Germany in Focus

In the latest episode, host Rachel Loxton is joined by journalists Imogen Goodman and Aaron Burnett, as well as political scientist Florian Hartleb and professor of sports management at the German Sport University in Cologne Sebastian Uhrich.  

We start by talking about how communities in Germany are supporting victims after the devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria. 

• Turkish community in Germany gathers to help earthquake victims

We then talk about why Berlin is having to repeat elections from 2021, what the polls are saying and who's responsible for the chaos. 

• How the German government will be tested in 2023 by four elections
• EXPLAINED: Why Berlin could vote again after 2021 election disaster

Germany is adapting its immigration and citizenship laws to attract more skilled workers from abroad - but what’s the impact of foreign workers in so-called STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) fields been in the last years? We talk about which countries people have been arriving from, and the growing Indian population in Germany. 

• Germany sees '550 percent increase' in Indian IT workers over a decade
• Indians in Germany: Who are they and where do they live?

The far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) was founded 10 years ago this week. We discuss why the party is controversial, who votes for them, and political scientist Florian Hartleb talks about the impact the party has had on politics and German society. 

The Super Bowl is coming up in the States this weekend, but the NFL also has its eyes on growing its American football fanbase in Germany. We talk about where people can watch the Super Bowl in Germany, and professor of sports management Sebastian Uhrich talks about how popular American football is in the Bundesrepublik. 

• Where to watch the Super Bowl in Germany

Finally, we share a few German words or phrases associated with Valentine’s Day. 

• 8 phrases you need for getting romantic in German
• German phrase of the day: Hab' dich lieb

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode, host Rachel Loxton is joined by journalists Imogen Goodman and Aaron Burnett, as well as experienced mortgage broker Peter Kleinwächter from MLP Berlin and culture and history writer Mike Stuchbery. 

Germany's €49 monthly transport ticket will start on May 1st. We discuss all the details we know so far, how the states are already planning different processes and if tourists and visitors to Germany will be able to get it. 

• Will tourists and visitors be able to get the €49 ticket?

Consumers in Germany have been dealing with lots of price rises on products in the past year. We talk about whether this will continue this year, and why beer is (sadly) going up in price. 

• Everything that changes in Germany in February 2023

Next we look at why property prices are falling, how it’s affecting rents and we talk to Peter Kleinwächter to find out if it’s a good time to buy a home. 

• Ask an expert: Is now a good time to buy a property in Germany?

Peter also talks us through some of the factors foreigners in Germany need to consider when buying a home. 

There are lots of job cuts in the tech sector at the moment, including in Germany. We talk about what happens if you lose your job and you have an EU blue card, and if there's any good news about jobs.

• German software giant SAP to cut 3,000 jobs
• What happens to your EU Blue Card if you lose your job in Germany?
• Which sectors are looking to hire in Germany?

Lastly, the German film All Quiet on the Western Front is up for nine Oscars. We talk to The Local's culture and history expert Mike Stuchbery about the significance of the film and book, before discussing some of our favourite German films and TV series.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode, host Rachel Loxton is joined by journalists Imogen Goodman and Aaron Burnett, and writer and co-host of the Decades from Home podcast, Nic Houghton. 

A major news story this week has been Germany's reluctance to give the green light to send so-called Leopard tanks to Ukraine in the fight against the Russian invasion. We talk about how the international community heaped pressure on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, how Germany finally allowed for tanks to be sent to Ukraine, and what the German population thinks about it.  

• Ditherer or deal maker: Jurys out on Scholz's tanks brinkmanship
• Germany gives greenlight for Leopard tank deliveries to Ukraine
• Are Germans really that pacifist anymore?

With the property tax deadline coming up - we talk about why it's happening, what it means and how it can affect you (even if you don’t own your own home).

• The German property tax declaration owners need to know about

We get into why there's a backlog of German citizenship applications, where it’s worst and what (if anything) is being done to get paperwork moving. 

• How enormous backlogs are delaying applications for German citizenship 

We also talk about why 2023 is a critical year for the retirement system in Germany and the concerns over pensions. 

• Why 2023 is a a critical year for Germany's retirement system
• Could people in Germany soon be working until the age of 68?
• How long do you have to work to receive a German pension?

Making friends in Germany when you've moved from abroad can be tough. We ask Augsburg-based Nic Houghton, who came to Germany from the UK and is co-host of a podcast about life in the Bundesrepublik, how to go about building a social life. 

And we also chat about the different ways of making connections as an international in Germany.

• Eight rules for making friends in Germany

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode, host Rachel Loxton is joined by journalists Imogen Goodman and Aaron Burnett, and German teacher at the Goethe Institut Birgit Schneider. 

We talk about why the German Defence Minister has stepped down - and who her replacement is. 

• German Defence Minister quits as pressure grows for Ukraine aid

Attacks against emergency workers and riots on New Year's Eve have sparked major debate in Germany. We look at how it's brought immigration and racism issues into the spotlight, as well as questions about whether the private use of fireworks should be scaled back. 

• How New Year's Eve fireworks chaos sparked a racism debate

Next we bring you up to date with some great new international train routes from Germany.

• The new international train routes you can take from Germany this year
• How travelling by train between Berlin and the UK will get easier in 2023

We give an update on changes to some of the Covid mask wearing rules in Germany. 

We talk about the draft law for German citizenship reform, which will see many hurdles relaxed, including allowing people to hold multiple nationalities. Plus Aaron gives an update on the expected timeline. 

• TIMELINE: What happens next with Germany's plans to allow dual citizenship?

In this episode we focus on the German language requirements likely needed in future for people applying to become German.

• What we know so far about the planned language requirements for German citizenship

German teacher Birgit Schneider goes into a bit more detail about the language levels and gives her tips for passing the exams. 

• How hard is the C1 language test for Germany's upcoming citizenship reform?

Lastly, we get into some of the ways Germans beat the winter blues because January really is a tough month.

• The one way to beat the January blues in each German state

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode, host Rachel Loxton is joined by journalists Sarah Magill and Aaron Burnett, and German member of the Bundestag Hakan Demir. 

We start by talking about what the German words of the year tell us about Germany right now (and this exceptional year). 

• What do Germany's top 10 words of the year tell us?

We then talk about some of the changes ahead in 2023, from inflation support to the €49 public transport ticket - and what the picture is on public holidays in Germany. 

• Which German benefits are increasing in 2023 - and how do I claim them?
• How employees in Germany can take twice as many holidays in 2023
• When are Germany's state and national public holidays in 2023

With the German government's plans to reform naturalisation laws - which would allow dual citizenship and reduce the time requirements to apply for citizenship - we spoke with Hakan Demir, a Social Democrat and Bundestag representative for Berlin Neukölln, who is part of the team working on changes to the law.

He told us how the coalition is working to push through the changes in the coming months, the planned requirements and what allowing dual citizenship in Germany means to him and his family.

• Germany to require 'C1 language skills' for new fast-track citizenship
• 'Dangerous and wrong': Why German MPs are clashing over citizenship plans
• What's behind the push to reform dual citizenship laws in Germany?

We’ll finish off by having a chat about the German culture of setting off fireworks at new year. 

• Why do Germans love shooting fireworks at new year?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode, host Rachel Loxton is joined by journalists Sarah Magill and journalist Aaron Burnett as well as writer and researcher Mike Stuchbery and Kumar Ashish, who's a student originally from Nepal studying at the University of Oldenburg, and he heads up the the Federal Union of International Students in Germany

As lots of people are on the move to unite with friends and family over the holidays, we talk about possible travel disruption and what to expect.

• How to travel without stress in Germany this Christmas 

After an alleged plot to overthrow the government came to light last week, we look at the latest on the story, if we should be worried about the far-right movement linked to this plot, and why Germany is looking at its gun laws. 

• Germany pledges tighter gun laws after far-right alleged coup plot

We dig into where rents are increasing fastest in Germany, and the reasons why they are going up so much.

• Where rental prices are increasing the fastest in Germany

Next, we talk about the negative experiences that some international residents have had at Germany's immigration offices or Ausländerbehörden.

• Are Germany's immigration offices making foreigners feel unwelcome?
• EXPLAINED: How Germany plans to make immigration easier for skilled workers

Finally, we’ll finish off with a little festive-themed quiz (and we'll have a little chat about the legend of the Weihnachtsgurke Christmas tree decoration!)

• How well do you know these German festive traditions?
• Are Christmas pickle ornaments a German tradition?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode, host Rachel Loxton is joined by journalists Imogen Goodman and journalist Aaron Burnett as well as Olga Kravchenko, a refugee from Donbas, Ukraine, based in Cottbus, eastern Germany. 

We start off by discussing a major news story that broke this week about an alleged coup plot in Germany.

•  Who was involved in the alleged plot to ‘overthrow German democracy’?
• German authorities identify new suspects in alleged coup plot

We then talk about Olaf Scholz's busy first year as German Chancellor - and we dissect what the coalition government has achieved (and where they haven't hit the mark). 

• Scholz marks turbulent first year as German Chancellor
• German government is pushing ambitious agenda despite turbulent first year 

We talk about the significance of a campaign that led to Berlin changing two street names to honour those who stood up against German colonialism. 

• Berlin says goodbye to part of Germany's colonial past 

Next, we discuss how the German government is supporting consumers by paying their gas bills in December, and what people should be aware of.

• When will people in Germany get their December gas bill payout?

We talk about reported record figures on migration to Germany in 2022, fuelled by refugees arriving from Ukraine. We look at how that compares to the 2015 crisis, and how authorities are coping at the moment. Plus we hear from Olga Kravchenko - a refugee from Ukraine in Germany - who shares some of the challenges she's faced this year. 

Finally, we share some tips on what you should know if you're visiting Germany this winter, whether it's about the best food to eat, the weather or the Glühwein deposit rule.

• 9 things to know if you're visiting Germany in December 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, host Rachel Loxton is joined by The Local Germany editor Rachel Stern and journalist Imogen Goodman as well as citizenship lawyer Julie Schäfer.

We start things off by talking about the German tradition of Nikolaustag and Krampus.

We then talk about the results of an InterNations survey that ranked Frankfurt second worst for expats out of 50 global cities. 

• Frankfurt ranked 'second worst city for expats' in new international survey

Next, we discuss a new German word invented by the New York Times that Germans weren't previously aware of (but it could catch on). 

We talk about a turbulent week that's seen Germany's planned citizenship laws come under fire from the opposition - as well as within the coalition government. Imogen gives analysis on why this is happening now, and how it will impact the proposals.

• Why are Germany's planned citizenship reforms coming under fire?
• EXPLAINED: Could Germany’s conservatives block dual citizenship?
• 'Dangerous and wrong': German MPs clash over citizenship plans

Plus we hear from expert Julie Schäfer, who works as a citizenship lawyer in the German city of Düsseldorf, and is a dual French-German citizen.

• Germany to ease citizenship rules for children of foreign parents

Lastly, we get into a few Christmas markets around Germany that are well worth checking out. 

• Eight of the quirkiest Christmas markets in Germany
• Seven unmissable Christmas markets that open this week in Germany

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode, Rachel Loxton is joined by The Local Germany editor Rachel Stern and journalist Aaron Burnett as well as freelance journalist James Jackson, who covers Germany and central eastern Europe.

We kick things off by talking about a how Germans mark the Advent tradition in the run up to Christmas.

We then talk about train disruption on various routes, particularly in North-Rhine Westphalia and on some long-distance rail services. 

• Rail travel chaos looms in Germany's most populous state

Aaron then talks us through what we should know about the new Deutsche Bahn train timetable, while the panelists also share their tips on travelling by train in Germany during busy times. 

• How Germany's long-distance train services will change from December 
• Five tips for stress-free train travel in Germany over the festive season 

We give you an update on the stalled plans to overhaul the long-term unemployment benefits with a system called Bürgergeld. Plus we talk about the different kinds of unemployment benefits in Germany and who is entitled to him. 

• Germany reaches agreement on Bürgergeld - with a couple of catches 
• 10 golden rules to know if you lose your job in Germany

We dig into how the education system works in Germany, looking at the different schools that pupils go to and the positives of it. We then hear from James Jackson who recently sparked a debate on social media when he called out the system for contributing to social inequality. 

• What parents should know about German schools
• What foreign parents really think about German schools

Lastly, we put our panelists to the test by giving them five questions from a mock-up German citizenship test. Listen along and see if you know the answers.

• TEST: Can you pass the German citizenship exam?

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode of Germany in Focus, host Rachel Loxton is joined by regular panelists Sarah Magill and Aaron Burnett as well as Germany sports correspondent for AFP, Dan Wighton.

We start off by talking about a regional holiday in the eastern state of Saxony.

We move onto breaking down how rising consumer prices are affecting daily life in Germany, particularly at the supermarket, and talk about why the inflation rate of around 10 percent actually feels a lot higher.

• Which everyday German products are increasing the most in price?

Sarah shares some tips on how to save money when shopping, and the panelists reveals their favourite German supermarkets.

• 10 ways to save money on your groceries in Germany 

We talk about why the German government’s plans to overhaul unemployment benefits with a new system called Bürgergeld - or citizens' allowance' - have hit a massive hurdle. 

• Will Germany's controversial Bürgergeld still come into force?
• Bürgergeld - What to know about Germany's unemployment benefits shake-up

We have an update on the Covid situation in Germany, and look at why rules are beginning to change in some places. 

• Will Germany get rid of Covid-19 masks?
• Two German states stop enforcing mandatory Covid-19 isolation 

Next we talk about the German reaction to the FIFA World Cup being hosted in Qatar. Germany sports correspondent Dan Wighton, who is covering the event, talks about boycotts by some German bars, how fans are feeling and gives us the lowdown on how the German team is looking ahead of the competition. 

Lastly we talk about the stages of learning German that foreigners go through, and share what the results of a new survey tell us about how well Germans speak English. 

• The seven stages of learning German that every foreigner goes through
• Germans score very high on English proficiency 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.