Reading the American responses  on German behaviour concerning the storm leaves me disappointed and sobered. I certainly do not agreewith Mr. Trittin or the various newspapers that are said to haveuttered a similar opinion as our Environmental Minister. But just as thosecannot blame America and all Americans for this tragedy, not allGermans can be said to be of the exactly same opinion. I sincerely regretthat the official German voice on this tragedy is full of accusationand instructions instead of offering compassion and aid. Thus I cancertainly understand the disillusionment and anger of Americancitizens.But. Speaking of rhetoric, I am sad to realize that, in the end, thisdiscussion brings up a lot of the old fascist vocabulary used againstGermany whenever the country or its representatives make a mistake. Iregret that on the flipside the reactions of many American readerswent straight into the war discussion and brought back the evaluationof how much worse a country like Germany must be as we started the twoWorld Wars. Is this really the right moment to discuss this issue thatnonetheless has nothing to do with the actual topic? Is it worthaccusing each other of being emotionally or ethically insufficient asa people? Shall these days really be the platform for accusation,decade-old rhetoric, or setting up a list of who fought more wars andis to blame for them?We are two people. How many of those are politicians or journalists?Out of the roughly 80 million people living in my beloved country manyare feeling compassion for the American people, I am sure. We do notblame them nor do we think they deserve this. We do not discuss dailypolitics and nod our heads in agreement when the Ministry ofEnvironmental Affairs utters its failed rhetoric. We are simply peoplethat see the pictures and read the news. And as we are people, this isenough to bring compassion, sadness, helplessness, and fear also inour homes.Discussions about Kyoto, wars, communist threats, fascism, all theaccusations and the search for a scapegoat - this sadly ispseudo-political rhetoric.But we are the people - it's time to act human as this is what we are. Sincerely,Maxi TorauStudent, 24+++In the last 30 minutes I read the comments of the American readers tothe articles in German newspapers concerning hurricane Katrina.My personal result is bewilderment... I do not understand where the hate and the foolishness to write those stupid untruths and simplifications comes from. I absolutely don't understand it.I have never been anti-American, but reading these comments makes it very difficult to preserve my opinion.Most of the people there only repeat the populist myths of dangerous European communists, socialists or fascists they have heard somewhere.Sorry, but more knowledge of and interest in history and culture of other societies than the American would be very good for those people who write these comments. The repetition of the dark chapters of European history like Hitler and Stalin becomes tired after more than 60 years of freedom and peace in most parts of Europe. We in Germany remember very well the terror of "Nazi-Deutschland" and try to remind following generations never to allow a repetition.Do the Americans the same with the dark chapters of their history?I am deeply moved because of the catastrophe in the southeast of theUS and have honest compassion with the victims, and so do the majority of the Germans. I have never heard a word of malicious-joy here...By the way, the German aid for regions affected by natural disasters or famines or what ever is traditionally very fast and very intensive. The financial aid (governmental and private) for the victims of the tsunami in Asia was unique in the world and by far higher than the US aid... so I don't know why many people write something about self-centered Germans or Europeans.We Germans are very thankful for your help after WWII and the Marshall Plan, but please don't forget, this was 1948 and the reason was not only humanity, but also simple and cold strategic calculation. Nevertheless it was good for the people, but please remember the historical circumstances.A last word: Maybe it is not the time to discuss the problems of climate change now, because now is the time to help the people and rebuild the affected coastal regions. But nevertheless, later you should remember this catastrophe. I don't know why in the US the human impact on global change seems to be contested in wide sections of the population. You are the leading country in the research of natural sciences in the world. And these days the impact is uncontested among serious natural scientists, so please try to catch up on the facts and don't parrot the lobbyists...Peter Poete, Bonn, Germany+++My full compassion goes to the victims and also deep thanks for liberating Europe in WW II. But what the hell has it do with the reasons for climate change? Instead of wasting the last oil, causing deaths all over the world by increased hurricanes and flooding, instead of praying to middle-aged-gods and instead of dividing the world by the right and left, good and bad, why don't you sell your SUVs and try to intellectually enter the 21st century. - D. Mueller, Germany+++Mr. Trittin's remarks were certainly not very adequate. We all should feel sympathy for all the poor people who suffered. However, we should think together on how to stop the race towards disasters of this kind, not just mutually blame one another. - Klaus Moll+++Can we criticize the Americans now, or is this just going to be a one-way exchange? - Sascha Langer+++First off all, I would like to bring out my condolences to all those affected by the hurricane in the U.S. Second, I have to say I am German. Although I do not live there anymore, I do feel German. The statements made and the non-existing offers for help of "my" government are truly painful. Maybe there are widening cultural understandings between our continents, but this gives nevertheless not anyone -- especially Mr. Trittin -- the right to disregard and ruin our common values of helping others in need -- no matter of what. Therefore, I would like to ask you again to be patient with the "Germans," as you were decades ago. I can only hope that we then develop again, as we did decades ago, into something more honest and more respectful if friends are suffering and in pain. My deepest sympathy, - Alex Radach+++Dear Editors,this collection is an interesting reflection on US citizens'perception of the problem of global warming. Or, it is aninteresting reflection of what confusion only a handful of(dubious) scientist can create in a whole society. A few years back, it surfaced that that the US coal industryhad paid more than $1 million to four scientists who werepublic dissenters on global warming. And ExxonMobil has spentmore than $13 million since 1998 on an anti-global warmingpublic relations and lobbying campaign.Of course, one single extreme event such as Katrina cannot beclearly linked to global warming. But an 30% increase over thelast decade on number and intensity of such hurricanes canindeed be linked. Such weather extremes will continue tobecome more common. Not only in the US or distant developingcountries, but also in Europe. The recent floods in CentralEurope, for example, are adding to the pile of evidence, andso does the 2003 heatwave that killed more than 33,000Europeans.While disaster relief must be the top priority now, thetragedy should indeed be seen as a wake-up call, a lastwarning, for the US Administration to rethink their strategyon climate change. The way George Bush refuses to tackleglobal warming is totally irresponsible. Towards US citizens,but also towards the rest of the world.Best regards,Jan Kowalzig+++Thanks, America. You took the solidarity which Europe had after Sept. 11 and ruined it by trying to force the world into a war that killed thousands of Iraqis and then you let your leaders -- people like Rumsfeld ("Old Europe") and Rice ("Encourage the Russians, ignore the Germans, punish the French") -- step on the toes of German solidarity. Why do you react like that? And now you come up with all the old stories about WWII and so on. Like the Germans, you should learn from your mistakes and stop acting so arrogantly. But all you care about is your ability to eat, drink and drive your big cars. You should try to sort out your own problems before you invade other countries and kill innocent people. Why not take some of your military budget and help your people? - Didi+++Why the hell have you published these mails? The fact that the Americans are incapable of dealing with criticism and immediately respond with a patriotic reflex muscle is clear -- just check out all the blogs criticizing the German government for its stance on the Iraq war. Of course, the natural catastrophe there is just as terrible and Trittin's commentary is heartless. But when Mike Patton writes: "Global warming is like a religion with you guys! Not knowing anything about meteorology or hurricane cycles or global heat pumps or the like, you otherwise intelligent educated people pontificate about some connection between global warming and Hurricane Katrina." You don't think it's possible that the number of tornados and hurricanes could be increasing because of SUVs, air-conditioning, the livestock farming, a non-compliant industry, etc? I hope the American opposition poses the right questions to the Republicans before the next election. And I hope that the whole drama in New Orleans will help lead the USA to a path where it will do more about environmental protection. - Bastian+++I have to say, I agree with the Americans on a number of points. The things some of the leading politicians in our country are saying are truly shameful. Jürgen Trittin's article, especially, that people here in Germany are living in an unrealistic world. The fact that someone could act so erroneously in this situation cannot be justified. What happened to our humanity?To all Americans who suffer now under the consequences of the hurricane: I apologize for our politicians and some of our newspapers. I am deeply sorry for what happened and I hope the I and many other Germans can help you all at least by donating money - Florian Lipsmeier+++Mr. Trittin, This is not the time for your typical German pedantry,it is a time for action - roll up your sleeves and get to work, remember? - Siegfried Ehrmann+++Dear Mr. Trittin,I read your comments in regards to the natural catastrophe in the American South with dismay, anger and outrage. I neither understand nor find justifiable how you drew these conclusions. At a time when the American people need our help and support, you have nothing better to do that to point your finger and say "you got what you deserved." This is unbelievable and incomprehensible. You have failed me. Not just because of the deposit you imposed on cans and the fact that carbon dioxide emissions are increasing because you're shutting down nuclear power plants and installing thousands of economically senseless windmills. Even worse is the fact that you're damaging our reputation in the world.But at least the end is near. Elections will be held in three weeks and life will start get better for the German people. - Patrick Baumann, Pulheim+++A few points before people jump to conclusions about EUROPE and GERMANY in respect to their view of the US:1. Trittin's comments are extremely badly timed to say the very least.2. The absolute vast majority of Europeans and Germans are devastated by the news of what is happening in the US and are willing to help where possible and show compassion as they show in situations like that for many other countries.3. European governments and organisations will help in areas where there is a clear request for concrete aspects to constructively help. However, concrete requests are a pre-condition for constructive and effective help as they have been offered and applied after 9/11.4. The highly regarded American newspaper the International Herald Tribune takes itself a clear view on the disaster which pretty much reflects some "European" thoughts i.e. a potential connection to Global Warning (Article: Hurricane Katrina's Real Name). One does not need to be European or German to take that view though again timing very unfortunate. It should therefore not being used to bash all Europeans or Germans in one go. If one (from my point of view poor) German newspaper prints an article like that, it does not reflect the GERMANS let alone the EUROPEANS as a whole.5. In times like this everybody should maybe think as to whether or how to support victims where possible instead of launching such a sad e-mail battle which creates nothing but hate.May the transatlantic relationship show that it is capable of far more than this very sad and unfortunate exchange of e-mails -- because it is capable of far more. - Ulrich von der Brelie+++My dear American friends,No, this is not the only way of German thinking. It's not the only way of German behaviour. And finally, even if the conservatives will not make it on their own, at least Trittin and his Green Party will be thrown out of the government by the German electors in only a few weeks. Maybe they had some good ideas when environmental protection was a foreign word in the world, but so many Germans are so fed up with the arrogance of these know-it-alls. If mankind had any influence on this catastrophe, THEN it was all of us. Including those wealthy, bored Greens who fly around the world watching whales and visiting "indigenous societies" in the Third World. But, nonsense. New Orleans was hit by a hurricane. Hurricanes have been there long before us. Period.I wish Trittin had the honor to resign. But whatever -- after September 18th (election day), you won't hear about him any more.I am deeply sorry for all victims of this horrible natural catastrophe and pray for all who were injured or lost their lives. I know America as a strong nation that stands together in solidarity if necessary. Cheer up, you will master this like you have mastered all crises in your history.- Thomas Rottmann,Krefeld, Germany+++I've seldom been as upset about an article as I was about your reporting on Trittin. If anyone is doing something to damage German-American relations, it's Spiegel Online. According to the Frankfurter Rundschau, the article was published at a time on Monday when "Katrina" was already starting to slow down and it looked like it hadn't done as much damage as people thought it might. Nobody had any clue there would be deaths in the three digits. The only way to conclude that this was tasteless is to look at it in retrospect. To put a picture of Jürgen Trittin smiling to accompany the English version of Claus Christian Malzahn's polemic is especially dastardly and will certainly produce the harsh reactions from the USA that you are seeking."No pledges of aid money, no announcements of immediate help -- although finally, two days later, the German interior minister did manage to come out with a hesitant offer of assistance," the editorialist writes, barely one day after the scope of the catastrophe became apparent. The Americans themselves aren't even sure what to do yet. So what do Germans even have to offer at this point in time other than their sympathy? Busses to help in evacuation? The German Army to stop the looting? Did the Americans send an especially high volume of donations to Germany during the 2002 floods on the Elbe River? No. Why? Because it wasn't needed - and the same holds true today. And drawing World War II into this is totally absurd. The effects of this hurricane are catastrophic and horrifying. Nevertheless, it's not the entire country that's in a state of emergency.It goes without saying to anyone that Germans and the German government are ready to help -- so far as it makes sense to do so.I get the feeling here that a journalist is just trying to raise his own profile - at the cost of Jürgen Tritten and, above all, German-American relations. He obviously succeeded, as the volume of e-mails shows. If I were his boss, I'd fire him. - Jörg Fischer, Berlin+++Why are the Americans trying to put all Germans under one label? I mean, how on earth do the Americans know what every single German thinks about the horrifying images coming out of the US? I have been absolutely terrified by these pictures, which are deeply touching. I'm not going to try to point any I-know-better-than-you fingers, either. The media is just trying to provoke a scandal.On the one side, people are trying to prove global warming, and on the other they're acting as if climate change doesn't exist and that it isn't a threat.Yet again, a fight is being provoked with polarizing opinions in order to make money. And Spiegel is a part of that. All of the articles on this issue are completely unbalanced lacking perspective from both sides and that's a real shame. - Max Fischer+++As scary as I find Mr. Trittin's report to be, I also find the one-sidedness of the reactions coming from American incomprehensible. It's not fair that the views of one German politician, who clearly has no idea what he's saying, be construed as the beliefs of all Germans. That's why I hope you get as many mails representing the views of Germans. I really don't want Americans to identify Germans with Mr. Trittin because we certainly don't all identify with him.That's why I'm asking: please create some kind of forum for your German and European users so that we can express our sympathies for the hurricane victims. - Hannes Horneber+++Mr. Bush, you've got a Mail!What about America's politics on environmental protection? You consume more energy than the rest of the world. You don't care about nature. You're reducing the amount of protection given to national parks. And what about all the pollution your masses of old-technology cars are causing? Do not blame Mr. Trittin - do the job in your own backyard. We all have to pay for the mistakes we make - all over the planet - it's not yours. - Tobias Schorr+++What's up with this BS in Spiegel? You're running letters from American religious fanatics who believe the hurricane was God's creation, mentally weak nationalists and moronic "we're a country always ready to help others" people? God the media landscape is getting neoliberal - what else is left? - R. Henninger+++I really was horrified, when I read all those mails from US citizenstoday. It showed me, how stupid and stereotype many people think. Asmatter of fact I dont like G.W. Bush and I wouldnt want to live in theUS for many reasons (like the weapon law, e.g.), but I never wouldcome to the idea, to blame the whole American people for that.Nevertheless I was also horrified about the devastating hurricane andits impact on the region. I feel deeply sorry for the people in andaround New Orleans (and I think, all Germans do so), and I am surethere will be help from the German government and from the manynon-communistic, non-fascistic, not-anti-american andnot-brain-damaged people we have in Germany. - Martin Bäumen+++The e-mail reactions on SPIEGEL ONLINE are amazing... and totally missthe point. Let me make no mistake: The comments byGermany's Environmental Minister, Jürgen Trittin (Green Party), aboutthe connection between US environmental policy,its opposition towards the Kyoto protocol and "Katrina" werecompletely tasteless and, at the time said, utterlyhurtful. Now comes the "but"... what did Trittin say? He explicitly said, theUS environmental policy is not doing a great job intackling global warming. He explicitly said, that global warming canbe accounted for the increased violence anddestructive powers of hurricanes - and there is really no decentscientist who is opposed to this. Global warming is afact and is as indisputed as the theory of evolution (I can hear teethgrinding!). Probably both are hard to swallow forthe average American Joe, but who said life was easy? Anyway, whatTrittin also explicitly said was, that America ischanging as regards the environment, that even the religious right isnow "going green". And he explicitly said thatGermany is willing to help America in the struggle for environmentalprotection on a global scale.So, what upset Americans? Ok, it was distasteful and hurting, Ialready admitted. But apart from that, Trittin just gaveplain truths, nothing more, but surely nothing less. The e-mails werequite revealing. The self-image of Americans shownhere is that of a grateful nation, always willing to help. This isthen mixed with a grief to the heavens "why don'tthey like us?" and "next time we will not help the world!". Well,could it be that the rest of the world does not viewAmerica to be that grateful? Wonder why that is? Probably, because theAmerican government is spitting on internationallaw (Iraq), spitting on international treaties (Kyoto,non-proliferation, bio-weapons) and spitting on their allieswhenever they allow themselves to differ in opinion (Iraq, war onterror). If you want the world to love you, stopwhining and bitching, start changing something! Change your attitudetowards the environment, for instance. Change yourattitude towards global institutions. Change your attitude and returnto be that great nation that never was, yet has tobe!André Reichel, German+++Dear Mr. Trittin,I am a German atmospheric scientist working in Switzerland. As such, I can judge your claims on a scientific basis. As a scientist, I agreethat global warming is a fact. I also agree thathuman activity is responsible for a large part of it and that this human impact should be reduced as much as possible. The Kyoto protocol is a step in the right direction and certainly better than doing nothing.However, right here our agreement stops. The connection you madebetweenKyoto, Katrina and the US administration is - at best - ridiculous. Even if there was a connection between Katrina's strength and global warming (which is pure speculation with the currently available data) it is outrageous to blame the Bush administration for it. Practically all the CO2 that may have contributed to today's global warming was emitted long before George Bush became president. Every country in the world where people cook their food, use electricity, heat their homes, drive their cars, use trains or planes, or buy goods from elsewhere contributes substantially to the CO2 emissions. In other words: if you really believe that the US is partially responsible for Katrina you should not forget that Germany and all the other industrialized countries are too. And if they are, they should help and not point their finger. - Dr. Dietrich Feist