Compared to other western democracies, Germany has some rather restrictive laws relating to freedom of expression. In the past, I have often cut them some slack, with the understanding that some of these restrictions were a necessary reaction to the horrors of their 20th century history. However, in recent years there's been an increasing number of developments that have made me wonder if these restrictions do not signal something deeper about the German psyche. Sometimes I go as far as wondering whether the country has truly learned the lessons from their Nazi past.

If you want recent examples, read these news. I understand that for most people this sort of legislation will at first sight seem perfectly reasonable, but for those in the know, it sends shivers down the spine. Whoever crafted these laws either forgot about the 1930s, is blissfully short-sighted, or is a Dr. Strangelovian closet-Nazi.