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Offers a look at the background and conservatism of Pope Benedict XVI, formerly known as Joseph Ratzinger. Role of Ratzinger in the reforms of the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s; Birth of Ratzinger in Germany to a Catholic family; Report that Ratzinger was anti-National Socialism, though he served in the Hitler Youth; Reference to the book "Cardinal Ratzinger: The Vatican's Enforcer of the Faith," by John Allen; Reforms made at the Second Vatican Council including a loosening of the church's hierarchical authority and an honoring of individual freedom of conscience; Move of Ratzinger towards conservatism.

The article focuses on the aim of Germany to transmit a new image of the nation as it hosts the 2006 World Cup football tournament. The games will be held in a stadium constructed by Adolf Hitler for the 1936 Olympic Games and the country has made no attempt to ignore the fact. Instead, Germany opted to stage an exhibit next to the stadium which documented the history of the building and the 1936 Olympics. The stadium is one of the most powerful works of Nazi architecture.

Discusses the loss of manufacturing jobs in Berlin, Germany since German reunification in 1990. Impact of unemployment and welfare provisions on the city; How the city has imposed a hiring freeze; Poverty in Germany; Lack of growth in knowledge-based industries; Cuts for funding of the public school system; Reduction of the numbers of law-enforcement agents.

Reports on Germany's parliamentary elections in 2002. Popularity gains for Gerhard Schröder as a result of flood disasters and a possible U.S. war against Iraq; Opponent Edmund Stoiber's focus on unemployment issues; How Schröder handled flooding in Germany, including quickly developing a reconstruction plan; Schröder's strong opposition to a war with Iraq; View that Stoiber is a better economic manager.

Comments on the state of eastern Germany since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1990. Uneven pace of development; Political success of reunification; Economic struggles of the former East German states; Example of Jena, a city in eastern Germany which was successfully transformed into a flourishing technology center. INSET: FLOWERING LANDSCAPES, by Ursula Sautter.

Focuses on the resignation of Helmut Kohl as honorary chairman of the opposition Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in Germany. Bundestag's investigation of a financial scandal involving the CDU; Suicide of CDU official Wolfgang Hullen; Kohl's refusal to name the sources of unreported campaign contributions; Impact on the party's election prospects. INSETS: The CDU's recovery will need...;A more convincing polish...;... or perhaps a completely new broom..

Discusses the resignation of former German Chancellor and honorary chairman of the opposition Christian Democratic Union, Helmut Kohl, because of a financial scandal. Suicide of Wolfgang Hullen, the official in charge of finance for the CDU's parliamentary faction; Charges against Kohl for using cash from unreported campaign contributions. INSET: ...and raised a cry for new leadership, by Ursula Sautter.

Focuses on the social conditions of Germany in November 1999, upon the ten-year anniversary of the destruction of the Berlin Wall. Difficulties of East Germans in the West and West Germans in the East; Opposing attitudes of the two groups; Evidence of the opposition in 1999 Berlin Senate elections; Employment, birthrate and other statistics; Outlook. INSET: Berlin's Vibrant Ethnic Mix.

The article looks at the popularity and performance of Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel. Approval ratings for Merkel has been 80% in February 2006, the highest for any German Chancellor since World War II. Merkel heads up a grand coalition with her former adversaries, the Social Democratic Party, and must find consensus on ways to revitalize the economy, repair the health system and boost employment.

Reports on the agreement signed in Berlin, Germany that requires the German government and German industry to contribute money to a foundation called Remembrance, Responsibility and the Future. How the money will be divided among surviving slave laborers, who worked in concentration camps and forced laborers who worked in Germany during the Holocaust. INSETS: SHARING THE BURDEN;High Politics and Hidden Treasure, by Anthee Carassava.

Reports that French President Jacques Chirac suggested that some European Union countries should form a 'pioneer group' with the union that could move faster towards political integration. How Chirac became the first foreign leader to address the German Bundestag in the Reichstag building in Berlin; Speculation on relationship between Germany and France.

Profiles Angela Merkel, the front runner to become Germany's next Chancellor. Biographical and career details; Overview of Merkel's political campaign against Gerhard Schröder; Views of political analysts; How her experience in East Germany helped shape her pro-market philosophy; Observation that Merkel maintains a lead that would give her and her coalition partner, the Free Democratic Party, a narrow majority.

Profiles Gerhard Schroder, who was elected chancellor of Germany in 1998. Educational background; Traits of Schroder; Priorities of Schroder as chancellor.

Focuses on Angela Merkel, leader of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which leads Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's Social Democratic Party (SDP) by 14 points in the election campaign. Observation that a large number of Germans do not know who they will vote for on Sept. 18, 2005; Mistakes made by Merkel's campaign in the first few weeks of campaigning; Criticism of Merkel's campaign by Michael Spreng, who managed CSU party chairman Edmund Stoiber's failed attempt to topple Schröder.

Focuses on exhibitions of work by conceptual artists Christo Javacheff and Jeanne-Claude de Guillebon, who work under their first names. Details of a retrospective at the Martin Gropius-Bau which features their 'Wrapped Reichstag' and other works produced since 1958; Details of the Neuer Berliner Kunstverein exhibition of works-in-progress; Comments about their work from Jeanne-Claude.

Focuses on the pipe-organ builder Horst Jehmlich of Dresden, Germany. Tradition of pipe-organ building, construction and maintenance within his family; Design and manufacturing innovations he has executed, such as the use of porcelain pipes in an organ; Work he and his family have performed on Silbermann organs. INSET: Joyful Noise.

Discusses attempts to recover property which was plundered during World War II. Information released on collections that have an uncertain wartime provenance by U.K. National Museum Directors' Conference and German and French governments; Seizure of property by the Nazis and Russians; Difficulty involved in retrieving these lost goods; Details from some success stories of art restitution.

Reports on the political funding scandal in Germany's Christian Democratic Union. Former Chancellor Helmut Kohl's confession to having kept secret bank accounts; Chancellor Wolfgang Shauble's admission that he received a cash contribution from an arms dealer; The problems in the German government.

Visits the Cistercian convent of St. Marienstern in Germany. Exhibition called `Time and Eternity' which is a comprehensive display of Saxony's religious history; Accumulation of the art objects; Comments by nuns; Historic observations on the area.

The article reports that Angela Merkel and Gerhard Schröder, leaders of the two major political parties in Germany, both claimed victory in the election, but the real winners were the smaller parties. The probusiness Free Democratic Party achieved a personal best with 61 seats. The results of the election are a sign of a deepening social divide between jobless and low-paid workers and young, urban professionals.

Focuses on the Berlin, Germany neighborhood of Kreuzberg. History of the neighborhood before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 and the perception that it was dangerous for those seeking chaos and adventure; Appeal of the outdoor markets and health food stands at Chamissoplatz and Bergmannstrasse; Description of the town. INSET: STREETWISE.

Focuses on Otto Schily, Germany's Interior Minister. Liberal activities of Schily in his past, including being a defense lawyer for Red Army Faction terrorists; His conservative views as Interior Minister, including that Germany's tolerance for refugee seekers had been exhausted; Criticism of his security efforts from the U.S. and Germany following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the U.S.

Reports on problems created by contaminated feed within the organic farming industry in Germany. Problem of foot-and-mouth and mad cow disease in the country during 2001; Organic animal feed which had been contaminated with the herbicide Nitrofen; Destruction of chickens which had eaten contaminated feed; Recall of animal products which might be contaminated, including eggs, poultry, and beef.

Profiles German speed skater Anni Friesinger. How she has gained fame as both an athlete and a sex symbol; Highlights of her career, including victories and setbacks; Her reputation for outspokenness; Rivalry between Friesinger and fellow German skater Claudia Pechstein; Outlook for her performance at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Features the city of Berlin in Germany. Celebrities frequenting the place; List of attractions; Famous hotel and restaurant. INSET: Cool neighborhood.

Focuses on Renate Kunast, Germany's Minister for Consumer Protection, Food, and Agriculture. Her support for organic farming; How she has handled the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and foot-and-mouth disease epidemics; Complaint of farmers that she has done little to reform the Agriculture Ministry; Her support of changes in the European Union's Common Agriculture Policy; How Kunast favors the consumer over the farmer.

Reports on the nomination of Angela Merkel to be the next chairperson of the Christian Democratic Union, Germany's scandal-plagued opposition party. Scandals which have plagued the CDU, including the admission from former Chancellor Helmut Kohl to operating an illegal slush fund to aid CDU candidates; Merkel's political shrewdness; Background information on Merkel; Inexperience which raises doubts that she will be the party's candidate for Chancellor.

Reports on the $5.14 billion deal to settle outstanding claims by Nazi Germany's slave and forced laborers against German companies. Details of the settlement that will be paid by companies like Siemens and Volkswagen; The happiness on all sides to have reached a deal; Importance of settling the deal as soon as possible because an average of 1,000 former slave laborers die every month.

Discusses the discontent of the citizens of Magdeburg, Germany because of the reputation as a neo-Nazi haven it has acquired. Comments by the city's mayor, Wilhelm Polte; Inclusion of Magdeburg on `Time' magazine's map of potential flashpoints for conflict; Examples of incidents of racist violence in the city; Attempts to change the far-right values of this typical east German community; Outlook.