https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The public holiday, observed on May 14th this year, sees most businesses in Germany close up shop, so it's a good idea to stock up on essentials in advance. Here's what will be open, and what will stay closed, on 'Christi Himmelfahrt'. https://www.thelocal.de/20250527/whats-open-and-closed-in-germany-on-ascension-day Tue, 27 May 2025 11:10:23 +0200 whats-open-and-closed-in-germany-on-ascension-day What do you need to earn to be considered a top earner in Germany? New government data shows where your salary stands compared to the rest of the population. https://www.thelocal.de/20260512/compare-how-does-your-salary-stack-up-against-germanys-top-earners Tue, 12 May 2026 16:11:30 +0200 compare-how-does-your-salary-stack-up-against-germanys-top-earners Trade union leaders gave German Chancellor Friedrich Merz's reform agenda a hostile reception on Tuesday, with hecklers shouting down Merz's pitch for a pension overhaul and other measures. https://www.thelocal.de/20260512/german-trade-unions-give-merzs-reform-push-a-frosty-reception Tue, 12 May 2026 15:42:10 +0200 german-trade-unions-give-merzs-reform-push-a-frosty-reception Summer in Germany brings flies, midges, wasps and – increasingly – mosquitoes. Yet one thing many newcomers notice, especially Americans, is the absence of the familiar window and door screens found throughout much of the United States. https://www.thelocal.de/20260512/why-dont-german-homes-have-insect-screens Tue, 12 May 2026 15:18:01 +0200 why-dont-german-homes-have-insect-screens German rail operator Deutsche Bahn has begun selling last-minute ticket deals for long-distance travel in a bid to fill-up empty seats. https://www.thelocal.de/20260505/deutsche-bahn-to-offer-discounted-last-minute-tickets-for-long-distance-trains Tue, 05 May 2026 12:34:11 +0200 deutsche-bahn-to-offer-discounted-last-minute-tickets-for-long-distance-trains Entry-level employees and young professionals see benefits in living in Germany's big cities. But affording to live there is increasingly difficult. https://www.thelocal.de/20260512/workers-in-germanys-big-cities-plagued-by-lack-of-affordable-housing Tue, 12 May 2026 14:15:48 +0200 workers-in-germanys-big-cities-plagued-by-lack-of-affordable-housing The eight‑hour workday, a long-standing and hard won basic right for workers in Germany, may soon disappear. Here’s what the government's proposal could mean for you. https://www.thelocal.de/20260512/will-germany-scrap-the-eight-hour-working-day Tue, 12 May 2026 11:45:53 +0200 will-germany-scrap-the-eight-hour-working-day If you've tried to pick up tofu in your local supermarket recently, you may have noticed that stocks are low or non-existent. What's going on? https://www.thelocal.de/20260512/why-is-there-a-major-tofu-shortage-in-german-supermarkets Tue, 12 May 2026 11:13:16 +0200 why-is-there-a-major-tofu-shortage-in-german-supermarkets Energy price rises expected due to Iran war, fierce debate over number of immigrants entering Germany's social welfare system, Syrian teen arrested over suspected IS-inspired plot and more news on Tuesday, May 12th. https://www.thelocal.de/20260512/today-in-germany-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-tuesday-123 Tue, 12 May 2026 08:36:32 +0200 today-in-germany-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-tuesday-123 Did you know if you're unemployed in Germany there's a state funded subsidy designed to help you launch a business or start out as self-employed? Hélène Belaunde explains how to get the 'Gründungszuschuss' grant and why it's a godsend for would-be freelancers https://www.thelocal.de/20251218/amazing-opportunity-germanys-little-known-grant-for-the-self-employed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 10:34:56 +0100 amazing-opportunity-germanys-little-known-grant-for-the-self-employed With millions of photovoltaic panels hanging from balconies across the country, Germany is said to be the world leader in balcony solar. Here's how to register yours. https://www.thelocal.de/20260511/how-do-i-register-my-balcony-solar-panel-in-germany Mon, 11 May 2026 17:09:47 +0200 how-do-i-register-my-balcony-solar-panel-in-germany Arda Saatçi got the attention of endurance sports fans around the world while running more than 600 kilometres through hot and dry terrain. Did you know he's a native born Berliner? https://www.thelocal.de/20260511/meet-the-berliner-who-went-viral-for-running-600-km-through-the-desert Mon, 11 May 2026 13:33:20 +0200 meet-the-berliner-who-went-viral-for-running-600-km-through-the-desert In Zehdenick, a small town near Berlin, nearly 60 percent of voters backed the Alternative for Germany party’s candidate. https://www.thelocal.de/20260511/far-right-afd-wins-first-ever-mayoral-election-in-brandenburg Mon, 11 May 2026 12:00:14 +0200 far-right-afd-wins-first-ever-mayoral-election-in-brandenburg The federal government wants to make it possible for companies to offer tax-free employee bonuses, but the proposal was rejected by state representatives in Germany's Upper House of Parliament. https://www.thelocal.de/20260511/is-germanys-planned-relief-bonus-for-employees-off-the-table Mon, 11 May 2026 11:11:58 +0200 is-germanys-planned-relief-bonus-for-employees-off-the-table After Putin said that the war in Ukraine is 'heading toward an end', he added that he'd like a long-gone German ex-chancellor to mediate the peace talks. https://www.thelocal.de/20260511/berlin-sceptical-as-putin-floats-ex-german-chancellor-as-ukraine-mediator Mon, 11 May 2026 08:39:53 +0200 berlin-sceptical-as-putin-floats-ex-german-chancellor-as-ukraine-mediator Germans are famously protective of their privacy. With dashcams, doorbell cameras and personal assistants like Alexa becoming increasingly common, we look at what you need to know about using these devices in public. https://www.thelocal.de/20251202/what-are-the-rules-on-dashcams-and-doorbell-cameras-in-germany Tue, 02 Dec 2025 16:07:13 +0100 what-are-the-rules-on-dashcams-and-doorbell-cameras-in-germany Vladimir Putin says he'd welcome peace talks mediated by German ex-chancellor, Munich's surf wave re-opens, Eurovision kicks off in Vienna and more news from Germany on Monday, May 11th. https://www.thelocal.de/20260511/today-in-germany-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-monday-122 Mon, 11 May 2026 08:23:47 +0200 today-in-germany-a-roundup-of-the-latest-news-on-monday-122 In the long list of German insults, this is a personal favourite of ours. Here's why you may need to bring a 'troop of cucumbers' to your everyday conversations. https://www.thelocal.de/20210917/german-words-you-need-to-know-die-gurkentruppe Fri, 17 Sep 2021 17:18:15 +0200 german-words-you-need-to-know-die-gurkentruppe Bernd das Brot is not your usual TV star. Yet the chronically depressed loaf has a legion of fans in Germany and across the world. Who is he? https://www.thelocal.de/20260510/who-is-bernd-das-brot-the-depressed-loaf-of-bread-loved-by-germans Sun, 10 May 2026 10:16:05 +0200 who-is-bernd-das-brot-the-depressed-loaf-of-bread-loved-by-germans From kitchens to skirting boards and even front door name signs - renting a flat in Germany can involve a lot of hidden costs. https://www.thelocal.de/20220304/explained-the-hidden-costs-of-renting-in-germany Fri, 04 Mar 2022 11:46:35 +0100 explained-the-hidden-costs-of-renting-in-germany