Vulkangruppe Explained

 I spent two hours this AM looking over the limited exploits of this group who took down a vast amount of SE Berlin's  power grid.

Size? No one really says much, and it's possible that the group is no more than four or five individuals.  They seem to have a vast amount of knowledge over the grid, particularly when talking about urban systems for energy, communication, and mobility.  I would guess here that several of the member have degrees/backgrounds....in both energy and communications.

Primary strategy/tactic?  Well....to inflict economic harm and disrupt operations of entities they view as symbols of "predatory capitalism." 

Oddly, with each target/accomplishment....they intend to ensure no person is harmed (in terms of wounding or causing  a death).

In past 'letters'....they have made political statements against environmental degradation, worker exploitation, surveillance technology, and patriarchal structures. 

They seem to be anti-Tesla....even if the E-car agenda is a pro-environmental position.

Considered far-left and a anarchist environmental activist organization group?  Yes.

Mostly active in Berlin and the surrounding Brandenburg region of Germany?  Yes, since 2011.

If they started in 2011...say in their late 20's....they'd be hitting mid-40s today.  And no....I don't think they are in a recruiting mode.  It's probably a small close-knit group that meets for a beer or two once a month...plotting over the next target.  Based on readings of past  actions.....the seem to select locations that have limited or no video-capability.

What you'd be looking for? Mid-40s electrical engineers (degreed) who happened to be far-left (out-there) environmentalists.  

4 Jan 2026: Germany: 2 Things

 1. Power update for Berlin.  Probably up to 50,000 apartments/homes without power, and it'll be mid-week before everyone is fixed up.

Blame?  Well....there's this letter....from the far-left "Vulkangruppe" (Volcano Group).  They've been around (so the cops say) for about 14 years.  Past accomplishments?  Mostly around Berlin, with arson attacks on cars, businesses, and infrastructure. Quote of theirs?  'That society could no longer afford the wealthy.'

BS?  Could be a fake-group supported by the FSB folks (Russia).  

One odd thing noticed in this black-out condition....cellphone towers in these areas are 'out'...non-functional.

2.  There's a push going on to halt the mandate of bakeries forced to hand receipts to customers after a purchase.  For decades....it was NOT required.  Around the Covid era....the rule was mandated.  A number of bakeries were not reporting 'true' income.

Power

 Since early this AM (Sat)....around 6 AM....large parts of Nikolassee, Wannsee, Zehlendorf and Lichterfelde (SW Berlin area) have been without electricity.  Report indicate on up to 45k residences.

Cause?  Well....some cable bridge over the Teltow Canal burned down. Cops saying they are reviewing thing....investigating on suspicion of arson.  There is a letter claiming responsibility that is being examined.

Fixing this?  Some reports say on up to early next week (Tuesday), and the final 'return' may be Thursday afternoon.

3 Jan 2026: Germany: 4 Things

 1.  Crans-Montana ski-resort fire.  Forty dead and around 119 injuried/burned badly....from the pub fire.  So to lay it out.  It was a teenager 'club'.....you can drink beer at age 16 in Switzerland....most of the dead and wounded were ages 16 to 24.  The club had a basement design....you enter and walk down a stairway (narrow). There in this basement....the club had some unique drink they were offering  which was a bottle of Champaign, with a heavy-duty sparkler on the top.  The waitress would bring the drink high above their head, and the sparkler got  near the fake-ceiling....some odd type foam used, and it caught on fire.

So you would normally do....you'd see the fire, and exit. Well....these kids mostly whipped out their cellphone to get video.  So that initial 60 seconds....when you would have hit the stairs to go up and out....they wasted.

After viewing the scenario....it's near 1:30 AM...I'm of the mind that by this point....most of the teenagers had already had several beers/Champaigns, and  probably weren't clearly thinking.

The foam?  So far, no one has given the name or type.  

2.  There's a serious dividing line between the CDU Party and the CSU Party.  The CSU folks are saying the Syrian war is officially over....refugees with status in Germany need to be encouraged to leave.  CDU?  They are mostly saying to just shut up and let it go.

3. WELT had a piece discussing 2026 and the various state elections to  occur.  They note....it's a pretty negative story to tell over the anticipated results for the Green Party.

4.  Bundeswehr (German Army) is discussing the idea of buying 100,000 drones for a drone-force....to defend against Russia.

Syrian Chatter

 Back in 2015, Chancellor Angela Merkel went onto the Sunday night public forum show....the Anne Will Show....to say that 70-percent of Syrians in Germany....want to return to their homeland as soon as the war is over.

A fair number of Germans remember this, and occasionally it comes up....in a negative way.

Around  this time.....2015/2016....I was taking German language classes...with most classes filled with 30-to-50 percent Syrians.

It came to be a interesting topic in the class...with the majority of Syrians over the age of forty....absolutely set on leaving Germany and returning home (probably 90-percent of them).   But the crowd under age 30? Well....it was probably 90-percent set staying.

Logic to this?   No matter how you sold living Damascus....Wiesbaden won out on safety, transportation, job-potential, and living standards.

My gut feeling at the time? The civil conflict would likely continue, and you'd be looking at five to ten years before it ended.   The longer it took....the more likely they'd stay.

Merkel wasn't wrong.....she probably saw the war ending in a year or two.  She simply judged all Syrians feeling home-sick and wanting to return. 

Drinking Chatter

 Sat and read a piece from Focus....two days ago....alcohol consumption/alcoholics per region in Germany.  You can read the article....here.

Gazing at the map....the least drinking state in Germany....oddly enough....is the Pfalz (I wouldn't have said that).

The heavy consumption states?  Mostly eastern states (old DDR), Bremen, and Berlin-City.

Bavaria?  Mostly average consumption (I would have said otherwise).

Any reason for wide display of numbers?  I'd suggest that where you have higher unemployment....you have higher drinking rates. 

Drinking rates less than the 1960s/1970s? From my  prospective...1978/1979....Germans were mostly drinking only beer, with wine and cocktails being far second.  Data says....around 1979 to 1985...the peak for  consumption was 'hit' and Germans were consuming less.

Oddly, Germans drink more today, than in the 1960s....but less than early 1980s.

The one thing you notice....especially in smaller rural villages....village pubs/gasthauses have disappeared.   Even in my village....which had three pubs through the 1980s....is down to one single drinking establishment today.

Where Money Matters In Spain?

 One of my favorite countries for vacations....is Spain.

I saw this graphic chart today.  So the way to read this....the more red the region....the lesser-income levels you should expect.  The more blue....the  more that money flows through the region.

So the crappy region?  Well....SW-wise, it's the Andalusian area....which is popular with tourists but produces very little.

The NE region?  Industry, agriculture, and commerce.

Is Spain basically two to four regions tied together....mostly by language and nothing else?  Well....you might ponder upon that idea. 

1 Jan 2026: Germany: 5 Things

 1. New Years Eve went off in my village, without police sirens, or ambulances. Elsewhere....not so safe.

Explosion at some ski-resort in Switzerland....several dead.  Two dead in Berlin (18-year olds)....attempting to make  home-made fireworks.

2.  2nd bank box robbery?  Well...out of Bonn....two boxes were broken into....significant amount of gold coins/bars taken.

3.  N-TV news item....2023 numbers....over 1-million Germans had some form of alcohol rehab during that year.

4. I watched the ZDF (public TV, Channel 2) New Year's eve program last night. First year it was ever  done in Hamburg.  Outdoors....on the harbor....max of maybe 9k folks. Awful cold....drizzle....camera would try to show people, but at time I thought there were fewer than 3,000 watching the show.

5. Some effort.....trying to create a way for you to walk into a German train-station....hand over your bags as you travel to Frankfurt's Airport, and the bag is sent onto the airline terminal automatically. Airlines think it's a great idea....Bahn folks aren't happy over it.