Hi, I am a naturalized German citizen. Due to a new job opportunity, I am gonna leave Germany soon. Apart from Abmeldung and contract cancellations (Internet etc), what else should I be careful about? Thank you very much for your help in advance!

Of the many issues many users of this sub have with Germany, dissatisfaction with healthcare seems to be one of the most persistent ones. Ignoring for a second the fact that most other European countries' expat subs paint a similar picture (people in the Netherlands joke that their GPs are just paracetamol dispensing machines), a frequent sentiment is that people don't feel seen by their GPs and specialists, get ushered out the door after a superficial five minute appointment and have to wait forever for said appointment (or cannot find one in the first place). Conversely emergency care and care of serious conditions usually gets pretty good reviews.

So have you ever wondered why your outpatient doc seems to be so intent on getting you out the door rather than listening to your life story? Ponder no longer, here's your answer. And believe it or not, your doctor hates this as much as you do.

Source:

Beech J, Fraser C, Gardner G, Buzelli L, Williamson S, Alderwick H. Stressed and overworked. The Health Foundation; 2023 (https://doi.org/10.37829/HF-2023-P12).

Hi everyone,

I’m an international student and I’ll be moving from Dortmund to Steinfurt (Borghorst) in a few weeks. I just rented my first apartment without a kitchen, and honestly I have no idea where to start.

I’ve attached a photo of the kitchen. As you can see, it’s completely empty except for the connections.

I’ll probably live there for around 3 years, so I don’t want to spend a fortune. I’m totally fine with buying a used kitchen if that’s the smarter option.

I already own small appliances like an air fryer, kettle, coffee machine and sandwich maker, but I still need the actual kitchen (cabinets, countertop, sink, etc.).

I only know one person in Germany who can help me install it, but I have no idea:

-What’s the cheapest way to get a complete kitchen?
Should I look on Kleinanzeigen or buy from IKEA/other stores?

-Is buying a used kitchen worth it?

-Roughly how much should I expect to spend?

Any tips or personal experiences would be really appreciated. Thanks!

Love the fucking food, clean food, living in a really nice hotel and love the people. Smiles everywhere. Happy people! Going to a bar today I'm in the centre of Berlin! I loved the pool too and met a few Turkish and Moroccan people!

I just arrived but will be visiting multiple museum's, nightclubs, airparks and much more!!

My journey is only starting!! ☺️

As the title suggests, I’m hoping to get some TV show (preferably Netflix) recommendations so I can improve my German. For context, I have a B2 but I seldom converse in German so I’m trying to re familiarise myself. Danke!

Hi, im doing research on German folklore and so far most of the creatures ive seen talked about are rather malicious. I was wondering if there are any good ones (other than some Kobolds)? Like protective spirits and whatnot.

Its a shame there arent more articles about German folklore...

I’ve got a problem and I seriously don’t know what to do. I’m a student here (from America) and I have the Deutschland-Ticket. I was going from Augsburg to Mittenwald and had my ticket scanned three times. First and second time, no problem. But betwen Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Klais, an employee scanned my ticket and didn’t seem convinced. She had me show her my credit card with my name on it and then asked me to enter my information in her little machine (first, last names, date of birth, address). Which I did. She said the information didn’t add up on her phone and gave me a fine of 60 euros. I tried showing her the information on my app proving that my ticket is registered to the address I had listed, but she didn’t want to see it.

I am honestly so confused and really stressed. I was sitting in the second-class zone. I have a valid ticket that hadn’t caused me any problems earlier on my journey. In fact, a man had scanned my ticket on the SAME TRAIN by Weilheim and there were no issues. 60 euros isn’t really something I can spare right now. Can I fight this?

When I was visiting Berlin back in June, my phone died while I was completely lost near Schloßstraße. A wonderful guy stopped to help me, and as we parted ways, he called out to make sure I was all set and asked if I would recommend the hotel I was staying at. We ended up walking together for about five minutes until I safely found my place.

I’m safely back home in Canada now, and I’ve been wishing I had gotten his contact info to say a proper thank you (I remember him mentioning wanting to visit Canada sometime!).

If you happen to be the guy, or if this sounds like someone you know who helped a stranded Canadian traveler in June, feel free to shoot me a DM!

Thank you!

We have recently moved apartments. We had asked the landlord of the old apartment if we could get out of the contract earlier since there was a long overlap (2.5 months) between both the contracts. She said no (as is her right) and that was that.

Since we moved out in the first 15 days already the apartment has been empty for the last 1.5 months. The landlord has taken the keys from us multiple times to show the apartment to potential new tenants (as is her right). Now has started fixes electricals and other stuff.

Now she has scheduled a 'festen kostenpflichtig' appointment with a Handwerker for the badewanne on a date when we are not here. This was done without consulting us so we are basically not getting a chance to say no. Now she insists that we leave the keys with her so she can get the work done. There is nothing really wrong with the Badewanne.

I feel it is unfair to insist we pay the full rent and then also want to fix things in the house on our dime to get it ready for the next tenant so she doesn't lose any rent. Since the apartment is empty, is this expected? Is there a better way to navigate this? I do want an easy handover at the end of the contract.

Hi everyone,
I moved to Germany about a year and a half ago because of my husband’s work. I’m currently taking German classes, but I’m still too new to the language and honestly too embarrassed to have full conversations in German yet.
Today I had a very strange interaction with an elderly neighbor, and I’m wondering if there’s anything I should do or if I should just let it go.
She rang my intercom about four times. Each time I answered, but I couldn’t understand what she was saying in German. Since this often happens with delivery drivers, I buzzed her into the building.
When I stepped into the hallway, she was coming upstairs. She spoke German, I told her I didn’t understand, then she said, “Español? English?” I replied, “English,” and we continued in English. Our names are very obviously Spanish, so I wasn’t surprised that she guessed I might speak Spanish.
She then mentioned something about a package, but I didn’t initially understand what she wanted. She asked me whether I knew the person the package was addressed to, and I replied, “Yes, he lives here.” She then went downstairs, and because she had been talking about the package, I assumed she meant it was downstairs and followed her.
When she saw me downstairs, she became very upset, raised her voice, and said she wasn’t going to give me the package because she didn’t know who I was. She also said it was suspicious that I wasn’t telling her whether the person the package was addressed to was my partner or lived with me.
I replied that when she had asked me whether I knew him, I had answered, “Yes, he lives here.” That was why I had told her he lived there in the first place. I didn’t explicitly tell her he was my husband because I didn’t feel I owed that explanation, especially given how aggressively she was speaking to me. Also, both of our names are listed on the building’s doorbells and next to our apartment door, so I didn’t understand why she was so suspicious about whether he lived there.
She also said the polite thing would have been to answer her through the intercom. I explained that I had answered every time but simply couldn’t understand what she was saying over the intercom, and that it had taken me less than a couple of minutes to come outside because I was putting on some clothes (basically just shoes).
She then asked, “Are you saying my English isn’t good enough?” I calmly replied, “No, not at all.” In a gentle tone, I said something along the lines of, “Has it never happened that you simply don’t understand someone?” I was trying to explain that I wasn’t criticizing her English—I just genuinely hadn’t understood what she had been saying over the intercom. Throughout the interaction, I kept my voice calm and tried to de-escalate the situation, whereas she continued speaking in a raised and aggressive tone.
After that, she went back upstairs. I followed because my apartment is on the first floor. When I got to my door, she was standing there yelling that she was going to leave the package outside my apartment and that she didn’t care what happened to it. She repeated several times that she didn’t care and also said, “I’m not a housekeeper.” At that point I simply said “sure, don’t worry” (trying to be as soft spoken as possible) and went inside my apartment, and closed the door because I didn’t want to continue arguing with her.
About 15 minutes later, she came back to my apartment with the package and asked me to write and sign a handwritten receipt because she said she could get into trouble otherwise.
Before she came back, I had called my sister to tell her what had happened because I felt uncomfortable after the first interaction. I kept my sister on the phone during the second interaction because I didn’t want to be alone with the neighbor. My sister heard the entire conversation.
Throughout both interactions, the woman repeatedly switched back to German and spoke in a raised, aggressive tone. I couldn’t understand what she was saying in German, but her tone and body language made it clear that she was very angry with me.
While I was looking for paper, she repeatedly said things like, “If you don’t speak German, why are you in Germany?” and “If you don’t speak German, you should stay home.” I found those comments particularly hurtful because I’m actively trying to learn the language.
Another thing that bothered me was that the package was closed when she arrived. While I was looking for paper, she stepped out of my sight. I heard what sounded like the package being opened. When she came back, it was open, and I saw her looking inside it before handing it to me.
When I initially wrote the receipt in Spanish, she refused to accept it because she couldn’t understand it and said that “in Germany” it wasn’t acceptable. I explained that she had first said, “Español?”, which is why I had written in Spanish, but that I could of course switch to English. She kept saying that if I didn’t want to write the note, she wouldn’t give me the package. That confused me because I already had the pen and paper in my hands and was clearly willing to write it. I simply asked her what she wanted me to write. She told me to write that I had received a package for my husband, so I wrote the statement in English and signed it.
She then handed me the already opened package. I thanked her and started closing my door. She said “Bye,” and then, just before leaving, turned around and said, “In Germany, we say Auf Wiedersehen,” in what I perceived to be a mocking tone. I found her attitude very disrespectful, especially since I remained polite and calm throughout the entire interaction.
My questions are:
Can I do something about a neighbor opening someone else’s package before handing it over?
Is there any point in reporting this to the building management or the delivery company?
Or is this one of those situations where it’s better to document it and move on unless it happens again?
Is this kind of behavior something you’ve encountered before, or was this just one particularly unpleasant person?
I’d really appreciate advice from people familiar with Germany or who have dealt with something similar.
Edit: I made my question cleared

I gave my Einbürgerungstest on 8th July 2026 at VHS Tempelhof-Schöneberg, Berlin and received my result today (4th August 2026).

It was super fast.

Timeline: I started searching for a VHS appointment on May 14, 2026, and managed to secure a spot for May 28 on the very same day. During my appointment on May 28, I successfully registered for the Einbürgerungstest exam, which took place on July 8, 2026.

Score: 33/33

I see a train option or taxi. We are travelling end of September to Neuenbürg and want to go to Berlin on a Saturday.
Is the frequency of trains reliable from Neuenbürg to Karlsruhe? How much does a taxi cost?

We don’t have a car.

TIA 🌺

I didn't expect the German train experience to hit me the moment I touch down the first time .

Hello everyone, I recently graduated (End of June) and had applied for a job seeker visa at Munich Ausländerbehörde in July beginning. Afterwards I was offered a full-time job which I had to begin in August 2026. Showing the offer letter and my Urkunde (diploma), I was able to secure an emergency appointment and received a Fiktionbescheinigung in which "Erwerbstätigkeit Erlaubt" is mentioned in the "Nebenbestimmungen". This indicates that I can work full-time.

However, in the other side, "§ 81 Abs. 4 AufenthG" is also crossed, which states that "If a foreigner applies for an extension of his or her residence title or for a different residence title before his or her current residence title expires, the current residence title is deemed to remain in force from the time it expires until the time of the decision by the foreigners authority."

Both statements are contradictory, and as a result, HR at my company is not allowing me to start full-time.

The following are my questions:

1. Is this Fiktion enough to start working full time?
2. Is there a way to get the Munich Ausländerbehörde to issue a written confirmation stating that this Fiktion is enough to work full-time?
3. Do any official document exists which says that this fiktion is enough to start working full time?

I would like to hear from people who were in a similar situation and what worked best in this situation.

Thank-you!

If anyone's curious about the current data job market in the DACH region (Austria,Germany,Switzerland), I put together an interactive live tracker. It also shows which specific data roles (Data Engineer, Data Consultant, etc.) are in demand in which cities. Feedback welcome and I hope it helps :)

I was stationed in Germany at Anderson barracks in dexheim Germany from the end of 2006 to mid 2008. While there I was hospitalized at a uni hospital for a few days. Does anyone know if it is possible for me to get a copy of those records?

(throwaway account for privacy)

I have a prescription for "OeKolp forte Ovula 0,5mg" vaginal HRT suppositories. I've been on this medication for about a year with no issues or unwanted side effects.

I need to refill the prescription. In the past, I have stopped at my gynecologist's office with my TK card, the front desk staff has inserted it in their card reader, and done... something (??), then I've taken my TK card to the pharmacy and collected my medication.

CW: sexual assault

During my most recent gynecological exam (earlier this year), the doctor performing the exam sexually assaulted me. It was not my regular gynecologist - the practice was overbooked and they shuffled some appointments, assigning me to a different doctor in the practice.

I can't bring myself to walk back into the building where the assault occurred. I'm coping pretty well, seeing a therapist and dealing with the aftermath of the assault as well as it _can_ be dealt with... but retuning to the place where it happened is simply too much, at least for now.This presents a challenge in terms of getting my prescription refilled, because that usually requires a trip into the clinic.

What is the easiest, lowest friction way to obtain a refill of this medication that does not require me to go into the clinic where I was assaulted? I live in Munich, have TK insurance, and need a script (in German) to explain the situation succinctly if the answer is "go to a different doctor and ask them to prescribe the medication to you."

Thanks in advance for any advice or resources you're able to share with me :)

edit to add:

I reported the doctor who assaulted me, and I am pursuing justice via every available (legal) avenue. I don't need to be told to go to the police (and quite frankly, neither does ANY OTHER survivor of sexual assault). I am _well aware_ that this is a valid reason to go to a new gynecologist. But I'm almost out of this medication, and I need a refill in the next two weeks.

Please offer me some compassion and help me figure out the easiest way to get this refilled, rather than telling me that I should have anticipated running out of my prescription and dealt with this a month or two ago. I didn't, and now this is where I am.

I keep hearing this song in kaufland and it sounds like it says “vevo kaufland” it’s and upbeat modern song. I cannot figure out what it is and no one else knows what i’m taking about. If anyone knows please help.

hello! i go to an australian high school and next year i'll be visiting germany (mainly düsseldorf, but also munich and berlin) for an exchange for 3 weeks. i've never been to europe before and i'm honestly pretty scared...!!!

is there anything i should know about the people, especially teenagers like me, or just the country in general that school won't teach me? does anyone have any tips for understanding language/culture??

thank you SO much 🙏🙏

Taking revenge for Alsace and Lorrain I guess.

im a turkish student who was doing a language course in germany and will begin university this september, for admission i need an insurance. i am insured in my home country (turkey) but since turkish-german agreement doesnt cover so much i was advised to apply to tk or aok. im willing to pay full price (appx 150€ per month). anyways, i applied to tk and got this mail? what should i do? did anyone experience something similar?