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LIVING IN GERMANY

Living in Germany: Immigrant startup founders, partial public holiday and Holland near Berlin

From an upcoming holiday in some parts of Germany on Wednesday to a very useful expression, we break down some of the most interesting aspects of German life and culture this week.

Published: 16 November 2020 17:11 CET
Living in Germany: Immigrant startup founders, partial public holiday and Holland near Berlin
Photo: DPA

Each week the team at The Local Germany sends out a weekly members' newsletter looking at some of the quirks, perks and big issues for people living in the country. Here's the latest round-up and remember to get in touch if you spot anything that we should write about.

Tweet of the week

More and more migrants from all corners of the world have come to Germany over the past years. So it’s not surprising that 25 percent of all start-ups are founded by someone with an immigrant background.

The couple who co-founded Mainz company BioNTech, known for its partnership on a promising coronavirus vaccine, were thrust into the media spotlight this week. Both are children of Turkish guest workers (Gastarbeiter) who came to Germany in the 1960s.

Upcoming public holiday in Saxony (and partially Bavaria)

2020 is notorious for many things in Germany, one of them being the large number of public holidays which fall on a weekend.

But if you live in the eastern state of Saxony, you can look forward to a day off from work next Wednesday, November 18th. For pupils in Bavaria, it’s usually a day off from school.

The day marks Buß- und Bettag, or Repentance Day, as it’s known in English.

The holiday used to be celebrated across the German-speaking territories and beyond. In 1878, for example, it was celebrated in 28 countries.

Where is this?

No, this photo (credit: DPA) wasn’t taken somewhere in Rotterdam or Amsterdam. But it does hail from the appropriately titled Holländisches Viertel in Potsdam, the capital of Brandenburg, Berlin’s neighbouring state.

Consisting of 134 Dutch red brick buildings, the neighbourhood was originally built between 1733 to 1740 by Dutch architect Jan Bouman following the order of Frederick William I of Prussia.

The area housed many Dutch workers at the time, and the King wanted to give them a place where they could feel at home away from home.

Did you know that?

An example of thumbs being pressed for luck. Photo: Wikimedia commons

While English speakers cross their fingers for luck, Germans hold their thumbs or “drücken die Daumen”.

This appears to come from the days of ancient Rome and gladiator fighting where the emperor would indicate whether the losing fighter was to be executed or not. Thumbs up would mean the swords were to be brought out and the man dies, whereas a hidden thumb meant that the sword would be sheathed and the man lives.

Have your say

Several of our readers are talented artists – whether professionally or as a hobby – and this painting only proves it. Susan Holliday, an American living in Tübigen, sent us her latest autumn work.

“I like to imagine the girl & the pumpkin she carved in her image have been good friends since Halloween. How can she tell him that now Thanksgiving is approaching and that means…pumpkin pie!” she wrote.

Whether or not you’ll also be celebrating the classic American holiday from abroad, this piece pays homage to one of Germany’s favourite foods when the weather turns cold: Kürbis (which translates directly into both squash and pumpkin).

Do you have an artistic talent you’d like to show off to us (and other Local members)? Write to us at [email protected].

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For members

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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