Berlin Culture Senator Leaves Job After Giving Money Wrongly (CEFR Compare)

Apr 24, 2026, 14:12

Berlin Culture Senator Leaves Job After Giving Money Wrongly

Introduction

Sarah Wedl-Wilson was Berlin's culture senator. She left her job. An audit found that she gave €2.6 million to projects without following the rules. The mayor accepted her resignation.

Main Body

The audit said the process was illegal. The culture department did not check the projects well. They did not have good rules for giving the money. Wedl-Wilson gave the money after politicians from the CDU party pushed her. She fired her assistant. Opposition parties said two CDU politicians had bad influence. The politicians said they did nothing wrong. A committee is looking into this. One group got €390,000. Its director called a rich man a bad name. She also compared a newspaper to a Nazi paper. A researcher for the group said he worked for a famous university. He did not. The director said the criticism was political. The audit only looked at the rules for giving money. It did not look at the work of the projects. Now the groups may have to pay back the money.

Conclusion

This is a big problem for Berlin's government before the election in September. It shows problems with how politicians and rules work together when giving public money for important programs.

Vocabulary Learning

check (v.)

verify / to look at something to make sure it is correct檢查

Example:The culture department did not check the projects well.

job (n.)

position / the work that someone does to earn money工作

Example:She had an important job in Berlin's government.

leave (v.)

quit / to stop working for an organization離開（工作）

Example:Sarah Wedl-Wilson left her job after the audit.

money (n.)

cash / what you use to buy things錢

Example:The audit found she gave money without following rules.

rules (n.)

regulations / instructions that tell you what you can or cannot do規則

Example:The department did not have good rules for giving money.

Sentence Learning

Wedl-Wilson gave the money after politicians from the CDU party pushed her.

Time Marker: After shows the sequence of events. It tells when she gave the money - after the politicians pushed her.時間標記：After 表示事件順序。它說明她何時給了錢——在政客推動她之後。

Now the groups may have to pay back the money.

Time Marker: Now indicates the present time. It shows that the situation is current.時間標記：Now 表示現在的時間。它顯示情況是當前的。

She also compared a newspaper to a Nazi paper.

Addition: Also adds another action to the previous one. It connects similar ideas.附加連接詞：Also 將另一個動作添加到前一個動作。它連接相似的想法。

This is a big problem for Berlin's government before the election in September.

Time Marker: Before shows time order. 'In September' is a prepositional phrase giving specific time.時間標記：Before 顯示時間順序。'在九月'是介詞短語，提供具體時間。

An audit found that she gave €2.6 million to projects without following the rules.

Prepositional Phrase: 'Without following the rules' is a prepositional phrase that describes the manner of giving money. It shows a lack of proper procedure.介詞短語：'Without following the rules' 是介詞短語，描述給錢的方式。它顯示缺乏正當程序。

Berlin Culture Senator Resigns Over Illegal Allocation of €2.6 Million for Antisemitism Prevention

Introduction

Sarah Wedl-Wilson, Berlin's culture senator, has resigned after a state audit found that €2.6 million in public funds for antisemitism prevention programs were given out without following proper rules and budget regulations. Mayor Kai Wegner accepted her resignation on Friday, five months before the city's parliamentary election.

Main Body

The resignation follows a report by the Berlin Court of Audit, released on Thursday. The report stated that the culture department's procedures for processing and giving grants to 13 projects were illegal. The auditors claimed that the funding decisions lacked clear criteria and that necessary technical and content reviews were not carried out. Furthermore, the funds were given to a list of projects put together by lawmakers from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the senior coalition partner in Berlin's government. This happened despite internal staff warnings that the groups had not been properly checked. Wedl-Wilson, who is not a member of any political party, authorized the payments after CDU representatives pushed for quick approval. She had already dismissed her state secretary, Oliver Friederici, on Tuesday because of this issue. Opposition parties, including the Greens and the Left, accused two CDU lawmakers of improper influence, but the lawmakers deny this. A parliamentary committee of inquiry, set up in December, is investigating the allegations. One of the recipients was the Zera Institute, a think tank that received €390,000. Its director, Maral Salmassi, had previously called philanthropist George Soros a 'parasite' on social media and compared The Guardian newspaper to a Nazi-era publication. Furthermore, a researcher hired by the institute, Matthias J. Becker, was alleged to have falsely claimed a connection with the University of Cambridge; he denied misrepresenting his credentials. Salmassi described the scrutiny as a politically motivated press campaign. The audit focused only on the legality of the funding process, not on the quality of the projects' work. Authorities must now decide whether the organizations will have to repay the public funds. Wedl-Wilson, a British-Austrian national with a background in classical music management, took office in May 2025, replacing Joe Chialo, who resigned over severe budget cuts to the arts. Her resignation is the third departure from Wegner's cabinet since he became mayor in April 2023. Former transport senator Manja Schreiner left in April 2024 after losing her doctorate in a plagiarism case. The controversy happens at a time of rising antisemitic incidents in Berlin after the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza. Pro-Palestinian activists have criticized the definition of such offenses, arguing it is too broad and includes legitimate criticism of the Israeli government. Werner Graf, the Green Party's candidate to challenge Wegner in the September election, stated that the affair had caused serious damage to both the fight against antisemitism and public trust in democratic institutions.

Conclusion

The resignation of Sarah Wedl-Wilson marks the latest disruption in Berlin's coalition government ahead of the September parliamentary election. The case highlights tensions between political influence and proper administrative procedures in the allocation of public funds for sensitive social programs.

Vocabulary Learning

allegations (n.)

accusations / Claims that someone has done something illegal or wrong, often without proof.指控

Example:A parliamentary committee is investigating the allegations of improper influence.

audit (n.)

examination / A systematic review or inspection of financial accounts or procedures.審計

Example:The state audit revealed that the funding process was illegal.

criteria (n.)

standards / Principles or standards by which something is judged or decided.標準

Example:The funding decisions lacked clear criteria for evaluation.

misrepresent (v.)

falsify / To give a false or misleading account of something.虛假陳述

Example:The researcher was alleged to have misrepresented his connection with the university.

scrutiny (n.)

close examination / Critical observation or examination.仔細審查

Example:The director described the scrutiny as a politically motivated press campaign.

Sentence Learning

Furthermore, the funds were given to a list of projects put together by lawmakers from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the senior coalition partner in Berlin's government.

This sentence uses the passive voice ('were given') to emphasize the action (giving funds) rather than the doer. The reduced relative clause 'put together' (which is short for 'which were put together') provides additional information about the projects without a full clause. The linking word 'Furthermore' adds information.此句使用被動語態（'were given'）強調動作（撥款）而非執行者。縮減關係從句 'put together'（完整為 'which were put together'）提供關於項目的額外資訊，無需完整從句。連接詞 'Furthermore' 用於補充資訊。

This happened despite internal staff warnings that the groups had not been properly checked.

The word 'despite' introduces a contrast between the action (happening) and the warnings. The passive voice 'had not been properly checked' focuses on the groups not being checked, without specifying who failed to check them.詞語 'despite' 引入對比，表示事件發生與警告之間的矛盾。被動語態 'had not been properly checked' 強調團體未被檢查，而不指明誰未檢查。

Wedl-Wilson, who is not a member of any political party, authorized the payments after CDU representatives pushed for quick approval.

The relative clause 'who is not a member of any political party' provides extra information about Wedl-Wilson, using 'who' to refer to a person. It is a non-defining relative clause, set off by commas, adding detail without restricting the subject.關係從句 'who is not a member of any political party' 提供關於 Wedl-Wilson 的額外資訊，使用 'who' 指代人。這是一個非限定性關係從句，由逗號分隔，補充細節而不限制主語。

One of the recipients was the Zera Institute, a think tank that received €390,000.

The relative clause 'that received €390,000' defines which think tank is being referred to. 'That' is used as a relative pronoun for things. This is a defining relative clause (no comma) because it identifies the specific think tank.關係從句 'that received €390,000' 定義所指的智庫。'That' 用作指代事物的關係代詞。這是一個限定性關係從句（無逗號），因為它識別特定的智庫。

Opposition parties, including the Greens and the Left, accused two CDU lawmakers of improper influence, but the lawmakers deny this.

The conjunction 'but' shows a contrast between the accusation by opposition parties and the denial by the lawmakers. This structure presents two opposing viewpoints in a single sentence.連詞 'but' 顯示反對黨的指控與議員否認之間的對比。此結構在一個句子中呈現兩個相反的觀點。

Berlin Culture Senator Resigns Over Unlawful Allocation of €2.6 Million in Antisemitism Prevention Funds

Introduction

Sarah Wedl-Wilson, Berlin’s culture senator, has resigned following a state audit that found €2.6 million in public funds for antisemitism prevention programs were distributed arbitrarily and in violation of budgetary regulations. Mayor Kai Wegner accepted her resignation on Friday, five months before the city’s parliamentary election.

Main Body

The resignation stems from a report by the Berlin Court of Audit, released on Thursday, which determined that the culture department’s procedures for processing and disbursing grants to 13 projects were unlawful. The auditors stated that the funding decisions lacked proper criteria and that necessary technical and content-based reviews were not conducted. The funds were allocated to a list of projects compiled by lawmakers from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the senior coalition partner in Berlin’s government, despite internal staff warnings that the groups had not been adequately vetted. Wedl-Wilson, who is not a member of any political party, authorized the payments after CDU representatives exerted pressure for rapid approval. She had previously dismissed her state secretary, Oliver Friederici, on Tuesday in connection with the affair. Opposition parties, including the Greens and the Left, accused two CDU lawmakers of improper influence, a charge the legislators deny. A parliamentary committee of inquiry established in December is investigating the allegations. Among the recipients was the Zera Institute, an interdisciplinary think tank that received €390,000. Its director, Maral Salmassi, had previously referred to philanthropist George Soros as a “parasite” on social media and compared The Guardian newspaper to a Nazi-era publication. Matthias J. Becker, a researcher hired by the institute to study online antisemitism, was alleged to have falsely claimed an affiliation with the University of Cambridge; he denied misrepresenting his credentials. Salmassi characterized the scrutiny as a politically motivated press campaign. The audit focused exclusively on the legality of the funding process, not on the quality of the projects’ work. Authorities must now decide whether the organizations will be required to repay the public funds they received. Wedl-Wilson, a British-Austrian national with a background in classical music management, assumed office in May 2025, succeeding Joe Chialo, who resigned over severe budget cuts to the arts. Her resignation is the third departure from Wegner’s cabinet since he took office in April 2023; former transport senator Manja Schreiner left in April 2024 after losing her doctorate in a plagiarism case. The controversy occurs against a backdrop of rising antisemitic incidents in Berlin following the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza. Pro-Palestinian activists have contested the definition of such offenses, arguing it is overly broad and includes legitimate criticism of the Israeli government. Werner Graf, the Green Party’s candidate to challenge Wegner in the September election, stated that the affair had inflicted immeasurable damage on both the fight against antisemitism and public trust in democratic institutions.

Conclusion

The resignation of Sarah Wedl-Wilson marks the latest disruption in Berlin’s coalition government ahead of the September parliamentary election. The case highlights tensions between political influence and administrative due process in the allocation of public funds for sensitive social programs.

Vocabulary Learning

disbursing (v.)

To pay out / To distribute funds officially撥款

Example:The culture department's procedures for processing and disbursing grants were found to be unlawful.

due process (n.)

Fair legal procedures / The proper conduct of legal proceedings正當程序

Example:The case highlights tensions between political influence and administrative due process.

exerted (v.)

To apply / To use influence or force施加

Example:CDU representatives exerted pressure for rapid approval of the payments.

inflicted (v.)

To cause / To impose something harmful造成

Example:The affair inflicted immeasurable damage on public trust.

vetted (v.)

To scrutinize / To examine or check thoroughly審查

Example:The groups had not been adequately vetted before receiving funds.

Sentence Learning

Among the recipients was the Zera Institute, an interdisciplinary think tank that received €390,000.

Inversion: The sentence begins with a fronted prepositional phrase 'Among the recipients', which triggers subject-verb inversion, placing the verb 'was' before the subject 'the Zera Institute'. This structure emphasizes the location or existence of the subject.倒裝句: 句子以介詞短語「Among the recipients」開頭，引發主謂倒裝，將動詞「was」置於主語「the Zera Institute」之前。此結構強調主語的位置或存在。

The funds were allocated to a list of projects compiled by lawmakers from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the senior coalition partner in Berlin’s government, despite internal staff warnings that the groups had not been adequately vetted.

Reduced Relative Clause: The phrase 'compiled by lawmakers' is a reduced relative clause (omitting 'which were') modifying 'projects'. Additionally, the appositive 'the senior coalition partner...' provides extra information, and the concessive prepositional phrase 'despite...' introduces a noun clause 'that the groups had not been adequately vetted'.省略關係子句: 短語「compiled by lawmakers」是省略了「which were」的省略關係子句，修飾「projects」。此外，同位語「the senior coalition partner...」提供額外信息，讓步介詞短語「despite...」引入名詞子句「that the groups had not been adequately vetted」。

Matthias J. Becker, a researcher hired by the institute to study online antisemitism, was alleged to have falsely claimed an affiliation with the University of Cambridge; he denied misrepresenting his credentials.

Passive Voice with Perfect Infinitive: The main clause uses passive voice 'was alleged' followed by the perfect infinitive 'to have falsely claimed', indicating a past action that is the subject of the allegation. The semicolon joins two independent clauses, contrasting the allegation with his denial.被動語態搭配完成式不定詞: 主要子句使用被動語態「was alleged」，後接完成式不定詞「to have falsely claimed」，表示過去發生的行為是指控的內容。分號連接兩個獨立子句，對比指控與他的否認。

Werner Graf, the Green Party’s candidate to challenge Wegner in the September election, stated that the affair had inflicted immeasurable damage on both the fight against antisemitism and public trust in democratic institutions.

Apposition: The noun phrase 'the Green Party’s candidate to challenge Wegner in the September election' is in apposition to 'Werner Graf', providing additional identification. The verb 'stated' introduces a noun clause with a complex object using 'both...and' coordination.同位語: 名詞短語「the Green Party’s candidate to challenge Wegner in the September election」與「Werner Graf」構成同位語，提供額外身份說明。動詞「stated」引導一個名詞子句，其賓語使用「both...and」並列結構。

Non-restrictive Relative Clause: The clause 'which determined...' is a non-restrictive relative clause providing additional information about the report. It is separated by commas and contains a noun clause 'that the culture department’s procedures... were unlawful'. The reduced relative clause 'released on Thursday' further modifies 'report'.非限制性關係子句: 子句「which determined...」是非限制性關係子句，為報告提供補充信息，以逗號分隔，內含名詞子句「that the culture department’s procedures... were unlawful」。省略關係子句「released on Thursday」進一步修飾「report」。