Relations between Russia and the political West are at a freezing point. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, relations – which were already strained – have reached an all-time low and appear to be irreparable in the long term. Nevertheless, a new security architecture that includes Russia is required. Given Russia’s size and geographical location, there is no way round this. Ms Krone-Schmalz offers a ruthless analysis of developments to date. How could things have come to this, given that the East-West confrontation seemed to have been overcome at the end of the 1980s? How can the spiral of escalation be halted? What role can diplomacy play? What prospects are conceivable? What might an exit strategy look like that does not operate within the categories of winners and losers? In a democratically structured society, it must be possible to debate all these existential questions in order to increase the chances of arriving at viable solutions. Media coverage and the use of language also play a part in this. What dangers threaten democratic thinking when, in the perception of a large majority of the population, debates are generally seen as undesirable?

“A clothes size isn’t the be-all and end-all,” says Franziska Troegner, who defies all conventions not only through her versatility as an actress. She has appeared alongside ‘Brecht icons’, the multi-talented Diether Krebs, Hollywood star Johnny Depp, and has been working with Dieter Hallervorden for 20 years. Audiences know and love her as a woman who holds her own with natural charm, wit and down-to-earthness. In her book *Permanently Trend-Resistant*, Franziska Troegner recounts her experiences on TV diet and fitness programmes, her adventures with single and double sinks, and with Michael, her great hero from Berlin’s Hurnannplatz. She tells stories about film, theatre and cabaret, what it was like in the East, and what it’s like today. With verve, the actress shares theatrical anecdotes such as the one about ‘Mackie Messer in Barcelona’, where a guest performance by the Berliner Ensemble didn’t go off without a few criminal complications. She takes the reader behind the scenes of film shoots and into her private everyday life. Even to her own kitchen hob, where the passionate cook enjoys preparing hearty home-cooked meals. She recounts her stories, sometimes cheerfully, sometimes thoughtfully, without shying away from showing her emotions or expressing a sense of detachment.

When, in November 2024, the Kulturheimat association, together with the KulturFabrik and the band Kiepengold from Süplingen, organised a public sing-along under the slogan ‘Sing with us – Go for it’, it became clear that there are many people of all ages in Haldensleben who enjoy singing together as a community. The programme for this choral karaoke session features Schlager, rock and pop songs. The youngest in the audience are 20, the oldest over 85. The mood and atmosphere are simply incredible. People sing along to the songs for two hours without a break, full of joy and enthusiasm. This event has now become a tradition and a fixture in the town’s cultural life.