The Local Germany

Frankfurt party organizers face hefty fine for flouting Easter dancing ban

Thu, 18 Apr 2019 13:01:13 +0200

It is one of Germany's more surprising laws that has led to protests throughout the years.

'Finally a bit more clarity' on Brexit: Germany

Tue, 17 Jan 2017 15:58:33 +0100

Germany's foreign minister said on Tuesday that British Prime Minister Theresa May had "finally brought a bit more clarity" with a highly anticipated speech on her government's Brexit plans.

Germany calls to 'turn up heat' on financial crimes

Mon, 04 Apr 2016 17:40:50 +0200

The German government on Monday said it hoped the revelations from the so-called "Panama Papers" will spur global efforts to combat tax evasion and money laundering.

Airlines urged to enforce psychological testing

Fri, 17 Jul 2015 15:09:07 +0200

Europe's aviation watchdog recommended changes on Friday, including that two people be present in plane cockpits at all times, after a lone rogue pilot reportedly deliberately crashed a Germanwings jet in March, killing all 150 people on board.

Germany learns lessons on pilots’ mental health

Tue, 30 Jun 2015 20:00:53 +0200

In response to the Germanwings flight tragedy, Minister of Transport Alexander Dobrindt presented plans to strengthen mental health care for pilots while Germanwings announced further compensation for relatives of the flight's victims.

Germanwings co-pilot buried in silence

Mon, 29 Jun 2015 19:32:14 +0200

As the co-pilot who steered Germanwings flight 4U9525 into the French Alps in March was buried on Monday, the authorities prepared to unveil the first steps they will take to improve air safety.

Germanwings co-pilot saw 'dozens' of doctors

Mon, 08 Jun 2015 19:28:37 +0200

The co-pilot believed to have deliberately crashed Germanwings flight 4U9525 had seen "dozens" of doctors in the two years before, state prosecutors said on Monday.

Translation error delays crash victims' burials

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 17:08:42 +0200

An error in translating death certificates from French to German means that relatives of people killed in the Germanwings flight 4U9525 crash will have to wait until next week for their remains to be returned.

All 150 Germanwings crash victims identified

Wed, 20 May 2015 10:08:11 +0200

Investigators have identified the remains of all 150 people aboard a Germanwings flight that was deliberately crashed into the French Alps, a prosecutor said on Tuesday, allowing them finally to be laid to rest.

Germany mourns victims of Alps plane crash

Fri, 17 Apr 2015 10:26:18 +0200

Hundreds of bereaved relatives and world leaders gathered in Cologne on Friday for a memorial service for the victims of last month's Germanwings crash.

Düsseldorf police set up special 'Alps' unit

Mon, 30 Mar 2015 14:46:33 +0200

A new police unit, which will go under the name “Alps”, includes 100 officers whose task it is to identify victims of the Germanwings crash and to investigate the background of co-pilot Andreas Lubitz.

Lufthansa fear second black box won't be found

Mon, 30 Mar 2015 11:22:51 +0200

Germany's national airline Lufthansa says that the flight data recorder which could provide key evidence about the causes of the Germanwings plane crash last Tuesday may never be found.

Germanwings captain's compassion goes viral

Fri, 27 Mar 2015 16:48:04 +0100

A Facebook post describing how a Germanwings pilot personally reassured his passengers of their safety on a flight on Wednesday has received over quarter of a million likes.

'Extinct' frog hops back to life

Mon, 08 Jul 2013 12:59:00 +0200

German scientists have found a frog thought to have been extinct for the last 60 years and which has been hailed as a living fossil.

Cash-strapped hospitals 'took on 13,600 new staff'

Mon, 08 Jul 2013 12:09:00 +0200

German hospitals have employed more than 13,000 additional nurses and carers over the last few years, despite continued complaints about underfunding, a report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper says.

Builders see slow thaw after winter freeze

Tue, 25 Jun 2013 18:07:00 +0200

This year's winter hit the German construction industry hard. And while the end of the building freeze is now in sight, a mountain of backlogged orders mean only slow recovery for the industry.

Americans leave their hearts in Heidelberg

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 13:08:00 +0200

Americans have had a love affair with Heidelberg since Mark Twain visited the city. Matthew Luxmoore reports on the impact of the US Army's imminent withdrawal after 68 years.

Airport strikes shut down Cologne and Düsseldorf

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 10:46:00 +0100

Striking security personnel at the Düsseldorf and Cologne/Bonn airports continued on Friday, leaving passengers faced with flight cancellations and delays for the second day running.

FDP woes, Berlin's wonky airport and Mettwurst

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 12:20:00 +0100

The Local's Ben Knight kicks off our weekly German news podcast with a look at Chancellor Merkel's disappearing coalition partners, Berlin's troubled new airport and health concerns about the country's beloved Mettwurst sausage.

Germans work six weeks a year longer than French

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:30:00 +0100

Germans work six weeks longer each year than their French counterparts – but the European champions for staying out of the office are the Finns, new data shows.