Although there is no top news from Germany these days, I want to give you an overview of what is happening over here and what people have to deal with. Mixed with a little vocabulary training, this should help you to be up to date considering German affairs.<\/p>\n
Benedikt\u00a0 XVI. tritt zur\u00fcck (resigns).<\/strong> Although this is a global matter, especially Germans are discussing this Thema<\/strong> (topic) because Benedikt XVI. alias Joseph Ratzinger was born in Germany and therefore a lot of German Christians were Stolz<\/strong> (proud) to have a German pope. And of course, the first Ger\u00fcchte<\/strong> (rumors) about possible successors are\u00a0 planted.<\/p>\n Positive Reaktionen (reactions) on President Obama\u00b4s speech.<\/strong> To tighten Waffengesetze<\/strong> (laws on arms) for example encounters great Zustimmung<\/strong> (acceptance) in Germany.<\/p>\n 2013 is a Wahljahr (election year) in Germany.<\/strong> The Bundestagswahl<\/strong> (elections for the Bundestag) will take place in September. That\u00b4s why the political parties already start their Wahlkampf<\/strong> (election campaigns). For me it often feels like a TV show (America\u00b4s got talent for example). So political Inhalt<\/strong> (content) is mostly missing. Nevertheless you can be curious about the result since there have been many political changes in the “L\u00e4nder” the last years.<\/p>\n The British scandal about horse meat seems to hit Germany as well.<\/strong> Meat that has been\u00a0 declared as Rindfleisch<\/strong> (beef) turns out to be horse meat. First Beweise<\/strong> (evidence) has been found and a famous supermarket chain is pulling back some verd\u00e4chtige<\/strong> (ominous) products.<\/p>\n Kalte Tage (Chilly days).<\/strong> Since a couple of days, temperatures didn\u00b4t reach 0\u00b0C. Snow and ice are dominating the weather.<\/p>\n Since today, the Faschingszeit (carnival time) is over in Germany.<\/strong> With the Aschermittwoch<\/strong> (Ash Wednesday) all festivals, parades and parties are over and life goes back to normal. For many people the Fastenzeit<\/strong> (fasting period) starts today and ends around Easter.<\/p>\n Some vocabulary used in this post:<\/strong> Although there is no top news from Germany these days, I want to give you an overview of what is happening over here and what people have to deal with. Mixed with a little vocabulary training, this should help you to be up to date considering German affairs. Benedikt\u00a0 XVI. tritt zur\u00fcck (resigns). Although this…<\/p>\n
\nzur\u00fccktreten – to resign
\ndas Thema – topic
\nStolz auf etwas sein – to be proud of sth.
\ndie Raktion – reaction
\ndas Ger\u00fccht – rumor
\ndas Waffengesetz – law on arms
\ndie Zustimmung – acceptance
\ndie Bundestagswahl – elections for the Bundestag
\nder Wahlkampf – election campaign
\nder Inhalt – content
\ndas Rindfleisch – beef
\nder Beweis – eveidence
\nverd\u00e4chtig – ominous
\nkalt – chilly
\nFaschingszeit – carnival time
\nAschermittwoch – Ash Wednesday<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"