LIVING IN GERMANY

Calls for political consequences are loud as Germany commemorates the first anniversary of the racist killings in the western German city of Hanau. On 19 February 2020, a 43-year-old German shot dead nine people with foreign roots in Hanau out of sheer racially-motivated hate — One year ago, on 19 February 2020, a 43-year-old German in Hanau had shot and …

According to the resolution of the Corona Summit, a meeting between Chancellor Angela Merkel and the premiers of the 16 federal states on the management of the pandemic, on Wednesday the lockdown measures in force will be extended in principle until 7 March. Among the key other decisions made at the meeting was that individual federal states should decide on …

The federal and state governments have agreed to extend the existing shutdown measures in Germany. On Wednesday, Chancellor Angela Merkel and the premiers of the 16 federal states reached decisions on the further course of the pandemic’s management. Highlights of the resolution of the Corona Summit at a glance: Lockdown extended until 7 March Corona infection numbers are falling, but …

For the second time, Berlin is awarding prizes to entrepreneurs with a migration background operating in the city, which is also a federal state. The prize Vielfalt unternimmt – Berlin würdigt migrantische Unternehmen, first awarded in 2019, gives public recognition to the achievements of minority entrepreneurs who are contributing greatly to the economic development of the city. There are three …

Germany’s governing grand coalition has agreed on further aid to families and businesses because of the corona pandemic. The decision was made by the coalition committee of CDU/CSU and SPD on Wednesday (3 February), after a meeting in the office of the chancellor in Berlin. The meeting, at which the new CDU leader Armin Laschet also took part for the …

The Ambassador of the Federal Republic Nigeria to Germany, His Excellency Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has called on Nigerians seeking consular services to desist from patronising touts. They should rather communicate directly with officials of the embassy, he charged. The envoy issued the advice at a meeting with the representatives of the Nigerian community in his office on Monday (1 February). …

Like at the beginning of every month, new legal changes enter into effect in February 2021. For example, the deadline for tax returns changes and paying for online shopping will become safer. Here’s an overview of the new laws and regulations: —- Submission deadline for tax return extended Some of us are already starting to gather the receipts and information …

At the conference of Germany’s federal and state governments on 19 January, it was decided that it’s compulsory to wear medical or FFP2 masks on public transport (bus, train, tram) and while shopping. Lufthansa has also announced its adoption of the new regulation aboard its flights from 1 February. What are medical and FFP2 masks? Where can I get them? …

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier believes we have overcome the worst of the coronavirus pandemic. Solidarity has grown stronger through the crisis, the president said in his Christmas address to the nation. “‘When can I live my dreams again?’ This sigh of exasperation, my fellow Germans, is one of the thousands of personal messages I received from all parts of our …

Osasere ‘Joy’ Igbineweka, popularly known as Mama Prosper, was laid to rest in a solemn ceremony in Frankfurt on Friday 11 December. She had died in the morning of 26 November in the German city. Despite the unfavourable weather condition and the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, friends and family members turned out in a large number to pay their last respects …

Two thirds of women in women’s shelters (Frauenhäusern) in Germany have a migration background, according to a recent survey. Some of the reasons why women seek protection in such homes, commonly called refuge for battered women, include domestic violence and lack of money to rent their own accommodation. According to the statistics of the Women’s Shelter Coordination (Frauenhauskoordinierung) presented in …

Starting from the decade of Ghana’s independence until today, the book, by Desmond John Beddy, traces the history of Ghanaian presence in Germany excellently – the motivation for migrating to Germany, the categories of those migrating, and how these changed over the decades, and the reasons for the changes..

The last month of 2020 will also see many legal changes. In the Corona pandemic, hardly a week goes by without inhabitants of the country having to adapt to new laws or regulations. The partial lockdown has been extended, Deutsche Bahn will raise its prices and the Hartz 4 standard rates will also rise. There will be changes not only …

From next year, unemployed people and families are to benefit from newly approved social laws by the Bundesrat.  —– The Bundesrat, Germany’s upper house of parliament, approved a series of Social Laws on Friday which will see an increase in benefits for unemployed people and families as from next year. The Bundestag, the lower house, had already passed the laws …

The Embassy of Nigeria in Germany has issued a public notice calling on people dealing with the Embassy to report any officials or other persons who demand bribes or any other illegitimate gratifications from them. The Notice, dated 17 November 2020, reads: “The general public is hereby informed to report cases of persons soliciting for money or any form of …

A migrant organisation has criticised Germany and Austria for deporting people to Nigeria amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to Nigerian media reports, 32 Nigerians were forcibly returned to Nigeria on a flight from Germany last Thursday (12 November). “It is unfortunate that the German government decided to embark on such a deportation operation especially at a time when Europe is …

On Thursday, 5 November 2020, the Bundestag voted in favour of the Federal Government’s draft law “to strengthen security in passports, identity cards and documents relating to foreigners”. New identity cards will mandatorily contain two fingerprints from August next year. With this Bundestag resolution, Germany is implementing European law. According to the draft law, new requirements will also apply to …

An invitation has gone out to young people of African descent in Germany to participate in the Lead Academy 2020 via Zoom on 24-26 November. The event is organised by Lead Africa International e.V., a global non-governmental organization dealing with development issues. The three-day virtual event precedes the Global Partnership for African Development (G-PAD) 2020 Forum, with the theme Strengthening …

According to Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD), the Federal Government wants to have the controversial term “race” quickly deleted from the Basic Law, the country’s constitution. “There is complete agreement that there are no different races of people,” the politician told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. “That is why we in the Federal Government have agreed to revise the Basic Law at …

When the coronavirus pandemic spread in early 2020, economies around the world closed down and most people were relegated to remote work. But for the young African professionals taking part in the latest AFRIKA KOMMT! programme, the pandemic brought the additional challenge of being in a foreign country and taking part in a highly competitive programme. According to Ilka Wiskemann, …