Decades From Home - A Podcast About Germany

We kick things off this week by discussing the things we love about Germany, why Indian food feels like home, and why many people who move here fall into a negativity trap. We talk about the possibility of a live show, Dili’s love of sport, and the exciting news of Til Schweiger’s return to a German cult classic with Manta Manta 2. We also discuss why investing in Hustensaft (cough syrup) might be a great way to make some money in Bayern.Much of the German news this week has been focused on the resignation of Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht. With the Verteidigungsministerium seemingly changing hands every couple of years, can anyone really be successful there? Equally, how do Germans feel about the military and how does it differ from Britain and the US? We discuss the recent comments on migration by opposition leader Friedrich Merz of the CDU, the dangers of adopting right-wing narratives, and the lessons that could be learned from former British Prime Minister David Cameron. We finish with our experiences of the never ending discussion on migrant integration.Links Mentioned in the Show:Süddeutsche Zeitung Article Correcting Numbers of those arrested on New Years EveFor 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

A listener’s email gives us a chance to celebrate Dili’s new microphone, although we might forgo the traditional celebratory cup of tea given Germany’s track record for making a decent brew. Why is tea so maligned here, and might it have to do with some good old British Schadenfreude? It’s the second week of January, and with most people head back at work, we take a look at the world of German politics as planning for 2023 begins. We discuss the various fault lines within the Ampelkoalition, and what we can expect from our politicians over the coming year. Sticking with politics, we look at the verbal mudslinging between Bavaria and Berlin as two prominent politicians highlight the regional differences that can be found in a country of 16 very different states. Finally, Dili has some questions about the Royal revelations coming out of the UK, and what they mean for the future of the monarchy. Links Mentioned in the Show:Ordered a tea in Germany. Milk added to hot water. Tea bag on the side. Feels like a hate crime.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 Joanna Kosinska auf UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

New year, new episode and we kick off 2023 with a lesson on how to gracefully offer your New Years greetings, Nic discovers that New Year’s Day has a morning as well as a late afternoon, and Dili argues that sleep is the best way to celebrate Silvester.Reports of chaos on the streets of many German cities over leads us to our annual discussion on Germany’s problem with fireworks. Maddeningly, the debate in Germany quickly became a question of migration and integration, and not one of public safety. We question the current narrative, and wonder whether Germany is ignoring a larger problem.Dili brings us some positive news to start the year, as two museums in Berlin offer to voluntarily return items that were stolen during the colonial period. Might this decision push other European countries to do the same? We also ask whether wealthy individuals should be held to account for the activities of their ancestors during empire.Despite Nic’s reservations, we finish the show with some predictions for the coming year.Articles Discussed on the ShowMit Böllern und Raketen:Entsetzen über Angriffe auf RettungskräfteFor 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 Tzvi Kilov auf UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

After a Christmas weekend to remember, we recap our festive adventures. Dili’s exploits in the Netherlands bring some exciting salad recipes, and tales of caviar fueled partying. Not to be out done, Nic also enjoyed the life of luxury thanks to the purchase of the finest bottle of “sparkling alcohol based drink”. It’s not champagne, but it was quite fizzy. We also discuss missing family and friends, and how we deal with Christmas at a long distance.We recap what Germany googled in 2022, which is helpful since Nic seems to have forgotten whole sections of the year he just lived through. We find out why a song caused so much anger, why Germans were worried about Affenpochen (monkeypox), and why search results don’t really tell us much about German culture.We discuss our personal highlights over the year, as well as some of our favourite moments on the pod, and we finish with our overall favourite events and bits of culture from 2022. Frohes Neues Jahr Leuter und guten rutsch! 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 CreditPhoto by cottonbro studioTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It’s only bloody Christmas! We bring you a bumper festive episode, as we discuss secret recipes, fun socks, and the art of decorating a Christmas tree. Dili shares her Christmas plans, and her opinions on Peppa Pig toys, while Nic recaps the end of his Deutscher Bier Pokal competition.Since both Dili and Nic live in states that have ended mask requirement on public transport, it gives us a chance to discuss these changes, and the sudden, and not disconnected arrival of an unprecedented wave of flu, cold and general sickness in Bavaria. Is freedom really coughing in someone’s face on the Ubahn?Since it’s the season of gift giving, we share our thought on present buying, whether expensive gifts are really better, and what gift giving says about a person. We finish with chat about Nic’s first Christmas in Germany.Articles MetionedMaskless public transport from DecemberBayern schnieft und hustetTipps für das (fast) perfekte WeihnachtsgeschenkFor 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 GrenzenTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Disaster strikes as Dili catches the flu, but luckily for us, an old friend is there to save the show. Yes listeners, for one final time, Simon returns to the show! We talk about his decision to leave the show, his favourite moments, and the episode he’s most proud of. LinksNgozi Fulani tells of ‘horrific abuse’ after Buckingham Palace racism incidentWir erleben den relativen Abstieg einer Nation - nicht nur im FußballBerlin says goodbye to part of Germany’s colonial pastFor 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 CreditPhoto by Jonathan Kemper on UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It seems like everyone is coming down with something this week, as cold and flu season kicks into gear, we discuss homemade remedies, fear of the Apotheke, and why taking a day off from work isn’t as big a problem in Germany as it is in other countries.A scandal at Buckingham Palace sparks a discussion on why asking where someone is from isn’t always a friendly question, and how othering comes in various different shapes and sizes. Germany’s exit from the World Cup has brought on a bout of introspection in some quarters, we ask why Germany tends to default to pessimism, and whether things are really as bad as some think.We finish with a look at recent decisions to rename streets in Berlin, the connections to Germany’s colonial past, and how countries reconcile with their imperial histories. LinksNgozi Fulani tells of ‘horrific abuse’ after Buckingham Palace racism incidentWir erleben den relativen Abstieg einer Nation - nicht nur im FußballBerlin says goodbye to part of Germany’s colonial pastFor 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 CreditPhoto by Kelly Sikkema on UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

December is upon us, and with the arrival of Advent we discuss wooden Advent calendars, homemade calendars, and why giving chocolate to children at eight in the morning seems a terrible idea. We also chat German football terminology, direct translations, and our most used German words and phrases.After an email from a listener sparks a discussion on language learning, we compare notes on how we maintain our German, and offer some tips on some of the small things we do to keep improving. The recent announcement of proposed changes to citizenship in Germany leads us to talk about our own experiences of gaining citizenship, the pitfalls, and why taking a different passport isn’t simply a matter of paperwork.We finish on a study from the Kraftfahrtbundesamtes (Federal Motor Transport Authority) which has found that more traffic offenses are caused by men than women in Germany.LinksMen commit more traffic offended than womenGerman citizenship faster? Sounds like a good idea, but guess who’s against it?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 CreditPhoto by Elena Mozhvilo on UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Dili and Nic discuss Simon’s recent announcement, the return of the DuetscherBierPokal, and why grapefruit beer is an acquired taste. After a conversation with his wife, Nic wonders if buying people alcohol for Christmas is acceptable in Germany, who doesn’t want a pint of wine around the Christmas tree? We also talk about boycotting the World Cup, celebrity activism, and the proposed changes to the benefits system in Germany.

Nic is joined by Dilini Algama this week to discuss the arrival of the NFL in Munich to play a one-off fixture, and the shadow cast by the upcoming World Cup in Qatar. Dilini is frustrated that more people don’t appreciate the wonders of quince season, especially Nic who is far more concerned with trying to shower in under two minutes flat.As the first festive season without Covid restrictions approaches, many German cities are already announcing plans to continue banning fireworks in certain areas on New Years Eve. While some welcome a less explosive end to 2022, many are upset that they won’t be able to enjoy the age old tradition. Is Germany becoming a nanny state or is this just sensible policy?Despite being far away from Berlin, Nic has become fascinated with the culture surrounding world famous club Berghain. Is any club really worth so much effort? Finally, we have another Boris Becker update as the champion tennis star looks set to return to Germany.Articles Mentioned:The firecrackers on New Year's Eve return - everywhere?What not to do at Berghain: How to avoid the biggest mistakesFor 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 CreditPhoto by Simon Tartarotti on UnsplashTheme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß