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Rudolf, Bernd
5 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Czech Airlines fighting for survival
The Czech state airline company Czech Airlines has announced massive layoffs due to a dwindling number of passengers. But that's only half the story, writes the German-language weekly Prager Zeitung: "Because just like [the German railway company] Deutsche Bahn AG, Czech Airlines is also slated for privatisation. To make the business as attractive as possible for potential investors it has got to be brought out of the red and into the black. And that can only be done through layoffs and a radical restructuring. True, it's always upsetting when people lose their jobs, but in this case it seems to be the right path to take. ... Czech Airlines will never be able to compete with big companies like Lufthansa, Air France-KLM and Singapore Airlines, so the only possibility is specialisation. And as a lone fighter it hardly stands a chance of surviving on this highly competitve market."
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More from the press review on the subject » Social Policy / Employment, » Corporations, » Economic Policy, » Czech Republic
Bernd Rudolf on post-war crimes against Germans
After more than 60 years the Czech criminal police has revealed who was responsible for the greatest post-war crime against Germans in what was then Czechoslovakia. The German-language weekly Prager Zeitung applauds the move: "For decades the crimes perpetrated against Germans during the expulsion were hushed up, swept under the carpet or even flatly denied. Only a few enlightened intellectuals were bold enough to lay a finger in their own wound. It has now become possible to talk about these crimes without immediately being labelled a traitor. In addition, it makes no sense to hush up these facts in view of the lively discussions, particularly among the younger generation, which do not shy away from topics of history concerning both countries. Many of these young people - much like the generation of 1968 - will go on asking questions, want to know what happened and demand answers."
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More from the press review on the subject » Remembrance culture, » Germany, » Czech Republic
Czech repair shops suffer from the scrapping premium
The Czech government has also enacted a premium for people who have their old cars scrapped when buying a new one. The German-language daily Prager Zeitung doesn't think much of the idea: "The premium is nothing more than an expensive flash in the pan, and politicians should know that. Every koruna can only be spent once, and the money for the premium will now be lacking for other expenditures. In addition, only those who already wanted to buy a car will do so. The garages will be the ones to suffer, and wait in vain for customers. The same goes for spare parts manufacturers. This measure will also harm students, the retired and other disadvantaged people who want to buy a used car. ... The sole winners will be car manufacturers and dealerships. But even they won't benefit for too long, because it's the nature of a flash in the pan to go out quickly."
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More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Economic Policy, » Czech Republic
The Czechs and Catholicism
Pope Benedict XVI intends to visit the Czech Republic this year. The German-language Prager Zeitung reminds readers that the Czech Republic is the only country of the former East Bloc which has yet to sign a framework agreement with the Vatican. "This is primarily due to the open question of reparations for Church property confiscated by the communists. But the Pope's visit will hardly be able to change much regarding this complex issue. ... The Catholic Church simply lacks the necessary popular support for such an undertaking. More than fifty percent of the Czech population do not have any religious affiliation, and Catholics represent only a small minority. ... If the Pope wants to improve things he would do better to avoid putting too much emphasis on the question of reparations. ... But the Vatican could score a major victory if Benedict succeeded in building trust among Czechs and sparking enthusiasm for the Catholic faith."
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More from the press review on the subject » Religion, » Czech Republic
Pop stars as perennial icons
Czech pop singer Karel Gott has been crowned the public's darling for the thirty-fourth time. Like Gott, all of the victors of the Zlatý slavík (Golden Nightingale) viewer's survey were veteran stars. The German-language Prager Zeitung comments: "These stars are the only constants in the lives of many Czechs. Much has changed in the wake of the Velvet Revolution: politics, the economy, the products in the stores and work itself. Politicians come and go, but the stars remain. And in times of crisis they give the people what they want. This isn't a critique of society, a pointed finger or demanding ideas, but joyful entertainment which lets you kick back and relax. They are the soul of the country, offering a feeling of security and familiarity. And they are reliable, which is more than you can say of most Czech politicians."
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More from the press review on the subject » Public Culture, » Czech Republic
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