Rephonic
Artwork for The Zeitgeist
Germany
China
LGBTQ+ Rights
European Union
Ukraine
NATO
United States
European Parliament Elections
Economy
Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance
Trade Policy
Afd
Russia
LGBTQIA+ Rights
Discrimination
Angela Merkel
Alternative For Germany
Economic Security
Stonewall Riots
U.S. Presidential Election

Building a Smarter German-American Partnership

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes100Founded7 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Society & CultureGovernment

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Zeitgeist

Latest Episodes

The world’s leading economies are putting economic security at the top of their policy concerns. Among them, the European Union is taking a risk-based approach that seeks to deter weaponizable dependencies while still pursuing efficiency in its trade... more

Two state elections in western Germany this month resulted in one win for Chancellor Merz’s Christian Democrats and two poor outcomes for the Social Democrats. The Alternative for Germany, meanwhile, performed better than ever before in a western Ger... more

Five state elections will be held in Germany in 2026. The Alternative for Germany (AfD) enters this “super election year” in a strong position: it is the largest opposition party in the federal government, it continues to poll close to 25 percent nat... more

The BSW (formerly the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance, now Alliance for Social Justice and Economic Reason) had early successes after its founding in 2024, winning seats in the European Parliament and three state parliaments in eastern Germany. The BSW ap... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

The Eurofile
The EurofileCenter for Strategic and International Studies
Russian Roulette
Russian RouletteCenter for Strategic and International Studies
Sicherheitshalber
SicherheitshalberDer Podcast zur sicherheitspolitischen Lage in Deutschland, Europa und der Welt.

Recent Guests

Wolfgang Muno
Chair of Comparative Politics, University of Rostock
University of Rostock
Episode: Episode 142: The AfD and the 2026 State Elections
Jan Philip Tomacek
Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Potsdam, specializing in voting behavior and political parties
University of Potsdam
Episode: Episode 141: Germany’s Other Populist Party
Tobias Meyer
CEO of DHL Group and Chairman of the Transatlantic Business Initiative
DHL Group
Episode: Episode 140: The Transatlantic Relationship in a Transforming Global Trading System
Justyna Gokowska
Deputy Director of the Center for Eastern Studies, a Polish think tank focused on security and defense.
Center for Eastern Studies
Episode: Episode 139: The German-Polish Relationship amid Changing European Security Challenges
Klaus Dieter Frankenberger
Non-resident Senior Fellow.
Episode: Episode 138: The Trump Administration, the AfD, and German Foreign Policy
Nicole Bastian
Co-head of podcast, video, and live journalism at Handelsblatt
Handelsblatt
Episode: Episode 137: Friedrich Merz: Foreign Policy Chancellor
Juliana Cohnen
German social entrepreneur and founder of Innatura.
Innatura
Episode: Episode 136: The Role of Communities in Times of Crisis
Casey Pick
Director of Law and Policy for the Trevor Project.
The Trevor Project
Episode: Episode 136: The Role of Communities in Times of Crisis
Holger Schmieding
Chief Economist of Berenberg
Berenberg
Episode: Episode 135: Reenergizing the German Economy

Host

Jeff Rathke
President of the American German Institute with frequent hosting duties; provides broad perspective on German-American relations and policy.

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 18 ratings
  • I like it! But perhaps…

    …I’m biased, because I’m the host! Thanks to all who give us a listen - Jeff

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Liam R.
    United States3 years ago
  • Unique Information - Excited to Hear Future Episodes

    So far, very unique Information! I'm excited to hear future episodes!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    SkyMakai
    United States7 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Strong guest diversity adds practical depth to academic topics.
Insightful, data-driven analysis that helps frame complex policy issues.
High-quality, nuanced debates that challenge simple narratives.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#249
United Kingdom/Government
Apple Podcasts
#33
Germany/Government
Apple Podcasts
#33
Poland/Government
Apple Podcasts
#39
Belgium/Government
Apple Podcasts
#153
Finland/Government
Apple Podcasts
#164
Austria/Government

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Episode 142: The AfD and the 2026 State Elections
Q: What would it mean if the AfD had a minister-president from their party at the state level, and how would it affect German politics overall?
At the national level, it would have limited influence due to voting power within the Bundesrat, but at the state level it could reshape education, policing, and media, potentially altering curricula and public institutions, while broader national impacts would be constrained.
Episode 141: Germany’s Other Populist Party
Q: What accounts for the inability of the BSW to recalibrate for a post-Sahra Wagenknecht future?
The party has a unique structure focused on ideological alignment over political experience, leading to organizational weaknesses.
Episode 141: Germany’s Other Populist Party
Q: Will the BSW exist at the next German federal election in your opinion?
It's uncertain, as it depends on recount outcomes and Sahra Wagenknecht's involvement.
Episode 140: The Transatlantic Relationship in a Transforming Global Trading System
Q: How serious is the competition from China, and how should Germany respond?
It's serious, and Europe needs to enhance its competitiveness while engaging in dialogue with China.
Episode 140: The Transatlantic Relationship in a Transforming Global Trading System
Q: What can be done to ensure that Europe remains a technology leader in the future?
There needs to be better integration of financial markets and a resolution of bureaucracy issues.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Zeitgeist

What is The Zeitgeist about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A policy- and politics-focused program that features in-depth conversations with economists, political scientists, journalists, and government insiders to unpack German-American relations, European security, and global trade. Episodes frequently center on the rise of political movements, transatlantic diplomacy, defense spending, and key policy questions shaping Germany and its partners. Listeners are likely drawn to rigorous analysis, data-informed debate, and guests who synthesize academic insight with practical policy implications. A notable strength is the willingness to tackle controversial topics—such as far-right movements and Militant Democracy—from multiple angles, often with cross-national perspectives that appeal to executives, r... more

Where can I find podcast stats for The Zeitgeist?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for The Zeitgeist. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to The Zeitgeist and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does The Zeitgeist get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for The Zeitgeist, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for The Zeitgeist?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for The Zeitgeist, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does The Zeitgeist have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Zeitgeist has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Zeitgeist?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Zeitgeist:

1. The Eurofile
2. SWP-Podcast
3. Russian Roulette
4. Brussels Playbook Podcast
5. Sicherheitshalber

How many episodes of The Zeitgeist are there?

The Zeitgeist launched 7 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Zeitgeist?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for The Zeitgeist?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for The Zeitgeist from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for The Zeitgeist?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of The Zeitgeist. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on The Zeitgeist?

Recent guests on The Zeitgeist include:

1. Wolfgang Muno
2. Jan Philip Tomacek
3. Tobias Meyer
4. Justyna Gokowska
5. Klaus Dieter Frankenberger
6. Nicole Bastian
7. Juliana Cohnen
8. Casey Pick

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days