“Close to the End”

SPIEGEL in-depth interview with Sergey Chrushchev, son of the former Soviet leader, about his father’s crimes, the building of the Berlin Wall and the Cuban missile crisis:

“Stalin would bring a list of names and say there was convincing evidence that all of them were enemies of the people. They had been condemned to death and now all the members of the inner circle had to sign. And, naturally, my father signed. … Of course, all close associates of Stalin knew that most of them would be done if Lavrenty Beria, the head of the secret police, became Stalin’s successor. And my father duly prevented that. But the main motive was to purify the communist idea from the blood of the crimes. … At that time I only knew that my father had taken a strong interest in the technical implementation [of building the Berlin Wall in 1961]. In the meantime, documents have become available from the archives, and they show unambiguously that the SED pressured my father – who then, to be sure, took over the proposal. … Apart from the intermediate-range missiles we also had dozens of operational nuclear arms in Cuba. … If they had attacked Cuba, our troops there would have defended themselves with these weapons. An invading American army would surely have had more than 100,000 casualties to mourn. Kennedy would then most probably have had to push the red button.”

“Hitting Out in Every Direction”

Europe: Only five members of the European Union are still governed by social-democratically oriented alliances. Impressed by the successes of right-wing populist parties, the new conservative governments are mainly turning to a single panacea: economising, cost-cutting, tightening the reins. When the dot-com bubble burst after March 2001, and the stock exchanges were brought to their knees after September 11, 2001, the predominantly social-democratic or socialist governments in the 15 member states of the EU were stumped. Meanwhile, the number of jobless has risen to almost 19 million. The cost-cutting measures are accompanied by rigorous policies regarding foreigners and domestic security issues – because election promises like these are comparatively easy to honour.

“Upright into the Wall”

Cars: Mercedes’ S class will in future anticipate imminent accidents and bring its occupants into the right position for a less hazardous collision. Is this the start of a new era in crash safety? During an emergency stop or a spin, the on-board electronics declare a state of emergency. Immediately, the car takes precautions for the potential collision. For the first time, two separate worlds in automobile development are being brought together: active safety, which tries to prevent accidents from happening, and passive safety, which takes over when it is too late for prevention.

“We’re the Ones Who Have Been Had”

SPIEGEL cover story: In their early 30s, highly qualified – and fired: the high-performers in society are being hit by a wave of redundancies, the New Centre is being swept aside. Advertising experts, bankers and management experts who until recently were in strong demand, fear for their jobs – these days anyone can be hit.

“Saving the Magic Mountain”

Monuments: The island abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel is to be saved from silting up: a new bridge is meant to allow the tides to ebb and flow freely again. A lock that prevented the sea from coming and going freely is to be demolished, a new jetty built on stilts will replace the massive causeway to bring in the hoards of tourists. The rescue work is to begin early next year.

Noise: In recent years, research into noise pollution has made considerable progress. Evidence from epidemiological studies, and research into stress, hormones and the immune system, indicates that the 16 percent of Germans who live in areas subject to high noise levels are indeed at distinctly greater risk than the rest of the population. A few days ago, the Federal Office of the Environment in Berlin received the as yet unpublished report of a study which substantially underpins this suspicion. The human body reacts very sensitively to noise, particularly at night, and the consequences do not simply affect one organ but a whole range of systems: the risk of requiring medical treatment for hypertension is doubled; the risk of suffering from asthma is significantly increased; in certain regions there is a significant increase in the risk of thyroid disease; there is a borderline increase in the risk of getting angina pectoris or increased cholesterol levels; and there is a borderline increase in the risk of suffering from cancer.

“There’s No Such Thing as Cultural Freedom”

SPIEGEL interview with primate researcher Frans de Waal about animal culture and human nature:

“Primates recognise when fellow creatures are in distress and may come to their assistance. … We believe there is a connection between empathy and the ability to recognise oneself in a mirror. … Researchers are paying more and more attention to the genetic foundations of human behaviour; and at the same time they are discovering the cultural basis of animal behaviour. A very interesting period has begun: human beings are becoming more biological, animals more cultural. … When Richard Nixon was ousted from power after the Watergate scandal, he pounded the floor with his fists in anger. I observe similar outbursts of anger in chimpanzees.”

“I’m Missing an Off-Switch”

SPIEGEL in-depth interview with British actor Hugh Grant, 41, about pleasant and unpleasant experiences with fame, his latest film “About a Boy” and the horrors of puberty:

“I think, as a rule American actors are better trained than European ones. … It’s true that there is a lot of me in the characters – and I consider that indispensable. … One thing I have learnt about making films is: keep away from projects you aren’t 100 percent sure about – 90 percent isn’t enough. … I always wanted glamour, and I got that through acting. In that sense I am actually happy with the job. … I never had any money, now I do, and women find me more attractive than before. The only thing I’m missing is some sort of an “off” switch. Switching off being well-known, going out and behaving badly.”

“Alone I Am Nothing”

SPIEGEL in-depth interview with basketball pro Dirk Nowitzki about his model role in the NBA, the competition facing the German national team at the world championships, moments of happiness during the game, and his involvement in promoting young players:

“Basketball is still a team sport. … With Patrick Femerling and Ademola Okulaja, we have two more captains on the team; there is no true leader of the pack. Basically, we don’t need one either. Because ultimately it’s only a question of winning the game. That’s what makes the team strong: the common goal. It isn’t just me. … I had a wonderful youth and the good fortune to meet the right people. I was given the chance to realise my dreams. Now I want others to profit from me. I want to help those kids who have not had as sheltered an upbringing as me, who would otherwise not have the opportunity to play basketball.”