Solveig Rathenow is a member of the Chief Editorial team of Business Insider Germany (BI Germany) and is in this role responsible for the brand’s reach and its diverse events What does Solveig want to achieve at the leadership of BI Germany How does she want to ensure that BI Germany retains its young and ambitious target group in the long term And what exactly are the “Zukunftsmacherinnen” This is what we talked about with Solveig as part of our “What’s up” format we regularly introduce colleagues from our global brands and talk to them about their day-to-day work Solveig Rathenow has been a member of the chief editorial team of BI Germany since May 2024 where she is responsible for the topics of reach and the strategic direction of events She joined BI in 2020 as head of the business department and previously worked as head of venture communications at the FinTech company “finleap” Solveig began her career at the Axel Springer Academy and worked for BILD she spent several years working as a freelance correspondent in East Africa About Business Insider Germany: Business Insider Germany is the digital business magazine for young professionals we reach 270 million people in 17 countries—and since 2015 also in Germany The audience consumes Business Insider in many different formats While Axel Springer is widely known for its impact on journalism and technology did you know it’s also home to innovative advertising design Ringier Axel Springer Polska’s (RASP) ArtStudio works closely with RASP’s advertising office to deliver innovative advertising solutions for clients At the heart of this creative hub is graphic designer Jacek Jabłoński Curious about what a day in the life of a graphic designer looks like Wondering how Jacek keeps his creativity flowing or his take on how artificial intelligence (AI) will shape the media industry Then check out our interview with him that we conducted as part of our “What’s Up” series we regularly spotlight colleagues from our global brands to learn about their work Empowering Axel Springer employees to utilize Artificial Intelligence and seamlessly integrate it into their daily work routine is one of the main objectives pursued by Ekaterina Schneider in her role as Head of Upskilling & Digital Training at the Axel Springer Academy of Journalism & Technology We had the opportunity to speak with her as part of our “What’s up” series—a collection of conversations with colleagues from our 200 brands about their work we interview Ekaterina about the upskilling offerings at the Axel Springer Academy a_inside publishes the email sent by Mathias Döpfner to all employees on the occasion of the closing of the transaction with KKR and CPP Investments: Kati Degenhardt has been leading the departments "Life & Society" as well as "Science & Research" at BILD for a year and a half and has initiated numerous projects during this time including the BILD Health Summits (BILD-Gesundheitsgipfel) Ahead of the second BILD Heart Summit on April 2 she provides insights into her work: How does she and her team advance the topics of health and science at BILD What challenges does she face in the process And what is her vision to not only inform readers but also actively encourage them to lead healthier lives She also explains why health is a true matter of the heart for BILD A behind-the-scenes look at a department that not only informs but also drives change searching for the right charts for a presentation—it all takes time that’s now a thing of the past for PRO+ users The tool goes far beyond basic summarization making EMARKETER’s vast library of marketing What exactly makes it work — and how it stands out from other tools—is explained by Matthias Braun And what’s actually being served in the canteens around the government quarter POLITICO Germany’s Berlin Playbook has been answering these questions and more—sharp and landing in inboxes every morning at 7 a.m the daily newsletter has become an essential read in the German political landscape have been undergoing their journalism training at the Axel Springer Academy of Journalism & Technology since July 2024 they offer insights into their experiences with digital media transformation and share their views on journalism and the opportunities that come with new technologies This award honors projects and individuals who put the principles of freedom and responsibility into action In a remarkable stride toward environmental sustainability farmers are actively engaged in the practice of selective cow breeding aiming to reduce methane emissions and thereby reaffirming their dedication to environmental sustainability Farmers are now engaging in a groundbreaking endeavor, they are selectively breeding cows to minimize methane emissions, showcasing their commitment to environmental sustainability. Interesting Engineering reported that the piece featured insights from Ben Loewith He shared his experience of using innovative techniques like artificial insemination with semen from a cutting-edge bull resulting in calves that produce significantly reduced methane during digestion He stated that opting for targeted breeding to achieve reduced emissions while ensuring no compromise on other characteristics The importance of this becomes more pronounced when the dedication to this cause extends over several successive generations This prolonged commitment serves to enhance and intensify the effects and outcomes associated with the effort As the practice of selectively breeding for lower emissions continues across multiple generations, Futurity reported that the positive impact of reducing emissions and promoting environmental sustainability becomes increasingly potent and far-reaching semen holds the potential to drive a significant shift This innovation could lead to a 1.5 percent annual decline in methane emissions within Canada's dairy production with even more substantial reductions of 20 to 30 percent anticipated by the year 2050 Canada's agricultural authority highlighted the paramount importance of emission reduction within the livestock sector This arises from the fact that cattle are responsible for a notable 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions an existing approach to mitigating methane emissions involves introducing additives into the cattle's diet as the effects wane once the cattle cease consumption of these additives it's worth noting that this method currently lacks approval in the United States Semex joined forces with Canada's milk-recording agency to pioneer the development of this novel semen The innovative concept behind this endeavor was fueled by seven years of extensive research conducted by scientists from the University of Guelph and the University of Alberta Engaged in the efforts of Lactanet, Christine Baes, a distinguished figure in the realm of animal biosciences at the University of Guelph, shared insights with Reuters She explained that the methane emissions stemming from Canadian dairy cows exhibit a broad spectrum Baes emphasized the groundbreaking nature of the advancement noting the integration of diverse factors to establish a comprehensive nationwide estimation for methane emissions through the tangible exhalation of actual animals forging connections to create a sort of comprehensive database which informs us about an animal's genetic makeup and its corresponding methane production capacity." Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Thanks to The Death of Hitler: The Final Word we now know unequivocally that Adolf Hitler died in his Berlin bunker on April 30 The conspiracies began to flow from the very beginning—the Soviets helped spread them "Hitler has escaped!" reported the news agency TASS on May 2 envoy Harry Hopkins that he presumed Hitler and his henchmen Josef Goebbels and Martin Bormann were somewhere in hiding that made its way to Argentina in July 1945 The History Channel series Hunting Hitler: The Final Evidence tackled this very subject "if viewers were to take a shot of alcohol every time someone uses a phrase like 'There's a chance that Hitler might have come here … ' or 'If there was in fact a bunker …,' they would be plastered by the second or third commercial break." There was even an In Search Of episode devoted to Hitler's bride Eva Braun: "My husband and I were traveling in the Himalayas when we came across a woman who we were convinced was Eva Braun" says one nameless woman and I would know her anywhere." Well that settles that In 2009 the History Channel ran a special called Hitler's Escape Connecticut archaeologist Nick Bellantoni analyzed a purported fragment of Hitler's skull belonging to the Russians and concluded it wasn't his—rather Bellantoni claimed it belonged to a female insisted the archaeologist did not have access to Hitler's skull Bellantoni's findings were never published in any peer-reviewed academic journal Which brings us to The Death of Hitler: The Final Word The French journalist Jean-Christophe Brisard and Russian documentarian Lana Parshina were bent on closing the case for good Following a months-long bureacratic process the Russians finally relented and granted the authors limited access to the supposed piece of Hitler's skull and "Hitler suffered from severe dental problems," the authors write "he was also subject to gingivitis and suffered from halitosis." His dentist Dr Hugo Blaschke put in place multiple bridges but to no avail Philippe Charlier informs the authors that "we are certain that there is an anatomical match between the x-rays the accounts of the witnesses … and the reality that we have held in our hands." The renowned forensic pathologist insists that "all of this destroys the theories of his possible survival." On the other hand Charlier and the authors were only allowed to look at the skull (Strangely the skull was kept in a plastic diskette case.) But how Hitler died is less interesting than why all the rumors persisted The very notion of a noncommunist country granting the dictator secret asylum was meant to undermine the West But the Soviets also spent a considerable amount of energy promoting the idea that Hitler had indeed taken cyanide—the coward's way out A handful of bunker survivors were subjected to imprisonment and interrogation by various Soviet ministries in order to extract the "truth" about Hitler's demise When the interrogators did not get the right answer they would simply repeat their questions—a process that went on for a decade But none of the Nazi prisoners—including pilot Hans Bauer and personal valet Heinz Linge—changed their story about the Führer's death by gunshot (The Soviets also held captive Hitler's prosthetic technician and dental hygienist both sentenced to 10 years' forced labor.) One of the more fascinating parts of The Death of Hitler concerns the location of the Führer's remains, along with those of his wife, Army chief of staff general Hans Krebs, and the entire Goebbels family. (The disposal of dictators' bodies is interesting in and of itself.) The directions to the remains are meticulous: forest to the east of the town of Rathenow just before the village of Neu Friedrichsdorf from the stone post number 111—to the north-east as far as the stone marker bearing the same number 111—625 metres … The grave has been flattened out at ground level and small seedlings have been planted on the surface forming number 111 And the authors generate enough drama to liken the investigation to The Da Vinci Code But it does put to rest all the speculation about the end of one of history's most brutal dictators The findings were also published in the European Journal of Internal Medicine Yet something tells me The Death of Hitler: The Final Word will not be the final word It'll probably be like Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter which was followed by seven more Friday the 13th movies Genocidal Nazi German leader Adolf Hitler has been dead for almost 70 years - but on Wednesday Moscow will finally lay him to rest in the public consciousness Russia's FSB intelligence services will be releasing a series of documents from Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin detailing Hitler's death as well as details of what happened to Hitler's body between 1945 and its unceremonious disposal in the 1970s "This is the true history of what happened to Hitler," says an FSB spokesman "He died in Berlin and we have the papers to prove it." was the secret arm of the Red Army loyal to Stalin who found Hitler's body Captured Nazi officers told SMERSH officials how the pair had committed suicide five days before - he with a self-inflicted gunshot wound The officers then moved the corpses outside the bunker Stalin did not reveal to the West that he had confirmed Hitler's death The bodies were then moved between several Red Army bunkers for days and underwent a forensic analysis to confirm their identities and conclusively determine cause of death only to be exhumed one year later and moved to Magdeburg Hitler's skull was kept behind and is currently on the third floor of the State Archive of the Russian Federation They were buried once more in the courtyard of a nondescript house - only to be moved yet again in 1970 East Germany foreign minister Alexei Kosygin begged the Red Army to dispose of the remains for good paranoid that the garrison town in which they had been buried would be handed over to the Communist German Democratic Republic; in May 1970 and then unceremoniously dumped them into the Ehle River The full files with the details of the decades-long saga are expected to be revealed next month to mark 70 years since Hitler's suicide several conspiracy theories have reigned supreme about the whereabouts of Hitler and his body including one popular notion that he and Braun secretly escaped to South America Whether you’re looking for a spacious family home or a place with an easy commute here are the best suburbs and cities near Berlin By Victoria Pearce and large family homes are out of the question are some great hidden gems that offer affordable housing and more spacious living options these commuter towns have an easier (albeit slower) pace of life within easy reach of the action Discover the magic of Berlin’s suburbs by reading the following sections: Spotahome takes the hassle out of househunting by doing the hard work for you and book rental properties all from the comfort of your own home Take the stress out of househunting in Berlin with Spotahome Berlin is Germany’s vibrant capital Known for its tumultuous past, the city has since transformed itself into a global hub of creativity Given that the rental market in the capital has exploded in recent years, moving to the outskirts of the city might be a good option for those seeking a suitable home on a budget The small cities and charming villages near Berlin provide a great alternative to the dense inner-city housing offering more space for those seeking a home with a garden or a place for their growing family to enjoy Berlin’s excellent public transport network also makes it possible to commute into the city from dozens or even hundreds of kilometers away living in the suburbs allows residents to enjoy the best of both worlds Although property prices in the suburbs are lower than in the city they have also felt the pinch of an increasingly competitive housing market finding accommodation within budget can be a challenge – but not impossible There are several ways to find a place to live in the suburbs some people use a local estate agent (Makler) online property portals are also popular to find housing some online advertisements are listed as provisionsfreie (i.e. You can find rental accommodation on the following websites: When searching for properties to rent, it is important to keep in mind that scams do exist. Be cautious and vet advertisements and agents carefully, especially when you don’t speak German fluently or are contacting people online One of the big draws of the suburbs is the size of the homes You are much more likely to find houses with gardens or larger apartments in cities near Berlin Population growth has also resulted in the development of more apartment blocks across the region These can offer lower rents with close proximity to parks or nature reserves Similar to the rest of Germany, Berlin’s suburbia has a large percentage of renters. In 2023, more than half of the country’s population (52.4%) lived in rented accommodation This was the highest share in the European Union (EU) Although rental rates have increased as the region’s population grows rentals are still more affordable rentals in cities near Berlin than in the capital itself Rent in the suburbs can be separated into the following categories: If you compare these costs to those in Mitte where rents regularly exceed €1,900 for a similarly sized apartment you can see why many people choose to expand their housing search beyond the city limits For potential buyers in Germany, there’s both good news and bad news. After a decade-long house price boom, real estate prices are in freefall (2024) The housing market is struggling as higher mortgage interest rates and rising inflation have increased affordability constraints Conversely, Berlin is the most affordable city in Germany If you’re employed, you should be able to get a mortgage with no additional requirements – regardless of your nationality. That being said, while there are no restrictions for expats looking to purchase a home there is also no need to jump into it straight away buying property makes more sense if you are already familiar with the area or are moving to be close to family you might want to consider renting when you first arrive so that you can explore the different cities near Berlin you can be sure to buy property in a suburb where you will enjoy living for the long term Real estate guide: buying a house in Germany The German capital is entirely surrounded by the Brandenburg region That means that many villages and commuter cities near Berlin are part of the same government district Fortunately, public transport links are plentiful between Berlin and the suburbs outlined below commute time has a large impact on rental prices with the cheapest housing often being found where commutes are the longest Natural beauty is plentiful outside Berlin these areas tend to attract people who are drawn to nature or those seeking a quieter environment Although nightlife is harder to come by outside of Berlin are well-known for their events and cultural scene Keep reading for a closer look at some of the top cities near Berlin Well known for its many popular attractions, Bernau has several museums and is the host of the annual Hussite Festival (Hussitenfest) which celebrates the town’s medieval history Its fascinating past is still present in its impressive 8-meter-high defense walls that surround the town and its small alleyways that take visitors back in time only one original city gate – the Steintor – still remains and now serves as a local museum Bernau features a mix of modern high-rise housing estates and historic half-timbered buildings from the early 19th century Residents enjoy this scenic town for its quiet streets and pleasant neighborhoods Hohen Neuendorf is not an old town but a pleasant one This city near Berlin was developed as a commuter town in the early 20th century tranquil setting and easy access to the city center making this a popular choice for workers headed to an inner-city office every day Most of the housing in Hohen Neuendorf is relatively new Once home to the world’s first radio station Nauen is a quiet satellite in Berlin’s orbit Said to be one of the most beautiful in Brandenburg the old town is a popular choice for families who seek larger gardens and quiet streets With wind turbines scattered around the town’s edge Nauen is set near many areas of natural beauty Expats looking for social entertainment may want to look elsewhere This village does not have many cultural events or substantial nightlife Oranienburg’s pleasant streets hide the town’s dark past having been a concentration camp for both Nazis and Soviets Now a pretty city near Berlin, locals enjoy a pleasant and relaxed lifestyle. Tourists often visit the area for its memorials and the 350-year-old baroque Oranienburg Palace (Schloss Oranienburg) The former Prussian palace with its large open park is home to a museum and a cultural center Oranienburg is a good choice if you prefer a village setting and don’t blame a place for its historical past The capital of Brandenburg, Potsdam, is a tourist destination in its own right. The city near Berlin is home to several palaces, including Sanssouci Palace (Schloss Sanssouci) which was once the summer home of Frederick the Great (former King of Prussia) Potsdam has many businesses, including a major film studio and 30 research facilities. It is also home to the Berlin Brandenberg International School the historic town center dissolves into fairly typical Berlin suburbs With many cultural offerings within Potsdam’s borders you don’t necessarily have to head to the capital to socialize and find entertainment so it may not be the best option if you are looking to save money by living outside Berlin with low housing costs and a convivial atmosphere The satellite city was established 800 years ago and now has a population of 27,000 Rathenow is a sleepy area compared to Berlin The area is popular with families who appreciate having more space and access to nearby parks and lakes Strausberg offers authentic small-town German life within easy commuting distance of the capital this city near Berlin is located just 30 kilometers from the Polish border.Sports enthusiasts will particularly enjoy Strausberg because of its many sporting facilities and traditions thin town is a popular option for hybrid workers who want the price and quality of life from the countryside but still need to commute to the big city Teltow is located on the outskirts of Berlin This German suburb has followed the city through its many trials and tribulations and served as a border between West Berlin and East Germany and new developments continue to spring up to provide affordable housing for workers flocking to the German capital Its location provides easy access to higher education institutes in both Berlin and Potsdam Teltow primarily offers apartments and townhouses If you’re hoping for a single-family house the town does boast plenty of parks and outdoor spaces you can visit Developed as a vacation resort in the early 20th century This small town with a little over 21,000 inhabitants is located in a nature reserve between two lakes making it an ideal choice for those who love the outdoors a small compound was built nearby to house high-ranking officials of the East German government away from the rest of the population While the building has been out of use for a long time the natural beauty that drew officials to Wandlitz can still be found today The villages and cities near Berlin are all fairly safe and can be a good choice if you need more space or crave a quieter environment Reported crime rates are also generally lower than in the German capital this does not necessarily mean that these areas are to be avoided Zeuthen is mostly made up of family homes with gardens The town is a short distance away from Berlin Mitte and has easy access to Schönefeld airport Whether you’re renting on a budget or buying a spacious family home you’ll want to be sure you end up in a place that suits you best It is important that you consider your housing requirements and commuting plans before you settle on an area if you know you need to work on-site in central Berlin most days per week moving to a suburb may not make sense at all trading in some of Berlin’s excitement for quieter suburban living could be the perfect fit Here are a few tips to keep in mind when looking for a city near Berlin to call your home: Victoria is an American writer (and mom) living in the UK she focuses on local content for employment law and business culture articles As you walk through the streets surrounding Algha Works in the Fish Island area of the east end of London there’s a stark contrast between the bleak industrial lanscape and the modern architecture of the Olympic stadium and the ArcelorMittal Orbit this part of east London shouldn’t exist – an archaic backwater of bygone industry overlooked by state of the art offices and gentrified canal-side apartments Savile Row eyewear and its frames manufacturing facility The building itself and the machinery inside it are relics throwbacks to a time when Made in England was a sign of upmarket gravitas Savile Row general manager Liam Franklin admits that the company has been near the brink of closure in the past but always just about managed to keep its head above water Alongside those lows have been plenty of highs including turning a profit within eight weeks of trading in 1932 the company was given a lifeline by Inspecs owner Robin Totterman who purchased the facility and provided much needed investment Totterman felt it was a piece of British optics history that could not be allowed to disappear The beginnings To appreciate where a rejuvenated Savile Row is heading in the future The roots of the Savile Row can be found within Algha Works Founder Max Weisman founded Max Weisman & Co in 1898 The depressed German economy afforded Weisman and his sons the chance to purchase the entire contents of an optical factory The following year Algha Works purchased the synthetic shell machinery from another Rathenow factory protecting the company from material costs fluctuations and solidifying the foundations for business in the coming years the factory ceased to make glasses and instead made gas masks and sunglasses for pilots the German members of staff were incarcerated in Scotland The post-war period brought good times to Algha As one of the main suppliers of spectacles for the newly-created NHS there were 150 member of staff at Algha Works producing up to 18,000 frames per week The modern era deregulation and the abolishment of free NHS glasses in 1988 brought a new set of challenges It was at this point that the Savile Row eyewear fashion-orientated brand was launched that was a conscious break with its association with the NHS freebies It goes without saying that deregulation hit the company hard but perhaps what had more impact was the change in fashion tastes A more brand-driven eyewear fashion trend developed in the early 1990s with the likes of Giorgio Armani and Dolce and Gabbana entering the fray New brands brought different shapes and Franklin says the company simply failed to adapt: ‘The new square shapes of the era were never Savile Row’s strong point and it was only really a group of diehard customers that kept company going.’ While this was great because it meant the company was still trading the lack of profit was making itself felt elsewhere in the business Franklin says the quality of the product was affected by a drop in turnover and so too was customer service ‘Customers could go to an opticians and ask for a Savile Row frame This ordering process could sometimes take weeks and when the frames did arrive The reputation of the business was taking a hit the way the company goes about its business has been under the microscope – ‘we have deconstructed every part of the company and identified the areas that really needed to change,’ says Franklin ‘We have focussed on improving both the service we provide and quality of product but we have to be mindful of the fact Savile Row frames will not compete with the likes of Lindberg from an engineering perspective It’s a vintage product made with vintage machinery.’ There are challenges with working with rolled gold on this period machinery such as the presses wearing out over time and the rolled gold not taking perfect form but this can be managed by the skilled workforce many of whom have experienced the highs and lows of the company first hand ‘At the heart of our product is rolled gold so we have decided to stick with it but also develop it,’ says Franklin ‘The material gives us a point of difference and its genuine retro We have increased the quality of the both the gold from 14 carat to 18 carat and the inner core has been changed to monel for added pliability in the temples.’ although there is a vault full of Algha’s own decades old acetate sheets that could see the light of day in the future The shift towards acetate and rolled gold combination frames has seen additional need for acetate form manufacturing with the highest exacting standards one of the more modern pieces of machinery in the factory uses the templates from the brand’s back catalogue A five-day turnaround time for orders of one to four pieces has been introduced and there are now mechanisms in place that control orders and notifies customers in the event of delays Improved customer service and investment in manufacturing would bear no fruit if quality control wasn’t ramped up Sixty different elements of quality control have been introduced and the time spent assessing each frame has been increased Marketing and sales have also been improved ‘We have recently introduced some beautiful leather cases for our sales representatives The aim was create something that would start to make the customer feel excited by what was inside With manufacturing technology such as selected laser sintering on the horizon and a constantly shifting fashion landscape how will a company so steeped in vintage cope in the future ‘We will need to evolve and we’re figuring out how we are going to do that Fashion will change and vintage will no longer be the “in” thing ‘But,we have a great opportunity in the here and now because the demographic of people interested in the brand has shifted to under-25s and growing interest in the brand from young females is at university and people always ask her where she got her glasses.’ It might not be necessary to worry about the future of this British optics icon after all Optician magazine is the leading independent Every issue of Optician is packed full of the latest news insights and information for optical professionals It’s been six years since the release of Laurent Garnier’s last album it was quite an eclectic affair that covered considerable musical ground Garnier decided the diversity did a disservice to some of the tracks on the record so he headed back to the studio last year with a new vision: to release a series of stylistically varied EPs and then to combine them into a special set called the Home Box Sven von Thülen met the prolific producer and talked to him about the box the re-release of his autobiography Electrochoc and the return of his label F Communications By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.Learn more Load video Sven Von Thülen: Tell us a bit about the genesis of the Home Box project one and a half years ago I made three or four new tracks I wasn’t sure what to do with them at first my weak point as a producer was that I sometimes threw too many different things together There are some strong tracks on my old albums  which don’t seem strong because they got drowned in all the eclecticism co-founder of Garnier’s F Communications label] I want to make an album and I still want to be myself I want to reach some of the young crowd but I don’t want to lie to them I still want to be the guy who does many different kinds of music.” So I had these tracks called “Revenge of the Lol Cat” and “The Rise & Fall of the Donkey Dog,” which were on the second EP on Musique Large I had a track called “Bang,” which came out on Still Music in Chicago Those four tracks already covered four very different musical worlds “We need to think about what we can do with each track so that it’s put in the best possible place.” That’s when I had the idea to release the tracks on five different labels all known for a different sound and then to eventually combine all those 12-inches to one special release By loading the video, you agree to Vimeos's privacy policy.Learn more Was it difficult to convince the labels to agree to this I wanted to bring people together; that’s what FCom was always about The first person we talked to was Jerome [Derradji owner of Still Music] and he said yes straight away Musique Large from France agreed to be part of the project we want to release a techno EP by you.” I was very surprised that 50 Weapons was so interested in releasing one of my records on the label we’d love to have you on the label.” I was very excited about that The next question was how to make people realize that all these releases are part of the same project even though the music is quite different; that’s when we came up with idea of the flight numbers I really don’t like the word “marketing,” but in terms of marketing I was sure that by the second release people would get it without having to explain anything or is the release of Home Box a one-time thing We don’t know what we’re going to do with FCom after the box is released It made total sense to us to revive the label for this project Since we’ve announced the box a lot of the old FCom artists contacted me “When are we gonna start?” “What can we do?” I also got 20 demos from young artists within two days of the announcement The question is: does the world needs FCom to come back for good There are so many labels that do a great job and basically do what we did back in the day Why should we compete with them and flood the market even more I feel that a lot of the interest for FCom comes from nostalgia and that would be the wrong motivation to restart the label But Erick and I are still talking and making up our minds I’m not going to release a whole lot more music this year the English translation of your autobiography Electrochoc will be published as well I’ve heard that you extended it quite a bit please translate it to English,” because we couldn’t find an English publisher when it first came out in France I wrote my French publisher and said that it looks like we’ve found someone who wanted to release it in English we had nothing—it was all bullshit—but I was like “Can we do it?” and they agreed who co-authored Electroshock] gave me his permission as well and  suggested that it would a good a idea to add a few more pages since the book came out ten years ago “If you manage to write an extra chapter we’ll re-release the book in France as well.” So we started writing and one chapter turned into six—120 new pages from the disappearance of small labels to the explosion of big festivals and there’s a big focus on Berlin’s musical history as well as on New York which we didn’t get to do in the original book We spoke to Francois [Kevorkian] and LCD Soundsystem and we did an interview with Gideon [Rathenow For the time being it will be a digital-only release. You can pre-order it now retargeting and for playing out personalized content and advertising on Telekom sites and third-party sites including information on data processing by third-party providers and the possibility of revocation can be found in the settings and in our privacy information Here you can continue only with the necessary tools Accept all Continue with necessary Detailed privacy preferences You can give your consent to categories or display further information and select specific cookies Written by: Priska Komaromi was an active member of the neo-Nazi organisation ‘Sturm 18’ he was hired as a security guard to protect asylum seekers in Heidelberg participated in a NPD rally against asylum seekers outside a refugee reception centre in Heidenau just months before being hired by the private security provider Securitas to protect the asylum seekers inside it.[1] These are not isolated cases and they are not new; the link between private security companies and neo-Nazis and the violence and racism of employees within the security industry has been documented by the media for years; and yet is rarely taken seriously by the government.[2] Nor is it surprising; according to a Secret Service estimate one in ten neo-Nazis known to the intelligence services in the state of Brandenburg are employed in the private security industry.[3] This is not simply a case of occasional negligence or incompetence of an over-stretched state and the respective municipalities struggling to cope with the growing number of asylum seekers it is an inevitable outcome of outsourcing care to a largely unregulated and highly volatile private security sector Germany was shocked by footage from a refugee welcome centre in Burbach which showed a private security guard standing on the head of an asylum seeker forcing him to lie on a mattress covered in his own vomit as it has done on numerous other cases of violence against refugees.[4] Yet a court date has still not been set for the trial of the guard.The media has also covered the 222 arson attacks on refugee reception centres in 2015,[5] of which only four have ended in convictions – but the relationship between neo-Nazi violence inside and outside the centres has not been fully explored any more than the lack of justice for its victims Not only does the increased privatisation of asylum care actively put the lives of asylum seekers at risk it also allows the state to absolve itself of responsibility and fails to ensure accountability and justice for the abuses that are committed against asylum seekers According to Volker Eick, a political scientist based in Berlin who works with the progressive lawyers’ association Republikanischer Anwältinnen – und Anwälteverein while contracted to do the job of the state allows the authorities to deflect any direct responsibility for violence or ill-treatment of refugees the security of refugees to for-profit companies is primarily a cost-cutting measure.[6] Police officers with three years of training are much more expensive than by and large untrained ‘rent-a-cops’ with a salary hardly above (or even below) the minimum wage of €8.50/hour at least their failures ‘can be criticised Security at refugee reception centres in every German state other than Bavaria is sub-contracted to private security companies Even at centres managed by non-profit organisations (NGOs) such as the Red Cross security is sub-contracted to the lowest bidder These companies are not governed by the laws but through industrial codes,[8] and are under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Economic Affairs Germany is one of only four EU member states that do not have a law regulating private security.[9] The only requirement for the setting up of a private security company is the completion of eighty hours of training at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and a multiple-choice test for which the pass rate is fifty per cent.[10] For employees of the security industry this requirement falls to forty hours of training and a clean police background check (although companies tend to be a little more lenient on the latter) security guards receive little additional training specific to the demands of working at a refugee reception centre less than half (28/59) of the reception centres in Berlin had a handbook or strategy for training security guards.[11] It is not surprising that the security industry and especially the industry of policing asylum seekers attracts neo-Nazis and members of extreme right-wing organisations.[12] First of all ‘there is the widespread (and not unfounded) assumption that you can behave like Crocodile Dundee if you work for a private security company … the authoritarian nature of this line of work is attractive to neo-Nazis’ employment as a security guard at a refugee reception centre grants direct and intimate access to asylum seekers quite literally giving would-be attackers the keys to their victims’ doors the intelligence service of Saxony-Anhalt warned of attempts by militant neo-Nazi organisations such as the citizen’s militia Selbstschutz Saxony-Anhalt (Self-protection Sachsen Anhalt SS-SA) to seize control of the security market The group described itself as a ‘non-commercial association of skilled persons who in their spare time execute security and order services’ and had actively sought out security contracts over the internet.[13] an intelligence report on extreme right-wing groups in Brandenburg outlined the link between Zarnikow a private security company dominant in the village Rathenow and the neo-Nazi organisation Kameradschaft Hauptvolk One employee was hired directly after release from a 5-year prison sentence for nearly killing a Bosnian migrant and another had been convicted on weapons and criminal assault charges Racist abuse and violence by rent-a-cops have been repeatedly reported on by the press but not taken seriously by the state.[15] In October 2015 security guards were caught on camera chasing down and kicking a refugee in Dresden Local news sources had repeatedly reported that their employer the rural town of Clausnitz in Saxony provided the backdrop for a soon-to-be viral video of a hate mob blocking a bus full of refugees several news sources alleged that the director of the reception centre where the refugees were headed is himself an active member of the anti-immigration party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and that his brother had played a leading role in organising the mob.[16] Not only are neo-Nazis attracted to the security industry and actively seeking out work in the proximity of a vulnerable group they proclaim to hate and wish to harm but at many levels the state and local authorities are enabling this abuse by blindly and willingly abdicating responsibility social workers and members of local government of the Arnsberg district are being investigated for wrongful detention and coercion through neglect because they were allegedly aware of the abuses and simply did nothing.[19] While the government was quick to pass a new law easing the deportation of asylum seekers involved in criminal activity after the New Year’s Eve attacks in Cologne,[20] the justice system seems impotent or just indifferent to the tenfold increase in arson attacks on refugee reception centres in 2015[21] and the increasing incidence of violence against asylum seekers by security guards.[22] In October last year two security guards on trial for the assault and abuse of asylum seekers in a reception centre in Essen were acquitted.[23] In the same month the security guards caught on camera chasing and beating an asylum seeker in Dresden were allowed to retain their posts; the only sanction was that they can no longer enter the rooms of asylum seekers unaccompanied the scandalous and widely publicised case in Burbach is still being investigated Volker Eick highlights the distinct lack of political will and institutional racism in prosecuting cases of violence against refugees ‘The police are unwilling to seriously investigate cases where refugees and asylum seekers are attacked and unwilling to prevent such attacks – they are simply not taking these cases as seriously as if they had happened to Germans.’ Nevertheless due to the wide media coverage and the protests of human right groups the Federal government set up a special task-force after the abuses in Burbach to investigate the current status of control mechanisms of the security industry.[24] They recommended annual checks on staff by state authorities but Eick is reluctant to believe in any changes in the nearer future The cost of annual checks would be enormous and this has meant that the recommendations have not been taken seriously According to a March 2016 press release from the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy the government plans to make statutory exams for private security management mandatory the Public Order Offices (responsible for overseeing private security companies) will be required to cross-check private security contractors once every three years (through asking the police for statements).[25] And every three years the ordinary staff of private security companies will also be cross-checked for reliability.[26] The fact that the corporate security industry in Germany is booming is an additional factor suggesting that the changes outlined by the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs in its press release will not occur very soon between 5,000 and 10,000 private security guards are employed at asylum reception centres in Germany.[27] The total number of guards in Germany stands at 220,000 ‘The ministry has not provided a single hint as to who precisely will carry out these audits – the Public Order Offices would definitely need more human resources Nor does the ministry indicate who will pay for all this how – within a legal framework and with respect to data protection rights – all of this will work in practice’ While a lack of political will exists to control the private security industry and secure accountability for cases of violence that are reported There are several other obstacles to successful prosecution of abuse against asylum seekers Eick points out the practical issues involved in reporting and prosecuting crimes against refugees refugees who become victims of abuse are often escaping from countries where violence and torture is state-sanctioned so they ‘might not even realise that what is being done to them is not legal in Germany’ there is the language barrier; they might face huge obstacles in reporting violence and abuse and might fear further abuse or deportation asylum seekers who might report cases or act as witnesses are ‘being abused by the same people who are supposed to be protecting them and to whom they should be able to turn to report abuse Their access to the general public and lawyers is controlled by the attackers’ In the trial against the security guards in Essen in 2015 the case was dropped against two of the accused when a key witness mysteriously disappeared.[29] Complaints against security staff of private security companies are not recorded in any central register by the state as a request for information by Christopher Lauer sitting member of the independent Pirate Party in the Berlin parliament While private security companies have no more right to use violence than any private individual in practice they seem to ‘embody much of the power and privileges of the state while bearing none of the responsibilities and limitations of democratic government’.[31] However greater state regulation of the private security industry might not necessarily be the answer particularly if it is not accompanied by a commitment to adequately finance training programmes that foreground issues of accountability and human rights quick-fix solutions will give the appearance of accountability but will not change the necessary control mechanisms substantially increase the standing and power of private security guards by turning them into a second police force In order to avoid the emergence of a second quasi-police force with a for-profit background,[32] the German states have started deploying less qualified police forces has made plans to ease the strain on the police by training 500 new ‘guard police’ officers to patrol asylum seekers’ camps and reception centres these fast-track sheriffs will be allowed to carry firearms parliamentary speaker for the Green Party in Saxony they will be no more than ‘a walking safety risk’.[33] Eick argues that ‘state entities such as the police are obviously easier to control than private ones But he is also adamant that these state entities should be ‘controlled by the people’ the state should go a step further and provide the resources to set up independent police control committees it is the duty of the state to protect not only their own citizens but also asylum seekers under their care Abandoning this duty and distancing itself from responsibility by handing over the protection of these asylum seekers to the free market actively puts the lives of these asylum seekers at risk Failing to secure prompt redress and accountability for abuses against asylum seekers within reception centres by those who are hired to protect them ultimately dehumanises them and devalues their lives in the eyes of both the justice system and citizens of the country rather than preventing neo-Nazis from gaining intimate access to those they wish to harm Republikanischer Anwältinnen- und Anwälteverein – Progressive Lawyers Association The Institute of Race Relations is precluded from expressing a corporate view: any opinions expressed are therefore those of the authors The majority of the IRR’s work is free to access. Please consider supporting our research and analysis by making a donation Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Privacy Policy Mailing List Donate Financier Worldwide has been providing valuable information on corporate finance and board-level business issues through its monthly print magazine and exclusive website content. As a leading publisher of news and analysis on this dynamic global market the organisation is immediately recognisable as a valued source of intelligence to the corporate Please take a moment to join our free e-mailing list to receive notifications about the latest content JOIN MAILING LIST Corporate Disputes Risk & Compliance Follow Us January 2012  |  TALKINGPOINT  |  BANKRUPTCY & RESTRUCTURING FW moderates a discussion on financial distress in the shipping sector between Randee Day at Day and Partners LLC, Harry Theochari at Norton Rose Group and Nils Kuhlwein von Rathenow at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants GmbH FW: What key industry trends have you seen in the shipping sector over the last 12-18 months Has there been a noticeable increase in insolvencies and liquidations among shipping companies the sector has seen both freight rates and values for vessels decline as it tried to absorb the huge number of new ships ordered during the ‘boom’ period of 2006-08 The moderate pick up in 2010 in oil demand growth and an increase in the seaborne coal trade but in the later part of 2010 it became evident that volume increases were not sufficient to offset the supply/demand imbalance in tonnage we saw a reversal in seaborne volume in both the dry and wet sectors With the persistent delivery of new ships coming into the market freight rates have fallen precipitously as capacity utilisation for oil tankers dropped to 78 percent and 81 percent for dry bulk vessels all shipping companies have experienced a significant drop in EBITDA which has resulted in many companies breaching both liquidity and LTV covenants with their lending institutions A large number of ship-owners have already approached their banks two or three times for relief but the ‘amend and extend’ business strategy of the banks has accomplished nothing more than forcing owners to drain their cash reserves With spot rates in several sectors barely covering operating costs some of the larger shipping companies have filed for bankruptcy including Korea Lines and General Maritime Theochari: This period has seen the availability of bank lending to the shipping industry and indeed the number of banks that are still active in shipping In view of the fact that bank lending accounts for the great majority of finance that is made available to the shipping industry this has had a profound effect on many shipping companies during this very difficult period of economic crisis There has been a noticeable increase in insolvencies among shipping companies but certainly not as great as many commentators had envisaged The primary reason for this has been the very good sense that most banks and ship finance institutions have shown when dealing with problem loans Obvious high profile insolvencies include Omega Navigation and Genmar there have also been some successful restructurings such as Danaos Von Kuhlwein: One has to acknowledge that the ‘shipping sector’ is not a homogeneous industry It has to be split into segments according to cargo and vessel types and also according to different parts of the value chain Markets differ heavily between the different segments – container We have seen a substantial time lag between the segments while container bulk rates already recovered again in 2010 In 2011 container bulk suffered again heavily The economic situation of a specific corporate is heavily determined by whether the company is ship-owning only or whether it         is an operator The container shipping segment is a growing segment due to ongoing containerisation and globalisation It is a heavily cyclical business currently influenced by a high number of deliveries of new large-size vessels ordered before 2008-2009 with high exit-barriers and a high degree of fragmentation It is a market driven by asset-intensiveness It is a highly commoditised market with low switching costs and transparent and comparable factor costs were seen at ship-owner companies and one-ship companies FW: Could you explain the economic and operational challenges causing financial distress for companies within the industry Theochari: The shipping industry has found itself having to weather a global financial crisis at the same time as the supply of ships exceeds This has led to a huge decline in freight rates for just about every type of ship The most noticeable is probably the Capesize market where rates of $200,000 per day were not unusual during 2008 which have fallen to as low as $10,000 per day although there has been some recovery to approximately $30,000 per day The VLCC market and small chemical tanker sector have also been very badly hit I would hate to contemplate the consequences for the shipping industry had China not experienced its recent phenomenal rate of economic growth it is China and Chinese demand for ships that is keeping many sectors of the market going The only exception is the LNG market where due largely to the recent natural disaster in Japan there has been a global increase in demand for gas as many sovereign states consider the viability and safety of nuclear energy more carefully Von Kuhlwein: All segments are currently facing a high supply-demand surplus It is mainly driven by the high number of large-size vessels delivered to the market in 2011 and 2012 which still results from the high number of new vessel orders pre-crisis fuelled by prospects at that time of ongoing market growth and cheap access to capital The surplus in container markets also comes from new frontiers in vessel sizes some players are thinking about the next generation of vessels beyond the 20,000 TEU barrier that those vessels pushed down rates for the next smaller ones while bunker prices picked-up after the crisis 2010 resulting in high pressure on profits for ship operating companies Day: The biggest economic challenge facing the industry is the present financial crisis in Europe and its affect on the availability of credit for this capital intensive sector A huge percentage of the new building book which was deferred over the past two years Owners are struggling to find the funds required to pay the shipyard upon delivery The banks know that the vessel’s value upon delivery will be ‘impaired’ against their loan and are reluctant to make the final payments Most of the traditional shipping banks are based in the Eurozone and several are experiencing balance sheet issues of their own some of these banks have been unwilling to finance the purchase of second-hand vessels which is creating a stalled sale and purchase market these same banks are witnessing significant erosion in the collateral value of their security and are pushing owners to sell vessels that they believe will be further impaired This has and will continue to put tremendous pressure on second hand values The biggest operational challenge is managing the rising price of bunker fuel and keeping trade creditors current FW: Are shipping companies pursuing refinancing and restructuring solutions to resolve their current problems How much success are they having on this front Von Kuhlwein: Many ship-owning companies currently face a fundamentally worsened economic outlook as lay-ups increase and their charter rates are decreasing restructurings or refinancing depends on the time limit of current charters and agreements negotiated with financers during 2008 and 2010 It is to be assumed that the number of restructurings at ship-owner companies will increase again in 2012 it depends on whether they sufficiently restructured back in 2009-2010 Some of the large operators still sailed very successfully in 2011; others failed to do their homework and face tremendous profitability issues shipping operators have used liquid reserves to pay down debt simply to preserve loan-to-value covenant compliance Both the banks and owners must have seen that they were operating at a cash loss and eventually the company was exposing itself to issues with its unsecured creditors Both the banks and owners should have pushed out the loan amortisation schedules last year and anticipated that many companies would be lucky to cover operating costs Most of the deals that were done in 2010 or early 2011 have not been sufficient as debt restructuring is not enough The only way many of these companies will survive will be if new capital comes into the business This could be in the form of DIP financing or strategic and/or opportunistic investors injecting funds in order to take control of the enterprise appears to have crafted its own reorganisation with the company’s founder and lead shareholder Very few owners today have such flexibility and sizable resources.  Theochari: There are an enormous number of shipping companies in financial difficulty not least those listed on the New York capital markets Largely due to the common sense approach that banks and financial institutions have been taking during the present crisis there have been a great number of reschedulings One of these was the largest restructuring ever of a listed shipping company in a $3.5bn restructuring involving $500m of new money and many millions in new share warrants FW: What sources of financing are available to shipping companies in the current market How would you characterise the appetite among traditional banks to contribute capital to this particular sector Day: Several of the largest global shipping banks have publicly confirmed that the Eurozone financial crisis has resulted in a credit squeeze that will continue to restrict finance for second hand tonnage Forced liquidation in cases such as Saga Tankers resulted in the price for a 10 year old VLCC falling 30 percent since last July This plunge in values has also affected the dry sector with the price of a five year old Capesize vessel falling 28 percent have been trying to sell portions of their loan portfolios Private equity firms have been discouraged by the interest rates on many of these portfolios – averaging 125 basis points over LIBOR – which they find surprisingly low for an industry with such high volatility and risk Theochari: There are very few deals in the market at all are invariably backed with some form of either export credit finance – from Finvera and Hermes – and increasingly by private equity Recent major private equity investments include those by the famous investor Wilbur Ross with his investment in Diamond S; Fortress with their investment in Seacastle; and also the very large investments made by Oak Tree Capital in General Maritime and Beluga as well as the interest being shown in shipping by the major investment house Von Kuhlwein: Before the crisis the German banking sector was the largest ship financer in the world with an exposure of more than €120bn face-value With EU regulations on state-aid forcing the German banking sector to fundamentally wind-down its exposure in the shipping industry those banks and especially the public banking sector will stay away or will only very selectively finance shipping in the future We have seen increasing interest from institutional capital Also the German KG – the financing model of splitting the equity portion over retail investors – is heavily breaking away and the industry desperately needs new financing models and sources which are increasingly filling the gap by offering financing against placing orders to shipyards FW: What steps can shipping companies take to raise additional capital or attract investment to reduce operational costs and increasing efficiencies wherever possible Theochari: Any investment in shipping at the present time is likely to be a hugely speculative one Asset values in the shipping market are at their lowest level for at least the last six to eight years these assets can seem attractive to investors the huge imbalance in demand and supply means that investors generally have to take as educated a guess as possible as to where particular markets are likely to be in the next few years Offshore and drilling vessels are very attractive at present as there is a widely held belief that oil prices are never likely to fall to any great extent Large container vessels are also still being ordered as there is a belief that the economies of scale that these bring will be very important for the increasingly vital Asia and Europe routes every company needs to make every effort to keep its costs to an absolute minimum and to be as efficient as possible if they are to attract any type of financing or investment Von Kuhlwein: It is of paramount importance for operators to secure access to financing to have the right number and size of vessels on the trades to manage networks more efficiently than competitors and to unleash profit improvements along the entire P&L Different strategies exist on the side of diversification and investments along the value chain Some players are invested in very profitable port operations; others follow different strategies on direct access to freight the charter strategy also matters – for instance Those points are the main differentiators for operators and thus may be decisive for attracting capital besides factors of ‘housekeeping’ such as transparency Day: In the traditional shipping sub-sectors Rising bunkers prices have impacted every operator and global crew wages every time a company goes to its bank or banks for a waiver or amendment they are being charged a fee for doing the deal in addition to having their interest margin increased Now the banks are insisting that many owners hire professional restructuring firms to help them vet revenue assumptions and craft recapitalisation plans With the huge fall in share prices over the past 18 months of all public shipping companies is virtually impossible in the present environment; owners are therefore looking to sources of mezzanine or private equity capital Any new money investing into the company’s capital structure is likely to result in significant dilution for existing investors and in many cases FW: What is the outlook for the shipping sector in 2012 and beyond What developments do you expect to shape the industry going forward Von Kuhlwein: For container operators it remains to be seen what impact the new G6 alliance will have on the markets and whether consolidation will be kicked-off small players will increasingly find it hard to get access to capital and therefore might not be able to finance new ships some of them will be not able to offer competitive advantages and will have to pool their assets with larger players Those large players are already increasingly offering their platforms for smaller ones to dock-on the operations larger players are opening their operations for alternative investors Traditional ways of financing new vessels will hardly be sufficient and thus alternative financing models are required As the fundamental drivers of the industry – worldwide GDP growth fragmentation and commoditisation – will not change and may even worsen in 2012 it is very likely that there is no fundamental relief to be expected for this year The future development of the industry depends heavily on a change of these fundamentals and the reaction of market players remains to be seen Day: 2012 will be as difficult or worse than 2011 as many companies will simply run out of money Waivers and amendments on existing loan repayments will not be enough We will see more charterer’s renegotiate the terms of commitments that they can no longer afford to pay and if owners do not agree or simply can’t accept the reduction With a challenging global economic recovery and a liquidity crisis within the Eurozone there is little prospect in 2012 for a recovery in freight rates Most industry experts do not expect the tanker sector to recover before the second half of 2013 I do not believe that shipping as we have known it will function in the same manner going forward Small and medium size companies will either disappear or have to merge in order to attract scare capital and the future of vibrant publicly traded shipping market is doubtful The value destruction in the market caps of most public shipping companies has been shocking but clearly underscores the volatility of risk capital and speculative nature of the sector will continue to expand their fleets to the detriment of the independent owner I believe that we will see more consolidation and partnering between end-users and operators.  I suggested that there would be at least four listed US companies in Chapter 11 by the end of 2012 Two such companies – Omega Navigation and General Maritime – have already filed for Chapter 11 Bearing in mind the current cash position of many such US listed entities I would be very surprised if my prediction was not exceeded The great oversupply of vessels in most sectors is likely to keep the shipping market in the doldrums for at least the next 12 months and possibly longer China has been the great driver for the shipping industry for more or less the last decade and any recovery that we are likely to see will be driven by Chinese demand for raw materials and Chinese exports to Western nations.  Randee Day is president and CEO of Day and Partners She has an extensive background in international trust and maritime law and has worked with clients on bankruptcies foreign judgments and strategies for disposing of real estate and shipping assets in various international jurisdictions Morgan’s Marine Transportation and Finance department in New York before founding Day & Partners Inc in 1985 She is an independent director of DHT Maritime a director of TBS International Limited and serves as a director of Ocean Rig ASA Ms Day can be contacted on +1 (203) 542 7234 or by email: randee@dayandpartners.com Harry Theochari is global head of transport at Norton Rose Group He specialises in international shipping finance and he has been involved with the financing of second-hand and new building vessels He is regarded as a leading expert in the financing of LNG vessels Mr Theochari and his team have been awarded the Legal Business Shipping Team of the Year Award the Jane’s Transport Legal House of the Year and  Transport Shipping Law Finance awards and the Lloyd’s Shipping Economist Award for legal services relating to shipping and shipping finance He can be contacted on +44 (0)20 7444 3648 or by email: harry.theochari@nortonrose.com Kuhlwein von Rathenow is a partner at Roland Berger Strategy Consultants GmbH He is the co-head of the firm’s Corporate Performance Competence Centre he has successfully restructured a variety of companies in all major industries across Europe For years he has worked intensively in the maritime industry across the whole value chain.  He is board vice chairman of the German Turnaround Management Association (TMA Deutschland) He can be contacted on +49 211 4389 2122 or by email: Nils_von_Kuhlwein@de.rolandberger.com 2.4.2020 13:32:54 CEST | Fielmann AG | Press release The first 20.000 protective glasses will be donated to hospitals and other medical organisationsFielmann AG has started the development and production of protective glasses in order to support the efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic.Fielmann AG has started the development and production of protective glasses in order to support the efforts to combat the Covid-19 pandemic Protective glasses are – next to masks – a vital component of the protective gear used by doctors and medical specialists These glasses are used to protect against droplet infection – a significant source of infections with Covid-19 explains: “Observing the rapid development of the coronavirus crisis we have altered a part of our supply chain for plastic frames in favour of protective glasses We have already started to produce protective gear according to the requirements of DIN EN 166 last week we carry out strict quality controls in our own testing laboratory in Rathenow we have submitted applications to renowned testing institutes to receive confirmation of our compliance with the EC-type examination We expect a certification according to the European PSA-guideline EN 2016/425 within the next two weeks we can provide a wide range of protective glasses.” The first 20.000 protective glasses will be donated to hospitals and other medical organisations nurses and their colleagues for their exceptional services during these hard times We hope that we can make a small contribution to support them in their life-saving work A special thanks goes to Hamburg’s Ministry of Health and Consumer Protection that supports us unbureaucratically with an expedited verification as well as special permissions we can equip doctors and medical staff with protective glasses very quickly” All medical organisations can submit their address and demand starting on Monday, 6 April 2020, 10:00 am at www.fielmann.de/service/schutzbrillen Fielmann will subsequently ship the protective glasses free of charge from its production and logistics centre in Rathenow In the meantime, Fielmann will increase its production capacities. From the middle of April onwards, we will be able to supply the market with high-quality protective glasses at affordable Fielmann prices at http://www.fielmann.de/service/schutzbrillen we will also offer protective glasses with prescription we can support system-critical professions even better The necessary consultation and measurements will take place in our stores that operate an emergency service The assembly of these glasses takes place in our production and logistics centre in Rathenow Further information:  Ulrike Abratis Subscribe to all the latest releases from Fielmann AG by registering your e-mail address below Martin Exner shows how to safeguard health in retail environment Acquisition of Slovenian market leader Optika Clarus part of Vision 2025 Günther Fielmann delegates responsibility to Marc Fielmann announced on November 27th that it has subscribed to a capital increase for a 20% equity ownership stake in FittingBox S.A. the world leader in 3D Try-On solutions dedicated to eyewear This investment is a decisive step in Fielmann’s digitization strategy Both parties agreed to keep the financial terms of the transaction confidentia