The many faces of Tikhon Khrennikov who controlled the Soviet Union of Composers for 42 years. On @bbcradio3bot.bsky.social I map his influence over decades of cultural control. Can music ever be apolitical in a dictatorship? Listen here from Sunday evening: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Dear city of Munich, Free State of Bavaria and Government of Germany. There is no moral equivalence in these two flags

On the day Starmer and King Charles welcome the terror that is Trump, why Britain, post-Brexit, has become a leader in Europe in terms of panic-laden and short-lived governments. foreignpolicy.com/2025/09/16/s...

Writing a piece this morning on Starmer's woes @foreignpolicy.com and decided to insert these two videos, Blair 97 and Obama 08. Brings chills down the spine. www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4Za... www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wk17...

So Mandelson is sacked. What I find amusing is the extent to which many Brits still cling to the view their politics are cleaner than others'. That's not my experience in 30 years of covering it (and dealing with people who got away with things) - and now watching it from one step removed

This is the third shortlist this summer/autumn for @lucyaash.bsky.social. Not bad, I'd say...

Nice of you to say @codendahl.bsky.social, though - if I was being reductive (perish thought) - I would be a little less worried about the state of 🇩🇪 than I would of government-less 🇫🇷 and a 🇬🇧 in thrall to Farage and other extremists and clowns

Just pressed the button on my eighth & most ambitious book yet. Nothing beats this moment for excitement & relief. ‘Braver New World’, to be published spring 2026, looks at 10 countries where people & government have lessons for us in dealing with the world’s many problems. More in coming months

Excellent piece on Germany's difficulty with Israel/Gaza. I work with Germans who commute across the swiss border and they echo the torment John K highlights in his piece. DE is in serious danger of being on the wrong side of history. Again.

Germany's paralysed torment on Israel/Gaza. This wasn't an easy piece to write. If you can't access it @foreignpolicy.com it's also on my Substack foreignpolicy.com/2025/08/20/g...

The Trumpification of German politicians and the far-right threats facing Friedrich Merz. My take on the first 100 days (this week) of the new German Chancellor www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Today unhappily marks the centenary of the publication of the first volume of Mein Kampf. Following my BBC Radio 4 one-hour documentary, and pieces for the Sunday Times and other UK outlets, here is my piece for Der Spiegel (in German) www.spiegel.de/geschichte/h...

Refreshing read by @johnkampfner.bsky.social. On the school trips: as much as I always argue for more Franco-German and more Erasmus, we also desperately need more UK-GER (+ UK-EU) school/uni exchange - can't afford another generation Brexit. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Starmer and Merz are opening a new chapter in elations. Until now the political conversation between the two countries hasn’t kept pace with the lived experience of Brits in Germany and the Germans in the UK. I see it all the time here in Berlin www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

In Search of Berlin by John Kampfner Preparation for post-exams trip to Berlin. Looking forward to being boring dad on a city break. A cracking book which mixes history and personal reflection. Perfect primer for a visit, or just if you want to read about one of the world’s great cities. #BookSky

‪🗞️ Our latest issue is on sale today - The comeback edition Featuring @tombaldwin66.bsky.social @petepaphides.bsky.social @soniasodha.bsky.social @youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com @johnkampfner.bsky.social, Matthew d'Ancona and more 🔗 Subscribe here: www.thenewworld.co.uk/subscribe/?u...

"100 Years of 'Mein Kampf'" - Fellow @johnkampfner.bsky.social, whose Jewish father fled Czechoslovakia in 1939, sets out to explore the book’s origins, its impact and its disturbing echoes in today’s world www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

It’s 100 years since publication of Mein Kampf. Highly recommend this programme by @johnkampfner.bsky.social on what happened to it during that time and why we should know about it today www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

I am not trying to say that today’s leaders will follow Hitler. Words don’t inevitably lead to actions. I am saying that, for all the efforts to eradicate this book’s ideas, some of them have returned into the heart of global politics (£) www.thetimes.com/culture/book... By @johnkampfner.bsky.social

Thanks for appearing @unddieregel.bsky.social. The parallels you drew in the programme between Mein Kampf and present-day videos on YouTube and elsewhere were important and alarming

Thank you @samiraahmeduk.bsky.social. Wasn't easy to make. Hope it gets a wide hearing as it has important parallels with present-day alt-right and far-right across the world

Next Saturday on BBC R4 I'm presenting a doc on Mein Kampf to mark its centenary. I'll say more as TX approaches - I'm also writing one or two newspaper pieces around it - but, suffice to say, it was a huge challenge. Thanks @thetimes.com for making it pick of day www.thetimes.com/culture/tv-r...

Why is it that we focus on one or two, but care so little about so many wars? In honour of Natalia Estemirova. @foreignpolicy.com foreignpolicy.com/2025/06/27/p...

Fascinating discussion earlier today in Berlin with @AmbJohnBolton. Leaving aside his support for bombing Iran, he was entirely confident when I asked if US democracy will survive next 4 years. 'We have withstood worse; will withstand Trump'. Really?

In amongst all the terrible news around the world, not least Gaza, the fact that the UK is gradually, if belatedly, moving towards a more courageous approach towards Israel's far-right government is to be lauded. If only Germany and others would follow suit

As Merz goes into the lions den with Trump, a primer… johnkampfner.substack.com/p/is-germany...

Zelenskyy and Merz. What is the new German Chancellor's thinking on Russia, Ukraine - and Trump. Interview with @deutschewelle.bsky.social www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMYK...

Friedrich Merz is one of the few serious conservatives Europe has left. Can he save a noble tradition (even if it's not mine)? foreignpolicy.com/2025/05/23/c...

Back in London briefly next week, including doing a talk on Germany, UK and Europe for an old friend at this beautiful community church on June 3. Tickets here www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/summer-spe...

Salient, salutary reality check on the UK's trade position www.ft.com/content/8b53...

Friedrich Merz is one of the few serious conservatives Europe has left. Can he save a noble tradition (even if it's not mine)? foreignpolicy.com/2025/05/23/c...

Duncan gave me my first break in journalism, taking me on to do occasional pieces for City Limits when I was at university in the early 80s. I remember how he would take my copy and turn it into something so much better on his typewriter. And always with a wry piece of advice and a smile

Just when Starmer and so many world leaders are trying to slam the door on migration, an impressive new museum opens to celebrate it. And in a country where the far-right is in government. This is my take: www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

Second time lucky for Friedrich Merz. Let’s hope he learns from it and leads this new coalition with both resolve and preparedness to compromise. The shakier Germany’s democratic foundations, the more important it is that this government works

What do you do when your long-time friends move onto the dark side? It’s a question for Russian journalists and activists, but also for us all johnkampfner.substack.com/p/poachers-t...

As he announces his cabinet, Merz unequivocal in his commitment to Ukraine. Hopefully not more Scholzian 'yes but'. Talks of Russia's existential threat to Germany; 'goes to the heart of our security and our values'. Let's hope he's as resolute as his words. But it's a good start

Not your usual activity on a sunny Sunday morning in Berlin: helping to remove long-standing graffiti in one of the city's wartime tunnels, one which also straddled the wall, on Dresdener Strasse

Important piece by @johnkampfner.bsky.social about how #journalists become corrupted: open.substack.com/pub/johnkamp...

A great 4 days in Delhi talking to experts about the use of tech for social and economic development, part of my new book on global solutions. Culminated in a whirlwind discussion hosted by good friend, the Australian High Commissioner Philip Green, on geo-politics in front of a daunting audience.

The brain drain from American universities to Europe: a bird’s eye view from Berlin johnkampfner.substack.com/p/the-bright...

Just arrived in India on final leg of my book journey, looking at digitisation of economy of over a billion people. But before I hit the road on that, some street art in Delhi

There couldn't be a worse time to form a new government, but that's the test facing Merz. My latest comment @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Keir Starmer’s chumminess towards Trump has protected the UK from the worst of his tariff madness. But it also risks a rift with the EU, writes @johnkampfner.bsky.social

Thanks to fellow fellows and staff @wiko-berlin.bsky.social, plus my invited guests, for wonderful engagement at my colloquium. There was no more prescient moment than 'Liberation Day' to interrogate the themes in my book, or survival guide, identifying best practice around the world

What worries me about this verdict is that it will embolden authoritarians to use courts to ban opponents from standing (as Erdogan is doing, as Trump will probably do when needed). They don't differentiate between independent and non-independent judiciary. They use 'what-aboutism'

Frankfurt. On my way to central train station, a delightful encounter

As the Trump-Putin threat grows ever graver, the new Germany is stepping up. Or as the @spiegel.de headline puts it: Germany is back. (The rest is in German) www.spiegel.de/politik/deut...

Germany's Upper House, the Bundesrat, has given final approval for huge constitutional changes to come into law, allowing for a massive injection of cash for military spending, infastructure and climate protection. A great day. Germany is back www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Germany passes historic change to constitution, voting in huge injection of funding for defence and infrastructure. A great decision for the country, for Europe and for those still trying to defend liberal democracy