THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Here is a list of useful emergency telephone numbers (Notrufnummern) in Germany from the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (Bundesamtes für Bevölkerungsschutz und Katastrophenhilfe, BBK):
First aid emergency and fire brigade: 112
Calls to 112 are free of charge and can be made from a landline, pay phone or mobile phone. Dialling the number will direct you to an operator who will notify the appropriate service, typically the local Rettungsdienst or Feuerwehr. It can be used for any life-threatening situation, including serious medical problems, fire-related incidents, crimes and life-threatening situations. You can also call an ambulance or Krankenwagen through this number. In addition to German, calls can be answered in English, other EU languages and sometimes Turkish.
Police: 110
The number 110 can be used to contact the police throughout Germany and will direct you to the nearest police station.
Non-emergency medical assistance (doctor on call): 116 117
Air rescue: (0711) 70 10 70
Nurse advice line: 00800 4759 2330
Toxic substance emergency (BfR): 192 40
When dialling for a drug or poison emergency, most areas do not require a prefix but see the numbers below for the areas that might ask for one:
Baden-Württemberg: 0761
Bavaria: 089
Berlin, Brandenburg: 030
Bremen, Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, Niedersachsen: 0551
Hessen, Rheinland-Pfalz: 06131
Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen, Sachsen Anhalt, Thüringen: 0361
Nordrhein-Westfalen: 0228
Saarland: 06841
Hotline Coronavirus: 030346465100 and 116 117
National telephone number enquiry: 118 33 (fee required)
International telephone number enquiry: 118 34 (fee required)
Lost property (Fundbüro): 69 95
Lost property (railways): 01805 99 05 99
Helplines in Germany
Suicide hotline: 0800 111 01 11
Kids and youth hotline: 0800 111 03 33
Parental hotline: 0800 111 05 50
Alcoholics Anonymous: 19 295
AIDS hotline: 0180 331 94 11
Lost or stolen credit cards
American Express: (069) 97 97 10 00
Diner’s Club: (05921) 86 12 34
EC and Bank Cards: (069) 74 09 87
MasterCard: (069) 79 33 19 10
VISA: (0800) 81 49 100
Important tips when calling German emergency services
– State your name, telephone number, location where help is needed, the situation and if it’s still happening, how many people require help and whether there are weapons or dangerous substances involved.
– Don’t forget the code to your parking lot or apartment building.
– Never hang up until you are invited to do so.
– If you have known medical problems or regularly take prescription drugs, make sure you know how to say their names in German to the operator.
– If you have children, be prepared to cite their ages and how much they weigh (in kilograms) in case you need to call an anti-poison centre or to administer medication.
