Schwabing - who should pay?
After Monday's WWII bomb discovery in the heart of Munich, the 250-pound explosive underwent a controlled detonation on site the following evening. Despite authorities best attempts to fireproof the surrounding area, the blast still caused substantial damage to the immediate residential area, Schwabing.
This begs the question: what is the exact cost of the damage caused by the detonation and more pressingly who is financially responsible for the cleanup?
Whether the damage is included under the "Kriegswaffenklausel" (weapons of war clause) is not yet clear. If it turns out this is the case, then the city will accept no responsibility for it. Nevertheless, most homeowners should be able to breathe easily, because it is possible that the cost of the damage will be paid by their insurance. The cost has yet to be fully assessed.
At the Bayerischen Hausbesitzerversicherung (Bavrian Homeowners Insurers), an explosion is usually a co-insured risk that falls within the realms of the Fire Service, according to a representative of the Haus & Grund München (Homeowners Association) Michael Koch.
Workers in front of the damaged building directly across from the blast site | munichFOTO
Whatever is decided on the matter of fiscal responsibility, the issue still remains; hundreds of Munich residents can neither return to nor re-inhabit their damaged homes.
Add comment
| Name | |
 | |
| Comment | |
Shooting in New Orleans Mother's Day Parade
In yet another reminder of the reality of gun violence in the United States, an attack took place during the Mother's Day Parade in New Orleans. Around 13:45 as people were gathered to watch the parade, flanked by a full complement of police officers, shots rang out. A total of 19 people, including two ten year old children, were injured, but no fatalities were reported.
Police have stated that several shooters were believed to have been involved and a search for three suspects is currently underway. As the reason for the attack remains unknown, the police has estimated that it may have...
Police have stated that several shooters were believed to have been involved and a search for three suspects is currently underway. As the reason for the attack remains unknown, the police has estimated that it may have...
Taxing times as Bayern board backs Hoeness
Despite an on-going tax evasion investigation, under-fire Uli Hoeness is set to remain as president of the supervisory board of treble-seeking Bayern Munich until at least the end of the season.
The Bavarian club's supervisory board voted unanimously in favour of Hoeness staying on, declining to bow to increasing public pressure for the Bayern supremo to resign.
Members of the board include high-profile figures from club sponsors Adidas, Volkswagen, Audi and Deutsche Telekom. If a scandal of this magnitude emerged at such public companies, it would perhaps be considered a given that this was a...
The Bavarian club's supervisory board voted unanimously in favour of Hoeness staying on, declining to bow to increasing public pressure for the Bayern supremo to resign.
Members of the board include high-profile figures from club sponsors Adidas, Volkswagen, Audi and Deutsche Telekom. If a scandal of this magnitude emerged at such public companies, it would perhaps be considered a given that this was a...
DOK.fest Opens on May 8th
From the 8th to the 15th of May 2013 DOK.fest will once again show the newest worldwide documentary films, previews, and trailers - right here in Munich.
Films will presented all over the city at a variety of venues. The festival is a unique chance to see documentary films that typically have a difficult time getting into wide release where they can reach a more diverse audience. Over the last three decades, DOK.fest Munich has become the second largest documentary film festival in Germany.
Also running during this busy period is the DOK.forum, the media platform, will take...
Also running during this busy period is the DOK.forum, the media platform, will take...
Bavarian parliament under pressure to cease nepotism
The Bavarian State Parliament is turning up the pressure on those accused of nepotism within the government branch.
Barbara Stamm has called for the names of all those politicians who have relatives under their personal employ to be published. Though it is technically legal for the politicians to have these relatives under their pay roll, the acceptability of the practice has been called into question recently in light.
In the year 2000, it was made illegal for Bavarian politicians to hire their relatives into their departments. A loophole in the rule was set up under which relatives already...
Wifi at Marienplatz
As of yesterday, there is free wifi for all to use at Munich's Marienplatz. It is part of an initiative by the City called M-WLAN and is a collaboration of the government with their daughter company M-Net, an internet provider.
Dieter Reiter of the SPD says that this service is necessary to our city, which breaks record after record for tourism and overnight stays.
Almost every tourist has some form of device, big or small, that can connect to the internet. Cell phones, smart phones, laptops, tablets, and more all use Wifi. The system at Marienplatz connects any of these devices to a free...
Dieter Reiter of the SPD says that this service is necessary to our city, which breaks record after record for tourism and overnight stays.
Almost every tourist has some form of device, big or small, that can connect to the internet. Cell phones, smart phones, laptops, tablets, and more all use Wifi. The system at Marienplatz connects any of these devices to a free...
How breast cancer spreads into the brain
Cancer cells can escape from tumors, sneak through the bloodstream, and seed new tumors, or metastases, in distant organs. In a recent study of breast cancer, researchers captured the rogue individuals among these circulating tumor cells (CTCs) that metastasized to the brain - a deadly kind of metastasis. They hope to use these cells to understand the fundamentals of brain metastasis, and eventually to detect the early stages of metastasis and prevent it.
Almost all cancer deaths are caused not by the patient's primary tumor but by metastasis, and a sizable portion of breast cancers...
Almost all cancer deaths are caused not by the patient's primary tumor but by metastasis, and a sizable portion of breast cancers...
Car Bombs rock Turkish border town Reyhanli
In what some are describing as one of the worst terrorist attacks in recent history, 2 car bombs devastated Turkish border town Reyhanli, killing at least 43 people and injuring at least 100 further civilians. Some local sources have put the number even higher, even as far as 200 dead, while conspiracy theories are abound, due to no one having claimed responsibility for the attacks. As it lies on the Syrian border and has been open to Syrian refugees as well as rebel forces to enter and exit the country, primary suspicions have been aimed at the Syrian government. Turkish Deputy Prime Minister...
NSU Trial Begins in Munich
After a brief reign of terror in which 10 victims lost their lives and two of the alleged perpetrators committed suicide, a third stands trial as an accomplice to the murders and a bank robbery. The trial, which is expected to last up to a year, follows the worst series of racially motivated attacks since World War II. The Neo Nazi Hit squad targeted immigrants and sought to finance themselves through armed robbery, which fortunately provided the police with enough evidence to close in on the perpetrators of the murders of 8 Turks, one Greek and a young police officer.
After the police...
Play Me, I'm Yours
The idea of PLAY ME I'M YOURS originated in 2008 in the mind of British artist Luke Jerran and he could little have imagined how big the idea would become. Now the event is in more than 30 cities - and who would ever have imagined the popularitly of pianos just appearing in public places.
This year's Munich celebration of open air music runs from May 4 to May 19 and you will likely hear the dulcet piano tones long before you will see the brightly painted pianos scattered around Munich. The project is supported in Munich by the non-profit organization "Musik mit Kinder e.V." (Music with...
This year's Munich celebration of open air music runs from May 4 to May 19 and you will likely hear the dulcet piano tones long before you will see the brightly painted pianos scattered around Munich. The project is supported in Munich by the non-profit organization "Musik mit Kinder e.V." (Music with...
New rent laws for Munich
A new law regulating tenant rates comes into effect today.
The law will lower the rent ceiling, which will be welcome news to many of Munich's residents who pay some of the highest rents in the country. The law will set the rate of rent increases to a maximum of 15 percent in 3 years. Previously the rate was at 20%.
The new law has been criticised by the German Tenants Association, however. They point out that the rent ceilings do not apply to new leases, only ones that are currently existing.
"The new laws are complicated, prone to dispute, and partially redundant," says director Luke...
Marienhof is back
Munich's favorite chill out spot right behind the Rathaus has returned to its green glory!
Originally closed off in 2011, the green patch behind Munich's town hall has been under construction for around two years. The prep work for Munich's second S-Bahn line prompted the digging, where remains of old walls, latrines, and canals were unexpectedly found. Archaeologists went to work to excavate the site, pausing S-Bahn preperations and dragging out the reopening of the small park.
The work was completed in November of last year, as construction workers filled up the hole and topped it with...
Originally closed off in 2011, the green patch behind Munich's town hall has been under construction for around two years. The prep work for Munich's second S-Bahn line prompted the digging, where remains of old walls, latrines, and canals were unexpectedly found. Archaeologists went to work to excavate the site, pausing S-Bahn preperations and dragging out the reopening of the small park.
The work was completed in November of last year, as construction workers filled up the hole and topped it with...
Brain cells made from skin raise hopes for new neurodegenerative disease treatments
A research team led by Dr Paul Tesar at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, USA, has transformed skin cells into a type of brain cells that is destroyed in neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy.
These cells - oligodendrocytes - produce a protective layer of fat called myelin around nerve cells, ensuring accurate transmission of brain impulses. Loss of myelin in neurodegenerative diseases can have a devastating impact. For example, in multiple sclerosis, poor coordination is an indication that brain signals fail to transmit properly...
| Will the new Alternative for Germany party find significant backing? by Timothy | May 03, 2013, 01:44:04 PM |
| Should Turkey be allowed into the EU? by Timothy | May 03, 2013, 01:42:36 PM |
| Are Bavarian politicians overpaid? by Timothy | May 03, 2013, 01:41:42 PM |
| Should emigrants have a vote? by Timothy | May 03, 2013, 01:40:46 PM |
Advertisements
