#326: Anmeldung online, 1 million trees, Biden visit
Eight Berlin hospitals hacked!
Dear 20 Percent,
Online Anmeldung has been available since the beginning of October. Well, Ummeldung, actually. Meaning if you move from somewhere else in Germany, you can register your new address online. Moves from abroad remain analogue. The Berlin government kept the revolutionary service hush hush, because it’s apparently still in beta until Wednesday. Berlin isn’t even listed on the Germany-wide portal, which is a litle weird. But it works, supposedly. The Senat (Berlin government) told RBB, that 90% of online registrations so far were “error-free”. Is that a good success rate? 🤔
If you’re feeling brave enough to try, you’ll need:
A BUND-ID account, for which you need an electronic ID card from Germany or any other EU country - and the PIN for that card.
An NFC-capable phone
The AusweisApp
Wohnungsgeberbestätigung (confirmation letter from your landlord).
BUND-ID has info in English.
It’s still a confusing process, but at least it’s happening.
I think I got a PIN with my ID card years ago, but have since lost it — so now I have to return to the Bürgeramt for a new one.
More news below.
Maurice
Thanks to Ironhack for supporting today’s edition of 20% Berlin!
Presidents, presidents everywhere
Are they afraid he’s going to get run over by a train? Remember the traffic chaos caused by a visit from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy last week? Expect the same Thursday and Friday when US Presiden Joe Biden visits — he was supposed to be here with Zelenskyy but Hurricane Milton kyboshed those plans. If you have to go through the government district, U-Bahn is your best bet. Streets in the area will be closed and S-Bahns delayed, if not cancelled.
10 years for Stasi murder
An 80-year-old assassin for the East German secret police, the Stasi, was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday for a 50-year-old murder, according to RBB24. Polish national Czesław Kukuczka walked into the Polish embassy in 1974, pretended to be carrying a bomb and demanded safe passage to West Berlin via the Friedrichstraße border crossing. Kukuczka, who was 31 at the time, thought his plan had worked and that he was being allowed to cross the border as the defendant came from behind and shot him at point-blank range. Prosecutors said the Stasi officer could have shot him in the legs or arms instead. The sentence may be appealed.
Hospitals hacked
Eight Berlin hospitals have been hit by a ransomware attack. Four have stopped accepting patients in their ER: Waldrankenhaus Spandau, Martin-Luther-Krankenhaus in Schmargendorf, Elisabeth-Krankenhaus in Tiergarten and Hubertus-Krankenhaus in Zehlendorf. The operator, Johannesstift-Diakonie, said hackers attacked their servers on Sunday and encrypted large amounts of data. The non-profit is linked to the Lutheran church and said eldercare homes, clinics, hospices and other social institutions were impacted. Cybercriminals are demanding a payment in change for access to the encrypted data. The hospitals have resulted to paper to keep crucial services such as operations going.
New fund for female founders
Berlin has earmarked €2.2 million to fund 60, €2,200-per-month one-year grants to support women starting new businesses. Senator for Economic Affairs Franziska Giffey (SPD) announced the programme at the Degut founders fair last week. According to Giffey, women were “still less common than men in the start-up world — not because they have fewer business ideas or start-up spirit, but because they often have to overcome more hurdles on their start-up journey.” No info yet where to submit applications. We’ll keep you posted.
Events this week, curated by The Next Day Berlin
Zaho de Sagazan
Friday, 18.10, 8 pm. Metropol, Nollendorfpl. 5, 10777 Berlin. Ticket: 28,20€.
🎧 Zaho de Sagazan blends French chanson with electronic beats, combining emotional lyrics with powerful synth sounds. Her shows shift from piano ballads to energetic dance parties, with a theatrical stage presence. She’s definitely one to watch.
Dwam: Gaza solidarity fundraiser
Saturday, 19.10, 9 pm - 5 am. 90mil, Holzmarktstrasse 19-23, 10243 Berlin. Suggested entry €15.
Dwam takes over 90mil for a night of live performances, ambient DJ sets, and bass-heavy music in the basement. Starting at 9 pm with dance performances, the basement party kicks off after 11 pm. All proceeds support aid initiatives in Gaza. 🎧 Miri Malek
Farewell Watergate with Recondite, Skatman, Just Lauren, Cosmic Cherry, Manu Strasse, Noirnor
Saturday, 19.10, 11 pm - 10 am. Watergate, Falckensteinstrasse 49; Kreuzberg; 10997. Tickets: €24.85.
Watergate is promising (and putting on) a series of unmissable farewell events before it shuts its doors. 🎧 Noirnor 🎧 Recondite
Fetzenmarkt
Saturday, 19.10, 12 - 11:59 pm. MaHalla, Wilhelminenhofstrasse 76, 12459, Berlin. Tickets: €7.90.
Twice a year, this event transforms Berlin into a lively hub for the fashion world. Designers, retailers, and private sellers showcase unique, one-of-a-kind styles. With workshops, performances, and music, it’s a vibrant alternative to mainstream shopping, celebrating individuality and creativity.
Germany-wide news
💣 Is Germany quietly slowing weapons exports to Israel?
🚆 Flixtrain expands in Germany
✈️ Did Russia try to down a German plane?
🗣️ Do immigrants have to learn German?
Factoid
Berlin is full of trees. Does it need more? Apparently 40% are in bad health and so a new citizens’ initiative, Baum Entscheid (English info), wants to plant 1 million city trees in Berlin by 2040. The trees are part of a greater plan to make the city more climate-resilient. Poorer areas (check out the Environmental Justice Atlas) that lack green spaces are often more vulnerable to scorching summer days — trees can help. To move on to the next phase in the referendum process, Baum Entscheid needs to gather 20,000 signatures by November 9. The signatures have to be on paper (😭). Download a printable form here.
⭐⭐⭐Visit our sponsor!⭐⭐⭐
Jump into our 1-year AI Software Engineering or Data Science and AI programs. Unemployed? You might be eligible to study for FREE 🎟️ Plus, you get a free laptop and a guaranteed internship to kick off your tech career.
📘 Want more details? Download the syllabus below and see exactly what you’ll be learning!
As a software developer, if we released a new feature on our internal product that has 20 highly trained users, and it had a 90% success rate, we would be doing a rollback and post-mortem to figure out WTF happened.