MV Strike Could Close Schools Wednesday

A photorealistic image of a young child, approximately 9 years old, drawing intently with colored pencils at a wooden table. The child's face shows calm concentration and joy. Through a window in the background, a snow-dusted landscape featuring red-brick architecture typical of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany, is visible under a soft winter sky. A parental hand gently rests near a steaming mug of cocoa. The scene conveys a warm, nurturing environment and continued learning at home during winter.

Summary: Strike Alert for Wednesday, 14 January 2026 Unions have announced a warnstreik (warning strike) in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for Wednesday, 14 January 2026. The action, called by unions involved in public sector collective bargaining, may lead to school closures and other service disruptions across the state. Authorities report planned demonstrations in Schwerin and Rostock ahead of […]

Hessen’s Asylum Shift: A Controversial Restriction Law

A diverse group of five people, including adults and children from different backgrounds, smiling and joyfully tending a vibrant community garden in a historic Hessian town square. Beautiful half-timbered houses and green hills are visible in the background under warm golden hour light, conveying a sense of community, integration, and shared purpose.

Overview: Hessen’s Asylum Shift In 2025 Hessen marked a clear turning point in German migration policy with what became known as the ‘Asylwende’ and the passage of the so-called ‘Zustrombegrenzungsgesetz’. This change aimed to limit uncontrolled migration flows through faster deportations, the designation of secure countries of origin, and procedural changes in reception and processing. […]

Architect Transitions to Car Mechanic at 47

A 47-year-old man in a mechanic's jumpsuit working on a car engine in a bright workshop, symbolizing a career transition from architecture to automotive repair in Germany.

1. A surprising career change: an architect becomes a Kfz‑Mechatroniker Gregor Kunkel, an architect from Neu‑Isenburg, decided at 47 to begin an apprenticeship as a Kfz‑Mechatroniker in 2026. After a long career in architecture and construction, he wanted a practical, hands‑on job and new technical challenges. His story shows that a midlife career change into […]

Germany Monday News: Severe Weather, School Closures, and Blood Shortage

A cozy German cabin surrounded by deep snow, set in a tranquil winter landscape after a snowstorm, with softly falling snowflakes and a backdrop of frosted pine trees and rolling hills.

1. Storm Elli and transport disruption On Monday, 12 January 2026, the aftermath of the winter storm known as ‘Elli’ dominated news across Germany. The storm, which swept the north with heavy snow and strong winds starting on Friday, caused massive disruptions to rail travel. Long-distance services in northern Germany were suspended for several days, […]

Germany: Icy Schools, Chancellor in India

Children joyfully playing in the snow in front of a traditional German schoolhouse, with a wintery landscape featuring half-timbered houses and subtle hints of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to India.

Ice warnings lead to school closures across Germany In 2026, many schools in large parts of Germany closed their doors after authorities issued warnings about extremely icy conditions. The extreme cold and ice created safety concerns for students, teachers and public transport services. DW reported on the situation and provided further details. What happened Local […]

Classes Resume in Schleswig-Holstein on Monday

A diverse group of smiling children walking towards a traditional German primary school on a sunny morning, carrying colorful backpacks and displaying excitement about returning to school.

1. Summary of the Friday school closure On Friday, 9 January 2026, the state government of Schleswig-Holstein announced a widespread suspension of in-person classes in response to severe winter weather that made school journeys unsafe in many areas. The Ministry of Education decided, following established rules, to cancel face-to-face teaching at general and vocational schools […]

Why Most Schools Haven’t Shifted to Online Learning Despite Severe Weather

A modern classroom with snow and icy weather visible through the windows. A teacher engages with a diverse group of students using laptops and tablets for virtual learning. The warm interior contrasts with the harsh winter storm outside, symbolizing resilience in education.

1. What happened during the extreme weather When the German Weather Service (DWD) issued a statewide pre-warning for 12 January 2026, many people expected schools to switch quickly to online learning or full distance learning. Instead, most schools in Germany either continued with in-person lessons, canceled lessons without switching to systematic remote teaching, or asked […]

Snow and Ice Disrupt Schools: No Classes Monday?

Children happily building a snowman in front of a snow-covered primary school in Germany, capturing the uplifting spirit of winter despite school disruptions caused by heavy snowfall.

1. Current winter situation and the question: Will schools be closed on Monday? A sudden winter storm brought heavy snow, widespread ice and extremely low temperatures to many parts of Germany in the second week of January. Schools have already been affected in several areas, and many parents and students are asking: will classes be […]

Count Winter Birds in Rheinland-Pfalz!

A young girl joyfully observing a blue tit at a bird feeder while her mother points to sparrows nearby, set in a snowy Rheinland-Pfalz landscape with traditional German architecture in the background.

1. What is the Winter Bird Count in Rheinland-Pfalz? The “Stunde der Wintervögel” is a simple, scientific citizen-science bird count inviting everyone in Rheinland-Pfalz to take part. Held as part of a nationwide action in early January 2026, participants spend one hour counting birds from their garden, balcony or at a local park. The count […]

Winter Birdwatching: Spot the Mountain Wagtail!

An ultra-realistic, high-resolution photorealistic image showing a vibrant Mountain Wagtail with a lemon-yellow belly and grey-green back, perched on a mossy river stone in a clear, fast-flowing winter stream. The bird is centered, its long tail bobbing. In the background, snow-dusted riverbanks are lined with bare European deciduous trees and dark green conifers, with a traditional stone arch bridge subtly visible, indicating a Central European low mountain range. The lighting is soft winter daylight, and the image is free of text or borders.

1. Winter birdwatching and the Mountain Wagtail (Gebirgsstelze) Winter birdwatching is a simple, rewarding way to connect with nature close to home. During the annual winter bird count, many observers record familiar garden species such as house sparrows, great tits, blue tits and blackbirds. But if you move your walk from the backyard or balcony […]