Culture & Lifestyle | 29.09.2005
Divorce at Germany's Newsstands
Entitled Rosenkrieg, or War of the Roses, the new bi-monthly magazine aims to cater for Germany's growing divorce market, with articles from lawyers, psychologists, therapists and accountants on all facets of a lasting separation.
The market for potential readers is significant as Germany's divorce rate has risen beyond the 200,000-a-year mark, affecting an estimated 400,000 people -- not including 170,000 school children.
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Splitting up is "in" among GermansThe journalist duo behind the new publication, Mike Neumann and Marion von Gratkowski, have experience in both magazine publishing and separation and divorce. And given that divorce is totally "in," as von Gratkowski said, launching a new publication on the subject seemed like the ideal venture.
So many questions
Divorce throws up a multitude of questions that the happily-married never thought they would have to face. From how much alimony should be paid, to who gets custody of the children, who gets to stay in the shared home, with or without the family pet, to how to divide up the possessions and pay off joint debts.
The list is endless, and to have a lawyer answer every question could turn into a costly business.
Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Readers learn how to flirt without fruity props Contributors to the magazine are all specialists in their field. They aim to make sense out of legal jargon, and deal with the issues in a sensitive way. In addition, Rosenkrieg has guest writers from the real world of divorce talk about their own experiences of life after marriage.
And on that note, the magazine does what it can to encourage down divorcees to pick themselves up and get back into the dating game. With articles which aim to teach readers how to get back in touch with their flirtatious side, instruct them on the best singles' haunts, or inform them on the best way to approach life as part of a patchwork family, Rosenkrieg is not all doom and gloom.
