Decades From Home - A Podcast About Germany

There’s a beautiful bit of symmetry this week as we begin where we left off last week on topic of kebabs, although these ones have nothing to do with football legend Lukas Podolski. No, these kebabs are in a more British variation, as we discuss and award winning kebab pie in the UK, and why Australia seems to have cornered the market in German pies.From pies, we turn to the topic of cups and cupboards as we find out why questioning someone’s mug storage is a major insult in Germany, and why an ill judged remark during the recent election has seen one German politician receive as many as 5,000 mugs and cups in protest.We finish things off by looking at the story of two German tourists who have recently been detained on the Mexico/US border after being refused entry in the USA, highlighting the institutionalised cruelty of border control in America. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

Finally free from covering the Federal Election, we head into less controversial waters this week, by asking which is the correct term: Karneval or Fasching? Thankfully Simon has the perfect compromise, although it might take some time for “Happy German Time” to catch on. No matter, there’s plenty of other pre-Lent celebrations to cover, including the satirical Rosenmontagswagen in Düsseldorf.Having carefully skirted politics, we take a look at some weird goings on in Munich, where it seems paying for parking might also include inadvertently signing up for a gym membership. We find out why, and discover why Simon is deeply scared of joining his local Fitness Studio.From keeping in shape, we shift in the opposite direction as we look at the many and varied health concerns at the Kebab chain of German footballing legend Lukas Podolski. Should we expect kebab shops to be totally clean, should you really house random mice in the kitchen, and most importantly, how much is Podoloski charging for a Döner?Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

If there’s one thing we’re all about on this here podcast, it’s fulfilling dreams. Ok, maybe seeing Bayern Munich isn’t exactly fulfilling a dream, but Simon did see Harry Kane in the flesh, and that’s got to be worth something. We discuss catching a footballer’s attention, matchday atmosphere, and when it’s OK to leave a game early.Leaving seems to be a bit of theme this week, as we finally reach the end of the Federal election campaign. Though we could blame the winter weather, there’s been more than enough gloom hanging over last Sunday’s vote, and though some consider the result a success for the moderates, it’s not so clear cut.We break down the election results for all the major parties, and try to make sense of the many stories coming out since polling ended; who gained, who lost, and what the hell does Rambo Zambo mean anyway?Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

The hosts kick off with a hilarious recount of fire safety training, showcasing the competitive spirit of parents and kids. They dive into the social implications of schnitzel choices and debate if chicken is the worst meat. Excitement builds for Sam Fender's concert in Munich, while nostalgia envelopes discussions about Newcastle United's 1995-96 players. Political discourse takes a turn, tackling electoral disenfranchisement in Germany, alongside reflections on the challenges of maintaining democratic values amidst rising extremism.

It’s bloody typical, isn’t it? You wait around for Germany’s most expensive property to go on the market and then two come along at once! Following last week’s oligarch owned villa on the Tegernsee going for an eye watering €25 million, this week we learn Berlin has a property going for significantly more. We discuss how many en suites are too many, and why Brad Pitt is to blame for all this.From the opaque world of German real estate, we liven things up by dunking our heads in the ice cold water of German politics. The election is still a week away, and we discuss the massive anti far-right protest in Munich, and whether it’s impacting the polls. We also look at the release of the famous Wahl-O-Mat platform.We finish things off with fiery debate on Krapfen. What filling means you’re a class traitor, how many are too many, and why can’t we call them doughnuts?Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It’s not often that a bit of random doom scrolling leads to a nice chat, but thanks to Simon’s algorithm, a forgotten Werner Herzog clip gives us our first topic of the week. We discuss the work of one of Germany’s greatest directors, and somehow manage to avoid doing any impressions of him.Having reached the heights of German arthouse cinema, we plumb the depths of Germany’s real estate market. On the banks of the beautiful Tegernsee in Bavaria, the most expensive house in Germany went on sale to a limited market of billionaires. We discuss the murky details of wealth, power, and influence.We finish on the small German town that’s found a new way to inject millions into local infrastructure projects by using the funds of the busiest speed camera in the country.

The gloomy end of January brightens with a celebratory Bundesliga win. Football fandom intertwines with political discussions, addressing far-right extremism and public protests sparked by recent events. A mysterious suitcase filled with €42,000 adds a humorous twist to the conversation. Reflections on the legacy of the Nazi era and critiques of modern cultural perceptions create a rich tapestry of thought, while the echoes of lost belongings bring laughter to this engaging narrative.

There’s a lot of news going round in Germany at the moment, so sometimes we miss a few stories, but we rectify a massive error in the running order last week as Nic finally updates the pod on his DJ set we discussed in Ep 213. We ponder what might get Gen Z dancing, and Simon & Producer Simon share their own suggestions for a student club night. As the various Federal election campaigns continue to chunter along as we head towards February, we take a look at the curious social media activity of a certain Bavarian politician. What does it take to get elected in Bayern, and why are the Avengers on the campaign trail? We also discuss the celebrations as Chemnitz becomes one of Europe’s Capitals of Culture, the beginning of the trial phase as Germany’s new digital patient record app is rolled out, and we end on the world’s fastest train fare dodger.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

After his triumphant return to the podcast last, Simon is settling in nicely, so much so he takes the reins of the podcast to bring us a segment on the various alternative versions of German cities in the good old USA. Why live the poor but sexy life in the original Berlin when you could move to Berlin, Connecticut and enjoy the cookie cutter world of small town America? Perhaps moving countries is a little extreme, especially when there’s work still to be done here in Germany. There’s a lot of things that Germans are dissatisfied with, and we see this from various online polls on a weekly basis, but do online polls really change anything? We discuss what seems to be annoying Germans the most and why not every petition is treated the same.Change is certainly on the agenda as the Federal elections loom large at the beginning of 2025, and we finish the show by looking the recent developments. Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß

It’s the first pod of 2025, and boy is it a doozy! Among the new year’s well wishes, we also have a few changes to mention, as co-hosts Kat and Dili take a much deserved break from the show. Losing two co-hosts does present a bit of a problem: who will help Nic & Producer Simon with the podcast? Luckily for you dear listeners, we have the perfect candidate, as an old friend makes a surprising return to the Decades from Home fold. With the all this admin going on, you might think we don’t have time for anything else, but you would be wrong. We discuss the Silvester celebrations in Germany, and the annual fireworks chaos, which this year, Nic found himself unwittingly involved in. We also look ahead to 2025, and what Germany has in store for us beyond the February election, and we finish on the why millions of Deutschmarks are still being exchanged for Euros every single year.Theme tune courtesy of Kloß mit Soß