Ronald Reng - Der Deutsche Sommer

"Maybe it was just one summer. But one in which we saw ourselves differently."
(Ronald Reng)

The 2006 FIFA World Cup was held in Germany. Millions of visitors arrived from around the world, and a remarkable lightness swept the country. Public viewings, warm summer evenings, seas of black, red and gold: for a few weeks, anything seemed possible. International surveys declared Germany the coolest country on earth - suddenly it was seen as friendly, open and modern. Ronald Reng tells the story of this euphoric moment and doesn't shy away from its harder edges: commercialisation, alienation, the pull of money. He also asks whether this new sense of togetherness had lasting foundations - or whether it only worked under the unique conditions of that summer.

Ronald Reng spent many years as a reporter in Barcelona and London. His books have appeared on bestseller lists and won numerous awards.