CSD Leipzig 2023. Participants with Pride Flag Photo (detail): © mauritius images / SOPA Images Limited / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos
Photo (detail): © mauritius images / SOPA Images Limited / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos

LGBTQ+ friendly cities in Germany A queer journey through the cities

Many German cities are today proud of their vibrant queer community. There are bars, clubs, events and initiatives that offer queer people a safe space. The ways to get there were very different.
Venice? No, Augsburg! Incidentally, there are more bridges here than in the Italian city of gondolas. Photo (detail): © Adobe

Detours | Augsburg Outstanding Water Culture

It’s hard to believe, but Augsburg has more bridges than Venice, not to mention wonderful fountains and countless small streams running through the city! The Romans built the first aqueduct and the Augsburgers later perfected the water system – a prime example of Swabian engineering skill in Bavaria’s oldest city.
 

Annas: Berlin, Siegesallee © Rowohlt / Canva

Cherrypicker | Literature The Kaiser must die!

In the summer of 1914, four people meet in Berlin who couldn’t be more different but have one thing in common: They cherish liberty and despise colonialism.

Illustration: A woman with a speech bubble containing a book, next to it another, somewhat faded speech bubble with the same book, then just the book without the speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Word! The Language Column I Am Made Entirely of Language

In her final column, Ulrike Almut Sandig, who has translated many poems herself, pays tribute to two colleagues who have translated her poetry. The following is an excursion into English- and Georgian-speaking realms – and different ways of reading literature.

Testbild 2300x1000px © Goethe-Institut

EUROS-Special

Kick-off for the 2024 European Football Championship in Germany. Find out everything you need to know about the tournament in our EUROS-Special. Featuring quirky footy songs, iconic fashion moments and the match between Germany and Germany. Have fun!

Language

Illustration: A book with French flag and a tablet computer with German flag © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Word! The Language Column Rilke for Ravers

Rainer Maria Rilke and our columnist, Ulrike Almut Sandig, have both translated poetry from various languages into German. Sandig now takes it to the next level by “transadapting” two of Rilke’s French poems into present-day German with a focus on the rhymes – and an invitation to dance.

Illustration: A woman with a speech bubble containing a book, next to it another, somewhat faded speech bubble with the same book, then just the book without the speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Word! The Language Column I Am Made Entirely of Language

In her final column, Ulrike Almut Sandig, who has translated many poems herself, pays tribute to two colleagues who have translated her poetry. The following is an excursion into English- and Georgian-speaking realms – and different ways of reading literature.

Illustration: Two people with speech bubbles containing eyes © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Word! The Language Column The Limits of our Ethics

Ulrike Almut Sandig finds herself grappling with unfamiliar ethical issues every time she goes about another translation – or rather “adaptation” – into German. Which opens her eyes to different, non-German takes on social conditions – and social ills.

Culture

The cult figure Bernd the Bread in front of the town hall in Erfurt alongside his children's channel friends Briegel der Busch (left) and Chilli das Schaf (right) Photo (detail): © picture-alliance/ dpa | Hendrik Schmidt

Bernd das Brot “Crap!” – Cult figure on children's television

For more than twenty years, “Bernd das Brot” has appeared on German children's television – usually in a bad mood. No wonder people on social media are asking why children in Germany are allowed to watch something like this. So: Who are we dealing with? Who is this cult figure?
 

German rappers Farid Bang and Kollegah on stage at the 2018 Echovel Awards © picture alliance/AP Photo | Axel Schmidt

Sound bites | Music When Kollegah and Farid Bang Got Echo Cancelled

The Echo, which was awarded annually from 1992 to 2018, was considered one of the most important German music awards. The last award ceremony was overshadowed by a scandal at the center of which were German rappers Kollegah and Farid Bang.

The Olympic Square in front of the east side of the Olympic Stadium, 2024. Photo (detail): Toniklemm, CC BY-SA 4.0 © Toniklemm, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons; Book covers: Insel, Rowohlt, Hanser, Korrektur, Piper, Carlsen

Cherrypicker | Literature And the ball rolls forever

The European Football Championship has just kicked off in Germany. Just in time, we present a small, well-rounded selection of football books – including painted goals and literary texts.

Germany

The teams of the Federal Republic of Germany and the GDR line up for the anthems in Hamburg's Volksparkstadion on 22 June 1974 before the group match of the World Cup. © picture-alliance / dpa | Werner Baum

East-West German Football History Separated by Politics, United by Football

Ronald Reng has written a football book that is about much more than football. 1974 – Eine deutsche Begegnung is a captivating portrait of divided Germany in the 1970s.

Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord is also impressive by night. Photo (detail): © Adobe

Detours | Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord Steampunk galore in a leafy wilderness

A conglomeration of pipes, tanks, steps and plants: a visit to Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord is a fascinating adventure. There can hardly be a more enjoyable way to experience the history of the Ruhr region.
 

young man Photo (detail): © Ula Brunner

#MyJob “Germany is worth it”

Alejandro – Alex – Madrigal works as a data analyst in Berlin. The Costa Rican came to Germany in May 2022 on a “jobseeker visa”. One thing is for certain: he wants to stay.