What does it mean?

Böller is a simple enough word. It’s a “firecracker” or “firework.” It’s also one of those less common German words that can be used either as a singular or plural without adding extra letters. All you need to do is change the noun’s gender. As a singular, it’s masculine, so: der Böller. For plural, use: die Böller. You can also use Feuerwerkskörper, but Böller is the far more popular word to use.

How do you use it or where might you see it?

It’s almost New Year’s Eve, so you’ll be seeing Böller a lot. (In fact, the first of them went on sale today!)

Shooting off fireworks without advance permission from your local authority is usually illegal in Germany – except for the time on and around New Year’s Eve. That’s why plenty of people will be stocking up for their own displays – and why stores are keen to start their Böllerverkauf, or “fireworks sales” between the 29th and 31st. 

But New Year’s fireworks aren’t a universally pleasing sound to everyone’s ears in Germany. They can make German cities feel hazardous at this time of year and many of the other words you’ll see combined with Böller can give you some indication of where someone might stand on it.

Enjoying the fireworks is sometimes described as Böllerfreude – made by combining Böller and freude – the word for joy.

But you’ll also see annual debates about a Böllerverbot – or a “fireworks ban.” A general, temporary Böllerverbot was – in theory at least – on the books in both 2020 and 2021, to relieve stretched medical resources dealing with the pandemic. Some streets in certain German cities will also have a localised Böllerverbot – typically applying only to a small area of that street that police might close off.

Yet, at this time of year, German newspapers and social media are often filled with debates about whether there should be a permanent, nationwide Böllerverbot on New Year’s Eve. Some of the words used in these articles are quite direct in describing certain fireworks enthusiasts – such as Böller-Idioten.

Finally, although “shooting off” fireworks would often use the word knallen, some people even make a verb out of Böller, like this:

Wo darf man böllern? – Where can someone shoot off fireworks?

READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: Where fireworks are allowed in Germany this New Year’s Eve