New Book Exposes Berlin's Controversial COVID-19 Lockdown Failures
A new book has reignited debate over Berlin's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Corona in Berlin: A Reckoning, co-authored by politician Alexander King and retired surgeon Wolfgang Albers, challenges the city's crisis measures. The exposé, first released online, has now been published in print—and sold out at its launch event.
The book argues that Berlin's pandemic response was flawed and disproportionate. While infection rates rose, the authors claim there was no exponential growth to warrant strict lockdowns or school closures. They also suggest that COVID-19 policies may have influenced Germany's later military expansion in 2022.
One of the most criticised measures was the unused €120-million field hospital at the Messe exhibition centre. Built as a backup, it never treated a single patient. Officials later admitted it would have lacked enough staff if needed. The authors highlight this as an example of costly, ineffective planning.
The book's launch at Mitte's Sprechsaal venue drew a large crowd, with all copies sold. King, the only BSW party member in Berlin's state parliament, had previously pressed the Senate for answers on pandemic decisions. His parliamentary inquiries often went unanswered or were evaded. Albers, a former Left Party lawmaker and surgeon, contributed medical expertise to the critique.
The 194-page book, priced at €10, was published by Thomas Kubo Verlag. It follows earlier online releases and draws on over 1,000 pages of protocol documents made public in 2026. While these files detail Berlin's crisis management, they do not specify which COVID-19 symptoms faced the most backlash.
The book's release has put Berlin's pandemic choices back under scrutiny. Questions remain about the cost of unused facilities like the Messe field hospital and the justification for strict rules such as 2G and 3G access restrictions. The authors' claims now form part of an ongoing debate over Germany's crisis decision-making.
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