
Rob Schmitz
Rob Schmitz is NPR's international correspondent based in Berlin, where he covers the human stories of a vast region reckoning with its past while it tries to guide the world toward a brighter future. From his base in the heart of Europe, Schmitz has covered Germany's levelheaded management of the COVID-19 pandemic, the rise of right-wing nationalist politics in Poland and creeping Chinese government influence inside the Czech Republic.
Prior to covering Europe, Schmitz provided award-winning coverage of China for a decade, reporting on the country's economic rise and increasing global influence. His reporting on China's impact beyond its borders took him to countries such as Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand. Inside China, he's interviewed elderly revolutionaries, young rappers, and live-streaming celebrity farmers who make up the diverse tapestry of one of the most fascinating countries on the planet. He is the author of the critically acclaimed book Street of Eternal Happiness: Big City Dreams Along a Shanghai Road (Crown/Random House 2016), a profile of individuals who live, work, and dream along a single street that runs through the heart of China's largest city. The book won several awards and has been translated into half a dozen languages. In 2018, China's government banned the Chinese version of the book after its fifth printing. The following year it was selected as a finalist for the Ryszard Kapuściński Award, Poland's most prestigious literary prize.
Schmitz has won numerous awards for his reporting on China, including two national Edward R. Murrow Awards and an Education Writers Association Award. His work was also a finalist for the Investigative Reporters and Editors Award. His reporting in Japan — from the hardest-hit areas near the failing Fukushima nuclear power plant following the earthquake and tsunami — was included in the publication 100 Great Stories, celebrating the centennial of Columbia University's Journalism School. In 2012, Schmitz exposed the fabrications in Mike Daisey's account of Apple's supply chain on This American Life. His report was featured in the show's "Retraction" episode. In 2011, New York's Rubin Museum of Art screened a documentary Schmitz shot in Tibetan regions of China about one of the last living Tibetans who had memorized "Gesar of Ling," an epic poem that tells of Tibet's ancient past.
From 2010 to 2016, Schmitz was the China correspondent for American Public Media's Marketplace. He's also worked as a reporter for NPR Member stations KQED, KPCC and MPR. Prior to his radio career, Schmitz lived and worked in China — first as a teacher for the Peace Corps in the 1990s, and later as a freelance print and video journalist. He also lived in Spain for two years. He speaks Mandarin and Spanish. He has a bachelor's degree in Spanish literature from the University of Minnesota, Duluth, and a master's degree from Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism.
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Racism against a top soccer player has roiled the world of Spanish soccer. Vinicius Jr. plays for Real Madrid and has been at the receiving end of repeated abuse from fans of rival teams.
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Germany was a pioneer in the solar power industry, but succumbed to competition from China. Now, Germany — and the European Union — are trying to revitalize the industry once again.
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Five men have been sentenced in what has been called the most spectacular jewel heist in German history. A crime family network made off with $123 million worth of jewels from the largest treasure collection in Europe.
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A teenager is in custody after opening fire at a school with his father's gun, police say. The boy called police himself after the shooting and had a list of children he wanted to kill.
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German solar panel manufacturers are working with lawmakers to rejuvenate the industry in Europe. They are seeking to counter China's dominance of the industry with tax incentives and legislation.
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Tens of thousands of German rail workers are on strike over wages and investment in the Deutsche Bahn rail company. Significant disruptions are expected for train, bus and air travel.
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The history of Credit Suisse was enmeshed with Swiss history, and the bank long considered a national treasure with a great reputation. Last week, it was bought by rival UBS.
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The country is considering putting speed limits on its highway network — and the move is leading to some soul searching.
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Shares in the midsized lender continued to tumble as fears grow about First Republic's financial health grow even after it received a $30 billion lifeline from its bigger rivals last week.
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The deal was brokered by the Swiss government to try to contain a crisis of confidence in global financial markets.