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7 fantastic events going on around Germany in April 2018

Germany is one the verge of throwing off its winter shackles and blooming both literally and culturally. We offer you tips from a Bach-themed Bacchanalia in Thuringia to a gamer's delight in Berlin.

Published: 31 March 2018 14:09 CEST
7 fantastic events going on around Germany in April 2018
April in Bonn. Photo: DPA

FestungsLeucten, Koblenz, March 29th-April 2nd & April 6th-8th

Photo: DPA

The fact that it is still snowing in several parts of Germany might make some of us laugh rather hollowly at the following suggestion. But this light show on the Rhine river claims that it is “ringing in the summer season on Fort Ehrenbreitstein.”

The festival promises to bedazzle all those who attend with breathtaking lights and sounds that will create a whole new experience at the fort.

Thuringian Bach Weeks, Thuringia , March 21st-April 15th

Photo: Marco Borgreve

Bach might be most closely associated with Leipzig where he worked as a music director of its famous Thomaskirche, but the state of Thuringia also has its links to the great man. He was baptized and married in the state and spent much of his early career composing music there.

The three weeks of music at several “authentic” Bach sites promise to be a treat for lovers of baroque music as well as regular tourists.

Highlights include a performance by the Bach Collegium Japan at the Bach Church in Arnstadt and Le Concert Des Nations with Catalan gamba player Jordi Savall.

Spring Festival, Nuremberg, March 31st-April 15th

Photo: DPA

This storied festival dates all the way back to 1826 when it was established as a celebration of the birthday and naming day of Bavarian King Ludwig I.

Bavaria being Bavaria, there is lots of beer on offer. A little tip: if you pay a visit on Tuesday April 3rd, a litre of beer will only cost €5.90 – almost half the price you would fork out at Oktoberfest.

All the fairground rides your heart could desire will be there for you, as will rotisserie chicken and other heart-stopping festival goodies.

This being spring, there is also an Easter flavour, with the Osterhase hiding eggs for children to hunt.

Watch the cherry blossoms bloom, Bonn

Photo: DPA

Every spring the Japanese cherry blossom trees in the Bonn Altstadt start to bloom. A vast number of cherry trees unfold their full bloom, transforming the narrow roads into a pink seas of flowers. The view is so spectacular it has even made it onto various internet lists of the most beautiful tree tunnels in the world.

Bonn celebrates the yearly awakening of nature with street concerts, fashion shows and readings. For anyone in the Rhine region, this natural wonder needs to be seen at least once.

Games Week Berlin, April 23rd-29th

Photo: DPA

A whole week of access to the most cutting edge technology in gaming sounds almost too good to be true to most Berlin gamers.

About 15,000 people are expected for this festival of finger bashing. Events will take place at various spots across the capital and include conferences, recruitment events and gaming championships.

One particular highlight is sure to be the Independent Video Games Festival “A Maze” at Urban Spree.

Lange Nacht der Musik, Munich, April 28th-29th

Photo: DPA

Munich will be transformed into a wall of sound on April 28th, when a barrage of 400 concerts will kick off across the city which will last until 3am the next morning.

Visitors to the ambitious festival can see gigs at 100 different locations,with shuttle buses driving people from site to site. With just one ticket you gain access to all the locations, which include pubs, clubs, restaurants, hotels and even churches, while travel on the buses is also included.

Almost every genre you could possibly imagine will be covered during the seven densely-packed hours. Two of the city’s orchestras compete with beatboxers and classic rock bands for people’s attention.

Revolution? Revolution!, Hamburg, April 25th-Feb 2019

Hamburg in 1909. DPA

At the end of April a huge exhibition will open its door to the public at the Hamburg Historical Museum to mark a century since revolution coursed through the streets of the harbour city.

This exhibit looks set to be thrilling for anyone absorbed by history. At the entrance the curators have reconstructed a Hamburg street from 1918, complete with revolutionary pamphlets, weapons and uniforms.

Visitors to the museum will also have the chance to meet characters from the time at a cafe. Cafes were important meeting points for revolutionaries of the early 20th century. Stop in for a cup of coffee and you could also become involved in a seditious plot.

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LIVING IN GERMANY

Living in Germany: Battles over Bürgergeld, rolling the ‘die’ and carnival lingo

From the push to reform long-term unemployment benefits to the lingo you need to know as Carnival season kicks off, we look at the highlights of life in Germany.

Published: 14 November 2022 09:54 CET
Living in Germany: Battles over Bürgergeld, rolling the 'die' and carnival lingo

Deadlock looms as debates over Bürgergeld heat up 

Following a vote in the Bundestag on Thursday, the government’s planned reforms to long-term unemployment benefits are one step closer to becoming reality. Replacing the controversial Hartz IV system, Bürgergeld (or Citizens’ Allowance) is intended to be a fair bit easier on claimants.

Not only will the monthly payment be raised from €449 to €502, but jobseekers will also be given a grace period of two years before checks are carried out on the size of their apartment or savings of up to €60,000. The system will also move away from sanctions with a so-called “trust period” of six months, during which benefits won’t be docked at all – except in very extreme circumstances. 

Speaking in parliament, Labour Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) said the spirit of the new system was “solidarity, trust and encouragement” and praised the fact that Bürgergeld would help people get back into the job market with funding for training and education. But not everyone is happy about the changes. In particular, politicians from the opposition CDU/CSU parties have responded with outrage at the move away from sanctions.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz has even branded the system a step towards “unconditional Basic Income” and argued that nobody will be incentivised to return to work. 

The CDU and CSU are now threatening to block the Bürgergeld legislation when it’s put to a vote in the Bundesrat on Monday. With the conservatives controlling most of the federal states – and thus most of the seats in the upper house – things could get interesting. Be sure to keep an eye out for our coverage in the coming weeks to see how the saga unfolds. 

Tweet of the week

When you first start learning German, picking the right article to use can truly be a roll of the “die” – so we’re entirely on board with this slightly unconventional way to decide whether you’re in a “der”, “die”, or “das” situation. (Warning: this may not improve your German.) 

Where is this?

Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Boris Roessler

Residents of Frankfurt am Main and the surrounding area will no doubt recognise this as the charming town of Kronberg, which is nestled at the foot of the Taunus mountains.

This atmospheric scene was snapped on Friday morning, when a drop in temperatures saw Kronberg and surrounding forests shrouded in autumnal fog.

After a decidedly warm start to November, the mercury is expected to drop into single digits over the weekend. 

Did you know?

November 11th marked the start of carnival season in Germany. But did you know that there’s a whole set of lingo to go along with the tradition? And it all depends on where you are. First of all, the celebration isn’t called the same thing everywhere. In the Rhineland, it’s usually called Karneval, while people in Bavaria or Saxony tend to call it Fasching. Those in Hesse and Saarland usually call it Fastnacht. 

And depending on where you are, there are different things to shout. The ‘fools call’ you’ll hear in Cologne is “Alaaf!” If you move away from Cologne, you’ll hear “Helau!” This is the traditional cry in the carnival strongholds of Düsseldorf and Mainz, as well as in some other German cities.

In the Swabian-Alemannic language region in the southwest of the country, people yell “Narri-Narro”, which means “I’m a fool, you’re a fool”. In Saarland at the French border, they shout “Alleh hopp!”, which is said to originate from the French language. 

Lastly, if someone offers you a Fastnachtskrapfe, say yes because it’s a jelly-filled carnival donut. And if you’re offered a Bützchen? It’s your call, but know that it’s a little kiss given to strangers!

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