Decades From Home

Having missed Eurovision last week, Simon brings in a special guest reporter to remedy that situation as we discuss politics, Pride flags, and Celine Dion, while learning some new vocabulary to boot. Sadly, we can't enjoy the bright lights of Euro pop's annual extravaganza for the whole show, apparently we need to do some work…Yes, you heard right, work. That's the key message, not of this humble podcast, but freshly minted (give or take a week or two) Chancellor of Germany Friedrich Merz. He reckons all we need to bring back the good times in Deutschland is a little elbow grease, but is that really the only option?With work on our minds, we also take a moment to celebrate an important milestone as the Fraunequota reaches its 10th anniversary. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

No one's entirely sure how, but Producer Simon has managed to wrangle himself a holiday. Though he'd hoped for sunnier climes, the discovery that he could spend a week in Fürth visiting a Rundfunkmuseum does cause some second thoughts. While Producer considers his options, Nic & Simon concern themselves with a mysterious wooden phallus that appeared outside a local business in Munich. Who carved the giant wooden penis, and why does it look like a similar one that appeared and suddenly disappeared in Schwabmünchen?We may never solve that particular mystery, but perhaps we might be able to explain a recent survey suggesting Germans have fallen out of love with their beloved Spargel? Is Asparagus going out of fashion, and why is this clearly the fault of Gen Z?Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Of all the things Simon could have hoped to find on his morning walk to the local Bäckerei, terrifying omens of impending doom would be low on the list. Of course, that's not how these things work, and anyway, Bavarians love a little superstition. What does the future hold for Simon? Nic and Simon try to figure it out. Someone who's clearly having better luck than us is England's rose Harry Kane, who celebrated winning the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich at the second attempt. We celebrate Kane's success, discuss the best jokes to end a career on, and take some time to enjoy saying “Torjägerkanone”.Sticking with Munich, we look at reports it may be the most unfriendly city in Germany…for expats, and we finish with the anniversary of the Deutschlandticket.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Nothing can stop this podcast, aside from a few technical glitches, and maybe some seriously surprising weather conditions. All it takes is one hot day in Germany, and your British hosts quickly wilt. Regardless, no matter how warm it gets, Nic won't be following Simon's corduroy shorts recommendation.The sudden warm weather does remind us that summer will soon be here, as does the end of the football season, but not before Simon explains the curious story behind the name of VfL Bochum. Having tracked the twists and turns of German politics from February's election, the shocking results, the weeks of coalition negotiations, through to this week's final confirmation vote for the new Chancellor Friedrich Merz, you might think things were finally getting back to normal…of course, you'd be totally wrong.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

After flying around the world visiting New Zealand, Producer Simon lands on the podcast with the perfect mix of exhaustion and airport based fury. Nic & Simon pull up their chairs and learn how not to transit through an airport, and curious significance of orange chocolate ice cream.With their ears still ringing, Nic & Simon return to more German matters with a trip down memory lane, or maybe memory aisle as we discuss the changes on the shelves at the local supermarket, why the bakery seems so expensive, and what on earth the word “Snackification” has to do with anything.We wash down all the snack chat with an ice cold 0,5L glass of Schadenfreude as Tesla market share in the EU shrinks, and the AfD are forced to give millions under suspicions of corruption, while also facing the possibility of being evicted from their Berlin headquarters.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

With all the Easter eggs collected, and chocolate wrappers still littering the floor, Nic & Simon discuss their respective Easter weekends. While Simon has been merrily learning about the Sorbain community of Germany and their Easter traditions, Nic has been in the UK discovering a very odd, and very illegal new delivery service.With Easter behind us, we can fully focus on the important things, like whether Germany will finally have a functioning government. With the coalition agreement signed, we look at some of the finer points, how they may impact Germany, and where the fault lines might be found within the CDU & SPD coalition partners.We also find a little bit of time to share some suprious rumours about the real origin of Germany's humble Gummistiefel. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

As Germany celebrates Easter, little do they know that the future is rushing towards them in the form of new rules about passport photos! Okay, maybe it's not the most futuristic change imaginable, but surely any step forward is better than none…unless you happen to be the owner of one of thousands of Fotostudios across Germany.The topic of boycotting US products has continued to pick up pace across Europe since the global turmoil instigated by the Trump regime in America. Having discussed our own feelings on possible boycotts, we look at how to find replacements for US products, what we're trying to avoid, and what is really difficult to replace. We finish off the show with a major birthday as Germany sees the end of the first year of new Cannabis regulations. How has semi-legalisation changed Germany, and how might legislation change with a new incoming government?Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Once again, Germany is preparing to celebrate the world's worst vegetable as Spargelzeit begins in earnest across the 16 Bundesländer, and two thirds of the podcast are delighted to see it's return. What does 2025 have in store for Spargel lovers, and where will Simon get his regular Spargeleis? The current international economic turmoil caused by US government tarifs leads us back to the question of boycotting US products, which is really only one of many problems Simon seems to be facing on his weekly shop, the other being his fellow early bird customers.Perhaps what we all need is a bit of luck, but it seems all the luck is going elsewhere at the moment, as we discuss an especially fortunate young 8-year-old child who discovered €15,000 while digging a hole at their Kindergarten. With money in the air, we finish with some suggestions for new designs as the EU updates the Eurozone's bank notes.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit SoßThe current international economic turmoil caused by US government tarifs leads us back to the question of boycotting US products, which is really only one of many problems Simon seems to be facing on his weekly shop, the other being his fellow early bird customers.Perhaps what we all need is a bit of luck, but it seems all the luck is going elsewhere at the moment, as we discuss an especially fortunate young 8-year-old child who discovered €15,000 while digging a hole at their Kindergarten. With money in the air, we finish things off with some suggestions for designs as the EU looks to update the Eurozone's bank notes.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

As regular listeners know, we're all about the positivity on this here podcast. OK, maybe not Nic, but Simon's usually fairly positive…or maybe it's just that he talks about Döner more than the woes Germany's faced over the last few months.Thankfully for us, our guests this week, Chris Reiter & Will Wilkes, didn't follow Simon's example. Instead they confront the problems facing Germany in their excellent book Broken Republik: The Inside Story of Germany's Descent into Crisis. Chris is a senior editor at Bloomberg News in Berlin, while Will is the automotive and industrial correspondent for Bloomberg News in Frankfurt. Broken Republik was released by Bloomsbury on 6th March. The German edition, Totally Kaputt?, was published by Piper Verlag on 27th Feb.

There's a lot of good vibes flying around the podcast this week. Producer Simon is quietly delighted with New Zealand's sporting endeavours, but the real positivity comes in the form of Simon's story on a Hanoi based Instagrammer who's memeing themselves to a solid German education.All that positivity puts us in good stead given we do have to quickly look at the bin fire that is politics. We find out if Germany has a government, wonder why pollsters seem unable to take a holiday, and follow up on the changing advice for Germans travelling to the US. In further troubling news for German tourists, we find out why one young visitor to the UK is regretting their trip to London.With all that on the menu, it does make sense to finish things off on a lighter note, so about a quick quiz or two on food? Luckily we have just the thing as Nic and Simon test each other's love for German food.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

After a good few weeks of hard podcasting work, it's time for a holiday, but not just any holiday. No, we need something special, something specific, something…Geordie. Luckily we have someone to guide us as Nic tells Simon all about his Geordie German adventure.In Munich, Nic catches a Sam Fender gig and learns something about the different types of British people who seem to live in Bavaria's first city, and he returns to the capital to witness some true football history from the comfort of a bar stool in the cellar of an Irish pub.Speaking of Irish Pubs, St Patrick's Day is our final adventure of this week's podcast, featuring hangovers, terrible jokes, and a long afternoon in the fine city of Nürnberg.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

There's a beautiful bit of symmetry this week as we begin where we left off last week on topic of kebabs, although these ones have nothing to do with football legend Lukas Podolski. No, these kebabs are in a more British variation, as we discuss and award winning kebab pie in the UK, and why Australia seems to have cornered the market in German pies.From pies, we turn to the topic of cups and cupboards as we find out why questioning someone's mug storage is a major insult in Germany, and why an ill judged remark during the recent election has seen one German politician receive as many as 5,000 mugs and cups in protest.We finish things off by looking at the story of two German tourists who have recently been detained on the Mexico/US border after being refused entry in the USA, highlighting the institutionalised cruelty of border control in America. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Finally free from covering the Federal Election, we head into less controversial waters this week, by asking which is the correct term: Karneval or Fasching? Thankfully Simon has the perfect compromise, although it might take some time for “Happy German Time” to catch on. No matter, there's plenty of other pre-Lent celebrations to cover, including the satirical Rosenmontagswagen in Düsseldorf.Having carefully skirted politics, we take a look at some weird goings on in Munich, where it seems paying for parking might also include inadvertently signing up for a gym membership. We find out why, and discover why Simon is deeply scared of joining his local Fitness Studio.From keeping in shape, we shift in the opposite direction as we look at the many and varied health concerns at the Kebab chain of German footballing legend Lukas Podolski. Should we expect kebab shops to be totally clean, should you really house random mice in the kitchen, and most importantly, how much is Podoloski charging for a Döner?Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

If there's one thing we're all about on this here podcast, it's fulfilling dreams. Ok, maybe seeing Bayern Munich isn't exactly fulfilling a dream, but Simon did see Harry Kane in the flesh, and that's got to be worth something. We discuss catching a footballer's attention, matchday atmosphere, and when it's OK to leave a game early.Leaving seems to be a bit of theme this week, as we finally reach the end of the Federal election campaign. Though we could blame the winter weather, there's been more than enough gloom hanging over last Sunday's vote, and though some consider the result a success for the moderates, it's not so clear cut.We break down the election results for all the major parties, and try to make sense of the many stories coming out since polling ended; who gained, who lost, and what the hell does Rambo Zambo mean anyway?Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Despite the fact we've only recorded the podcast in the same room once in 219 episodes, that doesn't mean we should be lax on health and safety. That's why we sent Nic on some training over the weekend, to the Feuerwehrerlebniswelt in Augsburg. We find out whether he actually learnt anything, aside from how to scare the other parents.From firefighting, we return to class conscious grub, after discovering that Krapfen (doughnuts) can say a lot about a person's social class last week. We wonder what Schnitzel says about social class, and argue over whether chicken is or isn't the worst meat. We also discuss Geordie musician Sam Fender and his upcoming concert in Munich.We finish things off with a final look at the federal election in Germany, the chaos caused by JD Vance's speech to the EU, and try and work out what on earth a Quadrell might be. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It's bloody typical, isn't it? You wait around for Germany's most expensive property to go on the market and then two come along at once! Following last week's oligarch owned villa on the Tegernsee going for an eye watering €25 million, this week we learn Berlin has a property going for significantly more. We discuss how many en suites are too many, and why Brad Pitt is to blame for all this.From the opaque world of German real estate, we liven things up by dunking our heads in the ice cold water of German politics. The election is still a week away, and we discuss the massive anti far-right protest in Munich, and whether it's impacting the polls. We also look at the release of the famous Wahl-O-Mat platform.We finish things off with fiery debate on Krapfen. What filling means you're a class traitor, how many are too many, and why can't we call them doughnuts?Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It's not often that a bit of random doom scrolling leads to a nice chat, but thanks to Simon's algorithm, a forgotten Werner Herzog clip gives us our first topic of the week. We discuss the work of one of Germany's greatest directors, and somehow manage to avoid doing any impressions of him.Having reached the heights of German arthouse cinema, we plumb the depths of Germany's real estate market. On the banks of the beautiful Tegernsee in Bavaria, the most expensive house in Germany went on sale to a limited market of billionaires. We discuss the murky details of wealth, power, and influence.We finish on the small German town that's found a new way to inject millions into local infrastructure projects by using the funds of the busiest speed camera in the country.

The end of a gloomy January beckons, but despite the dark cold evenings, Producer Simon did the podcast proud by wrapping himself up and going to watch some Bundesliga football. Thankfully his team won, and he brings that joy as he reports on his footballing frisk.Try as we might, we can't aoid German politics, and there's a lot of it flying around at the moment. We discuss Elon Musk's giant head appearing on screens at the AfD conference, the destruction of the Brandmauer against the far-right in the Bundestag, and protests on the streets of various German cities as well as at the Brandenburg Tesla factory.We finish things off this week with the mysterious story of a suitcase filled with €42,000 found by Deutsche Bahn employees in Schwandorf.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

There's a lot of news going round in Germany at the moment, so sometimes we miss a few stories, but we rectify a massive error in the running order last week as Nic finally updates the pod on his DJ set we discussed in Ep 213. We ponder what might get Gen Z dancing, and Simon & Producer Simon share their own suggestions for a student club night. As the various Federal election campaigns continue to chunter along as we head towards February, we take a look at the curious social media activity of a certain Bavarian politician. What does it take to get elected in Bayern, and why are the Avengers on the campaign trail? We also discuss the celebrations as Chemnitz becomes one of Europe's Capitals of Culture, the beginning of the trial phase as Germany's new digital patient record app is rolled out, and we end on the world's fastest train fare dodger.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

After his triumphant return to the podcast last, Simon is settling in nicely, so much so he takes the reins of the podcast to bring us a segment on the various alternative versions of German cities in the good old USA. Why live the poor but sexy life in the original Berlin when you could move to Berlin, Connecticut and enjoy the cookie cutter world of small town America? Perhaps moving countries is a little extreme, especially when there's work still to be done here in Germany. There's a lot of things that Germans are dissatisfied with, and we see this from various online polls on a weekly basis, but do online polls really change anything? We discuss what seems to be annoying Germans the most and why not every petition is treated the same.Change is certainly on the agenda as the Federal elections loom large at the beginning of 2025, and we finish the show by looking the recent developments. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It's the first pod of 2025, and boy is it a doozy! Among the new year's well wishes, we also have a few changes to mention, as co-hosts Kat and Dili take a much deserved break from the show. Losing two co-hosts does present a bit of a problem: who will help Nic & Producer Simon with the podcast? Luckily for you dear listeners, we have the perfect candidate, as an old friend makes a surprising return to the Decades from Home fold. With the all this admin going on, you might think we don't have time for anything else, but you would be wrong. We discuss the Silvester celebrations in Germany, and the annual fireworks chaos, which this year, Nic found himself unwittingly involved in. We also look ahead to 2025, and what Germany has in store for us beyond the February election, and we finish on the why millions of Deutschmarks are still being exchanged for Euros every single year.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It's a brand new year, which necessitates some deep soul searching on the podcast this week as we try and remember our personal highlights from the last 12 months. With concerts, podcast guests, and new hosts, it's been a full one in 2024, so we have plenty to choose from on the list, and we have a few beers and talk about them all.The booze does come in handy, especially since it's been a somewhat gloomy year in many respects, but we do find positives to remember from the news over the last 12 months. We also look ahead to what will surely be a hectic start to the year.Amongst all that, we share the most embarrassing content we've been hooked on by social media algorithms, enjoy some word puzzles, and give each other some much deserved rewards for work well done in 2024.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It's that wonderful time between Christmas and New Year, where time has no meaning, and we're all surviving off of the last of the Plätzchen and whatever leftovers we can find in the fridge. Speaking of leftovers, we find out what everyone's been eating over Christmas, and how to deal with unfortunate dessert theft.Instead of bringing the weird and wonderful news of Germany, we instead focus on some festive curiosities as we discuss potential Cheese & Stollen sales, why Germans complain about the weather, and how not to travel stress free by hopping on the anxiety inducing services of Deutsche Bahn. We also chat about month long parties, inviting the neighbours over, and who would win in a fight between the Christkind and Santa Claus. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

As some may have noticed, the pod is late in this week. Due to the recent attack in Magdeburg, we decided to remove some of the segments and release a shorter episode than usual. We hope you all understand, and join us in sending our sympathies to the victims and their families.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit SoßIt's not just Glühwein and Sausages on the agenda this week though. If your home is anything like ours, there's an ever increasing pile of cardboard boxes taking over as parcel deliveries increase as Christmas gets ever closer. What's the best way to treat your humble delivery driver, and what are the weirdest things being delivered? We find out.To finish things off, we once again turn to Germany's criminal element, although this time it's not some random person commiting ridiculous crimes, oh no listeners, this time one of your co-host who finally admits to their thieving ways.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Although it might be too early to call an intervention, it is becoming clear that Nic has a growing Weihnachtsmarkt addiction which is probably why he keeps bringing them up on the podcast. In fairness, it would take Scrooge-like levels of humbug to deny him his festive enjoyment, so we kick things off with a discussion of Glühwein price gouging, stealing mugs from the market, and the dubious names of certain Christmas beverages.Sadly, we can't spend the whole show discussing Christmas markets, especially with so much going on in Germany at the moment. We take a look at Germany's failing industrial sector as many major companies across the country plan for major redundancies, especially in automotive sector. We discuss planned strikes at Volkswagen, and how Bavaria may have found a new way to boost the production of electric cars in the state.We finish the show with another tale of hapless criminality, although this time with a slight change as we hear a story about the cutest crime, and ponder what can happen when gift giving goes wrong.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

We always knew Producer Simon was award worthy, but now we have definitive proof as we celebrate our stalwart Producer's first podcast award. Sadly, it turns out he's been off winning recognition for another podcast…splitter. Anyway, we're not jealous, especially with so much going on across Germany.Kat catches a moped parade of Santas, Nic discovers the 2024's Weihnachtsmarkt beverage of choice, and there's a Krampus run in Munich to discuss. If that wasn't enough, there's drama in Berlin over a leaked strategy document for ex-coalition government partners the FDP. The so called “D-Day” paper has caused consternation and no little anger, but what the hell does the “D” stand for? Kat has some ideas.We finish this week's show with another look at Germany's never ending supply of hapless criminals as we find out the connection between an escaped burglar, a farm, and 80s favourite Back to the Future.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian AppealSave the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Has Christmas come early? Kat certainly thinks so, especially since her neighbours seem to be putting up their trees even before December has begun. Though we don't really care when people decide to start the festive joy, Nic is a little worried about how to keep a Christmas tree from falling apart after two weeks.Continuing the festive vibes, we discover what it takes to be the Christkind as the city of Coburg offers would-be Christkinder a seminar and training to prepare for the role. Do they really need lessons on communication, and why should any potential Christkind avoid social media?With the Federal election slowly rumbling on, we bring you an update on the various stories doing the rounds, and we finish on the curious case of a stolen Tiramisu in Leipzig.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

You might have thought the last weeks of November in Germany would be the calm before the storm of December, but you'd be sorely mistaken. First of all, Karneval or Fasching is back again, providing a much needed levity to those dark winter nights, although as co-host Kat points out, Germany's Fifth Season isn't without its problems.We may not be dressing up in costumes and hitting the streets of Köln or Düsseldorf anytime soon, but we may enjoy a few Glühweins at the Weihnachtsmärkte with so many opening weeks ahead of December. Is this really Christmas come early, or too much of a good thing?If fancy dress and warm booze don't float your boat, we can look forward to what Kat describes as a “cosy politcal winter” as the election continues to heat up. We discuss developments as Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck takes issue with social media critics, and Chancellor Olaf Scholz faces a potential rival from within his own party.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

We welcome the fantastic Kinocow back to the podcast to join regular co-hosts Kat, Nic, and Producer Simon after a week of politcal turmoil. While many eyes were watching the results of the US elections, the German government took the opportunity to collapse itself in a show of solidarity. We sift through the rubble of the Ampelkoalition and wonder what the hell might happen next.Thankfully, politics is only one part of the show this week, with Kinocow back with us, we get a chance to ask all the questions we didn't have time for on his last appearance. Given that “Kino” is a big part of his name, you may have realised already that he's very interested in film. Kinocow tells us all about his love of movies, the differences between Indian and German films, and why he's fascinated by Berlin cinemas. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It's been an exciting week for all our hosts, Kat's in Vienna, Simon has been messing around in his garden, and Nic, well he got himself a haircut. OK, maybe only Kat has had an exciting week, but wait till you hear about Simon's exciting new topiary!We're not here for gardening tips though, so we kick off proceedings with the controversy surrounding Russian songstress Helene Fischer and her new album of Kinderlieder, which includes one rather offensive song in particular. We also discuss the financial problems facing a number of German hospitals and why the first cut to the budget seems to be the catering, and we finish on the first Cannabis social club to start distributing legal weed in Germany. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It's pretty scary on the podcast this week, although it's nothing to do with Halloween, and rather more to do with the Germany's Women's Football Team having something of a horror story against Australia this week. Luckily for us, Producer Simon was in attendance, and he brings us all the gory details.Slightly less scary, though no less controversial, is the debate around Daylight Savings Time in Germany. As the clocks go back once again, The Hessian teachers' association is less than pleased about it. We discuss why, and whether it's finally time to stop changing the clocks.We also look at plans for surviving apocalypse as an entrepreneur starts selling bunkers using cryptocurrency, and we find out why the secret ingredient of the a No.40 Pizza in Düsseldorf led to a police raid. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It's an action packed episode this week, which isn't good news for Nic who seems to be a little under the weather. Luckily Kat has a sure fire remedy, although it might not pack as much of a punch as Nic's less complicated concoction. From medicine to language, we review the vote and various controversies over the 2024 Jugendwort des Jahres and find out which new bit of English will be invading the conversations of under-25s across Germany for the next year or so. We also find time to discuss the media panic in England over the appointment of a German to the top job in English men's football, discuss the results of a study into the 4-day-week from German companies, and we finish by discovering the best tourist destinations in Germany from an AI influencer. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It's back to school, or rather university, this week as Nic returns to the classroom for another semester of inspiring students with jazzy Powerpoint slides. We discuss issues of technology, where to find an overhead projector, and why a room full of engineering apprentices is a terrifying vision.A story coming out of Stuttgart catches our attention, I mean it's not often that an opera ends in 18 people needing medical attention. Why has Florentina Holzinger's opera "Sancta" caused so much controversy, and how much does that have to do with a nude rollerskating nun?We finish the show with the curious case of the death of a neo-nazi while climbing Hitler's favourite mountain, and what it all has to do with Nazi UFOs.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian AppealSave the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Well look at that, we've made it two whole centuries of podcast episodes, who would have thought! By way of a reward to our lovely listeners, we have an action packed episode full of dodgy German pronunciation, brutal Denglish phrasing, and numerous grammar corrections, and that's only the first five minutes!Continuing a tradition established way back in episode 100, we've collected some of the most asked questions about Germany from across the internet (well, Reddit) and we attempt to bring the knowledge with all the authority that 12,000 minutes of podcasting has bestowed upon us.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It's feeling very autumnal on the podcast this week, probably because of all the pumpkins we keep seeing around the place. Nic, our man in the Bavarian countryside, has seen piles of them on sale at the side of the road, but Dili's only seen them in the shops. She's not complaining though, because she's found a novel way of getting a discount when she needs a Kurbis.Somewhere that needs a discount or two is Oktoberfest, which Nic learned first hand at the weekend. After his adventure at the Wiesn, we learn how to dance on the tables, and fall asleep on trains after a day on the Festbier.We also follow up on the elections in Thuringia, and how the AfD have begun to sow chaos, and we finish on government plans for national service.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

On the show this week, Nic has a run in with the Bishop of Augsburg as his kids' Kindergarten is finally opened. We discuss Bavarian flavoured Catholics, the correct kind of wurst, and sermons for 4-year-olds. Elections are in the air at the moment, and we start with Dili's optimistic assessment from her former home of Sri Lanka as things seem to be taking a turn for the better after Presidential elections. From the positive, we turn to slightly more negative state election results in Brandenburg, as the SPD retain their position as the largest party, but the AfD also make large gains. We close out proceedings with a surprise invitation to Oktoberfest and ponder what is the best outfit to wear to the Wiesn that isn't a Dirndl or Lederhosen. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

On the show this week, we're joined by translator, Würzburg resident, and all round top Scottish lass Lynn Nothegger! As if to celebrate Lynn's debut, Producer Simon brings us some exciting news coming out of Frankfurt concerning one of Germany's premier sporting events, the 11th European Tram Driver Championship. We discuss drag racing on the Straßenbahn, and our own experiences of Germany's public transport.It's not often we have another resident of Bavaria on the show, but we quickly learn why not all Bavarians are the same, and why many in the north of the state don't actually consider themselves Bavarian at all. We also discuss the different immigrant experiences between Berlin and Bayern, and Lynn offers some tips for dealing with Germany's labyrinthian bureaucracy.With Lynn being a translator, we finish things off by finding out how AI is impacting her job, and whether it will replace professional translators in the future. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

On this week's pod, we inject a little mystery into proceedings as we're joined by our first unnamed guest, Kinocow! We ask about useful pseudonyms, social media anonymity, and whether cows really do have interesting opinions about Germany.Perhaps the reason our guest would rather not offer their real name is due to their controversial opinions about mangos, which is enough to bring our resident fruit expert Dili to the boil. Luckily Kinocow has more to say about Germany than exotic fruit, as he explains how he found his way to Germany from India.We discuss dealing with loneliness, why Germany isn't a country for beginners, and why Berlin is the only place to live. We also find out why Hanuta and German knives are the most desirable objects to take back when visiting family. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

After three weeks of general calm, we welcome Nic back to the podcast, fresh from some serious holiday adventuring. Before we can get to that though, there's some admin to cover, and an important question to ask: how come the podcast gets the best reviews when Nic is away? We probably all know, but better not to tell him…We take some time to pick through the recent and rather depressing results from state elections in Sachsen & Thuringia, and ponder how to form a government from the disparate selection of political parties that have been elected. On a less serious note, we finish the show on Nic's time away, and find out whether eating lamb for every meal is a good idea, and find out what it's like to be 300 meters away from Adele. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Once again we're "Nic-less" this week (let's hope he still remembers how to pod when he does finally return!), leaving Dili and Kat to helm our way through another episode.Thankfully, we have a great new guest to welcome the show, Berlin-based writer Jacinda Nandi! Jacinda first came to Berlin in 2000, spending only a year there, but returned in 2002 after completing her degree and has called Berlin home ever since.Jacinta talks about the pre-Euro days when everything in Germany seemed so affordable, and how the British seem to forget that the UK is not that far away from Germany. As a mother of 2 bilingual sons, she explains that trying to do the right thing by speaking English with them can lead to some odd situations, especially in public spaces.We compare various cultures' attitudes to swearing and ask Jacinta to share her experiences of the German health system as an immigrant.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne Grenzen

This week's show is again hosted by Dili and frequent guest Kat, and they're delighted to be joined by friend-of-the-show, Scandi Tina. Tina was born in Norway but spent her childhood in Africa before moving to the UK as a adult. She and her partner now call the south of Hesse home, having left the UK during the pandemic. With such an international upbringing, our talk with Tina inevitably turns to the meaning of "home", how we define it and where we locate it.We also hear about Tina's German-language journey, and how mastering English and Afrikaans were her first challenges beyond Norwegian. Those challenges were necessitated by some complicated family arrangements, which Tina details.Finally, Frankfurt's newest resident, our very own Dili, wants to know if Tina has any tips and recommendations for newcomers to the nation's financial capital. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

This week's show sees the return of co-host Dili and the reappearance of frequent guest, Kat. Good thing too, because Nic is away, enjoying a much deserved break from the podcast. We discuss house-moving, a distraction from the Paris Olympics and whether "Brat" is compatible with the essence of being German.

On this week's show, journalist and Co-host of the BerlinsideOut podcast Aaron Gasch Burnett returns to the pod, and this time he's come bearing gifts…well not quite gifts, but a promise to buy Nic & Producer Simon a cowboy hat next time he's in Canada. Speaking of the land of maple syrup and mounties, Aaron tells us about his recent trip back to his homeland, and also why rodeo clowns are more important than you might expect.Of course, we didn't invite Aaron on to only talk about his time in Lumberjack country, after all, he's been at the forefront of reporting on Germany's new dual citizenship law. We discuss what's happened since the law passed, as well as some of the other reforms enacted by Germany's traffic light coalition.We also learn about why Christopher Street Day in Berlin might be the party to end all parties, the legacy of Angela Merkel's time as Chancellor, and why comparing British and German politics isn't always helpful.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

This week we are joined by Berlin based game developer Seb Downie-Blackwell! Seb is a partner and Head of Productions at Remote Control Productions, as well as Managing and Creative Director at It Matters Games. Outside of work, Seb was also been instrumental in organising public viewings of all the Scotland games at the Kulturbrauerei in Berlin.We discuss Seb's successful efforts to gather his fellow Scottish brethren to celebrate and ultimately commiserate their football journey, and why not all Scotland fans are necessarily the same. We also find out how to get an invite to the British ambassador's house in Berlin, if only to enjoy the cocktails.Given Seb's chosen career, we also find out what it's like to work in the German games industry, the growth of creative industries in Berlin, and why Germany is quietly becoming a centre of the video games industry.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

This Week we're joined by freelance reporter and broadcaster James Jackson. James is based in Berlin, and he covers a range of topics including news, business and culture in Germany and Central Eastern Europe for publications like the BBC, Sunday Times, Time Magazine and others.We discuss how a seemingly unimportant decision to study German at school led James to moving to Germany's capital, and how once he'd arrived, he built up an impressive body of work over the last seven years. James tells us what it's like to write stories in both English and German, and how culture impacts the editorial focus in the UK and Germany.We also find time to chat about some of James' more controversial stories, what happens when journalists become the focus of social media backlash, while also finding time to talk about his new podcast.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

This week we welcome the terrific Pip Roper to the show! When she's not sharing captivating stories of Berlin's history on the History Flakes podcast, Pip leads tours on diverse subjects throughout Germany's capital. Join us as we delve into strategies for engaging disinterested school kids, the enduring allure of tanks in conversation, and curious British perspectives on Berlin. Of course, we also look at more serious topics, as Pip sheds some light on her reputation as the defender of the often misunderstood German sandwich, and, with her help, we finally settle our ongoing cake vs dessert debate.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

We're shaking things up this week as Dili takes the reigns for the first time, with her first act as Queen of the podcast being to punish Nic for his many cake based transgressions on last week's show. To support the new regime, we've invited linguist and former academic Sandra Jansen to the pod! Sandra leads seminars and helps support others who wish to leave German academia, and she takes us through the many troubles of Germany's university system.We also manage to stuff a little bit of football into an already packed schedule, as Nic & Producer Simon give an update on Euro 2024, and we learn the surprising reason why Dili now seems to like watching Germany's favourite sport.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

This week we delve into those odd little bits of culture that are surprisingly popular in other countries, case in point, the unexpected popularity of British furniture in Germany. Nic, our resident Brit, finds himself bewildered by a furniture brand that has somehow slipped under his radar, proving that even the most mundane items can hold cultural significance abroad.Shifting our focus to the realm of desserts, Dili introduces the delectable Sticky Toffee Pudding from Britain, sparking a discussion on the best sweet treats Germany has to offer. As we compare Nachspeisen and question whether cake truly reigns supreme in German desserts.To wrap up the show, we have some updates on Euro 2024 before embarking on a controversial journey to transform the beloved Döner into a regional delicacy. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

There's a sense of sadness on this week's podcast as Germany's favourite football team, Scotland, have been eliminated from Euro 2024. In fairness, the Scottish fans have left their hosts with some lovely memories off the pitch, leading Dili to ponder whether the Scottish accent might be a cheat code for changing Germany's cash based society.One change that may be coming to Germany is reform for pharmacies. Dili brings us the details on what the German government is planning, how Apotheken are reacting, and why we might need a Zoom call to pick up some paracetamol. We finish the show as Producer Simon returns to a continuing story on Ukrainian refugees in Germany, and why one German politician has suggested sending vulnerable people back to a warzone. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Some listeners may have felt the podcast has been lacking our usual levels of decorative plate chat over the last few weeks. Thankfully Dili is back with us to rectify that oversight! Just in time too, because we have a lot to catch up on the rather depressing results of the EU elections. Turning to more positive topics, we quiz Dili on what it's like being a non-football fan while Germany hosts a major football tournament. We discuss how the international media is covering Euro 2024, and why many seem shocked and disappointed. We also get an excellent podcast recommendation from Producer Simon.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Euro 2024 has kicked off in style, and to celebrate the first football tournament in Germany since 2006 we have German football journalist Hendrik Buchheister on the pod this week! Hendrik writes for SPIEGEL, Sportschau, RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland, and Elf Freunde, among others, and brings his expert knowledge to discuss the possibility of another Sommermärchen.We discuss the gloomy atmosphere surrounding the beginning of the tournament, and whether a successful tournament for Die Mannschaft might raise spirits across the country. We also find out what it's like to cover a major tournament in Hendrik's home country, the peril of late goals, and how to spot Germany players training from a kilometer away.We also get a chance to discuss Hendrik's fantastic book, We call it a Klassiker: Die Engländer, der Fußball und wir, which covers the storied rivalry between England and Germany. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß