Inside Germany is our weekly look at some of the news, talking points and gossip in Germany that you might've missed. It’s published each Saturday and members can receive it directly to their inbox by going to their newsletter preferences or adding their email to the sign-up box in this article.
Hanukkah in Germany
Starting last Sunday, German cities have been illuminated not only by Christmas lights but also by the warm glow of Hanukkah menorahs, marking the Jewish Festival of Lights.
In Berlin, the heart of the celebration is the towering ten-metre menorah at the Brandenburg Gate, where hundreds gathered to witness the lighting of the first candle. This year, the festivities unfolded under heightened police protection; just hours before the ceremony in Berlin, a tragic attack at a Hanukkah event in Sydney, Australia, cast a sombre shadow over the event.
Hanukkah, or Chanukkah, commemorates the rededication of the ancient temple in Jerusalem over 2,000 years ago and the miracle of oil that burned for eight nights. The festival stands for hope, resilience and the triumph of light over darkness.
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Across Germany, Jewish communities – from Berlin to Karlsruhe, Leipzig and Chemnitz – erect large menorahs in public squares, making Jewish culture visible and inviting everyone to share in the celebration.
The nightly candle lightings – set to continue until Monday – are typically accompanied by blessings and traditional treats like latkes (potato pancakes) and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts).
Set against the terrible events in Australia and reports of rising antisemitism in Germany, this year’s Hanukkah celebrations are an important reminder that Germany’s Jewish community continues to grow and, in many ways, thrive.
The Jewish community in Germany is now the fourth largest in Western Europe and the eighth largest globally, according to the World Jewish Congress. New synagogues have opened and Jewish schools and cultural festivals flourish.
In many respects, the extent and scale of contemporary Hanukkah events in Germany stand as proof that the power of hope and resilience should never be underestimated, however dark the times.
Photo of the week:Â
The last full week before Christmas saw mild temperatures for the time of year with patchy rain and some mist and fog – more "Bleak House" than "A Christmas Carol" unfortunately.
But meteorologists still haven't completely given up on the prospect of snow next week!
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Bad Santas and a Bavarian crime-buster
Christmas is coming – famously a time of “good will to all men”, that is except for some of those who happened to ride Munich's U-Bahn last week.
According to reports, far-right activists dressed in Santa costumes boarded the U6 at Odeonsplatz and proceeded to hand out provocative "boarding passes" which urged "asylum seekers" and "illegal migrants" to return home.
The alt-right Santas were reported to be members of the Lederhosen Revolte group – classified as part of Bavaria's identitarian movement by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. Â
According to reports from ntv, police are investigating whether the stunt constitutes a hate crime.
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Bullies and criminals exist everywhere, of course. Bavaria also has its fair share of crime-busters – as another story from the southern state made clear this week.
On Tuesday, an 85-year-old Ingolstadt pensioner was praised by police when he outsmarted phone scammers for the second time in little more than a year.
A scammer called his home pretending to be a police officer and claiming that the pensioner's granddaughter had been arrested after a fatal crash. The scammer claimed she urgently needed €10,000 cash and gold Krugerrand coins as "bail".
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While stalling the fake police officer on the line, the quick-thinking crime-fighter had his daughter alert the real police. Not long afterwards, they were able to arrest a 20-year-old courier at the suggested handover location.
Unbelievably, in September 2024 the same father and daughter duo trapped another fraudster seeking over €60,000 for a niece's bail, leading to a 40-year-old woman's arrest.
Police hailed their "exemplary" teamwork and also took the opportunity to warn of a surge in "shock calls" targeting seniors.
Note that Inside Germany newsletter will be paused for the next couple of weeks. Happy holidays and see you next year!.Â
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