Germany news: Spy chief warns Russia conflict risk growing

Germany’s spy chief has warned that the risk of conflict with Russia is increasing, according to recent reports. Meanwhile, in unrelated developments, the 2026 German Book Prize has been awarded to Shida Bazyar for her novel Die Lücken ("The Gaps"). The jury described the book as “a novel against ambivalence,” highlighting its exploration of 90 years of German history within a fictional village called Heimesbach in Hunsrück. The novel traces the lives of multiple generations, including Jewish families who suffered during the Holocaust, Nazi collaborators who later rebranded themselves, and Iranian families who fled to Germany decades ago. According to the prize committee, Bazyar’s narrative style, using an omniscient narrator and shifting timelines, effectively conveys the intertwined themes of historical burden, the illusion of a fresh beginning, and the search for belonging. Bazyar, 38, was born in Germany to Iranian parents who fled the country in the 1980s. In her acceptance speech, she expressed mixed feelings about the recognition, noting the difficulty of celebrating a novel centered on persecution and violence. She dedicated the award to those depicted in her book. In another development, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron have urged the European Union to adopt stronger measures to combat unfair trade practices by third countries. Their letter to EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was sent ahead of trade discussions in Beijing and an upcoming EU leaders’ summit. While no specific nations were named, the focus appears to be on China or the United States under Donald Trump’s administration. Separately, Merz visited his former high school, the Friedrich-Spee-Gymnasium in Rüthen, to mark its 100th anniversary. There, he encouraged students to achieve higher academic results than he had during his own graduation 51 years ago. Merz declined to disclose his exact Abitur score, though he joked about it publicly last year.