Rob Schmitz

The government flew in thousands of seasonal workers from Romania and Poland, but that may not be enough. Some farmers are looking to hire Germans for the harvest.

NPR Correspondents Rob Schmitz and Scott Horsley talk about stimulus efforts in the U.S. and Europe and how governments are dealing with sharp and sudden economic downturns during the pandemic.

German farmers are facing challenges during the coronavirus pandemic, as the country is experiencing a shortage of seasonal farmworkers who typically come from Eastern European countries.

Protesters — including citizens against restrictions, extremists and anti-vaccination groups — have taken to the streets in cities across Germany.

Germany has seen its biggest quarterly contraction since 2009 when the global financial crisis ravaged the country's economy. Economists expect an even deeper slump in the second quarter.

Europe starts to loosen up the quarantine restrictions and reopen economies. But some countries are expecting — even planning for — the next wave of the coronavirus outbreaks.

"The league wants to continue because it still has a potential revenue stream. But to do so when we still know so little about this virus is wrong," says German sports journalist Tim Jürgens.

Lesson No. 1: Have "proper precautions in place," says historian Richard Evans. And don't "try to hush it up." Thousands died in Hamburg after the government failed to acknowledge a cholera outbreak.

The United States has the highest coronavirus death toll in the world. NPR's international correspondents discuss what the U.S. response to the pandemic means for America's standing in the world.

Professional soccer clubs in Germany are desperate to restart televised league matches. Some critics say the clubs are letting their financial troubles overrule good judgment.

Wearing face masks on public transportation and in shops became mandatory in most of Germany on Monday, with some regions threatening fines for those who don't comply.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a global free-for-all for manufacturing protective equipment, especially face masks. Now factories that once produced curtains or other items are churning them out.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel addressed the Bundestag this morning, cautioning the country not to reopen too soon, lest the coronavirus spread uncontrollably.

From a curtain producer in Shanghai to a factory in Prague, a look at the frenzy surrounding the Personal Protective Equipment business.

German health authorities claim great success in testing and contact tracing, even pinpointing the country's first coronavirus transmission to the passing of a salt shaker in a Bavarian mess hall.

The country has been testing on a larger scale than most other countries. Studying antibodies in the blood can show whether someone has fought off the virus.

People are dancing at home to livestreamed sets. "I think this is probably the most difficult time since World War II," says Lutz Leichsenring of the Berlin Club Commission. "Everything is shut down."

The U.S. government is spending over $2 trillion to help the nation overcome the coronavirus economic shutdown. NPR correspondents in India, Mexico and Germany relay what other governments are doing.

A north-south divide is again dividing Europe, this time in response to the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she welcomes development of a COVID-19 tracing app that protects data and doesn't store users' locations. It uses Bluetooth to log proximity to other cellphones.