The Local Germany

Weekend Wanderlust: Strolling through the hills of Heidelberg

Fri, 07 Dec 2018 15:27:44 +0100

Famed for its castle and university, Heidelberg is a culturally influential city. And it's the perfect solution for those looking for a bit of German history.

Heidelberg sauna aims to put end to frolicking by taking lovers to court

Tue, 10 Apr 2018 12:20:01 +0200

The Badewelt in southern Germany took a couple to court on Monday after they refused to pay a hefty penalty for frolicking in the changing rooms. It is the first in a series of cases involving alleged steamy activity at the wellness centre.

Exhibition showing preserved corpses finds final resting place in Heidelberg

Wed, 27 Sep 2017 17:05:13 +0200

Anatomist Gunther von Hagens' unusual displays of preserved corpses have always been controversial. This Thursday a new museum displaying his exhibition will open in Heidelberg, but the exhibit isn't universally popular.

Police earn praise for taking down trolls after Heidelberg car attack

Mon, 27 Feb 2017 13:22:33 +0100

When a man drove a car into a group of pedestrians on Saturday, Twitter trolls demanded to know why police weren’t talking about his ethnicity. Cue a tirade from police on proper rules of investigation.

Police probe driver's motives after deadly Heidelberg car attack

Mon, 27 Feb 2017 09:54:07 +0100

Investigators are probing the motives of a 35-year-old German student who rammed his car into a group of pedestrians, killing one person and injuring two others, officials said Sunday, ruling out terrorism.

Why Heidelberg is Germany's most inspiring city

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 13:47:42 +0100

The small, southwestern city was named Germany's most inspiring place to visit in a recent report. What is it about the university town that makes it so special?

Heidelberg doctors 'bent heart transplant rules'

Fri, 16 Oct 2015 13:16:25 +0200

Prosecutors are investigating the university hospital in Heidelberg over claims that doctors there broke rules to get their patients faster heart transplants.

Helmut Kohl 'in intensive care for three weeks'

Tue, 02 Jun 2015 17:12:36 +0200

Former Chancellor Helmut Kohl has been in intensive care in Heidelberg for three weeks and is in critical condition, media reported on Tuesday.

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.

'Heidelberg has a zeitgeist you can feel'

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 07:50:00 +0100

Get The Local flavour of Germany with our series offering an insider's take on life in his or her hometown. This week, Adam Kubik takes us to Heidelberg.

Germany elects first ever black mayor

Sat, 02 Jun 2012 11:50:00 +0200

John Ehret, a black German who used to work for the Bundeskriminalamt (BKA), Germany’s equivalent of the FBI, is Germany’s first black mayor.

Virus sweeps through hospital cancer wards

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:09:00 +0100

A normally harmless virus has infiltrated the oncology department at Heidelberg University's hospital, infecting 19 severely ill patients and possibly leading to three deaths. Health authorities are searching for the source of the outbreak.

Heidelberg home has huge hornet nest

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 09:19:00 +0200

Around 1,000 Hornets have built a huge nest on the side of a house near Heidelberg – wowing bug experts and leaving the family bemused.

Rumoured plan to bring Mubarak to Germany

Sun, 06 Feb 2011 16:49:00 +0100

A rumour published in The New York Times that President Hosni Mubarak could be brought to Germany to facilitate a transition of power in Egypt caused a diplomatic stir at the weekend.

US Army announces base closures in Baden-Württemberg

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 19:04:00 +0200

The US Army on Wednesday announced a three-phase plan for further consolidation of its bases in Germany, reducing troop numbers in Mannheim and Heidelberg by nearly 1,500 over the next five years.

'Holocaust cabaret' about Demjanjuk case plays Heidelberg

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:56:00 +0200

A Canadian-Jewish playwright is bringing his version of former Sobibor death camp guard John Demjanjuk’s story to the stage, even as a war crimes trial against the 89-year-old contiunes in Munich.

Man faces court for blackmail of SAP founder

Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:52:00 +0100

A man accused of trying to blackmail billionaire Dietmar Hopp for more than €5 million will face court this week, after a classic Hollywood-style sting conducted in top secret.

Police bust dope-dealing bodybuilders

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:22:00 +0100

Police in Heidelberg said on Thursday they had uncovered a massive anabolic steroid dealing operation, leading to the arrests of three people.

Doctors implant smallest artificial heart pump ever

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:01:00 +0200

Doctors in Germany have successfully implanted the world's smallest artificial heart pump, billed as more effective and unobtrusive than earlier devices, a hospital in Heidelberg said.

German teen victim of 'South African Fritzl'

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:58:00 +0200

A man is being called the Josef Fritzl of South Africa after he allegedly made his visiting 18-year-old German daughter his sex slave for two months, a South African newspaper reported.