Germany in Brief

Ecumenical Church Day Ends with Berlin's tills ringing

Germany's first ecumenical Church day ended on Sunday with an estimated 110,000 taking part in an open air church service in front of the German parliament building. Some 200,000 christians -- Catholic and Protestant -- attended the four-day long festival in the German capital which was the first of its kind with both churches taking part. The festival, which included Bible study activities, gospel choirs and a special visit by the Dalai Larma, also gave Berlin city chiefs reason to be joyful. Hotels, cafes and restaurants all across the German capital were near full to capacity. "These are Berlin's tourists of tomorrow," Berlin transport Senator, Peter Streider said of the visitors.

Former Stasi officer to marry woman he helped jail

They say true love will always find a way. And it would appear they are right, as a former Stasi interrogator now plans to marry an East German he once helped to put behind bars. Uwe Karlstedt, now 58, fell in love with Regina Kaiser, now 53 during interrogation sessions before she was jailed for her involvement in a pro-democracy movement in Communist East Germany in 1981. Kaiser, who was deported to west Berlin after her prison sentence said "I never stopped thinking about him." She found Karlstedt again in 1997 after stumbling on a list of former stasi employers. The pair, once reunited, separated from their existing partners and now plan to marry. "To me," Kaiser said, "it just goes to show that even under the most perverse circumstances, the most normal thing can happen. Two people meet and fall in love."

Germany Soccer Victory Against Canada

Germany romped home to win 4-1 against Canada in a friendly international on Sunday. After a slow start, the 2002 World Cup winners, rallied against the Canadian soccer team, ranked 77th in the world, at the game in Wolfsburg, 150 km west of Berlin. The game was the final warm up for the German team before their Euro 2004 qualifier against Scotland in Glasgow next Saturday.

10th suspected German SARS case reported

Germany reported its 10th suspected SARS case today. The Robert Koch Institute -- which monitors disease in Germany confirmed the patient, a male, who has not been named and whose condition as yet remains unknown is currently hospitalised. He had recently been in Asia.

Giscard d'Estaing wins Charlamagne Prize

The author of the controversial EU constitution, Valery Giscard d'Estaing has been awarded Germany's prestigious Charlemagne prize for his contribution to European integration. The former French president whose draft constitution is intended to provide a framework for the European Union as it expands from 15 to 25 members next year joins a row of statesmen who have won the prize, including British Prime Minister, Tony Blair and former U.S. President Bill Clinton. The prize was created at the end of World War II to recognize efforts in forging European Unity.

Compiled by DW staff from wire services.