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 New Year's Day is a public holiday in Germany, and many businesses also have limited hours on New Year's Eve. https://www.thelocal.de/20251229/whats-open-and-whats-closed-in-germany-over-the-new-year-holiday Mon, 29 Dec 2025 14:45:21 +0100 whats-open-and-whats-closed-in-germany-over-the-new-year-holiday Five people died across Germany and a police officer was seriously injured from accidents linked to the powerful fireworks Germans traditionally set off to celebrate the new year, police said in a preliminary count. https://www.thelocal.de/20250101/five-dead-in-germany-from-new-years-fireworks-accidents Wed, 01 Jan 2025 13:57:20 +0100 five-dead-in-germany-from-new-years-fireworks-accidents In his New Year's Eve address the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz dismissed the influence of 'social media owners' - a reference to Elon Musk. He appealed to a 'majority of reasonable people' to resist extreme opinions. https://www.thelocal.de/20241231/scholz-tells-germans-and-musk-social-media-wont-decide-election Tue, 31 Dec 2024 11:12:35 +0100 scholz-tells-germans-and-musk-social-media-wont-decide-election New Year's Eve is full of promise for many, but for some the party ended in hospital and three people died after trying to light firecrackers and a banned firework. https://www.thelocal.de/20240101/three-die-in-new-years-eve-fireworks-incidents-in-germany Mon, 01 Jan 2024 18:56:00 +0100 three-die-in-new-years-eve-fireworks-incidents-in-germany German police arrested three people on Sunday over an alleged attack plot targeting the cathedral in Cologne on New Year's Eve. https://www.thelocal.de/20231231/arrests-in-germany-over-cologne-cathedral-attack-plot-police Sun, 31 Dec 2023 19:25:50 +0100 arrests-in-germany-over-cologne-cathedral-attack-plot-police Though it may seem like anarchy reigns in Germany on New Year's Eve, there are some rules to follow when it comes to buying and setting off fireworks - and some pyrotechnic-free zones for those who want to escape them. https://www.thelocal.de/20231229/the-rules-around-setting-off-fireworks-in-germany-this-new-years-eve Fri, 29 Dec 2023 17:33:34 +0100 the-rules-around-setting-off-fireworks-in-germany-this-new-years-eve According to a YouGov survey published Tuesday, the majority of people in Germany are against the personal use of firecrackers and rockets at the turn of the year. https://www.thelocal.de/20231108/half-of-germans-for-complete-ban-on-private-fireworks-on-nye Wed, 08 Nov 2023 13:43:17 +0100 half-of-germans-for-complete-ban-on-private-fireworks-on-nye ​​Three months before New Year's Eve, the Berlin police union (GdP) has called for a series of measures to prevent renewed riots in the capital. https://www.thelocal.de/20231004/berlin-police-call-for-ban-on-new-years-eve-fireworks Wed, 04 Oct 2023 19:53:42 +0200 berlin-police-call-for-ban-on-new-years-eve-fireworks Following NYE celebrations that saw a death, fireworks-related hospitalisations, and dozens of arrests after revellers attacked emergency services, some conservative politicians have started blaming migration groups for the chaos. https://www.thelocal.de/20230104/how-new-years-eve-fireworks-chaos-sparked-a-racism-debate-in-germany Wed, 04 Jan 2023 13:33:36 +0100 how-new-years-eve-fireworks-chaos-sparked-a-racism-debate-in-germany Politicians and emergency service unions are debating a ban on the private use of fireworks after several attacks on firefighters and police were reported on New Year's Eve. https://www.thelocal.de/20230102/germany-debates-fireworks-ban-after-new-years-eve-chaos Mon, 02 Jan 2023 12:14:46 +0100 germany-debates-fireworks-ban-after-new-years-eve-chaos Amid unusually mild weather, people gathered across Germany to mark the New Year. But with Covid-19 restrictions no longer governing the sale of fireworks and firecrackers, the fire brigade and police had their work cut out dealing with an increased number of incidents caused by pyrotechnics. https://www.thelocal.de/20230101/germanys-nye-celebrations-marred-by-death-injuries-and-attacks Sun, 01 Jan 2023 15:47:53 +0100 germanys-nye-celebrations-marred-by-death-injuries-and-attacks The world's eight billion people ushered in 2023 on Saturday, bidding farewell to a turbulent 12 months marked by war in Europe, stinging price rises, Lionel Messi's World Cup glory and the deaths of Queen Elizabeth, Pele and former pope Benedict. https://www.thelocal.de/20230101/in-pictures-europe-steps-into-2023-after-turbulent-year Sun, 01 Jan 2023 10:49:56 +0100 in-pictures-europe-steps-into-2023-after-turbulent-year Whether you're planning on setting them off yourself or leaving it to the professionals, here are the most important things to know about fireworks in Germany on New Year's Eve. https://www.thelocal.de/20191231/fireworks-in-germany-what-you-need-to-know-about-ending-the-year-with-a-bang Tue, 31 Dec 2019 13:00:20 +0100 fireworks-in-germany-what-you-need-to-know-about-ending-the-year-with-a-bang Loud, colourful and crowded - normally New Year’s Eve is a bustling night filled with fireworks and parties. But both will only be possible at the end of 2020 to a limited degree. https://www.thelocal.de/20201230/state-by-state-what-are-germanys-rules-for-new-years-eve Wed, 30 Dec 2020 17:21:50 +0100 state-by-state-what-are-germanys-rules-for-new-years-eve A mother and her two daughters have turned themselves in to police over a blaze which killed dozens of monkeys at a zoo in Germany on New Year's Eve, police confirmed Thursday. https://www.thelocal.de/20200102/mother-and-daughters-investigated-over-german-zoo-fire Thu, 02 Jan 2020 17:35:32 +0100 mother-and-daughters-investigated-over-german-zoo-fire Flames from flying New Year's Eve lanterns might have sparked a blaze that killed dozens of monkeys at a zoo in northwestern Germany, management and security services said Wednesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20200102/lanterns-behind-deadly-fire-at-krefeld-zoo Thu, 02 Jan 2020 11:32:58 +0100 lanterns-behind-deadly-fire-at-krefeld-zoo Dinner for One is shown every New Year's Eve in Germany – and it's nothing short of an institution. The Local spoke to the son of Freddie Frinton, who plays James in the sketch, to find out what the family thinks of this cultural phenomenon. https://www.thelocal.de/20191231/germans-have-kept-it-alive-dinner-for-one-stars-son-on-the-enduring-legacy-of-a-new-years-eve-favourite Tue, 31 Dec 2019 07:03:25 +0100 germans-have-kept-it-alive-dinner-for-one-stars-son-on-the-enduring-legacy-of-a-new-years-eve-favourite This year there will be a ban on fireworks on Hamburg's Jungfernstieg, a promenade that stretches through the centre of the city. https://www.thelocal.de/20191205/hamburg-to-ban-fireworks-in-city-centre-on-new-years-eve Thu, 05 Dec 2019 11:30:30 +0100 hamburg-to-ban-fireworks-in-city-centre-on-new-years-eve If you found it difficult to draw breath around midnight on New Year's Eve in the Hauptstadt, you were not alone. https://www.thelocal.de/20190103/berlins-new-years-eve-air-quality-worst-in-germany Thu, 03 Jan 2019 01:19:59 +0100 berlins-new-years-eve-air-quality-worst-in-germany It’s not an exaggeration to suggest that New Years Eve in the German capital - with fireworks flying vertically and horizontally all across the city - resembles a war zone. Berlin’s ruling coalition, fed up with widespread injuries and attacks on emergency services, have forecast a limit or even a ban to fireworks in the city. But would such a move be effective? https://www.thelocal.de/20181207/whats-happening-on-berlin-streets-cannot-be-tolerated-politicians-float-new-years-eve-fireworks-ban Fri, 07 Dec 2018 17:07:02 +0100 whats-happening-on-berlin-streets-cannot-be-tolerated-politicians-float-new-years-eve-fireworks-ban