All tagged Politics
After being out sick last week, Dili is back among the podcast microphones to share her adventures in German healthcare. We also learn how to start a pigeon wellness hotel. We discuss being imprisoned in Kindergarten, the arrival of Oktoberfest, and more troubling developments in Thuringia.
A listener’s email gives us a chance to celebrate Dili’d new microphone, and we ask why tea so maligned here, and might it have to do with some good old British Schadenfreude? We take a look at the world of German politics as planning for 2023 begins, mudslinging between Bavaria and Berlin, and a right royal scandal in the UK.
We have a special guest this week, we’re joined by William Noah Glucroft, a freelance journalist based in Berlin. We talk trick or treating in Berlin, controversial beer opinions, and favoured pieces of German culture. Of course, we didn’t just, bring William in to chat about the niceties. We break down the first year of Germany’s traffic light coalition government and find out whether life after Angela Merkel has all been downhill.
After the highs of last week’s show, we resume normal service as we discuss having family come visit us in Germany, the complex dance of German and British politeness, and why it’s impossible to find an ice cream van when you need one. Although we can’t offer you a Mr. Whippy, Simon might be able to offer you something much better: the opportunity to win a trophy!
Simon is out with Covid, which leaves Nic to try and comprehend the massive changes happening in German politics since the invasion of Ukraine. Given the current situation, it didn’t feel right to record a wholly new podcast this week, so after a short intro and discussion on Ukraine, the invasion and Germany’s response, we’ve chosen some of our favourite segments from the last year to replay.
Well done, we’ve made it through the first week of 2022! We celebrate with some chat about three kings, public holidays and friends who bring the gift of beer. Nic wonders whether he’s old or if it’s only the pandemic that’s preventing him from clubbing, while Simon just wants to go to the pub with his mates. Thanks to a listener, Simon questions whether every kebab is really great while Nic talks about his German family’s reaction to a humble PBJ sandwich. To finish, we talk about government plans to improve the quality of food production.
We’ve finished sweeping up the confetti and recycling the champagne bottles from episode 50, so we turn our attentions to the future. For Nic that means cancelling Christmas and for Simon, buying a snow shovel. We talk the perfect weather for a crime drama and our recent appearance on The Expatcast. Simon takes us through the chaos of the recent Bayern Munich AGM, and we finish this week with a look at the new German government and their plans for the next four years.
We’re welcoming a guest host to the show this week as we’re joined by the writer Courtney Tenz! We discuss whether picking random fruit off trees is worth the risk, Bavarian vegetarian options and Simon celebrates the arrival of a new David Hasselhoff album. Having arrived in Germany weeks before Angela Merkel became Chancellor, Courtney discusses the impact of Merkel’s time in office and what the future might hold for Germany.
Simon returns from his sick bed and joins Nic to talk about some exciting changes to the podcast, There’s also the small matter of a football game to discuss. Simon and Nic commiserate over England’s loss and take some time to talk about the wider impact of a successful tournament on English culture and politics. We also go back to episode 13 to hear about some curious German superstitions and why saying ‘Prost’ with a pint of beer isn’t as easy as you might think.
