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Topic of the week

Humour

Der Düsseldorfer Künstler Jacques Tilly steht in seiner Werkstatt vor einer Putin-Figur mit blutigen Händen.

The satirist Jacques Tilly “Jester’s licence is about freedom of expression”

Schnitzel & Small Talk

Carnival: the organised suspension of the normal rules

Putin als Sträfling mit Blut an den Händen: Einer der Karnevalswagen von Jacques Tilly 2025.

Freedom of expression

Putin objects to cardboard figures

Zwei Dackel laufen bei einem Rennen um die Wette.

Amusing contests

On your marks, sausage dogs, get set, go!

Humor und Satire haben in Deutschland eine lange Tradition.

Where satire meets self-mockery

Do Germans have a sense of humour? A journey from Tucholsky to TikTok

Artistic freedom

Satire in Germany: as provocative as possible, please

Spielt mit deutschen Klischees: Comedian Mario Adrion

North America

“Germany’s Nazi past is always a good one”

Test your knowledge

Quiz

Humour and satire in Germany: test your knowledge!

Ein Luftballon mit einem Smiley wird vor das Gesicht gehalten.

Carnival in Germany: which of the following cries is not a carnival greeting?

Eine Gardistin mit Hut hebt winkend die Hand.

The humorist Loriot enjoys cult status in Germany. Which of these is one of his most famous sayings?

Loriot sitzt in einem Sessel und hält ein Blatt Papier.

“Kladderadatsch” is a German word meaning utter chaos. It was also the title of which medium?

Eine Illustration zeigt eine Frau vor einem Scherbenhaufen.

At court, jesters would provide entertainment. What exactly was meant by “jester’s licence”?

The first of April is a day of jokes, hoaxes and pranks. What typically happens on this day in Germany?

The underrated art of German humour

Humour and satire have a long tradition in Germany.

German humour comes in many shapes and sizes. But which punchlines have made entire generations laugh? Discover the surprising answers here.

Find out more

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Newsroom

Munich Security Conference Wadephul: shared basis between the US and Europe

Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz auf der Münchner Sicherheitskonferenz.

Munich Security Conference Merz calls for a reset with the US – with a stronger Europe as a pillar

+++ Ticker Foreign Relations Russia declares DAAD an “undesirable organisation”

Security Merz opens Munich Security Conference

Defence Germany deploys Eurofighter jets for Arctic mission

Eine Person steht auf einem Hügel einer Schneelandschaft und blickt auf einen Raketenstart.

Defence Munich start-up tests hypersonic missile

Künstlerische Darstellung der Gateway Lunar Space Station

Space travel Germany’s new lunar mission hub

Nach einem Stromausfall bietet ein beheiztes Zelt in einem ukrainischen Wohngebiet Schutz vor der Kälte.

Winter aid

War in Ukraine

Minus 23 degrees, no electricity - and the fear of being forgotten

In the harshest winter of war to date, hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians are living without heating, water and electricity. Lisa Taschler from the DRK explains where German aid is having an impact

Berlinale

76th Berlinale

Europe

Berlinale 2026: The bear hunt is on

With stars and visitors from around the world, Berlin is once again transformed into a film metropolis. The Berlinale stands for diversity and lively debate.

Winter Olympics 2026

Portrait der deutschen Bobfahrerin Laura Nolte. Sie trägt die offizielle Kleidung des deutschen Wintersportteams und hält ihren Bob-Helm unter dem Arm.

Winter sports Bobsleigh pilot Laura Nolte “If you fall, get back up again!”

Para-Eishockeyspieler Jan Malte Brelage, Biathletin Franziska Preuss, Eishockeyspieler Moritz Müller

Winter sports 2026 Winter Olympic Games Heading for gold: Germany’s Winter Olympic stars

Medals table

How is Germany faring in the 2026 Winter Olympic Games? Our medals table will keep you updated daily on who is winning gold, silver and bronze.

15 : Total
4 : Gold
6 : Silver
5 : Bronze

Carnival 2026

Carnival: the organised suspension of the normal rules

Germany becomes the realm of the fools between 11 November and Ash Wednesday: with costumes and special carnival speeches, carnival enthusiasts take full advantage of this controlled period of exuberance.

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.

Carnival curiosities

A glossary for the carnival season in Germany

Putin objects to cardboard figures

Satire goes on trial: Russia sues German carnival float builder Jacques Tilly over satirical Putin motifs. The trial has been postponed until the end of February.

Der Kölner Dom ist für viele das Herz der Rheinstadt.

Beneath the cathedral spires

For your post-corona bucket list: Carnival, museums, Kölsch and an upbeat atmosphere – Cologne is a cheerful city on the River Rhine with a Roman past.

Regional Focus

Humour

North America

“Germany’s Nazi past is always a good one”

Black Forest kid, model, stand-up comedian in the US: Mario Adrion talks about his not always smooth career path - and a divided America.

Die Schifffahrt – hier in Singapur – ist elementar für eine freie Weltwirtschaft.

Munich Security Conference

Asia

Strengthening ASEAN: “Lifeblood of the global economy”

With trust in a rule-based global order, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) is focusing on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Daniel Gerlach ist Spezialist für die muslimische Welt.

Security

Arab world

“The Middle East should be neither a backdrop nor a projection screen”

The historian Daniel Gerlach explains why the Middle East is also characterised by stable structures - and how this is relevant to peace policies.

Find out more about Germany and the world

Schnitzel & small talk

Schnitzel & smalltalk

Schnitzel & small talk

The return of a little mouse with big feet

Straight off the school playground, now a collector’s phenomenon: Diddl the mouse is making a comeback – and recalling a time when notepads were a currency.

Videos

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Economy

Der ersten „Gigafabrik“ in Salzgitter sollen weitere an anderen Standorten folgen, etwa im spanischen Valencia.

New momentum for electric mobility in Europe

Germany’s automotive industry has launched an ambitious endeavour to catch up in the field of battery manufacturing. The goal is to increase independence from Asian competitors.

Die moderne Landwirtschaft ist zunehmend datengetrieben.

High tech in the fields

Driverless farm machinery, artificial intelligence and smart livestock breeding are making agriculture more precise, efficient and sustainable - in Germany and worldwide.

Cloud-Spezialist Santhosh Jayaprakash in Berlin

“I’m especially impressed with the German Mittelstand”

IT expert Santhosh Jayaprakash has established a number of start-ups in Berlin. What are his impressions – and his tips?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 Vietnam to Germany: Working as a baker's apprentice

From Tunisia to Germany: Working as a mechatronics engineer

Migration

Deutschland ist seit Jahrzehnten ein Einwanderungsland.

Migration Migration policy Germany remains a country of immigration - with clear rules

Zugewanderte bringen neue Perspektiven und Geschäftsideen ein.

Skilled workers Migration One in seven patent applications is filed by somebody with an migration background

Humanitarian aid

Mehr als 26.000 Menschen in Sudan sind kürzlich von Al-Faschir in das Lager Tawila geflüchtet.

“Standing by the people”

Violence in Darfur is escalating, and hundreds of thousands are fleeing. Germany is providing additional funds – for drinking water, food and medical care.

Vertriebene Sudanesinnen und Sudanesen im neu errichteten Lager Al-Afadh

“Abhorrent violations of international law”

In the face of hospitals unable to cope, blocked convoys and serious human rights violations, numerous states have called on Sudan to end the attacks.

2025 hat die Bundesregierung bislang 35 Millionen Euro für humanitäre Hilfe in Südsudan bereitgestellt.

Combating hunger, sack by sack

Securing the food supply, saving lives: Germany is one of the biggest donors of humanitarian aid and supports numerous organisations in South Sudan.

Kein Raum für Trauer: Diese Südsudanesin muss ihre verbliebenen Familienmitglieder versorgen.

Where German help is changing lives

Armed conflicts, drought and flooding have plunged South Sudan into crisis. German projects provide food, water and protection.

Kambodscha: Eike Hesselbarth (rechts) vom Auswärtigen Amt spricht mit einem Mitarbeiter der Nichtregierungsorganisation The HALO Trust.

An invisible threat to 60 million people

The Federal Foreign Office supports efforts to remove unexploded ordnance around the world, aiming to protect the civilian population of current and former conflict areas.

Halo Trust arbeitet an der Beseitigung von Minen in Syrien

The invisible threat

Every day, people in Syria are killed by explosives hidden in the ground. Germany is helping to remove the devices.

Alleviating crises around the world

Germany provides humanitarian aid to support millions of people, including in countries and regions that are not at the centre of media attention.

German economy: #LeadingInnovation

Germany’s Hidden Champions: unknown but indispensable innovation drivers

German Mittelstand “We are the backbone of the economy”

Germany’s big players: driving innovation forward

“Germany is a great place to found a startup”

Fraunhofer: a hub for cutting edge research and innovation

Read more

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.

Dos and Don'ts in Deutschland: Zu spät kommen? Geht gar nicht.

Just don’t!

Typically German? These nine things really don’t go down very well in Germany. A tongue-in-cheek warning.

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

New momentum for electric mobility in Europe

Gut gelaunte Partner: Bundeskanzler Friedrich Merz zu Gast beim indischen Ministerpräsidenten Narendra Modi

Business

On the home stretch towards increased free trade between India and the EU

In Deutschland arbeiten rund 877.000 Menschen in der Landwirtschaft.

Agriculture

How important is agriculture in Germany?

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

Julia Smirnova: „Diskreditierung demokratischer Institutionen“

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

Teilnehmende der Besucherreise tauschen sich aus.

Journalism Fake news Joining forces against disinformation

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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