Lifestyle

Fashion from Havana was glamourous, colourful and a big hit with celebrities from the USA and Caribbean in the fifties – until the Cuban revolution turned the fashion industry into an economy of scarcity. Cuba’s designers are now turning need into something creative. 
 

Dialect, dance, sign language, gesture – other animals communicate in surprisingly diverse ways. Manon Hopf gives us the lowdown.

Youngsters are often reproached for lacking interest in history. But studies show that they’re quite interested in the history of National Socialism, for example, though their knowledge thereof is often sketchy. How can this dark chapter in Germany’s recent past be conveyed in a way that speaks to young people?

Görlitz. Never heard of the place? Well, it’s true that it isn’t exactly the first town recommended to people visiting Germany. And yet it has something to offer that no other town in Germany can match – not even Berlin, which is said to have it all.
 

They’ve been a permanent fixture in the confectionery aisle at supermarkets, fuel stations and kiosks since 1974: Kinder Surprise eggs. These toy-filled chocolate eggs fascinate people almost everywhere in the world.
 

Hutan Harapan in Sumatra has been in existence as long as anyone can remember. This forest is the habitat of the Indigenous community of Batin Sembilan, and is under threat by over-exploitation and the establishment of oil palm plantations. Therefore, as community wardens they try to protect the rainforest's biodiversity. 

Visionary songs that only retrospectively hit the right note for their time often run the risk of flopping in the present moment. That’s what happened in 1971 to the song Der Hund von Baskerville by hit duo Cindy & Bert. There’s a story to tell about this, which extends from the German Romantic period to the present day, and from Völklingen in Saarland to Beverly Hills, California.

Which of you now aged 40-plus no longer remembers those hefty volumes on your parents’ bookshelves: encyclopaedias like “Brockhaus” were the epitome of education and knowledge per se – until the internet and Wikipedia heralded the end of an era.
 

Sometimes songs take on a meaning that’s completely different from the one that was actually planned. Andreas Dorau experienced this with his song Demokratie: intended as a light-hearted pop tune, the song is played even now when it comes to upholding democratic values. 

Achieving statehood comes with all sorts of perks, including the opportunity to name a state animal. And what creature is more suitable to represent Washington, D.C., than Rattus norvegicus, the brown rat?

Why buy when you can borrow? The Bochum bib der dinge is at the top of Grandma Trude's list of prize-worthy eco-projects. They have everything - from accordions to plum de-stoners.

As department stores downsize, fast-food restaurants disappear and tourists throng to gentrifying neighbourhoods, Maximilian Buddenbohm observes changes in the city as reflected in its resident rats.

For many years, surprisingly little was known about everyday life in the socialist East of pre-1989 divided Germany. The "Open Memory Box" changes that with a series of everyday, and for that very reason spectacular, home videos.

Springtime is wild garlic time! Granny Trude loves wild garlic, for culinary and health reasons!

What are Germany’s biggest culinary claims-to-fame abroad? Beer and bread, of course. Sineb el Masrar tells us why bread tastes so much better ever since the taming of fire, how much we owe the ancient Egyptians for the art of baking bread, and what our daily bread has to do with patriarchy.
 

We switch between slang, dialect and technical jargon throughout our day – depending on the situation we find ourselves in. It sounds banal, but there’s even a specialist term for this phenomenon: code switching. But ultimately it’s about far more than language.
 

Beyond the comics of Marvel and DC, in 1970s Germany, there was an illustrated world that still transports the boomer generation in particular into nostalgic fits of rapture today. Even kids from the decades that followed still fondly look back on the comic book series of their childhood. 

It would be hard to find a sport that is older, more egalitarian, or more popular: a tribute to endurance running.
 

“Cats are always good content” has been an unwritten and irrefutable marketing law since the commercial internet was invented. No great surprise, really, since the fluffy pet tiger still tops the list of Germans’ favourite animals. Ten famous cats from art, politics and social media. 

Artist Jonas Höschl accompanied the Austrian band Bilderbuch, one of his favorite groups, on their U.S. tour. He recounts the unforgettable trip here.

In 2009, the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood in Montreal was ridden by heavy and dangerous traffic. The mayor of the borough had other ideas and pushed through a radical concept of appeasement against significant resistance.

Just a prefab city? Not at all: Come to Jena by train and you will find yourself in the middle of a verdant paradise. The city on the Saale is ambivalent and imperfect – which is precisely why our author Nancy Droese finds it so appealing.
 

Cities have the potential to improve women’s lives. But in reality, the planning of urban spaces often prioritises men’s routines and sidelines women’s needs and habits. What does a feminist city look like?

This year's Oktoberfest is already over. Instead of summing up, Susi Bumms puts your Wiesn knowledge to the test. Which of these three stories, some more peculiar than others, about the world-famous folk festival are true and which are fictitious?

Despite initial efforts to promote women’s football, it has yet to really take off. And before you know it, many a newly formed women’s team seems to vanish into thin air. And yet, the magic of pictures can bring back the Qatar national women’s team – at least in this column.

Dogs are man’s best friend. They accompany us everywhere, even on Instagram. Besides, dogs are cute, like cats and budgies. As are all animals, come to think of it. So it’s mighty practical that we can make money off our best friends by posting funny pet videos and they have no say in the matter.

During the pandemic, many citizens of Lisbon were left without transportation options that safely allowed physical distancing. The solution: repairing old bicycles to put them back on the streets, serving those who need them most.

Frankfurt does not enjoy the best reputation and is known for its banking district, major international airport, drug scene, and red-light district. And while few would choose the city as their new home, most people who move to Frankfurt soon discover they never want to leave. Our author Eva-Maria Verfürth goes beyond the clichés to show what makes Germany’s financial hub so liveable and lovable.

The word sounds like a bygone utopia, but perhaps expropriation is the city’s ultimate future. This week, our Berlin columnist Margarita Tsomou takes you with her on a demo that is the knee-jerk reaction of the city’s diverse society to the overturning of the rent cap.

Maximilian Buddenbohm rides busses and trains with people from all walks of life – and jots down observations of what goes on around him.

The summers are getting drier and drier, as well as the other seasons, that do not bring the amount of rain Germany is used to. Berlin's trees are struggling. How can a digital platform and an active neighbourhood offer a solution?  

Tourists nationwide know the Rostock district of Warnemünde for its beach, lighthouse, pier, and fish butties. The city of Rostock itself is generally associated with shipyards, the fishing combines used in the GDR, and the Lichtenhagen pre-fab housing estate. So it is high time we took a closer look at this historic Hanseatic league city. 

What does the way we speak convey about who we are, and how does it influence our perception of others? Dominic Otiang’a discusses this with examples from Germany.

Nuremberg has a picturesque flair and history – including some troubled chapters. The city offers a lot that makes life richer: Our author Clara Lipkowski details spots to experience modern culture, art and curiosities.
 

It's never too late to try something new. Grandma Trude has learned some very interesting facts about the impact of what we eat on animal welfare and the environment. And she’d changed her diet accordingly.

Due to the pandemic, a third of the German workforce is mostly working from home. The concept of “new work” allows for flexible work models and a new work-life balance. David Wandjo, a research fellow in the Globalisation, Work and Production research group at the Berlin Social Science Center, takes a look at the future of the working world.

Travel memories that remain unfazed by the deluge of selfies: while some people bring countless smartphone photos home with them from every vacation, travel sketchers use brush and paper to record their impressions.

In the tangle of rules to control the pandemic, the culture scene has often been forgotten. Now the rules have been abandoned almost everywhere in Germany – including in Berlin. Our columnist Marie Leão works at the Kant Kino and tells us what this on-off situation was like for her.

Summer holidays will be starting soon in many parts of Germany. For families with roots abroad, says Sineb El Masrar, this may mean a long, cramped ride to their homeland and back.

Sophisticated building technology and wall insulation have for some years been considered a panacea for reducing CO2 emissions in the building industry. But it doesn’t take much to construct houses with a good climate balance. Also in building the truth is: less is more.

Many people want to reduce energy consumption at home to protect the environment and save some money while they’re at it. But how exactly should they go about it? It's simple, says Grandma Trude, and she’s got a whole bunch of useful energy-saving life hacks to share with us.

On the other side of the Atlantic, people widen their eyes in amazement at the Germans' love of American cowboys, and what is likely the greatest number of hobby cowboys outside the USA. A brief look at what is probably Germany's oldest live role-playing game.
 

Memes and short, funny – often viral – videos are now a fixture of everyday life. They’ve become even more popular since the spread of smartphones and are increasingly reaching older generations, too. So it’s only natural that various aspects – and oddities – of everyday life in Germany’s cosmopolitan capital should become YouTube and Instagram memes too. Here are a few humorous takes on present-day Berlin on the web.
 

Boring? Colourless? Despite what you may have heard, Hannover is none of these things; it’s just as exciting as Berlin or Hamburg – only more manageable and without all the irritations. Time for a visit to what is probably the most underrated city in the world.
 

Most people would like to lead a life that is in harmony with their environment - but it should be as comfortable as possible and without major restrictions. There are actually a few ideas on how to do this – small everyday aids that have a major impact on the environment.

Why do Germans hate noise so much, what is peace and quiet to them, and how do they enforce their right to quietude? I ask people who live in Germany about the meaning of ‘Ruhezeit’ and find out how to survive in a country that loves its peace and quiet.

While reliving his first encounter with corruption in Germany, author Dominic Otiang’a questions why people turn out to be like that - in Kenya and in Germany. Are we all the same and it’s just a question of opportunity?  

Anyone who thinks all small towns are sleepy and quiet is quite wrong, or at least wrong about Schwäbisch Hall. It is home to world-class art and theatre and some world market leaders, all conveniently within walking distance.

Germany has had a female chancellor since 2005. But with imbalances persisting in the society, author Dominic Otiang’a poses the question: Is Germany as ready for another female political leader as it seems at first glance?

The main station used to be a hectic place packed with people. But that was before the pandemic struck. Maximilian Buddenbohm has been observing some very different scenes there lately.

While the idyll of Romantic era songs may be gone, creative artists in Germany still explore the forest today – critically, ironically and with an eye to history. 

Dresden has a reputation for being a bit too baroque, stuffy, and reserved. But the Saxon capital has another different side that is modern, alternative, and surprising. Our author Kaddi Cutz reveals the multiple facets of the Florence on the Elbe and overhauls a cliché or two.

Grandma Trude loves her electric scooter – and is crusading for new mobility concepts that involve sharing, for “a pleasure shared is double the pleasure”. And maybe she’ll find a really nice person to talk to on her ride-sharing bench!