Der Spiegel: Purveyor of Fake News

      The old timey German rag, Der Spiegel, has been exposed as a purveyor of fake news.  In a widely reported scandal, one of its journalists published a story on an American town which was an entire fabrication created to highlight the political viewpoint of the writer.  The only part he got right was the identity of the place: Fergus Falls, MI.  How does this happen in the age of the internet?  How does a writer think that he will not be found out?   How does a foreign correspondent enter an obscure place and create an imaginary replacement for what he has observed?  Obviously, the man has severe psychological problems, but it might go deeper than psychology.  Perhaps it's a reflection of the German soul.  Could it be a modern attitude toward America?
     The readers of Der Spiegel no doubt consider themselves urbane, educated, cosmopolitan, and modern Germans.  They know their past; they know the efforts made to own that past; and they know America-or so they thought.   After 8 years of the Obama administration, most Germans expected a Clinton redux in the White House.   That didn't happen; an unknown happened, and it upset the European population, not least the German population.   What will happen now, they thought?  Angela was having issues, especially after the Brexit vote in the UK.  Enter a rogue journalist with an agenda.
        Klass Relotius, 33, has been a staff correspondent for the venerable magazine for years, filing stories thought to be gathered by field work on the scene of the subject story line.  Richard Grennell, the US Ambassador to Germany, wrote a letter last week to the editors of Der Spiegel admonishing the magazine for failing to consult with the Embassy before printing stories about America.  The fact checking department of the magazine has also come under criticism for not only approving of the Fergus Falls story, but others related to activities on the US/Mexico border, and a story that included statements from a 99-year old Nazi death camp survivor living in the US.   The reporter/journalist has made few statements since the revelation of his phony writing was made public.
      On Monday, the magazine management announced that it will file criminal complaints against Relotius and seek redress for his nefarious actions.   Apparently, he is not the only culprit at the magazine.  Other writers' work is being scrutinized for truth, clarity, and honest reportage that may have been approved by the fact checkers in house.  People in Hanover, Germany, apparently, have taken the news to heart, expressing dismay at the evidence that has tarnished not only the magazine, but all those associated with its publication, including its readers.   The repercussions will be ongoing, causing suspicions of all German journalism.
      This will cause European journalists to rethink their positions on American politics as reported for the Euro zone.   Keep an eye on the continuing story as it unfolds: there's more coming.