Domestic and international bands can enter the popular German Open Championships in Warstein-Belecke later this year The German Open Championship is offering an invitation to both domestic and international bands to compete at its event which takes place in Warstein-Belecke from October 17th to 19th Invitations are now open for an event that alternates with the German National Championships and is organised by the Deutsche Brass Band Verband e.V in cooperation with the International Brass Festival Sauerland-Herbst The joint Championship/First Division (A Section) has six places on offer for those wishing to be placed in it whilst the B Section (First/Second Division) has places for bands at that nationally graded level The C Section is for Third/Fourth and Youth Bands with 6 places available When applying bands must indicate which section of competition they wished to be placed in In Sections A and B bands can field up to 35 players whilst Section C is open without a maximum A Section bands must include a test-piece plus a solo item in a programme set that must not exceed 35 minutes in duration B Section bands must include a chorale or march plus test-piece in a programme not exceeding 25 minutes C Section bands must include a test-piece in a programme not exceeding 25 minutes For further details bands should go to: www.dbbv.org 4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month May 6 • The British Open Spring Festival will be held in Birmingham in 2026 May 6 • The incredible live sounds of Mike Lovatt's 'Brass Pack' can now be enjoyed following the release of their new album May 6 • The music making will go on long into the night in Stavanger on Friday with a special Midnight Brass treat from Manger Musikklag May 6 • Whitworth Vale & Healey capture the essence of victory as there are also wins for Delph Dobcross Silver and St John's Mossley in Buxton Saturday 10 May • Winter Gardens Complex May 6 • Midlands Area Champions IBB have an opening for an experienced percussionist Ambitious and enjoying a varied concert/contest program we are looking forward to the third section finals 2025 May 6 • Midlands Area Champions IBB have an opening for a full-time Bass player (position negotiable) Ambitious and enjoying a varied concert/contest program IBB are looking forward to the third section finals 2025 Rehearsals Mon/Thu in Coalville near M1 J22 May 5 • Ocean Brass are inviting applications for our Principal Cornet position as we prepare for an exciting schedule of concerts and contests in the second section through 2025 and beyond Purchase from RFR Group adds highest energy rated asset to managed REIT portfolio has acquired an office and research & development facility leased to Infineon Technologies AG (Infineon) a global real estate investment and development group commented: "As one of the world's largest semiconductor companies Infineon is a market leader and a solid addition to CPA®:18 – Global's tenant portfolio The recently completed facility is a mission-critical asset for Infineon and demonstrates its long-term strategic commitment to the region The purchase from RFR Group also highlights our ability to structure transactions worldwide with institutional owners and developers to provide liquidity in support of their global portfolio strategies." noted: "Given their focus on long-term leased quality single-tenant assets as well as their global investment expertise Carey's CPA®:18 – Global was the ideal buyer for this asset.  The transaction enabled us to efficiently carry out our strategic portfolio initiatives." W. P. Carey Inc.Please visit www.wpcarey.mediaroom.com for more information about W to access our image and video libraries and to follow us on social media This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Federal securities laws.  The statements of Mr Luoma are examples of forward looking statements A number of factors could cause CPA®:18 – Global's actual results performance or achievement to differ materially from those anticipated.  Among those risks trends and uncertainties are the general economic climate; the supply of and demand for office and industrial properties; interest rate levels; the availability of financing; risks associated with the acquisition and ownership of properties including risks that the tenants will not pay rent or that costs may be greater than anticipated; and risks related to CPA®:18 – Global's offering of shares.  For further information on factors that could impact CPA®:18 – Global reference is made to CPA®:18 – Global's respective filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission Company contact: Kristina McMenamin W. P. Carey Inc. 212-492-8995 [email protected] Press contact:Guy LawrenceRoss & Lawrence212-308-3333 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141001/149833 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130604/NY25517LOGO-b today reported its financial results for the.. announced today that it will release its financial results for the first quarter .. Banking & Financial Services Real Estate Acquisitions, Mergers and Takeovers Do not sell or share my personal information: Soviet coins and a harmonica were among the 400 artifacts archaeologists recently unearthed at the sites of an infamous Nazi massacre At the end of World War II in Europe over the course of a few days in March 1945 the Nazis murdered 208 Polish and Russian forced laborers in Germany's Westphalia-Lippe region Archaeologists have been looking for traces of the massacre in three rural sites — near the towns of Warstein They presented their findings to the public on March 8 Similar tactics were used in a field near Eversberg, where archaeologists also discovered artifacts; the Germans used grenades to blow a giant pit in the ground where they shot another 79 forced laborers and a child foreign laborers were forced to dig the trenches where 57 of them would be buried The Nazis had tried to cover up their crimes at these sites American troops liberated the region just weeks later they forced German townspeople to exhume the dead to be reburied in proper cemeteries Similar investigations took place at Eversberg and Warstein and just 14 of the victims have been identified by name and the murders are “an example of this part of our history that we have to face.” Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox He might have been referring to comments by Alexander Gauland one of the leaders of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party who said last year that "Hitler and the Nazis are just bird sh*t in more than 1,000 years of successful German history." Originally published on Live Science Mysterious Tikal altar that wasn't Maya after all includes at least 4 skeletons — and 1 was a child Ancient jawbone dredged off Taiwan seafloor belongs to mysterious Denisovan Digital 'resurrection' of the Titanic sheds light on fateful night the ship tore apart Toggle Sensemaker Daily The King's gun club Alexi Mostrous Every year, from May to September, marksmen’s festivals are held in the Sauerland in Germany. The three-day extravaganzas consist of marches through villages, church processions and dances. The highlight is a shooting competition, aimed at a wooden bird, that determines the new annual King. The origin of the clubs behind the festivals goes back to the civil defence in the Middle Ages. Most of these clubs or “brotherhoods” have strict rules; they represent conservative Christian values and do not allow women as members.  Growing up in a small village and visiting the local marksmen’s festivals since childhood has led me to this personal reflection on the tradition, which started in 2015 and took in 31 festivals. The bird raising for the shooting competition in Olsberg. In this village, women are not allowed to join this ritual. The bird is based on the imperial eagle and wears crown, sceptre and orb. Michael Lehmkühler, King in Brunskappel for 2016/17, posing for a portrait. In this village of under 250 inhabitants, an invitation to join the club is sent to all at the age of 16. The Marksmen’s Brotherhood in Warstein. Flag-bearers are tasked to carry the flags during the parades. In some clubs they receive penalties if the flag is damaged or the flag’s tip gets lost. The so-called “Geck shooting” in Oberkirchen determines the viceroy. Only a few clubs shoot for the viceroy on a figure of the medieval court jester. In other clubs, the penultimate shot counts as viceroy. Marksmen during the parade in the village of Oberkirchen, in which the anniversary couple and the new royal couple are picked up and escorted through the village with a marching band. Silke Hülfshoff poses for a portrait. She is the Queen in Brunskappel for 2016/17. Usually, the dresses are bought especially for the occasion. The last shot of the competition in Warstein in which Marc Brautigamm became the new king. The shooting competitions are being regulated more strictly; clubs complain about this and see their tradition as endangered. The jubilee king in Brunskappel, who shot down the bird 50 years ago, has requested that this year the marksmen march the last meters to the hall through the nearby river. This had not happened for several decades. Spectators during the parade in Warstein. During the festival, residents are asked to decorate their houses with the club flags. The king and court are celebrated at the royal table at night. The bird on the ceiling is the emperor bird which is shot out of all kings every five years. Hans Dieter Baller, a member of the royal household in Warstein for 2018. To be king once is his big dream. Ladies of the royal household on the royal table in Brunskappel. The royal household is chosen by the King and Queen. At night, the marching band plays directly at the king’s table while people stand on table and chairs. Preparations for breakfast on the day of the shooting competition in Warstein. The chairs are reserved for the royal couple. The marksmen and the marching band shortly after entering the marksmen‘s hall in Oberkirchen. The club was founded in 1827 and has about 750 members. Only men are allowed to join the club. Marco Schäfer, the first flag officer in Brunskappel, poses for a portrait in the marksmen’s hall. Ladies of the royal household in Balve celebrate the royal couple shortly after the marches. In Balve, the festival is celebrated in a big natural cave. One bird is constantly hanging in the marksmen’s hall. The village, Silbach, used to be a mining town. The usual club clothing for the mining industry was also taken over by the marching band. Marksmen’s hall of Brunskappel. Club flags are hung in the hall after the parades. In the Sauerland, the halls were built decades ago and belong to the marksmen’s clubs. Hans-Georg and Kriemhilde Vogt pose for a portrait in Silbach. Georg shot the bird in 1968, which is why the couple celebrate their 50th anniversary in Silbach and get honoured during the festival. Marksmen during the mass in Siedlinghausen. The sermons mostly deal with the charitable tasks and history of the marksmen. Two marksmen at the emergency exit of the marksmen’s hall. The beer nearby is usually transported in carrying baskets for 10 beers. The first marksmen’s festivals were celebrated in the time around Pentecost. The May was also called the green month, which is why the marksmen dressed green. Carolin Dreisbach, ladies’ cup bearer 2002 in Langewiese, is a member of the only club in the Sauerland where women are members, and are also allowed to take part in a shooting competition. Snack house in Küstelberg. A stand with currywurst and fries is indispensable on a marksmen’s festival. The 43rd marksmen’s festival in the city of Marsberg. The city-festival is celebrated each time in a different associated village. Because of the number of visitors, a tent was built next to the marksmen’s hall. Two second world war carbines are used for the shooting competition. The ammunition for the shootings is subject to strict regulations and is much weaker loaded. Frank Gerke poses for a portrait. His uniform is based on the old mining town of Silbach. He had the task being torchbearer. A marksman late at night at a shooting gallery. Such booths can be found at every festival. For many years, the same booth operators have come to the festivals. Marksmen and visitors during the royal dance in the Balver Cave. For over 150 years, the Brotherhood celebrates its festival in this cave. The oldest surviving flag in Balve is from 1845. Markus Rustige poses for a portrait. The wooden rifle is worn during the processions and often decorated with flowers. The war memorial in honour of the dead from the two world wars in Brunskappel. A visit to the memorial, with prayers and wreath-laying, is an integral part of every festival. The Kreisschützenfest in Grevenbrück, a festival for all the clubs in the Sauerland area, and the last of the season, ended with a firework display. Felix Hagedorn and Nicole Ewald pose for a portrait in the marksmen’s hall in Warstein. They are the royal couple of the bachelor Marksmen’s Club in Warstein for 2017/18. Arne Piepke grew up in a small village surrounded by hills and trees. His attitude towards photography was shaped by an urge to break out and explore. He deals with social issues and the people’s connection to history and their surroundings.  In 2018 he won the PDNedu Student Contest in the category photojournalism, was among the winners of PDN Emerging Photographer and got nominated for the W. Eugene Smith Student Grant. He is a founding member of DOCKS Collective and currently attending the MA Photographic Studies in Dortmund/GER. 92-year-old cardinal sets the mood for a fractious conclave Supreme Court gender ruling brings guidelines and protests Whitewebbs oak cut back by Toby Carvery was ‘more significant than Sycamore Gap tree’ Streaming boom threatens one of the most charming events in poker Manchester United’s long slide to irrelevance Immigration policies dent sales of America’s best-selling beer Forever Howlong by Black Country, New Road: a twee-toned turnaround The Amateur: an unconvincing revenge flick Not-so-happy families for refugees in Austria Six Conversations We’re Scared to Have by Deborah Frances-White Microsoft workers allegedly fired after protesting Israeli AI contract Chicken jockey: how two words created a hullabaloo at the cinema US Supreme Court allows use of wartime law to deport migrants Russell Brand faces charges in the UK – he’s thought to be in the US A free newsletter from Tortoise. Take once a day for greater clarity. Google Play Store Follow: I arrived in Italy in the rather peculiar situation of being the owner of a hot-air balloon but never having been in one I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice I’m in Italy, in Piedmonte, staying in a lovely little town called Mondovi while I attempt to learn to fly a hot-air balloon. I’m not learning in my balloon; I’m the guest of a gentleman called Andrew Holly, a man who appears to have more balloons than is strictly necessary for one individual. The original plan was to slowly learn my new hobby back at home in the Cotswolds but I need a minimum of 16 hours’ flying time before I can even think about getting a pilot’s licence and it quickly became apparent that this would mean a lot of time standing in English fields at dawn waiting for the wind to drop while attempting to persuade friends to get out of bed and drive the recovery vehicle. So Andrew suggested I join him in Mondovi as the town, being sheltered on almost three sides by the Alps, is particularly blessed with the weather conditions needed to balloon. So I’m here for 10 days’ tuition in between eating and drinking my bodyweight in fresh pasta, pizza and Rossinis. Fortunately, I have chosen to be a hot-air balloonist and not a gas balloonist. The latter is the one where you need to chuck ballast out of the balloon, as it gets progressively less buoyant. Anybody flying with me in one of those would view me as an impediment to prolonged flight and would be seriously considering chucking me overboard. I arrived in Italy in the rather peculiar situation of being the owner of a hot-air balloon but never having been in one. There was a little part of me that was rather nervous. I had vivid nightmares in which I howled like a demented baby, crying and clinging to the wicker wastepaper bin that we fly around in, while demanding to be brought back to terra firma. As it was, I absolutely loved my first flight. We floated low and slow over the red-tiled rooftops of Mondovi before hovering over the tips of trees and spotting wild boar and deer in the forests below. It was magical. When, on my second flight, we soared up to 3,000ft, I did feel a slight urge to head down the screaming baby route. Fortunately, I managed to conceal my panic by muttering admiring things about the clouds and not looking down too much. As my flight hours increase however, I am getting a little calmer at altitude; you can’t beat the fantastic feeling of floating low over the Italian countryside like some voluminous peeping Tom. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies What began as a hobby grew into a lifelong passion and thriving career in international equestrian sports for Jens Wawrauschek Jens has developed himself into a specialist in the training and buying and selling of show jumpers he knows how to find the perfect balance between training champions and creating perfect matches between horse and rider Jens Wawrauschek is not your typical descendant of a family of riders Although his passion for horses was always present equestrian sports remained mostly a hobby for his family he decided to broaden his horizons and started working at the stable of Olympic champion Lars Nieberg who at the time managed the Gestüt Wäldershausen in Homberg/Ohm This experience fueled his interest further and he pursued a degree in event management at EN GARDE Marketing while also studying business economics in Bremerhaven I continued to train and sell sport horses," Jens recalls and Jens found the perfect balance between his passions: working with horses and customer service He had the opportunity to join the renowned stable of Paul Schockemöhle where he focused on training and marketing sport horses This experience led him to work with Holger Hetzel and eventually Hans Horn in the Netherlands I learned a lot about selecting the best young show jumpers and developing them to championship level," Jens explains It was here that he also developed his sharp eye for matching the right horses with the right riders Jens took the leap into entrepreneurship and founded his own business: 'Jens Wawrauschek Horses.' Thanks to the spacious and professional facilities provided by the Cramer family in Warstein he was able to focus entirely on training and selling high-quality show jumpers combined with excellent after-sales service for his clients I honestly had no idea where Warstein was located," he laughs now and he has since grown fond of the advantages this location offers with relatively short travel times to key equestrian venues such as Peelbergen and Opglabbeek and close to major airports like Frankfurt The picturesque village at the edge of the Sauerland has proven to be the ideal place for training and trading sport horses "I now have a long-term lease contract with the Cramer family and I am very grateful for this stable situation." Although Jens has achieved success in competitions up to the 1.60-meter level "My highest goal is the long-term development of my horses Their individual growth is an essential part of success for me it’s about ensuring the horses perfectly suit their new owners," Jens explains This philosophy is at the core of his work as a rider and horse trader: finding the right match and ensuring that horses and riders bring out the best in each other managing partner of the Warsteiner Group passed away on November 20 His passing means the Warsteiner Brewery has lost its senior partner and a man who made history in the German and international beer market Albert Cramer was a visionary who tirelessly promoted the growth and development of his brewery and gastronomy business As the eighth generation of the Cramer family from the Sauerland region in western Germany Albert Cramer was a successful entrepreneur who remained loyal to his hometown Warstein and the people living in the region who joined the executive management team of the Warsteiner Group in 2006 will continue the management of the company into the ninth generation Albert Cramer grew up together with his three sisters in his parents’ home After completing high school in Bad Godesberg he went on to study business administration at the University of Cologne gaining his first professional experience at the business consulting firm Kienbaum he joined the family brewery managed by his father and later became a limited partner and shareholder before assuming 100 percent of the company shares With an output of more than 300,000 hectolitres the Warsteiner Brewery was already among the largest breweries in Germany Albert Cramer’s innovative ideas and marketing talents helped lead the family enterprise headquartered in the Sauerland to become the largest and most successful privately-owned brewery in Germany with an annual output of more than six million hectolitres which also includes the German hotel chain Welcome consists of diverse subsidiaries with approximately 2300 employees generating annual revenues of more than 520 million euros Albert Cramer was the first German brewery owner to promote beer through national advertisement campaigns effectively suggesting a correlation to sparkling wines and champagnes Cramer succeeded in developing a new trend in fine dining making beer in Germany socially acceptable amidst more sophisticated settings Together with the renowned glass designer Hermann Hoffmann Cramer created in 1969 the Warsteiner Tulip a beer glass that influences the brand image of Warsteiner to this day the iconic glass was immortalized on canvas by the legendary pop-art artist Andy Warhol in New York City Warhol’s examples of the tulip glass adorn the administration building of the Warsteiner Brewery the young entrepreneur undertook a bold investment to build a new Warsteiner brewery in the Waldpark area on the outskirts of Warstein thereby laying the foundation for a solid and prosperous financial future for the entire region Albert Cramer created the most modern brewery in Europe which to this day sees continuous investments and commitments to the environment and sustainability Albert Cramer was in the position to invest outside of Germany early on his career and he successfully grew his enterprise into the largest export business among the private breweries in Germany the Warsteiner brand is present in more than 60 countries around the world Warsteiner set up its own sales companies in USA and successfully integrated acquisitions of the Paderborner Brewery the Frankenheim Brewery in Düsseldorf and the Herforder Brewery as well as holdings in the König Ludwig Schloßbrauerei Kaltenberg in Bavaria Cramer initiated in 1986 the first Warsteiner International Montgolfiade which grew into the largest annual hot-air balloon festival in Europe With mass ascensions of over 200 balloons and more than 300 pilots from around the world this annual event draws more than 200,000 spectators each year to Warstein and plays a significant role in the attractiveness and tourism in Nordrhein-Westphalia and the Sauerland region Albert Cramer was also a fan of Formula One racing and successfully merged his love for the sport with his marketing engagement making the Warsteiner brand world famous in the 1990s Another of Cramer’s successful sponsorship activities focused on international ski and equestrian events Albert Cramer felt passionately about giving back to the community by promoting charitable projects in Warstein and its surroundings throughout his life This heartfelt commitment to ensure long-term sustainable support is evident in the Paul-Cramer-Foundation which he set up in honor of his father This foundation has been financially aiding social and cultural initiatives in the region for many years Albert Cramer also fostered many international children’s charity projects throughout his lifetime including the building of several SOS Children’s Villages as well as other third-world projects in South America and Africa Albert Cramer was a pioneer of the German brewing industry who shaped and formed the German market inimitably He leaves a great void in the lives of his loved ones His strong personality and his creative powers will be long remembered and appreciated by all those who came in contact with him personally alexandra@rt-com.com +44. (0)20 73887421 Senior Account Manager | Richmond Towers Communications E-mail: alexandra@rt-com.com Follow us on twitter @DrinksPRAgency Email secretary@beerguild.co.uk Copyright © The British Guild of Beer Writers 2025 Developed by HGA German Under 25 dressage rider Anna Christina Abbelen has decided on a professional career in horses and agreed to set up an independent business at her boyfriend Christoffer Lindenberg's place near Bonn Abbelen is the 2014 European Junior Riders Champion (on Furst on Tour) and won double silver at the 2017 European Young Riders Championships (on First Lady) In 2018 she made the transition to Under 25 Grand Prix level with Henny Hennessy a horse trained to S-level by Manuela Gorski She competed at four internationals in 2019 and mainly focused on the national Piaff Forderpreis circuit in Germany The European Under 25 Championships are still on her wish list Abbelen has now decided to begin her own dressage business at her boyfriend Christoffer Lindenberg's yard in Rodderberg The Danish born Christoffer is son of the renowned Danish gynaecologist Svend Lindenberg He is a jumper rider and for the past 12 years has been based in Germany He is now begun his own business in Rodderberg where Abbelen will move in her three horses and future clients In 2019 Abbelen had moved from her base at Heiner Schiergen's in Krefeld to go study in Munich She still needs to hand her Masters Thesis on the theme of "Story-Telling" following an internship in a communication company in Cologne In September 2020 she also wants to do one semester abroad just across the border in Maastricht (NED) before she can become a Master in Business and Communication Anna recently returned back north with her horses though not to Krefeld but instead to Lindenberg in Warstein but hopes to reconnect with Schiergen soon In an interview with St-Georg "because of my allergies (Anna is allergic to horse hair) it is still unclear if it will work (a professional career in horses) But at least for my Under 25 time and as long as I am young i want to ride first and make a living out of it I always say the things will come the way they come." Stalls for Rent at Durondeau Dressage in Peer, Belgium Exceptionally Well Located Equestrian Facility in Wellington, Florida Well-built Equestrian Estate With Multiple Business Opportunities in Sweden Stable Units for Rent at Lotje Schoots' Equestrian Center in Houten (NED) For Rent: Several Apartments and Stable Wing at High-End Equestrian Facility Stable Wing Available at Reiterhof Wensing on Dutch/German border Real Estate: Well-Appointed Country House with Extensive Equestrian Facility in the U.K. Rémi Blot The German brewing industry loses one of its more colourful albeit controversial characters yet at times charming and very much down-to-earth whereas in later years he gravitated towards the role of a patriarch His private life and his professional life saw their fair share of dramas and tragedies was run by his father and his cousin when he joined in 1968 at the age of 25 Warsteiner was a medium-sized brewery in the back of beyond But in Warstein they were no country bumpkins They saw that marketing – in those days a newfangled discipline – could take their beer to places and eventually to market leadership the brewery was producing 2 million hl beer he had to buy out his cousin Claus for an estimated 200 million Deutschmarks (today EUR 100 million) Mr Cramer turned his family business into Germany’s largest brewing company With the slogan “The real deal” (“Das einzig Wahre”) his Warsteiner pils became the biggest selling beer brand in Germany At its peak in 1994 Warsteiner sold more than 6 million hl beer Mr Cramer initiated an ambitious expansion programme which led him to set up distribution companies in the U.S. Even more ambitious was his plan to tap into emerging markets he built a one million hl brewery outside Buenos Aires which unfortunately never turned profitable which he was forced to sell to France’s Pierre Castel in 2007 the Düsseldorf Frankenheim brewery and the brewery Herford in Westphalia plus a stake in Schloßbrauerei Kaltenberg in Bavaria these takeovers helped to conceal the fact that his own Warsteiner Brewery was witnessing significant volume losses By 2011 its output had dropped to 2.7 million hl beer which includes the German Welcome Hotel Group employs some 2,300 people and has an annual turnover of more than EUR 520 million Mr Cramer is survived by his three daughters Josephin and Catherina and five grandchildren To ensure that his brewery will be run by a ninth generation family member in 2006 joined the Warsteiner management team Newsletter archive and information This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. Historians in Germany unveiled on Friday some 400 artefacts unearthed from three rural sites where Nazi troops killed 208 forced labourers shortly before the end of the war. Shoes, clothes and prayer books are some of the finds researchers dug up in Arnnsberg Forest, in Sauerland, a mountainous area in North-Rhine Westphalia, in western Germany. It was there that between March 20 and March 23, 1945 — just six weeks before the armistice that would end World War II — members of the Waffen-SS and Wehrmacht gunned down 208 Polish and Russian forced labourers before stealing their most precious belongings. Most of the artefacts were excavated from the scene of the first mass murder in Langenbachtal near the city of Warstein in which 71 people were killed, including 60 women, 10 men and one child. The two other nearby sites at Eversberg and Suttrop yielded fewer finds. The bodies had been exhumed shortly after the end of the war with American troops ordering former members of the Nazi party to unearth those killed at two of the sites and bury them in a nearby cemetery — a process they filmed and photographed. The third site was discovered in late 1946 after the English military authority received an anonymous tip. So far, only 14 of the 208 victims have been identified. Marcus Weidner, an archaeologist who worked on the excavations, said the artefacts "should be used for memorial, cultural projects," including at the Fulmecke cemetery, where most of the victims rest. Regional Westphalia-Lippe executive head Matthias Löb said of the finds: "We have been experiencing the trivialization and increasing denial of the crimes of the Second World War and the Nazi dictatorship for several years, but the murders are part of our history that we must own up to." ballooning once made a solid contribution to science and to war You wait a long time for a literary book about ballooning to appear and then… well, the stock joke about coming in threes doesn't quite work because there are only two such new books afloat. In Julian Barnes's Levels of Life, the ballooning piece is only one section out of three. But, still, there's something in the air. Richard Holmes caught the bug a long time ago. He traces his fascination to an encounter with a helium balloon at the age of four. Besides the attraction of the romance, the danger, and the views, for Holmes the footstepping biographer the appeal lies in the stories: "Show me a balloon and I'll show you a story; quite often a tall one". The birth of ballooning in the 18th century was one chapter in his magisterial The Age of Wonder; here he has the licence to pursue more of those tall tales. Many of the pioneers had dreams of commercial success, especially in America, but the history of ballooning is mostly a catalogue of stunts, eccentric characters, fairground razzmatazz and, above all, accidents, often fatal. This was the last serious use of untethered balloons, after which came the dirigibles, powered, steerable airships exemplified by the Zeppelins; much circus trickery, often involving women balloonists; and Richard Branson. Still, on a sunny day, a balloon sailing over a heat-hazed landscape always gladdens the heart. 'Nanoscience: Giants of the Infinitesimal' by Peter Forbes and Tom Grimsey will be published by Papadakis in October By Richard Holmes","description":"Now a weightless pastime "We are investing in the future," says Carsten Kritz "It is essential for hotels to be available in a wide variety of booking channels and to Come in and feel at home – this is what guest will experience at any of the 17 Welcome About Trust International Hotel Reservation Services GmbH Via Trust"s own communication centers located in North America Established in 1989 Trust International is renowned for its highly reliable reservation Christiane Seelgen View source the archaeologists said that the items left behind were a testament to the last hours of people who were cruelly murdered German archaeologists have revealed some of the poignant artifacts that they have unearthed at three sites where the Nazis slaughtered 208 forced laborers just before the end of World War II and a prayer book are among the everyday items that have been dug up from sites in the Arnsberg Forest which is situated in a mountainous area in the North-Rhine Westphalia region of Germany gunned down 208 Russian and Polish forced laborers in the period from 20 to 23 March 1945 The slaughter took place in three separate locations in the Arnsberg Forest The first round of killings was carried out near the town of Warstein in the Langenbach Valley when Nazi troops forced 71 prisoners (10 men and one child) to march into the forest after telling them to leave their belongings on the side of the road as they would come back to collect them A firing squad then shot the unsuspecting victims after which the corpses were interred in mass graves — but only when the soldiers had helped themselves to anything that they wanted from the bodies The soldiers took all of the cash held by the prisoners The victims’ clothing was distributed to German people living nearby Most of the artifacts on display from the archeological dig were recovered from this first location but that the artifacts also provided valuable information about the manner in which this slaughter was conducted these personal possessions such clothing decorated with beads and buttons and crockery have lain underground along with evidence of the massacre and even the shovels used to cover the corpses It was in this location that 57 laborers were forced to dig trenches that had been laid out in a zig-zag pattern Little did they realize that they were digging their own graves Fewer artifacts were recovered from here suggesting that the Nazi forces were better prepared to hide the evidence of their evil actions The last site excavated was near the town of Meschese at a place called Eversberg The Nazis used hand grenades to create a pit They then lined up 80 victims along the top of the hole This mass grave was hidden under a paddock in which cows grazed archaeologists found over 50 items including Russian coins It is likely that the Nazis viewed these things with disdain but the archaeologists believe that these items would have held a special place in the hearts of the victims There were no bodies exhumed during the course of the excavation since American troops forced former members of the Nazi Party to exhume the bodies at the first two locations and bury them in a nearby cemetery This process was photographed and filmed by the Americans It was not until November 1946 that an informant told the British military of the mass grave the British exhumed the bodies of the massacre victims and arranged for them to be reinterred at the Fulmecke Cemetery in Meschede alongside the victims of the other two massacres this could change in the future as there is a renewed push to undertake a genealogical study to positively identify more of the anonymous victims and bring closure to their families Read another story from us: Genocide And War Crimes – The Worst Japanese Massacres of WWII the executive head of the Westphalia-Lippe region said: “We have been experiencing the trivialization and increasing denial of the crimes of the Second World War and the Nazi dictatorship for several years but the murders are part of our history that we must own up to.” We can only hope that these victims who have been ignored for so long will at long last get the attention they deserve Ian Harvey is one of the authors writing for WAR HISTORY ONLINE You have successfully submitted your enquiry Someone from our company will respond ASAP Esser-Werke produces highly wear-resistant conveying pipe systems based on double-layer pipes and components 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 Five new galleries display 500 works from the IWM’s collection which show the power of imagery to question and influence thinking about conflict Culture | Exhibitions There's a picture I can't forget since my visit to the Imperial War Museum’s new Blavatnik Art, Film and Photography Galleries. It’s a photograph, taken immediately after the end of the Second World War her hand curled around the younger boy’s eyes to keep him from seeing what lies next to them as they pass – a line of decomposing bodies; murdered Soviet citizens in Warstein by a member of the United States Army Signal Corps is a piece of reportage a record of the Allies’s practice of forcing German civilians to personally witness the horrifying consequences of their actions and inactions and it raised questions – should children be shielded from these horrors be immune from blame and therefore punishment indoctrinated from their earliest days into hate should they be shocked out of their conditioning as weak or pathetic or downright evil people in the face of the atrocity of the Holocaust also harrowingly represented across both newsreel and artworks in these galleries not to conclude that the latter is necessary But my complex response to this small picture is a keen example of the power of imagery to question expose and influence thinking about conflict That’s the focus of these five new galleries a permanent home for this extensive part of the IWM’s collection which before was treated rather as an afterthought In the first room a wall of different kinds of works, from Evelyn Dunbar’s 1943 painting Land Army Girls Going to Bed to Peter Jackson’s They Shall Not Grow Old from 2018 and a timeline outlines the development of art and image as a response to and a tool of conflict from Walter Sickert's contemplative patriotic painting Tipperary in 1914 to John Timberlake and Suzanne Plunket’s images of the 9/11 attacks In the following rooms, we get glimpses of the many facets of image-making – photomontage such as kennardphillipps' Photo Op, 2007, a picture of Tony Blair taking an early selfie with a backdrop of a burning oil field is contrasted with composites and staged images from the Great War raising questions about intention and authenticity The co-opting of the female body as a symbol of nationhood crops up over and over in the propaganda section while the light of humanity amid the darkness of war is a repeated theme throughout so that the gorgeous pinky-yellow evening light that diffuses through the scene is more pronounced and the tenderness between the blinded men And image as memorial is never far away – Steve McQueen's unfinished project Queen and Country each of which commemorates a soldier killed in the Iraq War between 2003 and 2008 (unfinished because McQueen expected them to be issued by the Royal Mail which never happened) has also been conserved Tony Blair’s ex-chief of staff made special envoy on Chagos Islands sovereignty talks Top Tory Robert Jenrick defends saying he'd vote for Donald Trump Make education a priority with help from these acclaimed resources there’s far too much here to take in at once initiate new discussions and reinforce anew the conviction that the cost of conflict is always IWM, from November 10; iwm.org.uk Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin David Beckham extends olive branch to son Brooklyn amid 'family feud' New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications from nationalities most likely to overstay New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications Young people aren’t staying in Germany’s small rural cities These now empty places are becoming centers for radical right wing ideologies This is particularly noticeable in eastern Germany where more than 2 million people—mostly well-educated women—have left to pursue lives in the more prosperous former West they’ve left shrinking cities and deteriorating infrastructure Over the past 10 years, Ochs and Hegemann have found themselves spending more time in the Uckermark. In that time, they’ve co-developed the annual Uckermark Festival alongside fellow musicians and Uckermark residents Thomas Fehlmann and Gudrun Gut (we featured her home there in our recent video feature about her) They’ve witnessed the consequences of the region’s cultural brain drain first hand In 2011, they were approached by PCK Refinery— an oil refinery in the Uckermark city of Schwedt that’s also the region’s biggest employer—to help find ways to make the city more attractive to young professionals. The result was the founding of Happy Locals a Berlin-based initiative that aims to reverse the brain drain by working with local city administrations to establish independent cultural spaces for young people Both Ochs and Hegemann helped to shape Berlin nightlife before and after the fall of the wall. They are convinced that small rural towns can become more attractive by offering spaces for young creatives to meet in a setting as free as possible from economic pressure. These can be party spaces, like Tresor The idea is that these spaces will act as incentives to get people to either stay or come back after getting higher education in a big city Happy Locals recently won the prestigious Kultur- und Kreativpiloten Prize which is awarded annually by Germany’s Federal Government We caught up with Ochs and Hegemann to ask them a few questions about their project to reshape the rural cultural landscape Dimitri Hegemann: I really would have liked to have stayed in my village back then But there was no place where I could put my ideas into practice Woodstock was the inspiration for me and a few friends back then I still think many of the hippie ideals are very good: the critical stance advocating for peace—and to be open for new music DH: I actually wanted to establish a rural commune That’s why I moved to West Berlin in 1980 I’ve regularly been spending time in the countryside young people are still struggling with similar problems Conservatism forces them to move to the city even if they don’t entirely want to leave it’s a reason why they won’t move back later AO: Small town life was not inspiring enough for me I definitely wanted to get out of the province I’d already moved around a lot—from one small town in the southwest of Germany to the next Maybe that’s why I was never so rooted in a certain place The only way of feeling kind of home was by walking through nature I spent a lot of time with my family in nature and always loved it But I needed the impulse of the big city then The longing for nature and peace is growing again I think that’s probably a normal aspect of getting older But communities don’t use their potential and they let these potential doers—we call them operators—just go away They move to the big city and are lost forever To quote Annette’s text from the “Happy Locals” manual: “If the youth get bored in their hometown and cannot develop they usually want to go to the next biggest city because they hope to have a more fulfilling life there.” That’s how it was for me I was mainly busy with techno and with the city when I started traveling around Brandenburg on a regular basis I felt reminded of my own situation in the ’70s we want to encourage the mayors and municipalities to focus on youth again Our presence is not meant as a provocation The fact that young people move from the countryside to the city is nothing new and that won’t change is whether it is possible to design the province in such a way that some of them come back after education in recent years it has become clear that the municipalities have to be careful that not too many young people leave and never come back to finally be able to do something on their own initiative It doesn’t immediately have to be something provocative or world-changing DH: There are still youth centers here and there AO: Especially the self-managed youth centers have been subject to budget cuts And the people who ran them grew older and perhaps they didn’t find anyone to continue running them because that way of thinking wasn’t promoted These are mainly people who completely dedicate themselves to their projects There are usually only very few such people in each small town People should finally take them seriously and give them the opportunity to do something aside from the conventional youth center they should receive a kind of work contract I think that would actually also be the cheapest way Apart from the fact that it would reduce depopulation and curb the danger that a far right mainstream becomes established They can also join forces and pay for it together The absurd thing is that everything is already in place for it The youth is hungry and the ideas are there DH: We went to the Schwedt city administration and told them that we wanted to ask young people from the city two questions: What do you like we quickly got in contact with a few people who were based in both Berlin and Schwedt Their reaction was: “If we manage to open a space where people can develop things undisturbed then we will stay in Schwedt.” That confirmed our theory They then advertised our upcoming workshop in the local press and by word of mouth The kids who participated immediately knew what they needed AO: Afterwards the municipality said that we could continue to use the room There was basically a promise from the mayor But then suddenly he was impossible to get ahold of and the key to the shop was gone They dragged it out until all the momentum was drained DH: There definitely was resistance–from several directions in Schwedt there is a big theater: the Uckermärkische Bühne This is a kind of municipal theater with 80 or 90 employees And even they often complain that young people are leaving the city So we had a discussion and said: “Okay then take 10% of your budget and invest it in the youth.” First the room was quiet One of our team had to explain that I didn’t mean it literally AO: One of our priorities is that we encourage administrations to approach the youth and then They should make the funding and the space available but then leave the design to the young people DH: We’re not talking about 100 people who should be hired now We’re talking about one or two operators who are responsible At the moment when that kind of space is created and young people realize they are being taken seriously and can get involved there the attractiveness of remaining local or coming back after completing training or studies rapidly increases We have also suggested that the local economy contributes the local bank could have a new logo designed by a few street artists from the town That also sends a signal: This is the new generation from Schwedt AO: What’s important is that the young people in their town or small community have the experience of producing something on their own or setting it up on their own It’s about experiencing self-efficacy That then also creates a sense of identification with the place: “I can do something cool here so I’ll stay here.” Or: “I’ll come back after my education.” The latter is perhaps even better because a change of perspective equals a broadening of horizons It’s important that these people then come back with the knowhow that they’ve acquired DH: Finding that will to reinvent oneself is the biggest challenge the staleness from 40 years of youth work was quite pronounced The youth center was totally cramped and had that kind of outdated atmosphere My idea was to rebuild the center as a social sculpture But I don’t want to have to discuss for three months They probably thought: “What are these Berliners doing here Are they crazy or what?” The young people were quite taken with the idea of transforming the building according to their own ideas Another challenge was the lack of external input There is a lot of high culture and people have quite a lot of money But there’s hardly any room for subculture There is a lot of concentration in Mannheim and Heidelberg But it’s very thinned out in rural areas Subculture is often actively obstructed there Getting there by train is something quite different than going to the Rhein-Neckar area DH: Our coaching is always based on how Berlin was after the wall came down We try to convey the experience of that time when a lot was possible and there was hardly any control those failures and success stories have decisively influenced the city of Berlin I think we need to develop a system to coach the decision makers AO: Last November we had a network meeting at Kraftwerk There were various actors from allover Germany that we’d met previously We want to continue that networking and exchange of knowledge The long-term goal is to start an academy for young people: Academy for Subcultural Understanding we want to hold similar networking meetings and workshops for the decision makers as well as for the educators who run existing youth centers out in the communities We’ve just submitted funding applications for that DH: It’s slowly being recognized that the future only functions with youth a lot of effort is being put into rural development The practical implementation is often lacking That’s also where I see our job: to support and encourage that I certainly don’t want to overdo that anarchic Berlin-thing there are enough building blocks in every community to make things happen And it stands or falls upon having a space where people can meet and unfold There are often concerns relating to liability There’s a degree program at the technical college called “cultural work” We gave a Happy Locals talk there and around 40 students attended Afterwards we got into conversations with some of them also because they don’t know exactly what they want to do in life only that it should be in the cultural field We asked how many of them came from the city and how many came from the country It turned out that three-quarters came from the country And during our conversations it also came out that many of them would best like to go back and transform an old train station into a cultural center or something That strengthened my conviction that there needs to be even more engagement in training and education DH: We also considered how this overdose of creative people in Berlin can be distributed They’d be in Stralsund for three days My idea would be a kind of booking agency for provincial tours I don’t yet know exactly how it would work But young people in the small towns need that AO: That would be a nice win-win situation It’s still the case that people in the city talk somewhat condescendingly about the province and provincial people while those from the villages accuse city-dwellers of thinking that they know everything better We imagine an open and constructive exchange the pressure to do something sensible decreased rapidly I met a lot of sympathetic young people who also had no idea where the journey was heading Our mantra was always: Let’s just try as many things as possible That’s what’s comfortable about the city Previously I thought I was a total loser simply because I didn’t want to become a bureaucrat AO: What we want to convey and pass on to the young people is a certain carefreeness we also had that because there was a greater sense of security in our generation If people have the opportunity to try things out then over time they develop a confidence in their own abilities Also that one can pull themselves out of a crisis situation on their own That is an important lesson that can be learned when you have more freedom But if–as is typical these days–everything is always predetermined and the structures leave little space then one can’t develop that self-confidence 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 Sign up now to receive our free regular PNG Business Update by email Papua New Guinea's Premier Business Magazine The World Bank’s Steffi Stallmeister Education is a powerful driver of development and is one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty and inequality as well as improving health and gender equality Born in Warstein in north-west Germany (pop: 26,000) Stallmeister credits her upbringing for her deep interest in education My father was a shepherd and that shaped my values and also my passion for education because it is education that opens up opportunities Education opens doors to new opportunities to change lives because it’s critical that a country has education as a basic priority Stallmeister joined the World Bank to make a difference ‘The World Bank’s strong support to education and its overall goal to reduce poverty and boost shared prosperity attracted me to the institution,’ she says Stallmeister worked for the German development agency focusing on vocational training and economic development issues has a basic knowledge of Spanish and Indonesian and two Masters degrees ‘My favourite part of PNG so far has been meeting the people in the communities who welcomed me and never lost patience in answering my many questions.’ Stallmeister’s work with the World Bank has so far taken her to Africa the World Bank’s priorities have been infrastructure and agriculture The World Bank’s cumulative lending to PNG totals US$298.67 million (K868.3 million) for 16 active projects focusing on infrastructure A key agricultural project is the Productive Partnerships in Agriculture Project (PPAP) designed is to improve the livelihoods of some 60,000 smallholder cocoa and coffee producers PPAP aims to work with smallholder farmers to double yield and improve the quality of their coffee and cocoa so it’s absolutely critical to strengthen the agriculture sector and create opportunities for Papua New Guineans in rural areas,’ she notes Her three-year appointment as PNG Country Manager ends in 2017 but could be extended for a further two years because the idea is to rotate experts across regions as the World Bank philosophy is to share global knowledge and to change countries and regions and that’s how we add value.’ Thankyou for your articial on Ms Steffi Stallmeister and her passion for education in PNG I share here thoughts and Idears and would like to assist you see our company makes modula classrooms that we can transport to PNG We are known in the area for many years and ask if you can put us in contact with this lady by email………… regards David T…………… Business leaders are not quite ready to call it, but there are promising signs as Papua New Guinea celebrates its 50th anniversary … [Read More...] After a decade focused on existing minerals and hydrocarbons production, Papua New Guinea is gearing up for an anticipated wave of … [Read More...] In this exclusive interview with Business Advantage PNG, Barrick Gold’s President and Chief Executive Mark Bristow talks about the … [Read More...] This week's 2024 Business Advantage PNG Investment conference saw top speakers from across the business sector and government come … [Read More...] Privacy policy LUXEMBOURG — According to eyewitnesses at the Grand Duke's palace Nancy Pelosi was rushed to the hospital earlier today after her blood alcohol level plunged dangerously Sources say that the Democrat representative is now in stable condition having downed several vodka tonics and three glasses of wine since the incident who has been caring for Pelosi since she was hospitalized earlier today Pelosi skipped her usual four morning screwdrivers then accidentally drank too much water over lunch If not for the quick actions of our emergency personnel to get a fifth of vodka in her bloodstream Condolences and casks of alcohol have poured into the Luxembourg hospital where Pelosi is staying overnight in a heartwarming effort to keep Pelosi safely sloshed Initial reports note that the doctors have graciously tried some of the gifts themselves so that they can make sure the alcohol content is high enough for Rep doctors had outfitted Pelosi with one of those beer hats to ensure she always had a steady supply of alcohol at the ready Access comments and our fully-featured social platform.