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Topic of the week

Happiness

Hamburg: Maritimes Flair, starke Wirtschaft, vielfältige Kulturlandschaft.

Happy places Where are Germans happiest?

Glücksort im Winter: der frisch eingeschneite Park

Joy in everyday life

Happiness? It’s just around the corner!

Kati Lehtinen-Hahn in ihrem Geschäft in Mainz

Interview

Why are the Finns so happy?

Biyon Kattilathu beschäftigt sich mit dem Glücklichsein.

Coaching

A tour guide to happiness

Tanzen und neue Leute kennen lernen macht glücklich.

Living in Germany

Almost like at home: Expats and their happy places

Test your knowledge

Quiz

To be lucky and happy: test your knowledge!

Symbole für Glück liegen als kleine Magnete auf einer Handfläche

According to the SKL Happiness Atlas 2025, which is Germany’s happiest city?

Narzissen und Kaiserkronen blühen in ihrer gelben Pracht vor dem Alten Gewächshaus im Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe in Kassel

Which custom is thought to bring good luck in Germany?

And what brings bad luck?

Eine Hand hält einen Apfel mit aufgeklebten Wackelaugen und aufgemalter Nase und traurigem Mund

In the fairy tale “Hans in Luck”, Hans swaps a lump of gold and what he gets for it over and over again. What does he end up with?

Szene aus dem 1998 veröffentlichten Film "Hans im Glück", bei der der Hauptdarsteller einen großen Klumpen Gold in beiden Händen hält

The statue of the Bremen Town Musicians brings luck. What are you supposed to do for luck?

Bronzestaue der "Bremer Stadmusikanten" vor dem Rathaus in Bremen

Where are Germans happiest?

Hamburg: maritime flair, a strong economy, a diverse cultural scene

Nature, culture, social cohesion: why Hamburg and Kassel are regarded as particularly liveable cities.

Find out more

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Newsroom

Johann Wadephul mit der isländischen Außenministerin Katrín Gunnarsdóttir

+++ Ticker Foreign Relations Wadephul visits Iceland to discuss security in the Arctic

Business Germany and India seek to deepen their relationship

Business Significantly more electric cars in 2025

Geschäftliches Meeting von zwei jungen Frauen und zwei jungen Männern

Innovations Record number of new start-ups

Die deutsche Automobilproduktion wächst.

Business Recovery of German industry

Foreign policy Steinmeier: the world must not turn into a robbers’ den

South Pacific Germany recognises Niue in the South Pacific

Deutschland ist eine Exportnation und die drittgrößte Volkswirtschaft der Welt.

Business Export Free trade – the foundation of economic success

Your opinion counts!

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Skilled crafts

Dieu Hue Tong aus Vietnam macht eine Ausbildung zur Bäckerin.

Made it!

They have come from Ecuador, Tunisia and Vietnam, and all have found their place in Germany. Let’s meet Victoria, Aymen and Dieu Hue.

Hier wird ein Dach auf traditionelle Weise mit Reet gedeckt, also mit getrocknetem Schilfrohr.

The art of craftsmanship: handmade joy

The German TV series “Handwerkskunst” opens the doors of workshops across the country. It present people for whom work is about talent and devotion.

Starkes Team: Geschäftsführerin Claudia Frick (M.) mit den Schneiderinnen Tetiana Korenivska (l.) und Reyhane Heidari

Sewing: a universal language

A fashion workshop in Frankfurt am Main shows how diversity can be key to a successful business. People from many different nations work together there and enhance the business.

Raum für Kreativität: Ana Paniagua in ihrem Büro in Frankfurt am Main

Ana and Imad hit the ground running

The media designer from Mexico and the mechanic from Syria who have set out on their own. What does being self-employed mean to them? They share their experiences and tips.

Five steps to gaining a qualification in Germany

Rohan Gupta from India wants to train an electronics technician in Germany. Our infographic explains how he will get here.

Moderne Werkstätten und hohe Sicherheitsstandards: Das Handwerk bietet gute Arbeitsbedingungen.

Five great reasons to work in the skilled crafts and trades

Great working conditions, a secure job, development opportunities – there are so many reasons to train and work in the skilled crafts and trades in Germany.

Digital magazine: Careers in the skilled crafts and trades – talented people wanted!

Read our free 56-page magazine to find out all about job opportunities in the skilled crafts and trades in Germany.

Read the e-magazine now

From Ecuador to Germany: Working as an industrial mechanic

From Tunisia to Germany: Working as a mechatronics engineer

From Vietnam to Germany: Working as a baker's apprentice

Regional Focus

Mercedes-Benz betreibt ein großes Werk in Tuscaloosa (Alabama) und will auch künftig massiv in den USA investieren.

Business

North America

Transatlantic growth axis

German and UIS companies are investing heavily in each other’s countries - despite and also because of the political uncertainties.

Julia Smirnova: „Diskreditierung demokratischer Institutionen“

Disinformation

Russian

Russian manipulation – “a fatal distortion of reality”

Disinformation, cyberattacks, AI propaganda – CeMAS researcher Julia Smirnova explains how Russia conducts information warfare and how Germany can protect itself.

Singapur ist das wichtigste Ziel deutscher Investitionen in Südostasien.

German investment in Southeast Asia

Asia

German companies’ preferred investment locations in Southeast Asia

From Singapore to Vietnam: find out why German companies have been increasingly investing in ASEAN states and which countries are particularly attractive in this context.

Find out more about Germany and the world

Syria

Handwerker arbeiten im Innenhof von Beit Wakil in Aleppo.

Reconstruction in Aleppo

Arab world

Reconstruction amidst ruins

Architect Dima Dayoub is working to preserve cultural heritage in the destroyed historic centre of Aleppo – and to reconstruct entire residential districts.

Landmine clearance

Arab world

Life among unexploded ordnance

Whether in villages, on farmland or in school buildings: mines lurk almost everywhere in Syria. The HALO Trust removes them – with support from Germany.

Health

Arab world

A children’s hospital between destruction and new beginnings

War, poverty and destroyed infrastructure: for many families in Syria, medical care is out of reach. The German Red Cross provides humanitarian assistance.

deutschland.de Stories

Do you love singing?

Facts and figures about skilled trades

Singing for a good cause

Facts about Konrad Adenauer

Ready for 2026?

Christmas time has finally arrived

Skilled crafts

Struggling with your German?

Job Board

Working and Training in Germany

As a professional driver in Germany: “I feel I have arrived”.

Training profiles at a glance

Pros & Cons

Heruntergeladen Group of kids using smartphones during lesson in school.

Pros and cons

Is a mobile phone ban at schools expedient?

Young people are constantly online – even in school. Two education experts debate whether mobile phone bans promote concentration or impair opportunities.

Schnitzel & small talk

Schnitzel & smalltalk

Special feature

Can this be described as “singing”?

Screaming, rapping, yodelling: in Germany, a lot of people traditionally regard singing as a moral compass – but it’s one that can easily spin out of control.

Day-to-day life in Germany

Deutsche sind sehr vielfältig. Doch wie sind sie im Durchschnitt?

Statistics

Facts about Germany

How do Germans live?

How do average people in Germany live and work? How old do they get? How much do they earn? We have all the facts and figures.

Germany’s most popular beers

Pilsner or wheat? Germany is seen as the country of good beer. Here are the regional specialities.

Living in Germany

Friendship

How and where can I get to know people?

New to a German city? We'll show you the quickest way to make contacts and where you can meet people.

find out more

Getting Started in Germany

Work, German lessons and buttered pretzels - Ayushi Sharma’s life in Germany

After completing her master’s in Munich, the young woman from India embarked on a career in Germany as an IT manager. This is how she got off to a successful start.

In sieben Schritten zum Job in Deutschland

Finding your job in Germany in seven steps

Mаríа Fernаndа Gаrcíа López is from Mexico and wants to work as IT specialists in Munich. The journey of this 28-year-old skilled worker is just one example of how you can come to Germany.

Die Erzieherin Daniela Noya wagte den Schritt nach Deutschland.

Teaching, learning, making friends – Daniela Noya’s life in Germany

The nursery school teacher from Colombia works at a nursery. She talks here about how she started out in Germany.

Das neue Digitalmagazin „Ankommen in Deutschland“

How to get off to a successful start in Germany

The new digital magazine from deutschland.de provides international skilled professionals with useful tips when they arrive in Germany.

From the Red Sea to the Black Forest – Khaled Elbarbary’s life in Germany

Qualified staff from abroad are also in demand in Germany’s hotel sector. Let us introduce you to a young Egyptian who works in the Black Forest.

Read more

Development and Dialogue

South Pacific

Germany recognises Niue in the South Pacific

Stève Hiobi erhielt 2023 den Grimme-Online-Award.

Inspiring courage

“The younger generation gives me hope”

Erhält den Deutschen Afrika-Preis 2025: die Aktivistin Namatai Kwekweza aus Simbabwe.

German Africa Prize

A bold voice for young democracy: Namatai Kwekweza

Mobility and Travel

Mit dem Fahrrad kommt man nah ran an die Mauerreste.

Europe

Following the Berlin Wall trail

Getting around in Germany

Mit dem Deutschlandticket nutzt du Busse und Bahnen im Regionalverkehr.

Travel in Germany

Deutschlandticket: travel across Germany by bus and train

The economy in Germany

Business

Free trade – the foundation of economic success

Business

Transatlantic growth axis

German investment in Southeast Asia

German companies’ preferred investment locations in Southeast Asia

Choose your topic

Germany - the Federal Government

#BetterTogether: Global engagement

Neuankommende Fluechtlinge im Registration Center Kakuma, Kenia

Humanitarian Assistance

Renewable energies

Germany in the United Nations

Working in Germany

Your guide to studying in Germany

Famous Germans

Rainer Maria Rilke, hier vermutlich 1906, gilt bis heute als einer der größten deutschsprachigen Dichter.

A portrait

Poetry

The perfect poet

Rainer Maria Rilke was born 150 years ago. The German-language poet was much admired even in his lifetime, and his works continue to touch people around the world to this day.

Ihre Gedanken sind bis heute aktuell: Hannah Arendt (1906–1975)

A life in exile: Hannah Arendt and her escape from evil

Hannah Arendt was one of the most influential political theorists. Her works reveal how important it is to stand up for democracy and human rights.

Reformation Day: Martin Luther, the Reformer

How Martin Luther and the Reformation have continued to influence German society until the present.

Wim Wenders bei der Verleihung des Europäischen Filmpreises 2024

Wim Wenders - travelling the world through film

Wim Wenders has made a name for himself not just as one of Germany’s leading directors but also as a photographer.

Sophie Scholl: Resistance icon

Sophie Scholl is one of the most famous women in German history. As a member of the “White Rose”, she was part of the resistance to the Nazi regime.

Albert Schweitzer 1965 vor dem von ihm gegründeten Krankenhaus in Lambaréné

Albert Schweitzer: out of reverence for life

What drove the doctor, humanist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate – and how he built an entire hospital village in what is today Gabon.

Ihr Tagebuch wurde nach Anne Franks Tod weltberühmt.

Anne Frank and her diary: writing for eternity

Anne Frank died in a concentration camp aged 15. Her diary is one of the most important documents which bear witness to Nazi atrocities.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: faith in contradiction

It is not possible to be a National Socialist and a Christian at the same time: this is the attitude that defined the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. The theologian was murdered by the Nazis on 9 April 1945.

Johannes Gutenberg – knowledge for the whole world

It was his invention of letterpress printing with movable type that enabled books to be produced rapidly and inexpensively.

Erich Kästner: a great children’s book author – and much more besides

His children’s books have been translated into more than 70 languages and continue to sell millions of copies to this day. Erich Kästner didn’t just write for young readers, however.

Blick in die Schau in der Hamburger Kunsthalle

Caspar David Friedrich: the master of silence

Forgotten, misunderstood and celebrated: Caspar David Friedrich’s works are ready to be rediscovered again in his 250th anniversary year.

Goethe ist einer der bekanntesten Dichter und Denker Deutschlands.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: a genius, even beyond literature

Goethe shaped German culture like no other. His persistent thirst for knowledge was his greatest motivation.

Marlene Dietrich, Hollywood-Star aus Deutschland

Marlene Dietrich - world star, style icon, myth

The actress and singer was a phenomenon of her era and continues to inspire many people around the world today, partly because of her political stance.

Franz Kafka – the eternal enigma of world literature

The world's most widely read German-language author died on 3 June 1924 – and left instructions for all his writings to be destroyed.

Käthe Kollwitz mit Selbstbildniss (vermutlich von 1940)

Käthe Kollwitz – a dauntless woman and major artist

Her works are of timeless significance and exceptional artistic quality. Käthe Kollwitz campaigned against war and poverty and for the rights of women.

Thomas Mann – a literary giant of the century

2025 marks the 150th anniversary of Thomas Mann’s birth and the 70th anniversary of his death – a good moment to revisit the work of the Nobel laureate.

Clara Schumann – art is the air I breathe

She was a pianist, composer, piano teacher, superstar – and she is the most famous woman in music history. A portrait to mark the 205th anniversary of her birth

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In focus

Disinformation Russian Russian manipulation – “a fatal distortion of reality”

Teilnehmende der Besucherreise tauschen sich aus.

Journalism Fake news Joining forces against disinformation

Karnevalsumzug mit einer Figur von Kanzler Scholz

Humour

Artistic freedom

Satire in Germany: as provocative as possible, please

Mockery and malice: artists in Germany have plenty of opportunities to critically engage with politics and society.

Meinungsfreiheit ist in Deutschland ein hohes Gut.

Law

Legislation

Where do the limits on freedom of expression begin?

Freedom of expression is a fundamental right in Germany – but it still has its limits. Putting this much-debated issue into context.

Hybride Angriffe auf Deutschland nehmen zu.

Crime

Propaganda and sabotage

Protecting democracy against hybrid attacks

Germany is focusing its attention on the risks posed by information manipulation, cyberattacks and acts of sabotage. Most of the attacks are orchestrated from abroad.

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