It has been ten years since a brief political spring broke out in the Arab world. It is well known that this did not last long. Today, Syria lies in ruins, Lebanon is in the midst of the deepest crisis in its history, the military rules Egypt with an iron fist, and Iraq is trying hard to get back on its feet.

Many ask what has remained of the spirit of optimism of that time. Schneller magazine has taken a different approach. We asked our authors to tell us how they experienced this decade. What have the years brought, what have they taken away?

The articles in this issue are individual, sometimes harrowing reports. They come from Al-Hassakeh in Syria, from Beirut in Lebanon, from Erbil in Iraq, from Egypt, Palestine, Israel and Germany. And even if the authors speak only for themselves, the texts show how battered, divided, and desperate the societies in the Middle East are and what immense challenges the people in the region are facing.

There is also a lot to report from the Schneller schools this time. It’s admirable that those who work for these two institutions keep going despite all the frustrating circumstances.

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