01–02 | 2018 #47 newcomer - handelsblatt macht schule · 2018-01-24 · 2017 2013 2017 2010 2016...

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Felix Holtermann, Handelsblatt Düsseldorf

Let’s say you bought 100 euros worth of Bitcoin

back in January 2017. Had you kept them, they

would now be worth more than 1,400 euros – 14

times their original value! The world of digital curren-

cies is full of stories about people who became rich

overnight – as well as those who lost everything.

Virtual money is on the rise. Today, the most impor-

tant digital currency is Bitcoin. A “bit” is a digital unit of

storage, so a “Bitcoin” is a digital coin. Unlike tradition-

al coins, you can’t touch Bitcoins. They are only traded

on the Internet.

Bitcoin fans love this. They believe that Bitcoin will

eventually replace the Euro similar to how WhatsApp

has more or less replaced the old-fashioned letter. The

aim is to create an independent, globally accepted cur-

rency that makes banks superfl uous. In this vision,

everyone would be able to transfer money via laptop

or smartphone, cheaply and quickly, from anywhere to

anyone.

Bitcoin is based on a technology called “block-

chain”. It uses a shared database stored on thousands

of computers around the world. The database is noth-

ing more than a string of digits in a large encrypted text

fi le. Imagine an accountant – someone who documents

and manages all money transfers in an organization.

Every day, he notes all the transfers made on a piece of

paper. In the evening, he adds this paper to a fi le. The

blockchain is a virtual version of this where many “ac-

countants” feed the fi le with new transactions. This fi le

therefore grows very quickly. At the same time, many

copies of it are created on numerous computers

around the world. This is what makes the Bitcoin net-

work virtually forgery-proof: Any Bitcoin user can com-

pare the copies and spot manipulation.

Bitcoins have no value in and of themselves. Like

many other currencies, Bitcoin only functions if people

have faith in it. Demand determines its value. However,

because many people are hoping to earn money by

trading with the currency, its price fl uctuates very

strongly. This is why experts warn that Bitcoin is not

suitable as a long-term investment.

The euro, dollar and co. are getting competition from Bitcoin. We take a closer look at the virtual currency.

Bitcoin? Bitcoin!

Economic stability requires political

stability.

Dieter Kempf, President of the Federation of German Industries › 10

Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies, etc.

Will we still need cash in future?

Join the econo=me student

competition now and secure

your chance to win great prizes

totalling over 50,000 euros.

In addition to the jury prize, a public choice

award is also conferred via online voting.

Deadline is 28 February 2018.

More information available at:

econo-me.de

newcomerM y b u s i n e s s n e w s p a p e r

wird unterstützt von:

handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

#4701–02 | 2018

Tip: Here you will fi nd an explanatory video on Bitcoin › https://orange.handelsblatt.com/video

Fitness IndustryThe sports and health business

is booming. › 2/3

The Award for Financial EducationThe registration phase starts on

1 February. › I to II

Taylor SwiftA megastar with

marketing

talent. › 6

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mer Thomas Schmitt, Handelsblatt Düsseldorf

Here’s a trick question for you: Where

are more Germans registered – in foot-

ball clubs or fitness studios? It is hard to

believe, but more than ten million people in

Germany are registered at around 8,700 fitness

facilities. On the other hand, only about seven

million people are registered with a football

club.

If each of these ten million sports enthusi-

asts spends just 100 euros a year on member-

ship dues, we are already talking about a bil-

lion-euro business. Experts from the consulting

firm Deloitte took a closer look at the industry.

They estimate that the fitness studio market

generates annual revenue of five billion euros.

This corresponds to 500 euros a year spent on

training by the average member.

So, there’s a lot of money flowing into the

studios’ coffers. However, it must be kept in

mind that they invest a lot of money in equip-

ment, facilities, personnel and the training of

their personnel to meet members' demands.

Nearly three-quar-

ters of studio oper-

ators want to up-

g r a d e t h e i r

strength training

equipment, two-thirds are investing in equip-

ment for cardiovascular training and just over

half of them want to increase the quality of

their health training. More than 200,000 peo-

ple are employed in the fitness industry. Among

other things, they develop training and nutri-

tion plans, lead courses and manage customer

contracts.

The importance of the fitness market grows

even larger when you think of the income gen-

erated by sports shoes, sports attire, sports nu-

trition, fitness trackers and apps (see comment

on the right). In 2016, sportswear sales in Ger-

many generated 634 million euros in revenue.

Fitness is a major trend. People want to keep

themselves fit to stay healthy and perform bet-

ter – whether at school or at work. When some-

thing is trendy, it usually results in good busi-

ness – and growing business. This is reflected in

Good business with health

Professional profile

Fitness Professionals Juggling dumbbells and numbers.

Vitalij Prjadkin, Institute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

Today’s fitness studio is a modern

company offering a complete

range of services. The most im-

portant employees are the fitness

management assistants. They

are responsible for many tasks:

developing new nutrition plans,

assisting members on specific

exercises or answering questions

about contracts. Furthermore,

these specialists plan and coor-

dinate the studio’s internal and

administrative processes.

Training to become a fitness

management assistant takes three

years. Good grades in sports, biol-

ogy and physics are a good basis.

In addition to studios, fitness

management assistants can also

work at swimming pools, health

centres or sports schools.

Another way to enter the fit-

ness industry is to study. Sports

science, sports management and

sports engineering are available

courses of study. The latter com-

bines the movement of the human

body with technology, while

sports engineers develop new

fitness or rehabilitation equip-

ment. Interest in maths, physics

and biology are always helpful in

this field.

Fitness and health are “in”. A growing number of young people are taking part in strength training - and the German fitness industry is booming.

More information available at:› berufenet.arbeitsagentur.de › sport-studieren.de

2 Handelsblatt theme

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The pupil caricature can be found on the web:

› handelsblattmachtschule.de/schuelerkarikaturen

the recent development of fi tness studios. In the last fi ve years,

their revenues have risen by one billion euros – and show no

signs of slowing. In three years, experts expect studio member-

ship to grow to twelve million members – two million more

than at present.

Fitness studios are also attracting a growing number of

young people – often via special rates or tailored training con-

tent. If you are thinking about joining the fi tness movement,

you should consider your options and visit several centres.

Tests, such as those carried out by the consumer organisation

Stiftung Warentest, have shown that customer support is over-

looked at many studios. This is partly due to overburdened

employees. There is an economic principle at work here: An

employee has to pay off – just like the entire studio. At the end

of the day, every fi tness company wants to make a profi t.

If you have decided on a studio, be sure to take a good look

at the clauses in the contract (see cheat sheet). Preferably to-

gether with your parents, who will also have to sign the contract

if you are a minor. The fi ne print can contain some hidden sur-

prises that make training more expensive than expected. For

instance, it might stipulate additional fees or automatic price

increases that take eff ect after a certain period of membership.

Some providers even rule out all liability for any injuries suf-

fered using their equipment.

You also need to consider that it is often diffi cult to get out

of the contract before the specifi ed membership period ex-

pires. In other words, anyone who signs up for a membership

at a studio should plan to go regularly for the duration of the

contract.

The fitness industry 3

Peter Thelen, Handelsblatt Berlin

Doing sports without a

heart rate monitor, pedo-

meter or fi tness tracker?

For many, this is unthin-

kable. Apps, sensors or

fi tness bracelets diligently

collect health data. But few

people know that some

app providers also make

this data available to health

insurance companies. The

German Ethics Council,

which advises the Federal

Government on ethical

issues, recently consid ered

whether this is good de-

velopment or a dan gerous

trend. The researchers

found no easy answers.

They noted that the old

rule of collecting as little

data as possible to protect

citizens does not apply as

clearly as it did in the past.

In this case, collecting and

evaluating such data can

also have a positive effect.

For instance, the infor-

mation could be used to

improve the prevention of

common diseases such as

diabetes or hypertension.

It could look something

like this: A health insurance

company notices that an

insured person’s fi tness is

consistently declining. They

could sound the alarm and

advise the person to go to

the doctor, attend a fi tness

course or improve their

diet.

But the data can also be

misused. For instance, by

private health insurance

companies. In contrast to

the statutory health in-

surance schemes, the price

of insurance for privately

insured people is depen-

dent on their personal

health risks. If the data

suggests health problems,

this could lead the insurer

to raise premiums or even

reject potential customers

altogether.

As long as such abuses are

not ruled out, one should

be careful with health

apps. The Ethics Council

has asked the government

to ensure that apps are

designed in such a way

that users must agree to

any disclosure of data and

can request deletion at any

time.

Sports and Big Data

Comment

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Revenue development in Germany (in € billion)The fitness market is growing

0 1 2 3 4 5

Source: DSSV, Deutsche Hochschule für Prävention und Gesundheitsmanagement, Deloitte, Statista-Umfrage Aktivsport, Unternehmensangaben, GfK, Statista Consumer Market Outlook

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

3.8

4.0

4.1

4.6

4.7

4.8

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German Ethics Council,

which advises the Federal

Government on ethical

issues, recently consid ered

whether this is good de-

velopment or a dan gerous

trend. The researchers

found no easy answers.

They noted that the old

rule of collecting as little

We conclude contracts every day – often without even realising it. I order bread rolls (purchase offer), the baker gives them to me (accep-tance) = contract closed. For larger transactions, the parties usually draw up a written contract that regulates all the important details such as the object of purchase, price, delivery etc. The individual provisions are called clauses. › handelsblattmachtschule.de/spickzettel

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Mit der Macht kommen die MilliardenUnternehmenswerte ausgewählter sozialer Netzwerke

Werbung spült Geld in die KassenUmsätze ausgewählter sozialer Netzwerke

Ein gigantischer Werbemarkt ist entstandenPrognose der weltweiten Umsätze mit Social-Media-Werbung in Mrd. Euro

2013

127,7

34,0481,2Mrd. US-$

12,4Mrd. US-$

20132017 2017 20162010

27,6 Mrd. US-$Facebook

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Pro

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Bei Facebook sind Bei Facebook sind

Millionen Nutzermonatlich aktivMillionen Nutzermonatlich aktiv

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WhatsApp1

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Snapchat

Lots of users = high market valueMarket value of selected social networks

Advertising is a big source of incomeAd revenue of selected social networks

A gigantic advertising market has developedGlobal revenue forecast for social media advertising in billions of euros

2013

127.7

34.0481.2bn USD

12.4bn USD

20132017 2017 20162010

27.6 bn USDFacebook

30

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million users are active on Facebook every month


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4 Handelsblatt infographic Social media

1 It all depends on the users

Users are particularly important for social

networks. After all, the more people a

social network has, the more interesting

it becomes for others. On the business

side, users are also important because

they generate income. Social networks

make most of their money via advertising.

Companies know that social networks

like Facebook and YouTube are used by a

huge number of people. This makes them

very attractive platforms for companies

looking to advertise with tailor-made

offers or contact consumers directly.

2 Facebook and Google in the lead

New and popular apps appear every day.

Musical.ly, for example. But these newcom-

ers are not reaching nearly as many users

as Facebook and Google. The two com-

panies have been the undisputed leaders

here for years. Part of their strategy has

been to acquire other successful apps

to add even more people to their social

networks. This helps them defend their

market leadership and makes it diffi cult for

new companies to establish themselves.

Since 2012, Facebook’s market value has

risen to approximately 407 billion euros.

Powerful networks




2013

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SnapchatIt is impossible to imagine modern communication without social networks. The more members they have, the more attractive they are to new users and advertisers. The big players in the market, and in particular Facebook, are be-coming increasingly powerful and valuable.

Wiebke Schmitz, Institute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

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Lots of users = high market valueMarket value of selected social networks

Advertising is a big source of incomeAd revenue of selected social networks

A gigantic advertising market has developedGlobal revenue forecast for social media advertising in billions of euros

2013

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6 People

Beate Faulborn, Institute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

Siemens is one of the largest companies in

Germany. It produces all kinds of tech-

nology – from locomotives to power

plants. However, the Munich-based company

isn’t making headlines these days due to some

new technological breakthrough, but because it

announced the reduction of 7,000 jobs. Two fac-

tories in Leipzig and Görlitz, where more than

900 employees manufacture steam turbines, are

to be closed. Joe Kaeser, the CEO of Siemens,

faced a lot of criticism for this decision. Last year,

the Group generated a profi t of 6.2 billion euros.

This success makes it diffi cult for many to under-

stand why any factories should be closed.

The answer, though, is relatively simple:

Siemens has a problem. Thanks to the energy

transition and digitalisation, the company

needs to restructure its product range if it

wants to keep pace with international compe-

tition in future. Coal-fi red power plants, for

example, will become increasingly scarce (see

also page 8). Siemens needs to adapt to these

changes and intends to invest more heavily in

sustainable sectors such as renewable ener-

gies instead of coal.

Joe Kaeser knows Siemens inside out. The

60-year-old has been working with the Group

since 1980. He started there right after fi nishing

his university degree in Business Administra-

tion. Over the years, he worked in a wide varie-

ty of areas and had deployments in Asia and the

United States. He has been CEO of the company

since 2013.

Wiebke Ammen, Institute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

Taylor Swift is a megastar. With the new

album “Reputation”, the American singer

and actress has once again released a

major success.

The 28-year-old managed to sell a re-

cord-breaking one million copies of the album

in the USA within a few days. But there's more

to her success than pure artistic talent. Swift

has an incredibly good marketing strategy.

She is incredibly adept at using both

friends and enemies for her own purposes.

For instance, she knows how to generate at-

tention through public spats and regularly

posts pictures of herself with her famous

friends on social media. Swift has also patent-

ed individual lines from her songs (see patent

› handelsblattmachtschule.de/spickzettel). This

means that she earns money from any fan ar-

ticle sold that references these lines. She even

patented the term “Swifties” – the name of her

fan base.

Swift has also developed an innovative

twist for selling her concert tickets: Fans can

improve their place in the queue by register-

ing on the Internet and completing tasks be-

forehand, like watching a video several times,

buying the new album or posting something

on Facebook and Co. This means that the me-

gastar makes money in a wide variety of

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Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser recently made some controversial decisions. The manager wants to make the giant corporation fi t for the future.

Siemens slims down

Siemens-Boss Joe Kaeser

Superstar and marketing genius

Her marketing strategy is a bit of a turn-off

Freia, Year 11

STUDENT EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER

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Companies & Markets 7

Whoever earns money or buys something pays taxes to the state. The government uses the

money to provide services that benefi t everyone.

Stephan Friebel-Piechotta, Institute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

Tax revenues in Germany have

risen steadily over the past

few years. For this reason,

some politicians want to reduce taxes

to ease the burden on citizens. Others

have a diff erent idea. They want to

spend the additional revenue on envi-

ronmental protection, social benefi ts

or infrastructure. What is the better

choice? The tax debate is complicat-

ed. To understand it better, it is essen-

tial to know who pays what taxes –

and why.

Taxes have different functions.

First, they are the state’s main source

of income. It uses the money to fi -

nance schools, streets or the police,

for example. Secondly, taxes can af-

fect behaviour. For example, you

might pay higher taxes when buying

some environmentally harmful prod-

ucts than for more eco-friendly prod-

ucts. This is intended to make certain

products less attractive for consumers.

Finally, taxes serve to distribute income

and assets more equitably. The state

uses its income to help poorer citizens,

for example through social benefi ts.

There are basically two types of

taxes. On the one hand, there are tax-

es on property and income. Anyone

who earns more than a specific

amount has to pay taxes on every ad-

ditional euro earned as part of their

income taxes. This income can come

from many sources, including wages,

profi ts from savings or income from

renting fl ats. People with higher in-

comes pay more taxes than poorer

citizens.

The second form of tax is sales tax

or value-added tax (VAT). Here, every-

one has to pay the same amount.

Whether for bread at the baker’s or for

a car – VAT is always part of the price.

According to calculations by eco-

nomic experts, these consumer taxes

mean that the tax burden is not dis-

tributed completely fairly. House-

holds with very low incomes

spend a higher pro-

portion of their in-

come on VAT than

wealthier households.

Getting back to

the tax debate: No

one enjoys paying tax-

es. We generally want

to keep what we earn.

But we need to keep

things in perspective:

Hardly anyone would

want to forgo the many

benefits the state provides thanks to

taxes.

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Donata Riedel, Handelsblatt Berlin

What is tax evasion?

The state needs money to build schools among

other things. That’s why it collects taxes. But

some try to pay less than their fair share – or

even no taxes at all. In most cases, this is tax

evasion and a criminal offence.

Who is harmed by tax

evasion?

All of us. If everyone would

pay their taxes, it would likely

result in lower tax rates for

everyone.

What do you do about tax

evasion?

We employ tax offi cials

who assess everyone’s tax

returns (see cheat sheet).

And we have tax investigators who, like

the police, investigate when necessary.

What is a tax haven?

Every country wants to attract companies and

the jobs they create. Some do this by passing

laws that allow companies to pay little or no tax-

es in their country. A haven is a place where one

fi nds shelter or protection – so a tax haven is a

country where companies go to fi nd “protection”

from taxes.

Why is it so diffi cult to ban large companies

from doing business in tax havens?

With the many different laws around the world,

it is not always easy to say what is allowed and

what is not. But when we see companies vio-

lating the law to save on taxes, our tax offi cials

intervene. And they are becoming increasingly

successful at it.

The Hessian fi nance minister explains why tax evasion is a problem for all of us.

Thomas Schäfer

Q&A with …

tributed completely fairly. House-

holds with very low incomes

evasion and a criminal offence.

Who is harmed by tax

evasion?

And we have tax investigators who, like

In a tax return, individuals or companies

provide detailed information on their

income and expenses. They must prove this

with documents such as invoices. The tax

offi ce then calculates the amount of tax to

be paid. Under certain circumstances,

applicants also receive refunds.

› handelsblattmachtschule.de/spickzettel

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01February

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02AprilApplication period

• Register at www.fi nanzielle-bildung-foerdern.de

• Describe your project • Upload suitable images

Tip: Find a sponsor bank and secure € 250 for your project.

Bringing in a good harvest

Some collect potatoes from a fi eld and sell them at the market. Others sew discarded school maps into trendy bags. Just add the label and

it’s ready for sale! Together, they form the student com-pany DUPF, a service and production company at Oet-tingen High School. Their business is organized like a real company. Here, they learn how to handle money in the most practical way.

In 2017, DUPF took fourth place in the easyCredit Award for Financial Education. The pupils also collect-ed over 10,000 votes during online voting. The result: 3,250 euros in prize money. Alex and Nico, YouTubers and founders of TheSimpleClub, also paid a visit to the student company. “It’s great to see how much fun they are all having,” noted Nico. “This is a perfect example of fi nancial literacy.”

“The students have to carefully plan and consider their company’s income and expenses,” adds Christi-ane Decker, member of the Board of Management at TeamBank. That’s what the prize awarded by Team-Bank is all about. “We want to recognize projects that teach students how to handle money in a creative way.” And this doesn’t always have to be a student company – how about a song about money or a self-organized class party?

How pupils can benefi t from fi nancial education.

TimelineHere’s what you have to do:

The DUPF employees harvest potatoes – supported by TheSimpleClub.

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I Special insert

Simply scan the QR code to watch Alex & Nico’s visit to the project. Other award-winning projects can be seen at: www.fi nanzielle-bildung-foerdern.de

Do you have a cool idea?Then be sure to apply for the Financial Educa-tion Award this year. Submissions are accep-ted starting 1 February! (see below)

Fo

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Team

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30AprilOnline voting The decision

• Now it’s up to you – use your network and get your family, friends, sports club mem-bers and acquaintances to vote for the project.

• You could win up to 5,000 euros in prize money for your project.

• Did you win? Then look forward to the prize money and the certifi cates for your project. Perhaps members of the jury will come for a visit.

Between € 500 and € 5,000 for projects that collect the most votes in online voting. Even 150th place wins some cash!

Five projects selected by a jury receive an additional € 5,000 each.

€ 250 guaranteed for projects sponsored by a Volksbank Raiffeisenbank.

The prizes for the top 3 online and jury-selected projects will be awarded directly at their location.

These six projects also win a high-quality promotion package worth € 10,000.

Here's what you can win

The student company DUPF is an example of fi nancial education done right.

Nico Youtuber and founder of TheSimpleClub

Watching their work transform into money motivates the students. Success is what

drives us.

Walter Fuchs,Teacher at the secondary school Oettingen

The students experience fi rst-hand how a company functions. This is the

heart of fi nancial education.

Ursula Hertle,Rector of the secondary school Oettingen

The students can see that hard work pays off –

even in the fi nancial world.

Max Sefranek,Teacher at the secondary school Oettingen

Special insert II

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8 Handelsblatt explains the debate about coal-fired power plants

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“Electricity generation from coal will de-

cline signifi cantly and continuously,”

says Markus Krebber. The 44-year-old

does not work for an environmental pro-

tection organisation. He is the Chief Fi-

nancial Offi cer at RWE, Germany’s larg-

est coal-fired power producer and

Europe’s largest emitter of CO2. Krebber

is under no illusions. In the long term,

coal-fi red power plants, which emit a par-

ticularly large amount of the greenhouse

gas CO2, do not fi t into the global fi ght

against climate change. […]

With the battle against nuclear power de-

cided, environmentalists are now focused

on combating coal. But it isn’t just the

super eco-conscious turning against coal

– many businesses are also moving away

from coal power. Last week, 50 German

companies[...] signed an appeal request-

ing “an exit path from coal-fi red power

generation” to be anchored in any up-

coming coalition agreement. “If coal were

to be phased out quickly, supply security

would no longer be guaranteed,” Krebber

argues. However, his company also has

clear economic interests in coal – it earns

a solid profi t from lignite (brown coal).

“We look at the topic from a practical

perspective,” says Klaus Kleinekorte of

Amprion, a power grid operator: [...]

“With our responsibilities, it is concerning

to us when power plants that can deliver

electricity in a secure, fl exible and calcu-

lable manner are to be taken off the grid.”

[…]

Simone Malz, Institute of Economic Education at Oldenburg

About 40 percent of the electric-

ity we need comes from coal-

fired power plants. There are

over 100 such plants in Germany.

But burning brown and hard coal

emits a lot of CO2. For this rea-

son, these plants are considered

bad for the climate. That is why

many people are calling for coal

to be phased out as quickly as

possible and old power plants to

be shut down immediately. Opin-

ions differ, however, as to how

quickly such an exit can be real-

ised without compromising sup-

ply security. Supply security

means that there is always

enough electricity available for

households and companies –

around the clock, every day.

Can renewable energies fi ll the

gap?

At present, renewable energies

cover a good third of demand.

However, the amount of electric-

ity produced is not evenly dis-

tributed throughout the year. On

favourable days, wind, solar and

other renewables can almost

cover demand all on their own.

However, they provide almost no

energy on calm, grey days. Since

we need electricity every day, re-

gardless of the weather, we need

some kind of backup. The only

power sources that can currently

supply suffi cient quantities relia-

bly are nuclear power and coal.

Environmental associations be-

lieve the current buffer is large

enough that coal-fired power

plants are no longer necessary.

But grid operators and the Fed-

eral Network Agency (see cheat

sheet) fear that this buffer could

quickly disappear.

Why do German companies want

to phase out coal?

A large group of German compa-

nies has come out in favour of

phasing out coal energy. In addi-

tion to environmental aspects, a

central motive is that they want

reliable guidelines from politicians.

They want to know what to expect

in the coming years regarding

electricity supply and the energy

transition. However, there are also

companies and trade unions that

want to keep coal – in part to pre-

serve jobs and profi ts.

What does that mean?

Lights out on coal?Coal-fi red power plants will one day be a thing of the past – but when? Environmentalists are calling for a rapid exit, while grid operators warn against blackouts.

Excerpt from a Handelsblatt article from 15 Nov 2017

An enormous bucket-wheel excavator.

Information is always interpreted according to

interests.

Kaja, Year 13

STUDENT EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER

Coal-fi red power plants will one day be a thing of the past – but when? Environmentalists are calling for a rapid exit, while grid operators warn against blackouts.

The Federal Network Agency

ensures that competition between

providers is possible in markets in

which lines and networks play a major

role (power supply, rail network,

telephone lines). In the electricity

sector, the authority also monitors

the stability of the networks.

› handelsblattmachtschule.de/spickzettel

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Melina Asemakes, Jared Heßmann (Year 7), Gesamtschule Windeck

As in a real company, each of the 16

members in our cooperative has

a permanent job. One handles

press appointments, another accounting,

while another manages our arrangements

with the camp sites and hotels that adver-

tise on our portal. We meet once a week to

discuss upcoming tasks.

Since we wanted to make important

decisions together, we decided to form a

cooperative (see cheat sheet). In a coop-

erative, each member has one vote. One

of the fathers of the cooperative move-

ment was Friedrich Wilhelm Raiff eisen.

As a mayor in the 19th century, he en-

sured that wealthy citizens cared for the

poor – not through gifts and donations,

but through favourable loans. For exam-

ple if a farmer needed money for seed, he

could borrow money to plant his crops.

He could then pay back the loan after

selling the harvest next summer. Raiff ei-

sen’s principle was: helping people to

help themselves.

Raiff eisen would have been 200 years

old in 2018. Since he also lived in Hamm

an der Sieg, and thus very close to our

home town of Windeck, we decided to

set up a Raiffeisen-themed ecological

holiday programme. The off ers can be

booked directly through our cooperative

(oeko-e.de) and include overnight ac-

commodations at a rural camp site as

well as excursions to Raiff eisen’s birth-

place and the Westerwald Landscape

Museum in Hachenburg. Groups can also

book a workshop at the museum where

they can immerse themselves in the

world of Raiff eisen’s day.

Everyone has a job to do

Amelie Jacobs, Tim Schönberger, Anton Zab (Year 10), Helene-Lange-Schule Oldenburg

Every year, thousands of students organize

a big party to celebrate their graduation.

This requires a lot of organizational tal-

ent and fi nancial planning.

We asked Gila Mathiak, the

director of year 10, how such

celebrations are planned at

our school. She explained

that, fi rst, the pupils form

different groups. The most

important of these is the Grad-

uation Group, which consists

of teachers, pupils and parents

from every class. It discusses all

results and decisions.

Then there is a group respon-

sible for the activities and moderation,

another one determines the content of the

yearbook and its layout as well as the design

of the graduation hoodies. Then there is the

Finance Group, which raises money for the

celebration in cooperation with the teachers.

In Ms. Mathiak’s experience, a graduation par-

ty costs between 12,000 and 14,000 euros

for 120 pupils. Part of this sum is fi nanced by

catering and cake sales, advertisements in

the yearbook and entrance fees. Donations

from parents or companies are also very im-

portant. These are used, among other things,

to ensure that students in fi nancial hardship

also receive tickets, a yearbook and a hoodie.

Organizing a graduation party takes a lot of

effort and planning. Tasks and responsibilities

need to be effi ciently delegated and con-

siderable money needs to be raised. In this

sense, planning a graduation

party is very similar to

the division of labour in

businesses.

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The pupil cooperative Öko-E operates a portal for environmentally conscious holiday accommodations. There will be a special offer to commemorate Raiffeisen’s 200th birthday in 2018.

Graduation parties

newcomers write 9

This requires a lot of organizational tal-

ent and fi nancial planning.

We asked Gila Mathiak, the

director of year 10, how such

celebrations are planned at

our school. She explained

that, fi rst, the pupils form

different groups. The most

important of these is the Grad-

uation Group, which consists

of teachers, pupils and parents

from every class. It discusses all

results and decisions.

Then there is a group respon-

A cooperative is a form of enterprise. It is made up of several members who join together for business. It is led by persons (board of directors, super-visory board) who are themselves members. However, the decisions are made jointly by all members. There are, for example, cooperative banks, housing cooperatives and energy cooperatives. › handelsblattmachtschule.de/spickzettel

There are more than

7 500 COOPERATIVES

in Germany.

Friedrich Wilhelm Raiffeisen was a pioneer in the cooperative movement.

Vocabulary

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… the economy suffers without a government?

Kostenlos für Ihre Schüler bestellen

Lehrkräfte können den Handels-

blatt Newcomer für ihre Schüler

kostenlos bestellen:

› handelsblattmachtschule.de/newcomer

Handelsblatt Newcomerauf Englisch

Schüler und Lehrer können eine

englische Übersetzung des Han-

delsblatt Newcomers auf unserer

Internetseite kostenlos als PDF

herunterladen.


Without a government, it is very diffi cult to make forward-looking decisions. This will weaken the economy in the long run.

Dieter Fockenbrock, Handelsblatt Düsseldorf

Germany elected a new parliament in

September 2017. But politicians have so

far been unable to agree on who should

govern the country. A Grand Coalition of CDU,

CSU and SPD? Or maybe a Jamaica Coalition

with CDU, CSU, FDP and the Greens? Hardly an-

yone expects a result before Easter. This would

mean that Germany will have been without a

working government for six full months. Instead,

the country is being run by a “caretaker govern-

ment”. Here, the old ministers temporarily remain

in offi ce. However, the fi nance and transport min-

isters have already moved on to other positions.

Their posts are now managed by others.

And this is the problem. The government is

no longer governing. It merely keeps things run-

ning as they were – no new decisions are made.

Here are two examples: 1. America recently

passed a massive reduction in corporate taxes.

Should we respond with our own reduction in

corporate taxes? There won’t be an answer until

we have a new government. 2. The European

Commission decides that electricity should be

transported more easily between countries. This

requires new lines at the borders. Who will de-

termine this in Germany? For now, no one.

The economy can handle this for a few

months. Taxes will continue to be collected.

Roads will still be repaired. But at some point,

someone has to decide what happens next –

whether new paths will be taken and what direc-

tion they will take.

10 Time-out

FÜR ALLE, DIE BEI ‚DIVIDENDE‘ NICHT AN MATHE, SONDERN AN GEWINN DENKEN.Für Jugendliche. Von Jugendlichen. Eure Themen. Und was dahintersteckt.

www.orange-hb.com


Is it true that…*

* Suggestions for “Is it true that” topics can be submitted to: › [email protected]

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The next Hnewcomer will appear in March 2018. It will cover numerous topics, including rare earths.

ImpressumHerausgeber: Dieter Fockenbrock, V.i.S.d.P. (Handelsblatt) und Hans Kaminski (Institut für Ökonomische Bildung IÖB, Uni Oldenburg)Konzept: Katrin Eggert, Dieter Fockenbrock, Hans Kaminski, Michael Koch Redaktion: Melanie RübartschArtdirector: Regina Baierl Objektleitung: Verena von HugoKoordination: Rebecca Lembke, Melanie RübartschLayout und Fotos: Sandra Janzsó, Silke Herwig, Corinna ThielEnglische Übersetzung: John Dalbey für PONS GmbHVerlag: Handelsblatt GmbH Geschäftsführung: Gabor Steingart (Vorsitzender), Frank Dopheide, Ingo Rieper, Gerrit Schumann Kasernenstr. 67, 40213 Düsseldorf, Tel.: +49 (0) 211-887-0Druck: kuncke druck GmbH,Kornkamp 24, 22926 AhrensburgMitarbeiter dieser Ausgabe: Melina Asema-kes, Jared Heßmann, Lehrer und Schüler der Helene-Lange-Schule Oldenburg (Ortrud Reuter-Kaminski, Terje Frisse, Hanne Hägele, Amelie Jacobs, Emma Jensen, Marie Lügger, Tomma Otzen, Freia Rose-Borsum, Tim Schönberger, Kaja Schönborn, Lilly Sophie Sellere, Imke Thomssen, Anton Zab)Fragen und Feedback: [email protected] Handelsblatt Newcomer erscheint alle zwei Monate.

Deutsch Englisch Deutsch Englisch

adept geschickt steam turbines Dampfturbinen

appeal Appell superfl uous überfl üssig

blackout Stromausfall supply security Vorsorgungssicherheit

blockchain Blockkette tax investigator Steuerfahnder

cardiovascular Herzkreislauf(system) to ban sth. etw. verbieten

caretaker government Übergangsregierung to commemorate sth. etw. gedenken

coal-fi red von Kohle betrieben to fl uctuate schwanken

deployment Entsendungto immerse oneself in sth.

sich in etw. vertiefen

dumbbells Hanteln to pay off (sich) auszahlen

encrypted verschlüsselt to sound the alarm Alarm schlagen

equitably gerecht transaction hier Kontobewegung

forgery Fälschung yearbook Jahrbuch/Abschlusszeitung

grid operators Netzbetreiber

hypertension Bluthochdruck

newcomer Neueinsteiger

pedometer Schrittzähler

spat Zänkerei

01–02 | 2018 #47 newcomer - handelsblatt macht schule · 2018-01-24 · 2017 2013 2017 2010 2016...

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