#1 Ideals

Birth centres are seen as an alternative to overcrowded delivery rooms. How do the midwives there work? A visit to Hannover-Herrenhausen.

The spiritual community ‘International School of the Golden Rosycross’ is regarded as a sect. What ideals do its members pursue?

Lützerath has been ‘excavated’ – despite resistance and occupation. Our author witnessed the activists’ daily life and struggle up to the eviction.

While they were stranded during the pandemic, Circus Siola’s caravans were shot at and its performers insulted as ‘scum’. Is there no place in our society for Siola’s ‘classical old-European circus art’?

The artist Renate Marek runs the ‘Nordstadtbraut’ in Hannover. Why profit is not what matters most to her.

Hunting divides opinion: some see it as necessary to stabilise damaged ecosystems. For others, hunting is only about trophies.

Vivid graffiti, buzzing events – the Koch-Areal in Zurich was an alternative place to live. Its eviction sparked a debate about community and gentrification.

Student Tim Wagner accompanies the clearing of the Dannenröder Forest.

Johannes Nagel broke with his life as a financial adviser to become a street musician and be closer to his children.

The war in Ukraine has not only devastated lives and landscapes – it has also changed what many Ukrainians hope for. What are their new priorities?

The construction industry is one of the biggest consumers of raw materials and at the same time the world’s largest producer of waste. Reclaiming building components could help reduce the problem.

For as long as we have existed, there have been supposedly ideal bodies. Which proportions were flattering in the Middle Ages? And what might a modern perspective look like?

Community-supported agriculture aims to make environmentally friendly farming possible. Our author wanted to know whether it works and visited a farm.

What is life like beyond socially accepted gender roles?

Growing up in a conservative Afghan family, Najib was abused because of his queer identity. Today, as Najiba, he campaigns for the LGBTQIA+ community.

When parents try to project their own ideals onto their children. A conversation with the author Ulrike Bartholomäus.

Wearing dog masks to their regulars’ night, on a lead to a party – why some people enjoy slipping into animal roles.

The self-love trend obscures the idea behind body positivity – and clouds the real problem in society.