The feeling on the ground in Germany is eerily reminiscent of the early days in the USA or the UK: the enemy seems all powerful, the press appears to believe nearly every word they say, and the general public does not seem concerned either way. At best, people think the health side is exaggerating, at worse that they are some sort of control freaks, unpleasantly reminiscent of a part of Germany’s history that everyone would like to forget. In tobacco control terms, Germany is not just the bad boy of Western Europe, but also a country that disobeys all the usual rules when comparing current smoking rates, including those among health professionals, with levels of education, traditions of intelligent social administration, and the pragmatic application of science.

While it is too simplistic to focus all the blame on Adolf Hitler, his hatred of smoking put a lasting stain on what was to become Germany’s most serious public health issue, and the unfortunate shadow of history hung over the nation’s public health for many years. For tobacco control, it was probably a major factor in preventing Germany from becoming a pioneer and leader in this field of health policy. For example, in the years immediately after the second world war, cancer researchers who suggested that an investigation should focus on tobacco may have found themselves given a rather wide berth. Similarly, sensible people, aware of the abuse of public health …