#450: Zelensky was here, X-mas tips for trash collectors, are we a defense hub?
Mysterious doorbell markings...
Dear 20% Berlin
I just read that it’s customary to tip the BSR garbage collectors and street cleaners during the holiday season. Which seems like a nice thing to do, considering the thankless, dirty, backbreaking and essential work they perform for us all year long.
Sadly, this being Germany, BSR rules permit only cash tips of up to €5, which sounds so low it’s almost embarassing. I guess €5 from every apartment in every building on your route could add up. You’re also allowed to gift a non-cash, non-alcoholic gift worth up to €10. What would you give your recycling guys? A six-pack of Becks Blue?
Meanwhile, Tagesspiegel suggests being nice and tipping your favourite parcel delivery person, whose workload and stress levels double this time of year — they’re permitted to accepts gifts worth up to €25.
Remember, you can shop 1pm-8pm on Sunday, December 21st, one of Berlin’s special shopping Sundays. Go wild, folks!
And finally, before we dive into some more news, here’s the latest episode of the 20% Berlin Podcast. Sorry about the long break. Andrew had to untangle some cables or something.
Zelenksy was here
For much of Sunday and Monday, the government quarter in Mitte saw traffic chaos thanks to the summit attended by Ukrainan President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European leaders and US negotiators to discuss an end to the war in Ukraine. While the meeting was taking place in the Kanzleramt (Friedrich Merz’s offices), the internet and email at the Bundestag across the street went down for several hours. The government’s IT people said it was not a cyberattack — just a “technical problem”.
Sights on N26
A slap on the wrist for N26, a local bank popular in the international community. Financial regulator BaFin said there were “serious deficiencies” in the bank’s risk and complaint management, as well as in the organisation of its lending business. BaFin has imposed a package of measures, including a ban on the securitization of loan claims and additional capital requirements to better cover risks. This follows an audit and review of the bank’s financial statement — both of which found that N26 did not meet regulatory standards. A special commissioner will monitor the bank’s compliance efforts. In 2024, N26 was fined €9.2 million for reporting suspected money laundering too late and other issues related to money laundering. The bank says it’s working with regulators to address the issues.
Grenade explodes in Kreuzberg bar
Around 5am Tuesday morning, two masked men threw a hand grenade into the Sinatra Club 04, a bar in Kreuzberg. The device blew up but no one was injured as the joint was empty at the time. The suspects fled the scene and remain at large. The cops are investigating, treating the incident as a intentional attack. Investigators have not ruled out links to organised crime — that sounds about right.
Berlin a defense hub?
Berlin wants to become a hub for security and defense technology, according to RBB, which paid a visit to a company called Germandrones. The start-up produces drones for the Ukrainian military (as well as for civilian use cases such as agriculture) in former Tegel Airport’s cargo hangars, part of the Urban Tech Republic campus. Germandrones’s Merlin model is designed to travel up to 500kph and take out the Shahed kamakaze drones used by Russia in Ukraine. Earlier this month, economy minister Franziska Giffey announced a plan to create a DefTech Ecosystem in Berlin. Giffey said 130 companies in Berlin and Brandenburg employed 26,000 in the sector.
🍺 🥨 Germany-wide news 🥨 🍺
👴Germany under Merz playing a “leading role”
🤦AfD pol charged with making Nazi salute at Reichstag
🚨Five arrested over plot to attack German Christmas market
🏠 Germany’s housing market ‘contaminated’ by widespread racism
Events this week, curated by The Next Day Berlin
✈️ Scarlet Horizon
Until 10 January. Salon am Moritzplatz, Kreuzberg. Oranienstraße 58. Wed–Sun, 1–7 pm. Free
24 international artists examine the sky as a militarized domain. Curated by Daria Prydybailo (Temporarily Displaced Foundation), the show links Kyiv and Berlin through works shaped by surveillance, drone warfare, and airstrikes. Yulia Beliaeva’s Saint Sebastian (2024), Nazar Bilyk’s sculptures, and Roman Mykhailov’s skies.
🎷 Willmann/Zeier/Pichler/Wankel
Friday, 19.12, 8 pm. Donau115, Neukölln. Donation-based
Berlin jazz quartet (Fabian Willmann on sax, Kalle Zeier on guitar) presents new compositions. Minimalist grooves, lyrical melodies.
🎸 Fluffy Maybes Album Launch
Friday, 19.12, 9 pm. Madame Claude, Kreuzberg. €5–12 (donation-based)
Fluffy Maybes celebrate A Little Cloud Will Set You Free—early electronica, sun-drenched psychedelia, floating ambience. Cindy Gravity (psychedelic pop trio) presents new album Hot Gods (drum machines, surf guitars, three-part harmonies).
🪩 VERTX x T3R x Ozelot
Sat-Mon, 20.12, midnight – 8 am. RSO.BERLIN, Friedrichshain. €20–25
Marathon session running 32 hours across two floors. Ben Sims (UK techno heavyweight) headlines Saturday night with Nadia Struiwigh. Live sets from Stef Mendesidis and Fireground. Sunday shifts to Coco Cobra and O-Wells. Three collectives, one warehouse, serious commitment. Choose your window.
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Factoid
Berliners have recently noticed mysterious symbols, such as hand-drawn Xs, showing up next to doorbells, reports T-online. According to some speculating on social media, these could be Gaunerzinken (thieves’ codes), a secret system of symbols used by criminals to mark potential targets for burglary. However, police say there’s no evidence linking the symbols to break-ins. A more mundane explanation is that delivery drivers are using marks to indicate households that frequently accept packages for neighbours.
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🔗 🔗 🔗 Useful links 🔗 🔗 🔗
🎙️The 20% Berlin Podcast on Spotify
I'd love to tip the delivery people. But how would you recommend tipping them, if I'm not expecting any delivery at the moment?
For 3 years I’ve been keeping a small stack of 5-10-20 notes next to my door every December to try and tip delivery people. However I live at the top (4th) floor. They don’t like climbing up here during the normal months. With holiday workload they never do. So far only one DHL employee managed to get a tip from me in 3 years!