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 Following a nationwide outcry, a lakeside pool operator in the German city of Halle has reversed a rule that meant only people who could speak German could enter the venue. https://www.thelocal.de/20260630/halle-lakeside-pool-backtracks-on-xenophobic-german-language-entry-rule Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:19:50 +0200 halle-lakeside-pool-backtracks-on-xenophobic-german-language-entry-rule Court rulings and studies suggest discrimination in Germany’s housing market is real. So what are landlords doing about it – and is it enough? https://www.thelocal.de/20260630/are-germanys-big-housing-firms-really-addressing-discrimination-in-the-market Tue, 30 Jun 2026 15:24:20 +0200 are-germanys-big-housing-firms-really-addressing-discrimination-in-the-market A fierce row over language and integration has broken out in Germany after a lakeside beach resort said people who cannot communicate in German would be refused entry. https://www.thelocal.de/20260624/should-public-venues-be-allowed-to-ban-people-who-dont-speak-german Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:18:58 +0200 should-public-venues-be-allowed-to-ban-people-who-dont-speak-german A lake-side swimming pool in Saxony-Anhalt has introduced a controversial rule that states people who cannot speak German may be refused entry. https://www.thelocal.de/20260623/why-a-swimming-pool-in-eastern-germany-has-banned-non-german-speakers Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:13:05 +0200 why-a-swimming-pool-in-eastern-germany-has-banned-non-german-speakers Many foreigners say that finding an apartment in Germany is made even more difficult due to discrimination. From the language barrier to outright racism, here's what readers have experienced in their search for housing. https://www.thelocal.de/20260616/how-foreigners-are-facing-discrimination-on-germanys-rental-market Tue, 16 Jun 2026 16:52:55 +0200 how-foreigners-are-facing-discrimination-on-germanys-rental-market More people than ever are turning to Germany's Anti-Discrimination Agency, new figures show. The number of reports of discrimination rose to 13,067 in 2025 – around 15 percent more than the previous year. https://www.thelocal.de/20260603/more-intense-and-overt-germany-sees-rise-in-reports-of-racism Wed, 03 Jun 2026 09:25:22 +0200 more-intense-and-overt-germany-sees-rise-in-reports-of-racism In an interview following his meeting with US President Trump, Friedrich Merz used a controversial phrase to blame immigrants for a rise in antisemitism in Germany. https://www.thelocal.de/20250606/german-chancellor-suggests-immigrants-have-imported-antisemitism Fri, 06 Jun 2025 14:27:41 +0200 german-chancellor-suggests-immigrants-have-imported-antisemitism At the beginning of Pride Month, Germany's Christopher Street Day association warns about an increase in the number of hate crimes and calls for better reporting. https://www.thelocal.de/20250606/germanys-pride-parades-exposed-to-increasing-extremist-threats Fri, 06 Jun 2025 12:39:35 +0200 germanys-pride-parades-exposed-to-increasing-extremist-threats More complaints about discrimination were recorded last year than ever before, according to a recent report by Germany's anti-discrimination Agency, with many involving racism. https://www.thelocal.de/20250604/record-number-of-complaints-received-by-germanys-anti-discrimination-agency Wed, 04 Jun 2025 16:02:04 +0200 record-number-of-complaints-received-by-germanys-anti-discrimination-agency The number of reported acts of racism in Germany is on the rise, so what should foreign residents do if they are a victim of racial discrimination or they witness an incident? Lana O'Sullivan explains the actions you can take. https://www.thelocal.de/20250423/what-you-should-do-if-you-experience-racism-in-germany Wed, 23 Apr 2025 13:24:47 +0200 what-you-should-do-if-you-experience-racism-in-germany More than half of people from ethnic or religious minorities in Germany experience discrimination on a regular basis, a recent survey has revealed. https://www.thelocal.de/20250320/levels-of-racism-and-discrimination-in-germany-revealed-in-new-survey Thu, 20 Mar 2025 11:30:02 +0100 levels-of-racism-and-discrimination-in-germany-revealed-in-new-survey Since September, the Federal Police have been carrying out checks at all German land borders. The federal police commission has heard increasing complaints about officers allegedly racially profiling those that they check. https://www.thelocal.de/20250313/are-german-police-racially-profiling-people-at-the-border Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:11:20 +0100 are-german-police-racially-profiling-people-at-the-border As part of its ongoing public sector negotiations, Verdi has called a nationwide strike in the so-called "women's professions" to coincide with Equal Pay Day. https://www.thelocal.de/20250307/german-nurseries-and-care-facilities-go-on-strike-ahead-of-womens-day Fri, 07 Mar 2025 10:32:34 +0100 german-nurseries-and-care-facilities-go-on-strike-ahead-of-womens-day An anti-migrant song made famous on the island of Sylt has since become a popular motif on neo-Nazi t-shirts and merchandise. But legal action from a German activist group could have just put an end to that. https://www.thelocal.de/20250213/german-activists-trademark-sylt-song-meme-in-fight-against-far-right Thu, 13 Feb 2025 13:40:56 +0100 german-activists-trademark-sylt-song-meme-in-fight-against-far-right This slang word has been named Germany's 'non-word' or 'ugliest word' of the year for 2024, with judges slamming the phrase as thoughtless and discriminatory. https://www.thelocal.de/20250113/biodeutsch-why-this-is-germanys-ugliest-word-of-the-year Mon, 13 Jan 2025 16:43:37 +0100 biodeutsch-why-this-is-germanys-ugliest-word-of-the-year The German parliament on Thursday overwhelmingly backed a resolution aimed at tackling a spike in anti-Semitism linked to the war in Gaza - despite several protests. https://www.thelocal.de/20241107/german-parliament-passes-controversial-anti-semitism-resolution Thu, 07 Nov 2024 17:51:38 +0100 german-parliament-passes-controversial-anti-semitism-resolution From finding a flat and applying for jobs to dating, does having a foreign name make life harder in Germany? We spoke to our readers to find out. https://www.thelocal.de/20240917/no-one-will-offer-me-a-job-how-having-a-foreign-name-affects-life-in-germany Tue, 17 Sep 2024 12:53:45 +0200 no-one-will-offer-me-a-job-how-having-a-foreign-name-affects-life-in-germany Before the Pride parade by LGBTQ activists in the east German town of Altenburg even started, a small group had been hurling insults and flashing middle fingers at those present. https://www.thelocal.de/20240724/pride-parade-runs-the-gauntlet-in-german-far-right-stronghold Wed, 24 Jul 2024 10:57:15 +0200 pride-parade-runs-the-gauntlet-in-german-far-right-stronghold Is it harder for people to find a job or get an apartment in Germany simply because they don't have a German name? We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences for a future article. https://www.thelocal.de/20240722/tell-us-is-having-a-foreign-name-a-disadvantage-in-germany Mon, 22 Jul 2024 16:50:16 +0200 tell-us-is-having-a-foreign-name-a-disadvantage-in-germany As a mother who is almost 40 and who was born in Iran, the new Miss Germany Apameh Schoenauer stood out at the beauty pageant. But those traits also exposed her to a wave of online abuse. https://www.thelocal.de/20240426/i-knew-it-would-happen-iranian-mum-suffers-abuse-after-winning-miss-germany Fri, 26 Apr 2024 11:55:55 +0200 i-knew-it-would-happen-iranian-mum-suffers-abuse-after-winning-miss-germany