today in touch. follow us. beat the germans new and surprising aspect of nonsense culture into. us american kid music takes a look at this increasing their traditions everyday lives and language in just a minute. so i'm young. like i am w dot com the german. hello and welcome to focus on europe i'm michelle henery once the dust settled after what could be described as

a political earthquake one that shook the whole of europe the german election changed the country's political landscape it was a bitter victory chancellor merkel and her party lost about a fifth of their core supporters while the christian democrats remain the strongest group in the bundestag they will have to search for new partners to govern their former coalition partners the social democrats announced they were going into opposition. the election was long ridiculed as boring until its final weeks when the make up of the german parliament was anyone's guess the vote turned out to be a disaster for the country's second largest party the social democrats who had their worst poll showing and post-war germany yet it was a triumph for the right wing populist party the a.f.d. our reporter visited essen a city in western germany and showed us how the long time social democratic

stronghold was swiftly ousted by the f.d.a. the city of essen is this politician's home town but since the german election karl-heinz endl shot a social democrat says he doesn't recognize it in the past his party usually won an easy majority but this time just twenty eight percent many of endless shouts neighbors told him they were voting for the far right party. they said we come from a family that's always voted s.p.d. but we voted n.a.f.t. because we felt we needed to send a strong signal. we have to win back these voters if we just sit around another four years that's not going to happen. and who shot is at pains to find out how to get his constituents back in his camp at least in the industrial city of essen even at his neighborhood pub he runs into a f.t. sympathizers. that would have voted for the any of the two but you know what as

threw away my ballot paper and that was it. the police don't even dare to get out of card our local radio station although there's two of them. in essen crime is rising unemployment is at eleven percent forty percent of the residents are migrants and the city is broke there's little the municipal government can do to solve these problems as the far right makes inroads into what was once a social democrat bastion. yet the industrial rural valley is often touted as a model for successful integration of hundreds of thousands of foreigners who were once known as guest workers. at an anti-racism rally in essen germans and migrants are protesting against the rise of the a.f.p. many migrants are concerned. that the a.f.p. will try to stop us holding events like this supporting integration and against

racism that will increase tension and this tension will influence how the residents co-exist together it will be a negative influence. the f.t.'s members celebrated their triumph at a party in berlin on sunday. a.f.p. thirteen percent. had likes to replay this scene on his computer. is an a.s.d. functionary in essen a one time s.p.d. member he felt the party wasn't addressing his concerns anymore they wouldn't allow him to express doubts about the country's refugee policy he says he's no racist after all he's been teaching immigrants children for years but he also understands some a.f.d. members demands that the country finally put its nazi past to bed. a much more

i've got the feeling that society and nurtures a kind of pry into now guilt every time a german shows a budding patriotism take it out of big swastika and bring it over his head and then television news reports discord in the f.t.'s parliamentary party one day after the election how cell is bewildered and suddenly he's no longer certain that his party will exist four years from now the war that's a major rumble really major. s.p.d. man shot couldn't care less about the a.f.d. is internal squabbles he wants voters in his constituency to regain their faith in democracy he's doing that by initiating an anti litter campaign people should get the feeling here that politicians care about them. what do you think of the election result. the we'll see what happens.

do you have any hopes hope springs eternal. there's not much more. can do other than hope the s.p.d. is fortunes improve what is clear after the vote is that nothing in essen is as it used to be. many people here in germany are worried that some prominent a.f.p. members have spoken negatively about germany's efforts to come to terms with its nazi past some even going so far as calling the holocaust quote ridiculous ninety year old horse from berlin is a german jew who experienced the nazi terror and survived he's deeply shocked by the election's outcome yet i still am the thirteen percent.

vs the ad in c. you will hunt them. we will hunt mrs merkel or whoever and we will take our country and our people back again so we came. here was. i want is he want but nine hundred thirty nine borders yeah. it'll be a rough road with this gentleman. no of course it frightens me just as rather than harlem and the bundestag it's nice one be the bundestag it used to be. whole fi just hope that some real rethinking takes place now it's all big and this

blindness towards far right tendencies is replaced by a microscopic focus on them. due to me and that is who disagreeable rightists will be seen for who they are. it off when dish hard i hope that this confrontation takes place in the new bundestag and not to the f.t. dominates it to the contrary the the contrary the blueness. the. in game. and you can find out more about horsetail bigger and his personal appeal on our facebook page d w stories more than a decade ago sweden demilitarised its are typically placed island gotland after doing russia was no longer a threat to their security but frequent military maneuvers by russia like the

recent one a nato eastern flank have rattled the nerves in the scandinavian country known for its neutrality and as a result it's believed up its defenses while some residents of the outlying island don't view when gauging with this once robust trade partner as a problem others fear that russia could once again shift europe's borders. usually only rifle clubs practicing gotland tough to forest and this world war two era can on has certainly seen better days but this fake building is a sign that sweden is holding its largest maneuvering decades patrick moneths eighteen patella and was transferred to gotland following russia's crimea and accession. to exercising in the excellent excellent. now we're doing the right thing it was a living with us taking maybe how you can downsize you know the national defense in

the way you did. it feels good to be here again hey more tanks were moved to gotland from the mainland they're not state of the art it's evident that sweden hasn't been involved in wars for a while. the soldiers are new recruits with lots to learn. as we just company is pretty new. they started their service in june this year so we have a little bit to do before we get where we want to be. since russia began redrawing european borders fears of a surprise attack in sweden have been growing auckland could be a target but the swedes worry they couldn't defend it alone. which is why they've called on american support now for the first time american apache attack helicopters a thundering over the island practicing attack sorties. a swedish tank crews

practice their aim. sweden always preferred to remain a neutral state and so sweden's offices don't mention russia at the drill instead they simply talk of reds vs blues also be. a red side played by another swedish unit finnish units and also some interviewer the ones who are the blue ones yes it was the red and blue is that right but. it's just the dollars like yeah typically that's how it is a military setting is rivers. there's a backstory to this drill one that shows how worried the swedes are. we're headed to the poor eastern part of gotland it's a quiet region with few jobs and much that many are moving away. where in the harbor town of skeeter. there's a cement factory and little else they used to keep pipes here for the german russia

north stream to gas pipeline now there's just a pile of logs sweden's government was worried russia could establish a secret military base here. and you call this putin key. yes but we used to call it pharmacist k. . that's where north stream stored pipes for the first pipeline. and why shouldn't a. every week we get a russian ship transporting coal pastoral cement. keeping the pipes a wasn't an issue why should it be an issue now. why can't we store pipes cannot seem to hear i don't get it. some of the people of slater missed out on fifty million roughly five million euro worth of business a new storage site is now being constructed in cause harm on the mainland. due to their long tradition of trading with russia few people in slater are worried about

their large eastern neighbor. the russians wanted a conquered gotland they could do so any time they don't need a harbor for that. after the three day drill several hundred soldiers remain on the island too few things patrick monarch military officers like him are suspicious of the russians they think who controls gotland controls the baltic i want to know if the soldiers left here will be enough. as a defense army and will be enough soldiers i don't know a reasonable consideration but an unusual one for a swede after all the country hasn't fought a war you know for two hundred years. a young german mother and her small son are in jail in turkey facing an uncertain future michelle atoll who is one of over

one hundred journalists caught up in president or the ones wave of arrests since last summer's failed coup and when her son circa is allowed to visit his father he must go to another prison because he too was arrested zircon only gets a glimpse of normality when his grandfather visits him. the back of a women's prison in stumble. comes here regularly to visit his daughter misha. this time he plans to take his two and a half year old grandson with him when he leaves. second lives together with his mother in jail after their half hour visit the boy is carried out by his own and many other family members are waiting for them outside looking forward to spending the weekend with second. but. when i get to see my

grandchild i'm very happy. with. it for me then i'm so pleased. i feel like the luckiest man in the whole world. got. the charlatan who was arrested on april thirtieth and has been in detention ever since turkey's public prosecutor accuses her of disseminating terrorist propaganda and being a member of a terrorist organization tolu who only holds german citizenship worked as a journalist and translator friend leftish turkish news agency before spending the weekend with his grandparents second visit his father who was active in a socialist party he was arrested shortly before his wife was now in sylvia prison he's also accused of belonging to a terrorist group it's not much of a childhood for a two year old living with his mother in one jail and visiting his father in

another. after the visit. tolu tells us that second and his father was still separated by a pane of glass to sit through at the most this is the second time i brought him over here sat can seize him through the glass and talk to him over the phone. it's not nice but at least he gets to see his father. he was happy and said daddy when you coming back. his dad said he's vacationing here for a while. sad hence parents are trying to shield their son from the reality that they're both in prison. it was his mother's decision to have second live in the jail cell with her. says that his granddaughter and grandson are being well treated still spending the weekend

outside prison walls is important for the child's development and. regularly meets with his daughter's lawyer mashallah tolu his trial is set to begin on october eleventh in istanbul. lawyer is worried because she says that right now judges are ruling largely in favor of the policies of turkish president recip tayyip and a one she can only shake her head at the charges against her client in twenty fifteen mashallah told who attended the funerals of two left wing extremists belonging to the outlawed marxist leninist communist party who were killed by police in istanbul. the same year she also attended a memorial service for a member of the kurdish militia y p g who died in the fight against i s in syria. the events were an expression of freedom of speech they took place under the

supervision of turkish security authorities and ended peacefully. and now they are being denounced as terrorist propaganda and attending them implies you belong to a terrorist organization. it's time for sam can to go back to his mother and. hopes his daughter will be released in october after her trial but he has his doubts about the justice system this sort of. gives they're always looking for evidence but there is not the norm and. they only arrested her to get revenge on germany or something like that so on some level that's a solace. turkey's government swears that the country's judiciary is independent meshaal autonomy his lawyer says that if the judge rules in accordance with the law the journalist and his son should be out of jail in october catalonia is one of spain's wealthiest regions it not only contributes billions of

euros to the country's coffers but it also has its own language and identity these are some of the factors why this region in the northeast dreams of independence even so not all cattle lands are in favor in the small town of aspire guerra divided views threaten to tear this community apart. they're proud of their church its annual passion play the life and passion of jesus christ and they're proud of social solidarity but ever since the catalan government decided to hold a referendum on independence from spain the community has been split it why the leave us is at the center of the conflict as mayor he decided not to allow public buildings to be used as polling places before. it's my job to ensure there is a social consensus and to support things that do not divide society because the

independence initiative is controversial i can't support the referendum it threatens the office of marriage and the jobs of public employees i mean you know. polling will now take place in an auditorium that. referendum proponents wanted to be held at any price. it's about the right to self-determination which is again the subject of the referendum the population can decide freely whether they want independence or not. a political party opposes that position as does the spanish government in madrid it's illegal because it violates the spanish constitution and current laws it's against the law. in all parts of town people are campaigning to convince fellow citizens of their stance on the issue. dependence is an indispensable tool for building

a continent republic which will serve to create a new society. this view is gaining more and more support in s. but i get these demonstrators chant vote vote. even though of course that has an impact on me as a man and neighbor. it's a tragedy that contributes to not a unity not consensus catalonia is deeply divided the mayor is seeking common ground a dedicated european he doesn't want to cut a land that you are going to be in if you know what their independence won't help us achieve our aims as a country or as a community instead we should be seeking to become more european and organize on a continental level. the debate is dominating the programme of the local radio station the mayor has seen sentiment against him growing. media is full of insults and disrespectful posts i think that's partially

related to what the regional government has sent about man as he wants going along with the referendum that's rather worrying. a short time later the dispute escalated when spanish police arrested a number of regional government representatives in barcelona the catalan capital woodridge was apparently trying to force the issue. although he opposes the referendum the may. hugh says it was wrong to involve the police. as of today any dialogue to resolve the problem has become a distant prospect mightily. madrid's demonstration of power has pushed referendum supporters and opponents together even as but i gather here they're certain that the vote will be held somehow.

who doesn't like a bargain i myself am not shy about haggling at a farmer's market or a garage sale for a good price and in belgium it seems a bartering fever has taken hold of the country but not one of the country's famed flea markets but in the tax office overwhelmed by the amount of storage required this government department rarely sell sees goods anything from old d.v.d.'s and household appliances to laws are already. this when house is part of a so-called finish up it's here where everything ends up that the state doesn't need anymore or what economists case from thieves what he gets from inheritance is without inheritors law stands found items never collected. it's quite surprising how many belgians love baseball this is what the police collected. but. it was someone attacked with that really

killed. them we wouldn't find it here. this was in the back seat of a car or maybe someone was threatened with it there's quite a few. we have these very often two very nice toolbox probably from a burglar. that. their primary job of the finish shops is holding options but another important business is selling the hama a muslim and approximately ninety other cars are on offer often with an unclear history. professional backless go over every inch of them commonly the absence of papers or guaranteeing pose problems test drives are not allowed even starting the car is prohibited risky business for the qana says of the scene. said. this used to be more interesting but since

they let everyone come here private people are splitting our business the auction room is packed the mess around he stands at fifteen thousand euro's despite being an almost ten year old gas guzzler. the offer is way too high many here think. it still goes for twenty eight thousand. who is very keen on a german made car eventually has to let it go competition here has become fierce you had warned me before the city with the highest offer was fourteen thousand euros he told me but it just went higher and higher he leaves bitterly disappointed . because. the state earned three hundred eighty thousand euros today

a new record but there's still plenty left and anyone who believes much of it belongs in the trash can there are plenty of those here too. governments normally get criticized for tax and spend policies but this one is a hit that's it for today good bye for me and the whole team see you next time. the by the f.c.c. .

the boy. thank. your stars. for me.

you're never going to get enough of this performance. from mine. where will you find the living bridge. where the women of a man. where does the world's hottest chick have a. visit to the village. the last head hunted. and the largest family in the world in a certain style of. india's craziness in sixty minutes. it tells us starring stories a lot. it makes us laugh. and cry. tremble and smile. magical images and big

emotions come out of. kino busy every weekend on d w. when history books are brought to life. maybe the stories there it will get a rewrite. the story of the russian revolution. from the perspective of writers thinkers and avant garde ist what did it feel like to live in times of revolution the. one nine hundred seventy the real october starting over twenty fifth t.w. . in chicago the stadium was so loud it was a really special event the memory at all my life everybody have a dream. and you don't if you set up your brings up when you say to it's one of the

things are going well but we can still when it's. not the man police return fire munich into an international brand. modern family. and international brand. a shared passion. an exclusive journey into the soul of. the sun media phenomenon starting october fifteenth on d w and on line. of demonstrators have turned out in barcelona in favor of spanish unity and against the sunday referendum on independence for catalonia spain's central government has vowed to prevent people voting in the referendum.