The Local Germany

Karstadt stores hit by mass strike

Fri, 25 Oct 2013 12:08:00 +0200

Thousands of employees at one of Germany's largest retail chains went on strike on Friday. Shoppers should expect disruptions and even closures, the workers' union behind the action said.

Police raid suspected leftist extremists

Wed, 22 May 2013 16:27:00 +0200

Police on Wednesday carried out raids across several German states at more than 20 properties, which they believe are connected to a network of leftist extremists responsible for carrying out attacks over more than a decade.

Germans save best for Spanish return games

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 10:20:00 +0200

Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund get back to Bundesliga business on Saturday, fresh from their midweek Champions League semi-final triumphs, and with both teams set to rotate their squads ahead of the return legs.

Petty criminals chose prison over €5 fine

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:51:00 +0200

Fare-dodgers, illegal parkers, shoplifters - petty criminals are regularly choosing to go to prison for a few days instead of paying small fines. Now one regional authority is planning more creative punishments to save state money.

'First and foremost, read the regulations!'

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:24:00 +0200

In the latest instalment of My German Career, The Local spoke with Irish pub owner Raymond Searson about the German love for Irish culture and how to cope with the notoriously strict laws and regulations.

All-German Champions League final in sight

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 16:38:00 +0200

The prospect of an all-German European Champions League final next month remains alive after the European football governing body UEFA made the draw for this year's semi-final.

Public transport fare dodgers face fine hike

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:13:00 +0200

Germany's public transportation fare dodgers will soon be hit with increased fines if caught by ticket inspectors, a newspaper reported on Thursday.

Six ways the winter is worse in Germany

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:14:00 +0200

Germany is starting to feel like Narnia - and not in a good way with fauns and a magic lion. The winter has officially been going on forever. The Local List this week lays out six ways the ongoing cold could freeze up relations with Germans.

What's on in Germany: March 22 – 28

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 11:43:00 +0100

This Week's Highlights: English theatre in Munich, a “Dream House” in Berlin, and “the world's most glamorous opera star sings in Hamburg.

Kippenberger artwork worth €800,000 'cleaned' away

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:06:00 +0100

A cleaning woman at a museum in Dortmund who mistook a Martin Kippenberger sculpture for an unsightly mess has destroyed the valuable artwork beyond recognition.

Week gets off to a cool and rainy start

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:16:00 +0200

Germany faces a cool and rainy start to the week, but the low pressure system interrupting summer is slowly starting to dissipate, according to the German Weather Service (DWD).

Southeast braces for heavy rains and flooding

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:24:00 +0200

A broad swath of southeastern Germany has been warned to brace for potentially torrential rains and flooding for the rest of the week.

A Wurst-case scenario for the summer

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 19:11:00 +0200

Germans love a good barbecue as much as Americans and Australians. Jeff Kavanagh explores a unique grilling culture where the Wurst is the best.

E.ON sells British power grid to US group

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 14:21:00 +0100

E.ON, Germany's biggest power group, said Wednesday that it will sell its British electric grid business Central Networks to the US group PPL for €4.7 billion ($6.5 billion).

Spain's ACS grabs crucial Hochtief stake

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 12:33:00 +0100

Spain's biggest public works group ACS said on Tuesday it had succeeded in snapping up more than 30 percent of shares in German rival Hochtief, a key step towards taking overall control.

Ryanair scales back service over flight tax

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 15:39:00 +0100

Irish low-cost airline Ryanair said Tuesday that it would make further cuts to its services in Germany owing to a new tax on flights to be levied next year.

Accidents and delays rise as weather worsens

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 09:03:00 +0100

The number of road accidents rose into the thousands overnight Tuesday, as snow and ice continued to cause traffic chaos in Germany, particularly in the south and southwest of the country.

Woman who hid dead babies in freezer jailed

Mon, 15 Nov 2010 19:27:00 +0100

A Münster court on Monday sentenced a woman who hid the bodies of two of her newborn babies under frozen pizzas in the freezer to five years behind bars for manslaughter.

Schäuble faces fresh pressure over tax plans

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 09:26:00 +0100

Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble, already smarting from the resignation of his press spokesman this week, came under pressure Wednesday from strong opposition to his plans to simplify the tax system.

McAllister: UK troops leaving a 'sad moment'

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:41:00 +0200

Lower Saxony's premier David McAllister on Thursday told The Local parts of the state will be hit hard by the early closure of British military bases. But as the son of a British solider, the issue is also deeply personal for McAllister.