#499: Another BVG accident, lesbian housing project, Covid aid repayment, Apple dev center
Sunday's Sternfahrt
Dear 20 Percent,
Andrew’s in Amsterdam so I’ve taken on the Friday shift here at the 20% Berlin newsroom.
Late May, early June is allergy time for me. I’ve been sneezing for a week now.
According to Berlin’s pollen count page, it’s grasses that are causing havoc in my respiratory system right now.
The ratiopharm Pollen-Radar mobile app is more detailed. There, I learned that Ampfer (sorrel), Eibe (yew), Eiche (oak), and Esche (ash) are also blooming in Berlin. Unfortunately, it’s only in German but a brief lesson in German botanical terms never hurt anyone.
Apropos nature in our midst, tis the season of the Eichenprozessionsspinner, (oak processionary), a moth species whose larvae are poisonous. Right now you’ll see their webs crawling with critters spun in trees and bushes throughout Berlin. Thanks to climate change, populations are migrating northwards. Achtung, the older, hairier caterpillars can causes rashes, eye irritations, sore throats and breathing difficulties in people and animals. The threat should end in about two weeks, experts say.
News below.
Maurice
Join us at this upcoming 20% Berlin events:
🎤 Andrew’s 100% funny English comedy night at Downstairs Comedy on June 18th
🧠 I’m hosting one more 20% Berlin News Quiz before my summer break (really) on June 24th.
from our partner
Having a sense of community in Berlin is difficult.
Especially for internationals in their 20s to 40s.
No close friends that you can trust and no group that has your back.
That’s why we created Inner Circle.
A curated group of 8 expats who meet regularly.
You meet the same people and have deep conversations, over time, they become people you can rely on.
The next cohort launches at the end of June and there are limited spots available.
Bus accident
Not a great week for BVG safety. On Tuesday, a tram derailment in Hohenschönhausen resulted in 20 injuries. On Thursday, 16 people were injured when a BVG bus driver slammed on the brakes in response to a 63-year-old in a car changing lanes on Johannisthaler Chaussee. The car driver is suspected to have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In other transport news: Don’t bother driving anywhere Sunday morning. It’s the Sternfahrt (above). And this: On June 15, the S15 line will begin shuttling passengers between Gesundbrunnen and Hauptbahnhof via Wedding. Nine years later then planned.
Lesbian housing project opening soon
The paint is drying at “Germany’s first lesbian housing project” behind Kino International in Mitte, reports taz. Rat und Tat, the non-profit behind the building, says it is renting out 74 apartments out to queer and lesbian people. Residents move in this month and all units are rented. The first floor will house Berlin’s “first lesbian assisted living flat share”. The ground floor has a cafe and culture centre. The organisers have launched a Go Fund Me to pay for equipment they still need. I think we need thousands of more inter-generational projects like this that address both the housing and maybe loneliness crises in one swoop.
Covid emergency aid must be repaid
The self-employed who spent the pandemic in Germany might remember the emergency aid payments that pretty much anyone could get by filling out a simple online form. Now the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg (OVG) has ruled that the Investment Bank of Brandenburg (ILB) was justified in demanding the repayment of emergency aid from three businesspeople. They had applied for the aid in early 2020, expecting it to be a one-time, non-repayable grant. However, the aid was granted under a new directive that included a repayment clause. The recipients accuse the ILB of poor communication about the new directive, which sounds about right to me. The decision provides legal certainty for about 70 ongoing similar cases. The court also has jurisdiction over Berlin and could affect disputes over repayments in the city.
Apple dev center
A little boost for the Berlin tech scene: Apple’s opening up its first European developer center in Mitte. It will “offer developers throughout Europe even greater access to Apple experts and events, and a more direct way to learn about the latest Apple tools, technologies, and resources”.
🍺 🥨 Germany-wide news 🥨 🍺
🤦♂️ Germany fails in its bid for a seat on the UN Security Council
🤔 Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in Moscow?
👛 German asylum benefits cuts violate EU law, top court rules
⚽ Germany World Cup team guide
Factoid
Neukölln’s new Hindu temple dedicated to Ganesha opened at Hasenheide on Sunday. The project began in 2005 and cost €1.1 million, which was raised entirely through donations.
🪶🪶🪶Please visit our sponsor🪶🪶🪶
🚗 Accidents don’t just happen to “bad drivers”
Even the most careful drivers face risks every day. Hit-and-runs. Hailstorms. A deer on a country road. Someone crashing into your parked car.
That’s why the right car insurance matters.
With Feather, you can get cover that meets the legal requirements to register your car in Germany and gives you support when things don’t go to plan.
Why choose Feather car insurance?
✓ Bring your driving history with you. We recognize no-claims histories from many countries. And if you don’t have driving history from within Europe, we can still apply a claims-free discount equivalent to three years.
✓ Start with a better SF no-claims class. Many expats can begin at SF3 instead of SF0, which could lower premiums by 40–50% compared to other insurance companies.
✓ Travel with confidence. Your cover goes with you throughout the European Union.
✓ Need to register your car soon? We’ll send your eVB number electronically after signup, so you can move forward straight away instead of waiting for documents to arrive by post.
✓ Everything in English. From signup to claims, every step is in a language you understand.
A small collision can still cost thousands in repairs.
👉 Drive with more peace of mind. Get a non-binding quote with Feather today.
🔗 🔗 🔗 Useful links 🔗 🔗 🔗
🎙️The 20% Berlin Podcast on Spotify