Those inventive Germans
The week's news at a glance.
Berlin
A public-relations firm hired by the German government put out a book this week crediting many of the world’s great inventions to Germans. The book, whose title translates to “German Stars: 50 Innovations Everyone Should Know About,” claims that Heinrich Göbel, not Thomas Edison, invented the light bulb and that Otto von Guericke, not the Italian Evangelista Torricelli, invented the vacuum. The German newsmagazine Der Spiegel mocked the book, saying that Americans “would be surprised to learn” that Alexander Graham Bell was not responsible for the telephone, nor Levi Strauss for blue jeans. But the authors defended their work. “It’s fair to say many German figures have made significant contributions to innovations,” Lars Heitmüller of PR agency Fischer Appelt told the London Independent, “even if they don’t hold the patent.”
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Taking aim at Venezuela’s autocrat
Feature The Trump administration is ramping up military pressure on Nicolás Maduro. Is he a threat to the U.S.?
-
Comey indictment: Is the justice system broken?
Feature U.S. attorney Lindsey Halligan has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on charges of lying and obstructing Congress
-
Government shuts down amid partisan deadlock
Feature As Democrats and Republicans clash over health care and spending, the shutdown leaves 750,000 federal workers in limbo