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 Germany's leading airline has seen three different worker strikes in the past week, resulting in the cancellation of hundreds of flights each day. We asked passengers about their experiences – some say they're calling it quits. https://www.thelocal.de/20260417/messy-breakup-travellers-in-germany-frustrated-with-ongoing-lufthansa-strikes Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:01:07 +0200 messy-breakup-travellers-in-germany-frustrated-with-ongoing-lufthansa-strikes Germany is famous for its liberal approach to nudity, but for many expats it's 'free body culture' remains a major culture shock. We asked our readers how they feel about baring it all. https://www.thelocal.de/20260331/comfortable-in-my-own-skin-foreigners-react-to-public-nudity-in-germany Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:10:13 +0200 comfortable-in-my-own-skin-foreigners-react-to-public-nudity-in-germany Many newcomers to Germany find that making friends is one of the most challenging parts of settling in. We asked our readers to share their experiences – and their top tips on making new connections in the country. https://www.thelocal.de/20250807/smile-and-make-conversation-how-to-make-friends-with-germans Thu, 07 Aug 2025 17:30:44 +0200 smile-and-make-conversation-how-to-make-friends-with-germans From language challenges to EC‑cards and FATCA headaches, foreign residents share what really works – and what doesn’t – when it comes to banking in Germany. https://www.thelocal.de/20260305/avoid-german-banks-readers-top-tips-for-banking-in-germany Thu, 05 Mar 2026 15:39:32 +0100 avoid-german-banks-readers-top-tips-for-banking-in-germany Part of the fun of moving to a new country is trying new foods and eating habits. From more potatoes to quark to Döner kebabs, here are the German foods that The Local readers have made their own. https://www.thelocal.de/20260128/early-dinners-with-sauerkraut-the-german-food-and-drink-habits-that-foreigners-are-adopting Wed, 28 Jan 2026 10:44:24 +0100 early-dinners-with-sauerkraut-the-german-food-and-drink-habits-that-foreigners-are-adopting Relations between Europe and the US were pushed to the brink of disaster this week by President Donald Trump's recent escalations over Greenland. With tensions still high, we asked Americans in Germany for their thoughts. https://www.thelocal.de/20260123/insanely-frustrated-americans-in-germany-react-to-trumps-threats-against-europe Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:59:08 +0100 insanely-frustrated-americans-in-germany-react-to-trumps-threats-against-europe The days may be getting longer, but people living in Germany can still expect several weeks of cold weather and dark evenings before the season shifts. We asked our readers for their tips on making the most of the winter – here's what they told us. https://www.thelocal.de/20260119/layer-up-the-verdict-on-how-to-survive-the-german-winter Mon, 19 Jan 2026 17:10:30 +0100 layer-up-the-verdict-on-how-to-survive-the-german-winter Like it or not, proving your own financial stability is required to naturalise as German. But are the rules around meeting the requirement clear? Here's what our readers told us based on their own experiences. https://www.thelocal.de/20251023/make-it-black-and-white-how-clear-are-the-financial-requirements-for-german-citizenship Thu, 23 Oct 2025 18:55:14 +0200 make-it-black-and-white-how-clear-are-the-financial-requirements-for-german-citizenship Dual-national American readers across Europe say they would give up their US passports to stay European if they were forced to, with many citing political disillusionment, fears for safety, and the feeling of belonging to their adopted country. https://www.thelocal.de/20251213/i-feel-alienated-american-dual-nationals-in-europe-ready-to-renounce-citizenship Sat, 13 Dec 2025 12:06:30 +0100 i-feel-alienated-american-dual-nationals-in-europe-ready-to-renounce-citizenship A recent report by The Local exploring why people in Germany often call in sick prompted a huge response. We've compiled some comments from readers sharing their answers to the question, 'why do people in Germany take so many sick days?' https://www.thelocal.de/20251204/your-views-you-cant-be-fired-for-taking-too-many-sick-days-in-germany Thu, 04 Dec 2025 10:26:26 +0100 your-views-you-cant-be-fired-for-taking-too-many-sick-days-in-germany The festive period in Germany offers tradition, excitement and occasional chaos. So how do the country's foreign residents celebrate, and what do they really think about the highs and lows of the season? https://www.thelocal.de/20251125/lantern-walks-and-baking-how-do-foreigners-celebrate-the-winter-holidays-in-germany Tue, 25 Nov 2025 17:42:31 +0100 lantern-walks-and-baking-how-do-foreigners-celebrate-the-winter-holidays-in-germany Comments by readers of The Local Germany – whether opinions, advice or tales of life in the country – offer vital insights to others. We've picked out some recent contributions ranging from integration to how well the locals speak English. https://www.thelocal.de/20251124/your-views-foreigners-in-germany-will-always-feel-like-second-class-citizens Mon, 24 Nov 2025 15:32:22 +0100 your-views-foreigners-in-germany-will-always-feel-like-second-class-citizens If Germany's labour shortages are so bad, why do so many foreign skilled workers struggle to find work? We asked our readers to shed light on the mystery – and share the tips and tactics which worked for them. https://www.thelocal.de/20250715/dont-lose-hope-how-to-navigate-germanys-painful-job-market Tue, 15 Jul 2025 18:35:54 +0200 dont-lose-hope-how-to-navigate-germanys-painful-job-market Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently suggested that more deportations would make inner city areas in Germany safer. But readers of The Local have delivered their own verdict for how to improve urban safety in the country. https://www.thelocal.de/20251103/more-cameras-and-stricter-penalties-how-could-german-cities-be-made-safer Mon, 03 Nov 2025 14:08:20 +0100 more-cameras-and-stricter-penalties-how-could-german-cities-be-made-safer An off-the-cuff comment by Germany's chancellor, linking safety concerns in German cities to immigrants, sparked backlash and widespread debate. Some have called the comments racist while others voiced agreement. We asked our readers what they thought. https://www.thelocal.de/20251029/its-complicated-how-safe-do-foreign-residents-feel-in-german-cities Wed, 29 Oct 2025 17:37:03 +0100 its-complicated-how-safe-do-foreign-residents-feel-in-german-cities From public transport to walkable cities and an enviable work life balance, our readers find plenty to praise about life in Germany, with some qualifications. https://www.thelocal.de/20250929/i-love-the-clarity-readers-reveal-the-advantages-of-living-in-germany Mon, 29 Sep 2025 18:43:09 +0200 i-love-the-clarity-readers-reveal-the-advantages-of-living-in-germany There are many preconceptions about life in eastern Germany, but what is it actually like to live there? We spoke to foreign residents to divide the myths from reality. https://www.thelocal.de/20241105/low-stress-low-salaries-the-pros-and-cons-of-living-in-eastern-germany Tue, 05 Nov 2024 12:42:59 +0100 low-stress-low-salaries-the-pros-and-cons-of-living-in-eastern-germany As the new school year gets under way, we asked our readers with kids in German schools to share their views on the good, the bad, and the surprising aspects of the country's education system. https://www.thelocal.de/20250825/super-relaxed-what-foreign-parents-really-think-of-schools-in-germany Mon, 25 Aug 2025 17:12:37 +0200 super-relaxed-what-foreign-parents-really-think-of-schools-in-germany Germans are efficient and hardworking but one thing they are not is funny, at least according to the stereotype. We asked our readers to tell us whether they’ve been crying with laughter since arriving here – or just crying. https://www.thelocal.de/20250909/dry-and-apologetic-what-foreigners-really-think-of-german-humour Tue, 09 Sep 2025 17:22:42 +0200 dry-and-apologetic-what-foreigners-really-think-of-german-humour Rent is often the biggest expense for foreign residents in Germany. Even though there are rent controls in some cities, tenants can still be charged too much. Readers shared how they managed to get a rent reduction. https://www.thelocal.de/20240502/how-foreign-residents-in-germany-are-winning-rent-reductions Thu, 02 May 2024 16:57:34 +0200 how-foreign-residents-in-germany-are-winning-rent-reductions