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LIVING IN GERMANY

Today in Germany: A round-up of the latest news on Wednesday

From the return of some Christmas markets to eating habits of Germans, we take a look at what's happening around Germany on Wednesday November 25th.

Published: 25 November 2020 15:51 CET
Today in Germany: A round-up of the latest news on Wednesday
A woman walks past a Christmas market stand in Stuttgart. Photo: DPA

Christmas markets make a comeback

As soon as Germany’s partial lockdown was announced, the country's arguably earliest Christmas market at Berlin’s Potsdamer Platz – slated to open on Monday, November 2nd – was deconstructed, and others across the capital were cancelled.

But not all hope is lost for those looking to get a taste of the holiday spirit with a Glühwein and other traditional treats. 

On Wednesday, a Christmas market in the western district of Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf announced it would be opening on Monday – but with its 25 booths typically squeezed tightly together now spread out throughout the area.

READ ALSO: What can we expect from Germany's meeting on holiday rules?

It’s expected that several other markets will following suit in the coming week – both in Berlin and around Germany. A Christmas market will still be taking place in the centre of Stuttgart, for example, from Thursday November 26th to January 9th, with the stands spread out throughout the area.

Tweet of the day

Wednesday, November 25th marks the International Day of Violence Against Women. This is an issue that unfortunately affects both poor and rich countries, including Germany.

German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass of the Social Democrats (SPD) in this tweet points out the shocking fact that every day in Germany a man tries to kill his partner or ex-partner, and that every third day he succeeds. 

Violence against women has been rising during the pandemic, he added, which is why it’s especially important to be vigilant of the subject. 

What do Germans eat and drink?

Every four years the German Society for Nutrition publishes a survey on the eating habits of the population. This time around the study showed both healthy and not-so-healthy habits.

On a healthier note, total alcohol consumption has continued to fall, especially for beer: per capita and year it fell by 900 millilitres.

READ ALSO: Why beer means so much to the Germans

The consumption of fresh potatoes, cereal products and fruit has decreased significantly, however. 

“On average, people eat 20 kilograms of apples per capita and year,” said Kurt Gedrich from the Institute for Food & Health at the Technical University of Munich. “Ten years ago it was 1.5 kilograms more.”

Beer: A very German habit that Germans are partaking in less than before. Photo: DPA

Various accident attempts in Karlsruhe

A 48-year-old man armed with a knife caused several accidents on Tuesday evening in the Karlsruhe area and in southern Baden within a short time using various vehicles. 

Two occupants of a car near Herbolzheim were seriously injured, and a cyclist in Karlsruhe got away with minor injuries. The motive and background of the man were initially unclear. 

“We are still at the very beginning of the investigation,” said a police spokesman on Wednesday.

Due to the man's behaviour during his arrest, the investigators consider it “as quite possible” that the man suffers from psychological issues.

More stroke fatalities during lockdown

More people than usual died from strokes during Germany's spring coronavirus lockdown, a study by health insurer AOK showed Wednesday, blaming fears about going to hospital.

A total of 740 AOK patients died from a brain haemorrhage or bleeding on the brain in spring 2020 — 26 more than in spring 2019, the insurer said.

The figures are not just a blip because they also show an increase compared with 2018, AOK said, despite better efficiency in hospitals.

Hospitals saw fewer stroke patients during the lockdown but the death rate rose from 12 to 15 percent — presumably because some patients received treatment too late, the insurer said.

With reporting from AFP.

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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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