What is Berlin Takes?

Germany is Europe’s most influential country. Understanding why modern Germany acts the way it does has scarcely been more important. But achieving that understanding requires navigating a consensus-oriented political culture, complicated electoral system, turbulent historical memory, and delightfully challenging language. Doing that takes years. Yet, only a handful of English-speaking media outlets have maintained a longstanding presence in Berlin.

Written by me, Aaron Gasch Burnett, a German-Canadian politics writer based in Berlin for over ten years, Berlin Takes is an English-language newsletter that helps readers go beyond political Berlin’s events. It aims to help you understand the culture, motivations, and procedures behind modern German power.