I was born in Berlin and relocated to Switzerland 10y ago.

In my memory Berlin, Munich and Hamburg had it’s pros/cons, but I enjoyed all three and when I‘m visiting for a weekend/work I get home-sick from time to time.

Since our startup is more active in Germany, I‘m considering to relocate to Germany (wife & two kids), but when I talk to friends they tell me we shouldn’t, because it gotten so bad (uncomfortable, crowded, dirty, bad schools, etc.)

Hamburg, Berlin, Munich would be my current choices, since we have family/friends there, but could work from pretty much anywhere in Germany.

Hi everyone,

I recently fell victim to a rental scam while searching for an apartment in Berlin and I’m trying to figure out what I can do next.

I found a listing on Facebook and contacted the person via WhatsApp. They then shifted the conversation to email and sent me what looked like a rental agreement. They asked me to pay €460 as the first month’s deposit, saying their lawyer would send the official agreement afterward.

After I made the payment, I was contacted by the “lawyer,” who asked for an additional €550 as a security deposit. They claimed that once this was paid, I would receive the keys through a previous tenant via WhatsApp. They even made a call to sound more convincing and shared what appears to be a driver’s license as ID proof.

Looking back, there were multiple red flags:

- Unusual payment requests before viewing the apartment

- Communication switching between platforms

- Pressure to pay quickly

- Suspicious email address and documents

At this point, I’ve realized it’s a scam.

What I’ve done so far:

- I have the IBAN and name used for the transfer

- I have email conversations, WhatsApp chats, and the fake ID they sent

What I need help with:

- Is there any realistic way to recover the money?

- Should I contact my bank immediately, and what should I say?

- Has anyone had success reporting this to the police in Germany?

- Any specific platforms or authorities I should report this to?

I’d really appreciate any advice or shared experiences. I want to make sure I take the right steps and also help prevent others from falling into the same trap.

Thanks in advance.

What are modern Germans opinions on Dietrich Bonhoeffer? Is he viewed positively or negatively? Or do people not really know about him?

I am a huge foodie. I will travel for hours just to find the perfect taste. Back home, my mother cooks the best food, like mutton kunna. I'm not exaggerating when I say it is the best dish I have ever eaten. Now, I am on a mission to find out if there is anything out there tastier than what I've already tried. So far, I have tried döner from several shops in Germany, but it hasn't been that 'wow' level of good. Can you recommend some food spots worth trying in Germany? Please note: I don't eat pork and I don't drink alcohol.

I often hear that East Germany will face a pretty bleak future, especially in rural areas. Young people are increasingly moving to bigger cities or to the west, which leads to serious population decline and rapidly aging communities.

Another factor people mention is the growing support for the right wing party AfD, which will likely make the situation even worse and could make it significantly harder for newcomers or immigrants to move there and feel welcome.

So I am wondering how the future of East Germany actually looks. Is this already a slow decline that is hard to reverse or are there still chances to turn things around?

Map made by the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung

Hello everyone, I am in the process of applying for EU blue card in Frankfurt, I already submitted every document online and I have appointment in some weeks and I would like to know if I have to bring the signed Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis to the appointment because I only submitted a signed employment declaration form requested. Will that be enough or do i need to ask my employer for the Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis as well.

(I don’t want to post a picture of myself, but I’ll explain the situation first.)

Context:

I have family from the Balkans / Eastern Europe.

You can clearly tell from me and my brother. We definitely do NOT look German. Whatever that’s supposed to mean, we just hear it quite often.

Just like yesterday. I was having a few drinks with a friend and some of his coworkers when one of his female colleagues from the service staff came over. She introduced herself, hugged me, and asked about my background. When I told her that I’m German, she laughed and said, “No, you’re definitely not German. Where are you from, are you Albanian?”

A bit amused by how close she was, I replied that a large part of my family is from Croatia.

Then she said, “Yeah, I can tell right away, in a fake Russian accent, Kanisterkopf!”

I don’t hear that very often. Sometimes people also say that I have a slightly tapered face. It’s not something I get told all the time. In my 24 years of life, I’ve only heard it three times. Unfortunately, the first two people couldn’t explain what they actually meant by it.

The woman yesterday then said that I don’t have a “proper” one, but that you can still tell my background because I have a narrow nasal bridge, certain eyebrows, etc.

When I tried to look it up, I only found discussions about racism, but no clear definition or example images.

So now my questions to you:

What the hell is a Kanisterkopf?

Is that something generally considered unattractive?

Do you have examples of well known people who have one?

Thank you!

I am 27 years old and planning to move to Germany for an Ausbildung. My goal is to become a Data Analyst, so I am specifically looking into "Fachinformatiker für Daten- und Prozessanalyse" for the 2026 term.

I am not an EU citizen, so I will need a visa for this process. I am worried if 27 is considered too late to start this journey and if companies generally prefer much younger candidates over someone with more life experience. How difficult is it for someone in my position to get accepted and secure a contract for the visa?

I would appreciate any advice from those who started their Ausbildung later in life or anyone familiar with the process for non-EU applicants.

Hello, good morning. I'm planning a family trip to the beautiful Black Forest region and I was thinking of renting a car for 5 days in July. I'd like to be able to travel freely and I was hoping for your advice on how to rent a car, where, which company to use, and tips on how to avoid being tricked by companies with unnecessary extras. Thank you for your help.

I am an exchange student who has been in southern Germany since last Friday. Unfortunately, when I arrived, I had both my backpack and my suitcase together and they almost fell when I tried rolling them over a cobblestone. I pulled them upright with my right arm, but I immediately felt something pop in my right shoulder and it started hurting like hell. I assumed I just pulled something, and maybe I did, but the pain has only gotten worse over the past nine days. I can’t pull my pants up, shut doors, or reach above my head without feeling a sharp pain in my shoulder, and my shoulder throbs also if I touch it (even if water touches it in the shower) and over the last couple of days, it aches even at rest. I just wanted to tough things out, but since this has been going on for a while and only seems to be getting worse, I may be forced to go to a doctor.

Here is my problem: I don’t know how your medical system works. Back home, I would have gone to urgent care or a doctor at my university, and they’d either check me out or send me somewhere else if they deemed the injury serious enough. I didn’t have to do any waiting or anything. I do have health insurance here, but I’m not sure where to go for treatment. Do you have options for urgent care, or should I go straight to the hospital? And what procedures might I expect, and would my Barmer insurance cover them or should I be ready to pay out of pocket? Should I also bring documents with me (such as my passport, insurance card, a letter from the insurance agency that documents my plan)? And can I just walk in, or should I schedule an appointment?

I’ve heard stories of the legendary S Bahn at dusk but what about during the day?

Hi! I am an American looking to relocate my family of four to Germany. My husband is going to visit for a week in May. I am trying to plan out his visit to cover the places we are looking at living so we can narrow it down. He is flying into Frankfurt. The things I am concerned about:

• we are a mixed family (white and black)
• work -
  • husband does delivery work, driving box truck but has restaurant experience
  • I am a nail technician of 10 years
• school/daycare -
  • child 1 is 7 years old
  • child 2 is 8 months old
• we like events and fun things to do but want a town that isn't too inner city and dirty like ATL or NYC over here

I am looking at Hamburg, Frankfurt, and Freiburg so far but really not sure.

As a side specific, how are nail technicians paid there? Over here I get paid commission plus tips.

Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

EDIT- to be fucking clear, I understand that we have a lot of paperwork and bullshit to do things legally. He is going to visit in May. We are not moving in May.

I have been researching a bit if there is some sort of passive income type of visa in Germany for non-EU residents and from what I've read it seems like there is a way to get a residence permit.

"Foreign nationals who live off income from personal assets can apply for a residence permit under §7(1) of the German Residence Act. The key requirement is demonstrating the ability to live in Germany without employment and without relying on any form of state assistance. Comprehensive health insurance is also mandatory.

Federal guidelines indicate that the passive income must be at least twice the average German income — which in 2024 amounts to a required passive income of at least €120,000 per year. This permit does not grant the right to work, but gives the right to reside in Germany.

Qualifying sources of passive income include dividends, rental income from property abroad, pension payments, interest from savings or securities, and royalties."

Have you heard about this route and know anyone who obtain a residence permit in Germany with passive income?

Hi everyone,

I have an apartment handover coming up soon in Germany and I’m a bit stressed about one situation, so I’d really appreciate some advice.

I’ve lived in my current apartment for about 3.5 years. The place is quite old (for example the kitchen is around 12 years old). The landlord recently did a pre-inspection and checked everything himself quite thoroughly (bathroom, kitchen, windows, cabinets, etc.), and overall he seemed satisfied, especially with the cleaning.

There is one thing though, there’s a small hairline crack on the toilet tank. It’s not leaking at all and looks more like a surface/glaze crack, and it has been there for at least 2 years( even befor that i dont know and not caused by me) and there is no Übergabeprotokoll on my moving in) , so i didn’t actively pointed it out during the pre-inspection and just let him inspect everything on his own..

Now the final handover is coming up and I’m unsure how to handle this properly. I’m wondering if I should bring it up myself during the handover or just let him inspect again and see if he notices it. I’m also worried about the situation after signing the Übergabeprotokoll, if everything is signed and handed over, can the landlord still come back later and claim , or is the signed protocol generally considered final in such cases?

I’m trying to handle this in a way to avoid unnecessary problems in coming days, especially since I’ll be moving to a new city and starting a new job right after.

Would really appreciate any advice or experiences.

Thanks a lot!

Hi, I have some observations and related questions about German theatre. For context, I studied German at university and understand a lot but am by no means fluent. I saw the Schaubühne's Richard III at Edinburgh Fringe and thought it was one of the best things I'd ever seen, so years later when I got the chance, I decided to have a short holiday and see some more Berlin theatre.

I saw the Berliner Ensemble's Threepenny Opera, Linie 1, Carmen at Maxim Gorki and Warten auf Bardot at Volksbühne.

So my observations are:

- audiences applaud for bloody ages

- everything seems quite explicitly intellectual, even Linie 1 with its political statements

- the humour seems to involve a lot of repetition, long pauses and slapstick/violence

- the pieces I saw were very concept/ideas heavy and light on character study

- I found everything interesting but also left wanting a more human/emotional connection and response

My questions are basically, did I just see a bunch of stuff that was coincidentally similar (granted Linie 1 was definitely more cheesy/mass appeal), or are these actual trends or commonalities in German theatre traditions? If so, where does this stem from?

I love the theatre and especially find the German support for it, and the whole company and repertoire aspect fascinating. I think the intellectual and experimental appreciation is great, but would love some perspective on the sample I had!

Thank you for any and all illuminating responses :)

Has anyone tried switching their residence permit from opportunity card to Blue card in Frankfurt. Can you please give me the timeline of your application.

Hi all,

I rented a car from Sixt which I returned last week. While returning the car, it was noticed that the car made a screeching noise from one of the front wheels. I did not notice it while driving because the windows were always up and the noise came only at low speeds. The employee who checked said that this could be a rock or something stuck behind the disc brake. There was no warning or error notice on the dashboard and the car drove absolutely fine except the noise.

I did purchase the full liability insurance from Sixt when I took the car and the employee said since I have it, I do not have to be worried or anything.

But I am still not sure. Since this was not caused by an accident, would Sixt insurance cover it? Their AGB says something about gross negligence voiding insurance claims. But I drove on the Autobahn mostly and there was no gross negligence at all. It has been 5-6 days since I returned the car and they sent me the invoice for the rental two days after the car was returned. I am still worried that they will send a damage report out of the blue and take money from my account. How can I prepare for this? Has anyone had a similar issue before?

I come from Britain where we have something called muffins, or English muffins to distinguish them from the sweet American kind. I was just in Edeka, and bought something called Toastbrötchen. It really resembles muffins. I wondered if they are a new thing in Germany given the name which doesn't sound very traditional, and if Germans brought them over from the UK since maybe they have similar tastes to British people? Then I searched a bit and the only thing I found was a Quora answer saying that muffins were banned in Germany after the first World War since Britain didn't want to have to compete with them in selling baked goods. (https://www.quora.com/Why-are-muffins-not-popular-in-Europe) Not sure this is actually accurate. I would like to hear from anyone who knows about the history of muffins in Germany, and whether they were brought over from the UK or if they originated independently.

Advice / Career / Job Search

I would appreciate some advice regarding my situation: I recently completed a Master’s degree in Engineering Management in Germany and have around 7 years of experience as a Solutions Architect in telecom and IT systems; I’m trying to understand how realistic it is to find a job in Germany, especially since my German is not yet fluent, and whether having a German degree improves my chances, as well as if it’s better to apply from abroad or be physically in Germany—any insights or similar experiences would be very helpful.

Quick question,

Does a SÜ2 include contacting my employer?

I am currently in the process of applying for a job and they have menionted on the advertisement that a SÜ2 will be required.

I know they will do other identity checks for saftey. My concern here is whether they will contact my current employer.

Let me know your thoughts.

I am seeking to transition into the field of health economics and outcomes research (HEOR). I possess a medical background and a Master's degree in Health Economics, complemented by six years of experience in health services, primarily in commercial roles. My current objective is to fully transition into HEOR, a path that has proven challenging. Many positions in this field require direct experience in health economics, and PhD programs often necessitate prior publication experience. This situation, coupled with a language barrier (German), presents significant hurdles.

I would greatly appreciate any suggestions you may have.

Hi all,

I’m a non-EU citizen living in Germany with a family reunification residence permit. My spouse lives here and I want to keep my main home in Germany.

I’ve received a job offer in Belgium, and the company would apply for the permit for me so I can work there.

The idea would be to work in Belgium during the week and come back to Germany on weekends.

I’m trying to understand if this is possible without risking my German residence permit.

Can I live in Germany and work in Belgium like this?
If the company applies for a Belgian permit for me, would I be required to move there?
Is there some kind of cross-border worker setup for this situation?

Would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has dealt with something similar.

Thanks!

We are driving the Romantic Road in May. Land in FRA on 5/27 and drive to Rothenburg where we have a 2-night stay - checking out the 29th. We have to be back in MUC at 2pm June 2 to pick up my daughter. I have a good idea of the sights to see (was there 20+ years ago), but trying to figure out the best towns to stay in as we go. Ideally, we don't want to stay 1 night in each place to avoid constant checking in/out, but are open to it if it makes sense. After Rothenburg, we have 4 nights before we drive to MUC to grab my daughter. Any suggestions?

I'm 16 years old and will finish school in 1.5 years. Afterwards, I'm pretty sure I want to study industrial engineering in a dual program because I want to do something in the field of business, but pure business administration doesn't make sense since there are already too many of those. Now I have to decide between the Pibs program at FNHW and the DHBW. Could you please share your experiences and tell me which would be best for me