>> hello and the warm welcome to "european journal," coming to you from dw studios in brussels. good to have you with us. here is what we have today. czech republic. why the church is waiting for compensation. france, how a famous culinary delight has caused a big controversy. and poland, why you should never drink and drive very or even cycle. >> when the iron curtain fell, the countries of eastern europe had to redefine the relationship between church and state. under communist rule, there was little tolerance for organized

religion in church property and land was expropriated wholesale. today, the czech republic was one of the last former soviet satellites where the church has still not received compensation. >> the father believes in god's grace period during his daily prayers, he also praised for the church in the czech republic. as a good christian, he knows one should never abandon hope for a miracle, but as a priest in the czech republic, he has. >> i believe in miracles. our father in heaven can do anything. when i look at the situation in the czech republic and the government, i don't see much of a chance. there is no miracle in sight. >> and merkel is needed soon in order to save the monastery -- a miracle is needed soon in order to save the monastery. the communists expropriated the

churches holdings, nationalizing thousands of hectares of forest and land. the church could find itself to releasing that land and pay for much-needed reconstruction work. >> this is a great injustice. how would you feel if someone took something from you and then insulted you when you ask for it back? that is no way to behave, to accuse us of being greedy. >> the situation is difficult and not just for the monastery. in the czech republic's congregations, the church's old possessions are falling apart because ownership has not been properly determined. since 1991, building has been prohibited on land once owned by the church until ownership is determined. 90% of the land around this area

once belonged to the church and the mayor cannot sell it. >> we did not really care if the state gets everything or if it all goes back to the church. any solution is good for us because then there would finally be someone we can negotiate with. right now, we don't have that opportunity. >> for decades, the politicians in prague have or viewed over the former holdings. -- have argued over the former holdings. the church does not have a lobby in the czech republic. there is a long tradition of hating the church. >> the czechs of three mortal enemies since the 19th century. there is the church because it cooperated with the old marquee. there are the germans, especially the germans who tried to hinder emancipation.

then, there's the nobility, which also opposed the establishment of the state. this nationalistic ideologies survives in a covert way to this day. >> in particular, it is and the social democrats and communists who have proposed restitution to the church, and not even the center-right parties want to speak out on behalf of the church is interests. if parliament did approve restitution, but the church is still waiting, this time for the president's signature. he wants to take as much time as possible because he knows he will win more support that way. this woman is among those supporters. she opposes restitution. she is catholic, but she does not believe the church needs to be compensation -- compensated. >> why does the church need billions it wants back? it is clear that it all ends up at the vatican. with the money we take from

families, we end up support activities by the vatican that we would never approve of. this is an obscene long and it won't get through, believe me. >> the church in the czech republic is supposed to get 2.3 billion heroes, along with real estate worth 2.9 billion euros. the catholic church calls that a compromise. in exchange, the state would no longer have to pay increased salaries. -- priest salaries. >> the point of the agreement is to allow the church its financial independence. taxpayers who reject the church no longer have to support it through taxes. it is the case right now. >> praying in the czech republic does not seem like it will help much.

there is too much resentment toward the father and his colleagues. the congregations along the monasteries feel they have been forgotten. the prospect of payments in the billions makes a lot of people angry. no one seems to care that the deadlock means nothing has changed for two decades in places like this one. >> the wide variety of cultural habits and rituals in the different countries is something you tend to be proud of when you live in europe, but what one country might see as a vital part of its national identity can even constitute a criminal offense in another. france is proud of its foie gras, but the way the geese are forced fed to make it has made other countries ban the practice. >> this region in southwestern france is known for a very special delicacy, foie gras. a family in the town has been

producing it with geese for decades. they allow the geese out free range for three months, and the birds are penned and force fed corn for the last three weeks of their lives. >> the corn kernels are soaked in water and fat is added. that way, they slide down the throats better. >> these these are being prepared to meet demand for christmas. the corn is forced down their throats three times a day. >> you have to be careful so you don't injure the animals. if they do stances up, we massage its neck and then slip the pipe down its throat. our goal is for the birds to put on weight quickly. at the start of the fattening, they weigh around 3 kilos.

three weeks later, they are 9 kilos. >> it is that liver, enlarged five times, that is the point. it is considered a highlight of french cuisine. the majority of foie gras comes from large agricultural businesses. animal welfare activists went undercover in the barns of the places. this woman pretended to be a wholesaler in order to document the shocking means of production. >> we saw sick animals. they had become so fat, they could not carry the weight of their own bodies. today kept being force-fed. a lot of birds were panting and could not breathe properly anymore. >> animal welfare activists consider foie gras production to be pure cruelty.

fourth reading to produce it is prohibited in 17 countries. -- forced feeding to produce it is prohibited in 17 countries. because it is produced in such large quantities in france, farmers are fighting against damage to their image. at this experimental farm run by the chamber of agriculture, resourceful researchers are trying to prove the animals don't really suffer from the force feeding. they say the geese have to be prepared for it while they are still free range. >> we feed them only once a day. within 10 days, they eat up to 400 grams of corn in a few minutes. that helps to stretch them. look at these coming out now. craws are round like a ball. >> doesn't that hurt them? >> no. they do that themselves with no problem. it is a kind of training for the gis.

-- geese. >> foie gras production is an important economic factor in france, one that employs some 35,000 people. that is one reason my paris has so far ignored the protests from other european countries. another is that the vast majority of foie gras is consumed in france itself. >> even when there are bands, like in california, or even if it were banned in germany, it would have little influence on our sector. foie gras is different product through and through. it is part of every festive meal. >> foie gras is a cultural icon. for one of our reporter, banning it would be a declaration of war

on france. >> people here would turn away from europe even more. they have voted massively against the eu treaties, and that would really put them in opposition. a writer from the area has written a science-fiction novel in which dictators forbid all kinds of things, including foie gras. people then sell them on the black market, like they did during the occupation. >> the 95-year-old grandmother remembers those days. she says the expensive delicacy foie gras used to be eaten almost daily. >> we have always done the forced feeding. at least as far back as the 17th century. so what is the problem? it is better if the geese are fatter. there is more meet then, to -- more meat then, too. >> the french are happy to see

themselves as the leader of the resistance against a ban on foie gras. bulgaria and hungary, which produce small amounts, are certainly grateful for that. officials in brussels will surely think twice about a ban, not wanting to cause a feud with an entire nation. >> a sip of champagne, several pints of beer, or not a single drop? how much of all are you allowed to drink and still drive? it is different in every european country, but one thing is the same everywhere. you get punished if you exceed the limit. alcohol slows down your ability to react. you become at risk for other people on the road. don't even think about it in poland. if you're caught drunk driving, you won't get away with just a fine. ♪ >> it happens every day on polish roads.

drivers who pass in dangerous situations or trucks who get around paying tolls -- the consequence, poland leads the list in the eu of the most people killed in traffic accidents. commemorative crosses dot the roads and alcohol is usually to blame. that, despite political so strict alcohol limit of 0.02. police put up check points all over, like here. it is 6:30 a.m. after two hours, police have checked 1000 drivers with the same reading. good morning. can you exhale in here, please? 1, 2, 3. even at this early hour, they catch violators. anything over .1 will put this

man over the limit. the number on the display is multiplied by two. the result, 0.88, a criminal offense punishable by jail. this man could face two years in prison. he does not want to talk to us. >> it makes me happy when we touch someone. that means they are no longer a danger to others. we have been checking for three months. they never learn. we catch some every few days and that saddens me. >> more than 5000 poles are jailed for drinking a few beers or shot of vodka. germany has twice as many inhabitants and over 1000 people are jailed there. cells here are narrow. each prisoner is entitled to three square meters. three people are crammed into one cell. criminals live cheek by jowl. >> i drove drunk. i always thought i was a good

driver. i did not believe anything could happen. i did not notice i was drunk. i was weaving all over but did not have an accident. >> my son is 9 and does not know i am in jail for a couple of years. he thinks i'm a broad working. we wanted to buy an apartment, but that is all over now. >> 0.8. i was taken to the police station and photos were taken. i am a real criminal. they even fingerprinted me. >> while we are taping this report, the media are splashing a big all call-related story across the front pages. "bishop drinks half a bottle of whiskey in gets behind the wheel." the wine was not the only reason that the bishop landed in a lamppost. -- lamppost. he was immediately resurrected. -- arrested. 0.25 at 2:00 p.m.

the bishop had been particularly active in the fight against drunk driving and oralism. he encouraged the catholic church to organize pilgrimages and informational events on drinking and alcoholism. he repeatedly called on the fateful to practice abstinence. "ask that your life and that of your families remain sober. only then will you be free." he knew he would likely land in jail and went on the offensive. in an open letter, he said he would resign from his position as bishop. "i apologize to everyone who might disappointed by my behavior. i will immediately seek out therapy." >> the bishop has asked his punishment be 20 hours of social work a month for eight months and that his driver's license be suspended for four years. the prosecutor has accepted this.

>> but what the spokesman does not say is that the diocese has provided the bishop with a driver. it is his right, the church says. somebody who is drunk and not a bishop could theoretically -- germans do just that. germany has a higher alcohol limit for cyclists. poland knows no mercy. one small beer is all cyclists can drink. they face the same limits as drivers. more than 4100 polish bicyclists are behind bars for cycling while drunk. in germany, zero. the authorities in poland route to get them, like here in krakow. they hope the police improve their statistics on the number of crimes they have solved.

many cyclists are angry. >> insane. people of drug dealing get on a bicycle path won't have major accidents. -- people who have dunk beer get on a bicycle path and won't have major accidents. >> the notice a somewhat dodgy rider. bingo. the machine displays 1.4, 0.28 blood alcohol content. he faces at least a year in jail if he finds a mild-mannered judge. it could be more. >> the man is drunk, but he still got on his bike and wrote on the street without a light. this proves these kinds of cyclists are huge risks. tragedies happen in a flash. >> one person knows this

firsthand. the photographer was pushing his bike when police stopped him. six months later, they got him again with 0.1 blood alcohol content. >> i lost everything, my job, my new apartment, and my girlfriend. my family and friends don't want to have anything to do with me since i am in jail. i don't believe in anything anymore. i have the sense that my life is over. >> every inmate lives in extremely close quarters. everything is overflowing. there are plenty of mafia-like gangs. it is brutal and bloody. that is what you get for once having biked under the influence. it is absurd. people turn depressed. >> poland won't let drug drivers off the hook. things could be changing. the governor party -- governing party propose lowering the limits for cyclists, but that could take years.

>> the relationship between switzerland and germany has seen better days. just a few months ago, germany accused the swiss of dragging their feet in helping to track down tax evaders. the swiss said they were protecting their bank customer's secrets. many swiss are not happy that more and more germans are moving across the border for professional reasons. are the swiss being bossed around by the germans? it is a relationship that sparked some people's creativity. >> ladies and gentlemen, i am incredibly pleased to be able to welcome so many of you to our seminar, switzerland, a different country. >> the seminar is actually a play performed before a german and swiss audience on a makeshift stage in zurich. the main character takes on the job of training a shy and easily intimidated swiss man.

>> ladies and gentleman, this man is swiss. his task is to teach german immigrants the swiss code of conduct. but this proves to be beyond him. >> i am supposed to give a presentation to tell the germans what they are meant to do. >> i made that clear, didn't i? code of conduct. code of conduct. >> ladies and gentleman, i speak for many of my fellow countrymen when i say that the tone of german superiors and female german superiors in particular goes too far. >> it is a relationship that was doomed from the start and it highlights the complicated relationship between germans and swiss. the german tone of voice does not always come across well. >> sometimes i feel really out

of step when it comes to the speed of germans. i feel very small and see the germans as giants. >> for me personally, it is the tempo, the brush of words that are thrown at you. >> these two have had enough of the criticism. they recently set up a self a group for germans in zurich and struck a chord. dozens of people turned up to the first meeting alone. >> 80% of swiss people think that germans are arrogant and should be rejected. sometimes they behave in the same way themselves. i just want to show that there are perhaps a few germans that suffer from this treatment. >> if you are a bit outspoken or a fast speaker, if you make a

bold statement, these are trivial things, but they can have a huge effect. >> 10 years ago, this person move from berlin to switzerland, first to zurich, to chase well as paid nursing jobs. she found herself rubbing everybody the wrong way. since she founded her self helper, she has been bombarded by the media. it is surprising to hear, considering many germans see switzerland as an idyllic holiday destination. about 300,000 germans live and work there, a growing number are educated professionals contributing to the economy. according to a survey, 1/3 of swiss people are against this influx. this person experienced this firsthand when he came to zurich six years ago. he still does not feel at home. and for good reason.

>> you notice being socially excluded from groups, not being talked to, sometimes being disadvantaged it work. not openly, but behind closed doors. >> well-off members of the swiss-german club are taking a different route and getting to know each other amidst the mountains. the self-help groups think the founder of the club is out of line. >> they should get in touch and then they can see how to tackle this a little more amicably. >> some germans' bad experiences have broken down the harmony even here, especially in the case of bosses. >> you need order. you have to take people and colleagues with you, and then it works. there is no working order here. >> a short introduction. >> hello, everyone. [laughter]

>> it is his turn to improvise. he slips into the role of a swiss man bad mouthing germans. >> they are all arrogant. >> are you saying i am arrogant? i am only saying what i want, loud and clear. >> i am sorry. please, please. [laughter] >> role swapping can be useful in helping people to understand each other's worlds a little better, but this is only the beginning of an intensive therapy. [applause] >> that report brings us to the end of this edition of "european journal." from all of us here at dw studios in brussels, things were much for watching. -- thanks very much for watching. bye fornow. -- for now.