John le Carré thinks German - Think German

"Anyone who has acted as an interpreter - as I have - anyone who has played a tiny part in the corridors of political power - knows that what people say to you in your language isn’t always what they say or even think among themselves in theirs. I don’t need to tell you that we Brits in the large know almost nothing of the real Germany of today. And our popular media do precious little to enlighten us, quite the reverse." Brilliant piece. Read it all.