Decades From Home - A Podcast About Germany

Nic’s been having some adventures, all of which seem to have involved wood. We discuss terrifying marionettes, and the joy of hanging out with an old school Bavarian Handwerksmeister. The recent nuclear shutdown in Germany has been at the forefront of public discussion, we recap the debate, and discover that Nic has issues with some basic pronunciation.German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach presented a revised version of coalition plans to legalise cannabis across the country, following criticism and negotiations with the EU. We look at how the new proposal differs from ideas presented in October 2022, the plans for “Cannabis clubs”, and whether a slow and careful rollout might be the best approach to legalisation.We finish on the scandal swirling around Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner, who’s private communications were leaked to newspaper Die Zeit. How might this impact his position, and what does it tell us about Axel Springer’s largest publication BILD-Zeitung. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von Ray Harrington auf UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

With the Easter behind us, Dili and Nic catch each other up on a weekend of family dinners, spicy cakes, and whirlwind trips to the UK. Nic seeks reassurance from Dili over the troubling development of Easter gifts within his German family, and asks whether too many presents will turn his daughter into an overly entitled Bavarian. In turn, Dili wonders whether her partner is trying to kill them both by refusing to refrigerate leftover food.Having only just returned from Britain, Nic is in the minority of Germans that still see old blighty as worthwhile holiday destination. According to reports, many Germans are choosing not to travel across the channel for a variety of reasons. We ask why that might be the case, and whether there is anything Britain can do to attract Germans back.We finish on the alarming reports that an app may be to blame for the dramatic increase in abortions within Germany, and also ask why Germany likes to project the image of progressive country, but still has some very draconian views on women’s health. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von cottonbro studioTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Easter is upon us, and with novelty chocolate seemingly spilling down the aisles of every supermarket, we compare notes on recycling Christmas chocolate, rabbits with chicken pox, and the power of Creme-Eggs. Since Nic is also in the UK this week, we also talk about the difference between how Germany celebrates, whether Britain has a translation for “Tanzverbot”, and why you shouldn’t invite a donkey into a church. After more than one listener request, we review the recent Royal visit to Germany by King Charles & Queen Camilla. Was a Berlin newspaper right to name Charles “King Cool”, what made the visit such a success in the eyes of many Germans, and what are good jokes to make in front of German dignitaries? We also suggest some alternative gift ideas to share the best that Britain has to offer.We finish the pod with the recent failed education summit called to find solutions to Germany’s many education problems. Why did only 2 education secretaries from the the Bundeslander turn up, and how will Germany address the serious failings throughout all levels of education?For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von Julian Hochgesang auf UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Following a busy weekend, we discuss family birthdays, how to bake cakes for Germans, and what makes the perfect party goodie bag. Nic also learns what it takes to throw him into a homicidal rage. The release of the InterNations Expat Survey, and Germany’s awful results, leads us to a discussion on whether expats are a trustworthy source, what the results tells us about Germany, and where Germans and expats might agree.Berlin once again went to the polls, this time for a referendum on climate neutrality. Sadly for climate activists, but seemingly typical of Berlin, things didn’t go according to plan. We ask whether referendums are ever a good idea, and why the results may not be as catastrophic as some might believe. We finish this week on the “Megastreiktag” that occurred on Monday, and saw much of Germany’s transport networks totally shutdown. We look at why the strike happened, the demands of those on the picket lines, and how Germany handled a day with no trains.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von John Cutting auf UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

After a week off with Corona, Dili is back in the co-host hot seat, and comes equipped with questions about Nic’s adventures on St Patrick’s Day. We discuss how to survive an all day drinking session, changing trains with a hangover, and the secret power of cheese and ham croissants. We tackle the thorny issue of Wahlrechtsreform after the German government voted to change the current election system, and reduce an overly bloated Bundestag. How will these new plans change the next election, and why might the opposition to reform create some strange political alliances? Finally, the announcement that one of Germany’s largest department store groups, Galeria Karstadt Kaufhof, is planning to close 50 of its 129 stores across the country leads us to a discussion about the changing face of German city centres, and how empty shop spaces might be used for something more innovative. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von Paul Hanaoka auf UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Sadly Dili was out this week, but luckily for us freelance writer & journalist Aaron Gasch Burnett was able to step into the breach. Some listeners may know Aaron from his work on the Germany in Focus podcast, as well as a variety of articles for many other publications.We kick off proceedings in typical German fashion with a test on Aarons credentials, and by credentials we mean opinions on German politeness, maple syrup, and of course cakes. Aaron discusses his experience of hosting the I am Germany Twitter account (@Germany_iam), his German grandparents, and even schools Nic on Canadian rodeo.With attention on potential changes to citizenship rules in Germany, Aaron shares his thoughts on the likelihood of a new law coming into effect, how things might actually change for those hoping to gain dual citizenship, and potential stumbling blocks along the way. We finish this week on the rivalry between Bavaria and Berlin, and why Berlin is one of the best places to live in Germany. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von Moises Gonzalez auf UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Fire the confetti cannons, producer Simon’s back in the booth after three weeks away! We celebrate the returning hero in the traditional fashion, by demanding he give us some gifts from his travels….well Nic does at least. For her part, Dili has more decorum, unless of course we’re talking about biscuits.After last week’s foray into wolf filled forests, we return to the wilds for a wolf related update concerning a pet attack in Ostsachsen. We also follow up on the Berlin election and wonder why it is that the capital of Germany won’t see a government in place until the end of April.A protest by climate activists Letzten Generation over the weekend leads to condemnation across the political spectrum, and leads us to a discussion on the merits of the current protest movement, and whether the outrage is justified. We finish the show with a chat on the proposal to make English Germany’s official second language.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von Stephanie Klepacki auf UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It’s been three weeks since producer Simon went on holiday and Dili & Nic are really missing him; Dili misses his stern eyebrows, while Nic misses his editing skills. In order to cheer themselves up, your hosts discuss which superpowers would be most useful for living in Germany, and why might the desire to be invisible be a sad indictment on how women are treated here.With the closing of a 130 year old mineral water company in Baden-Württemberg, we take a look at the German love of bottled water. Is tap water so terrible, and where do Germans store all their crates of water they seem to buy in ever increasing quantities? Dili also shares her favourite part of drinking fizzy water: the gas!We discuss the Meldestelle Antifeminismus, or Anti-Feminism Reporting Office, which has been operating a portal to document anti-feminist incidents across Germany. We talk about whether such a platform is useful, and if its critics have a point. We finish with a Grimm’s Fairy Tale come to life after a cyclist comes face to face with the big bad wolf.For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can.Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von Thomas Bonometti auf UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It’s nice to know that after all this time, Germany still has the capacity to surprise, as Dili discovers when she learns something new about her washing machine, and German, that’s been staring her in the face for 12 years. From surprises to the strange, as we discuss what we still find odd about Germany, from dead balcony plants, to hidden factories in the forest.With Fasching well and truly over, attention turns to Bavaria as the great and good of German politics go on all out attack as Politischer Aschermittwoch returns from a three year break. The tradition of aggressive speeches and verbal dexterity might seem like fun, but is it really what Germany needs in 2023?We finish with a discussion on our love/hate relationship with Deutsche Bahn. Do they really deserve all the complaints levelled at them, and what do they do that we can really celebrate?Article Mentioned in For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can:Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von form PxHereTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Although Dili has built a reputation for being the pods expert on fruit, her true passion seems to be cake. Luckily she lives in Germany, a land of amazing cakes and happens to have an equally cake loving co-host to share her favourite cake choices. We talk the merits of jelly, the power of Bienenstich, and why a bad cake can still be a good cake.Fashing has arrived right on schedule, and Nic goes above and beyond for the pod as he enters the lion’s den of a Kinder Faschingsparty, with only his 2-year old monkey daughter and a gorilla costume to protect him. Germany’s best new drama, Berlinwahl 2023, had its season finale last Sunday, but despite the Berlin election coming to end, the fallout may last just as long. We discuss coalition negotiations, the importance of making friends, and why acting like a grown up might be a refreshing new strategy.After a ballet director lashes out at a critic in the worst way possible, we discuss creative ways to take revenge on critics, and we finish with a government plan from Leipzig to make companies pay their employees to sleep at work. For those of you looking to support Ukraine or the many refugees currently fleeing the conflict, please take a look at these different charities and consider donating if you can:Ukraine Crisis Media Centre - A list of different donation pages to help the Ukrainian military response.Disaster Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal Save the ChildrenÄrzte ohne GrenzenImage CreditFoto von CouleurTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß