Buy a German Shopping Centre?

What is with all the investment opportunities for German shopping centres? At the moment there seem to be at least two companies with radio adverts for investment funds that put your money into German shopping centres. Why are shopping centres now major investment opportunities? Where were the Germans shopping for the last 60 years? Did they build millions of apartments and then discover there were no shops, see Clondalkin for an Irish example? It doesn't seem so long ago when off-shore property was taking a caravan to France. Now you can buy a share of a shopping centre.