The Local Germany

Why are German Christmas markets opening so early this year?

Tue, 12 Nov 2019 12:53:10 +0100

Most German Christmas markets don’t begin business until the end of November. But in some cities, the winter wonderlands are opening earlier than ever. What's going on?

Why is the Green party suddenly flying high in Germany?

Fri, 26 Oct 2018 18:05:50 +0200

Last year the Green Party suffered the humiliation of being ejected from the Saarland state parliament before limping in last in the national election. 12 months later they scored a stunning success in the Bavarian state election, a feat they are set to repeat on Sunday in Hesse. What explains this remarkable turnaround?

These are Germany's 10 most beautiful and iconic castles

Wed, 03 Aug 2016 13:21:26 +0200

From the splendour of Neuschwanstein, swathed in the mystery of “Mad Ludwig’s” sudden death, to Wartburg Castle, where Martin Luther translated the New Testament, you can learn a lot about Germany through its castles.

German merchants can't keep up with kids' demand for fidget spinners

Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:13:05 +0200

Shops in Germany are currently waiting for more loads of the hit toy to arrive in the country to meet the growing demand.

Police raid Berlin mega-brothel linked to Hells Angels

Fri, 15 Apr 2016 10:38:07 +0200

More than 900 German police, tax and customs investigators raided Berlin's biggest brothel, charging it is linked to the Hells Angels biker gang, and making six arrests, authorities said on Thursday.

Prisoners launch hunger strike over forced labour

Thu, 03 Dec 2015 14:14:49 +0100

Convicts forced to work in one German prison have started to refuse food - the only means they have of protesting against miserable wages and missing welfare payments.

Cat hungover after seven week boozing session

Tue, 20 Oct 2015 18:06:37 +0200

When pet cat Aljosha disappeared from his home in North Rhine-Westphalia for seven weeks, his owner feared the worst. But Aljosha hadn't gone far – he'd been holed up in a neighbour's wine cellar lapping up €40 worth of Riesling.

What if Germany had never been reunited?

Thu, 01 Oct 2015 19:50:44 +0200

German reunification has been an expensive 25-year project that hasn't always gone according to plan. Jörg Luyken asks if things would have been better if the two states never united.

Sudeten Germans give up 'right to homeland'

Mon, 02 Mar 2015 09:54:48 +0100

The Sudeten German Homeland Association has given up its claim to the group's former home in parts of the Czech Republic, quieting one of the final echoes of the Second World War.

Strike forces police to close Hamburg airport

Mon, 09 Feb 2015 11:57:08 +0100

Security personnel's “warning strike” over pay at three German airports has led to travel chaos, with tens of thousands of passengers hit by cancelled flights and police barracading doors at Hamburg Airport.

Study: Hospital error kills 20,000 each year

Tue, 21 Jan 2014 14:02:00 +0100

Nearly 20,000 Germans are thought to die as a result of mistakes made in hospitals or clinics each year, a study released on Tuesday revealed.

US spies knew of plans to build Berlin Wall

Fri, 27 Sep 2013 10:38:00 +0200

The US National Security Administration was amazingly well-informed about German affairs even before it tapped the internet - newly released documents show it knew about plans to build the Berlin Wall ahead of time, but failed to tell President John F Kennedy.

DIY chain Praktiker slides into insolvency

Thu, 11 Jul 2013 11:13:00 +0200

Are Germans losing interest in tool belts and hammers? One of the country's biggest DIY supply chains Praktiker declared itself insolvent on Wednesday night, with nearly 20,000 jobs now at risk.

Man dies as violent storm hits Germany

Fri, 21 Jun 2013 12:29:00 +0200

A violent thunderstorm swept through Germany on Thursday night, uprooting trees, flooding houses and causing massive transport disruption. An elderly man died when his basement flooded, while several more people were injured.

Watchdog: 500 products cost more for less

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:48:00 +0200

A German consumer watchdog has put together a “blacklist” of 500 products on sale, the contents of which have been systematically reduced while their prices have not, it was reported on Tuesday.

Lufthansa cancels 500 flights ahead of strike

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:16:00 +0100

German airline Lufthansa said on Wednesday it will cancel nearly 500 European flights on Thursday during planned warning strikes by ground staff and other divisions within the group.

Police bust massive property fraud scheme

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 09:05:00 +0100

German police have carried out a string of busts against a network of companies alleged to have stolen more than €100 million from would-be real estate investors, prosecutors in Frankfurt said.

Blue Card work permit scheme attracts 4,000

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 20:10:00 +0100

Germany’s drive to recruit highly-qualified workers from abroad has awarded more than 4,000 "Blue Card" work permits since it was launched last August, business magazine Wirtschaftswoche reported.

Airport security strike hits Cologne, Düsseldorf

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 08:59:00 +0100

Passengers at the Cologne/Bonn and Düsseldorf airports on Thursday faced long waits and cancelled flights, after security personnel went on strike as part of an ongoing labour dispute. More disruption is expected, an airport spokesman said.

Language trouble behind many medical mishaps

Mon, 31 Dec 2012 11:55:00 +0100

Chief medical officers can only communicate with one-third of their staff in German and more patients are complaining about many physicians' poor command of the German language, the head of the Berlin Medical Association said on Monday.