Heimat can mean many things to the Germans. Even traditional clichés no longer seem to cause embarrassment – as long as they are presented with the right degree of irony.

In an era of globalization, Germans are rediscovering a fondness for something called “heimat” – By Christine Schulz

When Germany danced under a mass of black-red-and-gold flags during the soccer World Cup six years ago, some home commentators feared that the hosts’ enthusiasm could spill over into something akin to nationalism. But the euphoria may simply have been the first spark reigniting a love for what the Germans call “heimat,” or homeland. This new love is omnipresent, but it has nothing to do with patriotism or even national pride, despite the efforts of some populist politicians to exploit it. While “Der Spiegel,” the nation’s primary political medium since the early days of the Federal Republic, recently felt it necessary to justify the decision to run a title story on the subject of heimat, ordinary Germans have long since – and at long last – begun to engage with their new-found yearning.

The new Libeskind extension breaks up the neo-classical facade of the former military arsenal in dramatic fashion.

The redesigned Bundeswehr Military History Museum in Dresden is almost an anti-war museum – By Klaus Grimberg

A silvery triangle protrudes from the neo-classical facade of the former military arsenal, erected between 1873 and 1876. It is the conspicuous tip of a massive wedge driven into the building by the architect Daniel Libeskind. The rigid order of the building is disrupted. Outside as well as inside the museum, this contorted, tilted extension forms a sharp contrast to the precise symmetry of the Wilhelmine edifice.

“Old Fritz,” as Frederick was affectionately known, always had time to listen to the concerns of his subjects – as Adolph Menzel’s painting “The Petition (Out on a Ride),” 1849 depicts.

On the 300th birthday of the great Prussian king, finally a more rounded view – By Klaus Grimberg

Who was Frederick II of Prussia? A rebellious aesthete and philosopher king? A coolly calculating powerbroker and successful general? Or was he an inconsiderate egomaniac at heart, who became an embittered misanthrope in old age? The answer is simple: Frederick, known as “the Great” even before he died, was all of the above.

When Frederick ascended the throne on May 31, 1740, at the age of 28, no one could have imagined the extent to which he would fundamentally alter not only the state of Prussia but also the power structures of Europe. In the history of Prussia, his name is primarily linked with the conquest of Silesia. His bold attack on the Hapsburg province in December 1740 set off a conflict that would lead to three wars and last for more than 20 years.

A fairytale set in stone: Neuschwanstein Castle near Füssen in Germany’s Allgäu region.

The life and death of Ludwig II, King of Bavaria still fascinate – By Michael Winckler

He was the pop star of his day, a diva, the bird of paradise among the rulers of Europe: Ludwig Otto Friedrich Wilhelm von Wittelsbach, better known as Ludwig II, King of Bavaria (1845-1886). His eccentric life and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death are the stuff of myth. The palaces he built, Neuschwanstein, Linderhof, and Herrenchiemsee, earned him titles like “Fairy Tale King.”

The 2011 swimming world championships could hardly have gone worse for Britta Steffen. She’s hoping to turn things around at the Olympic Games in London.

Swimming star Britta Steffen is seeking to prove her worth and salvage her reputation at the London Olympics – By Frank Bachner

Britta Steffen’s face is already bright red. Her fitful breathing sounds like air escaping from an inflated balloon. There’s nothing fun about pull-ups. Let alone pull-ups in a weighted jacket. On her fourth attempt, Britta Steffen manages to drag herself out of the water, gasping.

Just an average day at Kienbaum, Germany’s best-known sports center. But this is no children’s birthday party, it’s a training session for the national swimming squad. A few meters away from the groaning Steffen stands Norbert Warnatzsch, her coach. “In London, at the Olympic Games, we’re going to go all out again. Britta plans to issue a sporting reply,” he says.