Tacit Admissions

An article praising the career of 2005 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Prize-winning economist Axel Ockenfels on Deutsche Welle, singles him out not only for his acheivements, but for being "happy to work in Germany - despite his international reputation."

Apparently, Professor Ockenfels is so highly regarded by economists that his decision to live and work in Germany makes him a conspicuous exception to the general exodus of talented people from the country.

But unlike many of Germany's A-list scientists, he's never been tempted to join the brain-drain crowd and head to the US to enjoy the higher salaries and first-class research opportunities available at the country's generously funded ivy league schools.

The decline in German purchasing power and slipping quality of life in German cities may also prompt so many of its "A-list" scientists to seek better accomodations abroad. Germany's talent drain may be contributing to its current economic downturn and high-unemployment rate (see posts below). But Professor Ockenfels takes the long view of things.

"No other country in the world has as many experimental laboratories," he says. "But people won't have realized this until the next generation of professors has come of age."