Day X
This story began with a mysterious gun in an airport bathroom and led to a German military officer facing trial on terrorism charges. It’s a story about national identity and reckoning, mirroring the story of Germany itself. And years later, it’s still unfolding — raising a question that democracies across the world are waking up to: What happens when the threat is coming from within?
See all episodes of Day X at nytimes.com/dayx
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Our Editor's Take
The story shared by The New York Times' Day X podcast began in April 2017. Authorities arrested a German soldier that they later identified as Franco A. This arrest shook Germany.
It wasn't only Franco A's alleged extreme behavior that caused a scare. It was the larger network of extremism his arrest revealed. That network included members of the police and army planning for the fall of democracy in Germany. That day was one they called Day X. This podcast tells the story.
Two years before, in December 2015, Franco A posed as a Syrian refugee. He entered a German police station, claimed asylum, and even collected benefits. For over a year, he held these two identities. He claimed to be a refugee receiving benefits and was a trained elite soldier. Franco A's arrest came as a result of his trying to recover a World War II gun. Once in police custody, his fingerprints led to discovering his double life. The Day X podcast explains what happened next.
Franco A's plan unfolded at the height of Germany's refugee crisis. During that time, the country admitted over a million refugees. Many Germans and outsiders praised the country's commitment to providing asylum. There were also many within Germany who dissented. This led to a rise in right-wing extremism. It also saw the formation of a new political party called the Alternative for Germany Party-AFD.
This podcast examines this recent history. It explains why Franco A's story is cause for alarm. In this five-part series, Katrin Bennhold expands on the article she wrote for The New York Times. She meets with anonymous sources in Germany and talks to Franco A's targets. She even secures an interview with the person who started all this-Franco A himself. The podcast explores how sometimes a country's worst enemy can come from within. With riveting storytelling and narration, Day X illustrates that no democracy is safe.
Jouer la bande-annonce
Épisodes