The price of a liter of beer at Munich‘s Oktoberfest has risen fivefold since 1985, far outpacing overall inflation in Germany, according to an analysis by UniCredit’s chief economist in Germany. A Mass, the traditional 1-liter (2.1-pint) serving at Oktoberfest, will cost an average of €15.61 ($18.50) this year. In 1985, it cost about 6.25 Deutschmarks, equivalent to €3.20 after conversion at the fixed euro exchange rate. The figures were analyzed by UniCredit economist Andreas Rees ahead of the opening of the world’s largest beer festival on Saturday. Beer prices at Oktoberfest have increased by around 400% since 1985, according to Rees, using data from Munich’s statistical office. Consumer prices across Germany, by comparison, have risen by around 120% over the same period. Women conquering Oktoberfest’s toughest jobs To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video What determines the Mass’ price? This...

Gas stations in Germany are only allowed to raise their fuel prices once a day, at 12 noon. In Berlin, on the morning of September 15, E10 gasoline cost about €2.25 ($2.60) per liter and diesel about €2.37. At noon, prices rose by about €0.20 per liter. The highest prices were recorded at a highway gas station in southern Berlin, where Super Plus cost €3.03 per liter. Drivers are angry. While it’s possible to use public transportation in large cities, residents of rural areas have hardly any realistic alternative to driving. Those living in regions near national borders have an advantage. On September 7, filling up a 60-liter tank with E10 gasoline cost about €31 less in the Czech Republic and Poland than in Germany. In Luxembourg, the difference was €28, and in Austria, €25. These figures were calculated by the Federal Statistical Office. Germany has nine neighboring countries. Gasoline...

Gas stations in Germany are only allowed to raise their fuel prices once a day, at 12 noon. In Berlin, on the morning of September 15, E10 gasoline cost about €2.25 ($2.60) per liter and diesel about €2.37. At noon, prices rose by about €0.20 per liter. The highest prices were recorded at a highway gas station in southern Berlin, where Super Plus cost €3.03 per liter. Drivers are angry. While it’s possible to use public transportation in large cities, residents of rural areas have hardly any realistic alternative to driving. Those living in regions near national borders have an advantage. On September 7, filling up a 60-liter tank with E10 gasoline cost about €31 less in the Czech Republic and Poland than in Germany. In Luxembourg, the difference was €28, and in Austria, €25. These figures were calculated by the Federal Statistical Office. Germany has nine neighboring countries. Gasoline...

Skip next section German transport minister open to introducing ticket barriers at big stations 09/15/2026September 15, 2026 German transport minister open to introducing ticket barriers at big stations Unlike in London, where passengers need to present their tickets at these electronic barriers, in Germany access to trains is barrier-free [FILE: Feb 21, 2018]Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/N. Economou German Transport Minister Steffen Bilger has expressed an openness to introducing ticket barriers at the entrance of big train stations in the country, amid a rise in violent attacks against train conductors while carrying out routine ticket inspections. In statements to newspapers published by the Funke media group, Bilger said it would make sense to have stricter control of entry to stations by ensuring those coming in have valid tickets. As it stands, German train stations have no ticket barriers, with Deutsche Bahn staff routinely roaming trains and asking passengers to provide valid tickets. “In...

German federal prosecutors have charged a 57-year-old Berlin businesswoman with carrying out intelligence activities for Russia. Ilona W., who holds German and Ukrainian citizenship, is accused of working for the intelligence service of a foreign power, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office said. She was arrested on January 21 and remains in pre-trial detention. What is Ilona W. accused of? Prosecutors say Ilona W. ran a marketing agency in Berlin and also chaired a lobbying association, giving her extensive contacts in military and political circles. She allegedly had contact with a full-time Russian intelligence officer at the Russian Embassy in Berlin from at least October 2023. According to the indictment, she repeatedly supplied him with information about high-profile events and helped arrange access for him, in some cases under a false name. Berlin detains German-Ukrainian woman for Russian espionage To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that...

Demonstrations, such as this one in Düsseldorf, have called for the AfD to be bannedImage: Thomas Banneyer/dpa/picture alliance Demonstrators plan to take to the streets in Dresden and Kiel on Sunday as part of a weekend of protests against the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) and populist ideologies. The rallies have largely been prompted by the recent landslide win by the AfD in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, where the party has been classified as “confirmed right-wing extremist” by the state domestic intelligence agency. In Dresden, the capital of the eastern state of Saxony, where support for the AfD is also strong, a demonstration is planned in the square in front of the city’s iconic Semperoper under the motto “Time for action.” In Kiel, situated on the Baltic Sea, unions, environmental associations and other groups have called for a protest with the slogan “Not again is now!” in reference to the...

Germany’s Goethe-Institut is set toclose all Russian branches by Sunday, amid one of the worst spats in the history of relations between Russia and Germany. The Russian Foreign Ministry ordered the closure of the German cultural centers in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk in response to Berlin’s reaction to the attempted drone attack at Leipzig airport in early August. In early September, German authorities blamed Moscow for organizing the attack and announced sanctions, which included closing the Russian culture and education center in Berlin, known as the Russian House, and the Russian Consulate General in Bonn, as well tightening visa restrictions for Russian citizens. “All employees must cease their work in Russia as of September 13, 2026,” Goethe-Institut Secretary General Gitte Zschoch said in a statement on Tuesday. “No more books can be borrowed from our libraries, and no further training can be offered. German language teachers are losing an important source...

The demonstration was peaceful, according to the policeImage: Thomas Banneyer/dpa/picture alliance With the slogan “Not a Step Back! No to the AfD and Right-Wing Hate Speech!” around 20,000 people marched through downtown Düsseldorf, according to reports from the police and organizers.  Several political initiatives called for the protest rally to send a united message of support for an open, democratic society. Among the participants, who marched peacefully without any counter-demonstrations, according to police, were the “Grandmas Against the Right.” On their poster, which was secured with a small piece of fabric and pins, they proclaimed: “The right is only for knitting.” Numerous families with children also joined the protest march in beautiful weather. Meanwhile, in Berlin, several marches protesting the normalization of right-wing politics converged on the town hall. Police estimated that 18,000 people participated, though organizers claimed that 32,000 people took part. The demonstrations were prompted by the state election...

The demonstration was peaceful, according to the policeImage: Thomas Banneyer/dpa/picture alliance With the slogan “Not a Step Back! No to the AfD and Right-Wing Hate Speech!” around 20,000 people marched through downtown Düsseldorf, according to reports from the police and organizers.  Several political initiatives called for the protest rally to send a united message of support for an open, democratic society. Among the participants, who marched peacefully without any counter-demonstrations, according to police, were the “Grandmas Against the Right.” On their poster, which was secured with a small piece of fabric and pins, they proclaimed: “The right is only for knitting.” Numerous families with children also joined the protest march in beautiful weather. Meanwhile, in Berlin, several marches protesting the normalization of right-wing politics converged on the town hall. Police estimated that 18,000 people participated, though organizers claimed that 32,000 people took part. The demonstrations were prompted by the state election...

German federal prosecutors on Friday charged seven suspected members of the Islamist militant group Hamas. The men allegedly plotted to carry out a deadly attack on Israeli or Jewish targets in Germany or Austria. What are the charges? The men are accused of helping procure weapons, membership in a foreign terrorist organization, and taking part in preparations for act of violence endangering the state, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office in Karlsruhe said on Friday. Investigators believe the suspects, who were arrested in Germany and abroad over recent months, were already pursuing a concrete attack plan. The men are accused of helping obtain guns and ammunition for an attack targeting representatives of Israel, Jewish people or people regarded as pro-Israel. The plot allegedly became concrete by July 2025 and was intended to take place on the second anniversary of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks on Israel. Prosecutors say that one of the suspects recorded a...