Decades From Home - A Podcast About Germany

We’ve always wondered what it’s like to rub shoulders with the great and good, and thankfully for us Simon’s here to tell us as he enjoys the corporate seats at the Allianz Arena. We find what makes a Bayern Munich buffet, meeting celebrity footballers, and how not to be a fan.We also look at what some have termed Clubsterben (the death of clubs) in Berlin which has seen Gay and Lesbian clubs close as costs increase. We also discuss the similar issues seen across hospitality, and ask whether the local government should step in to protect important community spaces. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It may not feel like a year, but apparently it’s time once again for Germany to go full crazy for Jugendwort des Jahres 2025!!! We look at the runners and riders, discuss the pernicious influence of English, and learn far more about the word “Goonen” than anyone ever needed to know.From words to actions, we discuss the world of tattooing to end the show. We ask Simon about his changing views on tattoos as he’s got older, whether he ever considered a face tattoo, and we discuss the curious case of a forced tattooing of a swear word and a new ruling by the Bundesgerichtshof on how to deal with the perpetrators. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

What’s the definition of bravery? Surely it’s living in Germany and answering the phone to unknown numbers. It can be panic inducing, but it might be the purest form of conversation, and as Simon argues, it’s also a good chance to practice some German. Something that needs no German whatsoever is the phenomena of “cool” English shop names, especially hairdressers. Simon shares his list of best/worst German shop names, we discuss the fear of straight razors, and why haircuts at sea are a terrible idea. We find some time to talk about the joys of people watching in Nürnberg, and how to survive the monotony of the Landstrasse, and we finish on the world’s largest Knödel. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

As summer continues to cut a rug through to August, we talk tourist sites, and three in particular: Neuschwanstein, Herrenchiemsee and Linderhof. Why these three? For the simple reason that they are the three newest German UNESCO World Heritage sites. Are they worthy entrants, and what does this have to do with the Great Wall of China? We find out.Summer also means school holidays, but it wouldn’t be German school holidays without a little bit of complaining. What’s boiling people’s blood? The most obvious of German annoyances, Bavaria. Yes, Bavaria, who along with their southern neighbours Baden-Württemberg, are refusing to move their summer holidays with their fellow Bundesländer. We question the Bavarian belligerence, but wonder if they might have a point after all.We finish off with another listener question…well sort of…not directly, but it does give Nic and Producer Simon a chance to have their favourite argument: Tanks vs Castles!!!!Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

There are many ways to have the perfect summer, and Nic has landed on his perfect recipe. All he needs is a few beer tents, some schlager, and the cleanest public toilets he’s ever seen. An England win in the European Championships would also help too, and we consider the chances of that happening with a review of the tournament so far.From ball kicking to treaty signing, we discuss the exciting new friendship treaty between Germany and the UK, but it have been signed somewhere with a more interesting name than Kensington? There’s still plenty of positives to enjoy, except maybe Friedrich Merz’s new stand-up routine. We also finish on the recent summer interviews from public broadcaster ARD, which faced some disruption when they attempted to interview the leader of far-right AfD. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Living in Germany as long as we have, you sometimes forget how German things can be. As Nic finds out, all it takes is a quick reminder, or the mere mention of David Hasselhoff. On the other hand, Simon is perfectly aware he’s in Germany as he talks about his Flohmarkt victories, which of course include a lovely beer krug.From glassware to baskets, Simon introduces the newest retail dating concept as a branch of supermarket chain EDEKA play matchmaker with their customers. Can you meet the love of your life in the yoghurt section, or is that more of a fruit & veg kind of hook-uo?Finally, we finish on the miraculous story of a German backpackers survival after getting lost in the Australian outback for 11 nights. How did she manage it, and is it comparable to Nic getting lost in woods?Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

For good or for ill, Germany has reputation for steely seriousness, but if we’ve learned anything living here for as long as we have, it’s that reputation means nothing. Honestly, how serious can any country be if they don’t even make escaping from prison illegal? Luckily, Simon’s on hand to explain why jailbreaks are only human.A few weeks ago we learned of attempts to bring Volksdöner back to Germany in the form of a €3.99 kebap, but apparently some didn’t get the memo. A “24 carat gold “Dubai Döner” has gone on sale, much to our disgust. We discuss why putting gold in food is a terrible idea, and wonder if kebaps are bigger and better if you eat in rather than takeaway.Finally, we bring proceedings to a close by finding out Germany’s safest cities, and which are your hosts favourite cities in Germany.A few weeks ago we learned of attempts to bring a truly Volksdöner back to Germany in the form of a €3.99 kebap, but apparently some didn’t get the memo. A “24 carat gold “Dubai Döner” has gone on sale, much to our disgust. We discuss why putting gold in food is a terrible idea, and wonder if kebaps are bigger and better if you eat in rather than takeaway.Finally, we bring proceedings to a close by finding out Germany’s safest cities, and which are your hosts favourite cities in Germany.

It might feel like stating the obvious, but it’s been fairly warm this week in Germany, which means a little more of the weird and wonderful than usual. In this case, the wonderful came in the form of a Dorffest, and the weird was large amounts of Greek condiments on offer, much to Simon’s annoyance. The primo weather wasn’t just great for dorffests, it was also Christopher Street Day. With pride events happening across the country, it seemed an odd time for Bundestag President Julia Klöckner to decide not to allow a Rainbow flag to fly atop the Reichstag. Was the decision all about political neutrality as Klöckner claims or for other more performative reasons?We finish off proceedings with some tattoos, not on us, but on the Bayern Munich team mates of English footballer Georgia Stanway who volunteered themselves to be the canvas for Stanway before she heads off to Euro 2025 in Switzerland. We talk about tattoo choices, and the kick-off of a summer of football.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

This is usually a podcast about Germany, but after a trip to Strasbourg, Nic’s a hare’s breadth from trying to turn this podcast all French with his general love of one of Europe’s most delightful destinations. Was it the architecture, the boulangeries, or the sexy gargoyles? Whatever it was, we find out.While Nic was out of town, Simon found himself enjoying more German pursuits, or at least more German TV in the form of the Rosins Restaurants, a Kitchen Nightmares inspired look at some of the more terrible places to eat across the country.We finish things off with some flora and fauna, well, more fauna as a story about moose hiding in the forests of New Zealand leads us to wonder whether Germany has any hidden beasts lurking out there.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Known for his formidable producing powers, the aptly named Producer Simon is also something of a travel expert, or at least he’s gone on holiday a lot recently. It does mean he has some interesting stories to tell though, especially what it was like travelling through Europe in an electric car.We can’t all save the world like Producer Simon, but we can answer listener questions, or at least Nic & Simon can at least. Last week it was “Mahlzeit” this week it’s “Feierabend” as we try to explain one of the best words in the German language.To finish things off, we discuss why berets and the Bundestag don’t mix well, and ponder whether “ACAB” or “Eat the Rich” are serious statements to make in the seat of German government.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß