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Local Germany
2 days ago
- Local Germany
Five surprising things about Dresden, a gem on the Elbe River
Many people may think of Dresden, a city of about half a million in the eastern state of Saxony, as little more than a right-wing hotspot. That reputation isn't wholly undeserved. In federal elections earlier this year, nearly one-third of votes in Dresden's electoral district went to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Dresden is also the site of one of Germany's most notorious neo-Nazi rallies, held every February in commemoration of the bombing of the city during World War II. But there's more to Dresden than right-wing politics. Here are five things that might surprise you about the city known affectionately as Florence on the Elbe. Dresden has a rich cultural and artistic heritage Dresden, which was once the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony, bears plenty of reminders of its royal history. Visitors to the city's old town can tour palaces and see what remains of the kingdom's treasures, including the crown jewels of Saxony. The Green Vault, where the crown jewels are kept, made international headlines in 2019, when thieves stole jewels from the collection estimated to be worth over €100 million. Most of the jewels have since been recovered, but several remain missing. Dresden was also the birthplace of the influential German Expressionist art movement. The group of Expressionist artists known as Die Brücke , or The Bridge, was founded by a group of architecture students studying in Dresden in 1905. The movement, which was later denigrated by the Nazis as 'degenerate art,' was characterized by its experimental use of color and form. READ ALSO: Eight art galleries you have to visit in Germany this year Another famous painter with strong ties to Dresden is Caspar David Friedrich. His famous painting 'Wanderer above the Sea of Fog' depicts a man gazing out over a mountain landscape in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, near Dresden. Caspar David Friedrich's 'Wanderer Over a Sea of Fog'. Photo: Wiki Commons Nearby Saxon Switzerland National Park offers picturesque hikes Outdoor enthusiasts can easily explore the sandstone peaks of Saxon Switzerland ( Sächsische Schweiz ) National Park from Dresden. Several trailheads are accessible with Dresden's S-Bahn. Advertisement One of the most famous trails is the hike to the Bastei Bridge, a stone bridge built in the mid-1800s across a dramatic rock formation. To reach the Bastei Bridge, hikers can take the S-Bahn from Dresden to Kurort Rathen. From there, they can cross the Elbe on a ferry and hike to the bridge. The hike takes between 45 minutes and an hour. Perhaps the most famous region named after Switzerland, Germany's Saxon Switzerland. By Thomas Wolf, - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wiki Commons Much of Dresden's old town was rebuilt, some parts as late as in the 2000s Many Americans know about the bombing of Dresden from reading 'Slaughterhouse Five' in high school English class. The novel, which is based on author Kurt Vonnegut's experiences as a prisoner of war in Dresden during the bombing, has become an American classic. But far fewer probably know about the decades-long process of reconstructing the city's old town, which had long been famed for its beauty. Dresden was heavily bombed by British and American forces in February 1945. An estimated 25,000 people died during the bombings, and much of the city, including its historic center, was completely decimated. Landmarks including the Zwinger Palace, the city's opera house and the iconic Frauenkirche were heavily damaged or completely destroyed. But when Germany was divided into East and West following World War II, the process of rebuilding stalled. Though parts of the Zwinger and the opera house were restored under communist rule, much of what was once the city center lay virtually untouched for decades. It wasn't until after reunification in 1990 that the process of returning the old town to its former glory truly began. Dresden's citizens pushed to rebuild the old town, rather than to replace it with a modern city center. READ ALSO: How does Germany's 'phantom border' still divide the country? The Frauenkirche, which collapsed during the bombing and remained a pile of rubble for decades, was not reopened until 2005. Today, Dresden's painstakingly restored city center draws tourists from Germany and around the world. Advertisement Milk chocolate was invented in Dresden The earliest version of edible milk chocolate was produced in Dresden. But the way the Dresden chocolate manufacturer Jordan & Timaeus began producing the treat never really caught on. Jordan & Timaeus first advertised their version of milk chocolate, which was produced with steam power and used donkey milk, in 1839. A few years later, in the 1840s Swiss chocolatiers began producing a different – and more commercially successful – type of milk chocolate. Interestingly, the coffee filter was also invented in Dresden, by a woman named Melitta Bentz in 1908. Dresden invests in the future with semiconductor industry Though Dresden may be more well-known for its history, its burgeoning technology sector aims to bring the city into the future. Dresden was an electronics and manufacturing hub during the GDR (East German) era, and it has since become a hotspot for producing semiconductor chips. Most electronics we use every day require semiconductors, and the demand for chips has only grown as AI technology booms. Dresden has emerged as one of the most important hubs for semiconductor production in Europe. Advertisement The local government has strongly encouraged the semiconductor industry to come to Dresden. Chip manufacturers including Global Foundries, TSMC and Infineon have built plants in and around the city in recent years.
Local Germany
21-07-2025
- Local Germany
Where transport passengers in Berlin can expect disruptions on Monday
Berlin's S-Bahn was under strain on Monday morning with service disruptions reported across multiple lines. Due to the repair of a signal in Charlottenburg, there are delays and cancellations on the central S3, S5, S7, S75 and S9 lines, the S-Bahn announced. According to the S-Bahn website, as of Monday morning around 8am, the S3 runs between Erkner and Ostbahnhof every 10 minutes. The S5 terminates at Ostbahnhof in the westward direction, coming from Strausberg or Hoppegarten on ten minute intervals. The S75 terminates at Warschauer Straße in the westward direction, coming from Warternberg. At the weekend, a staff shortage had caused massive S-Bahn disruptions on the Ringbahn and lines running between Treptower Park and Schöneweide. Reportedly a lack of staff to manage the signal box at Schöneweide was to blame. It had caused failures of the lines S45, S46, S47, S8, S85 and S9 with restrictions in place until Sunday evening around 6 pm. Advertisement Meanwhile on the U-Bahn, BVG reports that the U1 line is still out of service on Monday. READ ALSO: U-Bahn service disruptions in Berlin highlight systemic issues
Local Germany
07-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Local Germany
German phrase of the day: JWD (janz weit draussen)
What does it mean? JWD , pronounced "Yot vee dey", stands for janz weit draussen which means "way out in the middle of nowhere". If you're an urban type, it's the sort of thing you might say with a shudder at the prospect of spending a weekend "in the boonies" or "the back of beyond". If you're a rural type, it's an expression which perfectly captures everything that's wrong with urban types. Janz isn't actually a word, of course, but a nod to the Berliner dialect which often swaps a "G" at the beginning of a word for a "J". In correct German it would be ganz weit draussen. Similarly, S's are often pronounced as T's in Berlin. So " was " becomes " wat ", and " das " becomes " dit ". Why do I need to know janz weit draussen ? If you're in Berlin, it never hurts to make nice with the locals. Dropping the expression JWD into conversation not only lets them know you're making an effort to learn German – it lets them know you're making an effort to learn their German. READ ALSO: 10 words that will make you sound like a real Berliner Advertisement If you're anywhere else in Germany, you can use it ironically to inspire a moment of bonding over the strange eccentricities of folk in the capital. Alternatively, you can use the expression Am Arsch der Welt, which translates as "the arse-end of the world" and is the term used in Germany by everyone who isn't from Berlin. Here's how to use it As an acronym: Ich möchte nicht so JWD wohnen, ich brauche eine gute Anbindung an die Stadt. I don't want to live in the middle of nowhere. I need a good connection to the city. JWD ist für mich alles außerhalb des S-Bahn-Rings. For me, anything outside the S-Bahn ring is the middle of nowhere. As a phrase: Ob Sie sich im Stadtzentrum oder "janz weit draußen" befinden, Sie können Ihre Testergebnisse bekommon, sobald Sie dafür bereit sind. Whether you're in the city centre or in the middle of nowhere, you can get your test results as soon as they're ready. Everywhere except Berlin: Denn der Flughafen liegt nicht, wie man meinen möchte, in der Nähe von Frankfurt, sondern 120 Kilometer entfernt am Arsch der Welt. Because the airport isn't near Frankfurt where you'd expect, but 120 kilometres away in the middle of nowhere.
Local Germany
26-06-2025
- Local Germany
Insider tips: The essential things to do in Hamburg in the summer
T. S. Eliot famously wrote that 'April is the cruellest month' – and in Hamburg, summer can be the cruellest season. Wedged between two coasts as we are, summer weather often switches from swelteringly humid heat one week to gale-force gusts the next. Yet despite the potential for a complete wash-out (just Google 'Hamburg summer memes'…), this is the time of year when our parks, lakes, and events calendar come into their own. What is more, with summer nights short due to our northern latitude, even a few pesky afternoon squalls still leave plenty of daylight hours to enjoy. So if you've got a brolly and a reliable weather app, here are five ways to enjoy summertime Hamburg – and some tips about how to avoid the crowds of people looking to do likewise. Get on a ferry Day-trippers, overnight stayers, residents with guests to show around, annoyed locals looking for a seat: the 62 ferry from the Landungsbrücken quays to Finkenwerder packs them all in. The classic way to see Hamburg from the water, it's still a fantastic option for a sunny morning – stress on 'morning' to beat the rush. Photo by Wolfgang Weiser: But why not try the less busy alternatives? If you've got time on a weekday, the 73 will take you along the gritty post-industrial backchannels of Steinwerder to the trendy end of Wilhelmsburg. Another option is to take a pleasant walk along the Elbe to Teufelsbrück and then hop on the 64 to Finkenwerder. At the weekends, the 65 will take you from there back over to the picturesque hill-village suburb of Blankenese. (Check timetables here .) Advertisement Get on your bike Ferries take bikes, too, so if you cross to Finkenwerder and head past the Airbus runway (keeping your eyes peeled for the awe-inspiring A300 Beluga transporter), you'll soon be cycling through the Altes Land, Europe's largest contiguous fruit-growing area. With its miles of apple, pear, and cherry orchards punctuated by quaint villages, it offers plenty of places to stop for juice, cakes, and other associated refreshments – or to shelter from the rain. Use saddle-bags to take advantage of bumper crops at low prices (everything is flat out here, so no need to worry about weight). End in bijou Buxtehude or sweet Stade, both with beautifully preserved Hanseatic town-centres and S-Bahn connections back into town. Image by Mario from Pixabay Other picturesque, if slightly more challenging routes, will get you away from the steady stream of like-minded cyclists. Why not take the (surprisingly hilly) Alster towpath up through the genteel northern suburbs, following the river out past horse paddocks and through woodlands as far as Rader Schule for an afternoon coffee/cold beer? Or, if you've got thighs of iron and an entire weekend to spare, you could try the Elbe cycle-path out to lovely Lauenburg, with a choice of chichi hotels and plenty to see and do while you're there. Advertisement Get on the train Lauenburg is a change of train away, either at Büchen or Lüneburg. Just 30 minutes from Hauptbahnhof, the latter is a gorgeous Hanseatic city which grew fabulously wealthy in the Middle Ages thanks to its salt mines, leaving it with dizzying, intricate church spires – and a serious subsidence problem. Leaning tower of Pisa? Leaning towers (plural) of Lüneburg! Lubeck is well worth a visit from Hamburg. Photo by Wolfgang Weiser on Unsplash Another medieval Hanseatic gem within day-tripping distance of Hamburg is Lübeck, a compact city with plenty to offer besides its trademark Holstentor gatehouse and atmospheric city centre. Gourmets will enjoy the marzipan for which it is known (potentially in ice-cream form if it's a hot day) as well as a wide range of fish dishes – especially out at Travemünde, the seaside suburb just a few stops further along the line. Alternatively, there are trains out to the coastal resorts of Timmendorfer Strand and Scharbeutz, although those looking to beat the day-tripping crowds are best advised to stay on board until up-and-coming Haffkrug. For adrenalin junkies, the next stop, Sierksdorf, is the right one: as well as Germany's highest and fastest rollercoaster, nearby Hansapark also has some of the best log-flumes in the business. Advertisement Go open-air swimming For those who prefer their water-related kicks to be less vertigo-inducing, Hamburg has got so many open-air swimming options that you could (confession:) live here for decades and never try them all. If you're in the market for a classic German Freibad experience, there is no better place to swim laps, belly-flop from diving boards, and people-watch than the Kaifu lido. If you'd avoid the fairweather posers, Bondenwald and Finkenwerder are quieter options. Municipal operator Bäderland also runs a natural pool filled from the Alster at Stadtpark – which, thanks to its opaque (yet clean) water, tends to put off the crowds. Indeed, if you're not put off by not being able to see the bottom, Hamburg has no end of free outdoor bathing spots. There's no need to risk drowning or being mown down by container ships on busy, fast-flowing Elbe, either, if you trade the main beach for the river's quieter arms – like the tranquil Dove Elbe, for instance, out east. Helpfully, the city authorities keep tabs of water quality here and at various other recommended swimming spots (list here ). Photo by Frank Rietsch: Go to the Wasserlichtkonzerte One final water-related tip: Wasserlichtkonzerte . It's a bit of a cop-out to call things 'untranslatable', but these spectacles held every evening from 1st May to 30th September in Planten un Blomen park really are lacking an equivalent – even in other German cities. Yes, Hamburg's 'water-light concerts' are performed using an ingenious combination of high-pressure fountains illuminated by spotlights and coordinated with speakers to create a truly unique audio-visual outdoor experience. There is, quite simply, nothing quite like them. So take a picnic and enjoy this uplifting experience with friends (or dates…) after sundown. A tip for avoiding the crowds? Get a good picnic blanket with a waterproof underside so that you can go even when it's been raining again and the grass is wet… Share your own tips for what to do in Hamburg this summer in the comments section below.
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Implenia gets contract for work on Nordmainische S-Bahn section in Frankfurt
Implenia has received a contract worth over €200m ($226.9m) for the construction of a section of the Nordmainische S-Bahn below central Frankfurt, Germany. The contract was issued by DB InfraGO, part of German state-owned railway company Deutsche Bahn. The new underground section will extend from Konstablerwache in the city centre to Fechenheim, passing through the new 'Frankfurt (Main) Ost (tief)' S-Bahn station. Implenia's responsibilities include building the initial construction pit, known as the 'Trog', and the pit for the underground station, as well as several auxiliary construction pits and associated civil engineering structures. Additionally, Implenia will be drilling two tunnel tubes, each around 1.2km in length, using tunnel boring machines (TBMs) and implementing water management measures. The complexity of the project is heightened by its location in a populated area of the city, necessitating a range of special foundation services to meet the demands of modern and sustainable construction. The detailed building design work is scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, with construction set to commence in early 2026 and conclude by 2031. Implenia Civil Engineering head Edwin Scherer said: 'Maintaining and developing a functioning transport infrastructure is central to the sustainable development of our cities. I'm very pleased that Implenia, with its many years of experience and comprehensive expertise, can contribute to the improvement of public transport in the densely populated Rhine-Main region.' The Nordmainische S-Bahn project is a strategic investment in the transport infrastructure of the future, aiming to enhance local transport connections. The project is seen as pivotal for expanding rail capacity in the Frankfurt (Main) hub and is expected to deliver improved reliability and comfort for commuters and travellers while also contributing to carbon reduction targets, highlighted Implenia. Last month, Deutsche Bahn commissioned a joint venture of Implenia and HOCHTIEF for '733 Tunnel Ostbahnhof', a component of the Munich S-Bahn expansion project. "Implenia gets contract for work on Nordmainische S-Bahn section in Frankfurt" was originally created and published by World Construction Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Sign in to access your portfolio
