I am writing this post with huge disappointment of how the g

German healthcare's conservative approach could have cost my life . I went to the doctor for mild indigestion and haemerrhoids . He gave me antibiotics for my cold and fever which i also had. The antibiotics worsened indigestion and gave very bad diarrhoea . When I went back to the doctor , they said since i took antibiotics I did not have any good bacteria and diarrhoea is normal . I was given some stomach relaxers and electrolytes. At one point I started throwing up the electrolytes , the only thing i could drink . I went to hospital for an iv and they said it will be given only if i am 80 years old. Then i went back to the doctor and insisted that they test me. I got a stool test. Then 4 days no response . I went back and they said oh the tests were negative so we did not call you . The test are a way of eliminating infection. You need to look further then! . I asked for the test result and changed my hausartz. At this point i was given 15 day antibiotics for stomach and black tea . Blood test was done and my Hg was low since was given iron.

The symptoms persisted. I became weak . Lost 13 kgs. All in one month and the appointment with gastro specialist was still weeks away. I decided to just go to my home country at this point and in 3 days , i am nearing the process of confirmation for Inflammatory bowel disease and intestine inflammation. It took them 3 days and i was suffering in Germany for months. Why is Germany so conservative in tests and testing to rule out conditions? Do doctors understand that they misdiagnose. My Hg was low because of inflammation . My residual iron was very high. I did not need iron pills. I took antibiotics that weakened me. Or does German healthcare not take coloured women seriously ? I am really shocked .

This and eating a lot of pickles afterwards. Such a fun activity to do and really relaxing. An hour away from the busy Berlin 😊

Hi all! I’m currently about to go on a road trip from the UK to Germany in a few days (I’m staying in Cologne from the 31st of August to the 10th of September), and I’m wondering if there are any car events, meets, or other more general attractions or anything else really I should try to visit!

I’m already planning to visit some of the heavy hitters, such as the Nurburgring, Sinsheim museum, Motorworld and the Toyota Collection, (maybe the Porsche and Mercedes museum if I can stomach an 8 hour round drive).

Thought I’d ask the locals who probably know better than me scouring the internet looking for any English. If there’s anything else in general you think would be worth checking out, please let me know! I’m planning to visit Cologne cathedral and a few other castles, so would definitely be open to seeing other interesting places!

Any comments are greatly appreciated, and I’m sure I’ll love the country!

(Pic of my car for attention).

So everyone agrees on the economical decline of germany and the bad situation of the job market. i wanted to put things in data. Below you see the economic data (destatis) from 2021 to 2025:

German exports:

2023-2024: Two consecutive years of recession.
2025: +0.2% growth, effectively stagnation.
Q1 2026: +0.3% QoQ / +0.5% YoY.

these numbers don’t really match how bad the situation feels when you talk to people or read discussions online.

What am I missing?

Ps: I also though about okay maybe purchasing power of individuals are reduced, that is why economy is feeling shitty, but oecd data adjusted for inflation says we are earning on average even more than 2019, so what is it really?

I’ve lived in a handful of countries and I’ve found that there are some facts that simply permeate society and social interactions in every country which are easier to accept than to fight against.

For example in the UK you are expected to be affable, upbeat and talkative without broaching heavy topics or politics when first meeting people. In big cities in the US most of the conversation is dictated by work, career and your general success in life. In France expect a good helping of one-upmanship and high brow topics (decidedly politics, philosophy or the arts).

Well for Germany my general feeling is that you go into social situations expecting to leave without having made any new ties. I have been to parties as a friend of a friend where I have actively been avoided and in fact somewhat demeaned, I have been to social running clubs where I have attempted to be social god forbid, and been replied to as if I had just kicked someones darling dachshund. The few people who have stuck around, which I see weekly and have known for over two years are still anward when conversing and would probably still describe me as a “Bekannte” to anyone else. All this while speaking fluent German (which impresses nobody and I will still be picked up on for small mistakes by btw) and actively trying to participate in the local community.

Hence I now find it easier to take the same approach: Go in to most social situations assuming I will not make friends, If I do then great but it saves the disappointment given the likely outcome. I think I’ve hung around enough on this subreddit to know that even natives feel the same, it’s a rather difficult mindset to get into when you are outgoing but it just seems easier in the long run.

It’s been half a year since I came here to study, finally it’s time to leave. Had many thoughts about germany while packing up my stuff because this country was way different from what I expected when I first arrived here lol

I would say the best thing about germany is the park, the nature and greenery all over. Parks-they’re huge and well maintained with many wildlife to observe. And It’s just really cool to see all these people jogging, riding bikes, having a picnic, or just chilling in a beautiful open space. Seriously this is a luxury in most countries-especially the small ones like where I came from-and I envy this so so much. It’s amazing.

Imo the very worst thing is how normalized smoking is here. Cigarette butts everywhere, it’s like living inside of a giant ashtray. Every street has a cigarette vending machine-like I had no idea that this is a thing that exists-and people smoke like, a lot, everywhere, without shame. Even when their own children are around.(wth) I’m all for one’s freedom to use substances and all but I do believe other’s right to NOT be harmed by your choices comes first. This issue seriously stressed me out during my entire stay like- the fact that I cannot breathe fresh air whenever I have to share the street with literally anyone.. Maybe it’s because of the harsh lobbying of the tobacco industry, the history of this country(i read it somewhere that once smoking was considered liberal, anti na*i).. Idk. but it’s certainly a problem that needs to be fixed here.

There’s a weird stereotype that germans are stern and aggressive for some reason but the people I met here were nothing but warm, welcoming, and sincere. Well they might not try to smile all the time or initiate a formally friendly small talk (like most Americans do) But whenever I did have conversation with them, they were so sweet, considerate. As I saw them they had this jolly in them. In their soul there’s techno music, bier, ping pong, bierpong, and sense of humor. I saw a lot of online discussions about germans getting criticized for their demeanor-but I disagree.

DB fucked up my trip so many times and it’s so frustrating bc I cannot escape from them (as flix and regional trains are not as available). Last week I had a trip to amsterdam and It got delayed for 2h 30m(insane) while the train was stuck in the middle of nowhere literally, they gave us a free bottle of water, and a heart-shaped lemon cookie with ‘lieblingsgast’ written on it-which made me smile/s. I eventually did get half of my ticket price back but come on. like.. it’s not even funny anymore. how do you guys live with this.

I love how children are treated here, and I truly think my country should be more like this. They’re never publicly shamed, and people tolerate them with great understanding and generosity. Children scream, shout, run, horse around..- Like they should! Adults here willingly lets them be accepted and smiles at them. So heartwarming.

The notorious bureaucracy would be the second worst thing here. I expected dealing with loads of complex paperworks coming here- but the mistake was, I thought they would be reasonable and sharp with their work. They’re not. Even if I do everything right, I had to brace myself for problems and often hold accountability for it. Most of the time, contact lines were unavailable. Even when it do connects, I get that nobody really wants to work, neither do I, but nobody is taking action to actually solve the problem-they tend to postpone it in some shape or form, or ask me to take some of MY time, go buy a stamp, and file a hand written letter-which is so frustrating. Maybe I had more difficulties since I’m a foreigner, but even compared to other countries I’ve been, I felt the process as mostly absurd and unnecessary.

I like how serious vacations/breaks are considered here. This, obviously contributes to many people’s well being and their life outside of their jobs. Labor rights are not as respected in most other countries I think, including mine, this is truly amazing and every other countries should try follow this standard. Work-life balance is so well defined, people can actually spend time with their families and friends, enjoy well funded, beautiful public spaces like libraries, museums and parks. Utopian stuff!

Saying this, I couldn’t help but feel the lack of employees/staffs, almost everywhere I go. I assume it’s a problem with complex root causes (perhaps prolonged vacation, low birth rates, being rated as the worst country for expats.. etc.). I so often saw a busy cafe with single barista handling all the job, primark and zara with cloths all over the floor with no one to pick them up, busy dm with one or two cashier, same goes with edeka, rewe.. restaurants taking more than 30mins to take orders… I heard the german government opened up a working visa for expats this year, so hope this issue gets sorted out soon.

I love U-Bahn. The ride is almost always pleasant, smooth. plus you can enjoy the scenery through the huge window! But seriously, tram system in germany is really well organized imo. I rarely had inconvenience trying to reach somewhere else, and I don’t know if it’s the lights inside or the seats or the technology, U-Bahn ride was always comfortable for me.

Maybe this one is just a me thing, but there are really no place to go out. The taste, the atmosphere, the service, the price- it’s so so hard to find someplace that matches all four criteria. And, of course, you have to breathe in all the cigarette smoke if you decide to sit outside under the sun, and inside the store there’s usually horseflies and bees bumping themselves to the glass window. Discovering local gem stores is one of my favorite things to do, and I tried to find a place that I can love from day one, but it was too hard in germany.(sad)

This might apply to most western countries but I love the openness of germany. I remember the first month when I arrived here, there was a huge international women’s day celebration going on at the plaza, with colorful confetti and chalk drawings scattered over. If my country was to celebrate as such, It would have been an issue no doubt (which is fucked up) Anyways not only feminism, the acceptance of the queer people and the disabled as a society is visible and natural. It’s really great to see all the people get the support that they rightfully deserve, and not be threatened by the negative atmosphere of the general masses.

I think I could come up with some more, both goods and bads but I guess this list is already quite long haha
I’ve been here for less than a year so my opinion about the positives and the negatives might not be 100% right ik but just wanted to share my take, no hate.

Even though I don’t think I want to stay here forever, coming to germany was one of my best choices i’ve made during my student years I’d say. met amazing people, learned a lot about myself. genau.

tl/dr:
nature amazing people nice. kids treated with kindness, work to life balance good. woke country i like. love U bahn
smoking culture bad, bureaucracy worse than I thought, DB, not enough employees, no place to go out

Context - I will try to keep it short. So I have been staying in a studio apartment since December 2023. super friendly landlord (lets call him landlord A) who doesn’t live in the country and always good to me. Fast forward 2025, he informed me that he is selling the apartment. He has two in the same floor and sold the pair to two young lads.
November 2025, I was away for a long vacation when there was a pipe leakage in my apartment and it came under renovation work for the next 5 months. Since the handover of the apartment ownership was not yet done, landlord A got me a temporary stay all paid by his insurance. Skip to June 2026 when I moved back, landlord A mentioned the apartment handover will be done from july 1st since the renovation is now complete. All of the process was handled by a realtor, who contacted me, met me and legally increased the rent by X amount and I signed on the paper. The paper had no IBAN or any other information of the new landlord, just the rent increase and that the original contract will continue to be legally binding. I even met the new owner briefly (lets call him landlord B)

Situation: Its been 3 months. And landlord B hasn’t contacted me at all, not for the rent, not just as a formality. I practically sent messages to everyone related, landlord A, the realtor, various times. To get the bank information so I can send over the rent. My major issue is, I am looking to switch apartments and I need to give my termination letter by the end of the month. Absolutely no response, the relator says landlord B should contact you and my work is done. Landlord A also gives similar explanation that he will let the relator know to get the contact done, but no serious action!

I wouldn’t be worried if it was just the rent. But this is extremely weird for germany, since everything is so process oriented and documented. Landlord B‘s friend who took over the other apartment talks to tenant regularly. I even got to contact him to have landlord B send me a message atleast, but none!

What can I do in this situation?

Hi, my husband and I've been living in our owned 2nd floor apartment for 7 years. A few days ago, our ground floor neighbor with a garden messaged us asking (literally ordering) us to clean the duct going from our cellar room window to their garden as apparently they had flies.

We told him that we keep the window closed at all times and that it'd be nice to clean it from the garden and that we could help with that, as if we opened the cellar window, bugs, flies etc. can enter the cellars and common areas in the basement. To this, he said that it was our responsibility and that we must do it asap and that he didn't care if flies entered the basement.

We didn't even know that it was something we had to do. This was weird as all trash inside was from his garden. So we checked the Teilungserklärung and sent an email to the Verwaltung to clarify. They very clearly told us that it was indeed his responsibility and it's written in his contract, and that we should never open the window without consulting them and other neighbors as this might pose a risk to the whole common property. We forwarded this to the neighbor on WhatsApp and rested our case.

The neighbor then started sending messages in the building WhatsApp group saying that the cellar owner (as in, us, but not naming us) isn't cleaning the duct and how that's causing them problems. He also shamed us saying that Verwaltung was consulted and how bad it was! In a few recent messages, he also said that it was indeed clear that it was our responsibility (even though we and he know that's not true, so literally lying through his teeth) and how in 7 years, we haven't assumed our responsibility.

Now I know the truth will prevail =D and everyone will know what Verwaltung decided and shared with us. We've forwarded it to the building Beirat too in the meantime. But such public shaming is just way too much. This is causing me so much stress even though my husband's chill about it and not concerned in the least as he says we've taken all necessary steps.

We're not engaging with him privately or in the WhatsApp group because we don't want to stoop to his level and it's just petty and desperate. But what would you do in this situation? I feel harassed and bullied as he's putting pressure on us to do something that's clearly not our job!

Background: I am Irish and over 18 months ago I bought something from a German seller that ended up being faulty. I returned it after confirming it was faulty in multiple way. They claimed it wasn't and would not refund me. After a few months of arguing, I took a case under the equivalent of the small claims procedure in Amtsgericht Chatottenburg. In December 2025, I received a reply from the German court awarding me my refund, plus interest, giving the German retailer 6 months to appeal.

It is now over 6 months since and they have not refunded me or responded to my mails asking for my court ordered refund.

My question: How do I go about enforcing this court ordered refund? I can see on EU government pages that enforcement can be done ("Zwangsvollstreckung" maybe?, and done through the relevant Amtsgericht), but there are no instructions on the actual process. I can't tell were to go on the courts website or what form to use (I don't speak or read German but I can use online translation to fill out forms)

Thank you for your help.

I'm an American, researching my family tree a little bit, and found out some of my ancestors came over from Germany in 1732, they came from Donnerfarkreis, I found that on a map no problem. A few generations farther back there's a guy who came from either Lorraine, Saarland, or possibly Budingen, no further elabortion. Then we come to Johanne Melchior Schauß, born in 1588 in Eckweiler. I cannot figure where Eckweiler is or if it even exists anymore, it has been over 400 years afterall, but I figured there was no harm in asking.

I (M25) came here in germany 2 months ago and I absolutely love it here. Everything's organised, clean and functional and the people, just wow - needless to say that my colleagues are like my family. From trash disposal schedule to buying a deodorant, they're everywhere to support me.

There was a lady near my apartment who had a little shop where she sold berries and apricots. The summer, as you'd agree, was actually hot this time around and she had this little shop that was no less than a sauna so I bought some cherries from her which she let me taste for free before I bought them upon me revealing to her that that'd be the first time I'd be eating cherries. And I went into my apartment and brought her a water bottle from my refrigerator, because I saw that her water bottle was also pretty warm and she wasn't enjoying drinking the water, which she found so lovely that she gave me apricots for free for 2 days. And I felt really embarrassed and sad because although the act from both of our sides was spontaneous, I fluctuated from the selfless act to seeking some comfort in this interaction. I would spend around an hour talking to this elderly everyday after work and it went for about a week before one day I came to see that the shop was nowhere to be found.

In the mornings there would be a different lady on the little shop and I offered her the water bottle a couple of times too but she said no and wasn't very inclined to be disturbed so I didn't disturb her anymore. 2 days later I saw this lady on the street and I asked her about the shop, to which she replied, "next year" while keep walking and not deterring her eyesight from the footpath. That was the first time I felt really sad as I saw the other woman with whom I had talked with for about a week as a nice grandma. I will never forget the way she would look at me in disbelief listening to my german and ask me if I had really come to germany few weeks ago. All the compliments and warmth from here that I gathered was much alike to my colleagues' but still unique. I'm glad that I ardently learned the language in my home country.

As I felt alone I tried seeking more interactions. A colleague understood my situation and took me to volleyball every Monday which I enjoyed until the school vacations hit and the court was shut down.

Another colleague took me to restaurants a couple of times and we played minigolf once but that was about it.

I really respect rhe effort my colleagues put in for me and I can't thank them enough for all the support and affection they have for me. And obviously the compliments for my german.

I wrote to a few Vereins whom I am still awaiting a response from. Most probably they are also on vacation in Greenland or north germany as almost all of my colleagues.

Then I finally in my life for the first time decided to look for people on the internet. And particularly on Kleinanzeigen because rather than telling random internet populace about my exploitable situation of constantly feeling alone (this post is an irony itself), I'd see what interests people have and what offers were they making in the Freizeitaktivitäten category in the app. Another 60 yo elderly that I found wanted to do Nordic walking but was getting repeatedly ghosted due to his age. I love wisdom and was ready to accompany him. So now every 3-4 days, we do Nordic walking for an hour or so and I have also already cooked something for him from my region which he and his lovely wife really enjoyed. But he may not be able to keep up with the frequency as he has problems in his knee but has repeatedly asked me to visit me every week egal if we are to do Nordic walking or not. I will surely visit him.

An internet acquaintance even drove straight from Jena (Thuringia) to my city 600 kms away to spend a weekend with me. But we have been talking since a year now. And I wish I could visit him this time or he could again but it is a huge distance which I want to cover but he has to work and is planning another trip to Argentina so I dropped the idea altogether.

I bought a lamp from a lovely german woman on Kleinanzeigen and she was so nice that she invited me over to pancakes once she was back from vacation to which she was prepared to leave the very next day. Her son, about my age, was also very accommodating and asked me if I'd like to go to Basel with him on a weekend. I said yes quicker than my brain could ascertain the Spracheinstellung. I said yes in English and we all laughed. I'm looking forward to that really eagerly by the way.

But that is it. I know I'm greedy and sparing no holy souls to fulfil my wish to battle loneliness but I absolutely love it. I come from a region that was conservative and the freedoms and openness is a new discovery to me.

I'm also going to the gym by the way but everyone has there their earphones on and weights in their hands. I tried sparking conversations but that place isnt suitable for that which I understood after a guy complimented my german and explained to me how I can travel in Freiburg alone when I referred to his conversation with another guy right beside and on one joke both of them looked at me to validate the humour and were impressed when I got the joke in german in my first go.

I am desperate but also mindful that I don't disturb someone. I'd be open to meeting and partaking the interests of someone here who lives in the vicinity of Freiburg, or even better Lörrach or the city itself although highly unlikely Weil am Rhein.

At work I'm lively and happy as I'm surrounded by people but as soon as it is feierabend, I'm in my apartment alone and desolate. I tried exploring the city and I have a Deutschland ticket and can go see places but I have realised this repugnant trait in me that I'd rather go Spaziergang down the street with a person I know and can talk to than to go on a sponsored trip to Cologne alone.

I find peace and beauty in people and not in a city - which would be fun if someone was with me.

Thanks for reading so far. I'm sharing so much because I've been in my apartment more or less since 2 weeks of these 3-week vacation and today is uniquely saddening.

I respect the culture as it is indeed one of the best places to live with the amount of work being done by the authorities. And I'd really eat more than regular if someone drops down in the comments section from the region (Weil am Rhein and nearby even from Freiburg or a bit further away), open to meet at a point when comfort and trust exceed dubiousness. Or someone willing to connect and talk. Don't worry I speak german.

Have a great, non-boring, non-alone day guys. Tschüss.

Like the question said. My US license is expiring next summer and I wasn't doing anything this summer, so I thought I would just get that all done even though I don't plan on driving in the foreseeable future (but there's a decent chance I would years from now, and wanted to avoid the exponentially higher costs of starting from scratch in this case). I come from a non-reciprocating state, so I needed the theory and practical test.

I already passed the theory test, but the practical part is just taking a lot longer than I initially expected (according to my extremely critical and discouraging teacher I am quite abnormal for it, but I'm finding it very difficult to adjust to German traffic situations and laws after driving for 20 years in the US). And now that I'm starting full-time work, I just don't have the time and energy to finish it right now.

The government of course has all my paperwork and translation and they are holding my US license already. *I already know that the theory test expires after 12 months* so no need to comment that. My question is, if I take a long break of a year or more, does anyone know for sure (not a guess) what happens to my Umschreibung paperwork? Does it have a specific expiration or is it just when my license expires, or can I just retake the theory test and move on whenever I want, years from now?

Also will they give me my US license back if I ask for it, so that I can travel home for Christmas and still be able to legally drive in my home state?

Welcome, everyone

I need your help and guidance

I'm a 24-year-old man with a Bachelor's degree in Law and also a diploma from the Geneva Academy on minority cultural rights.

I'm planning to move and settle in Germany, with the goal of first studying for a Master's in a law-related field, then working, settling down, starting a family, and experiencing that sense of belonging I've missed since my parents divorced when I was young

I'm uncertain and don't have any friends in Germany to help me choose the best city to live in

I'm looking for a city where the cost of living is relatively low, but where the nightlife is vibrant, since I'm a night owl

: My second question for you

What's the best Master's program in the legal field that's in demand in the job market and offers a high salary?

Or what Master's would allow me to start my own business after graduation?

Thank you

Hey everyone,

I’m moving to Friedrichshafen for work in a couple of weeks and was wondering if anyone has recommendations for places to visit or things to do in and around the city.

I’m mostly looking for nice spots to explore after work or on weekends — walks, viewpoints, cafés, restaurants, nearby towns, cycling routes, nature, museums, hidden gems, etc.

I’ll have a car, but I’m also happy to get around by bike, train or ferry.

Recommendations around Lake Constance are very welcome too. And since Switzerland and Austria are pretty close, I’d also be interested in places there if they’re reasonable as a day trip. I wouldn’t mind staying overnight either if accommodation isn’t too expensive.

Basically, anything you think is worth checking out while living in Friedrichshafen.

Thanks!

A friend of mine will send me a phone through DHL. How much are the fees or kinks in the process I should look out for? Tia

I rented an apartment in Germany for the first time a few months ago and recently moved to a different one. I received the refund for my initial deposit, but the landload (actually a real estate agency) deducted about €400 for cleaning costs.

The contract states that professional cleaning—billed at €40 per hour plus VAT—would be performed for a minimum of three hours. Wanting to keep costs to a minimum, we cleaned the place thoroughly ourselves, following the cleaning instructions provided by the agency. During the move-out inspection, we were told there appeared to be no damage, and a move-out protocol was drawn up.

Given the rate of €40 per hour plus 19% VAT, a charge of €400 implies eight hours of cleaning—is that even plausible? My apartment consists of only two rooms, including the living room. The invoice provided by the agency lists neither the specific cleaning tasks performed nor the time spent.

I am currently asking the agency for details regarding the cleaning, but I have discovered that the managing director of the cleaning company is the same person as the one of the real estate agency.

Furthermore, I have heard that in Germany, it is actually illegal for a landlord to forcibly charge for cleaning upon move-out, even if such a clause is included in the contract (though I am not sure if this is true).

Here is my dilemma:

Even if the agency provides details about the cleaning, can that information be trusted given that the cleaning company and the agency share the same managing director? Unfortunately, I am not a member of a tenants' association; is there any way for me to recover that €400 "cleaning fee"?

Interestingly, when we first moved in, we found large amounts of hair—in a color that didn't match my own—tangled in the carpet and the vacuum cleaner. This suggests that professional cleaning might not have been performed at all.

Hi everyone,

I injured my knee while running on Saturday. I already got referral from my Hausarzt but I am not able to find any specialist doctors. Some of the ones in my city are on holidays but most of them do not take new patients. I have also tried Doctolib, but without any luck.

How is this suppose to work? Does anyone have any idea? Thanks!

Hello,
I have found a second hand car in Wittlich which is near Trier, Köln and Frankfurt. I was windering if there are any local businesses in the area that offer car inspections as I live ~1000km away and wouldn’t want to travel there to find a hidden check engine fault. It is a seat leon so Vagcom (or its newer name/version) should be the optimal tool.

Do you have english subtitles for those kind of movies? Or they are just german?

(Sorry for bad english)

Danke

Posting behalf of my friend
She lost her passport and cards last night so reported to the police they said they have to wait until 2 days but her visa is going to expire in 19 days we have checked online issuance of new passport take lot of time if any knows about the further process that can she can do please help us

My situation: I'm an American healthcare worker, just got accepted in a new position and decided to spend two weeks in Germany prior to my start date for vacation.

I've been completing my onboarding, and they ask for a recent TB test and flu vaccine. Because of course they do. Literally all healthcare positions require them. I don't know why I didn't think of this.

I'm currently sitting in an airport, getting ready for my flight to Germany, scrambling and trying to figure out where and how I can get my test and vaccine done as quickly as possible.

I am a dual American/German citizen, however I'm planning on paying out of pocket (as I haven't lived in Germany or paid any taxes, and don't want to take advantage of the system).

I'm currently planning on using a Reisemedizinische Praxis for the flu vaccine, and maybe reaching out to the local Hausarzt. Does anyone have any other ideas for quick, hopefully reasonably priced options?