The Local Germany

Why German model train sales are in full speed amid pandemic

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 10:54:08 +0100

Gerhard Berndt's model railway has been three decades in the making, but this year it's really been full steam ahead for the 72-year-old Berliner.

'Germany’s network agency should stop telling parents to smash their kids’ toys'

Mon, 05 Feb 2018 15:23:51 +0100

The Bundesnetzagentur is treating smart toys as if they are nefarious spying instruments when they are actually useful devices that help parents stay in touch with their little ones, argues Nick Wallace.

Holograms and mermaids: top trends at Nuremberg toy fair

Fri, 02 Feb 2018 10:07:07 +0100

The Nuremberg toy fair, the world's largest, opened its doors this week to an industry in the throes of reinvention as toymakers vie for the attention of children increasingly glued to smartphones and tablets.

German merchants can't keep up with kids' demand for fidget spinners

Mon, 12 Jun 2017 18:13:05 +0200

Shops in Germany are currently waiting for more loads of the hit toy to arrive in the country to meet the growing demand.

Germany bans doll for being 'hidden spying device'

Fri, 17 Feb 2017 20:07:40 +0100

German regulators have banned an internet-connected doll called "My Friend Cayla" that can chat with children, warning Friday that it was a de facto "hidden spying device".

German firm fights years-long battle to crack Rubik's Cube

Thu, 26 May 2016 10:09:38 +0200

A German toy manufacturer is nearing success in its long battle to be able to make a Rubik's Cube all of its own.

Boys, 8, go on two-day robbery spree at toy store

Fri, 29 Apr 2016 13:54:06 +0200

Two young children in Bavaria plundered a shop for toys worth hundreds of Euros. When police found out they coolly tried to give them the runaround.

Child gets stuck in plush toy claw machine

Wed, 12 Aug 2015 18:14:30 +0200

A five-year-old boy clambered inside of a claw machine to fish out a toy on Monday evening, only to find himself unable to climb back out.

Plastic toys 'could pose danger' to kids: BUND

Fri, 17 Jul 2015 14:00:06 +0200

Small children in Germany could be taking in dangerous chemicals when they put toys in their mouths, the German Environment and Conservation Association (BUND) warned on Friday.

Playmobil maker leaves much-loved legacy

Mon, 08 Jun 2015 16:40:48 +0200

Horst Brandstätter, considered the father of Playmobil figures, has died at the age of 81, after having built the middle sized company into one of the biggest toy manufacturers in Germany.

Ageing well: Toymaker Playmobil turns 40

Mon, 30 Dec 2013 09:24:00 +0100

Deep in the Bavarian countryside lies the home of German toymaker Playmobil, the centre of a universe of little plastic people who turn 40 in 2014 but have not aged a bit.

World's biggest toy fair opens in Essen

Thu, 24 Oct 2013 10:30:00 +0200

Hundreds of toy-makers from around the world are showcasing their new games in the hope of making it onto children's Christmas wish-lists at the world’s biggest toy fair in Essen.

Playmobil mogul still in the game at 80

Thu, 27 Jun 2013 16:35:00 +0200

Generations of children all over the world have one German man to thank for hours of fun. Playmobil owner Horst Brandstätter reached the ripe old age of 80 on Thursday, making him our German of the Week.

German women's football team star and coach get Barbie dolls

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 15:00:00 +0100

In anticipation of the Women’s World Cup in summer toymaker Mattel this week unveiled two new Barbie dolls modelled after Germany’s head coach and star player.

Most children's toys unsafe, consumer watchdog reveals

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:44:00 +0200

As retailers prepare for the Christmas shopping season, Germany’s top consumer watchdog Stiftung Warentest on Thursday revealed that 80 percent of children's toys tested by the organisation posed health risks to children, regardless of their price.

Cologne woman hits plush pay dirt with tours for teddy bears

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:18:00 +0200

Even stuffed animals need a holiday every now and then, according to a Cologne woman who runs a travel agency catering exclusively to teddy bears and other plush toy friends.

Germans splashing out on Karneval despite bad economy

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:38:00 +0100

The tough economic climate is failing to dent Germans’ enthusiasm for Karneval, with partygoers set to spend €300 million on costumes and makeup during this year’s season, the Toy Retailers’ Association said Monday.

Federal institute warns of toxins in toys

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 09:15:00 +0100

The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) warned on Monday that children's toys contain far too many carcinogenic substances that are not regulated by the European Union.

Toy radio turned police scanner becomes Mickey Mouse operation

Fri, 20 Mar 2009 12:31:00 +0100

A Mickey Mouse toy included with the most recent edition of the Disney character’s comic book has made a mockery of German police, who are investigating reports that it picks up scanner dispatches.

Barbie unveils Merkel doll at Nuremberg toy fair

Sat, 07 Feb 2009 10:54:00 +0100

To honour Germany's first female chancellor, the Mattel company has debuted an Angela Merkel Barbie at a toy fair in Nuremberg. The doll sports Merkel's pant suit and bob, but the resemblance ends about there.