The Local Germany

How the small state of Saarland is giving a French twist to German cuisine

Fri, 23 Apr 2021 20:16:59 +0200

Here's what happens when the hearty German meal meets French delicacy in the border state of Saarland.

'Taste of freedom': German state begins reopening public life despite rising Covid cases

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 14:11:39 +0200

Beer lovers and fitness fanatics braved sleet and snow to return to restaurants and gyms Tuesday as the small German state of Saarland began a controversial easing of coronavirus restrictions.

Five maps that explain Saarland, Germany's 100-year old state

Tue, 14 Jan 2020 17:54:05 +0100

In honor of Saarland's 100-year anniversary as a German state this year, we look at its most important aspects, from history to geography.

Big birthday in a small state: Saarland celebrates its 100-year old history

Fri, 10 Jan 2020 14:58:26 +0100

On Friday, the southwestern state of Saarland celebrates its hundred-year history and with it, the birth of its own unique character, which emerged after the birth of the region.

Saarmojis: Saarland the ‘first German state with its own emojis’

Wed, 14 Mar 2018 11:19:01 +0100

Saarland unveiled some 400 of its own emojis, so-called ‘Saarmojis,’ on Tuesday in Saarbrücken.

High court to rule on whether banks can keep addressing women as men

Mon, 19 Feb 2018 13:30:40 +0100

An elderly lady from Saarland has taken her bank all the way to Germany’s highest court in protest at having to fill out forms that address her as a man.

How Saarland could show that the far-right AfD are finished

Mon, 27 Mar 2017 19:51:00 +0200

On Sunday the Alternative for Germany (AfD) barely scraped into the state parliament in Saarland. One expert told The Local that this could mark the beginning of the end for the upstart party.

Merkel's party wins German state vote by large margin

Sun, 26 Mar 2017 20:06:19 +0200

Chancellor Angela Merkel's party easily won a regional election on Sunday, dealing an early blow to centre-left hopes of ending her more than decade-long reign.

German state votes in election-year test for Merkel

Sun, 26 Mar 2017 11:14:30 +0200

German voters went to the polls on Sunday in tiny Saarland state, where a resurgent centre-left hopes to strike a first blow in their battle to topple Chancellor Angela Merkel this year.

State vote in Saarland a first signal for Merkel election showdown

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 09:27:02 +0100

A German regional vote on Sunday will be the first litmus test in an election year where Chancellor Angela Merkel faces her toughest challenge yet from the resurgent Social Democrats.

German police checking all trains from France

Sat, 14 Nov 2015 20:14:11 +0100

German federal police are checking all trains crossing into the country from France, a spokesman said on Saturday, while officers in border areas are on high alert.

Saarland celebrates 60 years of 'yes' to Germany

Fri, 23 Oct 2015 16:39:49 +0200

As Angela Merkel prepares to join celebrations marking 60 years since Saarland voted to become a part of Germany, The Local looks at what has changed for this tiny western border state over the decades - and how Germany's "little reunification" came about.

'Car sniper' sentenced to 9 and a half years' jail

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 18:51:44 +0200

A man who shot at random passing cars in western Germany has been sentenced to nine and a half years' jail after being convicted of 14 counts of attempted murder.

Völklingen Ironworks: an industrial behemoth

Thu, 11 Jul 2013 10:25:00 +0200

As part of our tour of Germany's UNESCO World Heritage sites, we clamber around the breathtakingly industrial Völklingen Ironworks.

Last coal marks end of Saarland mining

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 18:59:00 +0200

An era quietly ended on Friday when the last coal was brought up from the west German Saarland region.

Greens not ruling out coalition with Pirates

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 11:30:00 +0200

A leading Green party official said he is not ruling out a coalition with the up and coming Pirate Party, but warned that the upstart politicians need to stand for more than education for all and free public transportation.

Voters deal Merkel surprise victory

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 20:39:00 +0200

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's party received an electoral boost on Sunday in a regional vote which also handed her coalition allies a big defeat ahead of national elections in 2013.

Merkel ally suffers massive state defeat

Sun, 25 Mar 2012 20:32:00 +0200

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's junior coalition ally suffered a huge defeat Sunday when voters in western Saarland state kicked the party out of the regional assembly, according to exit polls.

Political focus turns to tiny state election

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 09:14:00 +0100

Political attention in Germany turns to the tiny state of Saarland this week, as it prepares for an election on Sunday following the collapse of an unusual three-way coalition in January.

Cop facing divorce kills daughter then self

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:29:00 +0100

A police commissioner in western Germany fatally shot his eight-year-old daughter before killing himself on Saturday, just two days after his wife told him she wanted a divorce.