The battle cuts across party lines: the governing mayor of Berlin, Eberhard Diepgen, for example, is no fan of the memorial, although he is a Christian Democrat like Mr Kohl.

ECONOMIST: Germany��s past

This is not Berlin 1945, they say, but the Battle of Britain in 1940.

ECONOMIST: With the euro under siege, is this the time for more Europe?

Just days into the battle, it became clear that Berlin might not only knock out France but also pull off a swift invasion of Britain.

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