The German Review

The German Review

What Hannover and Berlin reveal about Germany's NGO state

From a "ghost café" in Hannover to a controversial anti-Semitism fund in Berlin, two scandals reveal what can happen when politicians decide that a cause is too important for normal scrutiny.

Jörg Luyken's avatar
Jörg Luyken
Jun 20, 2026
∙ Paid

Dear Reader,

Two stories from two different cities. Both illustrate the danger that public funds intended for worthy causes such as democracy promotion and anti-racism can end up being diverted into political patronage networks when oversight breaks down.

In Hannover, prosecutors are investigating allegations that more than €1 million in public grants wer…

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