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LIVING IN GERMANY

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

From new night train connections to stricter coronavirus measures, here's a roundup of the latest news on Tuesday.

Published: 8 December 2020 17:48 CET
Today in Germany: A round-up of the latest news Tuesday
A snowman wears a face mask in the Taunus mountain range in Germany. Photo: DPA

New night connections

Together with three other national railway companies, Deutsche Bahn is planning the following new night train connections through Europe, the company announced on Tuesday:

  • From December 2021 there will be a connection between Vienna, Munich and Paris and between Zurich, Cologne and Amsterdam.
  • In 2023, connections from Vienna and Berlin to Brussels and Paris will follow.
  • From December 2024 it should also be possible to travel from Zurich to Barcelona.

Stricter measures in Hesse

In parts of Hesse with continually high coronavirus rates, a night-time curfew and a ban on drinking alcohol in public is set to be put place, announced state premiere Volker Bouffier (CDU) on Tuesday in a statement given to state parliament in Wiesbaden.

The curfew would apply to cities or districts with more than 200 new coronavirus infections per 100,000 inhabitants within seven days. It will go into effect on Friday, and will last from 9 pm until 5 am each day.

Affected areas would include the city and district Offenbach, the Main-Kinzig district and the district of Groß-Gerau, said Bouffier.

Other states around Germany, including Bavaria and Saxony, are also putting stricter measures and curfews in place in order to tackle rising coronavirus figures.

READ ALSO: German state of Saxony to close schools and shops as Covid-19 situation worsens

Photo of the day

Morning fog in Germany is typical, as this panoramic photo (credit: DPA) across the Lower Saxony landscape on Tuesday morning shows.

Row over public broadcasting fees

The so-called Rundfunkbeitrag is to go up by 86 cents to a monthly payment of €18.36. The public broadcasters, which include TV channels ARD and ZDF, have a €1.5 billion hole in their budget. The budget is funded almost entirely through a compulsory payment that every household makes.

This increase is supposed to come into effect on January 1st, but the state parliament in Saxony-Anhalt has so far refused to back it, something that is leading to serious friction inside Angela Merkel's CDU party.

It is the only state as of Tuesday which won't get behind higher fees.

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How to pay Germany's TV tax, or (legally) avoid it

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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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