Beyond Berlin

Beyond Berlin

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Words

From Greek Fire to Bunker-Busters: The Allure of Wonder Weapons and Humanity’s Terrible Love for War.
Among German words adopted globally, Wunderwaffe is one of the darkest—yet it perfectly captures the deep psychology behind how we talk about weapons…
Thomas Mann at 150: At War with Words Against Hitler, for the German Soul.
From Nobel laureate to wartime broadcaster—how literature's giant became democracy's strongest voice against Nazi Germany.
"This is not my Europe"
Giorgia Meloni wrestles with ghosts of the past: the noble spirits of Europe's founding fathers confined to Ventotene, and the darker shadows of her…
3:18
Hope is Not a Spectator Sport
Real hope has little to do with optimism, nor with passive waiting: the voices of Vaclav Havel and Pope Francis on what hope is and what it demands.
A journey through the language of freedom, from Athens and Rome to today's Ukraine.
There are many words for "freedom", but one stands out and has become even more powerful in recent years: the Ukrainian во́ля, "volia". A journey…
"You shall fly, dove of peace; Tell everyone here, that we never want war again: We want peace."
The GDR/DDR also claimed to be committed to peace—but on its own terms. A story of symbols, hypocrisy, and arms trade — all conducted in the name of…
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© 2025 Valentina Giannella
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