“One Great Bluff”

Catastrophes: The nuclear submarine “Kursk” that sank off Murmansk is home again. Documents that have come to light in Moscow suggest that the Russian Navy itself sunk the high-tech craft in error. The signs are multiplying that the boat with its crew of 118 was despatched to the seabed by a rocket fired from the Russian cruiser “Peter the Great” and thus the victim of an accident on manoeuvres. The SPIEGEL is meanwhile in possession of documents that reinforce the rocket version. These indicate that the commission of investigation – the joint research group of the military prosecutor’s department and the domestic intelligence service – had been considering the probability of a rocket hit right from the outset. Admittedly, the authenticity of the documents cannot be checked completely. Nevertheless, the commission is certainly relatively independent of naval high command: The Russian secret service and the military have been implacably hostile in several critical situations already.

“Gruesome modules”

Biological weapons: After the anthrax cases in the USA fears are growing of super-bacilli from genetic laboratories. Are terrorists capable of unleashing epidemics that are impossible to halt? Microbiologists have been warning for some time now of the possible consequences of the revolution in genetic technology for the development of biological weapons. Making combative biological substances “to measure” could lead to bacilli that are harder to discover, diagnose and treat, warn researchers. Development of killer bacteria, however, is seen as virtually impossible without expert aid and appropriate laboratory equipment,

“Saddam cannot remain”

SPIEGEL-Interview with US security expert Richard Perle about the United States campaign against Bin Laden and the future tasks of the international coalition against terrorism:

“The campaign in Afghanistan aims to destroy the foundations of the al-Qaida. If we succeed in that, then the other state sponsors of terrorist groups will recognize the risk that they run in providing their money, secret services, territory and their logistics. ... We know that Iraq has trained numerous terrorists from different countries and hijacking of planes rehearsed on dummies has formed part of that. There is a justified fear that Saddam - who is in possession of anthrax bacilli and other biological weapons – has supplied terrorists from his stocks. We know that he wanted to kill President George Bush Sen. at the time. There is no doubt that Saddam represents a great threat.”

“With massive energy”

SPIEGEL-Interview with Toyota chief Fujio Cho on the Japanese carmaker’s success in the USA and its difficulties in Europe.

“Every corporation must pursue a course of its own and I can only speak for Toyota. We would prefer to intermesh our own company more tightly rather than be devour ourselves in a merger. Yet where necessary we enter limited, technical alliances such as the one with General Motors on developing a fuel cell or with Peugeot on building a small car for the European market. ... What we particularly lack[in Europe]was an efficient distribution network but with 2200 dealers we are now well placed. We want to eliminate the irritation of the low Euro rate that is producing the losses for us by boosting output on the spot... Only between five and ten carmakers will survive and these will be firms that succeed in both the prolonged, costly development of low-emission automobiles and in reducing costs. Toyota will be one of them.”

“Nasty uncle, nice uncle”

Debate: Chancellor Schröder has ordered “Unrestricted solidarity” but since the bombardment of Afghanistan the republic has fallen into two schools of thought – this is a report on a journey of discovery through a divided country to determine why some are for the United States, others against. Those who are seen as anti-American are put on the defensive. They are accused of being soft and lacking solidarity. Their camp is traditionally the smaller one, yet the opponents of American policy are determined and well organized since many of them are firmly entwined with other left-wing movements.

“Allah’s reservist”

Terrorism: He was destined to blowthe US embassy in Paris sky high in the war against the infidel, yet Nizar Trabelsi is now sitting in a Belgian gaol instead of Paradise. This is a report on the double life of an Islamic terrorist who had actually wanted to become a soccer star.

“Grabbing for world dominance?”

Software: Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer are once again turning on the heat. After the failure of the monopoly lawsuit Microsoft’s top duo are again launching out – as loudly as ever, as aggressively as never before. Their new business areas are cellphones and electronic games. The biggest product offensive in Microsoft’s history is now under way - just as if the corporation wished to delete the court files with its source codes.

“High Noon in Friedrichstrasse”

Modern history: Miscalculations by the superpowers at Checkpoint Charlie 40 years ago brought the world to the brink of a nuclear war. Along with the Cuba crisis the confrontation between tanks at Checkpoint Charlie was of course the most perilous moment in the Cold War. Two weeks after construction of the Berlin Wall, a mood of anxious alarm prevailed in East and West. If anybody had asserted their own power on the Friedrichstrasse, today Berlin could well have looked like Hiroshima.

“It’s total chaos”

SPIEGEL-Interview with the Austrian writer Friederike Mayröcker, 76, about the award to her of the Georg Büchner Prize, her life with Ernst Jandl and sadness about his death.

“When I received the call enquiring whether I would accept the prize, I was delighted. Then I paced up and down the apartment and wept bitterly: So, here’s the Büchner Prize and Ernst Jandl is no longer there! I was desperately unhappy. I had not thought that it would hit me so hard a year after his death. Then I immediately started work on my speech. That helped me. ... I have baskets of material. Yet if it lies around too long, all the spark in me has gone. Moreover, I can often no longer read my own writing. ... It was only at the beginning that I worked purely experimentally. I stopped that in 1971. It was just too stupid. One day one has had enough. I simply cannot understand how anybody can go on with it. It’s fun but one day you have to leave it behind you.