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German word of the day: Geheimratsecken
Search for this German word online and you'll probably find yourself taken to articles featuring celebrities like Jude Law and David Beckham. But why?
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🇩🇪 Germany — Today's Top Stories
Breaking news and today's biggest headlines from Germany — politics, business, sport and everyday life, gathered every hour from the country's trusted newsrooms. Every story links straight to the original publisher, free and ad-free.
Are Germany’s famous ‘Cash Only’ signs on their way out?
Under new government plans, businesses across Germany could soon be required to offer card or mobile payments alongside cash.
Big tech to banking: Which companies spend the most on EU lobbying?
If there is an industry for it, there will be a lobby group representing its interests in Brussels, home to the European Union's institutions. But whi…
What Germany’s new 'PISA-shock' means for schools and parents
Germany's school system has recorded its worst results since PISA assessments began 25 years ago. Politicians are calling for language tests and tough…
What you can learn from my 'failed' apartment search in Germany
After putting months of effort into his search for an unlimited contract apartment in Berlin, The Local Germany's Paul Krantz has since spoken to expe…
UAE to invest 40 billion euros in data centres in Germany
President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a warm welcome behind closed doors in Berlin as the UAE looks to build "strategic partnerships" through…
Today in Germany: A roundup of the latest news on Friday
Healthcare fears increasingly an election issue as GP shortages bite, children in Rhineland-Palatinate to face school readiness tests at four, Deutsch…
When you can get in trouble for using a mobile phone in Germany
From checking a message at a red light to filming at a swimming pool, Germany has some surprisingly strict rules around mobile phone use. Here's where…
Why Germany is not seeing Brexit deportations like Sweden
Thousands of British nationals have been refused Brexit residency rights in Sweden, with many facing deportation. We look at how Germany has taken a d…
Nine fruit and vegetables eaten in Germany that aren’t common elsewhere
From white asparagus festivals to wild garlic leaves gathered in forests, Germany has a surprising collection of fruits and vegetables that many newco…
'Warntag': Why alarm sirens went off across Germany on Thursday
Air sirens and loud cell phone alerts cut through the air on Thursday at 11am. Don't worry, this was a test of Germany's nationwide disaster alert sys…
A third of international students build long-term careers in Germany
Thinking of building a future in Germany after graduation? New research suggests you're far from alone, with one in three international students stayi…
Is German Chancellor Merz taking a harder line against the far-right after AfD win?
"Remigration is nothing other than a synonym for ethnic cleansing," said Merz on Wednesday, voicing uncharacteristically strong opposition to the far-…
German word of the day: Gretchenfrage
Some questions are designed to get straight to the point, even if that makes people uncomfortable. This classic German term is as useful in political …
Why is Berlin failing to build more bike lanes?
Berlin had millions available for cycling projects last year but only spent a fraction of its budget. With less than six percent of a planned bike net…
INTERVIEW: 'Remigration could not be implemented by a state government'
Many of the AfD's headline proposals for Saxony-Anhalt are either beyond state authority or unconstitutional, but the party can be expected to test th…
Why Stuttgart has been named Germany's most digital city
Germany lags behind when it comes to digitalisation. But a new study says Stuttgart is the most digital city in the country. Here's a look at the digi…
European cities to get more power to clamp down on tourist rentals
Cities across Europe will gain more leeway to curb short-term rentals such as Airbnb under plans to bring down housing costs in tourism hotspots that …
Fake Jewish Lineage: The Passport Scheme that Exploited Germany’s Nazi History
DER SPIEGEL has learned that a large number of fraudsters have obtained German citizenship by claiming to be the descendants of Jews persecuted by the…
BYD, Geely, Xpeng: Germany’s Vaunted Auto Industry in Dire Straits Amid Chinese Surge
The numbers of Chinese cars on European roads is skyrocketing as carmakers from the People’s Republic rush to build factories in the EU. Germany’s tra…
Amodei vs. Altman: How the Race for AI Dominance Is Increasing the Risks
Anthropic founder Amodei and OpenAI CEO Altman once worked together to build a Super AI. Now, they are competing to be first. And that race is proving…
Boats from Eastern Libya: How Europe Is Bowing to a Libyan Warlord on Migration
Brussels is concerned about the rising number of migrants reaching Crete - and is allowing itself to be blackmailed by the notorious Haftar family in …
Moaning for the Mainland: How Taiwan Satisfies China's Lust for Pornography
Pornographic material is strictly forbidden in the People's Republic of China. Yet demand is high nonetheless. Many of the films are produced in Taiwa…
The New Axis of Evil: DER SPIEGEL Investigation Reveals Deep Military Cooperation between Russia and China
Reporting by DER SPIEGEL and its partners provide a detailed and unprecedented look at the depth of military cooperation between Russia and China. Sec…
New Information in the Nazi Database: What You Need to Know About the SS
Your grandfather appears in the SS files? What that might mean, how you can continue your research and who was even allowed to join the Nazi organizat…
250 Years: American Democracy Has Survived 250 Years, But Can It Survive Trump?
Democracy is a tenacious beast, but it has been riven by contradictions ever since the Declaration of Independence. Nowhere are those contradictions i…
In Trump's Colony: Does the US Really Hold the Reins in Venezuela?
Shortly before the earthquakes, DER SPIEGEL traveled to Venezuela to explore the question: Who is really in charge in the country?
The Minab Attack: Did the United States Commit a War Crime in Iran?
The Feb. 28 attack on an elementary school in Minab, Iran, likely killed dozens of children and evidence suggests the US may be responsible. But was i…
Climate Change in Oceania: Tuvalu Is Tired of the Prophets of Doom
As ocean waters continue to rise, the Pacific island nation of Tuvalu became a symbol of climate change. Residents, though, are fed up with being seen…
The Mystery of Michele: A Missing Woman from Germany Reappears in the Epstein Files
A young woman from Germany vanished without a trace 11 years ago. Now, her name makes several appearances in the Epstein files. Her family wants to fi…
Our Warming Climate: A Pilot Project in Norway Raises Doubts about CCS Sustainability
Can Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) really improve the climate balance of cement production? Shortcomings in Norway have some wondering if it has a f…
Hungarian Premier Péter Magyar: 'Our Country Was a Hostage State'
After 16 years of Viktor Orbán's rule, it looked to many as though democracy in Hungary was dead. But not to Péter Magyar. DER SPIEGEL spoke with him …
NSDAP archive: How DER SPIEGEL processed the data from the Nazi card file
Where does the data come from? What do the matches mean? What errors exist? And what does the date of joining reveal about entanglement with Hitler’s …
Interactive Research Tool: What Your Family Did Under Hitler – Find Out Here
DER SPIEGEL has cross-referenced hundreds of thousands of SS files with the millions of NSDAP membership cards. Here, you can search through the updat…
Human Rights in the US: Meet the Transgender Americans Forced to Flee GOP Persecution
Cerberus has their go-bag ready. Adrian is prepared to move at a moment's notice. Debra Guckenheimer has already fled the US with her nonbinary childr…
An Interview with Maduro's Son: "We Should Have Done More to Protect My Father"
Nicolás Maduro Guerra, son of the imprisoned Venezuelan strongman, speaks to a Western media outlet for the first time about his father's mistakes and…
Forced Mercenaries: How Russia Dupes Kenyans into Fighting in Ukraine
One thought he was getting a job driving a truck in Russia. Another says he was invited to run in a race. Both ended up being forced to fight in Putin…
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz: "I Am Dissatisfied with the Prevailing Atmosphere in Germany"
In a wide ranging interview with DER SPIEGEL, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz speaks about his relationship with Trump, the immense challenges facing…
Which social benefits exclude you from German citizenship?
Some types of social welfare can bar you from applying for citizenship or permanent residency in Germany, but the rules are not simple. Here's the low…
7 German words that can make your blood run cold
Local Reporter Sarah Magill breaks down the German words that strike terror in her heart.