Strg_F

It's time to take a look back: Last year we made over 40 films for you, did a lot of research, traveled, shot for days and edited for nights. We talked to the betting mafia, ate kebab, looked for wolves, couldn't find GZUZ, accompanied refugees on their journey back. Our CTRL_F reporters Alena and Nino spent a night in Greek prison, Patrizia gave up her apartment and moved into a car and Jonas smeared minoxidil on his face for months to grow a beard. In short: 2018 was awesome. And you were there - the best community in the world! THANKS! A small, personal review from Nadia and Gunnar.

He is only 20 years old and has shocked dozens of politicians and celebrities with his data and hacks. _0rbit has published addresses, telephone numbers and private photos of a thousand people affected and sparked a broad discussion about data security. Now a suspect has been caught and has confessed. We actually wanted to present you with well-rested research. Since events have accelerated due to the alleged arrest, we'll tell you what we've learned so far. CTRL_F Reporters were in _0rbit's hometown and spoke to YouTuber Tomasz Niemiec, who has been in contact with _0rbit for a long time and can explain to us what doxing is.

When Gunnar wanted to go to his office at NDR at the end of November, he found the doors closed. Everything was sealed off and no one was allowed to enter the building. The reason for this is a building material that has actually been banned for a long time: asbestos. But the cancer-causing fiber still lies dormant in many buildings from the 60s, 70s and 80s. On NDR, it was discovered by chance during a renovation that asbestos had been installed in a high-rise office building. The station reacted immediately and closed the affected building. In his video, Gunnar and his colleague Jörg Hilbert show you how often the cancer fiber still causes problems today and how treacherous it is.

A heated debate about the topic of abortion has been raging for months. In politics, on the streets and on the Internet. It's about paragraph 219a. It prohibits public information about abortions. Self-proclaimed pro-life advocates use the paragraph to report doctors who, for example, inform on their websites that they perform abortions. But this topic is always about the whole thing. Where does life begin? And what matters more: a woman's right to self-determination or the protection of the unborn?

One in six children is bullied at school. CTRL_F reporter Simone was one of them. During her school years she was excluded, insulted and attacked by girls who were actually her friends. The whole thing happened 20 years ago, but that time still leaves its mark - to this day. But how do you actually become a bully and what can you do against bullying? To find out, Simone sets out to find the bullies from back then.

A few weeks ago four German skiers died on the Arlberg. Shortly before the video was published, it was announced that at least ten other winter sports athletes had died in avalanches. Apparently it is mainly the deep snow that puts even experienced skiers in danger. Why are people so fascinated by their own fresh tracks in untouched snow - and how can you protect yourself from avalanches?

He admires the footballer Ronaldo and yet has published sensitive data about him. Rui Pinto aka “John” wants football to be clean. That's why he started a silent revolt against clubs, managers and players. Three years later, Pinto published the biggest data leak in history, the Football Leaks. The consequences: dozens of investigations across Europe, Ronaldo convicted, and even the FIFA President is under attack. Pinto himself is now sitting under house arrest with an ankle bracelet on his leg and is facing extradition and prison. Because the question is: Is he a whistleblower or a criminal hacker? How does he see it? And what motivates this young person? Our reporters Hendrik and Nino were part of the Football Leaks research team and were now able to speak to him exclusively. For you: the background piece.

“What should I regret,” asks Karl M. The 96-year-old is a convicted war criminal, but was never in prison for his crimes. Today he appears in the neo-Nazi scene and is revered there. The Panorama reporters Robert, Julian and Fabienne interviewed M. and also asked around in his hometown. How does society deal with a 96-year-old who still justifies his crimes today - and who also denies the Holocaust? Should we address the crimes and his views or leave him alone?

It was a warm July morning in 2012 when a passerby found Cem K.'s lifeless body. In front of the main entrance to a school building in the Dulsberg district of Hamburg, a dog leash is wrapped around the dead man's neck. Police say he hanged himself while sitting. But Cem K.'s father doesn't believe it was suicide. There are too many question marks: Cem didn't leave a suicide note, surveillance cameras were broken and there was a dubious purchase of furniture the day before Cem's death. Turkish media reported on the case, but German media did not. This is also why the STRG_F reporters Esra Özer and Tobias Zwior have been reconstructing Cem's story for months.

It was a warm July morning in 2012 when a passerby found Cem K.'s lifeless body. In front of the main entrance to a school building in the Dulsberg district of Hamburg, a dog leash is wrapped around the dead man's neck. Police say he hanged himself while sitting. But Cem K.'s father doesn't believe it was suicide. There are too many question marks: Cem didn't leave a suicide note, surveillance cameras were broken and there was a dubious purchase of furniture the day before Cem's death. Turkish media reported on the case, but German media did not. The second part of our report. This is also why the STRG_F reporters Esra Özer and Tobias Zwior have been reconstructing Cem's story for months.

Finn Bogumil was only 22 years old. He believed in the so-called "light food", an esoteric concept with followers all over the world. Supposedly it should be possible to live completely without food or drink - and to live only on light. Finn tried that. He died in the jungle on a Caribbean island. How did Finn even come up with this crude idea? How have the last few weeks of Finn's life been? What did he die of? STRG_F reporter Christian Deker investigates these questions in Germany and also in the Caribbean. He meets Finn's family, friends and also people who believe in "light food".

“Oh come on, that one glass of champagne...” Apparently many people think that way. It is estimated that one in four women in Germany continue to drink alcohol during pregnancy. Half-brothers Kevin and René learned that this can cause serious harm to unborn children. Her mother also drank during pregnancy. You have FAS, fetal alcohol syndrome. As children, they were long considered to have behavioral problems; they caused problems everywhere. Today they still have not completed their training. They only want one thing: to lead a normal life. But the disability makes life difficult for them - a disability that could have been avoided. Reporter Djamila accompanied the two boys and tells us about her impressions and research.

In January 2019, a bomb exploded outside the courthouse in Derry. Shortly afterwards, the “New IRA” claimed responsibility for the attack. Many media outlets are speculating about a connection with Brexit and fearing a new escalation of violence. But is that true? We traveled to Northern Ireland to see the situation for ourselves. On our journey we meet militant republicans, IRA veterans and fans of the British Queen. It quickly becomes clear: nothing is normal in Northern Ireland. And beneath the surface there is a conflict that is centuries old.

It's about sex, expensive handbags, dream vacations. “Sugarbabes” have their luxury lives financed by “sugar daddies” and give… yes, what exactly? STRG_F reporter Désirée talks to young women who have had their rent paid for years by rich older men, wants to know from these so-called sugar daddies what appeals to them and goes into the bizarre world of sugar dating herself. Who benefits and who loses?

Plastic floats in the sea, clogging up beaches and animals' stomachs. A plague! Even the big companies that keep bringing new disposable plastic packaging onto the market want to understand this. Companies such as Nestlé, Unilever and Procter & Gamble are announcing major initiatives to stop plastic pollution. But how serious are they really about it? The STRG_F reporters Tobias and David are looking for answers in a country where the conflict over plastic between consumers and corporations has obviously been present for a long time: the Philippines.

Many of you have asked in the comments and also by email that we would explain how we journalists actually work, what we are allowed to do and what we are not allowed to do. That's why in this episode we give you insights into our everyday working life. For example, we explain how we deal with secret documents, when we are allowed to use a hidden camera, when we are allowed to film people, under what conditions we sometimes conduct interviews and why our contributions may end up in court.

She spent most of her life in the war: Aaliya from Hamburg. She was three years old when her mother joined IS and kidnapped the girl to Syria. Unbeknownst to her father Danish. He has been fearing for the life of his daughter for five years, who is now in a Kurdish prison camp for IS women and their children. But so far he has not been able to bring his daughter home. Aaliya is one of many German children who lived in the so-called Islamic State. STRG_F reporters Alena, Lisa and Mariam have been accompanying their families in Germany for months and ask: Why don't we bring the IS children back?

Homib Mebrahtu fled Eritrea to Germany with his parents as a child. Today the 36-year-old is an AfD member and even sits on the board of the Rhein-Neckar district. He is running for the AfD in the local elections in May. Mebrahtu says in an interview that he joined the AfD out of self-defense against the refugee policy. Our reporter Aimen Abdulaziz-Said met him.

Don't sit down! Pull out your cell phones, cardboards and VR glasses. We have set out to search for you again - but this time you can also search for yourself. Have fun with the first 360° report from STRG_F. There are places that have a very special atmosphere. The Hotel Waldlust in the Black Forest is one of them. At the beginning of the last century it was the place to be for kings, celebrities and the super-rich. It has been empty since 2005 and is considered a "place for unredeemed souls". Ghosts are said to be causing mischief in the hotel. CTRL_F reporter Aaron takes you and a 360° camera on the trail of the past - and on those of supposed ghosts.

Football and music are closely linked. Well-known artists such as Johannes Strate from Revolverheld or Nina Hagen sing songs about their favorite club. And nothing would be possible in the stands without the battle cries and chants of the fans. Why do we sing along when we enter the stadium and how do you produce a song for your favorite footballer. CTRL_F reporters Gunnar and Niko try a rap song for Claudio Pizarro.

Six-pack abs, defined arms, firm butts: Eleven million Germans train in fitness studios. The industry is booming. Fitness has become a lifestyle - especially on platforms like Instagram or YouTube. Influencers and fitness models get a lot of likes there for their trained bodies. But what hardly anyone talks about openly is that many in the scene help with chemistry. Even amateur athletes use substances. Researchers assume that one in five athletes who regularly visit a gym have taken anabolic steroids. CTRL_F reporter Lucie asks: What is the price for the perfect body?

Fake meat is the meat of the future - maybe! In any case, fake meat is the forefront of a development that tries to satisfy our great hunger for meat and at the same time improve the world: fewer resources, no animal suffering and no antibiotics. It could be sold soon. CTRL_F reporters Han and David have found their way through the crazy world of imitation meat and fake meat. From Seitan and tofu to genetically modified plant burgers and chicken nuggets from the laboratory. Bon appetit!

Sports betting is booming, with betting stakes soon reaching 8 billion euros per year. The betting shops also attract organized crime. Why? During our research we come across criminals who ran betting shops. Like a cocaine dealer who was convicted in the first instance and used dozens of Tipico branches for his business. And for lots of shell companies. How can that be? The answer lies in the current legal situation in Germany and in offshore centers such as Malta.

Fear is spreading in Germany. Many people no longer feel safe in this country. More and more people are therefore arming themselves: they are turning to blank guns. The number of small firearms licenses has more than doubled in recent years - to currently 603,000. CTRL_F reporter Timo Robben met a group of gun enthusiasts for whom that wasn't enough. They demand: live firearms for all reliable citizens. But do more weapons really lead to more security?

Who is Stephan E.? It is the question that has been bothering many people in Germany since last week. Who is the man who allegedly shot the district president Walter Lübcke? And if he really did it: Did he act alone or did he have a right-wing radical support network? The STRG_F reporters Julian Feldmann and Nino Seidel went looking for clues in the suspect's environment. And you also come across old acquaintances from the neo-Nazi scene.

Under network marketing you can find a number of providers on Instagram and YouTube who lure you with “the great product”, a passive income and, above all, great prospects for earning money as a networker. Reporter Nadia came across the group "Pulse Empire" who say they started the network marketing revolution.

All of Europe is talking and arguing heatedly about the Sea-Watch 3's voyage. After tough and fruitless negotiations, despite a ban from the Italian authorities, the captain Carola Rackete brings around 40 people rescued from distress at sea to the port of Lampedusa. For weeks, no European port allowed her to be brought ashore. What happened behind the scenes? Why did the captain make a decision that could even land her in prison? We'll tell you exclusively about what happened on the Sea-Watch 3 and show you the backstory. Because our reporters Nadia Kailouli and Jonas Schreijäg were on board for the three weeks.

After four months of car life in Germany, STRG_F reporter Patrizia and her boyfriend Fredy travel to the USA. The idea: continue to live in the car and spend the winter in the southern states. But the plan goes terribly wrong. Suddenly they are confronted with a fundamental question: Is car life still a liberation or a burden?

The last part of the carlife report: After three months in the USA, STRG_F reporter Patrizia and her friend Fredy travel through Mexico in ImmerEssen. Then she receives bad news. Suddenly it's time to clarify life's big questions - and say goodbye.

There are more traffic jams on Germany's motorways than ever before. The increased traffic volume is of course also due to the countless construction sites where you often see very few workers. Why is this the case and how does a traffic jam even arise? STRG_F reporter Gunnar drove through Germany for three days and had the task of researching everything from the car.

Counterfeiting products is considered the largest organized crime in the world. STRG_F reporter Christian's wife fell for a counterfeit network. She ordered a backpack from Fjällraven online. In a shop that offers photos with original backpacks. In fact, it was a fake. And dangerous to health too. Laboratory tests have shown that the fake backpack is heavily contaminated with heavy metals. Counterfeits are increasing rapidly. And the counterfeiters are hard to stop. Christian wants to find her in China together with colleagues from NDR and ZEIT. Why do they have it so easy? And how does the business work? Their path leads them to the backpack counterfeiters' workshops.

STRG_F reporter Tobias Zwior is a Bayer shareholder - and now has a problem. Since last year, Bayer has owned one of the most controversial products in the world: glyphosate. It is highly efficient and kills almost all plants within a very short time and is therefore used by farmers around the world to combat weeds. Less working hours, higher yields - a revolution for agriculture. But criticism of the drug has increased in recent years. In the USA, around 18,000 plaintiffs claim that glyphosate caused them cancer. In Argentina, diseases are increasing among people who live near large areas of soybean cultivation. And in Europe, negotiations are underway to ban it by 2022. This also concerns Tobias. Because as a Bayer shareholder, glyphosate also belongs to him. That's why he sets out to find out: How dangerous is glyphosate really? And should he keep his shares or sell them?

The numbers are far apart. Last year around 10,000 patients needed a new organ. For some, a transplant was and is vital. But there were only 955 donors. The number of people willing to donate organs is continually decreasing. Politicians are currently discussing how the willingness to donate can be increased. CTRL_F reporter Milan Panek is part of the minority. At the age of 18, he got an organ donor card and marked “YES”. Around 10 years later he asks himself whether that was right? Can he trust the system? What speaks against it when so many are unwilling to get an ID card? Milan looks behind the scenes to understand how the organ donation system works in practice. How does it feel to wait for an organ? How does the organ get from the donor to the recipient? And is the donor really dead?

STRG_F reporter Gunnar uploads his own stock photo. It's nothing unusual anymore. But he didn't expect what happened next. His image appears everywhere. Sometimes he is an alleged love coach, sometimes a pedophile offender. Even Macaulay Culcin posts it on his website. Good God! Why do people give away their stock photos - and what was Gunnar's worst experience?

One to two out of 100 people will develop psychosis in their lifetime. You suddenly develop problems with thinking and perception. You then hear voices or see things that are not there. They often feel persecuted. These people actually need therapy, but they themselves don't understand that they are sick. To them it's all real. CTRL_F reporter Simone tackled a difficult question with this film. How can you help people in their psychosis? At what point should they be forced into a psychiatric hospital, even if they don't want to? When can you decide on another person's freedom?

Suddenly the screen goes black - nothing works anymore, everything is gone: travel photos, important work documents, university documents... That's what happened to STRG_F reporter Armin. He comes across dubious data recovery providers who charge thousands of euros and haggle like at a flea market. He does the experiment himself: What do the providers charge if the hard drive is only slightly manipulated and the data can be restored in a few minutes?

Ikke Hüftgold, Mickie Krause, Willi Herren - everyone can make party hits! The music is considered a very simple genre, full of 1-2-3, zigzags and beer. STRG_F reporter Max wants to be part of it and make a career as STRAMMER MAX. The self-experiment: write a song, drink beer and get on stage! Will we manage to land a hit, how much work goes into the Malle hit and what is nicer in Bulgaria than in Mallorca?

How do you survive shelling, mines, ambushes? The Bundeswehr prepares war and crisis reporters for worst-case scenarios. The STRG_F reporters Alena, Mariam and Lisa undergo training - 5 days of survival training with the constant question in their heads: How much is a story worth? They also ask this question of other war journalists who have risked their lives several times for a story. Carsten Stormer was in Syria eleven times: “You see up to 30 dead a day”. And photojournalist Julia Leeb was almost kidnapped in Tahrir Square. Nevertheless, they always put themselves in danger. Why?

Fighters punching each other in the face without gloves. This is Bareknuckle. Sport is a million-dollar business in the USA. Now the brutal fighting is also happening in Germany. Without protective gloves, the blows land in the face. The sport is probably the most dangerous and bloodiest of all martial arts. STRG_F reporter Han Park visits Marco Aschenbrenner, one of the fighters who will get into the ring for the first bareknuckle fight in Germany. Is this still sport or a bar fight in front of a large audience?

Jeder Tag kann anders verlaufen, als erhofft. Durchfälle, Krämpfe, Übelkeit tauchen plötzlich auf. Und wohlmöglich ein Leben lang. Zwischen 320.000 und 470.000 Menschen in Deutschland leiden an chronisch entzündlichen Darmerkrankungen. Die wenigsten sprechen offen darüber. Denn die Krankheit ist nicht nur schmerzhaft und ätzend – sie ist vielen richtig peinlich. Auch unsere Reporterinnen Désirée und Carla haben ihre Krankheit bislang eher versteckt. Die eine hat Colitis Ulcerosa, die andere Morbus Crohn. Fast täglich kämpfen sie einen für andere unbemerkten Kampf. Aus vermeintlichen Kleinigkeiten können unüberwindbare Probleme entstehen. In diesem Film gewähren sie Blicke hinter ihre Fassade. Keine Angst, es wird nicht eklig. Aber offen.

They are cute, but also sick: breathing problems, herniated discs, hip and knee joint problems. Some even lose their eyes when they are grabbed by the neck. The torment of these dogs is the result of extreme breeding. If possible, they should correspond to an ideal of beauty with childlike features and proportions. They are among the long-term patients of veterinarians and often have to undergo operations that cost a lot of money. The pug, French and English bulldogs in particular suffer from breeding that leaves them sick for life because their physical proportions are no longer correct. The animal protection law in Germany actually prohibits cruel breeding. However, it is hardly enforced. Instead, at dog fairs, awards are even given to breeds that exhibit quality breeding characteristics.

Exorcism is not a scary practice from the Middle Ages. Many Catholics - especially the Pope - and Evangelicals still believe in demons today. And that demons can attack or infest people. In so-called liberation services, priests and pastors still drive out evil spirits today. But even though these liberations from demons don't seem to be that rare, almost everyone keeps it a big secret. Especially in Germany.

The Maasai are one of the oldest peoples on earth. They have been traveling through Africa as nomads for thousands of years. But since even the most remote places have been opened up for tourism, this life has become less and less possible. The Maasai's living space is becoming smaller and the world is moving ever closer together thanks to technology. STRG_F reporter Aaron traveled to Tanzania with his father Achilles and visited a tribe that is looking for its place between old traditions and new achievements of globalization.

How would you react if an investor from Africa suddenly came because he wanted your country? Unimaginable in Germany. But that's exactly what's happening in Africa: In Sierra Leone, an investor has stolen the land from 53 villages at once - for 50 years. It should be a model project that brings profit to the company through the production of biofuel and jobs and development to people. STRG_F reporter Pia has accompanied the project for over four years. The investor as a development worker. A good idea?

How do you escape the snipers? What do you eat when there is nothing left to eat? And how do you live with the constant fear of dying? STRG_F reporter Sulaiman was trapped in the war for two years: trapped in the old town of Homs, surrounded by Assad's henchmen. He used his camera to document how he and his friends fight for survival in the ruins of their hometown. Many have died. Sulaiman did it. And today I ask myself: Why did I, of all people, survive?

He was a terrorist: Oliver joined IS at 16. There he barely survived a bomb attack. Seven months later, he turned himself in to the authorities in Austria and was sent to prison. Today he lives among us again. He wants to become part of society again. How can this be achieved? For STRG_F, Mariam and Lisa accompany him in the here and now for several months.

No music genre is as successful today as German rap. Gangster rappers like Capital Bra, Bonez MC and Farid Bang win everything. But how gangsters are the rappers really? What is real and what is fake? And what's wrong with the supposed backers? The reporters Alena Jabarine and Manuel Daubenberger tried to look behind the scenes of the gangster rap business. We evaluated social media profiles for months, spoke to criminal police and prosecutors and to artists who are themselves big in the gangster rap business: Fler, Manuellsen and Sinan-G. And found out: Very few gangster rappers are real gangsters. But, many have close connections to organized crime.

Bushido called himself public enemy number 1. Now he has police protection. What happened? As a gangster rapper, he has had an unparalleled career, and achieved success together with the alleged clan boss Arafat Abou-Chaker. But then the two fell out. And since then, events have accelerated. Serious allegations, alleged attacks and threats against Bushido. But is Bushido really a sacrifice?