an associate professor at Durham University, said the Napola authorities wanted to learn from the British system, ultimately hoping to create a superior model for their own schools.

Read more at Nazis based their elite schools on top British private schools | Nazism | The Guardian

Languages - EU: English becoming the main language spoken in the EU

A recent survey showed that in the EU, where there are some 40 languages and dialects spoken, 51% of the population now mainly communicate in the English language. Other major languages people communicate in are German (32%), French (24%), Italian (16%) and Spanish (15%).

This number of people communicating in English is expected to increase every year.  becoming

EU-Digest 

The Netherlands: EU Defense Cooperation Takes Flight at Joint Air Base in Eindhoven

Much talked about but rare in practice, EU defense cooperation is becoming a reality at a Dutch air base where French, German and Benelux personnel mount thousands of missions each year.

“Small is beautiful” could be the motto for the European Air Transport Command, working at Eindhoven to offer a real joint capability to cash-strapped European Union states.

“The EATC is a unique military structure in Europe. It works on the principle of ‘car-sharing,’” said its commander, French Gen. Pascal Valentin.

The EATC was set up in 2010 at the initiative of the French and German military who had pushed the idea since 2000 to share air transport resources and help reduce costs.

Shortly afterward, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg — who already pool significant military resources — joined them.

The aim is to maximize the use of military transport resources at a time when tighter defense budgets put a premium on cost effectiveness.

For example, if a German plane is going to Afghanistan, EATC will ensure it has a full load both ways, be it a French cargo of equipment or Dutch soldiers.

“It is a bit like the tie-ups you see among commercial airlines,” such as Skyteam or Star Alliance, German Lt. Col. Ralf Gerard said.

Read more: EU Defense Cooperation Takes Flight at Joint Air Base | Defense News | defensenews.com