News (Germany)

Germany to remove the word “race” from the Constitution – Justice Minister

According to Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht (SPD), the Federal Government wants to have the controversial term “race” quickly deleted from the Basic Law, the country’s constitution. “There is complete agreement that there are no different races of people,” the politician told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper. “That is why we in the Federal Government have agreed to revise the Basic Law at …

Read More »

Germany: Group campaigns for more jobs for Blacks in Berlin’s tech industry

Employees of African origin in Berlin’s tech companies have started a group to promote diversity in the sector. Called “Black in Tech Berlin”, the group networks and shares ideas to bring change in the industry, where Black people are underrepresented. It counts six hundred members and was founded by Kave Bulambo, who is originally from the DR Congo but grew …

Read More »

Beware of fake Nigerian driving licence, Berlin lawyer warns Nigerians in Europe

A Berlin-based legal practitioner has warned Nigerians in Germany to be careful when procuring driving licence from their home country. He gave the advice while speaking with The African Courier, revealing that he was presently handling several cases involving fake driving licences from Nigeria which were submitted to the German authorities for recognition.

Read More »

Germany’s interior ministry plans study on violence against police

A study on racial profiling in Germany’s police services was cancelled by Interior Minister Horst Seehofer two weeks ago. Instead, the Federal Ministry of the Interior is now making preparations for a study on violence against police officers. Critics accuse Seehofer of hypocrisy According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, it is making preparations for a study on violence …

Read More »

First deportation flight from Germany since coronavirus pandemic outbreak

For the first time since the beginning of the corona pandemic, a group deportation flight took off from Frankfurt Airport on Tuesday (14 July). On board the plane to Islamabad in Pakistan were 19 Pakistani nationals who had been deported mainly from Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg. This was confirmed by the federal police at Frankfurt Airport to the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. …

Read More »

Germany cancels study into racial profiling by police

Government had planned to probe the scale of ethnic profiling after a federal lawmaker claimed that “latent racism” exists in German police ranks. The proposal followed a wave of protests in the US against police brutality. The study has now been dropped, according to a new report ——- Research planned to investigate alleged racial profiling by German police forces has …

Read More »

Berlin changes name of train station derogatory of Black people

After years of agitation by Black activists and their German supporters, a Berlin underground train station will be renamed. According to the management of the Berlin public transport authorities (BVG), the “U-Bahnhof Mohrenstrasse”, the station on Line U2 of the city’s metro network, will be changed to “U-Bahnhof Glinkastraße”. The decision, announced on Friday, came as Black Lives Matter protests …

Read More »

Germany: TANG demands government action on anti-Black racism, issues position paper

It’s time to demand concrete actions against anti-Black racism, Dr Sylvie Nantcha, chairman of The African Network of Germany (TANG), has said. She made the call on Thursday while speaking at the virtual conference of the organisation on the ongoing anti-racism debate in the country. “While we condemn racism in America, particularly the murder of George Floyd, we have to …

Read More »

COVID-19: Germany invests €40 million in digital integration courses for migrants

Germany’s Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) says it has spent some €40 million on digital offerings to bridge the interruption of integration and language courses caused by COVID-19. According to BAMF, close to a quarter million migrants in Germany are currently having to pause their courses. Benjamin Bathke reports — Many government services in Germany have been suspended …

Read More »

Germany: How Covid-19 causes African students untold hardship

Yemi Babalola, a Media and Communication student of Technische Universität Ilmenau, reports on the situation of African students in Germany as a result of the new coronavirus pandemic. News about the new coronavirus started getting prominence in the earlier part of the year, but March saw a lot of countries begin to enforce lockdown measures. Germany enforced the lockdown in …

Read More »

Berlin passes first German state anti-discrimination law

The city-state’s new law explicitly bars public authorities, including police, from discriminating based on skin colour, gender and other factors. Lawmakers say the new rules help to address systemic racism in Germany. Rebecca Staudenmaier reports Berlin became the first German state to pass its own anti-discrimination law on Thursday, with a majority of state lawmakers approving the law. The law …

Read More »

Coronavirus: How African churches in Germany can protect their members during service

Among the measures ordered by government at the outbreak of the new coronavirus epidemic in Germany was the prohibition of all religious gatherings. Even though the measure has meanwhile been relaxed, the danger of infection in worshipping houses is still present. This is made clear by the recent news of more than 100 persons who became infected with the dangerous …

Read More »

Make racism more visible in Germany – protest organisers call on Black people

The organisers of the first online anti-Black racism demonstration in Germany have called on people of African descent in the country to make their resistance to racism and discrimination more visible. Speaking on Saturday during the digital protest action, tagged ‘Racism in the Era of Coronavirus’ and anchored on YouTube, the moderators said only in making cases of discrimination more …

Read More »

Germany: Don’t neglect fight against racism, group calls on government

An umbrella organisation of Africans in Germany has called on government not to neglect racism even as it’s making strenuous efforts to curb the spread of the new coronavirus in the country. The group made the call in a press statement, titled COVID-19: Alltagsrassismus kennt kein Ausübungsverbot! (Everyday racism doesn’t recognise official ban), issued on Thursday in Berlin. “The High …

Read More »

Germany won’t lift coronavirus restrictions before April 20 – Chancellor Merkel’s top aide

Ministers won’t even consider relaxing the nationwide coronavirus lockdown for at least three weeks, a top German government official has said. Even then, measures could remain in place for some people. Germany is not planning to relax current restrictions on public life before April 20, Helge Braun, the head of the Office of Chancellor (Chancellery), has told a national newspaper. …

Read More »

Germany adopts unprecedented measures to curb coronavirus pandemic

The federal and state governments have adopted several drastic measures to slow down the increasing infection rate of coronavirus (Covid-19) in the country. The measures order unprecedented restrictions on public life in the country. In a national TV address on Monday evening, Chancellor Angela Merkel said the federal government and the governments of the 16 federal states have agreed to …

Read More »