Raccoons are loved by some, despised by others. Some feed them nearby their homes and others keep weapons ready at their disposal. But in Germany they hold a reputation that exceeds any. Labelled as "bandits," due to the distinctive black strip across their eyes, they regularly make headlines for breaking into hospitals, zoos, power plants and even homes, leaving little trails of destruction behind. Their arrival in the country holds a myth that has gone on for years. The urban legend goes that they were introduced to the country by Nazi commander and war criminal Hermann Göring. Yet archival research and modern ecological studies now tell a different story.
Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!
