Elbe pilot collapses on container ship – colleague resuscitates him via radio
An Elbe pilot collapsed on Sunday aboard the container ship "Maxine". He was revived by a colleague and flown to hospital by helicopter.
Category Life in Germany
Practical news on daily life, integration, education, housing and orientation for living in Germany.
Drowning Accidents: Water Rescue Service Warns Against False Sense of Security
The number of fatal drowning accidents in Germany is rising, with young men particularly at risk in lakes. At the same time, fewer and fewer children are learning to swim, reports Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Potsdam Goes Digital: ID Cards and Housing Benefits Now Available Online
In Potsdam, residents can now apply for around one in ten municipal services digitally, including ID cards, passports, and housing benefits.
Sick Note from Day One: Family Doctors Warn of Collapse
Starting next year, employees will have to present a sick note from the first day of illness. Family doctors see patient care at risk – and feel abandoned by politicians.
Potsdam’s St. Josefs Hospital Closes Maternity Ward Immediately
The gynecology and obstetrics department at St. Josefs Hospital in Potsdam has closed with immediate effect. Alexianer group cited staff shortages for the early closure.
Block Trial: Public May Be Excluded from Closing Arguments
In the trial against Christina Block, spectators and journalists had to leave the courtroom when a witness was asked intimate details. According to the FAZ, this could have far-reaching consequences for the end of the proceedings.
Ryanair Flight to Memmingen: Window Breaks, Plane Turns Back
On a Ryanair flight from Thessaloniki to Memmingen, a window pane shattered shortly after takeoff. Passengers had to hold the man sitting next to the window, and the aircraft returned to the departure airport.
Fish rescue in Starzelbach: Over 1,200 fish saved from drying out
The Starzelbach stream in Alling has partially dried up. Alling fishing club relocated more than 1,200 fish to the Amper river to save them from certain death.
Cemetery thefts: Couple sentenced to multi-year prison terms in Berlin
A couple stole bronze sculptures and reliefs from cemeteries over several years, including from a children's cemetery. The Berlin Regional Court sentenced the 68-year-old man to four years and four months in prison, and his 63-year-old wife to four years and two months.
Mister Müden: Heidschnucke Ram Crowned
At the Müden Heidschnucke Day in Müden an der Örtze, an 80-kilogram young animal from Neuenkirchen won the title of the most beautiful Heidschnucke ram.
Wild Accident in MV: Deer Crashes Through Windshield – Driver Dies
A 66-year-old woman died in a wildlife accident on the B321 in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. According to police, the animal was thrown into oncoming traffic by one car and smashed through the windshield of her vehicle.
Protest against closure of maternity ward in Potsdam grows
More than 15,500 people have signed a petition against the planned closure of the maternity ward at St. Josefs Hospital in Potsdam. The ward is set to close on August 1 as part of hospital reforms.
Bundestag Passes Law for Automatic Child Benefit from 2027
The Bundestag has passed a law that will automatically pay child benefit from 2027, initially for second children. The law is set to take effect in early January 2027.
FritzOS 8.25: Data Agreement Worries Users
With the update to FritzOS 8.25, manufacturer Fritz (formerly AVM) introduces a new data agreement that has many users concerned. It primarily involves diagnostic and maintenance functions.
Four-Year-Old Girl Killed by Dog in Saxony-Anhalt
A four-year-old girl died after being bitten by a dog in Osternienburger Land, Saxony-Anhalt. Emergency doctors could only confirm her death, police said.
Parental Reform: Benefit Period Reduced to Twelve Months
Family Minister Karin Prien plans to cut the parental allowance period from 14 to 12 months. Both parents must take at least three months of parental leave to receive the full benefit.
High-Deck-Siedlung: Tenants Protest Against Howoge
Tenants of the High-Deck-Siedlung in Berlin-Neukölln protested on Tuesday against the state-owned housing company Howoge. They have been complaining about mold, burst pipes, and dampness for years.
Weekly market to breathe life into dreary center of Berlin’s Siemensstadt
The once-famous center of Siemensstadt in Berlin now looks dreary. A new weekly market is set to make the neighborhood more attractive, as Tagesspiegel reports.
Braunschweig: Family Finds Boxes of Human Bones in Garden
A family in Braunschweig discovered dozens of human bones while gardening. Police investigated but ruled out a crime.
Rapper 18 Karat can be deported to Portugal
The rapper 18 Karat loses his European freedom of movement rights and can be deported to Portugal. The Higher Administrative Court of North Rhine-Westphalia dismissed his appeal.
Nuremberg: Two More Arrests After Girls Drugged and Abused
Police in Nuremberg have arrested two more suspects accused of drugging and sexually abusing girls. The suspects, both Syrian nationals aged 40 and 21, are in custody.
Drug Deaths Under 30: Number Rose Sharply in 2025
The number of drug deaths among people under 30 in Germany rose significantly in 2025. According to Spiegel, 528 young people died – nearly one in four drug deaths involved someone under 30.
Bedbugs on Mountain Huts: Alpine Clubs Ask Hikers for Help
The Alpine clubs in Germany, Austria and South Tyrol are launching a campaign against bedbugs in mountain huts. According to the German Alpine Club (DAV), five to twenty of its huts are affected each year.
Adult Education in Berlin: Community Colleges Stabilize
Berlin's first adult education report shows that community college offerings have grown, with language courses dominating. In 2024, around 24,500 courses were offered — significantly more than in 2021, according to the Senate Department.
Life expectancy in Germany reaches new highs in 2025
Life expectancy in Germany has reached new records in 2025. According to the Federal Statistical Office, it stood at 83.6 years for women and 79.1 years for men.
Second Opinion Before Hip Surgery: New Rule for Implants
Patients in Germany will soon be required to obtain a second medical opinion before receiving a hip implant.
Number of blown-up ATMs in Germany drops significantly
The number of blown-up and robbed ATMs in Germany is declining, according to an insurance company.
Housing Benefit Cuts: Cabinet Approves Draft Law
The German cabinet has approved a draft law that will significantly cut housing benefit from 2027. The cabinet, led by Construction Minister Verena Hubertz (SPD), aims to save 1.5 billion euros next year and 2 billion euros annually from 2028.
German Cabinet Approves Housing Reform: Less Bureaucracy, Lower Spending
The German cabinet has passed a draft law to overhaul housing benefits. According to the government, the reform will reduce spending and cut administrative red tape starting January 2027.
Offenburg: Two Dead After Shooting in Residential Area
A man and a woman died in a shooting in Offenburg on Monday morning. Police found the man dead in a driveway; the woman later succumbed to her injuries in hospital.
Wiesbaden housing project: Community against loneliness
The 'Communal Living' project in the Wiesbaden district of Bierstadt is nearing completion. The waiting list for the 37 apartments is long.
Record Participation: 1.5 Million People Celebrate CSD in Cologne
Around 1.5 million people celebrated Christopher Street Day (CSD) in Cologne on Sunday. According to the organizers, the city has never been as crowded as this year.
Trams resume service after heat damage in Leipzig
A week after suspending tram operations due to extreme heat damage, most trams in Leipzig are running again. The transport company LVB said citizens helped by scraping sealing compound from the tracks.
40 Percent of Employees Doubt They Can Work Until Retirement
According to a DGB survey, 40 percent of employees in Germany do not believe they can work until the statutory retirement age. Pessimism is particularly high in nursing, crafts, and construction.
Munich offers free HPV vaccinations for children and adolescents
Munich's health department is offering free HPV vaccinations for children and adolescents from July 6 to 10 as part of the Bavarian Vaccination Week.
Only 6 Percent of Households: Why Germany Has So Few Air Conditioners
Only six percent of German households have an air conditioner – a fraction compared to the US, where about 90 percent do. Behind this is a mix of building design, tenancy law, and climate change, as DW reports.
Hamburg: Man Kicks Victim in the Head – Four Years in Prison
A man has been sentenced to four years in prison in Hamburg for kicking another man in the head in the city center in October 2025. The Hamburg Regional Court handed down the sentence to the 25-year-old perpetrator, while a 22-year-old accomplice received a two-year suspended sentence.
Firefighters rescue window cleaners from 240 meters at Commerzbank Tower
In Frankfurt am Main, high-altitude rescue teams saved two window cleaners from a defective work gondola at the Commerzbank Tower. The men were trapped at a height of 240 meters.
Germany Tightens Sick Leave Rules from Day One
Germany is introducing stricter sick leave rules: employees will now have to see a doctor in person on the first day of illness. The government aims to boost productivity, reports UNIAN citing The Telegraph.
Nuremberg: First tram line reopens after heat damage
After days of shutdown due to heat damage, Nuremberg has resumed tram service on a first section. Trams are running every ten minutes on the initial stretch.