Born in the old East Germany, fluent in Russian as well as German, Angela’s many missteps have led the German economy to becoming a laughing stock, rather than one to be admired. In 2023 and 2024, the German economy contracted. Its bizarrely over-regulated retail sector – basically, shops are closed on Sundays and public holidays – symbolises the mess the German economy is in. Given that growth in consumer spending could assist the German economy to escape from its lengthy slump, it is more than passing strange that restrictions on retail opening hours have not been lifted. The earlier experience of Germany accepting large numbers of guest workers, mainly from Turkey, should have offered Angela some lessons.