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Zilkens‘ News Blog 29 2026

For decades, Allianz has built up its exclusive agency network using life insurance commission models – in fact, this is the business model for all companies that work with tied agencies bound by instructions. Now Oliver Bäte, the company’s CEO, has indicated in a press briefing that he considers the product to be a thing of the past. It will be interesting to see what is set to replace it. If the Left and the trade unions have their way, it certainly won’t be a share-based pension scheme, because the ‘evil speculators’ would squander the ‘little man’s’ money (what an insult). Let’s take a look at Sweden or Norway, where such solutions have long been in place, because the labour movements there are capable of thinking beyond a backward-looking, obstructionist struggle against any form of innovation. Which brings us to VW and other key industries in Germany, which are also in the stranglehold of the trade unions. Trump is sitting in one of his planes, slapping his thighs with glee, because Germany in particular – but also Europe as a whole – is stuck in a trap of regulation and labour costs, which leaves major employers with no way of extricating themselves from this quagmire under their own steam, other than by relocating their headquarters to non-European countries.

Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has now lasted longer than the First World War. Russia is doing everything in its power to destroy Ukrainian identity and cultural heritage, and is bombing what are essentially civilian targets night after night. Europe’s freedom is being defended in Ukraine, for there is no reason to hope that people who are constantly committing war crimes will face up to their humanitarian responsibilities once they have achieved their interim objectives. They will not allow themselves to be brought before human rights courts, but will continue to fight with all their might. The Ukrainian military leadership has now provided its soldiers with a handbook on the protection of cultural heritage. In this way, it is making international laws accessible to the soldiers, so that even the aggressor’s own cultural heritage is spared during the conflict. The rules apply regardless of nationality.

We wonder why the political figures in our country are so rather plain and uninspiring, if not downright unenthusiastic? It’s our own fault – along comes a ray of sunshine like zu Guttenberg and gets caught in ‘Mutti’s’ traps of tabloid sensationalism, envy and supposed justice. The tension is kept high until the candidate takes to his heels. A culture of learning from mistakes? Not a chance! This is now playing out at a much deeper level in Berlin – there’s a governing mayor who also has a private life. He makes mistakes, he doesn’t radiate charisma, he doesn’t make a difference, but he keeps the seats warm for his party colleagues. Nevertheless, now he’s leaving, and it sounds as though he’s been dishonourably dismissed from office! Why? He played tennis at the wrong time and didn’t work on his heroic epic. A boring, staid sort, like so many of all genders in politics. And we wonder why we no longer see any interesting people in politics? Gysi – has run his course; Wagenknecht – has been undone by her own ambition; Wehner – has retreated to the afterlife to cross swords with FJS in a civilised manner; Merz – is still around and hopes that his communications adviser will one day be better than Steingart’s morning ramblings, which are know-it-all comments disguised as constructive criticism. And the next generation? They either rattle off words like a rapid-fire machine gun or exude party-line boredom. The elites? – are holding back, to the detriment of democracy, and thus shielding themselves from the country’s lack of a culture of accountability. The rule of the people – Demos Chretein, or perhaps rather the French ‘Demo Crétin’, for there a majority seems to be enthusiastic about a criminal without a shred of remorse. Adapted from Hildegard Knef and Brigitte Mira: In the polis, everyone is a criminal; its morality is a dark abyss. It has a thousand different chambers, but vote, oh how they do vote.

True to the motto: ‘Move with the times, or you’ll be left behind’, I’ve now had a look at TikTok and I’m shocked at how manipulative individual posts are. They reinforce existing opinions and silence critical voices. You could almost become a fan of Wagenknecht or Reichinek if you didn’t know any better. Cui bono? – Who benefits? Least of all a constructive exchange of views in the quest for the best solutions.

On a conciliatory note to conclude: Wulf Herzogenrath, the long-standing director of the Kölnischer Kunstverein and a key figure in shaping Cologne’s reputation as a global metropolis of the avant-garde in the 1970s and 1980s, passed away a few weeks ago. A memorial service was held yesterday at the Kölnischer Kunstverein, which was one of the finest events to have taken place in recent weeks. The former director of the Cologne Diocesan Museum, Stefan Kraus, delivered a speech there that was so multifaceted and brilliant that one would love to hear it more often. To round things off, there was a parting gift from Alexander Verlag in Berlin, through which Wulf Herzogenrath had published extracts from his guest books. A compendium of rich encounters with the development of contemporary art.

With this in mind, we wish you all a week filled with peaceful, summery warmth in your hearts and much enjoyment of Kobel’s third half-year review.

Stephan Zilkens and the team at Zilkens Fine Art Insurance Broker GmbH in Solothurn and Cologne