Germany in Brief

Germany's gray-haired generation urged to revolt

Germany's pensioners have been urged to protest at plans by the German government not to raise pensions in line with the rate of inflation. Head of the VdK social association, Walter Hirrlinger has asked the 20 million pensioners in Germany to sign petitions and write letters to German minister for social affairs Ulla Schmidt complaining at the 1.04 percent in west Germany and 1.19 percent in east Germany rise in pensions, which took effect on July 1.

Police prevent mother burning herself and children

Berlin police prevented a Turkish mother setting fire to herself and her two children outside the German parliament building on Monday morning, the Bundestag press office said. "Nothing happened in the end," a Bundestag spokesperson told reporters. The woman had planned to douse herself, her 11-year-old daughter and six-year-old son with petrol and set fire to them all fearing they would be deported from the country. Police however managed to intervene before

that could occur.

No fun at the office, please. We're Germans.

A businesswoman from Cologne is set to become known as Germany's harshest boss, after publishing a book demanding an end to workplace frivolity. Judith Mair, the director of a design firm in the Rhineland city is also the author of "Schluss mit Lustig" (loosely translated as "End the Fun"). In the book, first published last year, she criticizes fun culture in cool new media firms, saying it is ultimately unhealthy for employees and employer. Mair, 30, who rules with an iron fist at her no-frills office, makes employees wear uniforms and address each other by their last name. "The office is not an amusement park," she said in an interview with Reuters news agency. "It is absurd to praise work as a substitute for home or as a status symbol, which promises self-fulfillment and fun. Work is just work. And that's exactly what it needs to become again."

Robbie set to Rock Berlin

British pop superstar, Robbie Williams will play Berlin tomorrow night, as part of his date European tour. The former Take That singer, who has had hits worldwide with "Angels" and "She's the One" among others will play two dates -- on July 8th and 9th -- in the German capital, before gigs in Mannheim, Gelsenkirchen and Hanover. Williams, 29, kicked off the German leg of his tour in the southern German city of Munich on Saturday night.

Compiled by DW staff from wire services