Category Archives: Germany
Where is the center of Europe?
Zur deutschen Fassung dieses Artikels. Reading the book Black Earth, I became aware of a village in Ukraine that was calculated and named as the geographical center of Europe in 1887: Dilove. “Really?“ I wondered, not because I would begrudge Dilove the … Continue reading
Light Effects
I am spending a few months in Ammerthal, the Bavarian village where I grew up. “But there is no theater, no cinema, no Academy of Sciences?” my friends from New York, Paris and Moscow are asking, worried and pitiful at … Continue reading
Back in Europe
After 18 months in South America, I am back in Europe. I have already written extensively about the reasons for my return. Here are the first impressions from the old continent: You cannot imagine how happy I was when I … Continue reading
Random Thoughts (13)
Where exactly is the line between the Near East, the Middle East and the Far East? I am so old-school, when I am in a remote location, I miss newspapers more than the internet. I have never received as many … Continue reading
Germany 1945-1949
These two films illustrate – with quite drastic footage, you are warned – what the Allied powers thought of Germany immediately after the end of World War II. They did see, correctly in my view, a continuity of German militarism … Continue reading
AllExperts is dead
Quite a number of readers have come to this blog through AllExperts, where I have been answering questions on German law for a decade. With more than a thousand thoroughly answered questions, my profile there was a great source of … Continue reading
10 FAQ on Getting Married in Germany – updated 2023
As part of my very popular series of legal FAQ, I now address a subject which I am personally completely opposed to: How to get married in Germany? My personal advice would be not to do it. Don’t throw away freedom like that! … Continue reading
Book Review: “Alone in Berlin” by Hans Fallada
When a novel becomes an international bestseller 62 years after its original publication, there has to be something to it. Jeder stirbt für sich allein by Hans Fallada was published in Germany in 1947 and finally got translated into English … Continue reading
Germanize Yourself
Thanks to my FAQ on German citizenship law and my professional help, hundreds of additional people each year are able to obtain German citizenship and/or move to Germany. – But once there, the real problems begin. If you want to blend right … Continue reading
Random Thoughts (9)
In Bolivia, I spoke with a lawyer about feminicidios, the killing of women by their partners, which carries a higher sentence than a “regular” homicide. Out of curiosity, I looked up the figure for Germany – and was shocked: 331 … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 