{"id":1866032,"date":"2026-04-03T05:34:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T02:34:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1866032"},"modified":"2026-04-03T05:34:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T02:34:07","slug":"germany-rehearses-mass-evacuations-for-a-nato-war","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1866032","title":{"rendered":"Germany rehearses mass evacuations for a NATO war"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/74121981_6.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"s1sfzv1a sk6xmai\">\n<div class=\"content-area sa7l9jt s9mg977\">\n<section data-tracking-name=\"sharing-icons-inline\" class=\"c75t7t0 hh5424a in-line closed\">\n<div class=\"copy-button-wrapper closed\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BcAu<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<figure class=\"s4bcs45\"><source type=\"image\/webp\" srcset=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/74121981_800.webp 50w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/74121981_801.webp 129w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/74121981_802.webp 352w, https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/74121981_803.webp 575w\" media=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 575px)\" height=\"100\" width=\"100\" \/><figcaption class=\"c1oedowi lofg86o m4xla6a s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">Conflicts and crises around the world are impacting Germans&#8217; travel plans<small class=\"copyright c19ed66t ihwmx5 idu7i8u lxmvniw icns9en rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">Image: Michael Ukas\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-live-blog-rich-text-overview\" id=\"live-blog-rich-text-overview\" class=\"c1800ln sq3xutt atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-live-blog-rich-text-overview\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section What you need to know<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"c2fyhwl ctymiyf content-block i1if36d6 i1ytahzz\">\n<h2 class=\"cp7bjxx h1du6kc5 lt5vbch pohyj9x s16w0xvi m1u0isv1 b1fzgn0z\">What you need to know<\/h2>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<ul>\n<li>Geopolitical\u00a0conflicts are prompting Germans to change their travel plans<\/li>\n<li>Activists gear up for weekend of Easter peace marches punctuated by the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-israel-war-with-iran\/t-76168615\">Iran war<\/a><\/li>\n<li>German men require military permit to leave country longer than 3 months<\/li>\n<li>Economist with the government&#8217;s ear recommends temporary\u00a0autobahn speed limits<\/li>\n<li>Fuel prices are veering into record territory amid the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz<\/li>\n<li>Rescuers monitor stranded and ailing humpback whale &#8216;Timmy&#8217; in Baltic Sea\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Left-wing populist <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/sahra-wagenknecht-alliance-bsw\/t-68472751\">BSW<\/a> founder Sahra Wagenknecht says her party is not open to any coalitions in eastern states, with the\u00a0AfD or established parties<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Welcome to our roundup of\u00a0headlines from and about <\/em><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany\/t-17871182\">Germany<\/a><em> on the Easter weekend:<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"s1ogwy7c ev9ivjh\">\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76664224\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76664224\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section We&#8217;re pausing our coverage<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">We&#8217;re pausing our coverage<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>We&#8217;re pausing our updates of the top headlines out of Germany for the night.<\/p>\n<p>But we&#8217;ll be back again tomorrow with more news from Easter Sunday in Germany.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for reading!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5Bfrk<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76664076\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76664076\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Thousands join Easter peace marches across Germany<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Thousands join Easter peace marches across Germany<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76663998\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76663998_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt='A man holds up a sign reading \"Against every occupation\" colored to represent the Palestinian, Irish and Ukrainian flags, on April 4, 2026'><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">The protests targeted multiple violent conflicts around the world, as well as an increasing militarization in Germany<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Volodymyr Sindieiev\/Anadolu\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Several thousand people took part in the traditional Easter peace marches across Germany on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>People rallied in some 70 towns and cities, according to the Network of the German\u00a0Peace Movement.<\/p>\n<p>These included Berlin, Bremen, Munich, Duisburg, Leipzig and Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<p>The number of participants varied but remained limited. Some 3,000 were counted in Stuttgart, 1,600 in Berlin and 300 in Duisburg, according to the police.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76664048\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76664048_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Protesters brought a Statue of Liberty holding a bleeding missile and a barrel of oil, in Berlin on April 4, 2026\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">The US-Israeli war in Iran has dominated headlines over the past month<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Volodymyr Sindieiev\/Anadolu\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Marches took place on Thursday and Friday, but Saturday is traditionally the main day. Some actions are also planned for Sunday and Monday.<\/p>\n<p>This year&#8217;s event focused on the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/german-men-need-military-permit-for-extended-stays-abroad\/a-76662677\">return of conscription in Germany<\/a> as well as military buildup.<\/p>\n<p>The organizers spoke of a higher participation of young people thanks to the topic of conscription, which has already triggered repeated protests and school walk-outs.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is important that so many people are taking to the streets for peace,&#8221;\u00a0Kristian Golla of the Network said. &#8220;In almost 40 years of Easter peace marches, I have never experienced an Easter that was so full of crises around the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76664022\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76664022_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Protesters holding many different flags in Berlin on April 4, 2026\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">The peace marches began in Germany in the 60s to protest nuclear weapons, but they have grown to encompass a myriad of different peace movements<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Volodymyr Sindieiev\/Anadolu\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BfpM<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76661761\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76661761\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section AfD is Germany&#8217;s strongest party nationwide in the poll<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">AfD is Germany&#8217;s strongest party nationwide in the poll<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Germany&#8217;s far-right <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/alternative-for-germany-afd\/t-17455253\">Alternative for Germany<\/a>, or AfD, is now the strongest political force in the country, a new survey showed.<\/p>\n<p>The party\u2019s support currently stands at 26%, according to the Sunday trend poll conducted by market research firm INSA for <em>Bild am Sonntag<\/em> newspaper. The figure remains unchanged from past week.<\/p>\n<p>Support for Chancellor Friedrich <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/german-chancellor-merz-has-never-been-more-unpopular\/a-76638860\">Merz\u2019s CDU\/CSU parties dropped 1%<\/a>, to 25%, while his coalition partner \u2014 the\u00a0 Social Democratic Party (SPD) \u2014 was at 13%.<\/p>\n<p>Numbers for other opposition parties, the Greens and the Left, remained unchanged at 12% and 11% respectively.<\/p>\n<p>The AfD is currently the second-largest party in Germany&#8217;s parliament.<\/p>\n<p>The party has been capitalizing on growing public discontent and concerns over a raft of issues, including economic stagnation, increasing job losses in the industrial sector and high energy prices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BfE1<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76661477\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76661477\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Diesel prices hit another record high<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Diesel prices hit another record high<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Diesel prices in Germany have spiked to another record high as\u00a0the Easter weekend began.<\/p>\n<p>The daily average price for a liter of diesel reached \u20ac2.391 ($2.75 per liter \u2014 $10.45 per gallon)\u00a0\u00a0on Friday, a new all-time high, according\u00a0to ADAC,\u00a0an automobile association.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, diesel prices had already surpassed Wednesday\u2019s previous record, at \u20ac2.346.<\/p>\n<p>In a bid to ensure transparency and control price increases, the German government has changed rules since Wednesday, allowing gas stations to hike fuel prices only once a day at noon.<\/p>\n<p>The measure was modeled after Austria, where this practice has long been in place.<\/p>\n<p>But there have been significant price jumps at gas stations since then.<\/p>\n<p>The price hikes &#8220;show that the Austrian model certainly does not deserve the name &#8216;price brake&#8217;\u00a0and that it actually has a counterproductive effect,&#8221;\u00a0the ADAC stated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5Bf9R<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76659478\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76659478\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section WATCH: Germany rehearses mass evacuations for a NATO war<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">WATCH: Germany rehearses mass evacuations for a NATO war<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Russia&#8217;s threat has pushed Germany to carry out the biggest war drill of its kind in decades \u2014 testing its readiness for mass evacuations of wounded allied soldiers from NATO&#8217;s eastern border in Lithuania.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 Germany rehearses mass evacuations for a NATO war\" class=\"headline\">Germany rehearses mass evacuations for a NATO war<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76656591\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76656591\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/75709323_605.webp\" data-duration=\"08:05\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/DWVG\/DWVGENG260403_BundeswehrIns_01SMW_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BedC<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76660307\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76660307\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Calls grow louder for scrapping  VAT on food<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Calls grow louder for scrapping  VAT on food<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Amid soaring fuel prices, pressure is mounting on the German government to abolish the value-added tax (VAT) on food, especially on healthy food items.<\/p>\n<p>The business wing\u00a0of the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/social-democratic-party-spd\/t-17437818\">Social Democratic Party (SPD)<\/a>, the junior partner in the current government, has called for scrapping\u00a0the tax on items such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, bread, pasta, rice and eggs.<\/p>\n<p>German policymakers cannot control global oil prices, &#8220;but we can ensure that rising energy and food costs don\u2019t hit\u00a0Germans&#8217;\u00a0wallets unchecked,&#8221; Esra-Leon Limbacher, an MP and head of the business wing, told the Bild newspaper.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Whether a child eats a healthy diet should not depend on the parents&#8217;\u00a0bank balance,&#8221;\u00a0he added.<\/p>\n<p>The head of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), Yasmin Fahimi, echoed the call.<\/p>\n<p>She said scrapping the levy \u2014 which currently stands at 19% on most goods, and 7% on select food items \u2014 would particularly help low-income households far more than a cut in income tax.<\/p>\n<p>To finance the measure, Fahimi told the Tagesspiegel daily: &#8220;Germany could introduce a much higher VAT on luxury goods, such as extremely expensive watches, yachts, jewelry or luxury cars.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The calls came after Jens Spahn, the parliamentary leader of Chancellor Friedrich Merz&#8217;s\u00a0Christian Democrats (CDU), also recently spoke in favor of such a measure, saying that it would &#8220;allow us to do something&#8221;\u00a0to control soaring prices in the wake of the Iran war.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 How Germans feel about daily fuel price freeze\" class=\"headline\">How Germans feel about daily fuel price freeze<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76631423\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76631423\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76631318_605.webp\" data-duration=\"02:20\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/dwtv_video\/flv\/je\/je20260401_QENERGY19C_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BeqZ<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76660031\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76660031\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section German finance minister urges windfall tax on energy firms<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">German finance minister urges windfall tax on energy firms<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/lars-klingbeil\/t-72438206\">German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil,<\/a>\u00a0along\u00a0with his counterparts from Austria, Italy, Portugal and Spain, has called for a tax on windfall profits of energy companies in response to surging fuel prices due to \u200cthe Middle East conflict.<\/p>\n<p>Such a measure would &#8220;send a clear message that those who profit from the \u200bconsequences of \u200cthe war must do their part to ease the burden on the general public,&#8221;\u00a0the ministers wrote in a letter to the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/european-commission\/t-17455066\">European Commission<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It would also send a signal that &#8220;we stand united and are able to take action,&#8221;\u00a0they added.<\/p>\n<p>The letter gave no details as to how much the tax should be and which companies would be asked to pay.<\/p>\n<p>Despite massively expanding its renewable energy capacity, the EU remains heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels.<\/p>\n<p>The surging oil and gas prices since the outbreak of the Iran \u2014 European gas prices, for instance, have risen over 70% since February 28 \u2014 have made affordable energy a top priority for European policymakers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 Iran war exposes global dependence on Middle East energy\" class=\"headline\">Iran war exposes global dependence on Middle East energy<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76227492\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76227492\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76240427_605.webp\" data-duration=\"07:38\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/BUSI\/BUSIENG260305_QWIExplainerOil_CMS_01SMW_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5Bem7<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76659479\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76659479\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Oil price spike: Minister rejects gasoline rebate, speed limit<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Oil price spike: Minister rejects gasoline rebate, speed limit<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76449309\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76449309_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Reiche has cast doubt on the effectiveness of tax rebates and speed limits in bringing down soaring fuel prices<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Bernd Elmenthaler\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Germany\u2019s Economy Minister Katherina Reiche has rejected calls for tax breaks and speed limits on the nation\u2019s motorways amid spiking fuel costs due to the conflict in the Middle East.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The minister, from Chancellor Friedrich Merz\u2019s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, has cast doubt on the effectiveness of a tax rebate.<\/p>\n<p>She pointed out that in Italy and Austria, which have reduced taxes, gasoline and diesel have not become cheaper. The same thing happened with Germany\u2019s 2022 fuel rebate. &#8220;Billions were spent, but the intended effect fizzled out,&#8221;\u00a0Reiche told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper.<\/p>\n<p>Reiche also rejected imposing speed limits on the country\u2019s famed autobahn network.<\/p>\n<p>She believes it would not have any effect on the prices.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The price of gasoline and diesel isn\u2019t determined on German highways, but on the global market. Speed limits and car-free Sundays would have no noticeable impact on that,&#8221;\u00a0she said.<\/p>\n<p>The <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/how-oil-price-hikes-threaten-germanys-economy\/a-76330530\">surge in gasoline and diesel prices has sparked a public debate<\/a> in the country about how to ease the impact on consumers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BedD<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76658929\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76658929\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Easter peace marches held in several German cities<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Easter peace marches held in several German cities<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76658879\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76658879_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"An Easter peace march in Jena, Germany\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">The gatherings are organized locally by trade unions, left-wing, Christian and peace groups<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Bodo Schackow\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Traditional Easter marches are being held across Germany this weekend.<\/p>\n<p>They began on Friday as people took to the streets in several towns to call for peace.<\/p>\n<p>The Saturday preceding Easter Sunday is traditionally the main day of the marches, with thousands expected to participate in rallies nationwide.<\/p>\n<p>The gatherings are organized locally by trade unions, left-wing, Christian and peace groups.<\/p>\n<p>Over 100 events are planned across Germany this year, said Friedenskooperative, a network of the German Peace Movement.<\/p>\n<p>The marches this year are being held in the shadow of the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russias-war-in-ukraine\/t-60931789\">wars in Ukraine<\/a> and the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-israel-war-with-iran\/t-76168615\">Middle East<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BeUL<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76659142\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76659142\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Crises force Germans to change their Easter holiday plans<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Crises force Germans to change their Easter holiday plans<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76190373\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76190373_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Passengers at Frankfurt Airport\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Political conditions in the destination determine Germans&#8217; holiday decisions, according to a new survey [FILE: March 2026]<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Florian Wiegand\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Many Germans are altering their travel plans for Easter and the months ahead due to conflicts and crises, according to a survey published on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>The survey, conducted by the German Institute for Tourism Research, found that 16% of the 1,124 people polled between March 25 and 30 had changed their plans for the next three months due to geopolitical crises.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Going on holiday is not unpolitical,&#8221; Julian Reif, the head of the institute, said, adding that political conditions in the destination were a major component of holiday decisions.<\/p>\n<p>Still, 72% of Germans are planning to travel on holiday, whether at home or abroad, in the April-June period.<\/p>\n<p>Within the country, Bavaria is a popular destination, while Spain and Italy lead the rankings for foreign travel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BeXm<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76658917\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76658917\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Welcome back!<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Welcome back!<\/h2>\n<div class=\"a9wq4ao author-details\"><span><span class=\"separator lxmvniw m4xla6a s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"> | <\/span><span class=\"extra-info lxmvniw m4xla6a s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"> Editor<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p><em>Frohe Ostern<\/em> and <em>Guten Tag<\/em> from DW&#8217;s newsroom in Bonn. We are resuming our coverage of all things Germany this Saturday, April 4.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BeU9<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76657693\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76657693\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section We&#8217;re pausing coverage<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/04\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 4, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">We&#8217;re pausing coverage<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Thank you for reading. We&#8217;ll be back tomorrow with the latest headlines that include\u00a0annual Easter peace marches scheduled in cities\u00a0like\u00a0D\u00fcsseldorf, Cologne and\u00a0Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BeAP<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76657338\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76657338\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section German men require military permit to leave country longer than 3 months<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">German men require military permit to leave country longer than 3 months<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76524748\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76524748_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"German soldiers fire pistols in a training exercise\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Should war break out, Germany needs to know how many men are living outside the country, the Bundeswehr said<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Alexandra Beier\/Getty Images<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While people in Germany <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-new-military-service-law-polarizes-society\/a-75033848\">debated<\/a> and even <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/german-high-school-students-protest-against-military-service\/a-76236452\">took to the streets to protest<\/a> the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-recruitment-boost-crucial-bundeswehr-report-finds\/a-76196701\">potential reintroduction of mandatory military service<\/a> for men, a change to the country&#8217;s conscription law that took effect at the beginning of the year has gone largely unnoticed.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Frankfurter Rundschau<\/em> reported on Friday about already-enacted amendments to the legislation requiring men between the ages of 18 and 46 to &#8220;obtain an approval from the relevant Bundeswehr Career Center if they wish to leave the Federal Republic of Germany for more than three months.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The paper went on to say the rule would apply regardless of whether a German man &#8220;planned a semester of studying abroad, working in a foreign country or going on a backpacking trip around the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>While the law requires German men to request the permit, it also obliges the military career center to issue it.<\/p>\n<p>A <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/bundeswehr\/t-17430904\">Bundeswehr<\/a> spokesperson told the Ippen.Media group of local papers that, in the event of a war breaking out, it needed to know how many men were living long-term outside the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Acknowledging the &#8220;profound&#8221; impact of the amended conscription law, the Ministry of Defense has said it is working on new rules for exceptions to the exit permit requirement.<\/p>\n<p>The ministry did not answer questions regarding consequences for men who leave the country for longer than three months without the proper permit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5Be4g<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76655187\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76655187\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Activists stage traditional Easter marches across Germany <\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Activists stage traditional Easter marches across Germany <\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Peace activists began holding annual peace protests across Germany against the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-israel-war-with-iran\/t-76168615\">wars in the Middle East<\/a> and Ukraine, military buildup\u00a0and conscription. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Peace Cooperative Network, which coordinates the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germanys-easter-peace-marches-planned-in-shadow-of-war\/a-76644793\">traditional Easter marches<\/a>, said it was &#8220;cautiously optimistic&#8221; that participation could exceed last year&#8217;s turnout of 40,000 people.<\/p>\n<p>In the western city of Gronau, around 150 demonstrators gathered outside the uranium enrichment plant on Good Friday, organizers said. Rallies were also held in several other cities, including Chemnitz, Biberach and G\u00fctersloh.<\/p>\n<p>The first protests took place on Thursday in Erfurt, Jena, K\u00f6nigs Wusterhausen, and Regensburg.<\/p>\n<p>Thousands of people are expected to take part in the more than 120 events planned throughout the Easter long weekend. Saturday, the main day of action, will see marches in Duisburg, Bonn, Bremen, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich, and Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<p>The peace movement is urging the German government to push for diplomatic solutions to end ongoing conflicts and boost support for people affected by war, among other demands.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76655392\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76655392_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Peace protesters gather in a square in the city of Jena\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Peace activists gathered in the city of Jena on Thursday, kicking off the traditional Easter marches<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Bodo Schackow\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BdVz<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<section data-tracking-name=\"section-liveblog-post\" id=\"liveblog-post-76653792\" class=\"liveblog-post sh8w7rk atfzu66\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036#post-liveblog-post-76653792\" class=\"q1knotlb b14agbwd quick-item\"><span class=\"h1du6kc5 l1ozsu87 p1s74fjj s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Skip next section Stricken humpback whale sprayed with water to soothe suffering<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"l3vczb5\"><span class=\"time-area s1i8qhb9 icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><span class=\"publication icns9en lofg86o m1u0isv1 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\"><time aria-hidden=\"true\">04\/03\/2026<\/time><span class=\"s28j2rd\">April 3, 2026<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"pmcvy6l h1du6kc5 l1evdo4u p1y8x1v s16w0xvi sngcpkw b1fzgn0z\">Stricken humpback whale sprayed with water to soothe suffering<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76653901\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76653901_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"A shot of the stricken humpback whale of the island of Poel in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Germany, spraying water out of its blow hole. In the foreground, two cattle are visible. April 2, 2026.\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Rescuers&#8217; appraisals for the stricken creature are sounding increasingly bleak<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Marcus Golejewski\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-hope-fades-for-stranded-humpback-whales-survival\/a-76629035\">The stranded humpback whale off the island of Poel<\/a> has not moved and is lying &#8220;in an unnatural position, with its back in the sun,&#8221; a spokesperson for the state Environment Minister in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania said on Friday.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In a bid to ease the suffering of a creature that experts believe is in the process of dying, they sprayed water from the Baltic Sea onto its exposed back.<\/p>\n<p>The whale is thought to have lost its way, veering into the much-too-shallow Baltic Sea early in March. It has ended up stuck several times since, and <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-whale-baltic-coast-update\/a-76592564\">has been stationary in or near its current location for most of the week<\/a> amid clear signs of its deterioration.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are working on the firm conviction that the animal is dying there,&#8221; Burkhard Baschek, <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-prognosis-not-good-for-humpback-whale\/live-76576299\">the scientific director of the German Oceanographic Musueum said earlier in the week<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To make matters worse, should the experts be mistaken and the creature&#8217;s condition were to suddenly improve, the water level after a few days of drier weather is currently so low that it would have no realistic chance of moving off into deeper waters.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 Rescue expert: Whale's 'prospects in Baltic Sea not good'\" class=\"headline\">Rescue expert: Whale&#8217;s &#8216;prospects in Baltic Sea not good&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76628963\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76628963\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76619040_605.webp\" data-duration=\"00:34\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/DWVG\/DWVGENG260401_BaschekInsNew_02SMW_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bp605kw start\"><span class=\"svdcmki\">https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5Bd9U<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"bp605kw center\">\n<div role=\"button\" data-tracking-name=\"show-more\" class=\"show-more-button s1va3u11 t1y9040i m7i2pic e3w9kkf b19vsmfu cx4rgdt ih9bob8 sngcpkw w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">Show more posts<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<ul>\n<li>Geopolitical\u00a0conflicts are prompting Germans to change their travel plans<\/li>\n<li>Activists gear up for weekend of Easter peace marches punctuated by the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-israel-war-with-iran\/t-76168615\">Iran war<\/a><\/li>\n<li>German men require military permit to leave country longer than 3 months<\/li>\n<li>Economist with the government&#8217;s ear recommends temporary\u00a0autobahn speed limits<\/li>\n<li>Fuel prices are veering into record territory amid the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz<\/li>\n<li>Rescuers monitor stranded and ailing humpback whale &#8216;Timmy&#8217; in Baltic Sea\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Left-wing populist <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/sahra-wagenknecht-alliance-bsw\/t-68472751\">BSW<\/a> founder Sahra Wagenknecht says her party is not open to any coalitions in eastern states, with the\u00a0AfD or established parties<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>Welcome to our roundup of\u00a0headlines from and about <\/em><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany\/t-17871182\">Germany<\/a><em> on the Easter weekend:<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Welcome to our roundup of\u00a0headlines from and about <\/em><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany\/t-17871182\">Germany<\/a><em> on the Easter weekend:<\/em><\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>We&#8217;re pausing our updates of the top headlines out of Germany for the night.<\/p>\n<p>But we&#8217;ll be back again tomorrow with more news from Easter Sunday in Germany.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for reading!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>We&#8217;re pausing our updates of the top headlines out of Germany for the night.<\/p>\n<p>But we&#8217;ll be back again tomorrow with more news from Easter Sunday in Germany.<\/p>\n<p>Thanks for reading!<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76663998\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76663998_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt='A man holds up a sign reading \"Against every occupation\" colored to represent the Palestinian, Irish and Ukrainian flags, on April 4, 2026'><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">The protests targeted multiple violent conflicts around the world, as well as an increasing militarization in Germany<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Volodymyr Sindieiev\/Anadolu\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Several thousand people took part in the traditional Easter peace marches across Germany on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>People rallied in some 70 towns and cities, according to the Network of the German\u00a0Peace Movement.<\/p>\n<p>These included Berlin, Bremen, Munich, Duisburg, Leipzig and Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<p>The number of participants varied but remained limited. Some 3,000 were counted in Stuttgart, 1,600 in Berlin and 300 in Duisburg, according to the police.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76664048\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76664048_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Protesters brought a Statue of Liberty holding a bleeding missile and a barrel of oil, in Berlin on April 4, 2026\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">The US-Israeli war in Iran has dominated headlines over the past month<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Volodymyr Sindieiev\/Anadolu\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Marches took place on Thursday and Friday, but Saturday is traditionally the main day. Some actions are also planned for Sunday and Monday.<\/p>\n<p>This year&#8217;s event focused on the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/german-men-need-military-permit-for-extended-stays-abroad\/a-76662677\">return of conscription in Germany<\/a> as well as military buildup.<\/p>\n<p>The organizers spoke of a higher participation of young people thanks to the topic of conscription, which has already triggered repeated protests and school walk-outs.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is important that so many people are taking to the streets for peace,&#8221;\u00a0Kristian Golla of the Network said. &#8220;In almost 40 years of Easter peace marches, I have never experienced an Easter that was so full of crises around the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76664022\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76664022_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Protesters holding many different flags in Berlin on April 4, 2026\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">The peace marches began in Germany in the 60s to protest nuclear weapons, but they have grown to encompass a myriad of different peace movements<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Volodymyr Sindieiev\/Anadolu\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Several thousand people took part in the traditional Easter peace marches across Germany on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>People rallied in some 70 towns and cities, according to the Network of the German\u00a0Peace Movement.<\/p>\n<p>These included Berlin, Bremen, Munich, Duisburg, Leipzig and Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<p>The number of participants varied but remained limited. Some 3,000 were counted in Stuttgart, 1,600 in Berlin and 300 in Duisburg, according to the police.<\/p>\n<p>Marches took place on Thursday and Friday, but Saturday is traditionally the main day. Some actions are also planned for Sunday and Monday.<\/p>\n<p>This year&#8217;s event focused on the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/german-men-need-military-permit-for-extended-stays-abroad\/a-76662677\">return of conscription in Germany<\/a> as well as military buildup.<\/p>\n<p>The organizers spoke of a higher participation of young people thanks to the topic of conscription, which has already triggered repeated protests and school walk-outs.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;It is important that so many people are taking to the streets for peace,&#8221;\u00a0Kristian Golla of the Network said. &#8220;In almost 40 years of Easter peace marches, I have never experienced an Easter that was so full of crises around the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Germany&#8217;s far-right <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/alternative-for-germany-afd\/t-17455253\">Alternative for Germany<\/a>, or AfD, is now the strongest political force in the country, a new survey showed.<\/p>\n<p>The party\u2019s support currently stands at 26%, according to the Sunday trend poll conducted by market research firm INSA for <em>Bild am Sonntag<\/em> newspaper. The figure remains unchanged from past week.<\/p>\n<p>Support for Chancellor Friedrich <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/german-chancellor-merz-has-never-been-more-unpopular\/a-76638860\">Merz\u2019s CDU\/CSU parties dropped 1%<\/a>, to 25%, while his coalition partner \u2014 the\u00a0 Social Democratic Party (SPD) \u2014 was at 13%.<\/p>\n<p>Numbers for other opposition parties, the Greens and the Left, remained unchanged at 12% and 11% respectively.<\/p>\n<p>The AfD is currently the second-largest party in Germany&#8217;s parliament.<\/p>\n<p>The party has been capitalizing on growing public discontent and concerns over a raft of issues, including economic stagnation, increasing job losses in the industrial sector and high energy prices.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Germany&#8217;s far-right <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/alternative-for-germany-afd\/t-17455253\">Alternative for Germany<\/a>, or AfD, is now the strongest political force in the country, a new survey showed.<\/p>\n<p>The party\u2019s support currently stands at 26%, according to the Sunday trend poll conducted by market research firm INSA for <em>Bild am Sonntag<\/em> newspaper. The figure remains unchanged from past week.<\/p>\n<p>Support for Chancellor Friedrich <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/german-chancellor-merz-has-never-been-more-unpopular\/a-76638860\">Merz\u2019s CDU\/CSU parties dropped 1%<\/a>, to 25%, while his coalition partner \u2014 the\u00a0 Social Democratic Party (SPD) \u2014 was at 13%.<\/p>\n<p>Numbers for other opposition parties, the Greens and the Left, remained unchanged at 12% and 11% respectively.<\/p>\n<p>The AfD is currently the second-largest party in Germany&#8217;s parliament.<\/p>\n<p>The party has been capitalizing on growing public discontent and concerns over a raft of issues, including economic stagnation, increasing job losses in the industrial sector and high energy prices.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Diesel prices in Germany have spiked to another record high as\u00a0the Easter weekend began.<\/p>\n<p>The daily average price for a liter of diesel reached \u20ac2.391 ($2.75 per liter \u2014 $10.45 per gallon)\u00a0\u00a0on Friday, a new all-time high, according\u00a0to ADAC,\u00a0an automobile association.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, diesel prices had already surpassed Wednesday\u2019s previous record, at \u20ac2.346.<\/p>\n<p>In a bid to ensure transparency and control price increases, the German government has changed rules since Wednesday, allowing gas stations to hike fuel prices only once a day at noon.<\/p>\n<p>The measure was modeled after Austria, where this practice has long been in place.<\/p>\n<p>But there have been significant price jumps at gas stations since then.<\/p>\n<p>The price hikes &#8220;show that the Austrian model certainly does not deserve the name &#8216;price brake&#8217;\u00a0and that it actually has a counterproductive effect,&#8221;\u00a0the ADAC stated.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Diesel prices in Germany have spiked to another record high as\u00a0the Easter weekend began.<\/p>\n<p>The daily average price for a liter of diesel reached \u20ac2.391 ($2.75 per liter \u2014 $10.45 per gallon)\u00a0\u00a0on Friday, a new all-time high, according\u00a0to ADAC,\u00a0an automobile association.<\/p>\n<p>On Thursday, diesel prices had already surpassed Wednesday\u2019s previous record, at \u20ac2.346.<\/p>\n<p>In a bid to ensure transparency and control price increases, the German government has changed rules since Wednesday, allowing gas stations to hike fuel prices only once a day at noon.<\/p>\n<p>The measure was modeled after Austria, where this practice has long been in place.<\/p>\n<p>But there have been significant price jumps at gas stations since then.<\/p>\n<p>The price hikes &#8220;show that the Austrian model certainly does not deserve the name &#8216;price brake&#8217;\u00a0and that it actually has a counterproductive effect,&#8221;\u00a0the ADAC stated.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Russia&#8217;s threat has pushed Germany to carry out the biggest war drill of its kind in decades \u2014 testing its readiness for mass evacuations of wounded allied soldiers from NATO&#8217;s eastern border in Lithuania.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 Germany rehearses mass evacuations for a NATO war\" class=\"headline\">Germany rehearses mass evacuations for a NATO war<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76656591\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76656591\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/75709323_605.webp\" data-duration=\"08:05\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/DWVG\/DWVGENG260403_BundeswehrIns_01SMW_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Russia&#8217;s threat has pushed Germany to carry out the biggest war drill of its kind in decades \u2014 testing its readiness for mass evacuations of wounded allied soldiers from NATO&#8217;s eastern border in Lithuania.<\/p>\n<p class=\"vjs-no-js\">To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Amid soaring fuel prices, pressure is mounting on the German government to abolish the value-added tax (VAT) on food, especially on healthy food items.<\/p>\n<p>The business wing\u00a0of the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/social-democratic-party-spd\/t-17437818\">Social Democratic Party (SPD)<\/a>, the junior partner in the current government, has called for scrapping\u00a0the tax on items such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, bread, pasta, rice and eggs.<\/p>\n<p>German policymakers cannot control global oil prices, &#8220;but we can ensure that rising energy and food costs don\u2019t hit\u00a0Germans&#8217;\u00a0wallets unchecked,&#8221; Esra-Leon Limbacher, an MP and head of the business wing, told the Bild newspaper.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Whether a child eats a healthy diet should not depend on the parents&#8217;\u00a0bank balance,&#8221;\u00a0he added.<\/p>\n<p>The head of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), Yasmin Fahimi, echoed the call.<\/p>\n<p>She said scrapping the levy \u2014 which currently stands at 19% on most goods, and 7% on select food items \u2014 would particularly help low-income households far more than a cut in income tax.<\/p>\n<p>To finance the measure, Fahimi told the Tagesspiegel daily: &#8220;Germany could introduce a much higher VAT on luxury goods, such as extremely expensive watches, yachts, jewelry or luxury cars.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The calls came after Jens Spahn, the parliamentary leader of Chancellor Friedrich Merz&#8217;s\u00a0Christian Democrats (CDU), also recently spoke in favor of such a measure, saying that it would &#8220;allow us to do something&#8221;\u00a0to control soaring prices in the wake of the Iran war.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 How Germans feel about daily fuel price freeze\" class=\"headline\">How Germans feel about daily fuel price freeze<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76631423\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76631423\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76631318_605.webp\" data-duration=\"02:20\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/dwtv_video\/flv\/je\/je20260401_QENERGY19C_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Amid soaring fuel prices, pressure is mounting on the German government to abolish the value-added tax (VAT) on food, especially on healthy food items.<\/p>\n<p>The business wing\u00a0of the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/social-democratic-party-spd\/t-17437818\">Social Democratic Party (SPD)<\/a>, the junior partner in the current government, has called for scrapping\u00a0the tax on items such as fruits, vegetables, dairy products, meat, bread, pasta, rice and eggs.<\/p>\n<p>German policymakers cannot control global oil prices, &#8220;but we can ensure that rising energy and food costs don\u2019t hit\u00a0Germans&#8217;\u00a0wallets unchecked,&#8221; Esra-Leon Limbacher, an MP and head of the business wing, told the Bild newspaper.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Whether a child eats a healthy diet should not depend on the parents&#8217;\u00a0bank balance,&#8221;\u00a0he added.<\/p>\n<p>The head of the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), Yasmin Fahimi, echoed the call.<\/p>\n<p>She said scrapping the levy \u2014 which currently stands at 19% on most goods, and 7% on select food items \u2014 would particularly help low-income households far more than a cut in income tax.<\/p>\n<p>To finance the measure, Fahimi told the Tagesspiegel daily: &#8220;Germany could introduce a much higher VAT on luxury goods, such as extremely expensive watches, yachts, jewelry or luxury cars.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The calls came after Jens Spahn, the parliamentary leader of Chancellor Friedrich Merz&#8217;s\u00a0Christian Democrats (CDU), also recently spoke in favor of such a measure, saying that it would &#8220;allow us to do something&#8221;\u00a0to control soaring prices in the wake of the Iran war.<\/p>\n<p class=\"vjs-no-js\">To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/lars-klingbeil\/t-72438206\">German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil,<\/a>\u00a0along\u00a0with his counterparts from Austria, Italy, Portugal and Spain, has called for a tax on windfall profits of energy companies in response to surging fuel prices due to \u200cthe Middle East conflict.<\/p>\n<p>Such a measure would &#8220;send a clear message that those who profit from the \u200bconsequences of \u200cthe war must do their part to ease the burden on the general public,&#8221;\u00a0the ministers wrote in a letter to the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/european-commission\/t-17455066\">European Commission<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It would also send a signal that &#8220;we stand united and are able to take action,&#8221;\u00a0they added.<\/p>\n<p>The letter gave no details as to how much the tax should be and which companies would be asked to pay.<\/p>\n<p>Despite massively expanding its renewable energy capacity, the EU remains heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels.<\/p>\n<p>The surging oil and gas prices since the outbreak of the Iran \u2014 European gas prices, for instance, have risen over 70% since February 28 \u2014 have made affordable energy a top priority for European policymakers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 Iran war exposes global dependence on Middle East energy\" class=\"headline\">Iran war exposes global dependence on Middle East energy<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76227492\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76227492\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76240427_605.webp\" data-duration=\"07:38\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/BUSI\/BUSIENG260305_QWIExplainerOil_CMS_01SMW_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/lars-klingbeil\/t-72438206\">German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil,<\/a>\u00a0along\u00a0with his counterparts from Austria, Italy, Portugal and Spain, has called for a tax on windfall profits of energy companies in response to surging fuel prices due to \u200cthe Middle East conflict.<\/p>\n<p>Such a measure would &#8220;send a clear message that those who profit from the \u200bconsequences of \u200cthe war must do their part to ease the burden on the general public,&#8221;\u00a0the ministers wrote in a letter to the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/european-commission\/t-17455066\">European Commission<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>It would also send a signal that &#8220;we stand united and are able to take action,&#8221;\u00a0they added.<\/p>\n<p>The letter gave no details as to how much the tax should be and which companies would be asked to pay.<\/p>\n<p>Despite massively expanding its renewable energy capacity, the EU remains heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels.<\/p>\n<p>The surging oil and gas prices since the outbreak of the Iran \u2014 European gas prices, for instance, have risen over 70% since February 28 \u2014 have made affordable energy a top priority for European policymakers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"vjs-no-js\">To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76449309\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76449309_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"German Economy Minister Katherina Reiche\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Reiche has cast doubt on the effectiveness of tax rebates and speed limits in bringing down soaring fuel prices<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Bernd Elmenthaler\/IMAGO<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Germany\u2019s Economy Minister Katherina Reiche has rejected calls for tax breaks and speed limits on the nation\u2019s motorways amid spiking fuel costs due to the conflict in the Middle East.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The minister, from Chancellor Friedrich Merz\u2019s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, has cast doubt on the effectiveness of a tax rebate.<\/p>\n<p>She pointed out that in Italy and Austria, which have reduced taxes, gasoline and diesel have not become cheaper. The same thing happened with Germany\u2019s 2022 fuel rebate. &#8220;Billions were spent, but the intended effect fizzled out,&#8221;\u00a0Reiche told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper.<\/p>\n<p>Reiche also rejected imposing speed limits on the country\u2019s famed autobahn network.<\/p>\n<p>She believes it would not have any effect on the prices.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The price of gasoline and diesel isn\u2019t determined on German highways, but on the global market. Speed limits and car-free Sundays would have no noticeable impact on that,&#8221;\u00a0she said.<\/p>\n<p>The <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/how-oil-price-hikes-threaten-germanys-economy\/a-76330530\">surge in gasoline and diesel prices has sparked a public debate<\/a> in the country about how to ease the impact on consumers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Germany\u2019s Economy Minister Katherina Reiche has rejected calls for tax breaks and speed limits on the nation\u2019s motorways amid spiking fuel costs due to the conflict in the Middle East.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The minister, from Chancellor Friedrich Merz\u2019s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party, has cast doubt on the effectiveness of a tax rebate.<\/p>\n<p>She pointed out that in Italy and Austria, which have reduced taxes, gasoline and diesel have not become cheaper. The same thing happened with Germany\u2019s 2022 fuel rebate. &#8220;Billions were spent, but the intended effect fizzled out,&#8221;\u00a0Reiche told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper.<\/p>\n<p>Reiche also rejected imposing speed limits on the country\u2019s famed autobahn network.<\/p>\n<p>She believes it would not have any effect on the prices.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The price of gasoline and diesel isn\u2019t determined on German highways, but on the global market. Speed limits and car-free Sundays would have no noticeable impact on that,&#8221;\u00a0she said.<\/p>\n<p>The <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/how-oil-price-hikes-threaten-germanys-economy\/a-76330530\">surge in gasoline and diesel prices has sparked a public debate<\/a> in the country about how to ease the impact on consumers.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76658879\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76658879_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"An Easter peace march in Jena, Germany\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">The gatherings are organized locally by trade unions, left-wing, Christian and peace groups<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Bodo Schackow\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Traditional Easter marches are being held across Germany this weekend.<\/p>\n<p>They began on Friday as people took to the streets in several towns to call for peace.<\/p>\n<p>The Saturday preceding Easter Sunday is traditionally the main day of the marches, with thousands expected to participate in rallies nationwide.<\/p>\n<p>The gatherings are organized locally by trade unions, left-wing, Christian and peace groups.<\/p>\n<p>Over 100 events are planned across Germany this year, said Friedenskooperative, a network of the German Peace Movement.<\/p>\n<p>The marches this year are being held in the shadow of the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russias-war-in-ukraine\/t-60931789\">wars in Ukraine<\/a> and the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-israel-war-with-iran\/t-76168615\">Middle East<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Traditional Easter marches are being held across Germany this weekend.<\/p>\n<p>They began on Friday as people took to the streets in several towns to call for peace.<\/p>\n<p>The Saturday preceding Easter Sunday is traditionally the main day of the marches, with thousands expected to participate in rallies nationwide.<\/p>\n<p>The gatherings are organized locally by trade unions, left-wing, Christian and peace groups.<\/p>\n<p>Over 100 events are planned across Germany this year, said Friedenskooperative, a network of the German Peace Movement.<\/p>\n<p>The marches this year are being held in the shadow of the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/russias-war-in-ukraine\/t-60931789\">wars in Ukraine<\/a> and the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-israel-war-with-iran\/t-76168615\">Middle East<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76190373\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76190373_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Passengers at Frankfurt Airport\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Political conditions in the destination determine Germans&#8217; holiday decisions, according to a new survey [FILE: March 2026]<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Florian Wiegand\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Many Germans are altering their travel plans for Easter and the months ahead due to conflicts and crises, according to a survey published on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>The survey, conducted by the German Institute for Tourism Research, found that 16% of the 1,124 people polled between March 25 and 30 had changed their plans for the next three months due to geopolitical crises.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Going on holiday is not unpolitical,&#8221; Julian Reif, the head of the institute, said, adding that political conditions in the destination were a major component of holiday decisions.<\/p>\n<p>Still, 72% of Germans are planning to travel on holiday, whether at home or abroad, in the April-June period.<\/p>\n<p>Within the country, Bavaria is a popular destination, while Spain and Italy lead the rankings for foreign travel.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Many Germans are altering their travel plans for Easter and the months ahead due to conflicts and crises, according to a survey published on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>The survey, conducted by the German Institute for Tourism Research, found that 16% of the 1,124 people polled between March 25 and 30 had changed their plans for the next three months due to geopolitical crises.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Going on holiday is not unpolitical,&#8221; Julian Reif, the head of the institute, said, adding that political conditions in the destination were a major component of holiday decisions.<\/p>\n<p>Still, 72% of Germans are planning to travel on holiday, whether at home or abroad, in the April-June period.<\/p>\n<p>Within the country, Bavaria is a popular destination, while Spain and Italy lead the rankings for foreign travel.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p><em>Frohe Ostern<\/em> and <em>Guten Tag<\/em> from DW&#8217;s newsroom in Bonn. We are resuming our coverage of all things Germany this Saturday, April 4.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em>Frohe Ostern<\/em> and <em>Guten Tag<\/em> from DW&#8217;s newsroom in Bonn. We are resuming our coverage of all things Germany this Saturday, April 4.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Thank you for reading. We&#8217;ll be back tomorrow with the latest headlines that include\u00a0annual Easter peace marches scheduled in cities\u00a0like\u00a0D\u00fcsseldorf, Cologne and\u00a0Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>Thank you for reading. We&#8217;ll be back tomorrow with the latest headlines that include\u00a0annual Easter peace marches scheduled in cities\u00a0like\u00a0D\u00fcsseldorf, Cologne and\u00a0Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76524748\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76524748_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"German soldiers fire pistols in a training exercise\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Should war break out, Germany needs to know how many men are living outside the country, the Bundeswehr said<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Alexandra Beier\/Getty Images<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>While people in Germany <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-new-military-service-law-polarizes-society\/a-75033848\">debated<\/a> and even <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/german-high-school-students-protest-against-military-service\/a-76236452\">took to the streets to protest<\/a> the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-recruitment-boost-crucial-bundeswehr-report-finds\/a-76196701\">potential reintroduction of mandatory military service<\/a> for men, a change to the country&#8217;s conscription law that took effect at the beginning of the year has gone largely unnoticed.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Frankfurter Rundschau<\/em> reported on Friday about already-enacted amendments to the legislation requiring men between the ages of 18 and 46 to &#8220;obtain an approval from the relevant Bundeswehr Career Center if they wish to leave the Federal Republic of Germany for more than three months.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The paper went on to say the rule would apply regardless of whether a German man &#8220;planned a semester of studying abroad, working in a foreign country or going on a backpacking trip around the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>While the law requires German men to request the permit, it also obliges the military career center to issue it.<\/p>\n<p>A <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/bundeswehr\/t-17430904\">Bundeswehr<\/a> spokesperson told the Ippen.Media group of local papers that, in the event of a war breaking out, it needed to know how many men were living long-term outside the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Acknowledging the &#8220;profound&#8221; impact of the amended conscription law, the Ministry of Defense has said it is working on new rules for exceptions to the exit permit requirement.<\/p>\n<p>The ministry did not answer questions regarding consequences for men who leave the country for longer than three months without the proper permit.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>While people in Germany <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-new-military-service-law-polarizes-society\/a-75033848\">debated<\/a> and even <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/german-high-school-students-protest-against-military-service\/a-76236452\">took to the streets to protest<\/a> the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-recruitment-boost-crucial-bundeswehr-report-finds\/a-76196701\">potential reintroduction of mandatory military service<\/a> for men, a change to the country&#8217;s conscription law that took effect at the beginning of the year has gone largely unnoticed.<\/p>\n<p>The <em>Frankfurter Rundschau<\/em> reported on Friday about already-enacted amendments to the legislation requiring men between the ages of 18 and 46 to &#8220;obtain an approval from the relevant Bundeswehr Career Center if they wish to leave the Federal Republic of Germany for more than three months.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The paper went on to say the rule would apply regardless of whether a German man &#8220;planned a semester of studying abroad, working in a foreign country or going on a backpacking trip around the world.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>While the law requires German men to request the permit, it also obliges the military career center to issue it.<\/p>\n<p>A <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/bundeswehr\/t-17430904\">Bundeswehr<\/a> spokesperson told the Ippen.Media group of local papers that, in the event of a war breaking out, it needed to know how many men were living long-term outside the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Acknowledging the &#8220;profound&#8221; impact of the amended conscription law, the Ministry of Defense has said it is working on new rules for exceptions to the exit permit requirement.<\/p>\n<p>The ministry did not answer questions regarding consequences for men who leave the country for longer than three months without the proper permit.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<p>Peace activists began holding annual peace protests across Germany against the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-israel-war-with-iran\/t-76168615\">wars in the Middle East<\/a> and Ukraine, military buildup\u00a0and conscription. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Peace Cooperative Network, which coordinates the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germanys-easter-peace-marches-planned-in-shadow-of-war\/a-76644793\">traditional Easter marches<\/a>, said it was &#8220;cautiously optimistic&#8221; that participation could exceed last year&#8217;s turnout of 40,000 people.<\/p>\n<p>In the western city of Gronau, around 150 demonstrators gathered outside the uranium enrichment plant on Good Friday, organizers said. Rallies were also held in several other cities, including Chemnitz, Biberach and G\u00fctersloh.<\/p>\n<p>The first protests took place on Thursday in Erfurt, Jena, K\u00f6nigs Wusterhausen, and Regensburg.<\/p>\n<p>Thousands of people are expected to take part in the more than 120 events planned throughout the Easter long weekend. Saturday, the main day of action, will see marches in Duisburg, Bonn, Bremen, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich, and Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<p>The peace movement is urging the German government to push for diplomatic solutions to end ongoing conflicts and boost support for people affected by war, among other demands.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76655392\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76655392_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"Peace protesters gather in a square in the city of Jena\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Peace activists gathered in the city of Jena on Thursday, kicking off the traditional Easter marches<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Bodo Schackow\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Peace activists began holding annual peace protests across Germany against the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/us-israel-war-with-iran\/t-76168615\">wars in the Middle East<\/a> and Ukraine, military buildup\u00a0and conscription. \u00a0<\/p>\n<p>The Peace Cooperative Network, which coordinates the <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germanys-easter-peace-marches-planned-in-shadow-of-war\/a-76644793\">traditional Easter marches<\/a>, said it was &#8220;cautiously optimistic&#8221; that participation could exceed last year&#8217;s turnout of 40,000 people.<\/p>\n<p>In the western city of Gronau, around 150 demonstrators gathered outside the uranium enrichment plant on Good Friday, organizers said. Rallies were also held in several other cities, including Chemnitz, Biberach and G\u00fctersloh.<\/p>\n<p>The first protests took place on Thursday in Erfurt, Jena, K\u00f6nigs Wusterhausen, and Regensburg.<\/p>\n<p>Thousands of people are expected to take part in the more than 120 events planned throughout the Easter long weekend. Saturday, the main day of action, will see marches in Duisburg, Bonn, Bremen, Hanover, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich, and Stuttgart.<\/p>\n<p>The peace movement is urging the German government to push for diplomatic solutions to end ongoing conflicts and boost support for people affected by war, among other demands.<\/p>\n<div data-tracking-skip=\"true\" data-tracking-name=\"rich-text\" class=\"post-rich-text c17j8gzx rc0m0op r1ebneao s198y7xq rich-text l1evdo4u blt0baw s16w0xvi rcjjkz7 w128axg5 b1fzgn0z\">\n<figure class=\"placeholder-image master_landscape big\"><img data-format=\"MASTER_LANDSCAPE\" data-id=\"76653901\" data-url=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76653901_${formatId}.jpg\" data-aspect-ratio=\"16\/9\" alt=\"A shot of the stricken humpback whale of the island of Poel in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Germany, spraying water out of its blow hole. In the foreground, two cattle are visible. April 2, 2026.\"><figcaption class=\"img-caption\">Rescuers&#8217; appraisals for the stricken creature are sounding increasingly bleak<small class=\"copyright\">Image: Marcus Golejewski\/dpa\/picture alliance<\/small><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-hope-fades-for-stranded-humpback-whales-survival\/a-76629035\">The stranded humpback whale off the island of Poel<\/a> has not moved and is lying &#8220;in an unnatural position, with its back in the sun,&#8221; a spokesperson for the state Environment Minister in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania said on Friday.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In a bid to ease the suffering of a creature that experts believe is in the process of dying, they sprayed water from the Baltic Sea onto its exposed back.<\/p>\n<p>The whale is thought to have lost its way, veering into the much-too-shallow Baltic Sea early in March. It has ended up stuck several times since, and <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-whale-baltic-coast-update\/a-76592564\">has been stationary in or near its current location for most of the week<\/a> amid clear signs of its deterioration.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are working on the firm conviction that the animal is dying there,&#8221; Burkhard Baschek, <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-prognosis-not-good-for-humpback-whale\/live-76576299\">the scientific director of the German Oceanographic Musueum said earlier in the week<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To make matters worse, should the experts be mistaken and the creature&#8217;s condition were to suddenly improve, the water level after a few days of drier weather is currently so low that it would have no realistic chance of moving off into deeper waters.<\/p>\n<div class=\"vjs-wrapper embed big\">\n<h2 aria-label=\"Embedded video \u2014 Rescue expert: Whale's 'prospects in Baltic Sea not good'\" class=\"headline\">Rescue expert: Whale&#8217;s &#8216;prospects in Baltic Sea not good&#8217;<\/h2>\n<p><video id=\"video-76628963\" controls playsinline preload=\"none\" poster=\"image\/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mNkYAAAAAYAAjCB0C8AAAAASUVORK5CYII=\" data-id=\"76628963\" data-posterurl=\"https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/76619040_605.webp\" data-duration=\"00:34\"><source src=\"https:\/\/hlsvod.dw.com\/i\/vps\/webvideos\/ENG\/2026\/DWVG\/DWVGENG260401_BaschekInsNew_02SMW_,AVC_480x270,AVC_512x288,AVC_640x360,AVC_960x540,AVC_1280x720,AVC_1920x1080,.mp4.csmil\/master.m3u8\" type=\"application\/x-mpegURL\" \/><\/video><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-hope-fades-for-stranded-humpback-whales-survival\/a-76629035\">The stranded humpback whale off the island of Poel<\/a> has not moved and is lying &#8220;in an unnatural position, with its back in the sun,&#8221; a spokesperson for the state Environment Minister in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania said on Friday.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In a bid to ease the suffering of a creature that experts believe is in the process of dying, they sprayed water from the Baltic Sea onto its exposed back.<\/p>\n<p>The whale is thought to have lost its way, veering into the much-too-shallow Baltic Sea early in March. It has ended up stuck several times since, and <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-whale-baltic-coast-update\/a-76592564\">has been stationary in or near its current location for most of the week<\/a> amid clear signs of its deterioration.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We are working on the firm conviction that the animal is dying there,&#8221; Burkhard Baschek, <a class=\"internal-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-prognosis-not-good-for-humpback-whale\/live-76576299\">the scientific director of the German Oceanographic Musueum said earlier in the week<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>To make matters worse, should the experts be mistaken and the creature&#8217;s condition were to suddenly improve, the water level after a few days of drier weather is currently so low that it would have no realistic chance of moving off into deeper waters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"vjs-no-js\">To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that <a href=\"https:\/\/videojs.com\/html5-video-support\/\" target=\"_blank\">supports HTML5 video<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dw.com\/en\/germany-news-people-change-easter-holiday-plans-amid-crises\/live-76650036&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/static.dw.com\/image\/74121981_6.jpg&#8221;] https:\/\/p.dw.com\/p\/5BcAu Conflicts and crises around the world are impacting Germans&#8217; travel plansImage: Michael Ukas\/dpa\/picture alliance Skip next section What you need to know What you need to know Geopolitical\u00a0conflicts are prompting Germans to change their travel plans Activists gear up for weekend of Easter peace marches punctuated by the Iran war German [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,74],"class_list":["post-1866032","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dw-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1866032","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1866032"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1866032\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1866032"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1866032"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1866032"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}