LIVING IN GERMANY

Last year, more than 13,000 people failed the German-language tests required for reunification with their spouses living in Germany. Failure rates were particularly high in African countries. Critics say the language requirements are too stringent and are hindering people from exercising their right to family life. According to a new report by the news agency Evangelischer Pressedienst (epd), 13,607 people …

Chancellor Olaf Scholz travelled with a trade delegation to Ethiopia and Kenya from 4 to 6 May 2023. Many important issues, including combating climate change, current conflicts in the continent and economic cooperation, were discussed in his meetings with with political leaders as well as representatives of the business community, civil society and culture. A special report on the Chancellor’s …

The African Network of Germany (TANG) has issued a statement on the mistreatment of a group of visiting four African pupils in the south-western German city of Mannheim recently. The police in the early morning of 27 April had stormed a flat where the four pupils were staying. The officers, who carried out the raid at gunpoint and with hooded …

A fire broke out on Wednesday at a building in the eastern German city of Halle (Saale) that houses the constituency office of Dr Karamba Diaby, an SPD Member of the Federal Parliament. The police suspects that the fire was deliberately set and a suspected perpetrator has been arrested. According to reports, witnesses noticed flames at the building in Große …

There are many opportunities for startups in Germany. A few tips that will help you achieve success. —— Find a space for your ideas  For years, Berlin has also been regarded as Germany’s startup capital. Every year, more than 500 new businesses are launched there. However, cities in the Ruhr region, such as Essen or Dortmund, repeatedly top the German rankings because …

Almost a quarter of the people living in Germany last year have an immigration history. That is 20.2 million people or 24.3 per cent of the total population, the Federal Statistical Office said on Thursday in a micro census data report. The authorities defined people with an immigration history as those who arrived in Germany since 1950 and their direct …

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier presented former Chancellor Angela Merkel with the country’s highest honour on Monday at a ceremony in Berlin. Ms Merkel, who was head of government for 16 years, was honoured with the Großkreuz des Verdienstordens (“Grand Cross of the Order of Merit”) for her contribution to German political life. The national honour has been received by only two …

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 and awarded once in two years, gives public recognition to the achievements of minority entrepreneurs who are contributing greatly to the economic development of the city. The prize was first awarded …

A podium discussion on the situation of third-country nationals who fled the war in Ukraine took place recently in the East German city of Halle. There are currently about 38,000 refugees from Ukraine without Ukrainian citizenship in Germany. The objectives of the event, organised by AWO Akademie Mitteldeutschland, were to reflect on the racist experiences of the African refugees, spotlight …

The 23-year-old Basiru Jallow was found seriously injured with stab wounds in the Old Botanical Garden of Tübingen in the afternoon of 23 March and he died of his severe injuries a short time later in hospital/Photo: Courtesy of Yahya Sonko The mayor of Tübingen, a town in Baden-Württenberg, Boris Palmer, has again been criticised over his racist and insensitive …

Ryyan Alshebl (pictured above on a campaign poster) has become a mayor in Germany, only eight years after arriving in the country as a refugee/Photo: Ryyan Alshebl/Facebook The inhabitants of Ostelsheim, in the district of Calw, state of Baden-Württemberg, elected Ryyan Alshebl as their new mayor on Sunday with an absolute majority of 55.41 per cent of the votes. The …

Like almost every month, April 2023 brings some important changes for people living in Germany. Most are positive changes but there are also some inconveniences for rail passengers. Among other things, the advance sale of the much-awaited 49-Euro-Ticket will commence, the few remaining COVID-19 rules will expire, more pay for temporary workers and some routes of the Deutsche Bahn will …

The SPD politician Mike Josef is the new Lord Mayor of the City of Frankfurt am Main. The 40-year-old received 51.7 per cent of the votes in a run-off election on Sunday, relegating his main opponent Uwe Becker (CDU) to second place. Becker received 48.3 per cent. Josef has been the city’s head of planning and sports until now. He …

Love kept at a distance: German national Linda Wendt is fighting to establish a life in Germany with her husband. But he cannot move here without first passing a language test. A major problem — but not an isolated case. A special report by Andrea Grunau, DW Linda Wendt and Moro Diop* are a couple. But they live their everyday …

Amal Abbass has been awarded this year’s Berliner Frauenpreis (Berlin Women’s Prize). The Black German social entrepreneur was honoured for her long years of engagement for the equality of women who because of their skin colour or gender identity are subjected to discrimination. Amal Abbass, a native of Dresden whose father was a Sudanese, is a transcultural psychologist who has …

Members of The African Network of Germany (TANG) have elected a new board to pilot the affairs of the organisation for the next five years. The election, part of the activities of the group’s ordinary general meeting 2023, took place on 11 March 2023 in Freiburg. Dr Sylvie Nantcha was unanimously re-elected Chairperson of TANG, an umbrella body for African …

In view of the increasing shortage of skilled workers in Germany, the Christian Democrats (CDU) in the state of Lower Saxony can envisage the integration of rejected asylum-seekers into the labour market. It is a matter of “our prosperity and our economy”, the party, which normally has always maintained a hardline position on asylum-seekers, says. The CDU group in Lower …

Almost a quarter of the people living in Germany have an immigration history. In 2021, almost 19 million people who had either immigrated themselves or both parents had immigrated since 1950 lived in the country, according to a new report of the Federal Statistical Office. 17.3 percent of the population have immigrated to Germany since 1950, another 5.7 percent are …

The case of the asylum seeker Oury Jalloh, who burnt to death in controversial circumstances in a police cell in Dessau in 2005, has gone the European Court of Human Rights. Recently, Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court confirmed the closure of the investigation even though experts insist that the official version of the incident is “impossible” and Jalloh’s family accuses the …

March brings some relief for the pockets for millions of consumers in Germany. The energy price brakes come into force and students will now also receive relief payment for their energy costs. Here’s an overview of important changes in March. —— Energy price brakes take effectThe energy price brakes for millions of gas, electricity and district heating consumers will take …